Caules barely had any time to process the last few hours. One minute he was resting in the comfort of his bed, the next he was jumping out of a taxi with his professor to hop on a plane to Romania. Not a typical Tuesday for him.
Though believing his job was done competently, a fear clouded his mind over if he got everything he needed. He didn't have much care about whether he packed enough clothes in his big suitcase, but regular checks in his briefcase to make sure his catalyst was still there were keeping his head on straight. That was the one thing he absolutely needed.
The brunet clenched the handle of his briefcase tightly as he followed Lord El-Melloi II through the crowded airport, making haste to keep up with him. "How did you get this early of a flight so last minute?" His curiosity peaked as he questioned the teacher.
"I have my ways with the Mage's Association." His information was quite obvious to Caules as he explained. "Lucky we did. Two servants have already been summoned in Trifas."
"Two?" Caules repeated. "Do we know what classes?"
"From my knowledge, a Lancer and an Archer."
"I see." He nodded along, traversing the crowd to avoid being swallowed into the abyss of people passing by. The idea of a Lancer being summoned so early left a churn in his stomach, especially with the thought of them being in Romania. Luckily, the chances of him being summoned again were quite slim.
Lord El-Melloi II kept his head forward as he continued. "Do you have everything you need?" He spoke rather vaguely about it. They had to be careful.
"Yep. Triple checked." Patting the bag at his side, Caules managed to find a smile. He had made sure he found what he deemed the safest case he had for the blueprints. Well, the safest he could get his hands on in such short notice.
Glancing over his shoulder, Lord El-Melloi II raised a brow. "That's a rather big case, don't you think?"
Releasing a faint chuckle in response, he gave a short shrug. "It's the only case I have that is unable to be broken into by magecraft. I figured I couldn't really risk losing anything now."
"I see." His stoic face remained steady. He led his student along, bringing him up towards the check in desk. "I just hope it's small enough to be your carry on."
Caules flushed, pausing in place as the realization hit him. Glancing upon his side, he noticed his teacher's implied observation may be correct.
Lord El-Melloi II sighed, nudging Caules in comfort. "I'm sure it'll be fine. It should be safe with the luggage. Try not to worry." He assured his student, forcing a small, yet encouraging smile. "Couldn't you also just carry the catalyst on your person?"
"I could…" Caules thought aloud. "I just worry about losing them. You know, if someone bumped into me too hard or if there was a pickpocketer in the airport…"
"I suppose that's also true." Although he was trying to be supportive of Caules's idea, he could tell he didn't share the same concerns as his student. Caules sighed.
As the pair made their way to the counter, Caules parked his bigger suitcase on the side while his professor began with his baggage. Once everything went smoothly there, the brunet took his turn, offering up the suitcase, but keeping the briefcase tight to his side. That was, until the woman spoke.
"I'm sorry, sir." She began professionally, yet softly. "I'm afraid that bag is too big to be your carry on." She motioned to the leather bag at his hip.
"Is it?" Though he tried to keep his tone civil, there was no hiding the confrontational inflection his words had. "It should fit in the overhead compartment if it can't fit in my seat."
The woman shook her head. "Unfortunately, since yours is a shorter flight, it is a smaller plane. There isn't as much room."
Caules continued to argue. "What if I pay more? I need this case with me on the flight." Desperation peaked out of his words.
She didn't relent, matching his pace. "Once again, I'm sorry. It would be unfair to the other passengers. But, I won't make you pay the fee for an extra checked bag." Her kindness didn't hit his ears as it should have as she began to tag the bags and load them onto the conveyor belt.
It was hard for him to part with his luggage. Unfortunately, he just didn't have the resources to bring the catalyst on board with him safely. Lord El-Melloi II had his smaller case that he was keeping his in, but it wasn't nearly big enough to house both of them. He took a deep breath as he handed his prized possession to the lady, praying to himself that nothing would go wrong.
As they finished up there, the duo continued their walk to the gate. The way through was a more uneventful jaunt, not as many people walking to and fro. However, Caules knew there was one last thing he needed to do before boarding. He kept his eyes on guard, skimming through their path as they walked and soon enough, he finally caught his eyes on it. A payphone.
"I'll be right back." With that, he strayed from his teacher, forcing his way through the crowd and getting lost behind passerbys much taller than him. The intention to evade his teacher was genuine as there was business he needed to attend to before they got to the mansion.
Caules kept his guard up as he blended in at the phones. Silently, he placed the needed coins in to type in the familiar number and waited as it dialed up. His eyes were jittery, glancing in every direction to make sure no one was overhearing. Especially Lord El-Melloi II.
He let out a sigh of relief on hearing the voice pick up.
"Yggdmillennia residence." Recognizing the voice of one of the residential homunculi, Caules began.
