Chapter 7

-Gallerie dell'Accademia-

The Gallerie dell'Accademia stood proudly by the banks of the Venice Canal. Its facade was white and loomed across the square, bearing its scholastic and majestic historical design to the tourists walking around. It was a building of ancient art and wonder. However, today it would also serve something else: a meeting place between two Masters who were both participants in an ancient, mystical war.

Jim silently stood along the shadow of the museum. His eyes were crossed and a bothered look formed on his face. He was looking at the building as if it was a cage and he was trapped with his captor.

The Master of Berserker is in there. Jim thought as Saber stood beside him and put her left hand on the boy's right shoulder. "Jim, I'm right here. Once we detect that something is wrong, we'll immediately run away." the King of Knights said.

The Trollhunter nodded and then fixed his blue sweater. He gulped down his fears from his throat. I mustn't show any reservation. The enemy may take it as an advantage.

"Well then, let's go, Saber."

"On your right, Jim."

The two then walked towards the entrance and into the belly of the monstrous museum.

The halls of the museum were silent and Jim's brown shoes were the only thing that reverberated through the walls with soft pit-pat sounds. The walls were adorned with large and ancient portraits that were painted by renowned long-gone artists. Sculptures stood poised and majestically, casting beautiful yet ominous shadows along the marble floor.

The Trollhunter walked along the pillars of the museum, his eyes sharp as he looked everywhere, preparing himself to catch the form of the Berserker's Master.

The place was almost deserted, a few people were checking the sculptures and paintings. Jim treaded carefully as he rounded the corner and found himself in another room that was bearing only one huge portrait on the wall. The portrait was of Adam and Eve, and the apple of sins. The Trollhunter scanned the portrait from right to left, and then finally, his blue eyes landed on the lone human inside the exhibit room.

The man was wearing a long, dark-blue trench coat and black pants. Jim could see the collar of his grey shirt underneath. The man was taller than him and had a medium build. However, the boy could feel an ominous aura emitting from him. Is he the one? He might be. The Trollhunter wasn't sure so he slowly walked towards the man and stood beside him.

Silence enveloped the two and Jim made quick side-glances at the man. The man was of half-Asian descent with black eyes. His face was calm and he was seemingly staring at the portrait with interest.

He couldn't be, right? I mean, he looks like a good person. Jim thought in doubt. Despite having a scary aura emitting from him, the stranger didn't look like a violent person. Also, the boy couldn't help but he feel like he recognized this man, as if he had seen him somewhere before.

"The Temptation of Adam, by Jacopo Tintoretto." The man suddenly spoke, voice was soft and kind-like. Jim almost jumped as he darted his eyes back at the portrait.

"Ah, I'm sorry?"

"That's the title of the portrait together with the name of the artist who painted it."

The man turned his head to him and made a handsome smile. He's handsome, Jim thought as he felt his heart skip a beat. He could feel the strong charisma from the man. His handsome features had made him feel burning inside. "Oh, ah, is that right? I have a poor memory regarding Italian artists." he said with a sheepish smile.

"Everyone does. They have weird pasta-sounding names." The two stared at each other and they both chuckled. The man then stared at him, his black eyes contemplating the boy before he asked him.

"Are you the Master of Saber?" the man asked with his smile not disappearing, but it changed into a serious one, making Jim take a step back. The air around the room suddenly became thick and harsh. He made a side-glance at the door and saw Saber who was eyeing the man with alertness.

"I- Yes, I am." No use in lying. Jim raised his right hand and showed the command spells at the man and then he returned the question. "Are you the Master of Berserker?"

"Yeah." I think he looks like he can be bargained with. The man summarized the boy as he showed his right hand, flashing the Berserker command spells. "My name is Mark Grayson, and you are?" Mark asked as Jim gulped down in nervousness. At last, he had finally met the Master of Berserker. However, his innocent looks had almost deceived him.

"I am Jim, Master of Saber. Whoa, I wasn't expecting that you're the Master of Berserker." Jim said with slight embarrassment in his voice. Mark grinned, energetically, at his reaction.

"Well, how about this then, Jim?" the man said as his hand took out his mask. Jim watched as Mark put it on his head and everything clicked in. He recognized the mask and he finally knew the man's other identity.

"You're Invincible!"

"Indeed." Mark quickly put his mask back in his pant's pocket and chuckled softly. "It seems I'm still famous, after all."

