Chapter 6 - Old Friends.
It was certainly one of the best mornings the City of Fuyuki has ever had.
Even when the season was cold, the sun was shining beautifully outside. It wasn't cold or warm, it was simply perfect. Some may say this was just another anomaly as the people of the city had been surrounded by many mysteries... Most of them had been bad and terrifying so it was safe to assume this little surprise was the well-deserved relief the citizens needed. From the strange disappearance to the massive faint attacks, most of the citizens were living scared as the rumors of a dangerous serial killer roaming the streets at night grew bigger day by day... The police and the government kept saying there was nothing to worry about but the civilians could feel something was not right... What's more, many of the survivors of the incident could see the incoming disaster and had already fled to a safer place... The others simply ignored the warning and decided to disregard the creeping feeling in their guts...
Humans have always been stupid...
But today was not one of those dreadful days... Today, the weather was perfect. Today, nothing could go wrong... Or at least, that is what they want to believe.
In one of the parks inside of the city, the children were playing little games and enjoying the sun and the weather. The parents watched over them, smiling and thanking the gods for such beautiful sight... But some of them were distracted by a peculiar individual, a lone and gorgeous woman sitting in one of the benches. She was definitely a foreigner as her blue hair and purple eyes were not that common in this land. Her slender body almost looked like one of those sculptures they have seen in the museum. Her face was the very definition of beauty, graceful but stoic... Even her large ears suited her... Nothing could possibly make her more perfect...
But it happened...
A melodious laughter followed by the descent of an angel and the world around the woman was perfect. She was a young child, with fair skin and hair as white as the snow, wearing a simple one-piece, a straw hat, and red sandals. The child giggled and hugged the woman... Maybe a mother and a daughter or maybe an aunt and a niece, it really didn't matter as the two of them were absolutely beautiful. The child pulled on the woman with sparkles in her ruby eyes and the two of them left the park, walking towards the riverside by the bridge...
One can only wonder the things they were gossiping about...
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...
"Would you please let go already? It disgusts me to have you this close to me."
"My, My... I never thought you were so sensitive, Caster. What is wrong with having some skinship with my servant, huh?"
"I am not your servant!"
"Yes, you are...!"
"Not by choice! I would rather die that server such a devious and evil master like you!"
"Aw...! You hurt my feelings!"
"You don't have feelings, you monster!"
"Perhaps... But I am still your master. Whether you like it or not, you will obey me... And besides, if you hated me that much, you would have already severed our bond using your Noble Phantasm."
"That's... That was just...!"
"Save the excuses for later. We are not here to play around... I want you to give a report of your recent activities."
That was the thing Caster hated the most about the Einzbern. Even though she looked like a child, she acted all bossy and conceited... But even in her displease, Caster had to admit Illyasviel was the strongest master of the war. She could easily sustain a monster such as Berserker and a powerful magician like her at the same time. Behind her pure and naive visage, hid an adult that had seen the darkest side of life and survived to tell the tale. She was manipulative and pretty confident in herself and she knew the boundaries of her own skills and powers... But the terrifying thing about the Einzbern was her prana. Illyasviel could satisfy Caster's needs even from far away and now that Caster had Assassin, she could guess the quantity needed had doubled... Illyasviel Von Einzbern was not a normal homunculus and Caster was even afraid to discover the true nature behind those ruby and innocent eyes...
For now, Caster could only obey Illya and hope for the best...
Should she betray the young child, the fury of Berserker would do more than just destroy Mount Enzou...
"As you wish... My master..." Caster said in defeat "As you have predicted, I no longer need to steal prana from the citizens of Fuyuki. But following your orders, I have left some decoys in order to fool the other masters and let them think nothing has changed... Emiya Shirou and Tohsaka Rin have been dispelling my magic circles and saving the victims of my 'attacks'. It is safe to assume Lancer and his master have been fooled as well..."
"Have you discovered Lancer's master?"
"No. That little rat sure knows how to hide and stay away from trouble... And that brutish dog doesn't say much about the issue. For now, I am sure Lancer is alone in the war..."
"I see... And what about Rider? I am not really interested in that weak servant but it would be extremely favorable to have a counter-measure in case something unexpected happens."
"That has already been dealt with..."
"What...?"
"Yesterday, I felt an unusual surge of prana coming from Homurahara Academy and I decided to keep an eye on the situation... Rider and her master were planning on... 'Liquefying' all the students and absorb the prana from the corpses. Emiya Shirou and Tohsaka Rin were inside of the school and they could have very well take care of the situation... But I decided to intervene and leave a small surprise for them... And a gift for you."
"A gift...?" Illya asked with a bit of wonder in her voice.
"I have... 'Acquired' the Mounted Knight and the Heroic Spirit of the Mount." Caster said with a small smile "She is currently trapped inside the Ryuudounji Temple."
"You cheated again, huh? But... Why would you do that? It could have been easier to just kill her on the spot."