"Hey, this is Caules." Murmuring into the phone, he made sure his hand was tight around the bottom to prevent any wandering ears. "I've got some news-"
The excitement in her voice overpowered him. "Oh, Master Caules! Will we be expecting you soon?"
"Uh, yeah. Can I speak to-"
"That is certainly wonderful news! We will ready a bed for you-"
Pinching the bridge of his nose, he groaned. "I need to speak with her." He stressed, hoping his tone would get through to the woman over the phone.
"Oh- Oh!" Upon realization, she complied. "Let me grab her, I do believe she's still sleeping."
"Take your time…" Caules, with a hint of irk, mumbled under his breath. He was still unable to keep his gaze off the crowd in defense.
A small settlement in his stomach emerged as he heard the new voice over the phone.
"H-Hello…?" The groggy voice of his sister rang through, accompanied by what Caules heard to be a yawn.
"Hey, Fi…" The brunet didn't let his voice raise in any manner. Any contact with her, especially in public, was a risky move, but with Lord El-Melloi II with him, he had to take extra precautions. Ever since his sister had given up magecraft, she had made an enemy of the Mage's Association and her extermination was vital for them. She had fled Europe for a while until things died down, but she eventually found herself back in Romania, living at the manor in secret.
"What's up? Are you okay…?" Caules heard her try to wake herself up to be more present.
"I'm coming home. I'm at the airport now." He admitted, biting his lip some as he hoped to move the conversation further, quickly. "There's another grail war going on there. And I'm participating again."
"Oh." Fiore stated. "I didn't know you had heard about it. Did you speak to Gordes about it? He's been making preparations." She presented her point with haste.
Caules found a tug of hesitation as she finished. Gordes? It struck him as weird for him to be brought up now, so he pressed for information. "I wasn't made aware of anything from him." He admitted, still keeping his voice down, but unable to ease the wary tone. "Is he participating as well?"
Fiore took a moment to herself as well. "He didn't want me to mention anything to you. But now that you're getting involved anyway, yes. He's planning to join as a master."
Upon hearing her words a heavy pit settled in his gut. "I see. I'll have to speak to him on the matter when I get there. Speaking of that…" He continued, knowing he had little time left to finish the call before his professor got suspicious. "I'm bringing a guest with me-"
"A friend of yours?" His sister cut him off, adorning a wary speech herself.
"My professor. Lord El-Melloi II." Caules understood the severity of the situation he was creating for Fiore, but he was also hoping she'd understand. "He was the one who told me about the grail war. He got me here and I think he would be a great help for us."
Caules could just feel the awkwardness from the receiving end tickle his ear. He understood his request was rather selfish, but most of his current plan was anyway.
Fiore broke the silence. "I'm going to trust you on this one, but I will be informing everyone here."
"I know. I don't want to put you in danger. I want you to be safe." He forced the lie through. "I assure you, nothing will happen. He won't do anything to out you to the Mage's Association." The residue lingering on his tongue left a pill-like taste from the lies that skated by his teeth. He truly wanted to believe what he was telling her, but he couldn't convince himself.
"I trust you, Caules." His sister repeated, keeping her tone with a hint of grace to keep him assured. "I'll send a car to pick you two up at the airport. We will have much to discuss when you arrive. We'll see you soon. Stay safe."
A deep and relieved breath escaped Caules. "Yeah. See you." With that, he hung up, accompanying his worry with a deep breath. After one more glance of his surroundings, he made his way back to Lord El-Melloi II.
As he approached, his teacher questioned him. "What was that about?" He asked with a bland curiosity.
"Oh, I was just calling home to let them know we're coming." He muddied the truth. "The fortress is still in good condition, so Gordes still lives there with the homunculi."
Lord El-Melloi II nodded. "I see. I'm sure it was of good use during the Great Holy Grail War. Though, I know you didn't get a chance to stay there long."
His retort took the form of a soft chortle, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, things really did take a strange turn, you could say." Finishing the thought, a new one struck Caules and he inquired. "Professor. You never really talk about your grail war. Why is that?" The pair began to find their ways to some seating, settling down in the chairs. "You speak very highly of your servant, so what else happened?" He realized it was a bit strange to ask his teacher such personal questions, but a grail war is anything but ordinary. And he was merely curious about the subject.
There was a faint hesitation that possessed Lord El-Melloi II. He took a second to lean back in his seat as he began. "I made a lot of mistakes and I hold a lot of regrets." His confession was true and showed no signs of reluctancy. "I am rather ashamed of who I was when that all started. I didn't have the courage to be the master I should have been, at first. But, similar to you, my servant changed me." He glanced down at the box he kept glued to his person.
