Illyasviel von Einzbern II. That was the name of the little girl who had just been born, just been created by the hands of the greatest of alchemists working in the field of creating homunculi. They were homunculi themselves and they were called the Einzberns. Their history and goals are things Illyasviel II had already been briefed on before she immediately went to work.
What was her work? Training of course. She had to prepare for the Fifth Holy Grail War. She would be a Master fighting to complete the Heaven's Feel because…because that was the goal the Einzberns had been tasked with. Completing the Third Magic was a goal in and of itself. There was no further thought necessary.
Young Illyasviel II was a peculiar homunculus for she had emotions. This was because she was based on another homunculus who had emotions. Illyasviel II had been created to be the original's better in all respects, but the one thing that failed to be winnowed out in the process of her creation was those extraneous feelings. But, that was okay as long as Illyasviel II paid those emotions no heed and simply went about with a mechanical mind like her creators possessed.
The current training Illyasviel II was undergoing involved practicing altering the shape of matter. A hair was plucked from her head and she infused that single strand with magical energy, making it swim through the air before trying to shape it. Even doing this much was unprecedented considering how young Illyasviel II was. Truly she was a prodigy, but she wasn't enough of a prodigy as grandfather watched her work with a displeased glint in his eyes.
The hair coiled and twisted as it tried to shape into a cylindrical form. It kept looking a little wobbly, like gelatin, because Illyasviel II lacked the precision necessary to make it stay fixed in a particular configuration. Practice was all she needed. She needed to keep trying and she'd get it soon enough. But that look from grandfather left Illyasviel II eternally on edge, always just barely unable to fully focus. That nagging discomfort mixed with a single shameless thought and made Illyasviel II lose her concentration completely.
She thought, 'I don't want to do this.'
Right when it seemed like the hair would form a cylinder so perfect it belonged in a geometry textbook, Illyasviel II lost all control and the thread knotted itself into an ugly ball that would be impossible to untangle. The twisted follicle hit the table which Illyasviel II stood in front of while the girl herself began inhaling and exhaling deeply. The sweat that slid down the girl's brow alerted her to just how enervated she had become.
Looking across the table, Illyasviel II saw grandfather's look of disappointment.
"Why do you have so much trouble with this? Do you want to fail? You understand that you must surpass the original Illyasviel, yes?" The original. Illyasviel II had heard so many stories about the original, the one who had been stolen away by her crazed mother who gave up on the great task which the Einzberns had to complete. Illyasviel II had to be better than the original, because the original was a failure, and so she'd be less than a failure if she didn't succeed in acquiring the Greater Grail. She had to be better.
"Yes, grandfather."
"Then stop wasting time and try it again."
"Yes, grandfather."
The girl got back to practicing, plucking another of her hairs and pouring magical energy into it to make it float. She would keep trying as many times as it took to succeed, to make her grandfather happy, to complete the Third Magic and…complete the Third Magic. She would. She had to.
The frigid wind and snow burned the little amount of Illyasviel II's skin that was exposed. Grandfather stood behind the child as he waited to see the fruits of her labor and evaluate them.
Two hairs were removed from the child's head and flew through the rushing air. It had become second nature to Illyasviel II as she molded the stands into two instant homunculi that she held complete control over. The birds made of hair fired blasts of magical energy from their beaks, turning multiple trees to dust with their destructive might. It took mere seconds to clear away an entire chunk of the forest.
"Good. Now let's go back inside to continue your training." That was all the response grandfather gave. No words of love or kindness for he had none in his heart and that was because emotions were a burden. They got in the way of thinking clearly. That meant that even if the Third Magic was completed, he wouldn't be happy or cry tears of joy. He might feel relief of some kind but that was it. No matter what Illyasviel II did, grandfather would never love her.
If the completion of the Heaven's Feel wouldn't actually make anyone happy, then what was the point? Illyasviel tried to stop herself. She knew the kinds of thoughts she was having were bad and had to be drowned out with words of affirmation of the importance of her family's goal. But, her usual mantras just weren't loud enough anymore.
Illyasviel's grandfather had already begun walking back towards the castle which they called home. It was a structure so large and intricate in its internal structure that one might mistake it for the labyrinth of Greek myth. It certainly was a place one could get lost in and never find their way out.
In that moment where grandfather's eyes were not focused on her, Illyasviel II was able to muster up the courage to make an audacious entreaty.
"Grandfather, I heard about these things called games. Can I take a break from training to try playing one?"
Grandfather stopped and slowly turned to face Illyasviel II. He didn't look angry, yet his fury was undeniably real and more chilling than the blizzard the pair stood in. Wait, was he angry? He wasn't supposed to have emotions.
"Who told you about games?"
"I just read about them in a book while I was studying." Lying was the only option. Illyasviel II couldn't risk getting anyone in trouble.