"Of course, you are, you save us from the Viltrumites. People are even calling you a god." Jim said in an amazed voice. However, he was startled as the man's expression suddenly changed into a sad frown.

Mark looked away and spoked at him with sadness. "Thanks, kid."

What's wrong? The Trollhunter was about to ask more, but before he could speak, Mark glanced at him and smirked.

"You were amazing too kid, back on the bridge. You transformed into a Troll. Is that magic?" he asked with curiosity.

Jim blinked in surprise. He watched our battle! He wasn't expecting that his powers to be found out immediately and by none other than the Invincible hero.

"Yes, it was." The two then stood in silence. They had run out of words to compliment each other's power. The two, however, knew why they were here and, since their pleasantries were over, they eventually reached the main point of this meeting.

"So that's your servant, huh." Mark commented as he glanced at Saber. whose cold eyes didn't change. She was staring at him with sharpness, as she had deemed him dangerous for her Master. Strong. The Hero felt the King's power and he hid his uncertain frown with a smile. "You two were amazing." The Hero took a step back and sat on the bench. Jim did the same and he looked at him, observing the other's facial expression.

"You wanted to talk to us. Why is that, Sir Grayson?"

"You can call me Mark." Mark said in a friendly manner, but his face became serious. "You joined this Holy Grail War. You know its dangerous, and yet here you are, a victor of the first round." The Hero paused, his black eyes staring at the boy inquiringly. "What is your wish, Jim? I'm willing to tell mine, if you could tell me yours."

Ah this is it. Jim said as he took a deep breath and prepared himself for a lengthy explanation. "Mark, let me tell you a story.''

The Invincible hero only nodded in silence as the boy began to weave his life story.

"I am a Trollhunter and I protect the good Trolls against the bad Trolls." the boy explained.

The Invincible Hero only made several blinks as he registered what he heard. "Ok," he only muttered in a plain tone and Jim continued.

"We have a battle against this bad group of people, the Arcane Order. They'd summoned Titans that almost devoured the world." The Trollhunter smiled at Mark and added. "That happened during your War on Viltrumites, which is why it was left out mostly. Your victory outshines us."

I wouldn't call it a victory. Mark tried to deny it, but he only frowned in doubt as he looked towards the painting.

"However, in the process...my best friend got killed." the boy said in a faraway voice, making the man glanced at him, his attention focused on him again.

"I went back in time with a magic spell, and this time, I made him a Trollhunter." Jim put his hand inside his sweater pocket, feeling the hard and coldness of the amulet. "I made him strong so that he could protect himself when that day arrived. I thought I could avert it all, the disaster." The boy paused as his left hand started to shake a little. The image of Toby flashed before him – his last smile and then his last pained reaction as Belroc buried her accursed knife behind him. His last anguished scream echoed painfully in his mind.

"He was stabbed by the enemy in his back, a curse now runs in his blood, and he has now fallen into a coma." Jim slowly turned to Mark and faced him, a sad smile on his face. "My wish is to cure my friend's curse. My wish is for him to wake up once again. That is all."

Mark sat still on the bench as he absorbed the story and he couldn't help it but feel shock. He had heard about the Titan incident from the government, but he didn't know that this boy was involved in the entire disaster. As for his wish, he didn't expect the boy to go back in time just to make his friend stronger, only for the same tragedy to occur again. His gut weighed heavily. The boy's wish wasn't a selfish one, just as he was expecting, and it was almost the same as his own.

You're just like me, Mark couldn't help but to make a comparison between him and Jim. They were both heroes and innocent. They both only want the best for their loved ones, for the people, and it bothered him completely.

The Invincible stood up and walked over to the 'Temptation of Adam' and stood beneath the part where Eve was sitting, her outstretched left hand was clutching the apple of sins and she was giving it to her partner, Adam.

"My turn, I guess." Mark said as a shameful frown formed on his lips. "Jim, do you know the Viltrumites?" he asked without turning towards the boy.

Jim thought for a moment before he answered. "They are a conquering planet nation and love to devour other lifeforms that are lower than them." Well, that was what the news told me. He paused for a moment as he saw Invincible lifted his head slightly. "However, I have a feeling that...they might not all be bad."

They did surrender to the Akiridion-5 after they were struck by an unknown pandemic disease. The Trollhunter thought as Mark slowly tilted his head and stared at him in a thoughtful way.