"He inspired me. We weren't able to accomplish much together during the war, due to many factors. We went up against a lot of really strong servants. One being the strongest I've ever heard of. But my servant never wavered. We might not have won much, but I think the perspective I gained means more to me than any battle or grail." He was unable to hide the peering smile now. "I made it my duty in life to share his story as one of his devoted followers. That is my focus on life now. Not what I used to be."
Empathically, Caules listened to the man talk without interruptions. He had never been particularly close to his professor, but it felt like some walls were coming down. It only made sense to him. It did seem like people generally became closer after something as traumatic as a grail war. And since they had both experienced one before, it was easy to connect with others who had been given the same fate.
With that, Caules let the conversation drop.
It felt like forever until they got to board. The time in between was spent on small talk or the duo working on their own personal projects as they tried to stay low and undetectable at this time. The chances of running into another master heading to the grail war was slim, but not impossible. It was just safer to fly under the radar for the trip.
Caules's eyes didn't break away from the window for the entirety of the flight. Through the takeoff he just kept his gaze on the shrinking houses and during the landing he kept a hard look on the horizon, barely even noticing the faded command seal that was beginning to form on the back of his hand.
The duo was swift as they exited the aircraft, diligently making their way through customs and on to the baggage claim. Caules took a deep breath, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed as he followed the conveyor belt. It didn't take long before their main suitcases came tumbling down onto the belt and were swiftly retrieved by the pair. However, Caules was kept on his toes as he waited for his briefcase.
Five. Ten. Twenty minutes had passed with no sign of his case. Keeping his anxieties at bay was starting to become a difficult feat. He checked his watch again.
Lord El-Melloi II fixed his gaze on the student. "It will get here soon. Do not worry."
"I'm not." Caules retorted with a heavy sigh. "I just hope no one took it. It has my name on it-"
"Excuse me, sir." A feminine voice cut through the duo, grabbing their attention. She offered them a soft and frankly, sheepish smile. "Are either of you Caules Forvedge?"
Caules swallowed. "I am." He nodded, urging her to continue.
She proceeded on. "I'm very sorry to inform you of this…" Her smile only grew with pity as she revealed from behind her Caules's magic-proof luggage. Or at least, what remained of it.
The luggage had been mutilated. The once smooth, soft leather now torn hung on to the base of it for its life. The hard case was cracked into like a shell, leaving the footprint of what almost looked like a hammer decorating the perimeter of the built in lock.
Caules's face flushed on seeing the fate of his briefcase. While he applauded himself for thinking about magical intruders, it was obvious to him that he also needed to think about physical ones. But even if someone was trying to get into it for malicious means, even a mage would have a cleaner way of doing so. This was just quite a messy job.
The woman tried to give some assurance as Caules took the bag from her hands. "It doesn't look like anything has been stolen."
The brunet ignored her, placing it on the ground as he gently popped the lid open. With diligent haste he rummaged through the few clothes he used as padding and smaller items he filled it with, searching every crevice for the papers. After two rounds of retrieving and replacing items, his hunt ended with a growing sickness plaguing his stomach.
She was gone.
Caules was gone. The world around him turned into a muffled blur as his eyes refused to part with the luggage. The grip on his clothes only grew as his knuckles faded into a white and the tension in his muscles only constricted further as realization hit. A heaviness took over his, threatening to pull him down onto the ground, yet he held his position. But he couldn't shake the sinking dread that paralyzed him, forcing him to submit to the intruding thought that flooded through his brain.
How could he have been so stupid? This was his chance. His chance of being reunited with her. His last chance of ever seeing her again. He cursed himself for letting it slip away. For letting her be taken away again. He should have kept the papers on his person. He should have held them in his hands and clenched them to his chest the whole flight. He should have taken this more seriously. Because now, someone else had her blueprints. Someone else was going to summon her. To have her.
And he would have nothing.
Lord El-Melloi II mumbled a quick 'thanks' to the woman before turning his attention to his student. He crouched down to Caules's level, keeping a gentle, yet stern tone with him. "We need to keep moving. We need to get to the manor as soon as possible in order to come up with a plan and our next course of action."
"I don't have a catalyst…" Caules's words only slide out as a grumble. He didn't look up.
"Your family must have something there." His teacher retorted. "If this is what it looks like, someone deliberately took your catalyst to use for themselves. This doesn't disqualify you from participating."
As much as he didn't want to admit it at this moment, Caules knew he was right. He could still join the grail war. He could still see her again. Just not in the way he had planned. Someone must still have their catalyst back home. Fiore, maybe. He couldn't give up now. He wanted to make everything up to Frakenstein. Even if she wasn't his servant, that didn't mean his wish was unattainable. He didn't have time to grieve now. No, this just meant he had to work even harder. He was going to make his dream a reality.
No matter the cost.
Fighting the pressure in his bones, the brunet pushed himself off the ground. His eyes met Lord El-Melloi II as his look hardened. "I'm not ready to give up yet."
