Chapter 11 - Confessions and Alliances
Coming Clean
Irisviel woke up drowsily, her sleep had not been a pleasant one. She could sense the comforting presence of her servant through their bond, Medusa was nearby but not in the room. After getting up, she had breakfast, checked up on all the defenses she'd put into place around the mansion, and caught up on the latest intelligence updates.
From what was gathered, Prelati and Gilles likely set up shop by the docks, using the sewers as transportation. Nothing was confirmed for certain though. Prelati's illusions were no joke, and when he was trying to hide it was incredibly difficult to track him down. Her plans for the day was to confide in Kirei, and then keep scoping out the city to see if she could confirm Prelati's location.
She decided she would tell Medusa her secret as well. More for utilitarian purposes than out of trust, as they could cooperate far better in a fight if they knew each other's abilities. She did feel a growing fondness for the snake woman, but trust takes more time. She would have preferred waiting to tell Medusa, but it was entirely possible that her servant found out the truth on her own due to the dream cycle. If Medusa was at risk of finding out anyways, she'd rather it came from her mouth first.
Thus, come lunch-time she found a restaurant boasting of how spicy their mapo tofu could be, and was seated next to her servant and across from the priest. While they waited for the food to arrive, Kirei spoke up. "I understand you have something you wish to discuss."
Irisviel had been nervous about bringing up the subject. She hadn't told anyone about her true nature. What if he judged her? What if he didn't accept her? She didn't want to lose what they'd had, but she needed to be brave. If he didn't accept her, then he was never the man she thought he was. Putting up a bounded field to prevent any eavesdroppers, she answered. "Yes. I want to tell you two something important. A secret I haven't told anyone before. Medusa already got a hint of it thanks to Gilgamesh, but I want you two to hear it from my own mouth. I'm a reincarnated individual, probably from a parallel world." She admitted.
"I figured as much. Not the parallel world part. But reincarnation, yes." Kirei answered.
"How?!" Irisviel asked with utter shock.
"Did you really think you could just dive into my soul without exposing anything about yourself too? Your soul had weight. It felt older, odder, and more overbearing than what a 6 year old homunculus should possess. Considering the Einzbern's desperate desire to regain the Third Magic, which was related to the soul, I figured perhaps reincarnation was a facet of such magic. It explained your abnormal knowledge too." Kirei said analytically.
"Wow, sometimes you scare me Kirei." Irisviel admitted.
"Oh please, I am but a humble priest. Perhaps helping me was just another workday for you, but it changed the course of my entire life. It would be strange if I didn't ponder on your nature." Kirei said smiling.
"Okay, I suppose that went easier than I expected. Then the second thing to note is that when I reincarnated, I was given the power of 12 Heroic Spirits. Each of a different class, most of which I can't use yet. That's how I've been able to accomplish so much in so little time. My soul is a strange abomination, I'm more like someone with 13 souls.
There's a bleed-through effect too. Every time I use the power of a spirit, a bit of their soul bleeds into mine. Every time I develop a stronger affinity for a spirit, their traits affect me more deeply. It's still in the early stages, but eventually I may not act fully like myself anymore. In my last life, I never used to be so driven to innovate. Or feel such a strong impulse to kill things. I just wanted to explain that." Irisviel said.
"You are still Irisviel, my friend. Even if you have a few personality traits added on, I can tell you'll never let them lead you astray." Kirei said softly, as if he knew exactly what Irisviel had been hoping to hear.
"You were born with these powers, right? They're just another part of you. I understand the fear of having your personality eroded by something else. If you ever go berserk and become a monster, I'll put you down. And I hope you would do the same to me. And if we both go berserk, then we can be monsters together. I don't see any problems." Medusa said with cold logic, but she could sense the acceptance and warmth hidden beneath.
"I suppose that leads me to my next question. This kind of power is never given aimlessly. You speak of saving the world quite frequently, but you've never elaborated in detail about what the dangers are. What exactly is the threat you are so worried about?" Kirei asked.
"The world will end by the year 2040. By world, I mean our planet and all living species on it. Probably. The implication behind the powerset I was given was that the only way out was for mankind to reach for the stars before all that happens." Irisviel noted.