"Perhaps... But my dashing master pridefully claimed she could easily sustain all of the servants at the same time. I had no other choice but to see it for myself!" Caster said with a giggle. "Or... Did you lie to me, my honorable master?"
"I will definitely make you pay for that..." Illya sighed in annoyance "But I will prove I wasn't lying... Where is she?"
"Inside the Ryuudounji Temple. I managed to capture her but..." Caster hesitated for a second "Let's just say we have met before... That little snake was prepared for me and it will take some time before I can deliver her to you..."
"I see... Then, who was the master of Rider?"
"Some random high-school boy. I don't really remember his name and he was kind of a coward and an idiot... But I do remember he was part of the Matou family." Suddenly, Caster felt a surge of prana beside her. She turned around to see Illya with her face completely flared by the fury and the command spells "Y-You... What's wrong with you?"
"Matou... That is not a name I would like to know..." Illya explained, calming herself "The elder of said family is one of the founders of this wretched ritual, Zouken Matou. That stupid and delusional old man has been chasing after the Grail for more than two hundred of years. He used to have the idiotic idea of creating a utopia for humanity... As the years passed, he became nothing but a shadow of his former self, corrupted by the worms inside his body and obsessed with immortality... Still, I was sure the Matou were no longer able to produce magicians... How was that child able to summon a servant?"
"I am not sure. That little rat had no actual magic circuits so I thought he was just another nuisance... I discovered his command spells after subduing Rider."
"Did you kill him?"
"No... He was just a cowardly trash... I took Rider and ignored him."
"You should have slaughtered him on the spot... That cursed family must not be allowed to live in this world..." Illya looked at the ground "Just like the Einzbern..." She whispered to herself.
"What was that?"
"Nothing..." Illya sighed "Anyways... If you ever cross paths with him again, kill him... Then, make sure you deliver the corpse to the Matou state..."
"W... Why would I do that?!" Caster asked, horrified by Illya's words.
"A warning... Even if that child is dead, I am sure Zouken will definitely cheat... I want him to know I will not let him do as he pleases."
"I understand. I will have Assassin looking for him..." Caster trailed off while she watched the landscape. The bridge was a few meters away and she could already smell the river.
"Now that you mention it... What happened with Assassin? Did you manage to summon him again or what?" Illya asked with curiosity.
"I... I have successfully summoned an Assassin..." Caster said looking away "It's just... It is... Complicated. Tampering with the Holy Grail is not easy and I couldn't use the same catalyst without consequences... The sword you gave me was nothing but a mirage and couldn't be used as a proper medium... So I decided to accept the help from Berserker..." Illya looked at Caster, confused "He kind of gave a charm before he left and... Well... My point is-"
"I think it would be easier to show her instead of mumbling, my lovable master..." A soft voice purred around them "Although, I have to say I feel hurt you are ashamed of me..." Caster sighed and covered her face with her hand "Come on, master. You know you like me..." And then, a beautiful woman with black silky hair and golden eyes materialized in front of Caster "And here I thought our relationship was improving... How sad I am..."
"We don't have a relationship! Shut up and stop saying things that could be misunderstood by others!" Caster exclaimed blushing.
The newcomer was a strange and scandalous being in Illya's eyes. Assassin was wearing some sort of red and white kimono that left a large portion of her cleavage in the open. It was certainly a great surprise to see how different this servant was from the former... The first Assassin was a regal and prideful samurai, handsome and charming with a soothing voice. This female Assassin had a playful and seductive aura following her around, her movements were graceful but there was something alluring in them... But the most noticeable differences were the animalistic ears atop of her head and the nine soft and furry tails behind her back. Illya studied them as the two servants bantered around.
"Oh, My!" Assassin exclaimed in surprise when Illya petted the tails "What a naughty and cute little thing you are! Are you that interested in these topics, huh? Sadly, I think you are a bit young to know this kind of things!" Assassin said playfully.
"I am eighteen years old," Illya said with a glare.
"Oh... Well, that's... That is kind of..." Assassin mumbled embarrassed "I suppose... I am sorry?"
"I would love to see you two flirting around but I am afraid I am not into that kind of thing..." Illya said viciously, making Caster blush and Assassin smile "So... Who are you?"
"You could have always asked what I am... I now respect you, young Einzbern" Assassin said, bowing respectfully "I am Assassin, the Servant of Caster. I have heard about your current situation and I will help you in anything I can."
"I suppose you are another anomaly just like the former Assassin, aren't you?"
"That is correct!" Assassin said cheerfully "I was summoned under special conditions by Caster and just like the former Assassin, I have my own rules..." Caster then showed Illya the twin gemstones with red marks on them "I will obey anyone who holds the charm."
"So if I hold this thing..." Illya said taking the charm from Caster "I can order you to molest Caster...?"
"Yes, you can...! But I was planning on doing that anyway!"
"If you touch me, I will kill you!" Caster said, giving off a dark aura.
"How cute!" Assassin giggled.