"What makes you say that?"

"Their leaders were bad. They trained them to conquer and subjugate others. However, they were just following orders. If you give them time and freedom, if you teach them about humanity, maybe they would turn around and start accepting us."

Jim smiled as he looked up to Invincible. "I think Viltrumites aren't inherently born bad."

Mark's eyes widened in surprise as his frown deepened into a despairful one, everything that the boy had said rang true. You're right, Jim. You're most definitely right. The man lowered his head and was in deep thought. "Jim, do you know who Omni-Man is?"

Omni-Man? Ah, I remember him. "He's the hero who betrayed mankind, right? I heard he was a Viltrumite spy. Well, that's what the news told me." The boy remembered the news regarding the betrayal of the famed superhero, Omni-Man, and after that, all news died down with him.

Mark's face turned into an expressionless one and made a side-glance to the right. Heracles was there, but invisible. The Servant's eyes stared straight at him before he shifted it to Saber, who was still standing by the door.

"Omni-Man's name is Nolan Grayson, my father."

Wh-What?! Jim's blue eyes widened in shock to the revelation, but Mark ignored it and continued.

"He loved me and my mother. He had given us a good life. And then the truth had been revealed. In the end, he was a liar and a joke." Invincible looked to his right again. Heracles's eyes were closed and he shifted his head away from him, a shameful frown carved on his grey lips.

"Karma got to him. He was killed by his own kind." the Hero said as he held his left hand with his right, stopping its shaking in front of the boy, who was still so surprised with his revelation.

"I- Mark- I…"

"I'm the one who found him and then, without me knowing, I declared war against the Viltrumite." Mark said, a long and sad smile formed on his face. "That sickness that spread on the planet of Viltrumite is called the 'Scourge Virus' and I'm the one who spread it. It was one of their weaknesses," Other than the other one. Jim couldn't believe what he was hearing. He knew that the Viltrumites were bad, but what the hero did was almost genocide. "The Akiridion-5 then came and started producing the vaccines. However, they will only give it to them if they start opening their borders and having another government to be put in place." Mark stopped as he observed the boy's reaction. Jim lowered his head and remembered his friend, Queen Aja of the Akiridion-5.

The Queen had wanted to make friends with the surviving Viltrumite and teach them about the wonders of human life. He didn't, however, expect that the cause of their downfall was the man standing in front of him.

"It will never stop Jim." Mark said in a cold voice. "The humans of this Earth will still hate them even if they lose almost everything and there's no guarantee that the Viltrumites will honor the peace accord of Akiridion-5 or start changing their ways. They've been indoctrinated for too long." Yes, humanity will find a way to hate them and the Viltrumites will find a way to disrespect Akiridion-5's peace accord. The evils of both sides – there's no end to it. The Invincible had seen it all in history.

Humans judging others because of their differences – they would always destroy the things that they did not understand and it was excusable for it was part of their survival instinct. As for the Viltrumites, there was no guarantee that they would accept humans as their equal. The two species would certainly hate each other.

Which is why there's only one thing to do...and that is to make that wish. "Jim, I will tell you my wish." the Invincible said as his face became serious and expressionless.

"My wish is that all living life-forms in this and every other universe would, one day, lose the ability to do evil forever."

Jim froze on the bench and his eyes were still wide in shock. He had heard Mark's wish and it was a good one. "That is...your wish?" he said in disbelief. Not just humans, but every life-form in this and other universes would lose the ability to do evil one day. It sounds like a perfect wish for a peaceful world. However, he couldn't help but feel something was wrong with it.

"Jim, I understand that you want to rescue your friend." Mark added after he noticed that the boy had understood his wish. Now he had entered the bargaining point. "However, this wish is very important to me." the Invincible reasoned and it made the Trollhunter frown in terror.

No...please don't say that. Jim was hoping that Mark wouldn't say what he was expecting him to say.

The Invincible, hesitating at first, gulped down in tense before he asked. "Jim, would you sacrifice your wish just so mine could happen? Would you sacrifice your friend for the betterment of this world?"

The words hit deep inside the Trollhunter and it hurt him. Jim felt his world slowly caving in as he was being torn into two. The Invincible's wish was good and perfect – all-life forms would be incapable of doing evil. However, he had to exchange it for his own wish – the revival of Toby. Toby was his best friend...and an important part of his world. Toby dying for the sake of this world's betterment…

A world without Toby. "No."

