Chapter 2
-One Year Ago- A Forest Near the Einzbern Castle-
The forest was enveloped by ghostly silence. Tiny bits of snow were falling to the ground in a graceful manner, creating soft sounds as it landed. The trees that surrounded the forest were all frozen or dead, not a single green leaf in sight.
And then, the silence was broken by a loud gasp. A small figure stood on the edge of a small ravine. It was a girl, clothed in a dirty black cloak. She took a step forward and rolled along the edge and came to a stop after her body hit a large boulder. The girl let out a short yelp of pain.
"I – did – it." she whispered between her mouthful of breaths. Her chest was rising and falling in a rapid manner as if she had just finished sprinting. She was barefoot, both of her feet showing blisters which then turned the snow around her red.
"I did – it!" Her voice, and it was a joyful one, echoed throughout the forest. "I escaped death. I killed all those who had tried to get rid of me. The Einzberns are dead!" A maniacal chuckle escaped her lips. The laughter that she made had bounced to every tree, filling the forest with it.
Then she cast her red eyes forward as she slowly stood up. She threw her dirty cloak, revealing her snow-white hair and clothes underneath. She was wearing a very thin white sleeping gown. It made the girl look like an angel, but it was soaked in blood. The girl let out another round of dark laughter as she watched the scene in front of her.
The scene that she was watching was a great huge fire that was slowly consuming a large castle. The castle was once her prison and her home. To see it being crumbled by the fire brought pleasure and life to her heart. She was free from whatever monster had kept her inside.
"Now, I have to fulfill my purpose." she whispered softly with her raspy voice. Her breath turned into a white smoke, as she added more. "I, Illyasviel von Einzbern II, shall start...the Sixth Holy Grail War."
-One Year Later- The Arcadia National Park-
Jim pushed the pedal of his bike which made a loud creak as he drove right into a pothole. The boy struggled for a bit before he regained his balance. The forest trail of Arcadia National Park was silent, except for the nightly creatures. Crickets were chirping creepily while owls in the trees hoot loudly. But it didn't deter the boy – he had a summoning to attend to.
The night was already deep and the full moon above him shone brightly and uncaringly at him.
"A clearing, I must find a wide clearing." the boy muttered toilsomely between his breaths as he moved the pedal of his bike faster. To summon a Heroic Spirit servant, one must have a large underground workshop or a large clearing in the forest. Jim mentally recited the instructions on the instruction paper that he had found inside the box.
Suddenly, he pulled the brakes and his bike came to a screeching halt. A wide clearing opened up in front of him and he was standing on the edge of it. At last, he had reached his desired destination.
The new Trollhunter got off his bike and proceeded towards the middle. His blue eyes scanned the whole surrounding and nodded. "This is a perfect place. I must begin."
-Church in Detroit City-
Mark moved the chalk that he was holding across the dirtied, wooden floor of the altar. He was hunched over as his gloved hands wrote several ancient words that he couldn't understand. But he didn't mind. He must summon his Heroic Spirit Servant tonight.
"This should do it." He stopped and glanced at the Instructional paper, which shows the same magic ritual circle that he had drawn. "Next step: 'Put the artifact in the middle and stand on the edge. Begin chanting at the strike of twelve." the Invincible hero glanced back at the magic circle.
A dark and devilish feeling began to emit from the circle and it slowly creeped in underneath his costume and onto his skin. The temperature suddenly dropped even though it was a summer night and he began to see his own breath coming out from his mouth. He felt something was wrong and it made him tense inside.
Why do I get the feeling that I'm walking towards hell? The thought resounded strongly, but he shook his head, immediately dispelling it. "No, Mark, you got this far. There's no turning back."
He took out the artifact from his pocket. The rusted piece of slab reflected back to his black eyes. The man stared at it for a moment before he tossed it. Suddenly, his wristwatch made a loud alarm, telling him that it was already midnight, as the object landed perfectly in the middle of the ritual circle.
Mark turned off the alarm and looked down again at the magic circle, his eyes still showing uncertainty. This is it...If I screw up, I will miss the opportunity of joining this war, and fulfilling my wish. The Invincible Hero's heart raced inside his chest as he raised his right hand.
And then, after inhaling the cold air around him, he began to chant.
"Silver and iron to the origin. Gem and the archduke of contracts to the cornerstone.