Grandfather's palm cupped the girl's chin and his fingers pressed into her cheeks. Her face was forced to point towards his own. Illyasviel II tried looking away, but that only made grandfather's hold stronger, tighter. The girl's jaw began hurting.
"Do not lie to me, Illyasviel II. Who told you about games?"
"I overheard some of the maids talking, and games came up. They didn't know I was there." Grandfather's fingers continued to push harder into the girl's cheeks. He began to lift her up, just enough that she was forced onto her tiptoes and could feel her neck stretching painfully. How far would grandfather go? He wouldn't hurt Illyasviel II, would he? If he hurt her, or even killed her, he could simply make another Illyasviel. Illyasviel III. Mortal fear came upon the child's mind for the first time, pouncing upon her will to resist and tearing it to nothing more than a bloody carcass. "It was Adette."
Upon hearing the truth, grandfather released Illyasviel II who dropped into the snow as her body trembled, not from the cold, but from fright. Grandfather began walking towards the castle once more as if he hadn't just taught her granddaughter what it was to fear one's own demise.
"Let us return to the castle. You will go back to training while I have that maid executed."
"Executed?" Snow stirred as Illyasviel II bolted to a sitting position. "Why? All Adette did was tell me what games are!"
"You cannot be allowed any kind of distractions. It was being predisposed with personal desires that corrupted Irisviel and turned her into the failure she was. She never would have kidnapped your predecessor if that accursed husband of hers didn't poison her mind with emotion."
"But, Adette doesn't need to die!" Illyasviel II stood up.
She then fell back onto her bottom when grandfather turned and gave her that dreadful look again; the look that told Illyasviel II that she wasn't a person, but a tool.
"Illyasviel II, any who would damage your education must be made an example of to stop any further descent. You allow for even a paucity of leeway, and people will start getting subversive ideas. This is all for your sake, Illyasviel II. Don't you want to surpass the original Illyasviel?"
"Yes, grandfather." Illyasviel II knew her grandfather was right. She had to be better than the original, because she would be less than a failure if she wasn't. Then she'd get thrown away like all failures were, like Adette was going to.
"You'll never surpass the original if you don't follow my laws and walk the path I have made for you. Do you understand?"
"Yes, grandfather."
Grandfather turned around for a third time. "Come along, now. We have no time to waste."
"Yes, grandfather."
Thus, Illyasviel II realized her foolishness. Even a derisory amount of happiness would be too great a distraction from the vital task which her family had been bestowed. The Heaven's Feel had to be complete, nothing else mattered other than that for it was what gave the Einzbern family meaning. But, why did it give the Einzberns meaning? Why was it the only thing that mattered considering that they didn't have any plans to use the Third Magic for anything in particular? Illyasviel II had to clear her mind of these doubts, otherwise she'd never surpass the original. She had to surpass the original or she'd be discarded. The original Illyasviel was the metric with which Illyasviel II's value was calculated.
If only it weren't for that original, then maybe grandfather wouldn't have been so harsh. All this was because of that original.
Illyasviel II hated everything about this. The sting of the snow that hit her body that lacked the protection of anything more than a gossamer dress. The feeling like her lungs were going to collapse as she was forced to keep running and running. The icy numbness of her feet and the infernal burning of her legs. The barks and growls of the wolves that chased behind her, making her blood stop its flow every time the noises drew closer. The feeling like blazing rods of metal were being stabbed into her veins as she forced magical energy to continually flow through her.
This was a test, one that, if Illyasviel II failed, would mean the end of her life. She had been thrown into the snow-glazed forest outside the Einzbern Castle and had to fend for herself until her family was satisfied with her fortitude and granted her passage back home. There was no way they would actually let her perish, that would have meant all the effort put into raising her was wasted and they would have to start over. Plus, grandfather would be sad because Illyasviel II, his granddaughter, would be dead. He may have kept it hidden, but he loved her, he had to have. He had to.
The exhausted girl weaved between leafless trees as four bird-like homunculi fired shots of magical energy back at the pack of wolves. At first, dealing with the wretched canines was easy, but now she was sapped of energy, both magical and vital, so her aim wavered and her power continued to lessen. The child kept her feet moving even as they turned black, bleeding cracks forming in them and dying the snow red. She would be fine, her familiars would take out all the wolves eventually.
What Illyasviel II had not accounted for was that she wouldn't be able to keep running even if she wanted to. Wolves had circled around and cut off her path. She wanted to turn to her left or right, but more wolves cut those paths off, too. She was surrounded in all directions by the canines that menaced her. The girl didn't stop running and instead fired blasts of energy to take out some of the wolves in front of her and clear a path. Fatigue induced imprecision caused all Illyasviel II's shots to miss and she ended up running right towards a group of wolves that pounced on her and sunk their teeth into her pale skin. The child screamed and cried as her body was invaded by the fangs of half a dozen beasts that wrestled her to the ground.
