Chapter 13 - Siren's Call
Rune Carving
[Irisviel P.O.V.]
After a very restful sleep, Irisviel awoke around noon after Medusa poked her awake. "Good morning sleepyhead." Medusa said in amusement.
Irisviel didn't want to get out of the comfortable embrace, so she just buried her head inside Medusa's chest and muttered. "5 more minutes."
Medusa ran a hand through Irisviel's hair, playing with it as she kept poking Irisviel's side. "It's already noon. You were already healed hours ago, and every time I try to get up you cling to me and don't let me get up."
Irisviel only squeezed her arms around Medusa tighter. "You're my pillow. You don't get to leave."
Medusa sighed with fond exasperation and so they finally made it out of bed by mid-afternoon.
"Everyone's not here today for some reason, even Sakura. I wonder where they went." Irisviel noted as they ate a late lunch.
"Kirei and Kiritsugu are still trying to find Prelati if he's here, Byakuya went to meet up with a lawyer regarding his inheritance from Zouken, and Sakura went off to meet her mother and sister." Medusa informed. Even in bed, Medusa had managed to keep track of who went in and out of the castle.
"Sakura went out on her own? It's not safe, but I suppose she has Serenity at least." Irisviel said with a bit of worry.
"Yes, she left a note. I think she believed you would deny her a visit during this time if she asked permission, but also that you wouldn't get too mad if she ran away anyways." Medusa noted with amusement.
"That girl understands me too well." Irisviel shook her head, but indeed there was no anger to it.
"You'd mentioned learning some runes earlier. Can you truly affect a servant in a notable way with them? Humans are one thing, but I have a pretty high magical resistance." Medusa wondered.
"My runes are from the Age of the Gods, so they're probably strong enough to scale with servants. But as for your magic resistance, it would be a problem if we were in combat against each other, but you are a willing participant so it should be fine." Irisviel reasoned.
"I guess we'll have to test the extent to which these runes can help me. So how do you want to start?"
"I guess I can teach you the runes I was thinking of implementing on you, and their meanings. After you can cast their more basic versions, I'll carve their more powerful forms into your flesh. How's that sound?" Irisviel suggested.
"Works for me." Medusa nodded, and they headed into the basement area of the castle. It had even more bounded fields set up for privacy to avoid spying eyes.
Irisviel began her explanation. "There's three kinds of runes. The first and most powerful are the Primordial runes, created by Odin himself. I plan to inscribe these into your flesh. The second type are simply dubbed old runes, which were the first attempt to recreate their power. They are strong, but much weaker than primordial runes. The third type are modern runes, which are commonly used by mages today. They are even weaker than old runes, but the easiest to understand."
"If they are as weak as you seem to imply, why bother learning any of the other types, why not just learn primordial runes only?" Medusa wondered.
"It would take far more time than we currently have to pass on primordial runes to you. But the reason I'm teaching you a bit of old and modern runes is so that you can use the primordial runes I carve a bit better. Runes are more than just simple magical programs. They work off the user's understanding of the letters too. As an example, if your understanding of fire was different from mine, the same rune could lead to different effects."
After Medusa's acknowledgement, she went over the runic alphabet and had her practice some weak spells. Medusa was a talented mage, even if she rarely had to use the full extent of her talent. She picked up all the basics within a couple of hours.
"Alright, I'm only going to be tacking on surface level runes for now, so it'll feel like pricking your finger or getting a tattoo. It'll sting but not too badly. These would probably start to fade in a month or so, but that's more than enough for the war. I will only carve two runes for now."
Medusa wordlessly stripped off her top, not concerned with modesty at all. But while it hardly bothered Medusa, Irisviel was captivated. Sure, she'd seen plenty of exposed women before. But she'd never seen an exposed woman who she was romantically attracted to. That made a world of difference. If the smirk on Medusa's face was anything to go by, the gorgon knew exactly what effect she was having.
"U-uh yes. Thanks for taking off your top. I'll be carving the runes on your back, if that's okay?" Irisviel tried to stay professional. She suspected though her face was probably colored a dark red.
"Of course." Medusa nodded, as she stretched out her body which did wonderful things to her bouncing breasts.
"Are you stiff or something?" Irisviel asked, biting her lips as her eyes continued tracking those pale orbs.
Medusa merely chuckled. "Indeed, the position you had me in this morning was a tad uncomfortable. Just got some kinks in my shoulders."
At that Irisviel rubbed her head sheepishly. "Oh yeah, sorry. It was just so cozy when I woke up. I didn't want to leave."
"I'll forgive you. If you do something for me first." Medusa had a cunning gleam in her eyes.
"Uh sure. Anything." Irisviel accepted.
"You caused these kinks. So you should be the one to alleviate them. It's only fair, don't you agree?" Medusa reasoned.
"Yeah that seems fair. I'm a pretty good massessue if I do say so myself." Irisviel boasted, trying to act like she was doing Medusa a favor.