"Is that so...?" Illya trailed off, playing with the gemstones "So you could say that I am the master of the four cavalry class, uh? It sounds kind of interesting..." Illya looked at Caster and Assassin "The underdogs of the Grail... Every master knows the Three Knights are the strongest and most balanced classes. Maybe the Four Cavalry have stronger Noble Phantasm but nobody really expects anything from you. On the other side, the Three Knights whose legends depict brave warriors fighting the evil of the world... But here I am, with the Four of you at my service... I suppose I can relate to each one of you... Because I also chose to go against the tides of destiny and craft my own path, away from the will of the world... How adequate..." Illya whispered with a smile. "So be it... Follow me, my servants. I may not know the way... But I can always create one for us." She said walking towards the riverside below the bridge.
Caster was dumbfounded by her claim, she looked at her side and saw Assassin smiling gently. She nodded and followed after the small child... Caster definitely had her doubts about the Einzbern. Her previous experience had taught her not to trust any magician under any circumstance... Caster didn't trust Illya but there was something making her obey her orders. Not the Command Spells or some other curse... Caster didn't want to admit it but she respected Illyasviel... And maybe, just maybe...
She could achieve what she couldn't do in life if she followed the homunculus...
There were so many things inside Caster's mind.
It was a storm of thoughts and emotions. Sensations and feelings exploding, making her quiver and question her own sanity...
Berserker was just there, sitting in the middle of the river with the water barely reaching his thighs. He was hugging his legs and was watching the water flow around him, like a child longing for something precious... Caster wasn't sure if she was shocked... or if she wanted to laugh at the scene.
"Hey there, big guy!" Assassin cheerfully approached Berserker and sat in the anchor that was resting by the Titan's side "Do you remember me?" The Titan eyed Assassin but said nothing "I suppose you don't..." Ahri commented with a sad smile "And to be honest, I am glad for that... Because I know for a fact you don't have many good memories of me..." She said as her ears dropped down "Maybe it's better this way..."
Caster watched the event with curiosity but decided to not say a thing... She was sure those two had a past but she was not going to ask anything. She knew the past could be quite hurtful for some and there were wounds that are better left hidden. She sighed and sat on a cloth by the riverside. They were currently below the bridge and she was surprised there was nobody there. Probably thanks to her little scheme... She could still hear the cars above and behind her but it was nothing but a rustling in the distance. She breathed deeply and closed her eyes so she could enjoy the wind blowing gently in her face... And then, something small and warm curled in her lap. She opened her eyes to see the Einzbern getting comfortable between her arms and legs.
"What are you doing?"
"Cuddling."
"... Why?"
"It looked comfortable..." Illya said smiling at Caster.
"Do you really have eighteen years?"
"I can't help it... My mother and father left before I could get over it. I grew up in a cold castle with two maids and my grandfather. Sella and Leysritt did their best educating me but it wasn't the same. There are a lot of things I don't know... Things my mother and father should have taught me but didn't. So every now and then I have these cravings for warmth. Sella and Leysritt lack it and I can't really ask Berserker for a hug..." Illya said, curling even closer to Caster. "I know you are a servant but I can't help but feel nostalgic... It is so familiar it hurts."
"I... I don't know what to say..."
"Don't say anything. I will feel better after a while... Just... Just caress my hair..." Caster hesitated but she slowly began petting Illya in her head.
"You... You said your mother and father left. What happened to them? Did they die during the last war?"
"More or less... Both of them came to Fuyuki. My mother was tasked as a decoy while my father dealt with the other masters from within the shadows. That was until he betrayed the Einzbern, destroyed the Grail... And killed my mother."
"I... I don't..."
"It's fine... I am just rambling. I usually do that when I feel lonely. Sometimes, I would speak to Berserker for hours... Don't pay too much attention to me." Caster eyed Illya with concern in her eyes "It's fine... It's fine..."
The wind blew slowly and it was filled with the giggles of Assassin as she leaped around Berserker. The Titan simply watched her hop around with a serene aura. Caster was not sure why Illya told her that... And at this point, she was not sure if she could draw a proper conclusion on the matter. The child in her arms was incredibly unstable and unpredictable, changing and morphing every second without a clear pattern... But deep inside, Caster felt she deserved to hear the story... Even if it was a lie.
"Master..." The sudden tone in Caster's voice made Illya look at her in confusion "What do you desire from the Grail?"
"Nothing... For me, that cup is the cursed item that cut my family apart. I have no interest in the goal of the Einzbern and there is nothing in this world I really crave for... I only came here to finally come to terms with my past and my feud with Emiya Shirou, the son of Emiya Kiritsugu. I do not need excuses nor reasons, I only need closure... And I will only truly achieve such thing when the corpse of Shirou lies in front of me... Whatever Emiya Kiritsugu was thinking when he betrayed and killed my mother has nothing to do with me. He abandoned me and escaped from his responsibility... I can no longer make him pay but I can at least avenge the memory of Irisviel Von Einzbern." Illya said as cold as the steel in her eyes "I don't want anything from the Grail and Berserker is not interested in it... To be honest, I was planning on destroying that accursed cup in order to send a message to the Einzbern... But I suppose I could make an exception..." Illya grabbed Caster's face and looked into her eyes "Maybe I should just make your dream come true, Caster."