The answer was immediate and sharp. Mark heard it and didn't show any reaction at all. He was expecting this, so he pleaded more.

"Think, Jim, think! You just have to let go of your friend for the sake of an eternal peace with everyone. Humans, Viltrumites, and every other species would live hand in hand, united against all odds." Mark said as his voice rose in a desperate crescendo, but Jim's face changed. It was now serious and filled with determination.

"My best friend, Toby, is an important part of my world. Even if your wish came true, even if you eradicate the ability of all life-forms to do evil, as long as my friend isn't here, then I would be sad and I wouldn't be able to live peacefully." Jim stood up and walked towards the painting, standing beneath the part where Adam was sitting and arching his back away from Eve, as if he was denying the apple and the terror that it contained.

"I'm sorry, Mark. I must win this grail for my friend." The Trollhunter said without pausing.

Mark looked at him with guilt and sorrow in his eyes. However, he knew in the back of his mind that this was unavoidable. He gnashed his teeth as a frown appeared on his face.

"You don't understand me at all. The Grail isn't yours to use. I-I gave you a choice!" His voice became raspy and rough. His eyes suddenly became bloodshot as a rageful and hateful aura began to emit from his body. "You selfish little shit, you're against this world's progress!" Jim suddenly felt fear as he took a step back. The Hero in front of him had become deranged like. His peaceful face was gone and was replaced by a dark frown that speaks nothing but evil.

The Invincible's eyes glared predatorily straight at Jim, the boy's left hand was immediately on his amulet and was ready to defend himself. Saber also readied herself, but then she glanced at the far left of the room after she sensed a presence. "The Berserker is in there!" she called to her Master. However, before everyone could react, a cold voice interrupted the heavy air.

"You all have interesting wishes. I applaud you both."

All of them suddenly stopped at their tracks. Jim blinked, startled, and Mark's enraged frown lessened a bit. The two of them slowly turned to the direction of the source of the voice. There was a new occupant of the exhibit room and he was standing by the door beside Jim's Servant. He was clothed in a brown coat over his white sleeveless muscle shirt and black pants. His hair was white and spiky, a thick black shade was covering his eyes, but the two could feel that the man was looking at them both.

"Heh, what's the matter between you two? Did the cat get both of your tongues?"

"Who the fuck are you?" Mark answered with a rueful tone. I didn't notice him.

The man walked and sat on the bench, he moved his left hand and took off his sunglasses. His grey eyes looked at the two and a whimsical smirk spread on his thin lips. "My name is Emiya Shirou, a magi. I'm from the Magus Association and also," He paused as he raised his right hand, showing the crimson tattoo shaped in several unfinished circles. "I am the Master of the Archer Servant."

The two gasped in unison. This was all too surprising, both of them weren't expecting to see another Master today.

"A-Archer?" Jim looked at Saber who was still shocked from the man's surprise appearance. Saber's weakness!

"Wait, Shirou Emiya, the world's most wanted terrorist? Why does a terrorist like you work for the Magus Assoc?" Mark knew the name. The Government was hot on this man's heels for years.

"Wait, who's he?" Jim asked in confusion.

The Invincible Hero explained. "This man always targets every U.S. Army installation from every different country. He also, according to the rumors, once leveled a small town somewhere in the Middle East with a nuclear bomb."

Again, all spinned by the Leftist media. Shirou chuckled in disbelieving way before he cast his grey eyes at Mark. "So, you're Invincible. Big fan here, by the way." he said as the Hero clicked his tongue in dismay. Whatever. Shirou ignored him and looked at Jim again.

"We will settle this tomorrow night then. I will defeat you both." Mark snarled at Jim before he turned his back at him and began to leave.

Emiya eyed him as he passed by a large mirror. He cast a spell on his eyes so he could see the large invisible Servant Berserker, who was trailing behind Mark, closely. Heracles. Well, Jim will certainly-huh? Shirou blinked in surprise after he saw Berserker walk beside a large mirror. The Servant's reflection wasn't that of a large muscled bulky Greek hero, but that of a man with a familiar face and a mustache with a red cape on his back over a white costume-like suit. What? He blinked again, in disbelief, and the reflection that greeted him was that of Heracles's own.