Based on the look on Medusa's face, she wasn't fooling anybody. This was a reward for Irisviel just as much as it was for Medusa.
"Then I'll be in your care." Medusa smiled victoriously, laying face down on the floor.
"I'll carve the runes first. That way afterwards the massage can relieve any tenderness as well." Irisviel amended. She crouched down, holding a ritual dagger in her hands. She ran her hand across the woman's smooth skin, using Structural Analysis to get an idea of how her magic was distributed. Being a nonhuman, Medusa had something similar to - but not exactly the same - as magical circuits.
After determining the best placement for it, she began her explanation. "First is Uruz, which represents aurochs. You can extend their meaning to represent endurance. Aurochs were sturdy and resilient beasts, and this rune should pass some of that on to you. The target is increased strength and significantly faster healing."
Steadily, channeling Scathath's spirit for maximum control, she carved the rune and infused her magical energy into it. As the rune activated, Medusa let out a shudder of pleasure as the slight bleeding from her dagger was already healing rapidly.
"Do you feel that good every time you get hurt?" Medusa wondered if her companion was a masochist.
"Uh..well yes. Somewhat. On this dagger I carved some runes to invert pain. I have those same ones carved into myself. I was inspired by another ability I know of, known as masochistic constitution. The premise is turning pain into power. I recreated that ability with a few modifications. I turn pain into power. And I turn some of that power into pleasure. So it'll hurt but also feel great?" Irisviel admitted in embarrassment.
"That explains a lot about your fight with Iskandar. I feel like I will regret this somehow, but can you do the same to me? If battle is going to hurt, I suppose it is better to get something good out of it too." Medusa requested.
Irisviel perked up with a smile. "Exactly! I'm glad you see it my way. Better to have some motivation to keep going."
"Are you sure it's not just because you're a masochist that wanted to have more fun getting hurt?" Medusa arched her neck and leveled at her a look filled with fake judgment. Her eyes gave away how she was actually quite amused.
Irisviel blushed. So what, she was a bit of a masochist! It was a perfectly normal thing!
"As long as you admit it." Medusa laid down again, smirking triumphantly.
"I said that out loud didn't I?" Irisviel asked rhetorically.
Sighing, she got to work.
"Alright, then I'll carve those too. The core of the conversions being made is the rune Gebo, for gifts. I'll be focusing on its aspect of exchange, as we trade things like pain, power, and pleasure. To turn pain into power, I'll use the rune Nauthiz, for necessity. Power borne from pain is likely one born from a sense of great need and urgency. To turn power into pleasure, I'll be using the rune Jera, for harvest. In this case I'm treating pleasure as the reward for our efforts in harvesting the power we've acquired." She explained, carving the cluster of runes.
This time, Medusa outright moaned as her flesh healed, with the effects being amplified due to the runes existing both on the dagger and on Medusa. "Feeling good dearest?" Irisviel smirked. She was expecting Medusa to blush or something, but then Medusa did something unexpected.
She sat up, yanked Irisviel close and gave her a kiss filled with need. As their tongues intertwined, Irisviel zoned out as she went into dreamland. Her first kiss in this life, and it was amazing. She pouted as Medusa pulled away, a threat of saliva connecting their lips.
"You're going to carve this next rune, and then I'm going to ravage you. Is that understood?" Medusa said assertively, her smile ravenous. Her pupils transformed into slits reflecting her Gorgon traits.
Irisviel nodded shakily. "Y-yes. Understood ma'am! But why?"
Medusa chuckled. "Ma'am hm? I don't like it as much. How about, 'Mistress'? Doesn't that sound better? Why don't you try asking again."
"Yes Mistress. What's got you like this?" Irisviel tried again, wondering why this felt so natural.
"I'm not just a normal servant. I'm a monster. Even my skills as a servant reflect this. All this blood is beginning to awaken that aspect of me, and it's getting me in the mood. That side of me enjoys watching people squirm. It enjoys dominating. It enjoys causing pain. And now here you are, such a scrumptious morsel right in my vicinity. You're an irresistible piece of meat I must devour. The best part? I can hurt you as much as I want and it'll only make it more fun for you. All this foreplay is enough to drive any woman crazy you know? So you'll have to take responsibility for that. Understood?" Medusa said, raking her fingernails, now sharpened to a point, across Irisviel's skin. Drawing the slightest bit of blood, she licked her fingers seductively.
Phew. Was it hot in here? Irisviel was getting undeniably aroused by all this. "Yes, mistress. I understand." She said eagerly.
"Good girl." Medusa cupped Irisviel's cheek. Obedience had never felt so exciting.
After Medusa laid back down and Irisviel regained her composure a bit, she continued carving the last rune.
