Well, here is the start of the Grail War arc. It's so sudden since I just got this idea last chapter so I haven't decided on all the Servants yet. This will be a brief overview of the trio's stay in Nasuverse before the Grail War since I'm too lazy to write all of it.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Nasuverse or DxD.
Chapter 3: Days Before the Fifth War
It has been nine months since their arrival in this new world and Noire had come clean with what happened. He admits that he did not expect to have such reaction from the jewel dagger and Valerie's Sepiroth Graal. When she found out, the first thing that Xenovia did was to punch Noire repeatedly. She broke some of his bones after she was done with him. It didn't help her one bit that dimensional travel is something Noire is familiar with even if he still cannot do it correctly even on a small scale.
It took one month until someone contacted them. It at least calms Xenovia when the one who came was a member of this world's Church, a blue-haired girl by the name of Ciel whom Noire called senpai and seems to respect. Xenovia found out that Ciel is something akin to an exorcist in this world although they have numerous different groups with different roles and naming. Xenovia wishes to join but Ciel told her it is better if she doesn't. When asked why, Ciel simply answered;
"When you return to your homeworld, you would be a shell of your former self."
Even Noire can't help but agree. He is like an unofficial member of the Burial Agency so he knows. He had also seen this world's exorcism and he had his share of hunts. They are not pretty and certainly not something the other world's exorcist normally stomach.
So they made some arrangements. Xenovia will work together with Ciel while stationed in Japan –it is better if she stays far away from mainland Europe with what she carries- whileValerie will be staying with Zelretch as his other apprentice.
Yes, Zelretch. Xenovia met the deranged vampire who is the mastermind of her current situation. Apparently a super vampire with the ability to overturn reality and power that would make the Seraph and the Yondai Maou looks like children in comparison. Xenovia still remembers the meeting well.
"What do you mean we can't go back?!"
Noire demanded as he slammed his fist onto Zelretch's table.
"Ohh come on, you know me better than that. I wouldn't have rigged the jewel dagger to react to Sepiroth Graal and create a portal here if I don't have any purpose in mind."
"Messing with people for entertainment is not a valid purpose dammit! And how did you do that anyway?!"
The grin on Zelretch's face is so irritating that Xenovia can't help but draw Durandal and attack the old vampire. She had expected Noire to try to stop her but instead he also draws his black keys and joins Xenovia in attacking Zelretch.
They didn't even manage to make Zelretch move when they find themselves almost cutting each other at the opposite end of Zelretch's spacious office.
"Ohh come on. Isn't that a little too violent to do to a frail old man?"
Needless to say, the two of them cursed Zelretch with all they have.
Zelretch's attention then shifted to Valerie.
"So as you know, I was the one who asked my apprentice to rescue you. I have a proposition for you. I want you to become my apprentice."
Valerie look up to the Dead Apostle slightly scared. The vampires were never kind to her and in this world vampires are seen as the ultimate enemies. In a world where she's in most danger that even the world itself is rejecting her, it is natural for her to feel scared.
Yes, the world is rejecting her. She is an unnatural existence. She is a vampire from another world. Only her human side is safe from the corrective force of the world but she can feel her vampire side weakening tremendously. She felt weaker ever since coming to this world. She cannot defend herself. Even her sacred gear had entered a dormant state.
"I can't believe I'm saying this but you should take it."
Noire encouraged her.
"Despite his misgivings, he keeps his apprentice safe. I'm sure you'll have more luck than me."
"Listen to the boy, miss Tepes. As long as you are here, I will not let any harm come to you."
"What about me?"
Xenovia asked.
"You will stay in Japan with Ciel. Don't worry, I have arranged things for you and you will train under one of Church's best in your stay here."
"That's another thing I have to ask. What is the purpose of all these things? You usually just dump me in another world and let me fend for myself or drop me in the middle of an Apostle's territory. Tell me, what is the purpose of dragging Xenovia and Valerie into this mess?"
Noire demands.
"…Well obviously one reason is for entertainment."
Zelretch teleported away the Black Keys Noire threw at him.
"The other reason would be Heaven's Feel."
"Heaven's Feel?"
Both Valerie and Xenovia looks confused but Noire understands.