The power that I have is a loan from the great master, Schweinorg."
Jim had finished drawing the magic circle and was now standing on the edge of it. He stared at the artifact that he had put in the middle with an unsure look. The artifact that was on his box was a broken tip of a sword's scabbard. The object was all brittle and black from rust, but he could tell that it still possessed strong magic.
Here goes nothing. He thought with nervousness. His heart was racing as he raised his shaking right hand. If I fail, I won't be able to join this war...and I won't get the Holy grail. Toby will die. The last sentence echoed terrifyingly inside of him and every second that counted was slowly becoming a reality to him. The thought pushed him to overcome his fear.
"For Toby…" he muttered and took a deep breath before he started to chant. The ritual summoning has begun.
"Silver and iron to the origin. Gem and the archduke of contracts to the cornerstone.
The power that I have is a loan from the great master, Schweinorg.
(fill).
(fill).
(fill).
(fill).
(fill)."
The ritual circle suddenly glowed a perfect blue. Jim paused from surprise, but then he continued.
"For the Glory of Merlin, I announce.
Yourself is under me, my fate is in your sword.
In accordance with the approach of the Holy Grail, if you abide by this feeling, this reason, then answer.
Here is my oath. I am the one who becomes all the good of the world, of the dead. I am the one who lays out all the evil of the world, of the dead.
You, seven heavens clad in three words of power, arrive from the ring of deterrence, O keeper of the balance, the Daylight is ours to command!"
He shouted the last few words in desperation, as if he was using his last hope. The ritual circle whirled to life. Its blue luminous light grew brighter and brighter until it released a powerful gust of wind. Jim groaned and struggled on his feet as the trees behind him bent from the force of the summoning. He looked down and was startled to see the amulet inside his jacket pocket was also glowing.
"Wha-? How-? Ah!" Another gust burst out of the circle and the boy was pushed back. The Trollhunter hit his back on the tree, making him yelp in pain, and just as fast as it happened, the wind suddenly died down.
"What-? What happened?" Jim blinked and rubbed the dust off his eyes. He stood up from the ground and looked in front of him. The clearing was a mess. The ritual circle was still there, but it was no longer glowing. However, he noticed something was different.
Standing in the middle of the ritual circle was a figure. The figure was clothed in black armor and a black skirt. Its body structure had told the Trollhunter that the figure was a woman. The woman had ashen colored hair and very pale, but beautiful skin. She stood motionless as the boy's jaw slackened in shock.
"Whoa...did I summon that?" Jim couldn't believe that the ritual summoning was a success. He slowly approached the woman with cautious eyes. "I wonder...who is she-?"
"I ask of you," The woman suddenly spoke. Her voice was soft and yet it had an authoritative tone. The Trollhunter froze on his tracks in shock as the woman turned her head to him and showed her pale ash golden colored eyes, "Are you my Master?"
Jim wanted to answer, but he couldn't. He was transfixed by the woman's eyes. The woman was a bit taller than him, but the way she stood and the way she looked at him made her produce a heavy aura that made him want to kneel and respect her. She didn't look like a Queen. She looked like a King.
"I-"
"Cat got your tongue?" The woman asked again and she slowly walked towards him. "I ask you again, are you my master?" The servant had reached and towered him. Jim gulped down. She was even scarier than before.
"Y-Ye-"
However, he paused in midsentence after his blue eyes noticed the box inside his bag, glowing in orange hue. "Please excuse me," he said to the woman, who frowned in disappointment, and turned around. He took out the box and opened it to find the source of the light. It was an ancient looking pocket watch, much smaller than his Trollhunter amulet. He took it out and opened the silvery case.
The clock's surface shone brightly and the numbers were running around. It made Jim blink in confusion, but before he could react, a booming voice spoke out of watch.
"Welcome to the Sixth Holy Grail war. I, Lord El-Melloi II, will be this War's Observer." War Observer? Jim gulped down in uncertainty as the woman moved closer and stood behind him, also staring at the pocket watch. "What you're holding right now is called Spiritron Kaleido. It displays your and other Servants' classes and attributes. It also serves as a timer and an indicator on which place or country the War will take place."
"Wait...we are required to travel?" Jim became more puzzled, but the voice continued. "The box already contains the necessary items for the participant to survive. That will be all. I wish good luck to all Masters and Servants of this Holy Grail War. May your wishes come true."