"The last rune I'm placing on you is Ehwaz, which represents horses. You can extend its meaning to represent trust. In ancient times, a horse was more than just a horse. It was your companion, someone you trusted your life to. In a sense, as my servant you are the horse and I the rider. This rune should strengthen the connection we have as master and familiar. I've already carved the complimentary rune on myself, so after activation we should be linked. My hope is that through this, we gain an empathetic connection and perhaps I can lend some of my abilities to you." Irisviel explained.
After she finished carving the final rune, this time both Irisviel and Medusa gasped in pleasure as they shared their pain as well as their pleasure. Medusa sat up, pulling Irisviel into her lap. "My my, you're even naughtier than I thought. Linking together our sensations like this? I wonder how far this goes…" Medusa trailed off, utilizing her newfound runic knowledge to widen the connection she felt between them. Her hand meandered down under Irisviel's skirt and she rubbed her fingers against her master's lower lips.
Irisviel's cunt was already dripping wet, and it eagerly accepted the intrusion. Medusa's hands were unsteady yet vigorous in their pursuit of pleasure. "I-interesting. It feels like I'm masturbating. Would the sensations double if you did the same?" Medusa managed to utter in between her heavy breaths.
Irisviel understood the cue, snaking her own hand between Medusa's thick thighs as her fingers worked their way up towards her damp entrance. Gently inserting one finger, then two, going all the way up to three, she began pumping her hands in and out as she fingerbanged the gorgon.
Experiencing two orgasms at once was a hell of a way to kick off her newfound sex life, Irisviel felt. But there was no time for rest as Medusa seemed to only grow more manic after their bout. Irisviel found herself pinned to the wall as Medusa's hair formed into chains. The chains had her bound and in a spread eagle position, and some of Medusa's hair formed into snakes and began biting off her clothes.
Before Irisviel could speak a word she found her mouth gagged, Medusa was in control of this entire situation. After she was stripped of her clothing, the chains adjusted so she was bent over, her ass perked up and her legs wide open exposing her dripping snatch. "You've had your fun with me. It's my turn now. If you truly disapprove of what's about to happen, I have faith you can stop me. I'll be taking your inaction as your sign of consent. You're free to use our newfound connection to raise any objections as well."
'I didn't have any of that fun on purpose!' Irisviel wanted to say. But she wasn't unhappy or anything with the circumstances so she merely squirmed against her bindings in anticipation.
"I think you need some punishment. Although it may seem like a reward to you. Every time you answer my questions correctly, I'll spank you. Every time you answer my questions incorrectly, I'll be whipping you with my chains. If you bleed, I'll bite. And if you can stay conscious to the end, I'll give you a proper reward. How's that sound?" Medusa asked.
Irisviel, still gagged, nodded.
"That won't do. I suppose I'll have to let you speak, as nice as it is seeing you gagged up. Answer me properly." Medusa said with a sigh, having her snakes bite off the gag that she'd only just received.
"Yes mistress." Irisviel said.
"That was the correct response. Congratulations." Medusa smirked, rearing her hand back and smacking her left ass cheek with enough force to leave it a dark red. Irisivel yelped as she reflexively tightened her rear.
"Now then. Next question. What did you do wrong today?" Medusa asked.
Irisviel mused on the question, uncertain as to what she'd done. With a doubtful tone, she answered. "I didn't tell you about how the knife would feel good?"
The moment the words were out of her mouth Medusa whipped her back with a chain made of her hair. It stung, but wasn't satisfying the way it had felt getting spanked. Something Medusa seemed to pick up on. "It didn't feel so good did it? My sisters were experts at causing pain in an unsatisfying manner. Experts in dealing with disobedient masochists like you. What was the first rule we'd established?"
Irisviel gulped, realizing her error quickly. "I didn't tell you about how the knife would feel good…mistress?"
She was rewarded with another lash and a spanking too. This time her cunt splashed some of its juices against the ground. Medusa shook her head. Placing her fingers in Irisviel's snatch, she lapped up all the juices on her fingers and licked them up. "What a waste. Letting yourself drip all over the floor. I rewarded you for calling me mistress this time, but punished you for the incomplete answer. You should have told me about the knife, but that's not the main thing you did wrong. In fact, for being such a slut and dirtying the floor, I think you'll get some extra punishment."
Medusa whipped her a few more times this time, hard enough to draw blood. The blood had no chance to reach the floor as Medusa licked it up and bit down on Irisviel's shoulder. She was drinking the blood like she was a vampire, and the euphoria she felt was shared to Irisviel over their bond.
The sensation felt so good that Irisviel had a small orgasm, creating an even bigger mess on the floor. Medusa clicked her tongue in exasperation. "What am I supposed to do with you? I just cleaned up your last mess and you made another one? You haven't even answered the question again yet. Sounds like you need to be plugged up so that you stop making such a mess." Medusa then closed the connection between the pair, as she needed to be in control of her own body to give Irisviel the punishment she had planned.
Her hair formed into an enormous dildo, one that was far too large for Irisviel's virginal walls. But Medusa didn't hesitate as she rammed it into Irisviel's folds. The homunculus shuddered and groaned as the dildo stretched her out beyond her normal limits.