"You... You are jesting..."
"Why would I?"
"Because... Because of you..." Suddenly, Illya hugged Caster and the servant was left without words.
"The Grail... The unlimited power... The Immortality... The wealth... The fame... The honor... The True Magic... And the answers of my past... I don't need any of those. I simply want to be free from this prison and find my place in this world... Not as Illyasviel Von Einzbern, the homunculus and puppet of the Einzbern Family. I simply want to be Illya... Just Illya..." The child said sadly "I just want to be free... And for that reason, I do not need the Holy Grail. I just need to win this war and prove I am right... So I can escape and start over somewhere away from the magicians and their dark and pitiful world." The servant watched as small droplets fell from the eyes of the child "So I ask you, Caster... What do you want?"
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Strange...
It was a simple and straightforward question... And yet, Caster couldn't answer.
She had never really thought about winning the war. Her past was a latent wound in her heart and she herself believed she was not meant to find happiness... Then, in the darkest night when her body was failing her and there seemed to be no hope... He came to her. He was a normal man. A human with some incredible skills but a human in the end. He took care of her, he protected her, he accepted her, he gave her a place to call home... Caster knew there was no way she could ever win the war... So she decided to enjoy those fleeting moments by his side, making sure no one could bother them inside the walls of the Ryuudounji Temple... He gave her hope... She daydreamed about his handsome and cold face... But nowadays, something had changed...
She watched the Titan still sitting in the middle of the river... And Caster watched her. The strange, mysterious and seductive woman she had summoned in order to keep the facade... Her silky and black hair, her sparkly golden eyes, her perfectly shaped body, her melodious voice and her sweet scent... Caster knew she was in love with Souchirou...
Then why was she feeling this way?
She shook her head and looked away in shame...
So many questions...
So many worries...
Caster never really wanted to fight in the war... Or even fall in love with anyone ever again... But the magicians had summoned her without a single care, only worrying about their selfish needs...
Those bastards...
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...
Now, the Einzbern was sleeping peacefully in her lap. Caster couldn't help but pet her again and stare in awe... She was such a cute little girl... She cursed the man that had sent such beautiful child into this wretched and rotten world... But then again, there was nothing she could do... The original Medea had died many centuries ago, Caster was nothing but a shadow... A powerless shadow, bound to the designs of the Grail... Trapped in this nightmare, cursed to fight and fight over and over again until the world was consumed by the flames hiding in the deepest part of the Grail... Caster gritted her teeth and did something she hadn't done in her entire life as a Heroic Spirit...
She cursed the Throne of Heroes...
"Freedom... That would be nice..." Caster whispered softly while Illya curled herself in the gentle embrace of the Servant.
Colors...
So many colors Illya hadn't seen in her life...
She had lived among the black of the depths and sometimes the deep blue of the ocean...
A life surrounded by gray and dark objects, hiding in the abyss of the Guardian's Sea...
But there was also the Crimson...
The red she always saw after she was done with the ships...
They always came after her...
Illya never really understood why...
She only wanted those who betrayed her...
Those whose names she had forgotten...
The traitors that abandoned her...
...
...
But the colors...
Ah...
So beautiful...
Colors... Colors with all kinds of shapes and forms... Dancing harmoniously all around her...
She had never in her life had seen or experienced something like that... But... There was something else... Something moving among the show...
It was a shadow... A shade... It was a child... A child of brown strands and blue eyes...
The creature looked at Illya with wonder... Illya wasn't sure why but she couldn't look away... Something began stirring inside of her... It was something painful... Something nostalgic... Something... Something...
Something she had forgotten...
Suddenly, the child had become a teenager... They were running and laughing... Enjoying life and the precious experiences... It made Illya feel... Content...
Then, the teenager became an adult... And they were suddenly surrounded by children and the love of their lives... But something had changed... They were slowly turning around... Slowly looking away... Slowly... So painfully slowly...
The adult was now an elder... Their old and tired eyes watched forward... Witnessing something Illya couldn't see... Illya could feel something else creeping in her gut... She tried to reach the elder... She knew it was important... It was something she had to do... It was her last chance...
...
...
And now...
Illya was standing in front of a grave... With a name she couldn't read...
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...
"This is useless!" A voice boomed around Illya "That thing doesn't react in any shape or form! We are just wasting our time!"
"You have always been impatient, haven't you Heyman?" A woman said calmly "HE spent his entire existence alone in the depths... You can't possibly expect him to just get used to this new environment quickly... It will take a while before he can open to the others and become a proper champion..."
"A proper champion?! Have you finally gone insane, Vessaria?! That thing is a monster! A monster! It should be locked in the cellars just like the Voidlings! I can't believe you actually think that way! Being close to that idiot has clearly damaged your brain!"
