Hello my ever lovely peeps!
So the finale of the Until Dawn Arc is here and we get too see some of Lilith past and what she was doing to the Wendigo and why the place looks like a complete wreck and what not. Okay just getting it out here, i'm going to limit the amount of videos being shown to three and five, as each one is long and lengthy, so i'll limit it to about 3 or 4, just to give you all an idea about what Lilith has done.
Now this will be the final Arc of "Until Dawn", so next chapter will focus more on Xero and Tony. And just so you know, this chapter will be much shorter then the other one, simply because this is the final one.
So without further ado, i don't own Marvel or the Fate-verse.
So please read, review and "What the fuc-BOOM"
Chapter 6: Return To The Nightmare Finale And A Mother's Devotion
The screen light up again, as it showed Lilith once more. This time she had a slightly more noticeable baby bump and was looking at some reports.
"Day thirty, been thirty days since we started this and a whole mouth since iv'e been pregnant. Shocking enough i'm already showing signs of being preggers. You should know that Magi are different form normal people, my son."
She stopped for a moment and looked at the camera and smiled, while rubbing her slightly round tummy.
"To be more clear, these videos are for my unborn son, should anything happen to me, i know he'll find these types and understand why were doing this. Call it a gut feeling or mother's intuition, but i firmly believe that my baby is a boy and he will need these videos. As a Magi, we walk with death, meaning there is a very good chance i will die before my time. A sad but true fact, as all power comes with a price."
She sighed a little and put her cheek in her hand,"Hell everything comes with a price in one way or another. Research is a prime example, as in order to learn and study something we have to go through some lengthy processes. It's very time consuming and like finger prints, every test subject is unique and react differently, despite what many think of it affecting people and it does, but on a cellular level is completely different. Though the problem with finding out how it effects people, it's finding the right test subjects, as we can use several types of test subjects but each one comes with it's own risks."
The woman heaved a heavy sigh and dropped her chin down on the desk, with a frown,"The problem is, the better the test subject the higher those risks and are in much shorter supply. Not to mention live test subjects are, excuse me if i sound cold heart'd and out right evil at this, but they break so easily. Sadly at the same time, they're the most valuable of them all, human test subjects be the best of them all. Most if not all scientist prefer live test subjects and while it's severely frowned upon..."
The black haired woman held up her hands and looked somewhat alarmed.
"For good reason of course, i cannot deny a live and more importantly WILLING, living test subject is much more valuable and desirable of all test subjects. Again it may sound heartless BUT purely speaking form a researcher's point of view, living test subjects are the best and hardest to come by and are more then worth the trouble of getting them. However..."
Lilith frowned as she looked around the room for a bit, then getting a far away look in her eyes, as she stared at nothing in particular.
"Sometimes i wonder if it's all worth it. The cost of advancing and discovering new things. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't but everything comes with a price. That is the law of nature. Or at least for Magi, as we are a ruthless people after all and the past holy grail wars are proof of that. My people as a whole devote ourselves to our Magecraft to gain a better understanding of magic itself and our family, my son, is one of the oldest of the four who founded the holy grail wars. The Mazoku's, Einzbern, Matou and Tohsaka. Or at the very least, the holy grail wars in Fuyuki. Though my family is the one who found the TRUE Holy Grail and hide it away, while the replica in Fuyuki stands in for it. Though it no longer matters, as the four families are all but wiped out and i'm the last one..."
She stared into nothingness for a couple of minutes before she blinked and sighed a little,"Ah...i'm rambling again. These videos are should really be about the Wendigo and what we've learned form them. So with that in mind, here's what we've learned."
Lilith spun in her seat, rolling to another table and picking up some papers and rolled her way back to the the desk the camera was seated on.
"So far we haven't learned much, sadly. Though it's only been one mouth, so it's to be expected i suppose. We have captured some of the creature's and we could compare them to wild and feral animals on how they act. Their skin looks like it's been stretched over their bodies, forming natural armor. We have tested all sorts of weapons against the Wendigo we've captured, which is a total of four and each time a weapon attempts to price there skin it breaks or fails to make even the tiniest of cuts. BUT that does not mean they can't BE hurt, as we've found out they most certainly do NOT like fire, not one bit.
