Chapter 5 - Tangent
"Lady Illyasviel! As your loyal and obedient maid, it is both my duty and privilege to support you in any inquiry you may found yourself at any given time... But even I have to complain about this situation! This plan is suicidal and with all due respect, stupid!" Sella suddenly exploded.
"Come on, Sella. You can call me Illya if you want... And I am aware my plan has many flaws but I have decided this is the best course of action."
"There has to be another way! Dozens of ways better than this! You can't just walk into the enemy's den and expect to win under their conditions and terms! Not to mention we are trying to defeat the most dangerous of them all! It is a complete idiocy to fight Caster inside her base where she is more prepared to defend herself!"
"That doesn't really matter... I still have the card of victory on my side."
"I can't deny Berserker is by far, the strongest servant... But we still don't know the true powers of Caster! I am sure the other masters watched that fight using familiars and it is pretty likely they have already designed some sort of counter-measure against Berserker's impossible strength!"
"Sella... Don't tell me you really thought that was Berserker's true potential?"
"Well of course! He fought against two other servants! There is no way he could..." Sella saw Illya's grin and stopped "That... That can't..."
"Just have faith in me, Sella. I am not planning on failing or dying anytime soon... I am well aware Caster might have improved her fortress but I myself have a few tricks under my sleeve... And I also have complete confidence in Berserker's power." The young Einzbern replied with a smile. "Ah! Here we are! Mount Enzou!"
At the distance, Illya could see a mountain with a mysterious temple. She didn't know that much about religion but she could feel a peculiar magic vein coursing around the temple and further into the city. If her assumptions were right, Caster would most likely use that feature in order to craft her spells and prepare any sort of resources she needs... It was also kind of funny. An evil witch living among the monks... How amusing.
In the recent days, the city had been plagued by a strange series of incidents were hundreds of people would suffer fainting attacks. The church had used its influence to cover the incidents but the attacks were gradually getting out of control. Apparently, Caster's master didn't have any sort of control over their servant, allowing her to steal as much prana from the citizens as she wanted. So far, there haven't been any deaths but Illya was sure it wouldn't take long before the first victim suffered the consequences of Caster's master incompetence. Illya didn't really care about the lives of those useless and blind civilians but it would be a problem if the other masters attacked Caster together. Illya had remained quiet after her fight with Shirou in order to avoid unneeded attention while she plotted... But if Caster was taken down, Illya was sure she would be the next target.
Illya didn't doubt Berserker's power but she would rather avoid fighting the other six servants at the same time... Although, part of her wanted to slaughter all of them at once.
But for now, Illya needed to play her cards right and secure a safe position for her and Berserker. So far, the only real threat was Saber: That annoying woman had managed to match Berserker's power... Only for a second but she did it. If Saber had a more capable master, she would surely be a fearsome opponent. Archer was another issue: He had an interesting power and Illya wasn't sure just how powerful he really was. Illya was sure Berserker could easily kill him with a single blow but she decided to not underestimate her opponents. Lancer was not exactly a threat but Illya was scared she hadn't discovered who was his master: That Magus was experienced if he had managed to stay hidden. Rider and Assassin simply didn't exist for Illya: Those two servants were naturally weaker in front of Berserker and the only use they had were as paws: If Illya had no other choice, she could track them down and make the masters accept an alliance.
Even if Saber was the only one strong enough to fight Berserker, Caster represents a bigger danger with her web of spells and magic circles all over the city. Tohsaka Rin and Emiya Shirou patrolled the city, making sure they stopped Caster's doings on the spot... Speaking of Rin and Shirou, Illya had heard they had some sort of alliance... More like a necessity than an actual agreement. Apparently, Shirou was not a fan of Tohsaka's ways. They constantly fought over every little thing and Saber was also quite angry with Archer... That alliance was bound to end... Probably tomorrow or in two days...
"Alright, Sella. This is where we part ways... I will deal with Caster while you and Leysritt make sure nobody spies on us. Eliminate any familiar you find and if you spot another servant, tell me immediately." Illya ordered.
"I understand, my lady..." Sella said bowing.
"Uh? What's the problem, Sella?" Illya asked, feeling the hesitation in the maid.
"I have heard my orders and I will fulfill them... But... Does the lady really have to go dressed like... Like that?!" Sella asked with exasperation.
"I don't see your point..." Illya asked while she inspected her clothes.
She had to admit it has been a noticeable change from her usual garments but she always wanted to try these clothes at least once... It was a pink t-shirt with the picture of a panda at the center and a pair of blue shorts with red sandals. She had tied her hair in a ponytail and had a red backpack in her back. Illya had to admit her current clothes were 'revealing' since her everyone could see her navel and her bare legs... But the breeze was nice and she was dying to try normal clothes ever since she came to Fuyuki...