"Good." The man nodded, turning on his heel to continue their trek. "Who knows, you may be able to get control of her during the war. These things are never predictable." His words almost brought a relief to Caules. He moved to follow his teacher. Lord El-Melloi II continued. "But I myself am interested in tracking down this culprit. It shouldn't be too difficult."
"How do you mean?" Caules tilted his head inquisitively.
"You see," He tilted his head to face his student. "We know this person is a mage of sorts, or the catalyst would be completely useless. A mage that must have known we would be departing from London for the grail war. And due to the lack of skills-"
"Of using a damn hammer-" Caules added.
"Instead of a lockpick. It's obvious this is an inexperienced mage. Perhaps a student or a young member of a visiting mage family."
Once again, his deductions made sense to Caules. Though they didn't have much time to search the airport for the thief now, he was sure Lord El-Melloi II would be able to track him during the war.
"The last thing we need to find is the whydunit." His professor nodded to himself. "You don't worry about that right now. Just focus on finding another catalyst."
Caules nodded in return, tightening the fist at his side as they continued on through the airport.
Caules had almost forgotten how long the drive to the manor was. It was quite easy to find the homunculus that was sent to transport them home, but the trip through the winding roads and enclosing forest was not one he particularly missed. The views were beautiful, but all too familiar and brought along memories he wanted to escape. He kept his gaze strictly out the window as he managed to engage in small talk with Lord El-Melloi II and their driver.
Soon enough, the fortress he used to call home came into view. As they approached he noticed some other Homunculi standing in the courtyard, awaiting their arrival. One made her way to the car, bringing a warm smile with her.
"Welcome home, Master Caules. Lord El-Melloi II." She greeted both, bowing slightly as she faced Caules's professor out of respect.
Lord El-Melloi II managed a smile of his own. "Thank you for letting us stay here."
"Oh, of course." She began to lead them towards the manor as she continued. "These grail wars can be quite dangerous and we prefer to offer a safe place for you to stay."
Caules couldn't help but scan the area around them as they walked. He noticed statues replaced that were previously damaged from the last war, what looked like new windows for the fortress, a group of younger looking homunculi playing with the piling snow in the courtyard and lastly, the garden.
The brunet felt his heart grow heavy at the sight. Infiltrating his thoughts were memories of him and Frankenstein sitting in the garden together. It was almost funny. The last time he really spent time in the garden it was filled with colorful flowers that covered the silky grass and their petals that soared through the wind. But now, it was gone, completely overtaken and captured by the December snow that had filled whatever life was now underneath it. The beauty of spring had been lost. Just like her. Remembering their time together hurt, learning about each other and the wishes they wanted He didn't have a wish then, but upon being reminded of their past he knew his wish now was locked.
As they entered the manor, Caules was filled with a little bit of relief. Now that they were finally home, they could get on with this war. He was only praying that someone had an extra catalyst for him to borrow. He was sure if Gordes didn't have something, Fiore would. He immediately wanted to search out his older sister but figured it would be better to wait. He wasn't sure what preparations she needed before facing Lord El-Melloi II.
However, he didn't need to search any further for the head of the fortress as making his way down the stairs was the familiar figure of Gordes, waddling down with his signature jaunt. "Welcome, welcome!" Approaching the duo, he reached a hand to shake with Lord El-Melloi II, clasping his hand in his own.
"You must be Gordes. It's a pleasure to meet you." Lord El-Melloi II greeted him in return.
"Oh, the pleasure is all mine." Gordes shook his head, still grasping his hand. "It is a treat to have such an esteemed lord of the Clock Tower visit us." Though it felt weird hearing him this way, his words were coated in genuinity. The pride Gordes generally carried with him was nowhere to be seen.
A feeling of unease possessed Caules as the scene took place. He always remembered Gordes being a prideful and rather cantankerous man. But this man was different, almost enchanted by a spell of goodwill and compassion. It was weird, but he wasn't complaining. It only made sense for someone to change so much in two years, especially after what they had all gone through together.
"But let's not linger too long." Gordes finally parted from the lord. "We've much to talk about. I hear you both are participating in the grail war. Firstly, I'd like to offer an alliance, as well as some information given to me by-" Caules winced silently as the man hesitated. He was sure it was Fiore who had done the digging into the war thus far and he wasn't sure what excuse he had planned.
"By your visiting Swedish cousin, er, Felicia." With an apprehensive chuckle, he urged the duo to follow him.
"She had participated in an earlier grail war." Caules, thinking too shortly before speaking, whispered to Lord El-Melloi II. "In Bergen." The first city that came to his head.
Lord El-Melloi II nodded. "I see. She will be of great assistance, then."