"The reason behind it, is the fact fire seems to weaken their skin armor and allow for them to be hurt and quite possible killed. Test subject 2 and 3 went absolutely nuts, acting every bit of a wild animal once they're threaten with fire. If left alone, the armor skin will heal and regain it's thickness once more, making it near impossible to be hurt. They have show signs of intelligence, to the point they've show they can in fact plan on how they hunt there prey with scary efficiency. Moving on the increase in height, the changing in body type and their hands becoming claws still remains a mystery. Hell all normal bodily function, yes that includes their dicks, are all just gone."
Lilith gained a look of contraction, as she stared at the paper,"Somehow the spirit that posses the human bodies somehow altar it to such a degree that they can't even be considered human anymore due to how much the bodies have changed. By all rights these peop-things SHOULDN'T be living. Then again, Magi such as myself have a terrible track record of defying the natural order of things and i have a servant to boot, so maybe i should open my mind a bit."
She stated with a smirk. Lilith then set the papers down and reached over the camera to turn it off with a
CLICK
Everyone watched as the screen turned to static, with Tony breaking the silence.
As usual.
"Well that was informative. Nothing we don't already know."
All that earned him was a smack upside the head, courtesy of Olga, who was muttering to herself,"Goddamnit. Like father, like son. Now i know where he gets it form."
Rubbing the back of his head, Tony grumbled under his breath before he stopped and his eyes narrowed, when he remember a certain detail Lilith mentioned.
"Holy Grail War...what is that exactly?"
Tony looked at Olga, who merely stuck her nose at Tony and said,"Nothing you need concern yourself with."
"Look if it involves my kid, i need to know. And the 'four families' what's that all about, just what the hell did Lilith do?"
"That's none of you're damn concern!"
"The hell it isn't!"
As Tony and Olga began to argue, Artoria began to think of her time with Kiritsugu during the fourth Holy Grail War. She had many masters, both good and bad, wonderful and terrible, she was and still is, a very desirable servant. Believed to be the strongest Saber class servant to ever grace the Holy Grail War, Kiritsugu made certain he summoned her, despite how different their skill set, certain ideals and tactics were.
There's a reason why the man was summoned as an Assassin class servant after all.
Kiritsugu EMYIA was an assassin through and through, in ever sense of the word. He doesn't play fair, he's always looking for a weak spot to exploit and he'll do whatever is needed to gain victory for his master. Not that Artoria wouldn't do the same but she had her morals, while EMYIA had his, he just wasn't above doing certain things to achieve victory.
No matter the cost.
It's why he was able to kill Magi so easily and so many of them. Besides some being VERY arrogant, the man thought outside the box and used unorthodox methods to get his targets. Hell, Kiritsugu once destroyed an entire FIFTY STORY BUILDING just to get ONE target.
Talk about dedication.
Never the less Xero could understand and appreciate the man's dedication and hard work. He never once questioned his master's orders, only following them and when Xero asked for his input he did his best to give one best appropriate for the situation yet would still see the bigger picture and think of the consequences for their actions.
Though Kiritsugu had loosen up through their adventures and with Irisviel's help, had loosen his tongue and shoulders. But he was still haunted by the mistakes of his past and like many servants, when their past demons came back to haunt them, they cuddle up to their master. Having someone's body, be they male or female, sleeping next to him or at the very least, next to him while he slept. It was something he had grow use to and honestly grew accustomed to it.
Except certain Berserker's, Assassin's and Archer's. Whom who shall not be named(COUGHNOBACOUGHRAIKOCOUGH) Xero was use to having someone using him as a body pillow.
So long as no molesting is involved.
Though that's how he found out some servants are absolute cuddle monsters.
As for Jeanne however looked at her master with worried eyes. Despite him putting up a tough front, she could feel the turmoil and raging emotions inside him. After all these years, his belief's and what he believed to be the truth about his mother was shaken to the core and it was making him question everything he knew. Her master wasn't the type of person that was proven wrong easily.
That is not to say, he always believed he was right nor was he the arrogant type but he always did his research and did as his heart commanded. That was something Jeanne admired about her master, was the fact he always did what he believed was right, no matter what.
Even if the whole world told him he was wrong.
If he WAS wrong, then he would do everything he could to repent and make up for his mistake. When he was proven right, it was a fact he didn't lorded over anyone. Sure he would give them the old 'I told you so' but that was it.
Along with his usual sassy undertone.
"Master..."
