While Carter Szeto had been returning home so merrily last evening, a different Master was making his move elsewhere in Kingston. His setting of choice is MacLean Park, a thousand acres of land dedicated to the use and enjoyment of people of all ethnicities, beliefs, and traditions for all time. Or so the government had proclaimed over one hundred and fifty years ago.

"Yet you shall serve with your eyes clouded by chaos."

Reality at the time was nothing close to such a grand ideal. Unbeknownst to the wider public, the park was created under the influence of the Mage's Association to secure the precious ley lines in the area. Many families who were already settled there had been forcibly removed, their properties burned, their livestock slaughtered. Inexcusable injustices are a constant across all eras, only a footnote in their respective parts of history; however, it is precisely because the records of such an event are carved into the soil that makes MacLean Park such an ideal choice for this Master-to-be.

"For you would be one caged in madness and I shall wield your chains."

Standing before a circle drawn in blood, the European magus continues his ritual. His relaxed posture betrays his disinterest, as if he already knew the result and this ceremony is only a prerequisite step that he needed to take.

Earlier in the night, the foreigner had planted three corpses in the national park. Procuring the bodies had been no easy task. His materials needed to be as fresh as possible, preferably before rigor mortis sets in. As for where he placed the cadavers, each location held a certain importance only the disheveled magus's mind could comprehend.

The first lies on the grounds where an Asian household once lived, the family of four having never been seen again after their home burnt down as a result of arson. The father's last spell still stains the fallow earth to this day, a futile effort to save his beloved wife and his two young children.

The second in a hollow tree, a famous attraction at the park. They say it was a meeting place protected by a sacred truce, as the giant cedar would have served as a landmark for travellers along the coast. A sanctuary with not a single incident for centuries, now tarnished by the exsanguinated body left inside the tree trunk.

The third hangs from a pine at the military's island garrison. From its oldest roots as a historic battleground to its early modern past as a cemetery for the native tribes, death clung to every chapter of the island's history. It is said that if one were to explore the island before dawn, they would hear the whispers of the dead bemoaning the desecration of their graves.

The magus' extensive preparations have eliminated every variable in the ritual. His performance tonight is simply going through the motions for an outcome that is as good as guaranteed.

"From the Seventh Heaven, attended to by three great words of power."

On the makeshift altar, a set of rusted manacles seem to draw in violet wisps of smoke as they drift into the clearing from the directions of the three corpses. Sure enough, the European had indeed chosen MacLean Park not for the ley lines, but for the residual curses that still permeate the land. His desired class of Servant is Berserker, and he will settle for nothing less. Under these conditions, even the most noble Heroic Spirit would be twisted by the ritual.

"Come forth from the ring of restraint, protector of the heavenly scales!"

A column of fire erupts from the center of the formation. Flames of crimson and silver surged forth, hungrily consuming the surrounding grass. The inferno scorches the clearing with such malice that even the soil is rendered infertile. Like a candle being blown out, the firestorm vanishes, leaving nothing but an eerie halo of moonlight cutting through the harrowing darkness. Illuminated from behind by the cold white beam, the silhouette of a tall shackled figure stands atop the altar.

The magus' eyes light up upon seeing the chained warrior and he takes a deep breath, savouring the breath of smoke even as his lungs cried in pain. He cracks a smile, evidently having found something funny about the situation before him, "Victory is already in my hands."

In a voice devoid of emotion, the Servant asks their Master a question.

"What have you done?"

After their contract had been established, Assassin and her Master spent several hours discussing matters relating to the Grail War. From the various hotspots for ley line activity within Kingston to the benefits of technological innovations after the sixth century, the pair had no shortage of topics to cover. Whenever the conversation began to stall, Assassin would always have a question or a prompt to keep the dialogue moving.

To Carter's surprise, it seems like learning of the modern world is something that entertains the young empress. The many modern depictions of Wu Zetian often frame her in a negative light, painting her as a power hungry tyrant who ruled the Tang Empire with an iron fist. As such, the youthful empress before Carter stands in stark contrast to her historical description. Of course if one were to examine this case from a more critical perspective, this difference could very well be due to the embellishment and commentary of the multitude of individuals who retold history across the centuries.

In any case, Carter imagines very few historical figures would find depictions of their lives to be flattering, even in the case that they were truthful. As such, the highschooler makes an oath to never mention anything of that sort, not even accidentally.