"Those... 'clothes' are a bit too skimpy for the lady..." Sella pointed out, controlling her humor.
"It is a disguise!" Illya explained with a smile.
"It won't work!"
"Just leave it to me..."
"I understand..." Sella breathed and composed herself "Then... Good luck and be safe, my lady." She said with another bow.
"It will only take a second... See you later, Sella..." Illya said and she headed towards Mount Enzou.
Sella watched her walk happily towards that dreadful place and she couldn't help but sigh in worry... The lady had definitely changed and she wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad thing. Back in the day, she would act like a spoiled child, sometimes speaking to herself and muttering nonsense... Now, she acted like the adult she was... No, she acted like that man... Recklessly but completely confident in her own skills... Like father like daughter, huh?
Sella turned around and allowed herself to feel the breeze caressing her face...
"You better protect her from everything..." She muttered to no one in particular.
...
...
...
"I will..."
Sella smiled as she heard the faint sound of footsteps following after the lady behind her...
"It's so tall!" Illya exclaimed in awe once she was at the foot of the Ryuudouji Temple "The stairs look endless...! I think this is going to be fun!"
Illya happily hopped the steps of the stairs, singing and sometimes stopping to admire the view. Ever since she came to Fuyuki, she wanted to simply forget about the war and enjoy her freedom. There were thousands of places she wanted to visit... But both as a foreigner and as a master, she was pretty noticeable in the crowd. She had tried to sneak at night but after her little incursion the other day, Sella had reinforcebd the security measures. It was almost impossible for Illya to escape... And to boot, even Berserker seemed to think like the maid. He had disobeyed and even helped Sella in keeping Illya safe. But today was different... Even if this was an important mission, Illya would enjoy her little adventure before she defeated Caster and her Master...
Still... Illya wished the landscape was this disgusting...
Sure, she could enjoy the endless rows of trees and the breeze... But that shield was ruining it. She was surprised the civilians hadn't already reported it. The shield around Mount Enzou was so dense it even made Illya dizzy. It surrounded the Ryuudouji Temple entirely and the only way in and out was through the stairs... A clever way to control a siege. Either way, this was better for Illya's plan. The barrier seemed to completely seclude the Ryuudouji Temple from the rest of Fuyuki... Nothing could come in... And nothing would go out... She grinned and continued her ascension...
"Ho... This is quite unusual... For a young maiden to climb this tortuous steps... It is admirable, indeed."
The voice was soft and elegant, it immediately made Illya feel comfortable and safe but she knew what that meant. She hadn't seen nor felt the presence of the stranger so that could only mean one thing... She turned around to meet a tall and handsome man wearing traditional purple clothes with a long katana strapped to his back... His indigo eyes held no ill meaning but there was something behind them that made Illya feel insecure... Still, she decided to act according to the plan.
"Ah! Hello there, mister!" Illya greeted surprised "How are you doing today?"
"I am doing just fine, young maiden. Thank you very much for asking..." The samurai muttered with a smile. "But I have to say... I am really curious as to why such frail child would try to climb this horrendous path... Is there something waiting for you a the top of the Temple?"
"Kind of... Mama is sick and I wanted to get a charm for her..." Illya explained with faux sadness.
"I see... I think you may find what you want in the Temple... Just be careful, child. Rumors say there is an evil witch living somewhere among the monks..."
"Ah! I didn't know that...! Thank you, mister! I will be careful...!"
"I am glad to hear that... Then, you may pass..." The Samurai said with a nod.
Illya bowed and continued walking... But then, she felt a cold thing touching her shoulder...
"That is what I would like to say... But I am afraid I cannot let you go any further, Homunculus of the Einzbern" His voice was still soft but there was something incredibly dangerous within it. Illya turned around to see a long sword resting on her skin. Assassin had used the blunt side of the katana so it did not cause any sort of damage... But it was strangely heavy and tiring.
"And here I thought it would be easy..." Illya sighed in defeat "Was I that obvious?"
"Not really... You did well in concealing your prana and you acting was flawless..." Assassin said thoughtfully "But you now... It takes a monster to know another..."
"Is that so...? So what happens next, huh?"
"Nothing really... I was ordered to kill any intruder but I think I might let you in so you can scare that stupid woman. She has been annoyingly arrogant lately... I believe you might be able to put her in her place... I just have a simple request..." Well, Illya wasn't expecting any of this but it was better than the scenario she came up with "A night ago, that stupid woman attacked another master... You know, the usual drama magus love to death... But the important part happened afterward... The servant of said master came to the rescue... She was a fair maiden and a formidable warrior... Her regal form and majestic aura completely enchanted me... We fought in these same stairs... But something was not right... Even though I was her opponent, she was fighting someone else far away from me or the temple... Her emerald eyes were never focused on me and even when I unleashed my ultimate technique, she was not impressed... She had fought something more powerful than me... I feel we will eventually fight one last time before the end of this war... But I can't face her like this, not when she no longer sees me as a worthy opponent... And this is my request, Master of the Einzbern: Let me fight your Berserker once and I will let you in..."