Jeanne reached out for him to try and help steady the raging emotions in his soul, but he looked at the blonde with a look. One that made the holy maiden back off. His face was emotionless but his eyes held a look of pure hell fire. His eyes had changed form purple to a sickly gold and it scared her to no end. She knew this look, it was the same look he wore when he and Gudako lost Dr. Roman. He may have been a heroic spirit in disguise as a human but once his human form died his spirit form became unstable and he was, for the first time in history, a heroic spirit was erased form the Throne Of Heroes.
While yes, Xero was a big brother/mentor figure to Gudako, Roman was a mentor to both Magi masters.
His look was one of pure betrayal and yet held understanding too it, understanding why.
It was during the as Xero called it "Chaldea Quest" in insuring humanity's prospect and and survival, did the three met. Xero, coming form such a prestige Magi family, his abnormally large mana pools and his extremely rare ability to form contracts with multiple servants made him invaluable to the organization. Sadly Gudako was only a first generation Magi but due to her silly personality and trusting nature, Xero and her became fast friends.
Despite having an air around her that suggested their was something...off about her.
And since Doctor Roman was just a silly and easy enough to get along with, besides Mash, they all became fast friends. But because of the disaster that hit, Roman was the only one left that could teach the two and he became the new director simply due to the fact no one was left that out ranked him. Xero wasn't a "Proper master" while Gudako was new to it. As for Olga, she was almost killed and would have died had she not merged with a Caster class servant, like Mash did to survive and became Xero's servants.
That and Olga didn't have the qualifications to become a master, much to her anger. So really Roman was the only one who could teach the pair on how to be master's and what really entitled to being masters and making some things much clearer to Xero.
It came as a shock when he revealed his true name as Solomon The king Of Magic and the one who had started the singularity's and war across time. The one true enemy to humanity and Xero's worst enemy. The one who had haunted him with his own failures and made Xero fall into his darkest nightmares, caused by the servant himself. Or at the very least a version of him did, while the human version aka Doctor Romani Archaman did everything he could to help. In the end he sacrificed himself to defeat the beast class servant Goetia, save Olga(Again) and used what power he had left to make her a servant to save her life when she lost to much blood. Despite not being a master, she was still a powerful Magi and tried to help when she could. But during the final battle, Olga took a bad hit and would have died, had Roman not ensued she merged with a heroic spirit.
The second time he had saved her life.
The first time Roman saved her was indirect. He had her go find Xero, who was lost when he first entered Chaldea and during that time the bombs went off. Never once did Olga feel more happy about completing a mundane task set by that slacker.
Never the less, it was unclear which heroic spirit Olga merged with and is still an unknown. The fact he sacrificed what power he had left, even though it would destroy him, he did it anyway. Roman/Solomon wanted to live his life as a human and in the end it destroyed him.
The man betrayed Xero's trust but he understood why he lied.
He did it to be a human again.
Something he could understand.
So when he died, his death hit them both hard.
Enemy or not, the man had helped both of them grow as Magi and people. He taught them all he knew and in the short couple of years they were together, Roman had secure a place in both their hearts. He helped Xero learn to trust people again and Gudako how to enjoy life again. The poor girl had been through her own version of hell and had lost her will to live.
Until Xero, Roman and both their servants gave her a reason to live again.
But when he died on Xero's fifteen birthday rather then destroy the progress Roman made with the powerful Magi, it caused him to realize the importance of trusting others.
It made Xero see there are those he can trust but just had to be careful on who he placed his trust in. Allowing him to relay on others for help and even help strengthen the bond between his servants, as Xero felt like he had to shoulder everything alone. He learned he could trust people again and not just his servants or even other normal people but Magi's as well.
One of them being Gudako aka Ritsuko Fujimaru.
Xero liked to think, the Roman he met wasn't just a farce but something real and true. He really liked to think that Roman was a kind and honest if not a little perverted but still a true friend. He liked to think he met the REAL Solomon he wanted to be and not the monster he really was, deep inside. Either way Xero still held Roman in high regard and wouldn't let anyone bad mouth the man or disgrace his memory.
Ever.
After Roman's death, Xero had official taken Gudako under his wing, teaching her all he knew of the Magi arts and even helped the girl gain her own group of servants. While no where near as powerful as himself or his own servants, as he had a lot of four and five star servants not to mention he came form one of the very first Magi families his magical power was through the roof. But Gudako had her own set of servants, ranging form one to three star servants. But that didn't mean she didn't have four to five star ones. Such as the five star Berserker Vlad the third and the three star Lancer Diarmuid Ua Duibhne.