"Answer me already!" Medusa exclaimed, spanking her again. Irisviel had been adjusting to the new intrusion and was not prepared for it. She reflexively tightened her rear once more, but this time it caused her to clamp down on the dildo. She felt every inch of it scraping against her lower lips and helplessly she came again.
"No answer? I suppose I'll have to up this punishment." Medusa mocked. At this point it was clear to both of them there was no such thing as punishment in this game, only rewards.
"Since you like squeezing that perky little ass of yours every single time you get spanked, I'll give you even more to clamp down on." Medusa formed another dildo and plugged up Irisviel's ass.
The mixture of pain and pleasure was driving Irisviel crazy, and Medusa then continued spanking and whipping her for what felt like hours. It was not actually hours.
After Irisviel was appropriately reduced to a whimpering, drooling, bleeding, scratched up mess, Medusa finally eased up. "Now, I think you're ready to answer. Aren't you darling?"
"Yes mistress! The main thing I did wrong was revealing I was a masochist right as I drew blood." Irisviel responded dutifully.
"That's right. Revealing your dirty secrets to a monster, of course I'd gobble you right up. But I am pleased with you managing to stay conscious all the way up to this point. So you are forgiven, and it's time to give you a proper reward." Medusa nodded, kissing her gently on her forehead.
She removed all of Irisviel's chains and pinned her to the ground, missionary style. There was no harshness this time, as Medusa carefully kissed every inch of Irisviel's battered form with care and affection. Transforming the dildo into a strapon, she stared into Irisviel's eyes as if asking permission, to which Irisviel nodded.
Their connection was wide open as they shared the mutual pleasures of lovemaking together. "It's not what I expected, but this is wonderful in its own way." Irisviel mused as Medusa pumped in and out of her. It was a lot easier to maintain her composure this time.
"The word nowadays for it is…aftercare I believe?" Medusa retorted.
Irisviel giggled. "You're spoiling me. Blowing my mind and then melting my heart? Are you trying to make me fall in love with you within a day?"
Medusa smiled. "Depends. Is it working?"
"Yeah, it is actually. I'm surprised at how fast these feelings are growing." Irisviel admitted.
"Then yes. That was my goal. I don't know how many more moments I'll get with you like this. I didn't want to have any regrets. I think it was amplified because of the last rune you carved, but I love you. You've given me hope for a family. You've shown me that coexistence is possible with humans for even a monster like me. You've trusted me with your deepest secrets. It may be short, it may not go anywhere. But at this moment, I can say that I do love you." Medusa confessed, countless emotions flashing by. Above all though her eyes shone with earnestness and determination.
Irisviel felt like crying. Ever since she came into this world, she'd always been afraid of baring her heart. This world was doomed. Its people were doomed. She helped the people she could, as she felt like it was better than being a net negative to the world. But she wasn't the most optimistic about the world's survival. She just tried her best.
But now there were people that cared. There were stakes now. And it terrified her. "I'm scared. I think something terrible will happen. I don't want to lose you. I don't want to lose anyone." Irisviel admitted.
"But isn't it better this way? To love people enough that it would hurt to lose them?" Medusa challenged.
Irisviel had to admit she had a point there. "I guess so. Yes. Since when were you so wise?"
"Please. I was a goddess. We lived long lives. I've got plenty of life experience over you." Medusa scoffed.
"Does that mean you're cradle robbing me?" Irisviel asked in amusement.
Medusa's eye twitched in irritation. "You're an adult, spiritually. Your body is an adult's. And with your existence as some sort of servant chimera you might even be older than me if it was all added up. So the question is instead, are you cradle robbing me?"
"Let's say our ages are close enough?" Irisviel offered as an olive branch.
"Close enough." Medusa agreed, and they both laughed at the byplay.
"Then I guess I'll give the proper answer. I'm new to this feeling, so maybe I don't understand it perfectly. But I love you too." Irisviel said, and the smile she received from Medusa after that was worth all the fear love came with too.
They did not leave their workshop for many hours, tangled in each other's bodies. At least, until a siren went off. "Damn it." Irisviel sighed.
"You never did give me that massage." Medusa commented longingly.
Sneaking Out
[Sakura P.O.V.]
Being forbidden to leave the mansion was frustrating, even if Sakura understood the reasoning behind it. Sure it was dangerous, but who would attack them in the middle of the day? She even had her own servant to save her. While Sakura didn't have much confidence in defeating her enemies, running away should still be pretty doable right? Thus she became determined to leave the manor!
There would be no better time than this. For some reason almost all the mercenaries were out. Uncle Byakuya was busy. Uncle Kirei was out. And most importantly Aunt Iri, and potentially future aunt Medusa, were both asleep! She snuck out with Serenity.