The breeze blew softly around Illya's face while she was focused on the face of the servant... So far, she really had no idea what was the point in Assassin's request. Maybe it had something to do with the code of the knights or some other thing like that but it lacked logic and common sense. At this point, all the other servants should be aware of Berserker's impossible power so there is no way they would seek a duel against him without some sort of advantage... Then again, Heroic Spirits were quite stupid and stubborn with meaningless topics...
Then again, Illya didn't really lose anything from this negotiation... Not that she could tell, anyways.
"Are you sure you can promise such things behind the back of your master without their consent?" Illya asked with a sly smile. "Especially when your master seems to be allied with Caster's master"
"I don't really care about what that annoying woman thinks or does... This is between me and Saber."
"My, My... Why would you do such things for another servant, Assassin? Did you really... Fell in love with Saber?"
"Love is for stupid people who don't understand a thing... This goes beyond the pitiful and low desires of the normal human beings" Assassin said roughly "It has been a few hundreds of years since I fought a formidable opponent like Saber... I plan on enjoying our last match to the fullest so I need her to see me as her equal and not as just another obstacle between her and your Berserker..."
"As you wish... Samurai..."
Assassin felt a creeping chill running down his spine and turned around to face a gust of wind. He raised his gaze and noticed a strange shadow covering the sun... He smiled and readied his sword. The anchor flew deadly and true and once it was close enough, Assassin hit it with his katana...
But he failed the test...
His face was now twisted in a shocked grimace... With several dots of a crimson liquid covering his cheeks. His slowly lowered his eyes to see his body... His left arm was missing and the blood was gushing like a small waterfall. Using his right hand, he did his best to cover the wound but it was impossible... He looked around, trying to find his katana... But instead, he found the orange orbs of the Titan right in front of him.
"You are so stupid, Assassin." Illya spoke behind him "Did you really think you could fight equally against Berserker? Saber only survived on a whim. Berserker's first request... Sadly, I no longer have the patience to deal with all that garbage about honor and the codes. I will definitely win this war... And I will completely destroy every little annoyance in my way."
"I see I have encounter something more vicious than a monster..." Assassin whispered with a sad smile "But that sort of path Will take you to the abyss, child."
"I've been there before... I found Berserker and the Will to fight with everything have... Goodbye, Assassin. Cling to your pitiful ideals and let me drag you into the depths..."
"As cold as the winter, huh..." Assassin laughed at his joke and focused on the Titan once again "This wasn't supposed to end like this... But I will accept it. After all, the one who stands in the end is righteous... Ah... I just hope she remembers my name..." Assassin said closing his eyes and accepting his fate.
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...
"What is your name...?"
It was an almost inaudible whisper but Assassin felt how his voice shook the ground beneath his feet... There was not an ounce of aggression or fury in the Titan... There was only melancholy and sadness... As if he had seen the same scenery time and time again... A mighty being ready to execute a miserable warrior but willing to hear his last request so his legacy would not be forgotten... Assassin couldn't help but smile... Now, he could see why Saber seemed so distracted during their duel.
"I am Sasaki Kojirou... What is yours, Berserker?"
"I can't remember..."
"But I promise..."
"I will never forget you..."
"Sasaki Kojirou..."
The Anchor came down...
And the silence reigned again...
It was quiet... Extremely unsettling and quiet. Illya half-expected to be greeted by a bunch of magic explosions and god knows what other horrors Caster had prepared for invaders. But surprisingly, only the wind and a few leaves were the only things Illya saw moving in the temple. She scanned the area but she detected nothing... Not even the original denizens of Mount Enzou. Maybe it had something to do with the barrier... Either way, Illya was glad she didn't have to deal with outsiders or civilians... Erasing memories was such a bother...
Illya slowly ventured inside of the courtyard, carefully taking into account every single movement around her. The wind whispering through the leaves of the trees, the branches breaking nearby, the small animals running all over the place... And the breathing of the entities inside the temple. She stopped at the center of the yard and patiently waited... The minutes passed but nothing seemed to disturb the peace in Mount Enzou. Maybe Caster had felt the disturbance at the stairs and had fled alongside her master and Assassin's master to a safer place... Either way, it seemed like nothing was going to happen... Maybe the servant felt Illya's intentions and left Assassin and the barrier in order to distract Illya and study Berserker's power... Either way, Illya sighed disappointed and turned around to leave...
But...