Both quite a find by Magi standards.
Which was a good thing as they managed to complete Chaldea's quest and saved all of humanity. The one thing Xero was happy about, was during one of the final pseudo singularity's, was the pair were able to met Captain America aka Steven Rogers. They had to help the man fight off the Nazi secret research deviation known as HYDRA, lead by the Red Skull and his servant, the five star Alter Berserker servant, Cu Chulainn.
It was one hell of a tough fight, but it was fun for the Caster and Lancer versions of Cu and Scathach to fight the dark servant.
Naturally they keep their real identities a secret, as that wouldn't good if someone form the present found them and saw them 70 years in the future and haven't aged a day. They keep their hoods up during the filming and photos, as to ensure no one could see their faces and the only ones who knew what they looked like were Peggy Carter, Howard Stark(Xero's grandfather, so it was cool to met him even if he didn't realize it was his grandpa) and Steve and his Howling Commandos.
Xero had Morgan and Medea make sure of that.
Even after restoring humanity some things never seem to change. While humanity itself and as a whole, weren't even aware they had been erased, Xero himself didn't age at all during his time at Chaldea, neither has Gudako either. In fact after the mission was complete the world just moved on like it HAND'T been destroyed and Xero and Gudako had been gone for only one day. While the pair may have stopped aging physically, mentally they grew and both can agree, they weren't the most mentally well people in the world.
The duo could in fact be legally classified as "Insane" or more to the point,"Crazy."
More so Gudako then Xero, as the man could pretty much take anything now without bating an eye and Gudako always smiling no matter what was happening. Even in the darkest moments, she finds something to smile about and see's the light at the end of the tunnel.
Like Gawain does.
Which they both were, as one cannot be around so many quirky servants, without gaining a few quirks you're self. Xero was just better at restraining his crazyness and Gudako didn't bother to hide her's. But it was a good kind of crazy and the two could be themselves around each other, without fear of being labeled as a nutcase by "Normal people."
With all they had been through Xero considered Gudako his little sister but he would under never, under no circumstances ever say it out loud. He often called her "The bane of my existence" and "pest" half the time. But at this point it was more of a term of endearment. Not that Gudako cared, as she knew it was just Xero's way of showing affection. His ability to trust people was in very short supply and she knew he loved her.
The last time someone hurt her, they're wasn't even a greasy spot left of them once Xero got through with them.
That only proved to her Xero did care about her, in his own way of course. That was all she needed to know, out of the one and ten people she could trust, Xero was one of the people she could trust with her life.
Same for Xero, about putting his own life in her hands. She wouldn't let that trust be misplaced.
"I'm fine Jeanne. Just...bitter i suppose."
Xero said with a heavy sigh, his eyes turning back to their original color making Jeanne nod her head. She was very thankful that look was gone. It's something she really couldn't blame Xero for feeling bitter, as it was obvious the Lilith on screen loved an unborn Xero very much and that was a look of pure love on her face when she spoke of her unborn child.
So the question remains:
Where'd it all go wrong?
What changed?
Tony and Olga stopped arguing when they heard Xero start talking and saw the look on his face. One that was raging wild emotions and uncertain, a look Olga could relate too and Tony knew all to well. So trying to help his son, Tony awkwardly patted his son's shoulder not at all good at this "comforting" thing but damnit he would do his best.
"Well...personal kiddo i think she screwed up."
Xero furrowed his eyebrows and looked at Tony, whom upon realizing he was saying something right, packed more onto what he was saying,"Well don't take this the wrong way kiddo, but iv'e had JARVIS do some research on you. Or at the very least you're little Grimm Reaper persona, so i know about what you've done over the years. You've done a lot of good in the world in the past five years Xero and if Lilith couldn't see the amazing person you've become it's here lose. Iv'e barely known you for a day and already i like you. Not because you're son but because i feel like i can TRUST you.
"Trust isn't something i give out too freely and honestly the number of people i trust completely, i can count on one hand. ONE and that's not counting my bots, which by the way, are programmed to help me no matter what. Even if i wanted to become ruler of the world and lets be honest, i totally could. While 'Emperor Tony' has a nice ring to it, that's beside the point. What i'm trying to say is, if you're mother couldn't see the you for who you are, then it's her lose."