"That IDIOT is the new master summoner..."
"That means nothing! He brought this creature here! He somehow convinced you to give him a trail... Just look at him! He is a monster!"
"You seem to forget most of the champions are like him..."
"I will not discuss with you! You know this to be true...! If we allow that thing to become an official champion... Look... We can do it your way... But what exactly do you expect, huh? Nobody will accept him... And if they do, they would surely have an ulterior motive! He is dangerous and we can't allow him to roam free inside of the Institute of War!"
"I have faith the other champions will act accordingly."
"You are a fool, Vessaria... But I will let you fail so you can see just how stupid this decision was... Congratulations, Monster! You are now a champion of the League!" The colors dispelled and Illya was now standing in a rich floor made of sapphires and golden ornaments "Welcome to your worst nightmare... I would wish you the best but I am sure you will only last for a week or so..."
Illya looked above a crystal ceiling reflecting the beams of the sun, creating a beautiful spectacle of rainbows and glittery dancing in harmony with the golden and sapphire of the floor. The gigantic doors in front of her opened and two figures dressed in purple robes slowly approached her... Illya felt a pang in her chest and backed away a step. It wasn't like they could hurt her but she decided to be safe than sorry... The abyss and the depths had taught her to not trust anything new. And since she couldn't see that man on the beach, she was not really ready to trust these new humans...
"Hello..." One of the humans spoke softly "You don't have to be afraid... The Master Summoner may not be here but I promise I will help you in his place..." She said taking off her hood and revealing a woman with brown hair and emerald eyes "I am Vessaria Kolminye. A high summoner of the League of Legends and this is Heyman Relivash, the head of the Council of Equity..." The summoner simply huffed and crossed his arms "You have been chosen among several hundreds of special individuals to become the ideal Runeterra needs. In the League of Legends, you will fight for what's right using your unique strengths and skills. Along the way, you will also meet others with similar features like you... Allies and even friends that will allow you to grow stronger and-"
" 'Friends and allies'? I highly doubt that..." Heyman interrupted.
"Maybe you do... But how many times have you been proven wrong, huh?" Heyman scoffed and looked away "I personally think my champions-"
"That is the thing, Vessaria. They are NOT your champions... I am still the leader of the Council and I still decided what happens here."
"For now..." Vessaria muttered.
"Was that a threat?"
"Take it however you want, but your acts cannot pass unnoticed forever... Sonner or later, somebody powerful will realize just how wrong things are here... And you will fall..."
"Ha! Keep dreaming, stupid girl! Not even the Judicator can touch me... And even if I did fail, what makes you think you will be the next head? There are far better options than you..." Heyman said turning around and leaving "And you better watch your mouth because there will be consequences next time you insult me like that, High Summoner Vessaria!" Heyman ended, disappearing in the hall.
"That conceited little..." Vessaria grunted, "I am sorry you had to see this on your first day..." Illya simply tilted her head, not understanding what was going on "Either way, don't pay too much attention to him. He is just... Wrong... Alright! Now, you just have to walk down that hall and wait for your guide. It is a tradition for the newbies to be guided by one of our champions... I am not really sure who is it this time around but I am sure you will do just fine... Just wait for them..." Vessaria said nodding and leaving as well "And also... Congratulations... I swear you will not regret this..." Vessaria said leaving.
...
...
Funny...
That human in the beach said the same thing...
Curious...
...
...
Anyways... Illya was not going to gain anything if she just waited... She steeled her resolve, adjusted her anchor and ventured into the hall.
It was a magnificent sight to behold.
Illya could easily fit inside the massive hallway and she was surprised the Marmol didn't break beneath her weight. She could see a beautiful garden through the windows, surrounded by flowers and even small insects like butterflies flying around a sumptuous fountain depicting a mighty warrior and a sorcerer fighting against enemies Illya couldn't see. She kept walking until she found an open area. She knew she was supposed to follow the path but curiosity got the better of her so she took a peek... And what she saw left him in awe...
Huge and tall towers of pure white granite were touching the skies with a hundred windows shining with the power of the sun. She could also see two beams of red and blue colors shooting to the sky... She had seen numerous castles and ruins in the depths, the remains of an ancient race, and even a Marai settlement... But nothing compared to this sight... When was the last time she felt this dumbfounded? Perhaps the brilliant diamonds she had found on the ocean floor? The unusual creatures she had discovered during her journeys? The ocean hidden beneath the ocean? The volcanoes burning the darkness of the depths? Or the stars shining in the abyss?
No... Nothing could be compared with this...
This world was new... The world she hadn't seen in her entire life...
And it was the world she could belong to...
A place she could call home...
...
...
Ah...
How many centuries have passed ever since she used that word?
She couldn't remember... Just like the rest of her past...