"Wait, that's it? What necessary items?" Jim said as the clock's light died down, the numbers rearranged, and words began to appear.
First Round:
00:00:24:30:60
Location: San Francisco City, California
The boy read the number and observed as the seconds began to move. It was the countdown for the first round of the Grail War.
"Perhaps the Observer is pertaining to your financial capability?" Jim turned around and met the woman again. He realized that she was there and the tense feeling returned to his chest. She was holding the box with her left hand, observing its contents, while her right hand held a pair of passports.
When did she get that? Jim had kept the box close to him all this time, and yet the girl got one of its contents so easily without him noticing her movement. The girl was something else.
"You haven't answered my question."
"I'm sorry what?" Jim asked with a dumbfounded face as the girl cast her cold and mesmerising pale golden eyes at him.
"I ask you again, are you my master?"
The question was so simple and yet it felt very heavy for the new Trollhunter. He felt that the next answer that he said to her would bring him to an unfamiliar path, a path that might lead him to danger. However, he knew what he would answer because he was doing it all for his friend.
"Yes, I am James Lake Jr. Your Master." Jim said with a strong resolute voice. He had accepted it, the destiny that he would face in this horrifying Holy Grail War.
The woman felt his strong determination. Though the boy looked very green to her, she could feel his determination to face this Holy Grail War. A half but wicked smile formed on her lips.
"Well then, Master James Lake Jr. I am King Arthur 'Artoria' Alter, a Saber-Class and your servant." The woman stood with a dignified grace. "And I ask of you...to use me as a weapon in this war." The Servant looked straight to him and with hardened eyes and a confident smile as she spoke to the boy. "The grail is yours and your wish shall be granted."
-Church in Detroit-
"You, seven heavens clad in three words of power, arrive from the ring of deterrence, O keeper of the balance Thou, bound in the cage of madness. I am he who commands those chains."
"I offer the blood of the thousand Viltrumites that I had slain in rage, form yourself from it. Come forth and grant me my wish!"
The wind howled noisily as a strong gust of wind exploded from the magic circle as it turned blood red. The Hero planted his left foot on the back as the force slowly pushed him. Different shades of red sparks danced and swirled together in the air as Mark watched the glitters of light converge and gather in the middle, slowly morphing into a figure.
"Come on...who is my servant!?" He gnashed the question strongly just as his desire for the summoning to be successful. And then everything went silent. The wind stopped blowing and the magical light show disappeared, shrouding him again with the darkness of the church.
Was it successful? Mark gulped down and stood very still. His eyes were wide and still in shock from the summoning, but his vision slowly adjusted.
He saw it – his servant. A new figure was now standing in the middle of the ritual circle and it was huge. The figure was that of a man whose muscles bulged everywhere. His skin was grey and seemed to be made of dark metal. Long and messy black hair hung loosely on his head. The servant was only clothed in a gladiator-like black armored skirt and on his right hand, a large sword that was made out of stone.
"Whoa…!" Mark couldn't help but chuckle. The servant that he had summoned – he could feel its menacing and raw strength. The being wouldn't go down easily and he could probably win the Holy Grail War. He couldn't contain his excitement and a smile appeared on his lips as he approached his servant.
"Who are you, big guy-?"
"GRAAAAAAAAA!"
The Servant's golden, lifeless eyes flashed in red. He whipped his right hand at him. The movement was so fast that Mark didn't have enough time to react. The Invincible hero was thrown and hit the wall of the church.
"Wha-? Fuck-!" Mark could feel a lot of bones on his back crack from the force. He let out a sharp yelp as the Servant charged and grabbed him by his neck with his left hand and slammed him right into the wooden floor. The church shook from the impact that Invincible made.
Mark coughed blood and tried to punch his Servant. He struggled as he threw many punches and kicks, but to no avail. Every attack that he made didn't have any effect at all. The Servant's grip only tightened more. The Hero was running out of air.
"Stop! I am – your Master-!" Invincible stuttered the words, but the Servant only roared back at him in pure carnal rage. Fuck, fuck, fuck! I can't die here! I still have a wish to fulfill!
"The Grail-! If my wish comes true – all innocent lives – would be saved!"
The words that he threw barely came out of his mouth, but to Mark's surprise, the Servant let him go. His bloodshot eyes slowly returned to normal as he straightened his posture and stood motionless.