"Must be my imagination." Shirou said as Mark and his Servant disappeared as they took a right on a corner.

Jim didn't know what to do. He was inside a room with another Master whose Servant had outclassed his own. He felt tense as he reached for his amulet and looked straight at Saber, signaling her about the Master. Saber had gotten the signal and she too had readied herself in case this Master attacked them.

"If I was planning on attacking you both, I would've done so by sniping you two." Emiya suddenly said, but his voice wasn't that of a threat. It was more like a matter of fact. The Trollhunter and Saber froze from their spots as the terrorist stood up and stretched on the bench. "Oh well, this is a nice painting. I wouldn't like it to be damaged. It's rude to the artist." he glanced at Jim and cast a peaceful smile.

"Wouldn't you agree, Jim?"

"You know my name?"

"Yes, I bugged both of Mark's room and yours."

Holy Shish Kebab, he's intense! Jim stared at the tanned skin man who walked towards him and asked.

"Jim, how far will you go just to make your wish come true?"

The question had caught Jim off guard. The man was looking at him with judging eyes, but he was ready to be judged by this man with his answer. "I would do absolutely everything to cure my friend. But I'm going to fulfill it without shedding the blood of innocent people." Jim said with sincerity as he took a step forward and explained more. "I don't want to be corrupted by my own wish. I will always strive for the better path where one doesn't require needless violence."

Boy, you have strong will and ideals. Emiya had seen his honesty and he was gladdened by it. This boy was indeed a hero for him – innocent and purely devoted to his friend. A kind smile formed on his lips again as he patted the boy's shoulder. "Never lose your way, Trollhunter. And if I were you, I wouldn't leave my room tonight."

Jim had understood what he meant and he answered him. "I'm not scared of Invincible." The Trollhunter said without changing his strong-willed expression, the elder man made an amused grin.

"Good luck tomorrow night, Trollhunter. I shall watch you from afar."

"Aren't you my enemy? Don't you have a wish to fulfill?" Jim asked in a concerned manner, making Emiya let out a small soft laugh.

"I don't need that stupid Grail, If I have a wish, I will fulfill it with my own power." the man said as he walked out of the exhibit, passing Saber. He glanced at the Servant and cast his reminiscing smile at her. The Servant didn't react. She continued watching the man until his back receded at the end of the hallway.

That went well. Shirou thought in satisfaction. He had fulfilled his plan to meet both of the Masters today. The Masters of Saber and Berserker – both of them were interesting individuals, but what mattered most to him was their intentions and their wishes. And because of that, he had decided which Master he was going to support soon.

"Done already?" Shirou paused and saw his Servant, Ishtar, standing by the exit of the museum. Her back was on the pillar and she was clothed in a white elegant fur coat that hid her all-red clothes underneath. A shade was over her red eyes and she watched him with mild interest.

"Yes, Ishtar. And I know which side we are going to pick in this war. It's also time for us to contact Magus Assoc and him." Shirou said as he put his shades on and joined the sea of tourists, walking around the plaza, with the Goddess trailing behind him. However, unbeknownst to the two, a pair of eyes were also silently watching them.

Beside a massive pillar, on the museum across the gallery, and sitting on a marble bench, Illyasviel II quietly trailed the Master of Archer. Her red eyes were beaming with excitement as a malicious smile spread on her lips. She was clothed in an all-black coat that matches her hat.

"It looks like you're going to support that person, after all, big brother." she muttered discreetly to no one as she stood up from the bench and took out her own pocket watch.

00:00:24:00:00

Heh very soon the second round will start. "Well then, it's time for me to pick a side, isn't it, big brother?" she giggled internally as she turned and moved to the opposite direction of the Archer's Master, skipping along the stone steps with a devilish like smile spread on her face.

Dislcaimer: I do not own Trollhunters, Invincible, and the Fate Series characters. All names, places and events are purely fictional if one exists in real life then its purely coincidence.

Special thanks to Pure Red Crane.

YAY! Welcome to my new chapter! Whoa, it looks like the meeting between Jim and Mark has almost gone south! What do you think of Invincible's wish? Is it right for him to wish something like that? Is it right for him to ask Jim to give up Toby for the sake of the world's betterment between the Viltrumites and Humans? Oh my, the morality of both, no one is truly a villain in this story isn't? What do you think everyone?

Stay tuned for more chapters! Thinker out!