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I stand perfectly still as Arcueid Brunestud, the Tsukihime herself, stands in front of me.
'Shit, shit, shit! What is she doing here!?' I internally scream. 'She isn't even canon to the Fate series! Why is she here!?'
'Calm yourself. Now is not the time to freak out.' Khonshu advised.
My eye twitches. 'Don't fucking tell me to calm down! You're not the one standing before the vessel of the World itself! She can fucking kill me without moving a literal finger!' I cried. 'Also how the fuck are you so calm!? Do you not know who and WHAT she is!?'
'Of course I know! That is EXACTLY why you need to calm down!' Khonshu's voice lost its cool. 'She is an existence that can't be comprehended by gods. She is more akin to the planet itself given a human form. If she really wanted us dead, we wouldn't even be talking now would we!?'
"Hey. Are you alright?" Arcueid tilts her head. "You've been staring at me for the past 3 minutes?" She walks forward and waves her hand on my face. "Helloooo? Anyone home?"
My body jolts at how close she is to me. "W-What?"
"Finally. And here I thought you had fallen asleep." Arcueid places her hands on her hips. "So, are you going to answer my question?"
"W-What question?" I asked.
"That you are the source of that weird presence I've been tracking."
"Define weird."
Arceiud puts her finger on her chin. "Well… it felt like my dad but only on a smaller scale and his power has been diluted."
'So, she's been tracking Khonshu.' I thought. "If I said that I was the source, what would you do?" In that instant, an overwhelming pressure washes over me as I use all of my strength just to stand.
"What would I do? I think the answer's obvious." Arcueid began before giving me a goofy smile. "I have no idea!"
I deadpanned. "... huh?"
"Yeah. I sort of came here without a plan…" Arcueid admits. "Oh! Maybe I'll ask him why he missed so many birthdays, and beat him up for missing so many birthdays!"
'... what?' Even Khonshu was surprised.
"So… you really have no idea what to do?" I asked.
Arcueid nods. "Yup! Nothing at all!"
'Oh my god, this girl is a Class-A airhead!' I thought before letting out a sight. 'Oh well, at least I'm safe for now.'
"So, if you're not my dad then what are you?" Arcueid asked.
"Well to put it simply, I am a human though I'm more… unique than everybody else." I answered. "As you can already sense, I do share a connection to the Moon just like you. I am the [Moon Knight]."
"Oh my gosh, that's so cool! Are you a superhero?!" Arcueid asks with literal sparkles on her face.
I scratch the back of my head. "Hehehe… yeah."
"Are you a magus?" Arcueid then asks.
"No, and I'm actually glad I'm not." My response was full of venom.
Arcueid notices the shift in my tone. "You don't like magi, do you?"
"No, I don't. I don't think anyone would if they found out what they actually do to achieve their research." While I know there are good magi out there, I simply cannot agree with their methods, the Holy Grail War itself is a prime example of that. "I just want to stop the war before it gets out of hand."
Arcueid arches an eyebrow. "War? What war?"
I give the True Ancestor a look. "You… don't know? The Holy Grail War. That ritual that takes place here every 60 years where magi kill each other to gain a wish?"
"Oh." Arcueid makes an "O" face. "It's that time already?"
"Wait, don't tell me you came to Fuyuki without knowing what the hell is going on?" I said.
Arcueid bonks her head and winks. "Teehe~"
"This girl is an idiot." Even Khonshu can't help but deadpan at the funny vampire.
I let out an annoyed sigh. This girl is the definition of an airhead! I'm surprised she managed to track me down without getting distracted by the first shiny thing she saw. She didn't even know there was a secret battle royal going on.
Now that I think about it, why hasn't anyone hunted her down yet? Someone like the White Princess of the True Ancestors would certainly garner attention from the magi. But then I remember one particular detail about Arcueid: she's Zelretch's foster granddaughter. The man cares and loves her like his own flesh and blood.
If any magi decide to try to hunt, or hell, hurt her they will incur the Wizard Marshall's wrath. Supposedly, he threatened to send the entire Clocktower into the Event Horizon of a Black Hole if they came close to her.
And when you have a Magician making threats, you know you're in deep shit.
"I'm guessing since you came all this way, you don't have any plans, right?" I asked.
"I guess. I mostly came here because of you." She admits.
I blush under the mask. Damn, she is so forward! "In that case, why not hang out together?"
Arcueid tilts her head cutely. "Hang out…?"
"Yeah." I nod. "I vowed to protect the night and although you are different, I can sense that we are similar in that regard. It's almost like we're destined to meet here." I then let out a chuckle. "It's like I was meant to be your knight."