The sound of her own skin and muscle tearing made Illyasviel II forget all that she had learned, all that made her a magus, all that made her a vessel of the Grail. She became the little girl she truly was. She was a child who was forced into a cruel trial with a derisory chance of survival.
As the girl continued to be accosted by the wolves, the only thought that endured the sea of pain she was suffering was the wish for her to be saved. She wanted grandfather to come and slay the hounds. She wanted grandfather to whisk her back to the castle before healing her wounds and telling her she didn't have to train anymore.
That was what was going to happen. Illyasviel II knew that her grandfather would rescue her and would let her live a new life where she could play games and have friends and do whatever she wanted just like a normal girl.
A quick ripping sound hit Illyasviel II's ears when a wolf ripped off a chunk of her bodily tissue. The child screamed at the top of her lungs to the point that her throat felt like it was filled with razor blades and she could release nothing but a quiet rasp.
Grandfather still hadn't arrived. He must have been held up fighting even more wolves. He was probably fighting his way through an entire army of hounds all to save Illyasviel II. He was definitely doing that and all because he loved his granddaughter.
Sella and Leysritt would come too, and so would everyone else in the castle. They would all come to protect Illyasviel II.
The schism between Illyasviel II's dreamed reality and the truth she was perceiving was growing. The barrier that kept out the truth to give the girl some hope was shaking, cracking, filling with holes.
No Sella. No Leysritt. No grandfather. Only the pack of beasts that were trying to pull Illyasviel II apart.
Why wasn't grandfather here? Was it really taking him that long to arrive? There's no way it would have taken this long for him to get to Illyasviel II. It was as if he wasn't coming.
He wasn't coming.
Grandfather wasn't coming.
Nobody was coming.
Illyasviel II's grandfather was actually going to let her die. The entire Einzbern family was going to let her die. They didn't love her, she was just a tool to them, one they could replace if necessary. Illyasviel II's demise would be an inconvenience and nothing more. Illyasviel II was just the name given to the Lesser Grail to be used in the Fifth Holy Grail War to complete the Heaven's Feel. All this was for that stupid Third Magic that the Einzberns wanted to re-achieve for no reason other than because they 'had' to. That was why Illyasviel II suffered a life of no joy and constant hardship for the sake of cultivating her ability as a Master. That was why they created the Grail Wars where people murdered each other. And other magi helped them. This World was one that condoned such revolting actions
The Einzberns were garbage. The World was garbage. Everything was garbage.
Illyasviel II hated this. She hated everything. She hated her life. She hated that she had ever been born into such an absolutely horrible World full of horrible people. Why couldn't the original Illyasviel have just stayed so Illyasviel II didn't have to exist. No life was worth this suffering.
The remnants of Illyasviel II's voice formed a crackling growl as her wrath built up and made the pain she was experiencing go from terrifying to frustrating for her. The beasts were avoiding the girls' vitals and instead just gnawing into and ripping up her flesh to make her suffer. They weren't going to deal the death blow until she had her will broken. Perhaps they had been programmed to act this way by grandfather. This could have been some form of twisted mercy since it would give her a chance to turn things around. But, all that did was make the homunculus child angry that they wouldn't just end her.
At the moment, Illyasviel II wanted nothing more than for those wolves to just die.
The instant homunculi that had been stuck on standby returned to Illyasviel II's control. The avian form that the familiars took changed as hairs re-weaved into the shape of swords. Like a silver missile, one sword shot through the wolves ripping into Illyasviel II and turned them to red coloring for the surrounding snow.
Illyasviel II wasn't out of the wolves' metaphorical den as the remaining hounds raced towards her from all sides. Clarity and precision returned to the homunculus girl's mind as her goal of slaughter acted as a point of focus. Waiting until right when all the remaining wolves pounced for her, Illyasviel II shot two more of her swords as the hounds were gathered together. The pack became nothing but droplets of blood and stray hairs lost in the blizzard.
Illyasviel II stared at the liquified remnants of her enemies as her throat released gravely sounds with every breath that passed through. Despite her apparent victory, the girl was still infuriated.
"I…am…done." The child's damaged voice was far from voluble, but her fury was still easy to hear. "No…more."
Illyasviel II wasn't doing the stupid test anymore, whether grandfather said it was okay to stop or not. She trudged through the snow with the thought in her mind that once she got back to the castle, she would never have to suffer like this again. All she had to do was get to that castle and tell grandfather that she wasn't going to be his slave or his tool anymore.