Rin was nearby, so was her mother. She wanted to see them, it'd been so long. She did talk to them frequently via video calls, but it wasn't the same as being there in person. Rin had told her how they were in a small manor just outside of Fuyuki, it was definitely easy to get there if she took the Serenity express. Serenity just rolled her eyes when she called it that, but she complied nonetheless.
With Serenity carrying Sakura via piggyback, the pair hopped roofs and sprinted all the way to the manor. Standing in front of the door, Sakura asked her servant to stay hidden. It would only complicate things if her family realized she was fighting in a war against her birth father. Knocking on the door, she was greeted by the sight of her mother. Aoi wore a casual dress, and her wary eyes shone with warmth as they took in Sakura's form. "What a pleasant surprise. Please come in." She ushered in, wrapping her arms around Sakura's smaller frame.
"Greetings mother." Sakura nodded politely and followed in. She relished in the tinge of pain Aoi had on her face before it was quickly suppressed. Sakura called Magdalena her mom, and Aoi her mother. It was her own small revenge against her birth mother, who had let her be given away. Was it petty? Absolutely. She did love her mother, but Aoi had taught her it was possible to be resentful and loving at the same time.
After settling inside she spotted Rin. Her sister received a much warmer reception, with Sakura stepping up to hug her sister tight. Sakura used to be jealous of Rin. But then that jealousy had turned into pity. Sakura had so many great siblings and friends while Rin was not as close to other kids. Having to hide being a magus to any children Rin befriended was like hiding a core part of her identity. True friendships were just not possible. Every time they called each other Sakura could see that look of yearning and loneliness, and that was enough for all her unpalatable emotions to fade away.
"I'm surprised Miss Irisviel let you come over here. It's an awfully dangerous time to be in Fuyuki. But I suppose we're just on the outskirts here so maybe it's okay. Either way, I'm so happy to see you." Rin said genuinely.
Telling them Aunt Iri hadn't sanctioned this visit would be problematic, so she defaulted to her favorite tactic when she needed to lie. Smile, nod, ignore or sidestep any questions, and be as vague as possible. "I'm happy to see you too, Rin. You as well, mother."
After that, the ice was thawed and the girls of the Tohsakha family enjoyed chatting and being in each other's company. Seeing it was almost time for sunset, Sakura excused herself. "It's going to get dark soon. I have to make sure I'm safe in the castle before it does. It was great catching up with you both, but I need to go."
As she was stepping towards the door, Aoi interrupted her. "Sakura, before you go. I want to say something. I'm sorry. I know I hurt you when I let your father give you away. I know how betrayed you must have felt. I've apologized before, but it never feels like it'll be enough. But please, I want you to know that I really do love you. In a family of magi, the best possible outcome for you was to be adopted by another family with a rich heritage. As much as I pleaded with your father that we could raise you both, he was convinced it was the best future for you. And I accepted his decision afterwards. I'm not expecting your forgiveness or anything like that. It was unforgivable letting you go. But I just hope you remember that no matter what, you have a mother who loves you."
Sakura was conflicted as she watched her mother cry her heart out. She wanted to vent out all her frustrations, but for some reason not a word came out. Instead all that came out were tears of her own, as she still loved her mother too. Maybe it was okay to stop blaming her mother. She'd just hate her father instead. Feeling light on her feet, she leapt into her mother's arms and started bawling too.
Not to be excluded, Rin also joined in and so the Tohsaka family crying therapy session was in order. Apologies, tears, forgiveness, words of love, and hysterical laughter were the items on the agenda. Sakura felt happier and more connected with her family than she had ever since the day she left. It was only fitting that this newfound happiness was interrupted with the sounds of sirens going off.
Her aunt had told her about this. Irisveil had said that on the off chance the Grail War didn't go as planned, she would not let tragedy occur. The evacuation alert system was put in place to that effect. It had taken years, with permission and supervision of her father Tokiomi, to lay down a set of runes that could trigger minor earthquakes in Fuyuki. This was to fabricate a natural disaster worth evacuating an entire city, if needed.
Media blackout, minor tremors of the ground, and sirens blaring for evacuation. That was Irisviel's system to prevent innocent deaths in Fuyuki. But it also meant that things had gone to hell. "You guys are on the outside of town, so it should be okay. But something bad is happening inside of Fuyuki. I need to go. Stay safe, I love you mom, sis." Sakura said, giving them no time to deny her as she commanded Serenity to take her to the castle.
After she departed, Rin looked at the departing figure of her sister with her mouth hanging in shock. "She might be a master…"
Aoi was troubled. While the woman was happy to hear her daughter call her 'mom' again, it was overshadowed far more by the amount of worry she felt knowing her daughter was rushing into danger. Tokiomi had hurt Sakura greatly, but he'd boasted to her about how his servant was a truly powerful one. Perhaps she could convince him to help Sakura survive whatever came out of this mess? She hurriedly ordered her driver to get the car ready while advising Rin to stay put.