"Yeah… Yeah!" Arcueid exclaims at the realization. "I never had my own knight before! And I'm technically royalty, so I don't know why I never thought of that!"
"Well, there's a first time for everything." I told her.
"It's official then, I'll stay in Fuyuki City!" Arcueid extends her left arm to me. "You best take good care of me!"
"Same to you." I take her hand and shake it. I could feel a connection forming between us.
I am Thou… Thou art I…
Thou has acquire a new vow,
It shall become the path to Fate
That severe the deceitfulness of corrupted Destiny.
With the birth of the Sun Persona,
I have obtained the winds of blessing that
shall guide thee to a true route and new power…
[Star] Confidant [Arcueid Brunestud] has been attained!
The following perk [Moonlight] has been unlocked!
Moonlight: Rank A
Increases Luck by 12
"Looks like you have made a force of nature into an ally. I'm impressed." Khonshu said.
"This is gonna be so much fun!" Arcueid smiles.
I smile as well before realizing something. "Oh right, do you have a place to stay by any chance? I'd hate to just leave you out on the streets without a roof over your head."
Arcueid simply made a "it's fine" gesture. "Oh, don't worry. I rented a hotel room a couple of blocks away. I'll be fine." The camera then switches to the firefighters putting out the flames to the buildings. "I was originally going to stay in that building, but the moment I sensed a Bounded Field I bolted out of there and looked for another hotel. Good thing I did, right?"
I look down at the ruined building. "That's true."
Arcueid then looks blankly at the city. "Hey, can I ask you for a favor? Could you… help me with something?"
I turned my attention to her. "Sure. I don't see why not. What is it exactly?"
"For a while now, I've been sensing some odd disturbances with the land. Like something is draining the Mana from the [Ley Lines]." Arcueid said.
"That's normal in Fuyuki. The Holy Grail requires a lot of energy from the land itself." I said. " But I believe what you're sensing is the work of a Servant, a Caster to be exact. Casters prefer to set up their workshops closer to a [Ley Line]. The closer one is to the Greater Grail, the more potent it is."
"Hm, I guess that makes sense. I would also gander that this Caster is also responsible for the recent disappearances, though I don't get why they'd kidnapped children specifically." Arcueid said.
I take a sharp breath, knowing exactly why the children are disappearing.
That's when Arcueid gets an idea. "Hey. How about we go and investigate?"
"Huh?"
"Yeah! Let's go find those kids since no one else is doing it!" The True Ancestor exclaims.
"I suppose… it's not like I had better plans." I remark as a screen appears in front of me.
Quest activated
Ley Line issues
Objective: Track down the abnormality with Arcueid.
Objective 2: Kill Gilles de Rais and Ryuunosuke Uryuu
Reward: 14,745 EXP, ¥224,631, Ryuunosuke's Command Seal
Failure: Death
"Great! I'm so happy you're coming along!" Arcueid tackles me into a bear hug, smothering me in her very generous assets.
'Oh boy… it's a good thing those teenage hormones haven't kicked in yet.' I thought.
'Boy, I need to come to the tower.' Khonshu orders.
'Okay, but how do I-WHOA!' In an instant, my vision shrinks as I feel something pulling me back before everything goes black.
When I open my eyes, instead of being on the rooftop I am now inside the [Tower of Babel] though it's different. For one, instead of a massive open space with a spiral staircase it is now a small room with red curtains everywhere.
"You are here. Good." I turn around and Khonshu is towering over me.
"You could have given me a little heads up before pulling something like that." I said.
"And why would I do that? It's more entertaining watching you shit your pants." The Egyptian God chuckles.
I look around at the bizarre place. "Why did you bring me here? This isn't the same place where we first met."
Khonshu merely moves aside, revealing a table with a massive book laying there.
I look at Khonshu before walking towards the table and stare at the book and my eyes widen at what's embroiled on the cover.
A large, golden V.
"This is-!"
"[Le Grimoire], your Persona Compendium." Khonshu reveals.
I raise my hand and reach out to grab the book, only for the book to suddenly electrocute me!
"Ouch! What the fuck!?" I hiss in pain as I nurse my hand.
Khonshu bellows into a fit of laughter. "Did you actually THINK I brought you here so you could TAKE the book!? Sorry to burst your bubble, but that's not happening!" He then raises his hand as the compendium rises from the table
"Huh?" I watch as the book floats towards Khonshu and grabs it.
"This is the place where you change your Personas. The others aren't allowed or even know that this part of the Tower exists." Khonshu explains.