Illyasviel II imagined she must have looked like a corpse as she dragged her pale form caked in blood through the icy world around her. She certainly felt dead thanks to how numb her body had become thanks to the frostbite that was spreading across her flesh. Nothing alchemy paired with healing magecraft couldn't fix, which was probably why grandfather was so willing to put Illyasviel II through so much pain. Her happiness didn't matter, only if she could be fixed and could complete her destiny.
The zap that hit the child's forehead made her realize how out of it she was. She just walked right into the Bounded Field that kept intruders away from the Einzbern Castle. Grandfather wasn't going to lower the barrier any time soon, not until he was satisfied with Illyasviel II's performance.
But Illyasviel II wasn't going to wait. Her fourth and last sword drove through the Bounded Field and ripped a hole in it that the homunculus walked through.
The girl's legs felt like they were made of osmium as lifting them became a struggle requiring all of her willpower. She moved at the pace of a tortoise as she got ever closer to the castle gate.
The march ended when Illyasviel II reached the gate and was met with her grandfather and numerous homunculi guards.
"Move." Illyasviel II said with a voice like nails on a chalkboard.
"Illyasviel II, what do you think you're doing? Your test is still underway."
"I quit. I'm not being a…Master or a…vessel for the Grail anymore…I'm not going to even be a…magus anymore."
"You speak as if you have a say as to what your future will be."
"I do. I'm not listening to you anymore."
"Illyasviel II, you really want to abandon the Third Magic? You won't be able to surpass the original that way."
"I don't care…about the original. I'm not her. And I…don't care about the stupid Third Magic."
"Then you would prefer to exist without purpose? The dereliction of one's purpose dissolves their value as a being."
"I'll decide what my purpose is, just…I need time. Why do you even care? You can just make an Illyasviel III and start again."
"Too much time has been invested into your development to have it all go to waste."
"But you're willing to let me die in this test?"
"Because if you can't pass a trial such as this, then you're hopeless. But we won't know that until you try."
"Well, I'm not going to try. Now get out of the way." Illyasviel II began trudging towards the gate as if her grandfather had already moved out of her way.
A misty exhale from grandfather accompanied a sudden increase in sensation in Illyasviel II's body when she should have been completely numb. The pain receptors in the girl's body went mad, each forced to generate the greatest form of physical agony possible. The torture was so great that all of Illyasviel II's other senses stopped functioning. No more sight, smell, hearing, taste, and even things like her sense of equilibrium. All the girl could comprehend was pain. It was like some sort of Hell where the girl couldn't even scream. If she wasn't sure she wished she were never born before, she certainly was sure now. There were no words that could describe the agony for this was a pain that was essentially all forms of physical suffering the body could process all happening at once. It was an overload of the body's ability to feel pain to the point that all else was drained away. Even maintaining the simplest thought was near impossible. The pain was everything. There was no way for the child to know how long the torture had been going on as she lost all perception of time. It could have been seconds or years. Illyasviel II lived in a milieu of social pain, but now she faced a reality of unbridled material pain. She would give anything for the pain to end. She would follow her grandfather's orders forever without a single complaint. She would let herself get mauled by wolves all over again. Anything, as long as she was freed from this Hell.
The strained synapses in the homunculus child's brain were suddenly released from their abuse and slowly, slowly, Illyasviel II stopped reeling from the horrific stimulation that had accosted her. The first thing that the girl felt after her senses rebooted was the chilly bed of snow her body had fallen into. She could barely feel it due to the insensibility caused by the cold, but the child reveled in it since it didn't hurt like the sensory assault she had just been freed from. She hugged the snow and wanted to roll up in it like a blanket. She'd happily fall asleep and let herself drift off to death right there if she could.
"Illyasviel II, are you truly so naive as to think that we would not install a failsafe into you to avoid a disaster like with Irisviel?" Grandfather had a smug tint to his voice. It was one of the few times that he had ever indulged in explicit displays of emotion as far as Illyasviel II was aware.
"I…hate…you." Illyasviel II spoke each word with the fervor of someone incanting maledictions to destroy their most reviled enemy.
"We'll clean that hatred out of you, along with the rest of your emotions. Now, return to the forest so your trial can continue. That is, unless you want to be reprimanded again."
With imprecise movements, the homunculus child got back to her feet with the intent to keep on fighting. Then Illyasviel II remembered the pain she had just endured and instantly gave up upon the idea of ever challenging her grandfather again. The suffering was simply too great, too all encompassing.
Without a word, Illyasviel II turned around with tears in her eyes and headed back towards the forest to complete her inhumane trial.
And complete it she did, over the course of three days where she was constantly attacked by wolves and evil spirits. She had to heal herself in order to not drop dead of frostbite or her various wounds. To keep up her magical energy, she consumed the raw flesh of the hounds that hunted her and used alchemy to convert the ingested matter into mana like Heroic Spirits were able to do naturally. Soon enough, hunter and prey swapped roles as Illyasviel II attacked the wolves that once filled her heart with fright in order to eat them up. The girl's face became caked in congealed blood which made her feel like some sort of monster stalking the forest. She so quickly dominated the hierarchy of the frigid wilds she found herself in. Even the evil spirits kept away from her.