Rin was never the type to let her family be in danger if she could do anything to help. She may be young, but she was still a prodigy in magecraft. Thus, Rin managed to sneak into the trunk of the car with none the wiser.
Investigating Disappearances
[Risei P.O.V.]
As the arbitrator of the war, Risei Kotomine was responsible for the lives of the citizens of Fuyuki City. Casualties were inevitable, but as a man of god he was not one to let innocent deaths go ignored. So when a few children were kidnapped from the orphanage nearest to his church, an orphanage where he'd interacted and preached to many of the lovely children, he was furious. This could not pass.
But how to intervene? The Mage's Association and the Church were in a state of brittle cooperation at best, and a state of cold war at worst. Bringing in reinforcements would normally be seen as a threatening action towards the mages participating in the war. Even Tokiomi had rebuffed his offer of an alliance, when he seemed to entertain the idea before. Risei asked his son Kirei for advice, and what Kirei had to say shocked him.
If what he said was correct, Caster may be a threat not only to innocents, but to the secret of magecraft as a whole. That was the leverage he'd needed to negotiate with the Mage's Association. They were happy to pawn off responsibility towards the oncoming disaster to the Church, and thus Risei could request for a squad of Executors to be deployed.
He also offered the competitors of the grail war an incentive. If they helped in stopping the child kidnappings, those who played a decisive role would get an extra command spell. If they all made notable contributions, they would all get a spell. He figured it would be too tempting to pass up for most, although there was no reply from the masters of Saber and Archer. Both were not that surprising to him, as from his sources Risei already knew that Kayneth had abandoned the war, and Tokiomi was uncooperative from the start.
The Executors had gotten on the fastest flight to Fuyuki, and were assembled before him. Kirei was to be their lead. "My son, I have done all I can to assist you in stopping these atrocities. These men are yours to lead as you see fit. We are certain the children were trafficked through the sewers beneath this city, but were not able to determine their exact destination. The masters of Lancer, Berserker, Assassin, and Rider are willing to assist should you manage to track them down. May god be with you." He said solemnly.
Kirei nodded. "I've decided that the best way to find the kidnappers is to cooperate with the Magus Killer and his forces. They have a mercenary troupe bigger in size, but weaker in skill relative to us executors. Our forces should complement each other well, despite my distaste for the man's methods."
"I worry about cooperating with a man of such ill-repute, but I shall trust your judgment. At the very least, he is reliable when it comes to killing magi." Risei sighed.
"Every day we don't find the culprit, at least one child disappears. It would be wonderful if they have not yet died, but I truly doubt that is the case. If cooperating with him helps me save even one more child than we could have otherwise, it is worth the risk." Kirei said gravely.
"I cannot argue with that reasoning. Just be careful." Risei accepted bidding the group farewell. He wasn't sure what exactly had happened to Kirei, but for the last few years his son had been happier than he ever thought possible. It was wonderful watching their happy thriving family. Risei even had a cute granddaughter to dote on. To protect that happiness Risei had made every effort to keep Kirei out of the grail war, denying his recruitment whenever the Church suggested teaching him to be an arbitrator for the future.
Yet for some reason Kirei still came and started to meddle with this war. Kirei was awfully secretive about the exact details, but Risei suspected there was more going on than he knew. Why was his son helping Irisviel von Einzbern? He'd done some digging and knew that Kirei had been Irisviel's point of contact for the Church. She was doing some research on curing vampirification, and the Church was happy to assist as unlike most Magi she didn't hesitate to share her findings.
How did Kirei and Irisviel become acquaintances though? Why had his son hidden that fact from him? Risei was not happy with Irisviel. Irisviel had dragged his son's happy future into jeopardy. He prayed his son survived the events to come. He would save his questions until this conflict was over.
[Kirei P.O.V.]
Kirei was also angry. He'd patrolled the city plenty of times, even the sewers personally. Yet he still missed any signs? It was frustrating. One of the kidnappings had happened mid-patrol. It happened right under his nose.
Normally he was pretty calm and collected, but with emotions he'd awakened a sense of sympathy. And as he saw all those kids keep disappearing he kept imagining what if it had been his sweet little Caren in their place? So yes, his sympathy for children was far higher than it used to be and his anger towards their fate burned strongly.
It may seem strange, but for this kind of situation he trusted Kiritsugu to be the best helper. Kirei had read up on Prelati, and his interactions with Gilles. Those kids were probably doomed. He wasn't sure exactly how Irisviel would react to such a sight, but it would probably not go well.
Kirei was no stranger to such tragedies. Dead Apostles see humans as a source of entertainment. The age of their victim is hardly a factor. Whenever a town gets infected by a Dead Apostle, one of the most heartbreaking experiences for most new Executors is killing the children. Except for some incredibly rare exceptions, once someone becomes an undead it's too late. Exterminations are part of the standard training for Executors, so that they may learn to harden their hearts against the enemy. Kirei wasn't sure Irisviel could do that yet though.