"So how are you here?" I asked.
"Let's just say that I am special compared to the others." Khonshu said. "There is no Velvet Room in this world, nor a guide to help you on your journey or nurture your power. As a result, those roles have fallen to me."
"Huh…" I mutter as his words sink in. "So if I want to change my arsenal, I need to come to you." The summon nods. "Y'know, this is becoming more and more like a video game, right?"
"Just choose already." The Egyptian God grumbles as he lets go of the compendium and lets it slowly drift towards me. As it does, the compendium opens revealing detailed drawings of familiar entities.
After a couple of minutes of browsing, I chose four new Personas.
Are you sure this is what you desire?
[Y/N]
The compendium closes and it floats back to Khonshu. "It's done. How do you feel?"
I put a hand on my head. "It's weird. I feel… different but also… lighter?"
"It is only natural. Now, it is time to return to the real world. It would be best not to keep a princess waiting."
My vision loses focus as I felt lightheaded before collapsing.
"Hm, huh!?" I blink as I find myself staring downwards towards the streets. "What the hell!?"
"Oh good! My plan worked!" Arcueid said as she held my legs.
"What the hell are you doing!?" I scream in fright.
Flashback
"Well, after I hugged you, you sort of just…froze on the spot. I tried different ways of snapping you out of it but nothing was working." Arcueid is shown doing various things: throwing a water bucket, sounding a horn right at the ear, painting his mask, eating ramen, among more ridiculous actions. Yet no matter what she did, nothing worked.
"After careful consideration, I decided that if I couldn't wake up normally then maybe the fear of death will." She stands up and grabs him by his knees and lets him dangle by the edge of the roof.
Flashback ends
I stare at her blankly at the absurdity of her plan. "You could have killed me."
"Silly boy, people only die when they're killed." Arcueid gives me a beaming smile.
'And with that, I rest my case.' I groan as she pulls me back to the roof.
I slowly stand up as I adjust my mask and hood. "How long was I out?"
"You've been like that for five hours."
My eyes are as wide as dinner plates. "FIVE HOURS!?"
"Yeah. What was that about?" Arcueid asked.
"It's complicated and it'll take a long time to explain. Time which we don't really have, so we should probably get started on our investigation." I told him.
"Right, right. But, where do we start? I'll take us the rest of night just to find any trace of Caster." Arcueid said.
"You leave that to me. I'll fight his trail in no time." I told her.
"Oh? Are you going to use one of your superhero powers!?" Arcueid asks.
"Something like that." I turn to the city and activate my [Third Eye]. The eyes on the mask begin to glow blue as my red eyes gain a blue ring around the pupil.
From my perspective, the entire world gains a darker filter giving the city a noir-like vibe. From beyond the city, I spot two blue lights on the horizon where Miyama Town is. I then shift my sights to the forest where I see a similar phenomenon and then finally one is nearby.
'Those must be Bounded Fields. The ones further out are likely from the Tohsaka and the Matou estates. The one in the forest is the Einzbern Castle and the last one is the Kotomine Church. Waver Velvet was staying with an elderly couple and likely never erected a Bounded Field. If he did, it would most likely alert the other Master of his location.' I keep looking through the city until something catches my attention. There's a purple haze emanating near the outskirts of the city. "Found them."
"Whoa, already!?" Arcueid asks..
I leap off the roof and follow the trail.
"H-Hey! Wait up!" Arcueid quickly follows in toe.
Later
I stare at the entrance to the sewers. "This is it…"
On queue, Arcueid arrives next to me. "You could have given me a heads up before you bolted."
I glance at the True Ancestor. "It's not my fault you're too slow."
Arcueid puffs her cheeks. "Meanie!"
'So cute.' I turn my attention back to the sewer entrance. "The trail ends here, which means Caster and their Master are inside." I said as I took my first step on the threshold.
"!" Arcueid's eyes widened. "Get back!"
"...!?" I leap back as something bursts from the ground, revealing itself to be a large black mass of tentacles. It has no limbs or a lower body, making it impossible to describe with words. There is a circular mouth at the end of each one of those endless tentacles. The mouths contain razor-sharp teeth like a shark's. Although the origins of those creatures are unknown, they're definitely not a living being by nature. They might be creatures from another world, and that world does not obey the natural laws.
Arcueid takes a sniff and immediately gags at the smell. "Ew! What is that!?"
I use [Analysis] on the creature.
Horror
LV: 8
HP: 27
MP: 0
SP: 6
Weakness: ?
It's one of Caster's familiars. He uses humans as sacrifices to summon these things." I state.