"You… don't tell me that…"
"The realization of the Third."
""The Third?""
Valerie and Xenovia cast Noire a questioning look but he ignores them due to the shock of what he just heard.
"I see. The ritual is just a year away. You want us to participate in the fifth Heaven's Feel?"
Zelretch nods.
"The Grail will trigger an Apocrypha. Fourteen masters will be chosen and you three will enter it."
"Don't joke with me! Why should I participate in a contest between heretics using pagan art?"
Xenovia shouted angrily.
"Because it would be fun!"
Noire again send Black Keys to Zelretch's face but they never reach him.
"Okay okay, stop throwing Black Keys at me. My goal is to revive the true Heaven's Feel. That's why I need miss Tepes."
"Then send me back! You don't need me!"
"Ohh I need you alright. Trust me, one day you will look back on the events of Heaven's Feel and you'll feel grateful to me for letting you participate. Well then, how about a little class about the Holy Grail War?"
Xenovia is still pissed at Zelretch for making her compete in a death match. But forgetting about the old troll, Xenovia does find it intriguing to fight against people from legends. It is good that she possess a catalyst in the form of her Holy Sword. The fight with Heroic Spirits is what she finds most interesting.
After that meeting with Zelretch, the three of them had gone their separate ways until the time of the Holy Grail War. Valerie stayed in the Clock Tower under Zelretch's tutelage. She was sent to become Ciel's partner and disciple of some kind since her situation is unusual. Noire was sent to study his magecraft further under Zelretch's order. It has been determined that the three of them will be in one team for the Holy Grail War that will happen in Fuyuki.
Shijou Noire, he is another sore subject for Xenovia. He does feel guilty for dragging her into this mess although unknowingly. Xenovia learn to forgive him as she spend more time with him during apostle hunts when he was called by Ciel. The rank 7 of Burial Agency apparently has enough confidence in him to send just the two of them alone without backup against Dead Apostles and Noire certainly doesn't disappoint. Anything less than high-caliber Apostle is something they can handle. These Dead Apostles are apparently more dangerous, cunning, arrogant, and sadistic compared to what Xenovia was used to and they are notoriously hard to kill even with Durandal as Xenovia had found out. She also started undergoing Executor training which is vastly different and more brutal than the exorcist training she undergoes. She grudgingly admits to developing a certain amount of respect towards Noire for having gone and completed the Executor training at a much younger age. It is actually fortunate that the more basic training are similar to her exorcist training so there's no need for her to do basic and intermediate training. Apparently her advanced training in her world is equal to intermediate-level in this world.
Xenovia learned how to utilize all kinds of armaments from swords to black keys (she finally found out the name) until guns and rifles. She has to admit that the Church here is much more brutal with how less picky they are in ways of hunting heretics and the number of black ops organization they have. They even admit that Executors are the church's personal assassins and doesn't even try to sugarcoat it (at least between church members).
"When did my life become so complicated?"
She asked nobody in particular.
"When you're involved with Zelretch and his apprentice."
An answer came from the blue-haired church agent who Xenovia had started to see more as an elder sister than her guardian.
"It is a rule to stay away from Zelretch unless you want to go insane."
"Why hadn't anyone hunted him yet?"
Xenovia asked as she ducked to avoid the black keys thrown by Ciel and respond with her own.
"The top ten DAA are generally already above normal beings that they can be considered as literal living fantasy. They are those that won't die even if they are killed. Some are even impossible to kill."
"…sorry I asked."
Xenovia at least get what Ciel is trying to say. Indeed the top ancestors make the super devils look tame in comparison and perhaps only Ophis and Great Red could actually kill them. And to think they live in a world where magic is degraded just by existing.
Ciel easily sidestepped Xenovia's black keys and began engaging her in close combat where they lock blades with each other. Xenovia had improved greatly from the time when she first started training with Ciel. Now she no longer just swings her sword wildly but she applies both skill and power equally and is much faster than before. She had reached a sufficient level of mastery in the use of black keys and her sword skill had also improved greatly under Ciel's tutelage. Xenovia had also become a good shooter with guns and rifles since projectile weapons are Ciel's preference but her forte is still in sword.