"Leaving already?" Purple chains suddenly shot out of the ground and trapped Illya. The girl tried to struggle but the bindings were indestructible... Suddenly, the sky above her shone with a dozen of magic circles covering the sky... And a hooded figure flying over them. "Allow me to show you my hospitality, master of Berserker!"
The magic circles exploded and hundreds upon hundreds of projectiles rained over the young Einzbern, lifting a smoke screen and decimating the floor and everything around it. Caster giggled while she waited for the dust to clear... But her smile became a shocked visage when she realized none of her shots hit their mark. Instead of the slaughtered body of the Einzbern, a giant cladded in armor was standing with a deadly anchor on his shoulder.
It was Berserker.
"You call that kind of greeting 'hospitality'?" Illya asked in disbelief, walking in front of Berserker "I was aware you were an idiot, Caster... I just never guessed your condition would be this serious."
"You little...!" Caster growled, containing her anger "I didn't think the great monster of the Einzbern would come to my humble abode... May I why are you here insulting me in my own den?"
"You have been attacking the citizens of Fuyuki, creating all sorts of problems and almost making the church cancel the war... Is your master that incompetent or is he just as stupid as you?"
"I will make you regret your words, brat!" Caster yelled while she created magic circles above her "Begone and never come back!"
The bolts of magic fell as a meteorite rain, decimating every single thing in the temple. Chunks of rock and debris flew all over the place, leaving a trail of destruction... But to Caster's horror, the giant diving suit was still standing with no apparent damage. What's more, it seemed like it didn't even notice the bolts of magic colliding against his metal armor... Berserker was just there, staring at Caster and waiting. The magic storm finally stopped and Caster was left panting and sweating. She had used a great amount of prana and some of her strongest spells. Those spells were supposed to eliminate even the Saber... What was that monster made of?
"Is this everything you have...?" Illya taunted with a smile "Then... Finish her, Berserker."
It only took a single moment, a single second, a single sigh, a single blink... And the deadly anchor was already in front of Caster. The servant managed to erect her strongest barrier nine times in front o her. Nine layers of concentrated prana materialized before the anchor could collide against Caster... And eight of those layers were easily shattered by Berserker's impossible strength. The last layer was cracked but it managed to stop the anchor... But before Caster could do anything else, the anchor was already charging against her once again. She repeated the same process once again... But something changed. The anchor pierced through the eight layers... And shattered the ninth into pieces. The deadly weapon struck Caster in her chest, making her cough blood and lose control over her spells. Then, Berserker pulled the anchor and brought Caster to the ground, slamming her and creating a crater in the middle of the yard.
"I am surprised you survived, Caster. I suppose cockroaches are quite resilient, huh...? But you are simply postponing the inevitable end..." Illya commented coldly "I do not feel like wasting more of my time with you... Berserker, Kill her..."
The Titan silently nodded and walked towards the fallen body of Caster, stomping the ground and preparing his anchor for the final blow. He stood above Caster's broken body and lifted his anchor... And he struck what was left of Caster... There was an explosion and a dozen of purple butterflies flew around Berserker. The Titan widened his eyes once he realized the body was gone...
He was fooled by the witch...
"Too easy...!" The voice of the witch taunted around the Titan.
Suddenly, nine purple pillars of light shot around the Titan, creating a magic circle above him. Then, Berserker felt how the gravity increased around him, making him fall to the ground and kneel. His body began sinking on the ground and in the end, he fell completely. He grunted and struggled to get away from the trap but he couldn't even move a single finger.
"Berserker!" He managed to turn his head around to see his panicked master towards him "Just wait a moment! I will-" A shadow appeared in front of Illya and struck her in her stomach. She kneeled, holding her belly and gasping for air. She managed to lift her gaze to see a middle-aged man wearing a suit with a pair of hollow eyes in his face. "You... W-Who are you...?"
"That is not something a corpse should be concerned about..." The man said grabbing Illya by the neck and lifting her in the air.
"It is as I told you, Souichirou. The stupid brat of the Einzbern family came to us right away...!" Caster said while she landed in front of Berserker "It was foolish of you to believe you could defy me in my own territory, you fool!"
"W-Why are you using bystanders in our conflict... Caster!?" Illya managed to ask.
"A bystander? You are completely wrong, child. Souichirou is no one else but my master himself!"
"W-What?!"
"I am not a magus... I do not even possess magic circuits..." Souichirou explained while he began crushing Illya's throat under his grip "The only use I have is as the frontline using Caster's magic to reinforce my body... You committed a serious mistake coming here without a plan... Now, you will pay for your stupidity and die at my hands... Any last words?" Souichirou asked with a blank expression.
To Souichirou's surprise, Illya smiled... And his surprise became shock and then horror...
...