She heard a rustling and a panicked shriek behind her so Illya turned around and discovered a peculiar creature. It was a female, alright. Illya was sure only women had those assets in their chest although she had to admit she wasn't that experienced in that regard. There weren't many humanoid creatures in the depths and the Marai were extremely afraid of her, but even like that, Illya was fairly sure normal humans did not have ears on their head and tails on their backs... Either way, this particular human had silky black hair and golden eyes. She was wearing some sort of eastern clothes. A red corset with golden elements and a white skirt with a charm on it. She had the same aura as the humans that came from the islands in the west... Illya hadn't been there but she had seen similar clothes inside the ships she had sunken.
All things aside, Illya guessed this creature was one of those so-called 'champions' that inhabited the humongous castle... And the guide she needed to navigate the Institute of War. So with that in mind, Illya nodded and got closer to the champion...
But...
"Get away from me, monster!"
...
Her soft voice pierced the silence of the hall and made Illya stagger...
The creature was currently sitting on the floor and staring at Illya with nothing but fear in her eyes...
...
It was weird...
It was definitely weird...
The man on the beach had promised this would not happen...
He said no one would be afraid of him...
Then why...
Why is she so terrified of Illya?
Illya couldn't understand it...
Illya was a champion just like her...
Why...?
Why...?
...
Perhaps...
Perhaps the reason was not that obvious... Illya couldn't really tell so maybe she just needed to keep trying until the answer was clear... Illya nodded once again and reached the woman to help her up...
But...
"Don't touch me! Get away! Get away! Help me! Help me! It's a monster! Help! Help!"
And suddenly, the hall was now full of other humans, as unique as the woman screaming. All of them looked like heroes and villains, warriors and butchers... All of them so incredibly different... But with a shared feeling in their eyes...
...
It was disgust...
"GET AWAY FROM HER!"
Illya never saw it coming, he felt something clashing against her armor and noticed a staff hitting her side. The wielder was another anthropomorphic creature... Some sort of furry being with a tail, wearing crimson and golden armor. The creature glared at Illya and continued his attack, bashing and striking Illya.
In reality, Illya couldn't really feel a thing but it was obvious this was an enemy... So she grabbed the creature and crushed it in her grip. The rest of the champions screamed in panic and fury... The woman yelled and summoned some blue fire that surrounded Illya. Through the flames, Illya could see the champions watching her burn and to her surprise, she also saw the furry creature she had crushed just a moment ago... But it didn't make any difference... Because it was now obvious how this was going to go...
All of them were obstacles, all of them were enemies, all of them...
...
...
In the end...
Nothing changed...
...
...
The floor shook and the champions watched horrified how the anchor pierced through the flames and destroyed the magically reinforced walls... The Titan was now glaring at them with fire in its eyes. So in the split of a second, all of them had their weapons ready.
Swords, spears, bows, arrows, knives, staffs, shields, guns, magic items, some unconventional weapons, and even claws and teeth were ready to tear the body of the Titan... Was Illya afraid? Not really... She had fought more powerful things and even armies in the depths. This was but another day of her life... But she had to admit she was disappointed and even sad... She really wanted to have a place to return... But it was clear she was destined to wander Runeterra for the rest of her cursed life...
What a shame...
...
...
...
"ENOUGH!"
A brilliant pillar of light exploded between Illya and the other champions, making all of them back away from the burning light... And within the golden flames, a regal figure appeared. A majestic warrior cladded in golden and crimson armor, wielding a blunt golden sword and a shield. Her hair was the mane of a majestuous beast and her eyes were molten orbs, burning with the power of the sun. This woman remained still for a few seconds before she turned around and walked... Towards Illya. The warrior stared at Illya and to her surprise, smiled before she raised her shield against the rest of the champions.
"What is the meaning of this, Leona?!" A champion with a round shield and a deadly spear asked in confusion "Why are you siding with that thing?!"
"This 'thing' is the new champion..." The woman named Leona answered "And we are supposed to welcome and congratulate him for joining us. 'He' is one of us..."
"You can't be serious, Leona?!" The man replied "Can't you see it was going to kill Ahri? How can you be so blind?!"
"You are the one that is blind, Pantheon..." Leona said, disappointed "You are among the eldest champions and yet, you haven't learned a single thing..." The man named Pantheon began trembling and gripping on his spear.
"You...! How dare you...?! If we weren't allies I would-?!"
"You would what, Rakkor?" A deep voice said. Illya turned around and saw another woman, a human just like Leona but with a silver light. She was looking at the man named Pantheon with nothing but disgust in her platinum eyes "It is just like I thought, you are the same warmonger idiot that betrayed Leona."
"Stay out of our business, Lunari!" Pantheon snarled "You are an outsider and a heretic! Don't you dare order me around! I simply can't understand why Leona allows you to even be alive! Your sole existence is an insult to the Rakkor and the Solari!"