"Not bad Xenovia. At this level, you will definitely survive the Grail War."
Ciel complimented.
"Thank you, big sister Ciel. But do you have little faith in my ability to say that the best I could do is survive?"
"The Grail War is not a game Xenovia. It is a death match between Magi fighting using both their magecraft and cunning. Some would play fair and some would play dirty. And then there is the Servants. You must not be so arrogant to think that you can fight against legendary heroes who have transcended humanity."
Xenovia at least have the decency to look embarrassed.
The Holy Grail War is fast approaching and Xenovia is ready. On her right hand is imprinted her red command seals shaped like a sword decorated with Angel's wings. The young exorcist is ready for the Grail War.
-3 month later, Yggdmillennia castle-
It is a few months before the Fifth Holy Grail War. Just like what Zelretch said, the Grail had triggered an Apocrypha and so far ten masters had received their command seal. One of those masters is Shijou Noire, apprentice of the Kaleidoscope. Branded on the back of his left hand is his red command seals shaped like a cross. For close to a year Noire has been spending his time between training with Ciel and Xenovia, helping Valerie with her own training, and his own magecraft training. For some reason (most likely the presence of another master of the same team) Zelretch sent him to spend time with the Yggdmillennia clan in the last month.
He has shown considerable progress in his family's magecraft, Black Door. It works by utilizing darkness as gateways for instant teleportation and if combined with Kaleidoscope it can become Shijou Momoka's infamous Black Kaleido. In short, Black Kaleido is a mutation when Black Door meets Kaleidoscope and was molded into one magic. Noire had just received the Shijou family Crest five months ago as per Momoka's will (she's not dead though).
The basic theory of the craft is that 'darkness is everywhere and is connected to one another' and using the concept Black Door will create a 'pathway' connecting one shadow to another. Shijou Momoka had taken it one step further and connect the 'pathway' into 'higher plane' and 'conceptual space' when she was empowered with Kaleidoscope. It was rumored that she had actually reached Akasha using Black Kaleido and could freely travel to the 'Reverse-side of the world'. Zelretch never admits nor deny those rumors, stating that it doesn't matter if he cannot utilize Black Door then he cannot hope to advance. Right now the most he could do is sending objects through shadows and shooting them at high speed upon emerging from the opposite end of the 'pathway'.
"Dammit, why can't I get it right?!"
Noire is frustrated that he still cannot pass through shadows. The craft of his family is very hard to be utilized as shadow travelling was based on the Assassin-class servant's ability and Servants are spiritual body. For a physical body like his to utilize shadow travelling, there must be a certain trick to them.
"Making objects pass through shadows is easy but how do you make a physical body pass through shadow? Is there something involved that I'm missing? Objects are also physical body so why can't I pass?"
"Noire-san, are you okay?"
Noire was broken out of his thought by the gentle voice of Fiore Forvedge Yggdmillennia, a fragile-looking brunette with wavy hair and blue eyes. She is wheelchair-bound due to malfunction of magic circuit on her legs which renders her a cripple. She and her brother Caules has been Noire's friends eversince his arrival.
"You can just call me Noire, Fiore. I'm not progressing at all with my magecraft. My mother left me with only basic knowledge of our family craft and only a small part of our family crest to get by."
"Can't you ask the Wizard Marshall for help?"
"He told me to figure it out on my own. Said that he will not let me study the real Kaleidoscope until I can figure out Black Door."
"Your mother is Wizard Marshall Shijou Momoka, right? Why don't you try reading about her? She is very famous so there should be something about her in the Clock Tower."
"…Actually, I did find something about my mother. She has a friend who lives in London though I haven't found where exactly. It was written that she and her friend are so close like a true sibling that they share their workshop."
"Oh my… She must've trusted her very much if they share a workshop."
For a magus, the act of inviting someone, especially another magus to their workshop is either an act of suicide or a sign of great intimacy. Magus protect their workshop even more fiercely than protecting their children (if they care) and an act of sharing a workshop is something never heard even between true siblings. For the third Wizard Marshall to have shared a workshop with another magus, people can only speculate what kind of relation they have.