"S-Sacrifice!?" Arcueid said.
"Dodge!" The familiar lets out a screech and sends its tentacles at us. The two of us easily dodge the attack, but it seems that was a distraction as more familiars appear from nowhere.
Now the fight has just got a little harder. I need a weapon to kill these bastards. I open the menu and quickly skim through [Equipment] that may help, and finally find what I was looking for.
Paradise Lost R.
This is one of my favorite weapons in the game, and also one of the most difficult ones to get. At least for me, anyway.
ERROR! ERROR!
Level required: 70
Oh, you have got to be shitting me! First the compendium and now this!? Can't I have one good thing today!?
With no other option, I equip the [Murasame] and make a dash towards the monsters. The familiars try to grab me with their tentacles, but they are easily sliced off by my dagger as I move closer to them.
"[Brave Blade]!" I swing my katana in an arc, creating an energy wave that splits the monster in half, causing them to explode in a gorey mess of blood and guts.
You have defeated Horror(x3)! You have gained 609 EXP! You have earned ¥20,111!
Level Up(x2)!
Arcueid runs up to me. "Wow! That was amazing! I didn't know you could do that!"
I glare at her. "Where were you? You could have helped."
"You didn't look like you needed help, so I decided to leave you be." Arcueid said.
"..." I couldn't argue with her logic. I didn't really need her help, at least not for this.
"By the way," She pointed to the weapon in my hands. "Where did that come from? You didn't have it a minute ago."
I look at [Murasame] before internally cursing myself. Crap! How the hell am I supposed to explain this to her!? I can't just say that it's because I'm a Gamer, that wouldn't make sense!
Arcueid's eyebrows furrowed as she notices my odd behavior. "It's alright. I know a [Magician] when I see one."
My train of thought stops to a crawl as I look at her. "Huh?"
"Look, I understand why you wanted to keep it a secret, we've only just met after all." Arcueid crosses her arms. "Still, I never thought I'd meet another [Magician], and one so young at that. It must be hard, trying to protect everyone."
I look down at the ground. While I am not a true [Magician], my powers and abilities could categorize me as one in the eyes of the [Moonlit World]. As a result, I have become an existence that is loved by magi and hated by the [World]. Although, calling their interest "love" is a bit of a stretch, as the magi would rather open me up to see if they can find a way to achieve [True Magic] themselves. In a way, that's why I wear this mask, not only as a symbol of rebellion against [World] but also to protect those close to me.
I sigh. "Thank you."
Arcueid smiles and hits her chest. "No problem. You should trust your friends a little more."
I laugh a little. No wonder she is known as the "Funny Vamp", there's not a dull moment with her around.
"Alright, I try it's time we finish this, don't you think?" I ask as I turn my sights back to the sewer entrance.
"Yeah! Let's go save those kids!" Arcueid exclaims and we both enter the sewers.
As expected, the sewers are cold and dark. It was almost like we were stepping into another world and the further we went in, the colder and darker it got.
"We're getting close. I can smell their stench close by as well as… something else." Arcueid said with a hint of uneasiness.
Suddenly, four familiars burst forth and blocked our path.
"We don't have time for this." I raise my hand up. "[Kouga]!"
Light begins to surround one of them before it disintegrates into nothing. I'm not done yet though and cast the spell three more times, killing the familiars instantly.
You have defeated Horror(x4)! You have gained 609 EXP! You have earned ¥20,111!
Level Up(x2)!
"I didn't know you knew light magecraft." Arcueid comments.
"Stick around and you see I can do far more than that." I remark as we both continue the tread further inside.
Eventually, we reached a central chamber lined with pillars, however, the chamber was too dark to see anything beyond the area.
As I walked inside, I felt something off about the floor. It was wet and squishy.
"I don't like this place. Let's leave." Arcueid suddenly said.
I turn to the True Ancestor. "What? Why? Don't tell me you want to turn back now?"
"Please, just listen to me-"
"Oh? It appears we have some guests in our humble abode."
From the darkness, Gilles de Rais walks up to us and next to him is his Master Ryuunosuke. In his hand is a grimoire with a cover made of glistening and wet human skin.
As I focus on the two, two screens appear in front of me.
Gilles de Rais
Title: Bluebeard, Demon Marshal
Level: 35
Tier: 3 STAR
HP: 6,500
MP: 19,500
STR: 58
END: 26
AGI: 58
MAG: 200
LUK: 20
Weakness: ?