"Don't you dare speak to Diana like that, Pantheon!" Leona roared with her shield ready "We may have had our differences in the past, but she at least stayed by my side when I needed her the most!" Her words seemed to have struck a sore spot in Pantheon "And you among all the presents have no right to insult her or the newcomer! We are the Champions of the League and we are supposed to be above the stereotypes and the hatred of Runeterra! We are more than that! And all of you should feel ashamed for attacking 'HIM' when it is obvious he just got here!" She glared at the champions and some of them looked away "I believed I was surrounded by wise individuals that could see beyond appearances... I guess I was wrong..."
At her words, it looked like some of them wanted to said otherwise but remained quiet... Slowly, the angry mob left without saying a word. Ahri wanted to say something but didn't, she gave Leona an apologetic glance and followed the furry creature with the rest. Pantheon glared at Diana and at Illya, he was gripping his spear but once he focused in Leona, he sighed in defeat and simply walked away. The three champions remained in silence, watching the empty hall... Illya didn't really know what to do since it was the first time something like this has happened... She looked at Leona and Diana, and to her surprise, Leona was trembling.
"Hey, sunshine..." Diana said, hugging Leona tightly "Come on... Don't cry... It wasn't your fault..."
"But he... He said so many hurtful things..." She sobbed quietly "Even though you didn't do anything wrong... I'm so sorry, Di..."
"It's okay, sunshine... It's okay..." Diana said softly, giving Leona light kisses on her cheeks "I know you are sad but I do believe there is something you must take care of..." The Lunari said looking at Illya.
"Yes, you are right..." Leona said, composing herself and coughing "Right! First things first: I want to apologize for the attitude of my colleagues and especially for Ahri, she was supposed to guide you but I think it won't be that way. Second: I want to welcome you to the League of Legends! Congratulations!" Leona said clapping "My name is Leona, the Radiant Dawn and considering the situation, I will be your guide! By the way, this is Diana, the Scorn of the Moon and a good friend of mine. You can come to either of us if there is something you don't know" The Lunari bowed lightly "I am sorry your first experience had to be this way... The champions here sometimes forget we are not different... But despite that, I can promise you won't regret your choice... Once again, Welcome! Let us work together and make Runeterra a better world!" She said, patting Illya on her leg.
"Hey, dummy..." Diana said to Leona "You are forgetting something important..."
"Uh... I am?" Leona said tilting her head.
"Do you even know his name?" Leona opened her mouth to say something but then realized she actually didn't. She stuck her tongue out and giggled "I thought so..." Diana said with a sigh "Tell me, my friend. What is your name?"
...
...
Illya was conflicted...
She had spent her life alone in the darkness of the depths...
All of the humans and beings that came after her only sought to finish her life...
And yet...
Here she was...
The man at the beach promised so much... And just when she began thinking those were lies, these two women prove her wrong...
Illya was conflicted, confused... And scared...
But deep inside, she knew this was what she had been looking for...
Not the shadows of the ones that betrayed her...
She was looking for a way out of her personal hell...
She wanted to be free...
She wanted to start all over again...
And maybe... Just maybe...
This was the way...
...
I...
I am...
...
Illya awoke in the darkness of the night. She stared at the ceiling for a long period of time, trying to process a huge load of information. Once again, she had witnessed another fragment of Berserker's memories. This seemed to be the beginning of his legend as a powerful and imposing hero. There were so many things she had to consider but right now, none of the mattered... What was really important was Berserker's origin...
It was just as Illya had suspected...
He was from a different world...
In reality, it wasn't that impossible. The second magic known as the Kaleidoscope could very well make this sort of event feasible. The operation of parallel worlds was within the grasp of a handful of magus and some heroic spirits. Illya hadn't seen or read any sort of concrete evidence of this but now that she knew Berserker's origin, she could trust in the rumors and legends she had heard.
But that only left more questions than answers... How was Berserker able to use the second magic if he wasn't a magician? Was he transported due to some unknown and extraordinary event? There were just too many variables... And above all else, what was the true nature of Berserker's world?
As far as Illya could tell, that world or 'Runeterra' had an enormous amount of prana in the environment and that could very well be an effect of their own 'Age of Gods'. The individuals she had seen were extremely similar to the heroic spirits but different at the same time. This 'Institute of War' and the 'League of Legends' seemed to work just like the Holy Grail and the Throne of Heroes, a gathering impossible beings in a single place... She still ignored the motive but she could think of a few reasons. Now she could understand why the Einzbern elder couldn't find his legend... And in her opinion, it was better this way...
Jubstacheit von Einzbern may be an old man but he was also a greedy and cunning magus. If he found out about Berserker's origin, he would most likely try to take advantage of this and achieve his own goals... Illya had seen him do that in the past... She herself was an example of how far that homunculus was willing to go in order to achieve his desires...
Unable to keep sleeping, she got up and quietly walked out of her room. The long and dark halls of the Einzbern manor brought some serenity to her tired mind. Even if she knew all of this, there was no way she would let the Einzbern know anything... For now, she was on her own in the city of Fuyuki... Alone to do as she pleased. She was the strongest master and she had the strongest servant. And with the other three servants at her disposal, there was no way she could lose...