"Why are you so certain that the planet cannot be saved?" Medusa asked.
"Some of the spirits inside of me are…very powerful. If an entity capable of gathering multiple such spirits didn't think the planet could be saved, I don't think it can be. At least, not by me." Irisviel answered.
"It still doesn't seem like much to worry about though. I've seen the advances you've been making in the news. Space travel? Terraforming? At the pace you're going I could easily see us reaching for the stars in under 40 years from now." Kirei commented.
"I also felt like it should be possible, and I take every precaution to stop catastrophes I know of before they occur. But it's still too much power that I've been given. Supposedly, I need every single spirit to save humanity. I've barely even scratched the surface of my abilities, so how bad is the upcoming danger? I have a few guesses on how circumstances grow so dire.
One possibility is that my meddling with the future preemptively is pointless. The worst disasters are simply guaranteed to happen, and maybe all I can do is change the outcome of them rather than prevent them outright. Perhaps that is why in my attempts to avert the descent of Angra Mainyu, I've managed to create a bigger crisis through Prelati and Gilles. Maybe something bad has to happen to Fuyuki in 1994.
The other possibility is that even with my meddling the danger is something I lack knowledge of. Something missing in my visions of the future, an entirely new set of disasters. It may even be both of those possibilities." Irisviel said frustratedly.
"I see, so that is why you are so upset. You are not worried because the world will end. It will do that anyway. Any effort you make is better than no effort. You are not the type to feel sad about things you have no control over. But, you are worried that you may be making things worse. That it is your very presence that makes this future so grim." Kirei's words cut through her like a knife.
Irisviel struggled to formulate a response, unsure of how to answer. Medusa placed her hand on top of hers, supportively. "You didn't ask for these powers, or choose this fate. If it's your presence that makes the future bleak, it's the fault of the entity who gave you such power."
"On the other side of the coin, it could be that this world was doomed from the start. And your presence may have given it the slightest glimmer of hope. It is quite hard to do worse than the extinction of humanity, so I think you need not blame yourself. I think your only fault is trying to bear such a burden alone. But it is never too late to repent, and you are reaching out to us now. That is what's important." Kirei stated.
Irisviel felt tears welling up in her eyes. They believed her. They accepted her. They trusted her. And she felt like she could trust them not to betray her trust. It was the best possible outcome, and she broke down from all the stress she'd shouldered all alone before this. "Thank you both. I didn't think this conversation would go this well. You were right Kirei, I need to trust people more. Damn, is this what Zelretch had been talking about earlier?"
"It is good to trust others, but as your 'mentor' of sorts, I think I should caution you. No one is perfect, betrayal can come from anywhere, and anytime. It could be coerced, or the person you trusted may just have chosen an outcome that benefited them more. So please, balance trust with caution." Kirei warned.
"Should I have been more careful telling you guys?" Irisviel wondered.
"Perhaps. For example, something like a Geis would make your confession more secure. You could have set a Geis on yourself with the condition that you must speak only the truth during this conversation. It would make it easier for us to believe you if there were doubts. You could have set a Geis on us with the restriction that we can't speak of what we learn in this conversation unless certain conditions are met. And so on. That's just one method. In general, those kinds of methods involve trusting us with this information, but preparing safeguards to kill us or prevent us from using the information in a way that could harm your interests." Medusa answered.
"That is not the point I'm trying to make. You should be cautious in who you trust. Sure, those you do trust can still betray you. But this does not mean you should constantly fear that those you trust will turn on you one day. That is no way to live. I only wish to make sure you, who has never properly trusted someone before, understands that sometimes people will turn on you. And there's nothing you can do about it. It will hurt, but that is just another part of life. I hope that you do not lose your ability to trust others if such an event occurs. People need each other." Kirei corrected.
"I understand. I think. Not perfectly, but a lot more than before. I guess we need a bigger secret club to save the world. Any suggestions?" She asked Kirei.
"Don't tell Kiritsugu. Not yet at least" Kirei said immediately.
"Wow, that was a quick response. Did he do something to you?" Irisviel wondered.