Had he really tricked him? It almost felt like it. However, his professor was quite hard to read. He would have to try and monitor it. He needed to keep his sister safe.
Upon entering the dining room, Caules held his breath as his eyes met the figure already seated in the room. Fiore. She looked different, though. Instead of her chocolate brown locks, they had been bleached into a bright ice blonde, accompanied by a caramel iris in her eyes that replaced the sky blue that once previously resided. It looked like she was free of her crutches as well, rather, having a cane that rested on the table next to her. Her eyes met his.
They each gave each other a short nod before the group settled in their seats. Fiore began. "Thank you both for joining us. There is much to discuss." She didn't waste any time as she opened the folder that rested on the table in front of her, retrieving some documents and placing them out for everyone to see. "I don't know what all you two have heard, but we have reason to believe that servants from the Lancer class, Assassin class, and the Archer class have been summoned already."
"I have received similar information." Lord El-Melloi II nodded along.
Caules noticed that Fiore had yet to actually look his professor in the face. She continued. "Along with that, there have been a series of disappearances around Trifas."
"Disappearances?" The brunet mimicked her, tilting his head.
"Yes. The forests around the manor have been deemed unsafe by the villagers. However, it seems like the surrounding villages are also falling victim to this."
Lord El-Melloi II listened intently to her words, quietly lighting his cigar. "When did these disappearances start?"
"Just a few days ago." Gordes was the one who spoke up this time. "It was quite sudden."
"It sounds like the work of a powerful servant." Lord El-Melloi II took a long drag.
Fiore finally dared to face him. "I agree. It is too coincidental. Especially with how many are going missing each night."
Caules chimed in, leaning on the table as he glanced over his sister's documents. "I feel like it would have to be someone familiar with that land. Probably a master we've faced before-"
"Or a servant." Lord El-Melloi II's comment caught Caules's attention.
Fiore agreed. "Exactly. And I have my suspicions. But I don't know how he would do it…"
"Who?"
Her look hardened as she looked over the group. "Lancer of Black. Vlad III."
Though Caules stayed composed on the outside, a chill trickled down his spine on hearing that name again. It was scary enough to be on the same team as the impaler, he couldn't imagine how ominous things would be for them if she was right and he was one of the servants they were facing.
Lord El-Melloi II sat up some, curiosity filling his head with ideas. The entire room could see the gears making haste. "That is quite probable."
"I think that depends on his master." Fiore picked up where she left off. "I do not have any information on who that could be, though. We know it cannot be Darnic." She gently tapped her nails against the wood beneath her hand. "It could be any master who steps foot in Romania. There is no doubt dozens of catalysts for him must be around Trifas. Maybe even beyond that…"
"But what we don't have is the missing piece. The whydunit…" Lord El-Melloi II gripped the cigar in his hand.
Fiore shook her head. "Whydunit is irrelevant at the moment. I'm not even confident in my suggestion." Without even a hint of embarrassment, she admitted her worry. "While all logical signs point to Lancer of Black, there have been no sightings of the stakes he uses to impale his victims. That, mixed with a lack of howdunit, leaves me weary of jumping immediately to that conclusion. I just figured that is our best lead. We mustn't rule out any other servant. We do have confirmation of two others running around."
Lord El-Melloi II, usually quite the stoic man, let his facade take control as he sent Fiore a disapproving gaze. "That is where you're incorrect, Ms. Felicia." His lips met his cigar again for a brief moment. "The whydunit is the most crucial part. Let me explain." He set his cigar down, leaning over the table with his elbows and hands folded. His focus was on her.
"In our world of magic, I'm sure you understand that magecraft is the keystone of life. Because of this, mysteries are already difficult enough to solve. Can you understand why?" He prodded har.
The blonde pondered on it for a moment. She bit her lip. "Because of the range of what it can do?"
"Exactly." There was a hint of pride in his praise. "Since magecraft has the ability to achieve so much, the howdunit can, theoretically, be done in an infinite amount of ways, even by those who cannot usually perform magic in a normal scenario. This is also a reason the whodunit can be difficult to uncover as well. The only true way of getting to the bottom is the whydunit, because once you know the motive, the other pieces will all naturally fall into place."
The woman took another moment to herself, simmering in the information passed on to her, as a master would for a student. "That is a perspective I have never thought of."
"Your observations are still quite impressive." He didn't shy away from her achievements. "With your mind focused on the whydunit, it will be easy for you to reveal the mysteries that are haunting Trifas. Even if you have much to learn."
"I appreciate your help and guidance. This issue will affect all three of you in the grail if not resolved."
"We will need to investigate this at once. But for now, we should carry on with the next matter" Shifting the conversation to include the others, he resumed his lax position in his seat. "I presume you wish to talk about our servants as well."
She nodded. "That was my next point."