This kind of disturbing survivalism, the willingness to do whatever it took to complete her task was what grandfather had wanted to see. The test ended and Illyasviel II was allowed back to the castle, the place she could never truly call home.
Illyaasviel II received the medical attention necessary to leave her without even the slightest physical scar, but the mental ones would forever remain. As soon as she had been healed of her injuries and could function as normal, grandfather immediately forced her to get back to training. The worst part was that the homunculus girl did so without even the slightest word of complaint. She didn't want to risk returning to that Hell among Hells.
Finally, after that horrible three days in an icy underworld followed by rigorous training, Illyasviel II was permitted to go to bed.
Illyasviel II didn't sleep, however. The girl felt the weight of her chains and saw past the luxurious walls of the castle to see them for what they really were, the walls of a prison. She was trapped and she had no way out no matter how long she thought about every possible method of escape no matter how desperate. She was completely helpless. She had no power nor freedom. A pressure formed around the child's eyes as she tried to hold back her tears. She didn't want to cry and risk getting heard. She'd get punished again for showing emotions. Now that grandfather had shown his hand, he wouldn't hold back anymore. Any iconoclastic transgression as benign as a smile would be met with another delve into the reality of all-encompassing suffering that grandfather had given Illyasviel II a taste of earlier that day.
Push the tears back. She had to keep the tears from flowing or she'd be given an even more reason to cry. A droplet raced across Illyasviel II's face and she instantly wiped her face and buried it into her pillow. Push the tears back, or there'd be Hell to pay.
A choked back hiccup. No, don't cry. The pillow was getting damp. Stop crying. More sobs. Just stop.
She was crying. Shit. She was crying and whimpering and she couldn't stop herself which made her cry even more as she shivered in fear of getting noticed.
The terrified child buried her head under her throng of pillows to try and muffle her lamenting. Don't get caught. Keep it quiet. Don't get caught. Don't get caught. Please, don't get caught.
A click raged through the darkness and made Illyasviel II jump in her bed. The girl's consternation intensified as she saw light pierce through the shadows and slash at her eyes like a holy sword. Even as Illyasviel II's eyes stung from the change in brightness, she was far more concerned with who had opened the door to her room.
Was it grandfather? One of the maids? It didn't matter since the results would be the same. She would have to feel that pain again. That pain. Just remembering it for a moment made her tears flow even more fiercely. The girl was frozen in place as she stared at the crack of light as it expanded and her eyes adjusted.
"Lady Illyasviel II." The words were full of worry. The young homunculus' eyes finished adapting to the light and spotted Sella and Leysritt in the doorway.
No. They were going to get grandfather. No. No!
There was an attempt at an explanation, at an excuse, but all that came from Illyasviel II's lips were incoherent noises brimming with despair. She couldn't even construct simple words and it embarrassed her, because it made her feel infantilized by her own distress.
"Don't be afraid." Leysritt started slowly stepping towards Illyasviel II. As the maid got closer, the little girl got a better look at her face. Leysritt had a face that was like a dolls, emotionless and uncanny, the ideal grandfather desired. But, Leysritt was smiling. It was small, simple, something that wouldn't be noteworthy when on anybody else's visage. But on Leysritt, it was astounding. The maid's arms wrapped around Illyasviel II and pulled her into a tight hug, arguably too tight. As the velvety ensemble Leysritt wore caressed the young homunculus' skin, she felt something she had never known before. "We will always be on your side."
Did Leysritt really just say that? Illyasviel II had to be hearing things or misunderstanding what Leysritt meant. The child had to confirm though. She looked to Sella who closed the door to the room so they wouldn't get noticed.
"Sella?"
"Lady Illyasviel II, we are in service to Master Jubstacheit and we cannot defy him outright. That does not mean we agree with all of his rules. We're sorry we can't help you escape or protect you. What we can do is try to ameliorate your pain with what minor comforts we can provide. Always know this, Lady Illyasviel II, no matter what happens, we will always be on your side."
The vise-like hug of Leysritt partnered with Sella's rebellious, if seemingly staid words to make the strange and unfamiliar feeling sloshing about in Illyasviel II's body intensify. For the first time in her entire life, she was being given leeway. Sella and Leysritt were putting Illyasviel II's feelings at the forefront instead of punishing them.
The feeling in Illyasviel II finally had a name. The girl realized what the sensation she was feeling was called. It was something she had wanted for a long time. It was something she deluded herself into thinking she had. She no longer had to trick herself because she had it for real now without a shadow of a doubt.