"I believe there will be something that we can use as catalyst if we search their workshop. It is abandoned now though so I don't know what state it will be in. Last I heard from Zelretch, the workshop had been cleared of all important notes but there are still a few objects lying around or hidden. It won't hurt to look since it is no longer a workshop. It is still hidden but the defenses had been taken down."
"Hmm… perhaps your mother left you something?"
"That can't be. It was around fifty years ago when it was abandoned. I was born roughly fifteen years ago. She can't have left me and my sister anything there… but it won't hurt to try."
"Can I come with you?"
"…normally you shouldn't since you're a total outsider but I'm not even a proper magus so I guess its fine. We'll go tomorrow. I'll ask Zelretch to pick us up."
"Thank you Noire. I'll expect to see you tomorrow!"
-Clock Tower-
Valerie had spent half a year just to fix herself so she can finally walk without wobbling or knocking down anything. It was explained by Zelretch that as she is half human the world can't immediately erase her as humans are under Alaya's jurisdiction and Alaya protects her human side. But her vampire side is a foreign being to this world and as with any foreign being the world moves to destroy it. Her only choice is to either purge her foreign vampiric blood or become a Dead Apostle as Dead Apostles are accepted by nature in this world. Sepiroth Graal once again became the key to this problem. It surprises Zelretch that Valerie is in possession of three Sepiroth Graal which means that it is a sub-species. It is extremely rare to see a sub-species sacred gear but it is even more surprising that Sepiroth Graal was classified as an existing divine artifact unlike Boosted Gear where Issei had to spend prana to maintain it in this world like it is a Servant's Noble Phantasm.
It seems that Sepiroth Graal, once it entered the Nasuverse as Zelretch called it, was recognized as one of the many Holy Grails. It is vastly inferior to the likes of Heaven's Feel's Holy Grail but it is still a Grail nonetheless. It also formed a connection with the Third True Magic.
Valerie trained her human side to finally be able to utilize Sepiroth Graal and with Zelretch's help along with some information around True Magic, she managed to become a Half-Apostle, something never seen before. Her vampiric blood was modified to become that of an Apostle and the balance was maintained through the existence of Sepiroth Graal. Now she is essentially a weakened Dead Apostle with all the advantages and little disadvantages at all. She now possess stronger craving for blood but she won't go mad from thirst and she only need blood once a month and a single glass is enough. She is stronger than even pureblood vampires of her world and can utilize magecraft like any magus and still retain her world's vampiric abilities although weakened and useless compared to her ability as a Dead Apostle. She also cannot turn people into Apostles due to Sepiroth Graal and her human blood's influence but mostly Sepiroth Graal. She possess the mystic eyes of binding like every Apostles. But the largest upgrade is definitely her connection with the Third True Magic.
"Teacher, what is the Third True Magic? You always said that I will someday be able to utilize it but I don't exactly know what it is."
Valerie asked Zelretch even as she continues to practice her jewelcraft. Zelretch thought for a while on how to answer. To be honest, even the Sorcerers themselves has a hard time explaining their True Magic, let alone another True Magic that is not their own. Then Zelretch began.
"It was said that 'The beginning first changed everything. The following second acknowledged many. The resulting third showed the future. The linking fourth concealed itself. And the final fifth had already lost its meaning. Had it only ended at the third, someone had said.' I don't know much about the other True Magic as even I haven't reached complete mastery over the Kaleidoscope. My brightest student, Shijou Momoka, explains the Third as thus; 'To become the lifeform that occupies Akasha'. It is perhaps the most apt description but it is overly simplified. Heaven's Feel, in a simplified explanation, made you become a higher form of existence that exists in the form of soul alone, a higher dimension planar being capable of interacting with the material world without the need to follow the circle of reincarnation. You will also acquire unlimited source of magical energy due to the soul becoming a perpetual motion engine."
"That is…"
Ridiculous, that is what Valerie wanted to say. But then again, so is travelling between worlds and a human pushing the moon with magic. Valerie had found out that despite the absence of gods and dragons, this world is still very dangerous and filled with even more impossible existence such as alien life form that could not be affected by earthly power. True Magic is perhaps the most ridiculous of them all.