Caules stayed silent. He wasn't sure when the right moment to enter the conversation was. He almost felt like an outsider listening in. Fiore always had been the smarter one, and her speaking with Lord El-Melloi II reiterated that point. He truly knew nothing about the grail war. Just like last time, he was in the dark on most of this and watching two people he was close with talk so intelligently about it shrunk him. He felt small.
Luckily, Gordes saved him from these thoughts as he carried on. "We were curious as to who you were planning on summoning. Or at least, what class." His attention turned to the lord. "We Yggdmillennia were part of a team in the last grail war, so we knew the true names of each other's servants. But we understand this is not a common thing, so you don't have to share anything you're not comfortable with."
"I appreciate the thought." Lord El-Melloi II closed his eyes. "If we are to be compatriots in the war I have no problem with sharing the class of my servant. He is of the Rider class." He peered over back to Gordes, hoping to receive information as well. "As for you?"
Gordes gave a hearty chuckle, accompanied by a prideful beam. "Recently I have been traveling around Europe. I wanted to find the best servant to aid me in this war and I believe I found who I was looking for down in Italy. Someone so powerful that they will live up to the reputation of Sabers being the strongest class!"
Caules hummed to himself. It made sense Gordes would be after another Saber. Although he had humbled himself quite a bit, under that shell was still the lingering demeanor of an arrogantly prideful man.
Fiore redirected the conversation, turning her attention to showcase her younger brother. "And you are still planning on summoning someone from the Berserker class, correct?"
The heating in his cheeks grew, however, the chill that had been stalking him finally struck his nerves. He forced his dry mouth past the hesitation. "Uh-, no." He felt the leery eyes of the Yggdmillennia members quickly lay to rest upon him and he straightened up. He needed to take accountability for his mistake.
"No?" Fiore parroted him.
"N-no?" Gordes followed along, his once bright beam struggling to be maintained. The curls of his smile seemed to quiver, his eyes nearly twitching from the newly heard information from the boy.
"My magic-proof luggage got broken into." He began his explanation with caution. This wasn't the time for anyone to explode at each other. "It was messed up pretty badly. They didn't take anything but the catalyst."
Fiore gently pinched the bridge of her nose, releasing a tight sigh. "Caules-"
Finally, Gordes' pristine veneer faltered. "Are you serious?" The tone in Gordes's voice had sharpened, becoming exasperated. "Surely this wasn't your only catalyst. You have a backup, correct?"
Embarrassed, Caules pressed on, refusing to back down from the conflict. "I don't I was hoping I cou-"
"Caules, you had one job! And that was to get your catalyst here safely!" The man snapped, his words shooting out at the brunet with an edge.
"Hey!" Caules bit back. "I'm trying! This was all thrown on me less than twelve hours ago!"
"Maybe, but as the head of your family you should be able to take these things head on and adapt to them!" The pale complexion he normally adorned had burst into a bright crimson, mimicking a balloon ready to burst. "You should have known better!"
"I'm going to handle it!" Caules clenched his teeth a bit as he spat his words at the man. "I'm getting it under control!"
"Darnic was ri-"
Interceding the conflict was the thunderous crack of a cane hitting the table over and over. Glaring past her bangs, Fiore shot daggers at the quarreling duo, taking on the role of a mediator. "Enough. This nonsense won't get us anywhere."
Caules retreated. "I'm sorry." Sincerity reached his sister and she gave a short nod to acknowledge him.
Without mumbling another word, Gordes settled in his seat once more with a curt grumble, burying his head downward to avoid a further confrontation.
Fiore continued, gingerly. "This is a bit problematic."
"Don't we have any catalysts from the last war laying around?" The brunet pushed harder. The anticipation had been haunting him since the airport and he craved answers. He needed this.
Her face softened, her brows lowering in a sense of pity as she quickly glanced to Gordes, then back to her brother. Her words were sheepish. "No. Most everything got destroyed or lost in the last war. That is why Gordes had to travel to Italy to retrieve another one."
Caules felt his heart sink. As hard as he tried, he just couldn't find the words to force out. His chances of entering the war now seemed slim. He shook his head.
"No. There's got to be something." His fists were clenched, narrowing his gaze on the table. "I'm not taking no for an answer. I'm not giving up now. I've waited two years. I'm done waiting."
"Caules we-" Fiore was quickly cut off.
"No." Caules repeated, laced with bitter this time. "We'll find something."
His sister's face fell into a sorrowful frown. The brunet's determination was hard to match right now. It was strange for her to see him this way. But, as she wanted to beam from how much he has seemed to grow, she couldn't break herself from the melancholy shield that gripped her.
Lord El-Melloi gently broke the tension. "Boy." He tilted his figure to face his student. "Don't make me regret this." With that, the small box he kept on his person was finally freed from the lord, being sent down the table and into Caules's hands. "I expect you to take good care of it. I don't think I need to tell you what will happen if you lose this one."