On the other side of the conversation, despite Carter's best efforts to hide it, Assassin had quickly pieced together that her Master is a rather laid-back sort of fellow. He appears to be the type of young man who looks at an impending deadline, only to decide that tomorrow's problems can be solved when tomorrow comes. It doesn't take much to conclude that a Master with such a philosophy is a poor match for… most Servants, really.

But that matters very little to the young woman. Like playing a game of xiangqi short a piece, such a disadvantage is concerning, but by no means is it a guaranteed loss. Combination of strategy, daring, and good fortune is more than enough to compensate. In the Holy Grail War, Servants cannot choose the hand they are dealt. What they can choose is how to play their cards.

"So tell us, why is it that you insist on attending classes? The merits of a good education are not lost on us, and we find dedication to academic study to be a trait worthy of praise," inquires Assassin, raising an eyebrow at her Master's unusual priorities. Still wearing her heavy court robes, she had already since made the Eames chair in the living room her personal throne. "However, we do not understand why one would prioritize education over their preparations for the Holy Grail War. Surely, there must be a better use for your time?"

Carter pauses, "I can neither claim to study with zeal, nor claim to hold a flawless attendance record. My purpose for attending school is not so much for academic purposes as it is for giving opponents more trouble when they attempt to eliminate me."

"Do elaborate."

"Magi prize secrecy above all else. By way of having social connections with the community, I can make covering up my disappearance an even more tedious task than it already is in the modern era."

"Thus making it an implicit threat to the other magi and their mysteries. How shrewd," comments the empress, the corner of her mouth curling into a smirk. "With such conditions, having you vanish without suspicion would be rather difficult. However, we would like to point out that this precaution is merely a form of deterrence. Any opponent who genuinely wishes to end you would not allow themselves to be hampered by such things."

"With all due respect, Your Highness, this is where our cooperation comes into play. Though the chance of injury and death is not zero, I believe that our combined efforts are more than enough to—"

"You overstep your bounds, Situ Xuan. It seems you are under the impression that we will offer you our assistance on your call. You are gravely mistaken," Assassin asserts. The purple-haired girl crosses her arms, staring at Carter through narrowed eyes.

In response the teenager prostrates himself once again, pressing his forehead into the ground. "Forgive me, I must be insane to have uttered such nonsense."

"The relationship between us may be that of Master and Servant… but as for who is the lord and who is the vassal, we believe you know the answer already. So tell us. Why should we offer you our assistance?"

"With my neck at stake, I pray that my explanation is to your liking," Carter says, pushing himself up off of his hands. Even if his head is still bowed, it is pretty obvious that he had thrown himself to the ground with enough force to leave a red mark on his forehead. Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, he makes his case, "Despite the slander and libel that the many successive generations after the Sacred and Divine Empress have used to tarnish her name, one only needs to look at her accomplishments in life to understand that she must have been a benevolent and well-learned ruler. Surely one as wise as she would grant her subordinates a chance to prove themselves worthy of serving her?"

Now that two other factions have taken note of him, it is clear as day to the teenager that he won't meet a clean end if he doesn't get Assassin's cooperation. But a very likely death is still marginally better than a certain death.

A long silence falls over the room. The curiosity having gotten the better of him, Carter raises his head slowly.

"... Benevolent… wise…" Assassin looks away from the boy, muttering something with a rosy tint to her cheeks. She crosses her arms and looks at him from the corner of her eyes, "Hmph. C-consider yourself lucky that I'm in a good mood today, silver-tongued brat."

Ah. She broke character.

The Master of Assassin only stares back with a look of disbelief, and the thoughts running behind those dark eyes are almost readable off of his expression. What kind of empress gets flustered at a word or two of praise? Did I get the wrong Servant?! Hello, Mister Holy Grail, I'm calling about the summoning ritual several hours ago. I think there's been a mistake in my order and I'd like a refund.

Regaining her composure, Assassin snaps her fingers, and three pale figures materialize out of purple smoke. The young empress procures a small bronze token from her sleeve and hands it to one of the three attendants.

"Rise, Situ Xuan — No, on second thought, get back on your knees, your head is too high," the empress orders.

Carter sheepishly kneels down again.