"No, but he rubs me the wrong way. I've heard of his track record and exploits. I was surprised you even chose to hire him. He's the kind of person you'd have killed by now, Irisviel. You've killed plenty of people for less terrible crimes than Kiritsugu has committed. Why do you favor him so much?" Kirei inquired.
"I've noticed that as well. You seem abnormally forgiving towards that man. Is this related to your visions? Does he play a role in saving the world somehow?" Medusa wondered.
Irisviel thought about it. They were right, weren't they. She had killed people for less. Even if it was to save the most lives, some of the things Kiritsugu had done in the past were unforgivable to her. Had she held a bias for so long? Was it because…
'Oh. I see. You're still watching over him even now, aren't you, other me.' She thought, having come to a realization.
"I may have made a mistake earlier. I think I'm composed of 14 souls, not 13. The original Irisviel, from the visions I've seen. She loved Kiritsugu, married him, and had his child. I think she's inside me too." Irisviel proclaimed.
"That explains a great deal. Maybe it's my fatherly instinct speaking then. Forgive me for being presumptuous, while you are my friend, I also partially see myself as your guardian. He's the roguish scoundrel trying to seduce you away. Any father would be angry. You can do better than him." He said with a chuckle.
Irisviel's cheeks turned a faint red, her heart melted a bit knowing that he saw her somewhat like a daughter. Just like she saw him somewhat like a father. But hearing it this way was embarrassing. "I-it's not like that! I don't love him okay! Sure he was a bit charming and kind when I first saw him but I don't like men!"
"Rejoice, for there is no need to fear. I am not one to judge, and I think God loves us all equally. Although in that case, do I need to worry about a tall, purple-haired woman seducing you away instead? I like her more than Kiritsugu at least. " Kirei said teasingly, glancing towards Medusa.
"I'm not sure about seducing her away, but Irisviel is quite attractive I will admit. However, she also happens to be a sexual deviant who will say anything to get me into bed with her. What is the lord's policy on such matters?" Medusa joined in on the teasing.
Irisviel fumed, covering her face in shame. "She's not giving the whole context! It's not as bad as it sounds!"
"While I'm slightly curious about the context with which your deviancy is more acceptable, I'm probably better off not knowing. As long as it happens behind closed doors, and is consensual, I see no problem with it. Still, to hear what kind of woman you have become Irisviel, is this the so-called rebellious teenage phase?" Kirei joked.
"I was drunk!" Irisviel continued defending futilely.
"You're underage for that. For shame, Irisviel." Kiriei shook his head in exaggerated disappointment.
Irisviel gave up on explaining and tore down the bounded field masking their conversation. "Can we please get our order already!" She yelled. As Medusa and Kirei laughed at her antics, Irisviel realized the dangers of being surrounded by sadistic friends. The teasing! She drowned her embarrassment in mapo tofu so spicy that she sweated like she'd just gone through a serious workout.
Encounter at the Docks
After that refreshing meal, the rest of the day was dedicated to trying to track down Prelati. As they meandered through the docks, Irisviel broke the comfortable silence the pair had maintained. "So…I'm quite attractive huh?"
Medusa's lips curled into the faintest smirk. "I stand by what I said."
"So that's how you want to play it huh? I thought your vision of beauty included having a petite form. Aren't I too big?" Irisviel questioned.
"Someone may have made me reconsider the modern idea of beauty. Just a bit." Medusa noted.
"That someone must have been a pretty wise person." Irisviel said smugly.
Medusa chuckled. "One does not need to be wise in order to utter occasional words of wisdom."
Irisviel scoffed. "Hey what's that supposed to mean?"
"A wise person would not need to ask." Medusa fired back.
"Damn…you got me there." Irisviel admitted. And then the pair both giggled.
The pair didn't touch on the topic of mutual attraction for the rest of the patrol, but by nightfall they felt like they'd grown closer. Unfortunately, their search proved unsuccessful. But just because their search was unsuccessful, didn't mean they avoided trouble.
