CHAPTER 18: REALITY MARBLE
(Severus POV)
The raven-haired young man was confused. He did not know where he was. The last thing he remembered was looking at a white-haired girl's worried face, while his body was in unthinkable pain.
He was standing in the middle of a plain. It was a vast, empty land with nothing in it, except for the short, green, grass that covered the entirety of the landscape.
The raven-haired young man felt powerful gusts brew all around him. White clouds were drifting swiftly across the blue sky, revealing and covering the sun high above in successive intervals. There was no place to run to, no shelter, no hiding place from the wrath of the elements. In an exposed field like this, everyone would be at the mercy of the wind.
Then, Severus saw a huge whirlwind form, heading straight for him. He tried to run, but the strength of the gusts had already lifted him off his feet. Knowing he could do nothing else, he crossed his arms and closed his eyes, in an attempt to protect his head and body, as the twister lifted him higher and higher, in an upwards spiral…
"Sev...wake…up…Sev…please…wake…up…" cried a female voice.
Suddenly his eyes shot open, and looked straight into the face of a teary-eyed Ilya.
"Thank God! Thank goodness, you're alright! I'm sorry…This is all my fault…I should never have…I thought I've lost you.." stammered the white-haired girl, as she wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace, tears flowing down her eyes, face buried in his chest, and soaking the raven-haired young man's clothes with it.
Severus actually had a half-mind to get away from the white-haired girl, as he felt himself blushing from the sudden display of affection. Still, he decided against it…
"Shhhh…it's okay…I'm alright…it's not your fault…I'm okay…I'm fine…everything will be all right," said Severus gently to Ilya, as he carefully wrapped one of his arms around her, while using the other to gently stroke the girl's hair, and Severus was thankful that the white-haired girl seemed to be slowly calming down. Still…
Was…I…dreaming…I must've been…but…it seemed so real… like it wasn't real but at the same time it was… thought the raven-haired boy, as he pondered upon the mysterious vision he had just experienced.
In truth, the raven-haired boy's body was still in pain. It was not as bad as it was a while before, but it still really hurts. Normally, for Severus, it would still be just as bad as a Cruciatus Curse being continuously cast on him. However, for some reason, the pain was numbed, and his brain processed it as nothing more than a weakly cast Stinging Hex.
The dream he had experienced had felt so real. He could not tell for sure, it may be because he messed up on the lecture instructions Ilya gave him that he went through the experience, or the pain caused him to hallucinate.
But there was one thing he knew for sure. Whatever the place he saw in his dream was, it seemed so familiar, as if he had known it all his life all along.
Where and what exactly was that place?… pondered the raven haired young man to himself…
-BREAK-
Monologue
(Ilya POV)
Ilya had already expected this. She had already half-expected something like this to happen when she decided to teach her friend Sev about magecraft.
Ilya had seen Shirou several times in training before. While Ilya had rarely seen her brother scream (Athough she did see him scream several times on other occasions, including one when Ilya set Berserker loose on him and Saber, with Berserker smashing him with his club, and ripping Shirou's guts out, but that was before they bonded.), knew that he was always in a lot of pain when in training, although she had never seen him scream in agony. But that was because his magic circuits (The same ones that now reside as part of Ilya's own circuits) were already awakened and trained by the time they met. The red-haired boy was already used to the pain, and thus could keep himself in check.
As for Ilya, her circuits were already active the moment she was born. It was still incredibly painful, but she was still able to endure. She had screamed so many times in agony before because of the pain, and one of the worst pains she had to endure was when she was Berserker's Master, in which she had to keep all of her magic circuits active to maintain Berserker and his Mad Enhancement.
In Sev's case, however, it was his first time opening his magic circuits. And it was the first time Ilya had seen someone do so in front of her.
Ilya knew the procedures, step by step. She had heard about it. There are several ways to activate a dormant magic circuit, and the best she knows about it was what she learned from Rin (even her cruel grandfather never let her delve on the subject, since her circuits were already active.). Still, she made sure she has placed the necessary safety precautions, (which, of course, included activating the circuits using a jewel as an on and off switch.).
Despite all this, however, Ilya expected that her friend would probably expected extreme pain, as well as the possibility of Sev losing his life. From the magus perspective, that was to be expected. If he lives, then fine. If he doesn't, then it's also fine. Those who use magecraft are aware and have always lived with death always by their side after all.
But all her thoughts, beliefs, and principles as a magus, all of them, went out the window, the moment Ilya saw that the raven-haired boy had started screaming, as the prana he concentrated on the jewel forcefully opened any and all potential magic circuits he had.
