AN: Enjoy the Chapter.
Ch 67 Third Task Pt 2
Ritsuka stood at the starting line with the other champions lined up ready to head into the maze.
McGonagall steps on to the stage facing the microphone that a technician Kadoc brought to improve somethings in the school. "Before we start the third and final task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, I would like to thank Chaldea for providing security when the Auror Corps is in a disarray." She looks at Kadoc then at Ritsuka.
They both nodded before McGonagall continues, "I know some of you don't like changes, however we just can't be oblivious to the muggle world. Their society is advancing, and the Mages of the Association are advancing with them, I swear as the Headmistress of Hogwarts I will do everything in my power to help you all be successful and fully prepared to face the Mundane society." She proclaims.
Maxime nodded and walk beside her. "I agree, I too will do my part to make my students future a successful one." The Half-Giant said. "I can speak for Durmstrang zat whoever is your headmaster will do zee same."
The applause was given after the two Headmistresses finished with their speech. They both incline their heads accepting their applause with grace. "Now, Champions take your places at the starting line!" McGonagall announced.
Amos patted Cedric on his back proud of his son for making this far. "Do well, son."
Cedric softly smiles at him. "Yeah, I will do my best." He said staring at the maze.
Maxime leans over to Fleur, "Now Fleur, do your best. Bring honor to Beauxbatons."
Fleur nodded, "I will Headmistress,"
Victor did some stretches and jumps in his place. He turns around to see his school cheering for his success in winning the Third Task. He waves back at them causing the crowd to cheer louder.
Ritsuka fixes his right glove then took out his pouch of gems. He smiles and places them back. "Ritsuka," He turns around to his mentor standing beside him.
"Mentor, what can I do for you?" Ritsuka asked the Dead Apostle.
Zelretch gave a smile to his apprentice. "Well, I just want to say you gown up. From the day I met you in Fuyuki up to now, I can say you are one of my favorite students that I have taught. I'm proud." He said.
Ritsuka blinks at his mentor then smirks. "Wow, mentor this is highly unlike you. Giving praises to me, you usually slap my back and say, 'Work hard kid,' or something like that." He said.
Zelretch chuckles, "Well, I felt that this time should be something different. Afterall you faced your past and handle it like a champ." he said. "So…"
Ritsuka almost stumbles on the ground when Zelretch slaps his back then laughs. "Work hard kid!" he said like nothing just happen.
Ritsuka glares at his mentor giving off a menacing look in his eyes. "Oi,"
Zelretch chuckles before handing over a pouch. "Use this whenever you're in a bind." He winks.
Ritsuka peeked at the pouch as he walks off to the Judge's table. Jeanne, Salieri, Mozart, Arthur, and Gawain walks over to him. "Master, we wish you luck," Jeanne said inclining her head.
"The training you have done over the years will pay off, master," Gawain said.
"Yes, master show them what a master of Chaldea can do," Arthur said.
Mozart smiles at him. "Be sure to bring Chaldea victory master. Once you complete this task then we'll have a big celebration in your name!" The musician claims.
"We always have some kind of celebration at any given time," Salieri said.
"Ah, Avenger don't be all moody now. We just made a beautiful piece in our master's name." Mozart smiles.
"Yeah, yeah." The Avenger rolled his eyes, "Master, we'll be taking our leave. I wish you luck." Salieri walks to the bleachers with Jeanne, Mozart, and Gawain following suite.
Arthur inclines his head to his master. "Master may victory come to you." The king said before heading off.
Ritsuka nodded and took his place at the starting line. "Champions! Take your places." Baggman said as each of the schools' champions took their places.
"Get set…GO!" Baggman shot a spell in their air signifying for them to run into the maze. Once they enter the maze the hedges closed off the entrance.
Mashu closes her eyes praying to every deities that they met to keep him safe.
"Lady Mashu…" Mashu opens her eyes to Caster of the Forbidden Forest about to sit down next to her.
"Ah, yes Caster?" Mashu asked holding on to the sleeping Romani.
"Y-You must be tired holding your son, may I take him off your hands?" Caster asked.
Mashu thought about it before answering. "Yes, I appreciate it, Caster." Mashu handed Romani to Caster's arms carefully not to wake him.
Caster of the Forbidden Forest carefully held her master's child in her arms. She rocks him carefully not to drop him.
"You're natural at this, Caster." Arthur looks back at her.
Caster covers her face with her hood not looking at the King of Knights. "I-I babysat when I was younger, this comes naturally for me," she said.