The wind began to pick up speed as clouds began swirling in the sky, gathering up into a large storm. Sparks of lightning could be seen flashing in the air, and what seemed to be a large missile roared towards them with a clap of thunder. As the projectile grew closer though, it became clear it wasn't a missile at all, it was instead a chariot. Bulls, running through the skies as a tall red-haired individual manned the helm. He was roaring with laughter, as a smaller brown-haired boy clung to the walls of the chariot in terror.
"Hello beautiful ladies. I am Iskandar, King of Conquerors, of the Rider Class in this Grail War. I ask you, won't you join my side in this war? When I win, we shall go conquer this world together. It'll be fun, no?" He said with a cheeky smile.
Irisviel rolled her eyes. An action mirrored by Medusa. Still, he was indeed a King once so she felt some respect was due. "Well met, Iskandar. I am Irisviel von Einzbern, just a humble magus. I have reasons of my own to win this war, so I apologize but I will not be able to assist you. Can I interest you in a temporary partnership in taking down a mutual enemy of ours? If they are not stopped, Fuyuki may be wiped off the map." She offered back.
Since Gilgamesh was in this war, not every servant may need to die in order to win this war. His soul was worth approximately 3 ordinary Heroic Spirits. Presuming the sacrifice of 7 ordinary Heroic Spirits was enough to reach the root, killing Gilgamesh and 4 other Servants would suffice. Maybe. It wasn't a sure thing. But with that logic, only two servants could live. She'd prioritize Medusa's survival, and then she'd look towards her allies. That meant there was no room for Iskandar to live in any of her plans, unfortunately. She didn't want to establish a partnership on a false premise, and have to betray him later. So she refused to join him from the start.
"That is a shame, I will not hesitate but it is always saddening to crush a beautiful maiden. Until that moment though, I can consider an alliance if the danger is truly that grave. Tell me more about this enemy." Iskandar accepted.
"Waver Velvet, this concerns you too. You may have heard of a magus by the name of Prelati. She may be in this war, and may have summoned Gilles de Rais. You know the child kidnappings on the news lately? I suspect that is their work. This is all circumstantial, I have no evidence for any of my claims. But if it really is them, Fuyuki is in grave danger." Irisviel explained.
"Killing children is wrong, I will not deny that. I would help track down this child-killer on principle alone. But that doesn't explain how Fuyuki would be endangered, it only seems like a few individuals are at risk here." Iskandar answered.
"If it truly is Gilles, he has a Noble Phantasm named Prelati's Spellbook. It has a connection to an Outer God, likely Cthulhu. In the hands of Gilles it is merely dangerous. But the book originally belonged to Prelati. If Prelati got it back…the threat escalates from dangerous to world-threatening. I'm sure the counter-force would intervene if things got too out of hand, but Fuyuki has a high chance of being wiped off the map." Irisviel answered.
"Um…if it's the Prelati I'm thinking of, have you tried checking the sky? They have a huge airship, and are really good at hiding it. It might just be floating around somewhere." Waver chimed in.
"Good idea, the sky deserves a more in-depth investigation. I've been using magecraft-enhanced satellite imagery to observe the skies but Prelati's illusions may be able to fool even that. Thanks Waver." Irisviel said.
"Oh it was no problem really. Anybody at the Clock Tower could have told you that." Waver said sheepishly, he wasn't very used to receiving gratitude from magi.
"As reasonable as your words sound, if you want my cooperation for that time then you'll have to prove that you're worthy of my help at all. Let us battle!" Iskandar proclaimed, and that was all the warning Irisviel and Medusa received before they were sucked into his Reality Marble, Ionioi Hetairoi.
Inside this area, a vast desert was laid out before them. The winds carried with them scorching heat, the horizon seemed to have no end, and not a cloud could be seen in the skies.
"God damn it. I should have seen this coming." Irisviel sighed.
"What are your orders Master?" Medusa said, in a combat stance with Harpe at the ready.
"I could probably break us out of here, but this could be good combat experience and we may need his cooperation later. Let's give him a show, like he asked." Irisviel stated, equipping her Scáthach class card. Two women, with spears and scythes in their hands, faced the oncoming horde of soldiers.