Ilya had foreseen something like this coming, so she was prepared. She knew what she had to do. She managed to keep her head in light of the situation. But while she successfully completed the process in saving her raven-haired friend's life…
She was unable to contain her emotions. What happened was her fault. She knew it, she knew what would happen, but she kept on reassuring the raven-haired boy, that nothing of the sort would happen to him if he followed her instructions to the detail.
It's my fault…it's my fault…I lied to him…thought the white-haired girl, as she sobbed.
Despite everything though, the raven-haired boy never blamed him. Sev, after all, wanted to become stronger, not for his own sake, but for the people he cared for, and Ilya was happy to hear that she was one of those people. He was willing to risk his life to do so but…
I'm happy he wants to protect me but…I don't want him to get hurt because of it…I'm happy he's willing to risk his life for me but…I don't want him to die… thought Ilya to herself.
Ilya found herself in a dilemma. At one hand, she was happy, but on the other, it made her worried sick. Still…
It's what Sev wants, sighed Ilya to herself. I'll just have to make sure he gets stronger without ending up dead…
-BREAK-
(Ilya POV)
Now that the white-haired girl had regained her composure (Although she was still on the verge of tears, and she actually did end up crying again when the raven-haired boy woke up.),, she now took a look at the situation from the magus' perspective.
Well, at least one of the trickiest parts is over, thought Ilya.
While the raven-haired boy was unconscious, she took the opportunity to check on his status. After Ilya finished casting healing and painkilling spells, Sev was finally stable, and his life was no longer in danger. Therefore, as his teacher, she did some examination…
And if not for the fact that she had been too worried for her raven-haired friend to think of anything else, she would have been shocked senseless by what she found out.
He has a Reality Marble?...No way…it can't be…impossible… thought the white-haired girl.
Reality Marble. It is an inner world which resides in a magus' soul. This world can be brought from out from within in the form of an ultimate Bounded Field, in which it will rewrite Reality itself in accordance with the magus' heart.
It is mostly known only in theory, however. There are only a very few who ever managed to achieve such a magecraft, even among the Dead Apostle Ancestors, some of the strongest beings in existence in Ilya's world. Even the most powerful magi, even those who can perform one of the Five True Sorceries (Ilya, who was formerly a living vessel for the Holy Grail, could actually perform the Third Sorcery if the right conditions are in place), did not manage to achieve it, as well as unable to determine if people had one or not, unless they use it.
Ilya, however was an exception, because she had seen someone with a Reality Marble, had seen that someone use it, and now that particular Reality Marble is now part of her soul.
Unlimited Blade Works. Infinite creation of swords. It is a barren world where there is nothing but swords. Blades of all kinds, from mere kitchen knives to legendary weapons exist in this inner world. Once Ilya glances at something which falls under the category 'sword,' she is instantly able to recognize it, its composition, its structure, its history, everything about it. Any sword she sees is automatically recorded in the Reality Marble. The white-haired girl can also analyzed shields, but it takes longer to fully do so, as well as it costs three times as much prana than swords. Still, Ilya's prana supply is near limitless, and the only problem is that she still easily gets tired if she used too much Projection.
Because of her familiarity with it, Ilya immediately suspected that Sev had a Reality Marble. However, something else happened which fully confirmed her suspicion.
Ilya had been inspecting the raven-haired boy if he had managed to awaken any of his Magic Circuits. The white haired girl noticed that they had appeared on his body. (Strictly speaking, the Magic Circuits reside within the magus's soul and what is found on the body is just a physical expression of them that stretches itself throughout the body in a fashion similar to the nervous system-taken directly from Type-Moon Wiki.)
The white haired girl investigated and noticed that Sev had forty circuits in all, the same number as Rin and Sakura. However, as she was prying further…
Ilya suddenly found herself in immense pain. It was painful, it was excruciating, but she had endured much worse pain before, so she managed to restrain herself from screaming…
Then the white-haired girl found herself on a plain, where there was nothing except grasses, and strong winds dominated it. However, there was something strange about the open field and the winds blowing. It felt like something she should know of… something very familiar… and then she realized…
The prana signature the plain and the winds were emitting, it definitely belonged to her raven-haired friend…
Soon, however, she was awakened from the vision, just in time to see the raven-haired boy stirring and then opening his eyes, and for a while she let herself be distracted, as Ilya allowed her emotions to overwhelm her, relieved, that her friend was okay…
End of Monologue
-BREAK-
(Ilya POV)
Ilya now had an important decision to make. At first, she wanted to keep certain things hidden from the boy for the time being. She wasn't sure if it was a good idea to tell him about it all at once, and thought it might be good if she taught Sev, one slow step at a time. However, it would not be fair to the raven-haired boy, who had not kept anything hidden from her when it came to teaching Ilya about their magic. True, Sev admitted he was not an expert, but he taught her without holding anything back.