It was love.
Illyasviel II let the floodgates open as her tears were like a waterfall. She hugged Leysritt back with as much strength as she could to show her own love and appreciation for her two maids, no, her friends.
The future was bound to be full of suffering, there was no doubt about that. But there would always be the solace of moments like these to push Illyasviel II on.
Because now she knew love.
In Illyasviel II 's atelier in the Einzbern Castle, the woman stood ready to summon her Servant. It was two months before the Fifth Holy Grail War was to begin. Normally it wouldn't be possible to summon a Servant so early, but thanks to certain privileges afforded to the Einzberns and resources they possessed, that limitation was able to be circumvented.
Hanging by chains next to the summoning circle was a giant slab of stone made from a temple pillar carved into the shape of a weapon somewhere between ax and sword. The bizarre armament was to be the catalyst to summon Illyasviel II's Servant.
Behind Illyasviel II stood grandfather, his inhuman eyes scrutinizing his granddaughter's every action, and further behind him was Sella and Leysritt, Illyasviel II's personal maids and only friends.
The awaited day that all the Einzbern family's hopes and dreams had been staked upon had come. They had to summon a strong Servant, one who would finally bring them victory.
Illyasviel II didn't care about victory. She was still mulling over whether to try and flee as soon as she was allowed to head to Fuyuki. She'd probably have to find and deal with any methods of tracking her the Einzberns had prepared. Her other option was to go to Fuyuki and let her Servant get killed or make them kill themself with a Command Spell. After that she could wait under the overseer's care for the war to end. After that, the Einzberns would likely toss her away like they did Irisviel, assuming they didn't want to kill Illyasviel II out of spite.
There were still two months to contemplate her plan of action, Illyasviel II just had to summon the Servant for now. Grandfather initially wanted Illyasviel II to alter the incantation so she would definitely summon her Servant as a Berserker. He said it would be easier to control them with the full-body Command Spells that way, but Illyasviel II convinced him otherwise when she mentioned that he could end up so wild that she'd have to use her Command Spells constantly to keep him in check which could hinder her own ability to act. The fact that grandfather actually listened was rare, but he only did so because it pertained to success in the Holy Grail War and Illyasviel II elocuted it well. As long as it wasn't anything remotely heterodoxical, grandfather would at least hear others out. He should have been willing to hear others out about everything, that was just common courtesy, but whatever.
Letting her annoyance drain away, the Master-to-be extended her Command Spell marked hand and began the incantation.
"Silver and iron to the origin. Gem and the archduke of contracts to the cornerstone.
The ancestor is my great master Schweinorg.
The alighted wind becomes a wall. The gates in the four directions close, coming from the crown, the three-forked road that leads to the kingdom circulate.
Shut (fill).
Shut (fill).
Shut (fill).
Shut (fill).
Shut (fill).
Repeat every five times.
Simply, shatter once filled.
I announce.
Your self is under me, my fate(doom) is in your sword.
In accordance with the approach of the Holy Grail, if you abide by this feeling, this reason, then answer.
Here is my oath. I am the one who becomes all the good of the world of the dead, I am the one who lays out all the evil of the world of the dead.
You, seven heavens clad in three words of power, arrive from the ring of deterrence, O keeper of the balance!"
The indoor storm that the summoning created did not die down now that the process had reached completion. It perpetuated as a mass of magical energy had appeared in the room. It was so large it felt like it should have had its own gravitational pull, as if a planet, a star, or even a black hole had materialized from the ether into the workshop. Perhaps the berserk winds were the result of some kind of revolution they were making like planets around the Sun. Maybe a star really had been brought into the room somehow.
But, no. What had appeared in the room was not a planet, a star, or a black hole, but it was awe-inspiring nonetheless. A giant man, dark of skin and so perfect in his physique that only a pretentious word like pulchritudinous could properly assess him had appeared. He carried in his muscles and in his golden veins unlimited might and vitality which was appropriate for one who eventually ascended to the status of God of Strength. Even being in the same building as him was enough to make Illyasviel II tremble with fear born from instinct. It was like being next to a lion that was unrestrained. You wouldn't necessarily know if they were going to kill you, but the risk was too great considering that there would be no chance of survival if they did pounce. The Master did not bother to check to see if his grandfather or friends were quaking as well for she knew they were, there was no way they weren't.
This was the most powerful Servant, there was no way there could be another with power that was more tremendous. This was the highest level a being could be while still restrained by the chains of humanity. This was a Top Servant, a candidate for a Grand Servant. This was the most famous hero of all.
This was Heracles.
"Magus." That one word from the hero released a light shockwave that made everyone stumble backwards. "I would like you to answer my question." He looked to Illyasviel II. He must have felt himself draw magical energy from her. "Are you the one who will become my Master and assign me trials?"