Despite how rocky and honestly awkward at how he started it, Xero could indeed see Tony's point and get what he was saying. Smiling a little the younger Stark only said,"Thanks."
Tony nodded and grinned, while on the inside he was just happy he didn't fuck it up. Being a parent was actual a lot easier then he thought it be or at the very least he was doing something right at the moment. The main reason Tony didn't want kids is cause he was fully aware of his flaws. He was narcissistic, self absorbed, self obsessed and knew he had self destructive habits.
It wasn't having his own kids that terrified Tony, it was the idea of HIM taking care of THEM, that sacred him half to death. Tony knew he could barely take care of himself due to all his bad habits with only Pepper and Rhodey keeping him afloat. So yeah, him taking care of someone else or at the very least being legally responsible for them is what made Tony sacred of having kids and why he tried VERY HARD not to have them.
So it did make Tony feel better, knowing that in less then a mouth he would have no legal responsible over his son. It made him feel better, knowing he wouldn't be able to fuck his son up anymore then the kid already was. That was the main reason Tony feared having kids:
He was sacred he would do the same thing his own father did to him.
"Well so far i seem to be doing this right."
Tony thought to himself, smiling a genuine smile. That odd warm and fuzzy feeling in his chest returning to him and while at first, he didn't like it. It was a foreign feeling to Tony and he had no experience with the feeling.
But now?
He didn't mind it at all, welcomed it in-fact.
Meanwhile Olga was flipping through the disks, each one numbered one by a date and time. She did want to learn more on what her master's mother found but due to both the time crutch and the possible of the Wendigo coming back, had her look for any disk that seemed to be different form the others. Each one was labeled so Olga figured there be one labeled in a way, that she would want Xero to see specifically.
That's when one caught her attention. On the clear disk it read, in black ink-
"Hell"?
Olga asked with a look of complete confusion on her face, as everyone looked at the disk with equal confused. Shrugging his shoulders, Xero merely took the disk and popped it in the computer and the black screen turn to static once more.
STATIC
The screen light up to reveal a tired looking Lilith, with her hands in her head and a sleeping baby in a baby carrier on her desk. Despite her poster showing tiredness and she had dark circles under her eyes with tear streaks on her cheeks. She looked at the camera with a strained smile and said,"My baby, my little Xero is alive but...not without complications."
She wiped her cheek and started rocking the carrier back and fourth before speaking, never taking her eyes off her son.
"Two weeks. He was born two weeks earlier. He was such a tiny thing when i first held him...the doctors said he wouldn't live to see day light. He must have taken it as an insult, because the second they told me that, Xero just started wailing."
A fond chuckle followed as she gained a misty eyed look,"I was pretty sure he was going to bring the whole hospital down with his loud wails. If there is one thing i can already tell you, my little boy got form me, it's my pure stubbornness. Him being prematurely born should have been the end of the problems and it's how he got his name. Because no one believed he make it through the night, said he had Zero odds but he proved them wrong. But i was wrong. I think god is punishing me for what iv'e done, all the lives iv'e taken and the harm i have caused, god is trying to punish me."
Lilith took a shuttering breath and looked at the camera.
"My son he has an very rare disease. One that has been a blight upon the oldest of the Magi family and mine is no exception. I originally thought i got lucky but now i know it was nothing more then just a farce. I suppose it's god's way of saying, i'm unfit to be a mother. And looking at the way i lived my life and all that iv'e done, he's right. I don't deserve my little bundle of joy but GOD DAMNIT..."
Lilith smashed her fist through the wall in angry,"MY SON ISN'T THE ONE WHO DESERVES TO BE PUNISHED FOR MY SINS!"
Tears gathered in her eyes, as she sat back down and stared at her bloody hand. Then, the same woman Xero saw in his dream, vision, whatever appeared beside her and grabbed her hand,"Mistress you are bleeding."
"I know Altera. But it matters very little."
Altera looked at the baby and smiled a little,"Quite cute i must say. Shame that class cards can't allow father to gain a better immune system. They can only do it temporary and the Wendigo do the same, only it's permanent."
"Wait, wait a moment."
Lilith suddenly sprang up and moved so she was out of range of the camera, leaving Altera to look at her mistress, then back to her "father".