Therefore, as a teacher and as a friend, it was Ilya's responsibility to tell her raven-haired friend all that she knew, especially since it concerned something directly to the boy, and it was actually magic as well, and a part of him. And also…
Ilya remembered how Shirou was able to unlock his abilities. It was because Rin's Servant Archer taught him, and Archer…well… as Ilya found out, Archer was actually Shirou's future self, or possible future self, the embodiment of his heroic ideals. At first Archer wanted to kill his younger self, to be able to create a paradox strong enough so that he could end his own suffering and existence as a Counter-Guardian. However…
Flashback
(Ilya POV)
Ilya watched as her brother and the knight clad in red argue with each other inside of the shed where Shirou practiced his magecraft. Initially the Servant had been emitting a murderous killing intent. He was prepared to kill the boy at any moment, if his younger self said anything that would upset him, but then…
"What did you say?" said the red knight, Archer, the embodiment of Shirou Emiya's ideals, in a voice that carried surprise.
"I said I don't care if a hundred, a thousand, or even if a million people have to die," declared his younger self.
"Tch. I thought you just told me that you are going to save everyone, and if you can't you will try to minimize the casualties if possible?" mocked the red knight.
"Of course that's what I will do," replied the red-haired boy honestly. "But if saving countless thousands means that I'd have to sacrifice Rin, or Ilya, or Saber, or Sakura, or Fuji-nee, or Issei, or Ayako, or any of the people I care for, then like hell I care what happens to them."
Archer was silent for a while, clearly shocked, as he saw the determination and resolve in his younger self's eyes…
"Tch! You really are a hypocrite after all," said Archer in his usual falsely cheery cynical tone. "You'll do everything in your power to try and save thousands, but you'll betray them and slaughter them all without hesitation if it means you will be able to save your loved-ones, that's what you're saying right? Playing favorites?"
"Yeah I am a hypocrite," replied Emiya Shirou, honestly and unwaveringly. "And if you put it in those terms, then, yes, I am playing favorites.I know that I'm being selfish, but I don't really care. I want to save as many as I can, but I will prioritize saving those who are important to me, even if it means sacrificing the rest of the world. Do you have any problems with that?"
"You know what kid?" sighed Archer. "I guess that's what I should've done from the very beginning. I sacrificed thousands of people to save many more thousands. I killed one to save ten, ten to save a hundred, a hundred to save a thousand. And among those I killed were people who were dear to me…"
Ilya could feel the sadness and regret emanating from the Servant.
"All right then, kid," sighed Archer again, apparently resigning himself to the situation at hand. "I'll help you with your training…just don't blame me if I accidentally kill you… Servants are summoned to kill other Servants and Masters after all, and you, are not, my Master."
He was still talking about killing his younger self, but Ilya could tell that Archer had completely dropped the idea, because for the first time, Ilya saw a small smile grace Archer's lips, not his cynical one, but a real smile…
End of Flashback
After thinking about it for a little while, Ilya had come to a decision.
I will tell him, thought the white-haired girl, her decision made.
"Sev," Ilya called to her friend. "I believe that we have rested enough. Let us continue…"
-BREAK-
(Severus POV)
"Wha-what, you mean right now?" asked Severus, feeling shaken.
It had only been an hour since he woke up. According to Ilya, he had only passed out for around thirty minutes, which means…
"We're not yet done for the day," said the white-haired girl in her 'Professor Emiya' voice.
"Are you serious?" inquired the raven-haired boy incredulously.
"Yes, I am," replied Ilya.
Oh, dear Merlin, thought the raven-haired boy to himself.
Severus was feeling a lot better now. Ilya had actually used over half an hour healing his body as well as she could. However…he was tired, exhausted…he was still spent.
"Um…Ilya," Severus began in a pleading voice. "Let's stop for now, I don't think I'll be able to do anything more today." I doubt I'll be able to survive another experience like that, added Severus in his thought.
"No, we shall continue," denied the white-haired girl.
"But," began the raven-haired boy.
"Do not worry, it might be a bit painful, but I'm sure it won't be fatal," said Ilya in what Severus was sure she thought was an assuring voice.
The raven-haired boy knew better. After what he had experienced, his Slytherin instincts told him not to trust the girl's words this time. However, for some reason, he could not help but trust Ilya, he could not refuse…
"Fine," sighed the raven-haired boy. "But I'm not sure I'll be able to do anything much in my current state."