Noble Phantasm: Prelati's Spellbook - Rank: A
Ryuunosuke Uryuu
Title: Demon of Fuyuki
LV: 6
Tier: n/a
HP: 101
MP: 10
STR: 12
END: 6
AGI: 8
MAG: 5
LUK: 14
Weakness: Melee, Gun, Ice, Fire
As they step forward, light slowly illuminates the chamber revealing a horrifying sight.
Corpses… dozens upon dozens of human corpses riddle the room. But what's worse?
They were all children.
I look down and see what I stepped on. It was the missing half of a boy's face as I was stepping on the remains of his brain.
"Ah… ah…" I instinctively take a step back as I finally notice the puddles of blood that I am standing on.
"Sorry about the mess. If we knew we were having guests we would have cleaned up the place." Ryuunosuke says with a smile.
Gilles smiles as well. "Indeed. Creating art is a massive undertaking. It can get quite messy."
"You…" I glare at the two before a noise catches my ears. I turn to the noise to find a girl with brown hair slowly crawling towards me. Her face is riddled with agony, crying tears from her right eye and blood from her left empty socket.
"Help… elp…" She mumbles as her form is slowly visible, revealing that her right arm as well as her entire lower torso is missing, leaving a trail of blood and organs the closer she gets.
"How rude. Walking up to a guest without permission. Children these days have no manners." Gilles remarks.
As she gets closer, tentacles begin to emerge from the darkness and drag her back. "No… NO!" She cries as she disappears completely.
The sounds of bones breaking and meat tearing echo throughout the room.
I stand frozen at what I just witnessed and then it finally hits me. There was one crucial detail about Caster's workshop I completely forgot.
The sick minds of two madmen.
"Arcueid, let's go." I take a stance, but notice the Ancestor hasn't moved. "Arcueid?" I turn to see what's wrong.
Arcueid was standing in place, biting her lip as her eyes turned into slits and glowed an eerie golden color. Her hands are also bleeding, using her claws to stab herself in order to be overwhelmed by the pain.
I almost wanted to smack myself. Goddammit, how could I be so stupid!? Arcueid may be a True Ancestor, a higher class of vampire, but she's still a vampire nonetheless. She still has the impulse to drink blood just like any Dead Apostle, the only difference is that she has better control over it than them. And right now, we are in the center of a cesspool of guts and blood.
Arcueid is reaching her limit.
"Sorry about this." I raise my hand. "[Dormina]."
Arcueid's eyes widen, reverting back to their original color before I grab her as she collapses. I then drag her body and put her down at the edge of the entrance.
"Now, it's just you and us. A pity. You would have had a chance with that Dead Apostle by your side." Gilles said.
"Hey, hey! Can you summon that death god from before!? I wanna see it again!" Ryuunosuke asks with child-like glee.
"Yes! Bring out that false God of yours so that I can slay it!" Gilles demands.
I turn to the mad duo. "You want to see a god? Well ask and you shall fucking receive!" I grab my mask and take it off, but not before blue flames cover my face. "PERSONA!" In that instant, the Egyptian God of the Moon materializes in front of me.
"This time, you will not escape." Khonshu declared.
"*Gasp* So cool!" Ryuunosuke gasps in awe.
"[Agilao]!" I ordered.
In an instant, Ryuunosuke bursts into flames. He screams as he runs before dropping and rolling, using the blood on the floor to put the flames out.
"Ryuunosuke!" The mad Caster screams before turning back to me. "You will pay for that!"
"Let's go!" The two of us rush towards him. "[Giant Slice]!" Khonshu raises his scepter but his attack is blocked by a wall of tentacles.
"Tch, not again!" Khonshu growls.
"You will have to try a little harder than that, false god!" Gilles cackles as the walls morph into more of his [Horrors].
I switch out the [Murasame] and in its place is the [Rebel Rifle]. "Block this!" I pull the trigger, unleashing an onslaught of enhanced lead at the abominations turning them into nothing but pin cushions.
"[Kougan]!" Khonshu raises his hand at Caster and he is engulfed in intense light.
"EAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" I hear the mad mage scream within the pillar before it subsides, revealing the fallen Servant, his body sizzling with burns and smoke.
Khonshu returns back to my body as I put on my mask. "I guess you are weak to light. Makes sense when you think about it."
Gilles reaches out for his grimoire and slowly gets up. "I… will not… die! Not when my Jeanne has returned to me!"
I brows furrowed. "Alright, enough! Saber isn't Jeanne. Even you can see it."
Caster's face morphs into one of rage. "Lies! She is Jeanne! God has forced her to forget her previous life! But I will save her from her torment!"