"Oh? Well, that's interesting to know." The Saber said.
Caster nodded as she cradles Romani in her arms.
Moody was patrolling the back of the bleachers for unwanted guests; he must admit Kadoc and the rest of the Chaldean soldiers are superefficient in security details. They even orchestrated an evacuation plan in case anything happens during the task.
He turns to the corner to see Rider of Atlas leaning over a pole staring at the sky. Moody walks over to him, "Rider, right?"
Rider of Atlas looks at the retired Auror. "You must be this Mad eye, Moody, I keep hearing about. The one that Ruler and Hermione found in that chest."
Moody blush. "Y-Yes, I am. Let's forget about that." He said.
"Alrighty, so what made you come to me?" Rider asked.
"Well, I heard rumors that you all are heroes, right? I just want to see if it's true." Moody said.
Rider nodded. "Yep, Heroes and Villains alike."
"So, villains have included in this Servant deal as well," Moody said.
"Yep, in all a Servant can be good or bad depending on the master." Rider added.
"I see, well I'm guessing your acting as security by your master," Moody said.
"Yes, I don't mind. Protecting the innocent is what I was born to do. This Task is simple to do." Rider said before turning to a hulking figure. Rider faces pale before calming down.
"Ah, Rider of Atlas I should have known you to be here," Euryale said on top of Asterios. "See Berserker, I told you he was here."
Moody stares at the tan and white untamed haired man carefully holding the purple-haired girl on her shoulders. "Yes," he responded before looking at the Rider. He looks at the red-haired man who was sweating in his presence.
Euryale notices Asterios's shift in mood for whoever this man is. The Archer thought of something before any problems arose. "H-Hey, Berserker I'm pretty sure that master told us to patrol the entrance to the stadium," Euryale suggested. "Let's go, away from these humans Berserker."
Asterios sighs at the sight of the man before him then smiles. He huffed away after listening to the Gorgon's voice. "O…kay…" he huffed before walking off.
Moody sighs in relief after the minotaur left the area. "That was strange; from the looks of it, that man has this respect for you. What did you do to him?" the old Auror asked the Rider.
Rider coughs. "I think I have an idea. But I don't want to disclose to you, it's a personal thing."
"I get it, it's from the past. Trust me when I saw I have similar situations just like yours." Moody said.
Rider chuckles. "Well, that's ensuring." He said before straightening up. "I guess we should get back to patrol, we've been talking for so long that it turned dusk already." He said as Moody looks at the orange sky.
"It sure has Rider. I should head back to- "Moody pause as Rider of Atlas looks around the area, they were in. "What is it?"
"I think I heard something." Rider said eyeing an old-looking trapdoor under the bleachers. He walks over to the old looking door.
"Why are you going in there? They just story Quidditch supplies and other stuff." Moody said following the Servant.
Rider summons a medium-size sword in his hand and slashes the lock opening the handle of the door. Rider opens the door swiftly ready to strike at the person inside. "Who's there?" Rider demanded.
Moody rushes over to the Servant and casts a spell. "Lumos!" a small ball of light appears on the tip of his wand.
The old Auror steps forward to see what Rider was staring at. "Rider, what are you staring at- WHAT THE BLAZES!" he exclaims at the sight of a person tied up and taped on his mouth.
"This is bad," Rider said. "Master is in deep trouble."
Maze March 10, 2024, 6:40 PM
Ritsuka was deep within the maze turning every corner he met to get to the center. He was running for a while not noticing it just turned dark. He came up to a corner swiftly turning to hold his hand out like a gun.
Ritsuka surveys the area before letting his hand fall. He slowly walks forward gripping his katana ready to draw it out. 'Clear,' he thought as he moves forward.
Ritsuka walks forward then suddenly Fleur's scream nearby where he was. Ritsuka rushes to where he thinks her scream originated from. Upon the next coroner, he witnesses Victor running in the other direction. He looks down to see Fleur unconscious being dragged by the roots of the hedges.
He looks at Victor who was getting away then back at Fleur. "Damn this," Ritsuka cursed.
He took out three red gems from his pouch attached to his belt and activates his Magic Circuits. "Oh Flammen, verbreite dich! " he threw the gems at the roots of the hedges.
The roots lit of fire as it releases Fleur from it's grasped. Ritsuka raises his hand in the air and cried, "schießen". A blue gem was fired in the air then explodes mid-air.
Ritsuka went back to Fleur and checks her for any injuries. "Still breathing," he sighs before turning to Chaldean soldiers armed with Ak-47s in their possession.