"Do not be mistaken. We have not approved of you as a Master. We do not believe you are worthy of our assistance. A-at least not yet. It is indeed as you say, I am a benevolent and wise ruler. As such, I shall place these three officers under your command," Assassin says, breaking character yet again. "These are the Kùlì, inquisitors who stained their hands with blood so that good citizens of the nation could live in peace. Whether you command them to kidnap, torture, assassinate, or survey, they will follow your orders as long as you hold that tablet. Perhaps after you show me what you are capable of, Situ Xuan, you will be in a better position to negotiate. You are dismissed."

The three Kùlì under Carter Szeto's charge have less personality than some homunculi, that much he is sure of. They answer questions when asked, but do not speak otherwise. Their answers are also limited to truths and untruths as the purple wraiths are incapable of forming their own opinions. With pale grey hair and corpse like skin, they are truly the representation of every person's deepest fears: Officers from the underworld, bearing a warrant with their name on it.

A tall eunuch in his prime, a lean guardsman in his forties, and a handmaiden who looks only slightly older than Carter himself. These three revenants, along with the rest of Assassin's familiars, must have been based on not the historical inquisitors, but on a larger group that included the individuals who served her. Their roles are simple. The eunuch acts as liaison between Carter and Assassin, while the guard and maid simply monitor the neighbourhood for possible threats.

Always the pessimist, Carter handed the eunuch a container engraved with runes, ordering him to salvage his Mystic Eyes, his Command Spells, and whatever remains of the Magic Circuits on his back in the case of his death. The setup in his workshop should be enough to keep Assassin around until she could contact Caster. With regards to what happens next, it won't be any of the teenager's business since he'll have fulfilled his duty as a Master and be resting in peace or pieces.

"Hey. Boss."

Carter looks up from his desk. "What?"

"Class ended a while back and I was wondering when you'd wake up. You said we were going to pick up that magic thingy today."

Trying to get the Master of Assassin's attention is a tall girl wearing the same uniform as him. No matter how you crunch the numbers, an Asian teenager standing six foot five is an unusual sight. Her grey hair is styled in a fade maintained with weekly haircuts and her ears are pierced, four studs on the right, one on the left. As one would expect, the giantess is widely admired by the student body for her looks, although once anyone learns of her terminal naivete, such sentiments fly out the window.

"Alright Beanpole, let's get going," sighs the shorter of the two.

As for how Juliana Guo, or Beanpole as Carter calls her, is related to the world of magecraft, she simply just is. Perhaps she hails from a family that had long since stopped pursuing the art. Or perhaps she is like Carter himself, a miracle child from a bloodline whose magecraft talent had run dry.

No matter what the situation might be, Carter supposes it would be better to let her stick around. If Juliana is going to commit some sort of taboo, it's better if she does so where Carter can stop her. It is less that the girl is lacking in common sense and more that she has a rather poor grasp on how the mundane world works. That being said, she likely hasn't the slightest idea about how the world of magi works either.

Without any more words, the two make their way to the Student Government office where a cheerful blonde waves them over. "Hey Carter! Hello Jules. I thought the two of you would come by just about now."

Juliana returns the greeting enthusiastically while Carter only clicks his tongue in response.

The Minister of Finance on Kingston Secondary's Student Cabinet, Natalie Lu. She is the one student the administrating staff at St Martin's absolutely dread negotiating with. Unfortunately for them, they have to deal with the money-grubbing cabinet minister for three more years. However, from the moment that the bubbly blonde stepped into office as the new finance minister, Carter found it quite evident that she simply won the poorly disguised popularity contest known as the Student Government elections.

His fellow students at St Martin's seem to be completely blind to Natalie's shrewd nature, being instead led to believe that she is a stereotypical airhead. Talent in business wasn't factored into any voter's decision. On the other hand, Juliana sees Natalie as the nice lady who gives her candy… That statement says more about the grey-haired giantess than anything.

The blonde waltzes over to the locker in the back of the room to retrieve a wooden case. "Here you are! I figured I should get your order to you as soon as it was finished," — she opens the box lined with red silk and presents it to Carter — "Right, before we start, just a quick heads-up. The PM was asking about you today at the StudentGov meeting. Probably nothing serious in nature, but he'll probably look for you if he needs to. Anywho, Grandpa says these babies are one of his favorite projects this year."

Before Carter and Juliana are a pair of solid metal qinglong ji, shortened to be around two feet in length. The typical halberd head found on full size variants of the weapon remains unchanged, but at this length the two might as well be a set of fancy axes. To compensate for that drawback, the two ji use the open space behind the crescent blade as a second grip and also have an additional spike at the end of the shaft.