"You are in the deep end now!" Illya growled while red marks appeared on her cheeks and on her forehead.
Years of experience as a killer screamed to Souichirou, telling him to get away from the creature in front of her as fast as he could. But before he could escape, the creature had already held onto his arm, crushing Caster's reinforcements with ease and destroying his limb. Souichirou tried to retaliate with his other arm but this one was blocked by strange white creatures. He tried to shook the familiars off but he stopped when he felt a sharp pain in his stomach... He looked down to see a katana piercing his gut... It was Assassin's sword.
"I have to say... For a hollow legendary weapon, it sure can pierce through magic quite easily..." Illya commented, twisting the katana inside Souichirou's body.
"NO! SOUICHIROU!" Caster yelled like a wounded animal. A surge of black magic surrounded her body and she glared at Illya with nothing but crazed anger "I WILL KILL YOU! I WILL KILL YOU, YOU MONSTER!"
"We'll see about that..." Illya said with a devious smile "Berserker! Sink everything!"
Caster leaped towards Illya with her spells ready but she stopped mid-air... She felt a cold chill running down her spine and her hands began trembling uncontrollably. She turned around to see the prison and her the color left her face... The ground beneath her feet began shaking and the pillar cracked, the anchor broke the barrier and the Titan simply pushed through the prison with his brutal strength. He focused on Caster and she knew she had to get away... Caster thought she had trapped Berserker inside her barrier... She was wrong...
She was trapped with him...
The Titan lifted his foot and stomped the floor...
And the mountain exploded...
Caster felt how the ground beneath her disappeared and she was launched into the skies as chunks of the mountain and debris hit her body, destroying her shields and even severing the lower half of her body. She stayed in the air, watching how the explosive wave created by the Titan flattened the mountain into nothingness... And then, she began falling... And falling... And falling... Until she finally hit what was left of Mount Enzou...
She grunted and moaned in pain, the world was spinning around her and she could feel how her blood was being spilled on the floor... She didn't even bother in trying to cure her wounds... There was something more important she needed to save... She looked left and right until she found Souichirou's unconscious body a few meters away from her. Caster then crawled towards her master, leaving a trail of blood behind her...
She was almost there...
Just a little bit more and she could save him...
Her hand was just above his...
And the blade of Assassin pierced her hand into the ground... Caster screamed and tried to break free... But she no longer had the strength to do so...
"So... What was that...? I can't quite remember what you said before..." Illya said, twisting the blade and making Caster scream in pain "Ah, yes...! Too easy..." The Einzbern said, kneeling in front of Caster "You should have died peacefully when I gave you the chance..." Illya growled, grabbing Caster's hair and pulling it so she could see Illya's face.
"You... What did you do...?" Caster managed to ask. "How did you overpower my reinforcements...?
"Nothing special... " Illya said sarcastically "But I believe... That is not something a corpse should worry about..." She said with an evil grin.
"You... You are a monster..."
"Takes one to know another..." Illya said slamming Caster's face on the ground "You know... I should really kill you but I feel extremely unsatisfied with this battle... I completely overestimated your abilities and it feels like a defeat instead of a victory... Then again, I think there is still some use for a useless piece of trash like you... One last thing you can do in order to at least die as a prideful Heroic Spirit... Where is Assassin's master?" Caster didn't answer "So that bastard escaped, huh? I should have expected that much from a coward magician... But... It certainly is interesting if you think about it... I couldn't feel Assassin's master presence anywhere... I even investigated beforehand but there was not a single sign of another Master... And that man can't possibly sustain two Heroic Spirits with his non-existing magic circuits... So that could only mean..." Illya gently lifted Caster's face using her finger "You cheated, didn't you... Caster?" She whispered into Caster's ear.
The servant simply looked away and didn't say a thing...
"So it's true, huh..." Illya said, caressing Caster's face "You must have been quite the character if you can bypass the Grail security and summon your own Heroic Spirit... So... I suppose you know what I want, don't you?"
"I... Will never... Obey you..." Caster spat "No matter how much you torture me... I will never-"
"Oh, my... I think there has been a serious misunderstanding here... I am not going to hurt you, silly..."
"What do you...?" Suddenly, Caster noticed a shadow over her and watched how Souichirou was grabbed by the Titan "What... What are you doing...? What do you think you're doing?! Stop!" Illya smiled and the Titan began crushing Caster's Master "NO! STOP! STOP! STOP!" Illya simply shrugged "I... I... I YIELD! I YIELD! I GIVE UP! JUST...! JUST STOP...! Please... Please stop...!" Caster cried helplessly.