Thus, he contacted Kiritsugu. The man seemed to understand even without being requested about the need to be discreet about this, and brought over a team of mercenaries to one of the sewer entrances near the church.
"What information have you gathered? We've been eyeing our monitoring devices and they didn't find anything noteworthy." Kiritsugu jumped straight to the point.
"When we preach to these children, we do more than just speak. We baptize them, and bless them. The effects are incredibly weak, to the point that magi wouldn't notice unless they did some truly in depth examinations. But on the off-chance the children have any potential to help the church, it's an easy way to determine such." Kirei explained. Left unsaid but clearly understood was how one of the Church's biggest sources of manpower were orphans. It was easier to indoctrinate someone who had nothing.
"If it takes that much effort to detect, that would explain why our kidnapper hadn't noticed the trace of magical energy. I'm assuming you can track this down?" Kiritsugu pondered.
"Using some of our holy artifacts we were able to at least find the trail. If my father was not so regularly attentive to these children it would not have been possible, as the energy fades fast. But since the kids were kidnapped within a day of one of his sermons, we can track the path the children were taken through." Kirei noted.
After that, the plan was clear. Assume a defensive formation and follow the trail. Call for backup if the kidnapper's location was determined. It became truly disconcerting when the trial reached a point where it seemed to travel into the wall. Upon trying to force themselves through, they discovered the wall wasn't even real. It was an illusion.
"Damn it. That's why we never detected it. Our sensors register the wall as a solid object. It's only if we try to force through that we realize it's not. Our maps of this area might be completely wrong." Kiritsugu analyzed.
"It does lend credence to the Prelati theory though." Kirei noted.
As they continued navigating the trail, Kiritsugu posed a question. "I know you don't like me. I have a guess as to why you asked me to come help you with this instead of Irisviel. But I want to hear it straight from you. Why would you ask for my help?"
"I didn't think you were one for these kinds of conversations, but I'll indulge you." Kirei said genially, but then he put up a small portable runic bounded field he'd been given by Irisviel for privacy. After doing so, Kirei's face turned emotionless.
"I brought you along for a few reasons. First, your mercenary troupe is filled with plenty of sinners. I do not necessarily wish for their deaths. However, I do hope that if someone must die, it is them instead of the Executors I've brought along with me." Kirei said frankly.
Kiritsugu stared at the man oddly. "And yet you are distrustful of me?"
"Of course. Irisviel may have given me a heart, but I was born inhuman. I understand better than most how to weigh lives on a scale. You and your mercenaries are more expendable than my group. You shouldn't be too unused to the concept. If you had to choose between saving your mercenaries over saving the children, you'd help the children right? Which brings me to the second reason. I trust in my knowledge of your character. I'm reasonably sure about how you'll act in a given scenario, and thus I'm certain you will prove a reliable ally in this mission." Kirei rattled on.
"I hate that you may be right. I don't like you." Kiritsugu sighed.
"We are allies, not friends. Liking each other is not necessary. The final reason I asked you to come is that I do not think Irisviel is prepared for the horrors we might face. If the children are in any unstable state, such as having been turned into Dead Apostles, I trust you to help me finish the job." Kirei finished.
Kiritsugu nodded grimly in agreement. They both could agree on that much. The rest of the trek was completed in silence.
The trail finally stopped near a drainage pipe connected to the waterfront. "If they had continued on land, the trail would not have stopped." One of the executors noted.
"What happens if they were carried into the sky or underwater?" Kiritsugu asked.
"If they went up, we'd still detect the trail. If they went down though, the water could disrupt the readings." Kirei answered.
"This is my conjecture. It might be a big stretch. But if it is Gilles, the outer god we'd be worried about is Cthulhu. Said god happens to be aquatic. So is it not possible that they've established themselves underwater somewhere?" Kiritsugu posited.
The sea began to rumble, as the water levels began to rise near the pipe. Some water began to flow into the sewers, up to everyone's ankles. "I think you've just gotten your answer." Kirei said unhelpfully.
Lightning struck down from the sky as suddenly a chariot rose from underwater and barrelled past them. "Runnnnnnnnnn!" Waver screamed from the back of the chariot as they sped away.
These were all veterans, so no one hesitated and sprinted even if the threat wasn't immediately apparent. Their caution was soon rewarded as a horde of starfish-like monstrosities poured out of the water, crawling along on their tentacled limbs. Their center portions seemed to resemble the equivalent of a mouth, and already the proof of their power could be seen as a mercenary lagging behind was shredded into meat and bones.
Meanwhile, Iskandar who had shot past them had turned around, his chariot facing the oncoming horde. Everyone leapt out of the way as he charged towards the demons, trampling them. There seemed to be even more on the way, but Iskandar was already racing away again.
"I'll keep holding them off. Get the others." Iskandar proclaimed.