His eyes widened. It felt surreal, holding the most precious thing to Lord El-Melloi II. His hands didn't feel worthy of possessing such a treasure. He only had one question. "Why?"
"I see something. Something very familiar to me." For a moment, Caules could have sworn he caught a faint smile curling up on his face. "A young student, with much he needs to prove. And it's my duty as your teacher to give you that opportunity."
"Thank you. Thank you so-"
Lord El-Melloi II lifted a hand, a gentle warning. "None of that. Prove yourself worthy of it." He brought his cigar up to his lips once more. "It looks like I'll be entering this war as an observer this time."
Caules only nodded in response to his teacher. Though they didn't exchange any more words on the matter, the hole that was left from losing the catalyst was quickly overflowing with gratitude. It may not be Frankenstein, but he was still in the war. And he knew he'd be able to see her again soon.
"Well then." Clasping her hands together, Fiore proceeded towards the end of their discussions. "We will prepare the summoning circles tonight. As for now, I know you two have had an early journey to be able to meet with us. We will show you to your rooms and you can get settled before we jump into things." Carefully, she lifted herself from her spot, stabilizing herself with the cane by her side.
"We appreciate your generosity." Lord El-Melloi thanked her with a short bow.
She smiled in return. "Of course. You both deserve a rest. Once this grail war officially starts, there won't be much time for that." With that, the blonde urged them to follow, escorting them to their respective rooms.
After his professor was brought to his room, Caules split off and quietly made his way to his old room at the manor. Without drawing too much attention, he gingerly closed the door behind him before he raced to the bed. Forcing himself into a leap, he landed into the soft sea of blankets. He needed this time for himself. So much happened in such a short time and he didn't even have a moment to process anything.
Releasing a sigh that he had been carrying for so long, Caules stared at the back of his hand. The old command seal he used to adorn was long gone now, but now he was faced with the new one that formed. While he was grateful that he was able to find a new catalyst to join the war, it hurt knowing she wouldn't be on his team. It was hard to stay strong, but he had to. For her.
After getting an adequate amount of rest, the brunet decided to get some work done. He dug into his suitcase, pulling out a few handheld metal boxes. His latest project. Placing the pieces of metal on the table, he retrieved a couple of tools to tinker with his creation. As he was doing so, a gentle knock brushed the door.
"Caules? Can I come in?" Fiore gingerly scooted the door open, peering in to see what he was up to.
"Hey." He helped her with the rest of the door before retreating back to his spot at the desk. "What's up?" His attention didn't linger on her for long, instead his focus locked on his work.
This caught Fiore's interest. "Oh? What's that?" Using the desk to help support her, she leaned over to catch a glimpse.
His head tilted up towards her for a moment. "Hm? This?" Showcasing the metal cube that rested in his hands. "It's a mini generator."
"What's it for?" She hummed.
"You see," Caules began, burying the excitement he held onto while talking about his interests. "This is a personal project I've been working on since I started school. You infuse the generator with just a little bit of electric energy and it amplifies it. It makes the spell or attack more powerful without using as much personal mana. Well, that's what it is supposed to do. Most of the prototypes are a bit… unstable, and they explode after use."
Intrigued, she continued on. "So, for a servant who uses it, it would harness the magical energy to take less strain off them and, say, potentially save them from a suicide move?" Fiore kept her sweet smile on for her brother.
"Exactly." Nodding along, it didn't hit at first. Then it did. "W-Wait!" He dropped the generator, sending his sister a look that matched embarrassment. "It's not like that! I mean, not originally." Shaking his head, he found himself again. "It was originally made to assist me in Crafted Tree, but now that I had another shot at the grail, I figured it would be useful for her too." He fiddled with the screwdriver between his fingers. "Well at least I hoped it would. Blasted Tree is more than just an electrical burst of lightning, it is an attack that is powered by her will to fight and win. So, at best it would merely help her control all that power so it wouldn't destroy her. If she can conduct it correctly, she shouldn't deactivate and should be able to rebound from it."
Wobbling across the room, Fiore settled on the bed to rest. Her smile only grew sweeter as he spoke. "How did you learn all that?"
His retort came quickly. "It was all in the blueprints, I just missed it the first time." He admitted. "You know I wasn't really interested in all this grail war stuff last time."
"I do in fact remember." His sister agreed, setting her cane down. "You've grown a lot since then." Her eyes scanned over him. Though she already knew the answer, she asked anyway. "What changed?"
Keeping his head down at his work, Caules offered a short shrug. "I don't know…" It was a lie and they both knew it. He tried to find the words for her. He didn't want to come off as just being some lovesick puppy. He didn't want this to seem like a passing fling. It was almost motifying. "I… I just miss her."