"I knew you would be reasonable... Then, would you kindly...?" Caster raised her other hand, revealing a strange curved and blunt purple dagger. Illya grabbed the weapon and studied it "Interesting... This is a Noble Phantasm but it doesn't look like anything I have seen before... I can feel a strange pulse coming from within... So you used this to break the rules, huh?" Caster nodded silently "I see... Well, then... Here goes nothing!"
This was not the first time Rule Breaker was used on Caster... She had done before when she escaped her former Master... She knew the blade could not kill or pierce anything... And yet... She couldn't explain why it hurt so much. She screamed as her own Noble Phantasm was used to severe the bond with her master once again... But Caster refused to let go. She refused to give up... She didn't want to be separated from the man she loved so much... But it was useless...
In the end, her Noble Phantasm was infallible...
Once again, Caster felt hollow... She could no longer feel Souichirou... He was still alive... There was still hope... But Caster knew what this monster disguised as a child wanted... With the bond gone, She could feel her life slipping away. Her body began disintegrating in a golden cloud of dust... She could leave, Caster could simply give up and get away from this cursed place...
But she would not...
She lifted her gaze to see the monster offering her a hand...
Caster gritted her teeth but she knew there was no other...
And just like that, she became the slave of the Illyasviel Von Einzbern
"See... It wasn't that bad..." Illya whispered, petting Caster "Now that we have become allies, I suppose you can do me a little favor..."
"I know... I know... I will follow you... Just... Just leave Souichirou out of this... Just let him live peacefully and away from our world..." Caster pleaded.
"Huh? What are you talking about? You are going to stay here, silly!" Illya deadpanned with a smile.
"Wha...?"
"For being one of the most dangerous servants, you aren't that smart, huh? This war has reached a stalemate. All the other master know they cannot defeat me unless they join forces... But they are also aware of the impending danger you represent to the whole city of Fuyuki... So there are only two things they can do. They can come to me and have Berserker deal with you... Or they can come to you and use your resources to even the odds in a battle against Berserker" Illya explained "I will keep the status quo and have you stay here with your 'master'... And if any of the two scenarios happen... We will be able to wipe all of them at once." Caster simply looked at Illya in disbelief "I will admit I wanted to kill you and use you as an example of Berserker's power... But this power of yours is truly marvelous! I plan on using it to the fullest... So as long as you obey my every command, you can stay here and live with this man..."
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...
"Why...?" Caster asked "Why...? I should be by your side... I should be protecting you... Why would you allow me to stay here...?"
"To keep up the farce..." Illya said with a devious smile "Or at least, that was the convenient lie I wanted to tell you... I reality, I can tell you are happy living with this man in this peaceful temple... Why would I deny you such happiness, Caster?" Caster couldn't believe what that monster was saying... But deep inside, her heart was aching... And before she could do anything about eat, her tears were already clouding her vision "Aw... Don't cry, Caster. You are so beautiful so you should just smile..." Illya cooed, caressing Caster's face again "And besides... You still have lots of work to do! For starters, fix this damn mountain!"
"What?! H-How am I suppose to do that?! I used almost all my prana trying to defeat you and I am in this state! There is no way I can-" She stopped when Illya covered her face with her tiny hand.
"You are seriously stupid, aren't you?" Illya whispered as the command spells appeared in her face again "But that is kind of cute..."
And the world exploded once again.
Caster could feel waves upon waves of prana flowing through her body. The prana she had been stealing from the citizens of Fuyuki could not be compared with this amount... The world was suddenly filled with a blinding light and Caster was unable to tell where her body began or ended. She tried to resist the pull but it was impossible... Pleasure filled her mind and she melted... And before she knew it...
She was once again standing in the courtyard of the Ryuudonji Temple with Souichirou completely healed and sleeping by her side...
"My, my... You sure can do it if you try, huh?" Illya commented while Caster looked around her in disbelief "It's almost as if our fight never happened... Truly impressive, Caster."
"How did you do that?!" Caster asked "How did this happen? I can't understand...!"
"I simply provided you with the prana you needed to fix the mountain..."Illya deadpanned, Caster turned around to see her smiling with Berserker by her side "Caster, I am not your average master and I am more than capable of sustaining every single one of the Servant in this war by myself... I will make sure you have the prana you need... So you better control yourself. You can still steal prana from the citizens to keep up the act but just enough to distract the other masters." The Einzbern laughed at Caster's visage "Either way... I think you will need this..." Illya said, throwing Assassin's katana on the floor "Sadly, that servant died with two blows... So I suppose you should summon him using this as a catalyst."
"It doesn't work like that... I can't summon him with this catalyst. I need time to prepare it and..."
"Yeah, yeah. You deal with that..." Illya interrupted Caster yawing "I am tired so I will take my leave... Summon Assassin again and keep doing your usual stuff... See you tomorrow, Medea" Illya suddenly said, causing Caster to flinch. "My, my... You really are cute!" Illya said before she left the temple.