Kiritsugu whipped out his specialized cell phone for emergencies. Irisviel had guaranteed it should work against nearly all modern magecraft methods of signal blocking. "Maiya. Sound the evacuation sirens. Demonic monsters are pouring out of the sea."
"Understood." Maiya answered simply, and soon enough they could all hear the sirens echoing throughout the city.
"They've been notified. Running away won't help anyone. Protecting people from threats like this is what our organization was formed to do. We'll assist. If we help corral them into an area, will that help you?" Kirei offered.
Iskandar nodded. "Aye. That should prove useful. I'll charge on your signal then."
Kiritsugu and his mercenaries also turned around. "I've got a supply of grenades and corresponding launchers for situations like this. We'll help." Just like Irisviel used Imaginary Number Space as an inventory of sorts, she could create mystic codes to help others do the same. Kiritsugu's was loaded with enough explosives to level a city if properly distributed.
They settled into a rhythm, in which Kirei and the Executors would corral the monsters, Kiritsugu and his mercenaries would thin the herd and snipe any outliers, and Iskandar would run them over with his chariot.
"How'd this happen anyways?" Kirei asked in between one of the waves.
"I'll let you explain this one Waver." Iskandar chuckled.
"So it all started after our battle, I visited the library…" Waver started.
Waver's First Case File
[Waver P.O.V.]
Flashback:
Waver had a talent for investigative work. It wasn't one he'd ever really noticed or utilized, but he had it nonetheless. So when he said he would try to investigate Prelati's whereabouts, he was destined to have a high degree of success. The first thing he analyzed was all the noted history regarding the notorious magus.
Prelati was originally a cleric, a close friend of Gilles de Rais. While Gilles gained a horrifying reputation for slaughtering and raping children, he was not the one actually performing the rituals that sacrificed them. Gilles was the patron. It was Prelati who tried to summon demons using such methods, and whether or not he was successful was still unknown.
Waver couldn't find anything connecting Prelati or Gilles to Cthulhu, but he did find a decent amount of knowledge related to the outer god. According to some author named H.P. Lovecraft, the being supposedly slept in the Pacific Ocean in the city of R'lyeh. It was a book under the fictional category, and Waver wasn't really aware of any magi that took this mythos seriously, so he had doubts on the authenticity of Irisviel's claims.
But what filled him with a vague sense of dread was one snippet of information. Lovecraft also wrote that there was an ancient city in Antarctica in which information about Cthulhu and the beings he warred with was written. Prelati's last known location was in Antarctica. Antarctica wasn't a particularly valuable place to magi either, and Waver could not puzzle any other reason Prelati would be there.
So, Waver amended his suspicions. He wasn't sure he believed in the outer gods. But he did suspect that perhaps Prelati may believe in their existence. Working from that perspective, it became a bit easier to puzzle out where Prelati might be. "Children are probably being kidnapped through the sewers. The sewers are connected to the ocean. If I was Prelati and I wanted to summon Cthulhu, I'd have the best odds the closer I was to the Pacific. Maybe he's got a submarine or something and he's set up a ritual underwater." Waver posed his hypothesis to Iskandar.
"I guess we're going swimming." Iskandar said with a roaring laugh. Thus the pair found themselves buying some scuba gear from a shop, and diving down into the sea. The ocean looked marvelous.
"These sea anemone are so beautiful. I thought Fuyuki would advertise something like this. It'd make for a great tourist attraction." Waver said in awe.
"You know, you have a point. When you looked up Fuyuki, you didn't see anything about these things existing here? Not a peep?" Iskandar said. Something about this whole thing was unnerving him.
Waver seemed to pick up on his unease and saw the problem with his observations. "Yes, exactly. The fact that no one's heard of them means that they're new…or somehow they've stayed hidden all these years. Both possibilities point to magecraft."
"Do they taste good?" Iskandar wondered.
"I hear they're a delicacy in some cultures." Waver admitted.
"Well we can grab a few, and cook the extras as dinner." Iskandar chuckled, and then began to swing his blade at one of them.
"Wait Iskandar, don't!" Waver screamed too late.
As Iskandar slashed at one of the anemone, what came out resembled the hand of a starfish. A giant starfish. Or an octopus tentacle. Suddenly the entire seabed began to come to life, as they came to the terrifying realization that these were not anemone. They were some sort of monster. And they were angry.
Iskandar merely laughed. "Haha I guess that was a mistake. Let's run!" He said, quickly swimming towards Waver and summoning his chariot. Even underwater, the chariot pulled them towards the surface as they fled from the chasing army of demons.
Present Day:
"So yeah, that's how we wound up running into you guys here. We figured it was better they chase us here into the sewers as opposed to the city." Waver finished his tale.
Kirei and Kiritsugu looked at Iskandar with irritation as Iskandar laughed at the tale.
"You must have been suffering Waver." Kirei patted his back sympathetically.
"Just a bit, yes." Waver agreed mournfully.