"Since when does Jeanne wield a magic sword? She used a flag, you idiot." I deadpan at his sheer stupidity."No. It's not that you want her to be Jeanne, you need her to be Jeanne. You need her to prove that everything that you've done up to this point has been justified. You need that validation." I told him.
Gilles grits his teeth. "Shut up…"
"All of this, the murders, your Master. It's all in your head. You couldn't live without the Saint of Orleans so you decided to delve in magecraft in an attempt of bringing her back to life. And what did that get you? You're only friend dead and you yourself hanged by greedy nobles who just wanted your lands."
His grip on his grimoire tightens as veins pop on his forehead. "Shut up…!"
"What happened to Jeanne was tragic and a betrayal to everything she and you sacrificed. But do you think she'd be proud of what you did? What you became? Don't make me laugh." I take a step forward. "Face reality, lover boy, you will never see your beloved Holy Virgin again."
Your [Guts] has increased!
"SHUT UP!" The grimoire unleashes a shockwave in response to its master's rage.
"!" I stand my ground as I am slowly pushed back by the gush of wind.
"SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!? YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A SNOT-NOSED BRAT IN A MASK!? WHO ARE YOU TO JUDGE ME!?" Gilles screams out in fury. "Do you think I do not know of the sins I've committed? The atrocities I've created? The fear I've left on this very earth before my demise!?"
If it wasn't for [Unshaken Will], I'd likely be shaking in terror by his outburst.
"I am the crystallization of Gilles de Rais' evil deeds, his evil given form! Do you think I give a merde of your judgment? I do not need your words. The only judgment I need is God's and I will happily accept any punishment from Him."
As Caster approached me slowly with killing intent he sneered. "And last time I checked, you're not Him so your words are void by default. I will make sure to punish you as I have to countless boys in those good old days. If God exists, he will surely intervene and judge me, don't you think?"
I grit my teeth in anger. People like Caster always rub me off in the wrong way. People like him always commit evils of their own free will and don't have the guts to face the consequences on their own. Their excuse is God.
"Fanatics like you sicken me to the core. If you are asking for God's judgment that much then you don't have to wait very long." I raise my hand and grab my mask. "Persona!" I rip it off as I make another summon.
I am thou, thou art I
Gilles glares at me as the entity materializes in front him, then in awe as wings of bright luminescence erupt from the blue flames.
From the Sea of thy Soul I cometh. His Unwavering Will. His Divine Hand
Red armor manifests around the figure along with white and golden robes draped above it.
I am the Herald. The Vanguard. The Judgment that Shall Wreath this World in Fire at the End
of Days
A sword of brilliant steel appears in its hand, it raises in above its handsome face as a form of prayer.
"Impossible…" Bluebeard whispers in awe at the miracle in front of him.
I am Uriel, the Archangel of Retribution
The figure lowers his sword and looks down on the Servant, a grim-lipped smile spreads over its perfect face.
And I Have Come Forth to Slay the Unrighteous
A high-ranking seraph, one who is said to carry the stars in the sky, and on the final day of judgment, he will oversee the resurrection and retribution of human souls. He was the guardian to the gates of the Garden of Eden.
"Here you go, Caster. You wanted to be judged? Well, there's no one better than him." I said in a mocking tone at a bewildered Caster.
"The unrighteous, you say?" His body trembles in fury as he glares at the angel. "Where were you angels when they burned my Jeanne at the stake by the Church itself!? Where were you when she was declared a heretic!? Where were you when she was captured and tortured!? Where were you when I committed atrocity after atrocity out of spite of the Lord!? WHERE WERE YOU!?" He screams out in anguish, pain, and rage.
For a few seconds, the room was filled with the sounds of Caster's heavy breathing, having unleashed all of the emotions he has kept inside him for centuries.
Uriel finally opens his mouth.
"Pitiful soul… your loss is understandable yet narrow-minded. You claim the Lord is what brought the Maiden of Orleans to her demise. But in truth, you know very well who is truly responsible, thus, your misguided vengeance has brought upon a fate that will forever taint the Saint's purity… your madness." Uriel states.
"Misguided!? How dare you!? How dare you say such things to me!? You are nothing but a faker just like that false god!" Gilles roars out.
"You are right to doubt. But I am not a fake. I am Uriel. Uriel as humanity sees him. Uriel as the World accepts him. I retain his memories, his voice, and his power. And although I am bound to his soul, I am not ignorant as to the current events of the world." Uriel then smiles. "If I am an imitation, then I am the most real one you will ever see. After all, there is no rule that says a fake cannot be as real as the original."