"Let's begin then," said Ilya in a monotonous tone. "This will be the last lesson for the day. After that, you may rest, and then you will begin your running exercise exactly at four o'clock like scheduled..."
"What?" said Severus, exasperated.
"…as well as all the stretching and lifting exercises, which I rescheduled for after your jog," finished Ilya, ignoring his reaction.
This is too much. This is like martial law! This is torture! thought Severus bitterly, but he had no time to delve on it, and decided to put away his thoughts to focus on the task at hand.
"Now, then Sev," said the white-haired girl. "What I want you to do is to focus. Look inside yourself. Try and visualize the Magic Circuits in your mind."
"What, but how do I do that?" said Severus, confused.
"Just do it," said Ilya.
"But I don't how…" said Severus honestly.
The white-haired girl sighed a bit, as if a little disappointed.
"I'm sorry," grumbled Severus. "But I don't really know how to do it."
"A while ago," began Ilya. "You managed to visualize the jewel in your mind, right?"
"Yes," said Severus, as he remembered that when he focused on the jewel it did appear in his mind, exactly as it appeared before he swallowed it.
"Focus on it," said Ilya.
Severus nodded, and focused on the jewel. It was easier now than before.
"Now, I want you to focus your magical energy on it, and release it in your body like you did a while ago," said the white-haired girl.
"What?!" Severus couldn't help but be alarmed. "But…"
"Don't worry, it will be fine," said Ilya, and Severus noticed that for a moment she dropped her teacher persona, her emerald eyes locked on his black ones. "Please trust me."
Severus could see that the white-haired girl was worried about him. The raven-haired boy was afraid, but he knew that he would make no progress if he wasn't willing to learn and take risks, he had already done that after all. However, the most pressing reason is that…
There's no way I could refuse when she looks at me like that, sighed Severus inwardly.
Thinking that it's okay if things get worse, since Ilya was there to make sure he survived after all and even without that factor, Severus couldn't refuse Ilya when she was asking him to trust her), Severus did as he was instructed.
Once again, he closed his eyes, the image of the jewel forming, and focused magical energy on it. Then, he imagined himself lighting a stove…
Severus half-expected to feel excruciating pain once again, but this time…
True, there was continuous pain, but it was quite mild, like being subjected to a very weak Cruciatus Curse, but even a punch would be more painful. After what he had just been through, the pain was nothing. But what surprised the raven-haired young man the most was…
"What in Merlin's name?" Severus couldn't help but gasp at what he visualized in his mind.
Before, Severus was only looking at the jewel, imagining it, but now, there was something else that appeared, which the raven-haired boy did not actually bid his mind to make them.
There were lines, lines, in an array, glowing with in a bluish-white tinge.
Severus opened his eyes. He could feel a tingling sensation continuously flowing all over his body, as if his nerves were mildly on fire, but it was bearable.
The white-haired girl was looking at him gently.
"Does it hurt?" she inquired in a worried voice.
"Just a little," Severus replied. "But I've been through worse…much worse…"
"I see," said Ilya, and her voice was now back in her teacher persona. "Did you see them?"
Severus nodded, realizing that Ilya really was worried. The second question is normally what any teacher would have asked first.
"Can you still see them?"
"Even with my eyes open?" said Severus, and he realized what Ilya meant. "Yeah, I guess, I can still see them in my mind."
Ilya nodded, then began her lecture.
"Those lines that you see, they are what you call Magic Circuits," the white-haired girl began. "They are what magi like myself use to cast spells. In your terms, they function like a wand."
Severus nodded to indicate to Ilya that he understood.
The white-haired girl continued.
"The main difference is that Magic Circuits are like the wand which are part of wizard's body. No… sorry…they only seem to be part of the wizard's body. If you channel enough prana , or magical energy into your circuits, you will be able to see them."
At this, Severus noticed that Ilya activated her own circuits, as greenish-white lines were appearing all over her body.
"However, the lines that appear on your body are not really your Magic Circuits, for the Magic Circuit reside within the magus', or wizard's soul. What is found on the body is just a physical expression of them that stretches itself throughout the body in a fashion similar to the nervous system."
"So they're not really there, on the body, I mean?" Severus asked.
"That is correct," nodded the white-haired girl. "Now, Sev, do you remember what I taught you about turning on your Magic Circuit?"
Severus nodded.
"Now, I want you to turn it off."
"Turn it off? How?"
"Just think of the reverse process of the trigger you used," replied Ilya. "While it is true they will turn off on their own if the magus faints, or if the energy placed runs out, it is still best to know how to turn them off consciously. If, for example you overload your circuits with magic, you can cut off the power when you wish."