The young man beckons his companion over, who picks up one of the axes, playing with the weapon and admiring the metalwork. From the way Juliana handles the weapon, one would be forgiven for mistaking it for a lightweight prop.

The head and shaft are fitted together and secured with a peg. Coiled along the shaft between the grips is a relief carving of a Chinese dragon, while the grips themselves bear a simple diamond knurl pattern. Cut into the crescent blades of the set is a famous name. Fang Tian Hua Ji. Reputed to be the name of the polearm wielded by the warlord Lu Bu, it seems that Juliana thought it would be a good idea to name her pair of axes after those belonging to a legend.

Carter has doubts that Juliana has any sort of idea about what happened to Lu Bu at the end of his life.

A proud smile breaks across the finance minister's face. "Two ji forged from iron, enchanted with returning charms and designed to withstand almost any sort of torture you can put it through. The axe head is removable for maintenance, and there is space to attach a plume if you feel like it."

"It's blunt? Blunter than an axe should be. You wouldn't even be able to split logs with this," says Juliana as she flips the weapon in her hand.

"No, no, no, you're supposed to channel your od through it. Treat it like an extension of your arms," the blonde says. "Yes! Exactly like that. Anyways, anything used in that manner would typically break if it wasn't reinforced beforehand. But as I said, these beauties will probably take any sort of punishment you can put it through. If it ever gets damaged, I can always have it repaired for you."

The giantess furrows her brows, only understanding slightly more than she started with.

Carter picks up one of the axes, only to find that it is much too heavy for his use. Though the weapon is light enough for him to handle, he can't imagine himself actually swinging it in battle. Clearing his throat he changes the topic, "Blondie, can I ask you to include a dose of the red elixir?"

"For you? Of course. This one's on me," says Natalie as she procures a tiny glass vial from… somewhere. "However, I believe there is a certain business venture that would pique your interest…"

"So it's not on the house after all. Name your price."

She rolls her eyes. "Don't be such a downer. Think of it this way, it's an investment with profitable returns!"

"Yeah I know. You've never given me bad financial advice either. The issue here is that I won't be around to collect those returns you speak of."

The blonde throws her hands in the air. "Why'd you have to go ahead and join that silly war anyways? I was certain that with your capital and my business sense, we could have a financial empire in the future."

"It's not like I had a choice. If you wanted money, you could always talk to someone from the main branch."

"They're all sour prudes!"

"Am I just the middleman who takes the heat for you?" snaps Carter as he pulls a wad of bills from his bag and throws it on the table.

"Clever boy," says Natalie as she hands the red elixir to her customer. She clears her throat before continuing, "Don't take this elixir on an empty stomach or with any western medicines, medical warnings and such, yada yada yada. Specifically for people with mystic eyes, you may experience some malfunctions and or pain in your eyes. If such side effects persist after three hours, please consult your physician, et cetera, et cetera. Natalie Lu is not responsible for any sort of injury resulting from unintended use—."

"Yeah, I get it. It's fine, I wouldn't come after you if something did happen, and I don't think the main branch cares enough about me to pursue the issue either," sighs the young man, cutting off the finance minister, "Do you mind taking Beanpole here and giving her a place to test out the two Mystic Codes? Consider it a favor in return for my generous investment or something."

"Sure thing, dear valued customer. Still, I'm surprised you're letting Jules tag along with you for the War. Is it because it'll weigh on your consciousness if she dies?"

"I wish it were that simple. She's my contingency plan if things go south," shrugs the Master of Assassin. "So? How about you? Why stay in the city if you know what's happening? Most of the other magi seem to have evacuated. Look at all the vacations and sick leaves that everyone's been taking."

"War is a merchant's best friend... and I've also found a customer with rather deep pockets."

Carter scoffs at her statement. Glancing over at Juliana, he finds the giantess still preoccupied with her new weapons. Throwing his bag over his shoulder, he turns to leave. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a royal headache to deal with."

"Hmm? Tell me all about it. Please do."

The dark-haired boy gives the smarmy merchant a sharp glare.

"Don't worry about me, I'll probably forget all about it while I'm counting all these bills."

"I summoned Assassin. She's kind of a brat," Carter says curtly

The finance minister raises a brow. "Wow, I can't believe you would say such a thing about the Sacred and Divine Empress. Have you had enough of life already?"

The Master of Assassin freezes with one foot out the door. Taking a deep breath, he runs his fingers through his long hair.