"She meant a lot to you." Attempting to reassure him, Fiore softened her tone even more. "I get it. I think most people develop some sort of relationship with their servants. I think yours was just a bit more than normal."
"It's dumb, isn't it?" He sighed.
Fiore shook her head. "No, I don't think so. Do I think this is the most level-headed reason for joining a grail war? Probably not. Do I think it's super sweet? Of course." She forced herself up once more, making her way back to the desk to place a hand on his shoulder. "Just come back alive, okay?"
The anticipation that sat in Caules's gut quickly dispersed on hearing his sister's support. He couldn't fight the smile that forced itself on his face. "I will. Thank you, Fiore."
Fiore patted his shoulder. "We'll be preparing the summoning ritual soon. Please come down to the main hallway when you're ready. We need to meet your servants and work towards an initial plan of strategy." With that, Fiore went to take her leave and Caules observed her.
She was quite admirable to him, if he was being honest. While there was still a hint of envy that still found its way into Caules' head sometimes, he overall held a high image of his sister. She had always been such a hard worker and even now, in a grail war that wasn't even her own, she was determined to help out her disbanded clan members.
While he was a bit disappointed she couldn't fight directly beside him, he was still sure of his decision to take on the role as head of the family. She deserved a normal life and the ability to walk. And frankly, she was one of the last people he would want to lose in a grail war and her direct involvement at this state might even be fatal. He didn't want to risk her safety.
Caules took the time he needed to ready himself for the ritual before heading out of his room. Trekking down the hallway, his eyes peered over the balcony to see the summon circles were already drawn out flawlessly on the ground. He realized he was the last person to arrive and made haste to meet up with the group as he bounced down the stairs. He made his way over and took his spot next to Gordes, despite the awkward air that fluttered back and forth between the two. He took a deep breath.
This felt all too familiar to Caules. Two years ago, they all stood in these very spots as they took the final step in their preparations for the grail war. He couldn't help but feel the sullen drop his heart felt as his eyes scanned the foyer. Back then, there were six of them with servants, four of which summoned their servants together. And now, there were only three members of the Yggdmillennia clan and only two were able to participate.
Taking his stance on the summoning circle, he stood across from Gordes. Circling the duo were the rest of the observers, as well as a few curious homunculi. He sent a quick glance to his sister, swallowing some. She returned his look and offered a smile in response.
"Are you two ready?" Fiore asked, posture straightened as she kept her place next to Lord El-Melloi II.
"Of course." Gordes stated proudly. Caules only retorted with a short nod and a grunt.
His eyes moved from the blonde to his teacher. As their eyes met, Caules noticed something different. A closer observation, maybe? Lord El-Melloi's stoic condition forced Caules into ignorance. He had no idea what was behind his eyes.
On the other hand, Lord El-Melloi II, although refusing to show his true nature, was struck with a feeling of nostalgia. Watching the duo caused the release of memories flooding back into his own mind. Although the scene was much different from the one back then, seeing Caules' arm outstretched towards the catalyst Lord El-Melloi cared for so dearly forced him into another location. And then, he was back there. Back to the forest where it all began for him. Just like him, he was a young kid, still in school, who was using a catalyst meant for another. But the biggest similarity he noticed was the determination that Caules held onto with a death grip. He wasn't sure if seeing his younger self in Caules was a good thing or not. But he had to be here to support his student. He didn't want to regret his decision.
Caules and Gordes faced each other. With their palms opened and held strongly, they began their chant. "Let silver and steel be the essence. Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the foundation..."
Caules recited the words nearly perfectly. He remembered how, though successful, his last incantation was riddled with stuttering and nervousness, but this one, he forced confidence to possess his words. The only moment his lips trailed into hesitation was when he got to the part where last time he was adding the extra phrase to ensure his servant would be of the Berserker class. However, he quickly recovered.
"From the Seventh Heaven, attended to by three great words of power, come forth from the ring of restraint, protector of the holy balance!"
As the duo finished their chants, the room was suddenly infiltrated by a radiating light that struck all of them momentarily blind, accompanied by a gust of aggressive wind. Caules was quick to clenched his eyes closed, being aware and ready for it because of last time.
As he finally peered his eyes opened, he fought his gaze past the rising smoke that swiftly filled the room. Fanning his arm to disperse the fog, at first all he could make out at first was a flash of red emerging from Gordes' summoning circle. Though this view was quickly disrupted as a force began to rise from his own summoning circle, taking residence in front of him. As he focused further, his eyes were forced wider as he glanced up and noticed the towering figure leaning over him. He released a quick gasp in surprise as the figures spoke to each of them, respectively.
"So, you've summoned me again, boy."
"Are you my master? Umu!"