" Director Fujimaru, we receive your single. Is everything alright?" The Solider asked.
Ritsuka nodded. "I'm just fine, however, Fleur isn't." He looks at the unconscious French Champion. " I need you two to take Fleur back to the starting point safely."
"What about you director?" the seconded Chaldean Soldier asked.
"I have something I need to do," Ritsuka said as one of the soldiers carried Fleur in his arms. "We wish you luck, director." He said before heading off with the second soldier.
Ritsuka turns around back to where Victor ran off. Ritsuka steps forward and ran in the same direction where Victor ran.
He followed the path that the Durmstrang student was on then stopped when he arrived at a fork in the road. " This maze will be the death of me," he groans deciding to take the left side. He ran down the path and saw a turn. He pauses seeing a shadow on the other side, he drew out his katana raising it ready to strike at Victor.
He rushes to the other side in a striking stance that Okita taught him. He jumps out of the way when Victor shot the killing curse at him. Ritsuka held out his hand like a gun and shot multiple gems at him.
"Bombarda!" Victor cast the exploding charm towards the Magus.
Ritsuka acted quickly and threw down some gems. "Barriere!" Three large gem-like structures shielded the blast from the charm. Ritsuka spirited to the other side where Victor was with his blade in hand.
The fog was covering his movements causing a bit of confusion for Victor. Victor cast multiple spells in the fog he didn't see that Ritsuka was already in front of him.
Ritsuka was about to knock him unconscious with the hand when a voice cried out. "Stupefy!" The spell shot Victor against the hedges rendering him unconscious. He turns to the fogged pathway where Cedric walks out of.
"Cedric," Ritsuka sighs.
Cedric smiles at Ritsuka. "Hello, Ritsuka it seems I made it in time." He said to the Magus.
"Yeah, you did." Ritsuka straightens himself up before walking over to the Hufflepuff. "Thank you for that, Cedric."
The wizard waved it off like it was nothing. "Don't worry about it, now don't we have a task to finished?" he said eyeing the path he just was on.
Ritsuka tilts his head to see the path and saw in the distance a faint blue light. 'Shit, it's already gotten worse.' Ritsuka said in his mind. He turns to the Hufflepuff and nodded.
"Great, just let me do this," Cedric raises his wand in the air. "Periculum!" A red flare was shot in the air alerting the soldiers are station in the maze.
Both Ritsuka and Cedric enter the pathway before the hedges were close. They turn back to see the hedge already covers the entrance. "Well, there's no turning back now," Cedric said.
"Yes, let's get going." Ritsuka and Cedric ran to where the faint light is coming from. They soon arrived in a circular area where there are multiple entrances.
"So there more then one way to enter here," Ritsuka said before gazing upon the goblet oozing blue flames from the cracks.
"Well, let's get to it," Cedric said about to step forward before Ritsuka held out his hand.
"Wait Cedric, this is a dangerous artifact," Ritsuka said.
"What do you mean?" Cedric asked.
"My Servant said this goblet is something he created back then only to be severely damaged deeming it unusable and unstable." Ritsuka started. " I'm sorry Cedric, but this must be destroyed." He raises his left hand ready to summon his Servant to dispose of the Grail.
Stadium
McGonagall and the other judges watch as four Chaldean soldiers carry off Fleur and Victor off to the Medical tent. "Only two remain." She said.
"Yes, but who will claim the prize?" Zelretch said before chattering in the crowd caught his attention along with the others. He turns to Rider of Atlas and Moody helping a shocking familiar student.
"Headmistress, we have a problem!" Moody said.
McGonagall gasps at the young man in the Servant's and Auror's arms. "Cedric Diggory!? How? We saw you off when you enter the maze?" she cried seeing the tater state of his clothes.
"I-I was ambushed two weeks ago when going back to my Common room," Cedric said as Amos ran to him.
"Who could do this?" Amos said. "Tell me son, who did this to you?"
"I-It was-"
Maze
Ritsuka raises his hand ready to call upon his Servant when he felt something hit his nerve like a metal pole just slams on the back of his neck. He fell on his knees on the ground. He looks up to see Cedric holding a spear in his hands,
"I'm sorry, Ritsuka. I'm truly am. If I was summoned by you then we can make a great team." Cedric said. "However this is not the case, I can't let you destroy the grail. My master needs it to fulfill Avenger's plan." He walks over to Ritsuka. The last thing that Ritsuka saw was Cedric's hand covering his face.
AN: So how do you like this twist? The True name of the other Cedric will be the next chapter. Please leave a review.