Caster didn't know how to react to any of this... Not only she had been defeated by the brat, she became her slave and now that child was playing with her as if she was nothing but a toy. She was quite angry she was so easily manipulated by her... But Caster had to admit... That brat certainly looked cute in those clothes.
...
...
"Here..."
"This might be useful..."
Caster twitched and turned around to see the Titan kneeling and offering something... Caster discovered a small charm in Berserker's hand. She reluctantly took it and examine it. It was a pair of golden gemstones tied with a red string. She had so many questions but the time she realized anything, Berserker had vanished... She was left in the middle of the courtyard with her mouth wide open... Souichirou grunted behind her and Caster decided to think about it later...
She could worry about those things later...
The moon shone peacefully and with her light, she illuminated the lone figure standing over a magic circle inside of the forest near Mount Enzou. The Magus and Heroic Spirit of Spells and Sorcery focused on the small charm she had on her hands, trying to peer inside of the Throne of Heroes and call for the Heroic Spirit that had held the twin Gemstones in life. So far, she was shocked she hadn't been able to even glimpse the form of that Hero. Caster was really proud of her powers and not being able to fulfill her duties made her extremely frustrated. She wasn't sure if using this catalyst was the right idea but she was not going to summon the same Assassin again... She was sure something else would come and Caster didn't want to risk anything... So she focused harder and forced her way, following the legend of the hero she wanted to summon.
She could see the Throne of Heroes... Caster didn't know if that was how it was supposed to look but she could see endless golden halls and majestic rooms were the heroes of the past rested in glory. Her mind took her all over that magnificent castle but the owner of the gemstones was nowhere to be found... She huffed in anger and was about to forget about everything when something caught her attention. It was a small blue sphere floating in the ether... Caster had never in her life seen or felt that kind of energy before. She followed the sphere until she found herself in the middle of an unknown ocean... And then, she dived into the waters.
Images, colors, voices, sounds, scents, sensations, emotions and many other things passed through Caster's minds as she dived into a whirlpool of memories. She could see a lone forest in a strange land where the magic ran rampant, just like the Age of Gods. A forest filled with mysteries opened to her and she watched a strange race of creatures with human and animal traits. The scenery changed and she was now watching a huge castle with endless stairs and blue gems around it... Impossible halls filled with humans, monsters and all sorts of creatures... And then, her vision was filled with crimson liquid. The sun had died... The moon was crying... The Lamb and the Wolf stalked the graveyard... There was a revolt... She was now running with others... She turned around to see the castle one last time...
And the world was shattered into nothingness...
...
...
...
It was soft... Soft and tender... Caster awoke in a bed of something fluffy and soft... She was surrounded by something white... She looked around her to see the source of the soft thing...
And she found a pair of golden eyes surrounded by silky black hair. The creature in front of her was so beautiful Caster almost lost herself in her awe... The woman giggled and softly kissed Caster in her cheek. Her touch was like an addictive pleasure... Caster found herself wanting more... But she regained her senses before she fell into the trap of the temptress. She got up from the soft bed and breathed to get rid of her thoughts. Once she was ready she turned around to confront that creature...
But...
"How cute..." The woman whispered, hugging Caster "You are trying so hard to endure... Just let go... I know what they desire..." Caster tried to get away but the touch of the woman melted her will "You don't have to hold back... Just indulge in your cravings...Shall we?" The creature whispered seductively
"I... I..." Caster managed to say while she tried to push the creature away "I can't..."
"Quite resilient, aren't we? But that is fine... I like playing games..." The woman whispered again, getting dangerously close to Caster... But she stopped "Then again, I think we haven't introduced ourselves properly!" She said getting away from Caster "I suppose you already know who I am... Don't you?"
"You... You are Assassin... You are my servant... Assassin..." Caster said trying to control her urges "I am your master, Caster."
"Servants, Masters, it is all the same in this wicked game." Assassin said with a smile "I really don't care about that stupid Grail... If I cannot get something using my own methods, then I didn't deserve it in the first place..."
"You... You are not interested in the Grail?"
"Why would I? For all I care, you are more interesting... I wish to see what lies inside your heart... You are so tempting... I wonder if I should taste you before I make you mine..." Assassin purred softly.
"Wha...?! What are you planning?!" Caster exclaimed, covering her body with her arms.
"Nothing painful... Unless it's your first..." Assassin giggled "But I will abstain for now... I will enjoy chasing after you and I will play this game..."
"You are a deviant!"
"Perhaps... But aren't we all strange...?" Assassin said flicking her hair and turning around "Let us enjoy our time together, Caster. I will protect you from everything as long as you hold the charm..."