Silently reaching out, the dark skinned woman ran her hand over Xero's head and said,"You may survive yet father. Mistress may yet find a way to save you."
Pulling her hand back, Altera reached over the camera and with a loud
CLICK
Turned it off.
No one was quite sure what to say or do with the new piece of information they've acquired.
Tony, out of everyone, was the most fearful. His son had a disease?
One that would kill him?
If so what did Lilith do to save him? None of this made any sense and by god, did he need some straightforward answers. Already Tony had planned on making his son his own Iron Man suit. He's already promised to help rebuild the mask but why stop there? Form the brief history he learned form both his son, his friends and of course the ever lovely thing called "Google" he learned that his son was prone to getting into trouble.
Which was a lot!
All this did was give him all the more reason to start making a new set of armor for his son. Plus adding a lot of people would love to use his own son against him for one reason or another. So yeah, getting Xero some of his own armor was on Tony's to do list, as soon as he...no THEY went home. He owned his son that much as if he thought he had media attention, just for simply being his son.
It was also clear to Tony form how many places Xero appeared all over the world, he had no permanent home. Sure hotels, apartments and even camp sites had their own certain appeals to them but an actual home, their was just simple no replicating that feeling. Tony was going to do everything he could to give his only child a place he could call home.
Unlike his father, Tony had no intention of pushing his boy away.
Quite the opposite in fact and he knew these videos were effecting and quite possible hurting Xero. So when he needed someone to talk to, to vent onto and or just need a shoulder to cry on, Tony would give his son what he needed without hesitation. He may have only known Xero for a nearly two days, but already he felt the instinctively need to protect his son.
Was this what it felt like to be a father?
Tony suspected it was.
But honestly he just wish someone would start making sense of all this, as none of was making sense and Tony HATED not knowing something. Seriously what the hell was going on?
As for the servants, they were also very confused at what they just watched. In all there time they've been together they haven't seen a hair nor a sign of their master having any kind of life threatening illness, so did that mean Lilith did something to prevent him form dying? Jeanne was the one, who was slowly putting the pieces together as she has merged with people before but with her master and herself first merge, it was different.
They had merged and become one but their connection felt much deeper.
It felt like Jeanne had left a piece of herself, her very soul itself inside his broken body to heal it. When she carried her master out of his burning childhood home, she didn't remember much of what happened, only the rush and feel of an aftermath of a battle. She didn't even realize she did as she felt no different but compared to how Xero merged with other servants, when they merged it was much...easier.
Not to say it was hard for Xero to merge with other servants, just when he did it with Jeanne it felt more natural and simpler.
"I wonder"
Jeanne thought to herself, narrowing her eyes at the screen,"Did Xero's mother have something to do with our connection?"
Xero on the other hand merely lifted himself up and walked around the room for a minute, trying to pull his thoughts together. Once again he'd been shocked at another piece of information he didn't even know about himself.
What else didn't he know about himself?
"I told you, if you came back here you would get nothing more then pain and suffering father."
A young voice spoke up, making everyone look around and soon saw the owner of the voice. Because she was a child with dark skin, red eyes and she wore a white one piece dress.
Xero's eyes widen as his eyes saw what she truly was,"You're a servant?!"
At hearing that all of his own got in front of him, weapons at the ready should the "Little girl" try anything. It was only now did they feel the power, rolling off the girl and it made the servants all go stiff. It wasn't that she was so powerful, it was the fact that they were in the worst possible situation and place for a battle. As the enclosed space and very weak structure would collapse the instant swords start clashing. As for Tony, upon seeing all the servants getting into fighting stances, he did the same.
Despite not knowing much about this whole "Magic" thing and is understandable skeptical about magic being real, he couldn't deny feeling like he was looking at an Avatar Of Death.
How the hell can one little girl, give him the former Merchant Of Death, such a feeling?
Just what the hell was she?!
However the unknown girl ignored all this and looked straight at Xero, making him flinch a little at seeing the emotionless eyes that shocking held recognition and...happiness? Ok this was getting plain wired and this is coming form a guy, who regularly puts enough runes around his room at night that would stop even god himself form banging down his door, just to keep a couple of Berserkers form raping him.
So yeah he knows and seen wired, but this was taking it up a notch.
Never the less, Xero felt the girl was being truthful and meant him no harm. So with that in mind, he walked past his servants and father, despite their silent protests and walked right up to the small girl.