Gilles grits his teeth before his expression suddenly shifts into one of jubilation. "In that case, then I will do what I have set out to do." He opens his tome and flips its pages. After finding the page he is looking for, he begins to speak in an incomprehensible language and the entire room begins to shake violently.
The corpses of the children begin to converge around him, transforming into those disgusting [Horrors] before wrapping their tentacles around him. As it does, pillars of blood erupt from the ground like geysers, surrounding Caster is a rain of blood.
"What did you do!?" I yelled.
Gilles laughs as the walls implode and floods everything with blood.
The people walk idly through the streets of the city before they all stop as the area suddenly begins to shake.
"H-Hey, what's going on?"
"An earthquake!"
"Take cover!"
The people panic and scream as the manholes rocket upwards as tentacles rise from each one.
"W-What the hell!?" One of the citizens exclaims before they see a harrowing sight: a tentacle grabbing someone and dragging them to ground.
The sounds of tearing flesh and bone almost makes them shit their pants.
"Oh god!" The people begin to run away as more and more people are pulled underground, slowly filling the streets with blood and guts.
The camera pans out showing an overview of the city as something massive slowly rises on the horizon.
Kotomine Church
Risei Kotomine watches on with eyes wide open in shock as a massive creature rises from beyond.
"This is worse than I had anticipated. Who would have thought that the Master of Caster would go so far? Do they not understand the gravity of what's at stake?" He mutters.
"What should we do?" Kirei asks his father.
Kisei focuses his attention on the horizon. "It is the role of the overseer to make sure that all participants abide by the rules of the war, and it is also within my power to change them slightly."
The scene changes to the inside of the church where Risei is standing before the empty rows of pews though curiously there was no one sitting on them.
"I am making an announcement in regards to tonight's sudden development." Risei Kotomine calls out with a stern tone. "It is now evident that Caster and their Master have gone rogue. Endangering the lives of everyone in the city as well as revealing the existence of magecraft to the world." The Overseer continues. "Therefore, I will make use of my emergency powers as judge… and temporarily call a ceasefire to the Grail War. All Masters are to seize combat immediately… and focus on exterminating Caster instead. The one who defeats Caster and his Master… He will receive an additional Command Seal as a reward." He lifts his right arm and brings down his long sleeve, exposing his right, surprisingly muscular arm, with unique tattoos on it. "These are unused Command Seals that fallen Masters of past Grail Wars have left behind. They should be of immeasurable value to you." He puts his arm down. "Once it is proven that Caster has been eliminated, the war will resume as intended. If anyone has questions, now is the time to raise them." He then smirks. "Though, that would be limited to speakers of the human tongue."
Multiple sounds of various flapping of wings dispersed from the room indicating that he was conversing to the familiars of the Masters.
"Shall I head out as well, father?" Kirei asks.
"No my son, you must stay. For now, we must stick to the plan. Let Lord Tohsaka and Archer deal with Caster." Risei told him.
"Very well. By your leave, father." Kirei steps out of the altar. He walks up the stairs and enters his personal chambers. "Assassin."
Black smoke rises from the ground as a feminine figure appears next to him. She has purple hair which she keeps tied in a ponytail. Her clothes and skin are black as night, she wears silver earrings and a white skull mask on her face.
"I am here, Master."
"Tell me, do you think that boy you reported is involved in this?" He asked.
"It is highly possible." Assassin replied.
Kirei muses at the response. "I would like you to observe for now. Do not let the other Servants know of your existence."
Assassin nods and disappears the same way she came.
My eyes slowly open, "wha…?" But then they snap wide open as I realize I am trapped in a wall made entirely of some kind of living fleshy mass.
My breathing grows faster as I frantically look around and spot Arcueid in the exact same predicament.
"Arcueid! Arcueid!" I call out, but get no response; she's out cold.
"Well, look who finally decided to join us!"
I look up as a pocket of flesh descends before unwrapping revealing a smiling Gilles de Rais.
"Caster…" I grit my teeth in rage.
"Shshshsh… Do you hear that?" Gilles asked. "That's right. There is nothing. Your fake angel disappeared as soon as I captured you!"
I take notice of the tentacles attached to Gilles' body, how they seem to be fused to his flesh.
"And look at you now, you've merged with your own creation." I said with a mocking tone. "How does it feel to become the very evil you swore to destroy?"
"Silence, wretch!" Gilles punches me in the face. "I will not be mocked by your silver tongue any longer!"
If I didn't have the mask on, Gilles would see the blood on my face and the angry glare I'm sending to him.