Yes, Illya knew she could very well end it all right now...
And yet, there was something keeping her at bay... Something she couldn't see, crawling in the shadows...
She stopped at a window and gazed upon the city of Fuyuki bathed with the light of the moon... What was it...? What was stalking her in the night...? What was it...? Illya had been looking for that anomaly but...
...
...
What was it...?
Suddenly, the sound of chains caught her attention. She could hear soft steps walking her way... Illya turned to the side but was unable to see anything in the dark hall. The young girl could feel something cold running down her spine... And yet, she couldn't help but smile...
"It is a beautiful night..." Illya muttered "Don't you agree... Rider?"
Something trembled in the darkness and slowly, another servant appeared in front of Illya. This was a tall woman wearing a short black one-piece made of leather with high knee socks made of the same material. She had pale skin with long and silky light purple hair, a weird rune on her forehead and a black eye cover. The servant approached the Einzbern and silently stood behind her.
"Huh? Why are you so shy? Caster told me you were a bit more... feisty..." Illya giggled and turned to see Rider. The Servant didn't react and simply kept staring into the city "Then again, she also reacted the same way when I made her mine... I suppose you really were close to your former master..." To this, Illya detected a small surge of fury in Rider "Oh, dear... Was I right? But according to Caster, that little nuisance was nothing but a coward... How could you feel that way about your-?"
"You are wrong..." Rider suddenly said quietly.
"Uh? What was that?" Illya asked with a grin "I couldn't hear you very well... Would you mind repeating it?"
"I said... I said you are wrong..." Rider said a bit louder "Shinji Matou was many things... Most of them were bad and I can't say miss him that much..."
"Is that so? Then, I suppose you won't mind if I kill him... Right?" Illya suggested, hugging the Servant "I will slowly rip his limbs apart and I will deliver what is left to Zouken. I bet that will certainly teach him a lesson!" Illya suddenly yelled. The Servant kept her stoic demeanor "Geez... Even Caster is fun at times... But if you are okay with that, I guess I can just go and kill every Mantou in that accursed man-" But then, the servant grabbed Illya by the shoulder "Oh... What is this, huh?" Rider wanted to say something but remained quiet "Come on, Rider... Don't be shy... Tell me what you want..."
"I... I just..." The servant began gingerly "There... There is someone you must not kill..."
"And why is that, huh? The Matou are a bunch of corrupted and evil magicians. The world would be a better place if they disappeared from this world... Why is this someone so special to you?"
"She is... Her name is Sakura..." Rider answered quietly "She is the only one worth saving from the claws of the Mantou... And... She was the one that summoned me... Shinji Matou imposed on her and made Sakura give him the Command Spells... To think that rat would do that to her own sister is..."
"Wait... There is something that doesn't make sense in your tale..." Illya interrupted "Aside from Zouken, the Mantou have completely lost their magic circuits. They are but a feeble dead family, just waiting to be extinguished and forgotten with time... How was that Sakura able to summon you? Something is not right... Zouken did something to secure the position of the Mantou in this war. I don't have the details but I remember the Einzbern elder mentioning the former master of the Mantou during the fourth war was a lost cause..." She said pacing back and forth and bitting her nail "Zouken... What did you do...?"
"Then... Then what about Sakura...?"
"I will fulfill your request, Rider." Illya said standing by the window "That 'Sakura' is definitely hiding something and for the sake of exterminating Zouken once and for all, I will rescue her from the Mantou..." Illya finished, turning around and hugging Rider again "But as payment, I will play with your body a lot..." Illya added with a teasing grin.
"W-Wha... What do you mean...?" Rider asked with unease.
"Oh, yes... We are going to have so much fun..." Illya whispered alluringly while she traced the body of the servant with her hands. "I swear you will forget about that Sakura and-" Suddenly, the window behind shone with unnatural light and Illya turned to see several magic circles a top of the city "So it has begun, huh?" Illya said and walked down the hall.
"Master... What is going on?" Rider inquired, following the Einzbern.
"Nothing I haven't planned..." Illya answered, flicking her hair "It seems like the other masters have finally decided to deal with Caster. I believe it is Shirou and Tohsaka since they have been patrolling the city and eliminating her magic circles. They must have deduced the identity of Caster's 'master', in this case: Souichirou Kuzuki. They know they can't just let Caster alone... I guess they have finally decided to try to deal with her..." Illya said, opening one of the windows and stepping into the balcony.
"And what should we do, master?"
"Isn't it obvious...?" Illya asked with a grin. "We don't have to do anything. In her current state, Caster is more than capable of fighting equally against Saber and Archer. She might not be able to defeat them but she can at least escape and keep up the farce." She flicked her hair and a few strands became avian familiars made of crystal. "But I suppose I could always watch over my cute servants and aid them if they need my help... And besides, this can be a good chance to measure Assassin's power..." She gently blew on the familiars and these flew towards the city "Don't disappoint me... Medea..."