"She really is small."
Xero thought taking note how he easily shadowed her entire body, with his much larger one. Although she didn't show it or she just didn't care, Xero couldn't help but think Altera might be a bit nervous at seeing someone so much bigger then her, towing over her. Xero wasn't sure why but the thought of her being scared of him made him feel a bad about himself. No not quite the word, but her being scared of him felt wrong to him and Xero didn't want Altera to be afraid of him. So with that thought in mind he knelt down making him eye level with her and he spoke,"I'm guessing you've got something for me."
The girl merely nodded, reaching behind her she pulled out a disk and said,"Mistress left this, specially for you father. She said all will be explained here father and will shed some light on you're own powers."
Nodding, Xero silently took the disk and plopped it into the hard drive. All the while everyone else keep their eyes on the servant, despite her words, none of them could deny she was dangerous.
STATIC
The screen powered up, to reveal a much different looking Lilith.
Her black hair had several strands of white/sliver to it and was a complete mess. Her skin had gone form pearl pale to a dark tan look, with her eye slowly turning yellow form her purple. Her normally clean and proper clothing, were dirty and stained with blood and dirt. She was looking at the camera with a look of sorrow and registration, like she knew her time was coming.
"...This is it, iv'e crossed every single line possible in trying to save my only son. It's funny, what started off as research to save lives and all it's done is take them. I was suppose to save people, bring them back form the edge of the abyss and save them form drowning in it. Instead all iv'e done is toss them into it, twisted their minds and bodies for my own purposes. Iv'e killed so many and all just to save a single person."
Her eyes gained a misty eyed look but she held the tears back,"But is it really so wrong? Wanting to save you're child form certain death? Even if i had to sacrifice and experiment on so many people both guilty and innocent, to gain what i needed to know, is it wrong? Maybe, maybe not but the one thing i am certain about is this: People will call me a monster, for what iv'e done."
The woman silently ran a hand over her face, wiping off some of the dirt/blood on her tanned skin.
"And it isn't just for killing these people but what i did to them. I had forced them to become Wendigo, so i could study how the body shift's and transforms form human to monster. The process was messy and i finally figured out how the Wendigo spirits permanently and iv'e applied it to how i can save my son."
Wiping her tears away, Lilith reached in her pocket and pulled out a familiar cross with a red jewel in the middle.
It was Xero's rosary.
"After much hard work in searching for her, i finally found a way to summon the Holy Saint herself and a Ruler class servant, Jeanne D'Arc. I know she is a powerful servant and Ruler, damn near impossible to get as a servant but i found her. This rosary, the one my son will inherit will be the key to insuring his survival as within it, is the, well i suppose you can say, is the formula required to summon her. Jeanne is a powerful Ruler no question about that but she is more of a support servant then anything else. It is that reason i was most desperate to find her, it's her support skills that i'm after and her ability to bless people/weapons. You see, my son has The Twelve Year Sickness.
"It's a virus that slowly shuts the body down. Every year, like clockwork it weaken the victims body more and more. It gets to the point where soon, the body is just unable to go on, hence why it's called Twelve Year Sickness. Twelve years is all my son has to live and there is nothing modern day science, magic both old and new can do to change that. The sickness works in a way, so it attaches itself to every cell in the body and slowly breaks it down form within. The one thing that is widely known about servants, is that they never get sick. Ever. It was my idea, to get this little trick of their's and apply to my son's body, so he could have a chance to beat the virus and let my son live.
"He is my son and i know, if given the chance his willpower would override that damnable virus. Jeanne will give him that chance, though this discovery wasn't found without it's own compilations."
Lilith sighed, as she indicted to herself,"As you can see, my body is changing and so is my mindset. Well my body's completed the change and now i can feel my mind going too. I had to introduce the twisted mana of an Alter servant into my body, in order to find the right sequence and frequency to apply it to my son's magic circuits. While i have no alter servants to speak of, the reason i needed to let the twisted mana of an alter servant into my body was so i can prevent the same type of mana form both corrupting my son and to ensure i something didn't go wrong, when i applied it to his circuits. It is very delicate work and even one slip up, then i'll fuck him up even more.
"It's not something i want to do, this entire thing is something i don't want to do but i have too. This was the only way to save my son and while i regret all the lives that had to be sacrificed in order to save him, i don't regret saving my little boy."