Mark breathed hard as soon as he stood up and jumped back. "What the fuck!" Did the summoning go wrong? Why did he attack me!? He wiped the blood off his mouth with the back of his right hand and noticed something glowing on the surface. "What?"
He blinked several times just to make sure that what he was seeing was real. The back of his right hand bore a red tattoo of three jagged lines that seemed to meet at the center. It was glowing bright and it was slightly warm. "What is this?" He slowly moved his eyes to his large Servant as if he was asking him. The servant, however, only stood in silence, observing him with a placid look.
Can he even speak? Oh no…Can he even understand me? "Hey...I'm asking you." he asked again. The servant only shook his head slowly. "Great...my servant is disabled."
Mark has nothing against disabled people, but if his servant was one, then he certainly would have a hard time in this war. How would they communicate in the first place?
"Tch. Can you understand me?"
His servant made a single nod.
"Then why the fuck did you attack me?!"
His Servant lowered his head and shifted away from the angry glare of Invincible.
Is he feeling guilty? Mark scratched the back of his head. Even though he was attacked, he could help, but feel like crap for his anger. His servant was invalid, but he could feel some human emotions – therefore, he was human just like him.
The hero looked down in half-shame and noticed the box on the floor. Its contents were spilled and scattered and one of the items was glowing in an orange hue. He moved and picked it up, leaving his servant, and saw that it was an ancient pocket watch.
"Now what?" he thought in irate as he opened the watch. His injured face was bathed in an orange hue as he watched the numbers rearrange and show him a countdown and the name of a location.
San Francisco? "The first battle is in San Francisco...and we have twenty-four hours." An exhausted sigh escaped his lips. His night wasn't very good and he almost ended up dead. He couldn't help but feel agitated and tired at the same time. He turned around and almost jumped back again after he almost bumped into his Servant's muscular chest. I didn't even notice you move.
"If you can understand me, then I'm going to ask you one more time." he said as he faced his Servant. "I am Mark Grayson, your Master, are you going to help me win the Holy Grail?" Just to make sure. Though he had witnessed the magic behind the summoning, he still had trust issues about whether or not he could trust his Servant.
The Servant made a single nod, but his look had shifted. He was now showing a determined face and it somehow put an ease to the doubting feeling of the Invincible Hero.
"Very good...Now, let's get out of here." he turned around and began to walk towards the door, but before he could open it, he stopped after he realized something. "Wait, you're a large Servant. People might see you-" He turned around, but was startled as his Servant's form disappeared into a whisk of golden glittering lights.
The Servant might have understood his concern. "Figures." Mark opened the door and walked outside. He would have to rest so that he would have enough power to face the battle that will happen tomorrow night in San Francisco.
The first round would soon begin.
-In a Cave Somewhere-
Lord El-Melloi II silently walked along a dark rocky path with the help of his right hand brushing the cold wall on his right. The Cave system opened up before him and several steps formed alongside the wall. The stairs spiraled towards the dark crevasse below him.
And just as he was about to take a step, his senses detected a force. The hair on the nape of his neck stood on end after he felt a very familiar force.
"Berserker has been summoned. With this there are now seven servants present on this earth." A wicked smile appeared on his face as began to descend.
"How will this play out? I don't know, but one thing for sure…" He glanced to his left, looking towards the great, pitch-black pit. "That Greater Grail is still working."
The magus let out a small, but malicious chuckle as the darkness of the cave completely swallowed him whole.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Trollhunters, Fate/Stay Night and Invincible cartoons. All events and places are purely fictional, if one exists in real life then that is purely coincidence.
Special thanks to Pure Red Crane for Beta-reading (you're the best).
YO-HO! FIRST OF ALL I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE WHO LIKE MY FANFIC. But did you know why I created this. The ending of ROTT has made me imagine lots of possibilities on how to end the series. And then I thought, why not a crossover with fate/stay night. (I just finished the Heaven's feel route) Also I started watching Invincible from Amazon. My God, the hero show is filled with Nihilism...I like it.
So what do you think everyone!? Is it right for Jim to summon Artoria Alter as his Servant, a Saber-class? And what about Invincible's servant, why did he attack him? Do you think something is wrong with it and the way that he had summon it? Stay tune for more! Thinker out!