The woman raised to be a Master steadied herself and took a deep breath. "I am your Master. Tell me, are you the one known as Heracles?"
"Yes. My name is Heracles, once named Alcides, and my class in this war is Archer." The Servant turned around to see the ax-sword that hung by chains behind him. "Is that what you used as a catalyst?"
"Yes."
The demigod grabbed the weapons handle and used a surprisingly delicate touch to remove the chains from it. He held it aloft as if it had no weight at all and looked it over. He swung it a few times and it made the already untamed winds even more tempestuous. "I normally would lack a close range armament while I am an Archer. This will grant me greater versatility."
"I'm glad to hear that. Speaking of versatility, we should begin coming up with strategies for the war and do some training. Firstly, could you tell us the full scope of your Noble Phantasms?"
"There's something I must ask first. A final question." He turned back to his Master. "What is your wish? I will only fight and slay for a goal that is worthy."
To complete the Third Magic, the Heaven's Feel. That was the answer grandfather would want Illyasviel II to say. But that wasn't what she really wanted. There was only one thing she desired from the bottom of her heart and there was no question as to what it was. The issue was that she couldn't say it aloud. She'd get punished again if she did. She couldn't let that happen. The amount of times she had experienced that Hell of omnipresent pain could be counted on one hand, but that was still enough to instill a terror like that of the fear of God in a zealot. Illyasviel II couldn't tell the truth. She had to keep playing along to her grandfather's script.
But she couldn't take it anymore. Even one more day, one more hour, or minute, or even a single second and she would go mad. She couldn't keep living a life that wasn't of her own choosing, one where she was a slave at best and an object at worst. Endless working, training, suffering, it was too much. Now was the time to speak up to one who would maybe listen and who might have the power to set her free. If not now, then when? Heracles was supposed to be a hero after all, and Illyasviel II needed a hero.
"My wish is to be free." Illyasviel II spoke with verity for the first time in so long.
"Free from what?" Archer asked.
"This place. This castle, my grandfather, my family."
"Illyasviel II, that is enough!" Grandfather raised his voice and the girl flinched, but she wouldn't back down.
"No! I'm not backing down!" Illyasviel II looked to her Servant again while pointing a finger at her grandfather. "He and the rest of my family abuse me, make me do nothing other than train, and when I talk back or even show emotion they use a curse to cause me pain so horrible I can't even describe it! All for the stupid Holy Grail so they complete the Third Magic! They're willing to kill people just for their stupid Magic!" Tears soaked Illyasviel II's face. "I just can't take it anymore! I've never played a game, or watched a movie, or danced, or anything! Everything's just work and pain! I can't do this anymore! Please, please, save me! Archer, please, save me!"
Right then, magical energy inside Illyasviel II began to increase and she knew that the pain spell that had been infused into her was about to activate. Dread for what was about to happen filled her to the brim and she braced herself as best she could.
But the pain didn't come. Instead, there was a booming sound. Illyasviel II looked to where her grandfather was and saw that he had been pinned to the wall by Archer's magical energy before he could finish activating the pain spell. The aura around him was so intense he couldn't use even the simplest form of magecraft.
The pain that Illyasviel II so despised and was terrified of hadn't come. She talked back, and she wasn't in pain. The Master spun to look at her Servant who had a pinched brow and little more, but that slight change in his stony face was enough to show just how much he abhorred Illyasviel II's treatment. It was a look that would have made the Master feel a fear even greater than that which the pain spell caused her if the Servant's ire had pegged her as its outlet.
"Don't worry, Master. You will feel no more pain, for I have heard your wish and I shall grant it. You will be saved." Archer said. Illyasviel II was going to be saved. It was unbelievable and yet Archer's strength and his valor made it impossible to deny. The tears continued to flow and flow from the Master's face as her dream would be a dream no longer. The hero's fingers adjusted their positions to make his grip on his ax-sword firmer. "Would you be fine with me slaying your family and those that have conspired with them? It would be the most effective solution."
"You can kill everyone except them." Illyasviel II pointed towards Sella and Leysritt. Sella was on the verge of having a panic attack while Leysritt looked about as surprised as someone as phlegmatic as her could be. "They've been my only friends, the only ones to treat me like a person. It's thanks to them that I've managed not to break despite all the suffering."
"I understand. In that case, I suggest you three wait here. This will take me just a moment. I will try not to break anything."
The giant stepped over to grandfather and raised a hand.
"You can't do this! You have a purpose thanks to me! I raised you! I love you! I do!" said the man that had tortured Illyasviel II all her life. "You can't do this! I forbid it! You're an Einzbern homunculus! You can't betray-" Archer's hand grabbed and crushed grandfather's head in one smooth motion. The horrible man's corpse fell to the ground and leaked blood. There was a catharsis in watching him die, though not as much as Illyasviel II had hoped.