"Damn it," he curses, returning to Natalie's table and pulling over a vacant chair. "You knew. You knew who my catalyst would most likely summon and you didn't tell me."

"I had a hunch," she corrects the young man, "I had access to my uncle's documents, but didn't know for sure. Anywho, even if I was certain, would telling you have made a difference?"

With his head in his hands, Carter lets out a long sigh. "Suppose not."

"So? What about Assassin is it that puts knots in your hair?"

"When I was informed I would have the Dragon Robe of China as my catalyst, I expected to summon figures like Qianlong and Kangxi of Qing, Hongwu of Ming, Gaozu of Han, or even Qin Shi Huang himself. Even if I knew I would summon Wu Zetian, I would have expected her to be in her prime. Either from her triumphant return to the court or at the peak of her reign as regent."

Sure enough, for the Sacred and Divine Empress, her childhood was one of progress, marking the beginning of her rise to power. Her adult years were spent wielding her immense political power and ruling the nation, whether it was from behind the reigning emperor or on the Dragon Throne itself. However, the years between those two ages were largely stagnant. Neither Natalie or Carter can recall much about that phase of Assassin's life.

Intrigued, the finance minister leans over the table. "Did you, like, modify the incantation at all? How about the time at which you performed the ritual? Or perhaps it might have something to do with how you are as a magus. In the last case, it can't be helped. But I do see why you're so negative about this Holy Grail War now. Just saying, it's almost as if destiny itself is turning against you or something."

Sure enough, it really would seem as if nothing is going well for Carter. Of the three classes remaining at the time of summoning, he was left with some of the worst ones for his catalyst. As for the Assassin he succeeded in summoning, she is an irregularity in history and also somewhat obscure compared to other potential Servants related to the Dragon Robe. What little is known about her had been largely buried by multiple smear campaigns and waves of ancient propaganda.

"... Boss. I don't get it. What's so important about the Holy Grail War?" asks Juliana, who had only just begun to listen in.

Without pause, Carter Szeto gives his reply, "It's a game that wealthy magi play for bragging rights."

"Carter!" chides the finance minister. "Jules, don't listen to him. The Holy Grail War is a ritual where seven magi, like, summon historical figures to do battle and the last party standing are granted a wish from the titular grail. This last bit is why there is conflict in the first place."

"So… they need an incentive to kill each other?"

Natalie pauses. "Well… no. It's less like magi murdering each other for the grail and more along the lines of death being an unfortunate but intended event that happens when two magi come into conflict."

"Committing indictable offenses is optional but highly recommended," interrupts Carter. "Since anyone who hasn't died can rejoin the fight."

"So seven people summon seven more people and everyone tries to kill everyone else over a wish," says the giantess, her brows furrowing. "Can you wish to start the war all over again?"

"Maybe? But why would you ever do that?"

"... Can I play?"

Carter packs the pair of ji back into their case and hands them to Juliana.

"Only after you learn to use those two axes," replies Carter. Of course, this is a lie. If the situation calls for it, Carter would send Juliana out regardless. "Blondie, I'm leaving this idiot to you."

Slinging his school bag over his shoulder, the black-haired youth takes his leave.

"Well. If anything unusual comes up, feel free to contact me. Thank you for your business, and please come again," says the greedy merchant. Watching her prized customer walk out the door, she adds, "Do me a favor and try not to die."

Of course, that's easier said than done.

Profiles

Assassin

Master: Carter Szeto (Situ Xuan)
True Name: Wu Zetian
Gender: Female
Height/Weight: 150 cm, 45 kg
Parameters:
Strength D
Endurance E
Agility A
Mana B
Luck A
Noble Phantasm B
Class Skills:
?
Personal Skills:
?
Noble Phantasms:
Kùlì?
Rank: B
Type: Anti-Unit
Range: 1~99
Maximum Number of Targets: ?
The Kùlì were the secret police of medieval China. Like all secret police forces, they act in the best interest of the crown, the state, and depending on the level of corruption, themselves.
Even without the release of this Noble Phantasm's True Name, Wu Zetian can summon as many wraiths as her mana supply allows to play the role of the Kùlì. These familiars follow her every bidding and have no free will of their own. They will attack when told to attack, they will flee when told to flee, they will observe when told to observe.
Carter's Notes:
I'm certain that those inquisitors have more to them than simply serving as attack drones and surveillance cameras.
Also, guess who's supplying mana to keep those three Kùlì around? That's right! Me!