Lilith then moved her hand to pick up the camera and stood up.
"Xero, if you're watching this, then please don't forgive me for what iv'e done. Magic is a complicated and complex thing, i had to ensure my work didn't fall into the wrong hands, so i...i hide my formula of how you will one day, merge with you're servants in you're BLOOD. You're bones, you're cells, all my life's work is now inside you're body, you're very being itself. I couldn't afford to let my work fall into the wrong hands and i had slaughtered those i called friends in order to hide what iv'e done. I have sealed my own servants inside their card forms so when you find this, they'll already be bond to you. All you need to do, is summon them and Altera was never truly my servant.
"Even as a baby, before you were even born, you were powerful. You are one of the rare magi that can summon and control multiple servants at once. Even Altera herself was drawn to you, as i summoned her when you were still inside me, but she was never truly my servant, she was you'res. Altera will lead you to the others and honestly, if you hate me i understand. My thoughts and actions towards you get's more and more violent, i fear i will lose myself completely. When that time, i want to say i am sorry. For whatever i say or do, it's not me and remember, i have and always will love you my little dragon. This is goodbye and son, live life the way you see fit. Don't let anyone else tell you what to do and no matter what you do, i will always love you my son."
Lilith smiled and with a loud
CLICK
Ended the video.
Everyone looked shocked, as throughout the video Xero's face morphed form shock, to sadness/heartbreak and finally understanding. He silently put his head over his mouth, as tears fell form his eyes, making him close them.
His mother...she truly did love him!
After all that was said and done, she really and truly loved him! Enough to sacrifice everything for him and then some. But this revelation had turned his entire point of view of his mother, in on itself, what the hell was he suppose to think of her now?! Regardless Xero knew he had a lot to think over now but he couldn't help but smile a watery smile.
After all that was said and done, Xero knew one thing for a fact:
His mother really did love him.
As for the servants, they could all feel pride and respect for Lilith's act of selflessness. While yes, she did horrible things but she had the best intentions in mind and the road to hell was paved with good intentions. As many of the servants had done the same and would be hypocritical of many to judge Lilith for what she had done, when they would have done the same.
Maybe worse, as it was back in the old days.
As for Tony, he felt relief wash over him knowing his son was going to be fine and that the boy's late mother, had ensured he live. While he was still having a hard time in believing in this whole magic thing, the proof laid before him plain as day. Never the less, he was happy to have some light shed on the situation and they can finally leave Creep mountain.
Seriously the Wendigo need to redecorate the place, all the dark, cramped and damp places was doing nothing for him. The resale on this place wasn't going to look pretty.
"Father might we now leave this dreadful place?"
Everyone looked at the small girl, who's red eyes were locked onto Xero's own. Now that he knew why she was here, Xero gave the girl a smile and patted her head, making her blush and the female servants to to either grit their teeth(Jeanne and Morgan) or have a pinched look on their faces(Artoria and Olga).
"Yeah i think we shall Altera. Though we do need a place to stay so..."
Xero furrowed his brows, as Tony spoke up,"I just recently completed a new tower in New York city. It's got over a hundred floors with more then a room's to house you're...servants. You'd be more then welcome to stay."
Xero looked at the girls, who all nodded wordless at his unasked question. When he asked inwardly, he heard a synchronized:
"Yes"
So with that in mind, he looked at Tony and smiled,"That would be wonderful, thank you."
"No thanks needed kiddo. You're my son, so it's only natural we live in the same house."
Tony said, as he spun on his heel and moved to walk out of the cave,"Let's go people, time's a wasting."
Though because of this, he missed the look of slow, horror filled realization dawn on Xero.
Tony Stark, an egotistical, smartass, genius living under the same roof, as Leonardo Da Vinci. Someone who is equally egotistical as Tony and often shows up anyone, trying to outdo her and her genius?
And now she'll probably have access to the best technology in the world and often blew herself up, with her own inventions and was now going to be living under the same roof of someone who can match both, her genius and destructive tendencies?
Xero silently weep, as they walked out of the lab.
God help them all.
Done.
Okay, that's a rap folks! The Until Dawn Arc is complete, we found out what Lilith has done and why she did it. Xero now can make peace with his mother, Tony has resolved himself to help his son and Da vinc will get a new playmate. Boy, Xero was right:
God help them all.
Till next time:
Devil out.