As the soldiers reached within range, Irisviel pointed her spear to the sky. Her magical energy radiated out in red waves, pulsing with the beat of her heart. "Your soldiers remained with you even in death. I commend their loyalty. But when they begin to hinder the paths of the living, it is time for them to pass on. I will show you what lies beyond the world. I will lock you away in the darkness from the Age of the Gods. Tremble, freeze, and shatter into pieces. Gate of Skye!" She'd never dived into this class card so deeply before, and it was beginning to influence her mannerisms.
As she chanted, the world was tinted a deep blood-red, and the dry air seemed to rumble. Dark clouds formed in the formerly clear skies, and a massive gate began descending with force. Its walls were spiked with ice and its feet adorned with statues of howling wolves. As the stone doors opened up, a cold fog seeped out that felt like it was freezing the soul.
Beyond the doors lay an icy, mountainous wasteland. It had an ominous beauty to it, drawing one in even despite the clear sense of danger it emanated. But the gate had no need to entice people in such a manner, because once fully opened all the air surrounding it was sucked in towards its entrance. The surroundings changed color once more, into a pale bluish white as frost encroached across the sand.
The soldiers cried out, doing their best to plant themselves into the ground and not get sucked in, but very few could resist as the gate greedily ate their souls. This was the haunted ground brimming with death, the Land of Shadows.
Reduced from an army of tens of thousands all the way to an army of a few hundred, the battle became much more even. "I'd say this level of strength is enough for cooperation, wouldn't you?" She yelled, enhancing her voice through runes so it could reach Iskandar's distant figure.
The smile hadn't left his face, but it was more strained than when they'd first met. "Opening a gate to wipe out your enemies doesn't show me your real power. It doesn't reveal to me anything about your resolve. Show me your conviction!" He roared back, charging forth on his horse Bucephalus while leading his remaining soldiers towards the two women.
"Tch." Irisviel scoffed. She supposed he wasn't wrong. While she had to prove herself through combat, this was more of a character assessment than a victory assessment. And all she'd done was use a cheat-skill to make it an easier fight. What didn't help was Scáthach's soul seeming to resonate in agreement with his words.
Twirling her dual spears, she charged towards her enemies alongside Medusa. She used runes that made the terrain unstable, runes that cursed those who neared her, runes that blasted her opponents with elemental attacks. When outnumbered, every advantage counts. Then she used her two spears, one to pin her enemies and another to kill them off. At some point she lost herself in the battle-frenzy until she was face-to-face with Iskandar, clashing spear against sword.
"Hahaha, this has been a great battle. I'll help you." He proclaimed, and yet neither of them stopped fighting.
"Then you can back off." Irisviel said with fire in her voice.
"Take a look at yourself girl. You've given into madness." Iskandar shook his head in a manner she perceived as condescending.
But still, she humored him and evaluated her condition anyway. It…was not good. There were stab wounds across her torso, countless nicks all across her skin, and her body coated in blood. She'd probably broken some bones too. She finally came down from her blood-frenzy as she came to terms with how close she had been to dying.
"I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. Thank you. For not taking the chance to just finish me off." Irisviel said, lowering her weapon along with everyone else.
"A man doesn't go back on his word. It would be no fun killing you off so early. Truth be told, I didn't expect you to be fighting so well either, and it was so exciting I got carried away too." He laughed.
Waver finally made an appearance, looking at her with a look akin to awe. "How did you do that? Can magi become this strong in the modern era?" He asked fervently.
"She's something like a demi-servant." Iskandar answered for her.
"I guess it would be more obvious to a servant. But yes, that is what I did." Irisviel confirmed. With the battle finished, the Reality Marble vanished as they returned to the docks. Waver looked troubled by the information he'd just learned.
"Even with that much power, you're still worried enough about Prelati to ask for our help? Alright, I'm in. But - no offense to you or anything - I don't trust you completely. We'll try to find him on our own, share any information related to Prelati we can gather, and support you when he does appear. Does that work for you?" Waver decided.
"While not the most ideal, those terms are still quite acceptable." Irisviel said, and exchanged numbers. They flew off in the Gordius Wheel, Iskandar's chariot, while she wobbled as magical exhaustion took her over. She didn't have the energy to mend her wounds. The last thing she saw before she passed out was Medusa's worried face as she cradled her body.