"Overloading the Circuit?"
"Yes," said the white-haired girl, more seriously than scholarly. "And if you damage your Circuits, they cannot be repaired. Remember that they are part of your soul."
Severus closed his eyes, not needing any more explanation, once again seeing the bluish-white line array clearly. The raven-haired young man imagined turning off the stove, and the lines faded into blackness.
Silence reigned for a while. When Severus opened his eyes, he saw Ilya smiling at him.
"Congratulations, Sev, you have successfully completed the first step to becoming a magus," the white haired girl said sincerely.
The raven-haired boy did not know how else to react, feeling embarrassed, (and flustered at Ilya's pretty face.). There was only way he knew how,
"Thanks," Severus replied meekly. In all his years at Hogwarts, he had always been looking for recognition. He wanted it badly, and he was all puffed up like a hot air balloon whenever Lily or a teacher praised him, and would normally brag aloud, at the top of his voice. But for some reason, all that pride had left him. Right now, he was simply happy, really very happy with the fact that it was Ilya praising him.
-BREAK-
(Severus POV)
It was now almost one o'clock in the afternoon. Severus and Ilya had just finished eating lunch on the yard (The white-haired girl had actually packed juice and sandwiches, even though they were just at the house, and they ate as if they were on a picnic.)
"Now, then Sev," said Ilya, in her 'Professor Emiya' persona. "There is one more matter I would like to discuss with you."
"Hmmm?" inquired Severus. He thought that the lesson for the day was over, that Ilya would teach him a magecraft-based spell the next day.
"Do you remember that I told you something about the Five True Sorceries of magi?"
"Yes, I do." Severus replied. "But you did not explain to me what they were."
"I will in due time," replied the white-haired girl. "But they are not that relevant, since they are not something I am able to utilize, and therefore I will not be able to teach you."
Severus merely nodded.
The white-haired girl continued.
"Those who practice magecraft like myself, however, delve on many other forms of research and study. One of them is studying what many refer to as the Sixth Magic, since it also one of the pinnacles of magecraft. It is called a Reality Marble."
"Reality Marble?" Severus asked, interested to know more.
Ilya took a deep breath and continued.
"A Reality Marble is the inner world which resides in a magus soul. It is a rare ability, and as far as I know there have been less than five magi who had one."
"I see," nodded Severus.
"Yes indeed, it is powerful ability, and a magus who has one can bring it out into the world, rewriting reality itself for a short duration, usually depending on the magus' prana supply."
Severus nodded again.
"That is basically what a Reality Marble is, an inner world, and you, Sev, you possess a Reality Marble."
Severus was about to nod again when…
"What?" said Severus, managing to keep his voice down despite the shock.
"Yes, Sev, you have a Reality Marble, and you must've had it ever since you were born."
"But what is it? What does it do? Since I was born? How is that even possible? How can I use it? Why do I have one? Wh…" Severus found himself unable to stop asking questions.
The white-haired girl cut him off through a loud fake cough.
"I think it would be better if I just showed you, Sev," said Ilya quietly. "You must, however, promise me never to tell anyone about this. Sev, do you promise?"
The raven-haired boy couldn't help but feel excited. From the sound of it, it was a new spell.
Not tell anyone huh? thought Severus. You don't have to worry about that, Ilya. I have no one left to tell anyway. And besides, even if I was still friends with some of the Slytherins who did not know what I did, I'll never tell them. I wouldn't tell anyone, not even Li…
Severus suddenly cut off his thought, feeling pain from the memory. But it wasn't as painful as it was before. The wound on his heart was still there, but it was starting to heal, and it felt like the gaping hole in his heart no longer exists. And the raven-haired boy knew that he would never have the heart to betray the white-haired girl who was the reason behind it.
"I promise," Severus said sincerely.
The white-haired girl then bowed her head as if in prayer, and started chanting.
I am the bone of my sword…
Steel is my body and fire is my blood…
I have created over a thousand blades…
Unaware of loss…
Nor aware of gain…
Withstood pain to create weapons, awaiting one's arrival…
I have no regrets. This is the only path…
My whole was….
UNLIMITED BLADE WORKS
Suddenly there was a blinding flash of white light, which made Severus close his eyes.
"Sev, this is what you call a Reality Marble," he heard Ilya speak.
The raven-haired young man opened his eyes, and the sight that greeted him…
WHAT THE? WHAT IN THE NAME OF MERLIN IS THIS?!...
AUTHOR'S NOTES
Here's another chapter people. Hope you like it. Oh... and advanced Happy New Year!