The giant went over to the door and squeezed his way through, leaving the workshop and heading to eliminate the rest of the Einzbern family. With rapid stomps that sounded like thunder, the demigod was off. All Illyasviel II heard from then on was a mess of sounds as Archer cleaned up. The Master imagined how her relatives were all getting ripped apart while futilely trying whatever combat spells they had to no avail.
It really was quick. As soon as the fighting began, it was over and Archer returned to the atelier covered in blood.
"It is done."
It was done. It really was. The remains of those who had made Illyasviel II's life an unabated nightmare were painted across Archer's frame. The man who orchestrated the horrors was now headless on the ground in an undignified pose.
Illyasviel II put her hand upon the ground and felt its texture, felt that it was real and that the moment she was in wasn't some daydream or fantasy she was escaping to in order to ignore her real life suffering. She really was absolutely and undeniably free for the first time in her entire life.
Tears were shed by the Master once more, but this time they were of pure happiness at her dream having come true. It actually happened. It really, really did. Illyasviel II could make her own rules now. She could pick her own path and follow it to her heart's content. She could still access Das Rheingold so she would never have to want for anything so she could focus purely on her own happiness. She could live a happy life with Sella and Leysritt to keep her company.
And it was all thanks to Archer. Illyasviel II didn't even notice when she ran up to and hugged the blood covered giant.
"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You saved me! Thank you! I can be happy now! It's all thanks to you! Thank you so much!"
"You are welcome." The giant's finger, the only one untouched by any kind of gore or lifeblood, pet the top of Illyasviel II's head. It was the gentlest touch that the homunculus had ever felt and it made her feel safe. She'd never be hurt again as long as he was around. He made Illyasviel II's memories of that Hell of omnipresent pain seem so distant, as if they were just a fleeting daydream, forgotten more quickly than it came into being.
Illyasviel II released her hero and took a step back, now covered in blood. She was smiling. It hurt how much she was smiling, though that might just have been due to her face being unused to such an expression. Barely used muscles were getting exercised for the first time in a long time and the burning sensation that resulted felt good.
Turning around, Illyasviel II saw both Sella and Leysritt. Sella was still in shock, but Leysritt was smiling. The Master hugged them both as tightly as she could. Leysritt reciprocated immediately while Sella hesitated. It wasn't that she was sad about the deaths of the rest of the Eiznbernz, she simply worried about what they'd do now that they were on their own. Illyasviel II couldn't read Sella's mind, but she knew what she was thinking thanks to how well they knew each other. Sella didn't know how she, Leysritt, and Illyasviel II would get along now that they were on their own, but she let her worries slide away as she embraced her family.
This truly was the best day of Illyasviel II's entire life. The Master finished her hug and saw in the corner of eye that Archer was smiling as he watched Illyasviel II and her family show their love.
"Thank you for everything, Archer."
"I was happy to do it." The sides of Archer's mouth dropped into his usual dry blankness. "Master, what would you have me do now? You no longer have any reason to participate in the Holy Grail War, do you?"
That was true. There was no reason to risk their lives for some stupid prize her family had been obsessed with. That stupid cup was going to lead to another massacre and there was no way anyone was going to win this time just like how nobody won any of the previous times. It was just a big waste. Oh, how Illyasviel II would have loved to just smash that dumb cup and make her stupid family's ghosts writhe from seeing all their hard work be for nothing.
Actually, she could still do that. Archer was so crazy strong that he could win that Holy Grail War with both hands and legs tied behind his back. They could swoop into that war and blow up the Grail and then come right back home. That stupid wish granter flared up people's greed and caused them to slaughter each other so getting rid of it would maker the world a better place. Plus, the catharsis of destroying that dumb thing after hearing about it constantly twenty-four seven would be fantastic.
"Y'know, I think I still want to participate in the war, for the sake of protecting humanity."
"Really?" Archer said.
"What do you mean, Illyasviel II?" Sella's question made the Master's eyebrow twitch.
That stupid name. Illyasviel II. It was so awkward to say. The Einzberns made sure that she and everyone else always said 'the second' after Illyasviel to make sure she remembered she wasn't the original, that she had a predecessor, a standard she had to not only match, but outperform. That stupid name that wasn't even truly her's made the Master sick at this point. She wanted a new name, one she picked herself. What to go with though? It had to be something symbolic. This was a new beginning for the Master, so perhaps something related to that or to just beginnings in general. Maybe a name that meant something that was nascent. Like a young plant about to bloom.
At that moment, the Master decided upon her new name.
"Before I explain myself, I want to mention that I'm not Illyasviel II anymore."
"What?"
"That name was my name as a tool, an object. I've decided on a new name."
"Wh-What is it?"
"Chloe." Chloe said with a giggle.