"The charm? What...?" Then, Caster felt something in her hands. It was the catalyst but it had some strange red marking over its surface "Command spell?! How is this...?!"
"Not sure... But I suppose it is more fun this way... Let's go, my master..." But Caster didn't follow "My, my... You don't have to be scared of me... Don't you trust me?"
"No, I don't!" Caster said leaving.
"My, my... How dignified... But don't worry, my master. Sonner or later you will change... And before you know it... I will have more than just your trust..." Assassin whispered before she disappeared in the darkness of the night.
...
...
...
Okay, listen...
I said listen!
I know this chapter was a little weird and I KNOW I broke my promise but allow me to explain myself...
You see... I was just fine, doing this chapter and whatnot... But right at the end, I realized I had killed Assassin...
FML...
So I said "SCREW IT" and I decided to introduce another champion...
Of course, this new Assassin has some especial features and you can see the Servant Stats with a few notes to help me explain how this is going to work. As always, I am not sure if I did a good job defining her strengths so I hope you guys can guide me and tell me if there is a skill or stat that should be buffed, nerfed, added or eliminated...
Without further ado, here we go...
Servant Stats.
Spirit: Ahri.
Title: The Nine-Tailed Fox.
Class: Assassin.
Master: Caster (Medea).
Alignment: Lawful Neutral.
Strength: D
Mana: A
Endurance: E
Luck: B+
Agility: A++
Noble Phantasm: N/A
-Class Skills.
Presence Concealment: A
The forest inside of Ionia is a dangerous place for both humans and other animals but the creatures know as Vastaya know the secret paths and hideouts as the palm of their hands. Our elusive champion lived her youth exploring and polishing her skills as a hunter, hiding in plain sight and even fooling bigger and stronger predators with her speed and skills.
Duality: C+
Born as part of the Vastaya, Ahri had an affinity with magic. Though incomplete and rough, she managed to control the power of the elements to her will. She can act as both an assassin and a magician if she wants but she does not really excel in neither of those fields, opting to use both of her natures as a clever way to outsmart and defeat powerful opponents.
-Personal Skills
Charm: A++
Rumors say there is no man or woman alive capable of resisting the beauty of the Nine-Tailed Fox. Many are the victims that have fallen for her golden eyes and gorgeous body. They even say her beauty is so powerful it acts like a drug, killing the slaves of her magic if they stay away from her for long periods of time.
Fox-Fire: A
Elemental magic created by Ahri. It has a powerful purifying spell, capable of destroying and burning just about everything. Assassin has mastered this technique to such degree she can shape the flames at will and even use it as a powerful weapon or as a way to boost her own physical abilities and skills.
Essence Theft: A+
Each of Assassin's abilities and attacks allows her to steal the life-force of her targets, curing wounds and sustaining her own life.
Remembrance: C
As Assassin steals essence from her enemies, she also gains the ability to steal memories and important pieces of information. Although powerful, this skill is very dependant on Assassin's own knowledge.
Ctrl+3: E
"You better run, Devil. Run, Run..."
-Noble Phantasm: N/A
Notes:
1.- The Assassin summoned by Caster is not the original champion as the Nine-Tailed Fox still lives somewhere in Ionia. The Assassin summoned is a fragment of Berserker's lost memory that is trapped inside of the Throne of Heroes. As a result, Assassin is completely based on Berserker's memories of her.
2.- The catalyst used to summon Assassin is the only clue Ahri had to discover her origins. She lost the twin gemstones during the rebellion in the Institute of War. Berserker found the charm during his last days as a champion in the League of Legends.
3.- Assassin was not supposed to be summoned again but due to Caster's special anti-thaumaturgy Noble Phantasm and the unusual catalyst, Medea is able to give form to Berserker's memories. Due to her special summon, Assassin is chained to the twin gemstones, obeying anyone who holds the charm. She still follows the rule of the command spells but these are engraved in the catalyst.
4.- Assassin does not possess a Noble Phantasm since Berserker can't remember the entirety of her abilities. And as an irregular Heroic Spirit, she is incomplete.
5.- Remembrance does not increase Assassin's intelligence. She can steal memories and other pieces of information from any target but if she can't understand the memories, then it is useless. As an incomplete Heroic Spirit, she lacks most of the information given by the Holy Grail.
6.- Assassin feeds on the prana of the catalyst's holder but she can still choose to steal essence from other sources.
As you guys can see...
I have changed a lot of things so the story will be different... But I will still follow the events in UBW...
Now, I will answer some question...
The most common one is Nautilus being a Juggernaut instead of Berserker. Some of you find it weird everyone keeps calling him Berserker... The thing is that everyone simply assumed he was Berserker... And that includes Illya and the Einzbern elder.
Either way, I hope you guys can help me leaving a review...
Hope you enjoyed the chapter...
:3