"Ridiculous? Impossible? Those words describes True Magic perfectly. This is just a theory from Noire's mother but she theorized that True Magic grants a form of true immortality and unlimited supply of prana. I don't know what Kaleidoscope could do with the immortality part as I am a Dead Apostle and doesn't bother in finding out a way to become immortal but Kaleidoscope could tap into the power of dimensions, even the dimensional gap, to power the user using the unlimited energy of the multiverse. We have yet to see about the other True Magic but I cannot refute my old apprentice's theory."
The old vampire stated.
"So… I can potentially gain the Third Magic and become an immortal?"
"You, my dear, are the closest person in existence to become the sorcerer of Heaven's Feel. This is mostly due to Sepiroth Graal which affects your Origin. Of course, to obtain the Third will not be easy. There will be a crossroad that you must take if you wish to be able to obtain the Third. That very same crossroad is what Noire must face if he were to utilize the Second. Call it the ultimate test of True Magic. You must complete the test to be able to truly utilize a True Magic and so far, only Shijou Momoka had passed the test of True Magic."
"…What is the test exactly?"
"It differs with each magic. There is a reason why many of my students went mad. Although I will admit most of those are my fault, those caused by the test are also as many."
Valerie decided not to ask further questions. The mad glint she saw in Zelretch's eyes is enough to shut her up. Truly there is a price for every power… and she is walking down the path that will lead her to a very dangerous power. She will enter the war and see what her True Magic can do. On her left hand shining with red light are her command seals forming a circle created by three crescent moons.
The Holy Grail War is approaching.
And so ends chapter 3. A little explanation about Noire's magecraft and Black Kaleido along with Heaven's Feel. Now, I'm still troubled. The enemy Servants has been decided along with some of the Red Faction's (Noire and the others) Servants. I won't reveal the Servants yet but I will admit that there are still those I'm not sure of yet. Ohh and Sieg along with Jeanne will definitely appear just not in the Grail War. Now, does anyone here have any idea on what the Fourth True Magic possibly is? It is the only one we have zero info about apart from 'it exists' and stuff like that. Though I have a few possible application of the Fourth like it is a magic that affects concepts and logic, even rules. Still, any idea will be appreciated and I might implement them when it is time for the Fourth to awaken. Of course, obtaining the True Magic won't be as simple as just learning or sheer dumb luck. Each of them will be tested and this is Valerie's turn. Ohh and Valerie is an Apostle (half) now. I wonder how the vampires back home will react to a super vampire capable of using True Magic? Of course Valerie won't be overpowered yet. Noire won't obtain his Magic yet and no, his sister won't utilize the full power of the Kaleidoscope since she never took the trial.
Anyway, next chapter will be the summoning. Noire and Fiore will visit Momoka's old workshop while Valeria and Xenovia head to Fuyuki. We might also see how different the Emiya Shirou of this world with the usual Emiya Shirou. The Fate cast will appear either in the next chapter or the chapter after that. Issei also has a new main heroine since Ophis will not fit the criteria I set which is being semi-human or full human. Now for reviews.
dragonrider66: Issei's Origin is kinda obvious if you think about it. And about Irina. The original idea for this story has Irina as the main heroine for Shidou Haruka but since this is Noire and the story is kinda different, Xenovia and Valerie will be Noire's dominant heroines followed by his harem. I can give Irina to Issei but we'll see. Noire is also Irina's childhood friend but let's just see how this goes.
Judgement the Arbiter: I usually write with a minimum of 2000 words per chapter but let's see if I can make it more.
enriquezgavin: Rossweisse? She won't be an important character in this fic so I can't really put her with Noire or Issei. But I think I have an idea... a very evil idea.
Guest 5: Noire will definitely get a female servant as part of his harem but it won't be Jeanne since I have other plans for her and not Mordred since they won't be compatible. Arturia and Shielder won't appear. I don't even know if I will have him get more than one Servant as part of his harem. And to answer your question, they will return after the Grail War where the story will switch to Issei for a while.
Guest: The idea is good and I'm actually gonna use it right from the start. Just need to work it out.
Anyway, review and follow. Feed me your prana so I can go on with the show. Shidou out.