"What do you think of this masterpiece, Ryuunosuke?" The mad Caster turns to the burned remains of his Master. "It may not be finished, but it is still a sight to behold, no?"
His only reply was Ryuunosuke's labored breathing.
"Exactly! Truly, you and François are the only ones who understand!" Gilles exclaims with child-like glee before spreading his arms outwards. "That's why, as proof of our efforts, we will destroy the city. Wipe it clean from the earth and turn it into a utopia free from God! It shall be the Ultimate Cool!" He lowers his arms. "But alas, our creation is still not complete, we still require more volunteers and there's not enough time."
Ryuunosuke's charred lips move as if saying something.
"What a brilliant idea, Master! Absolutely brilliant!" Gilles then turns to me with a wide smile. "We can use their mana source to make up the gap!"
I struggle to get out as the walls begin to encroach on us.
"You both will be the cores to our ascension! We shall take the Holy Grail and use its power to bring His domain so that I may take back what is mine!"
"Even if you succeed… Jeanne will never love you. All she will ever see is the monster that wears her friend's face." I sneered.
Gilles grabs my face with ferocity. "Even now, you still speak such nonsense. You know nothing of love, boy. You are simply playing a game that you lost from the beginning."
He then pushes me in, letting my body sink further into the grotesque mass of flesh.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Gilles cackles in victory.
?
Darkness…
I'm floating in darkness.
I can't move… every part of my body refuses to listen.
It's so hard to breathe… I'm suffocating.
Am I dead…?
"No, you are not dead. At least not yet."
I turn to the voice only to find myself sitting in a chair. "Huh?" I look around to see that I am now in a large blue room that is on a massive elevator, endless going up. There are eight doors, four on both sides of the room each varying in design.
I then turn my neck to the circular table in the middle of the room and sitting on the other side is a person I never thought I'd see. He is a young man with dark blue hair unkempt at the front, blue eyes with one of them being covered by his bangs. He wears a black school uniform accented with a loose black bow tie, a neck-strap mp3 player, and clip-on earphones. On his left arm is a red brassard with the letters "S.E.E.S." embroiled in it.
"Welcome to the Velvet Room." Minato Arisato, the First Wild Card, greets me.
"B-But… you…!" I stutter trying to say one word. "HOW!?"
Minato shrugs. "Don't look at me. I'm just as lost as you are. Maybe you just… summon me."
I eye the Protagonist curiously. "... are you even real?"
"Depends on what you perceive as real." He answers cryptically.
I just gave him a look.
"Are you afraid?" Minato's sudden question catches me off guard.
"Afraid of what?"
"Afraid to die."
"Of course I'm afraid. Everyone's afraid of death! Anyone who says they're not are just morons." I exclaim before calming down. "But… that's not what scares me."
Minato arches an eyebrow.
"What scares me… is what happens after I die. To the people I left behind, the people I love. They'll have to face even worse challenges in the future, challenges that they may not be prepared for." I told him.
"Sometimes, we must make choices that will hurt us in order to grow stronger." Minato said. "You should have more faith in your friends."
"Of course I have faith, that's exactly why I need to do this. I need to make sure that they'll be safe, that they'll be happy." I stated.
"Then why hesitate?" He asked.
"I just… don't know." I take off my mask and wipe the sweat off my face.
The elevator suddenly stops.
The two of us don't say anything to each other for a good minute. The entire is at a complete standstill, like it has been frozen in time.
"That's normal." Minato suddenly said.
I look at the blue messiah. "Huh?"
"It's perfectly normal to have these thoughts." Minato repeated.
"You didn't hesitate when you became the Great Seal." I point out.
Minato shakes his head. "But I did. In one brief moment, I began to doubt my choice in fighting Nyx alone. An unbeatable battle against an unbeatable being, my odds of winning were zero to none. She would hit me with the very concept of Death itself, an attack that would erase anything from existence the moment it touched the ground." A thin line curls upwards. "Yet with every attack, I would hear the voices of my friends. The people I would call a family. They were cheering and praying for me, invigorating me to keep going. They gave me the power to make the ultimate choice even if that meant that I would never see them again." He stands up and leans closer to me. "That's the thing about us Wild Cards, Theodore. We are never alone. You haven't even begun to tap into your true potential."
The elevator begins to resume its ascend.
"... I have to go back. Caster's creatures will destroy the city." I said.
"You are not strong enough. In your current state, you will surely be slaughtered." Minato bluntly said.
"Gee, thanks." I groan.
Minato then pulls out something and places it on the table. It is a small silver pistol with a black grip. The words S.E.E.S. is engraved on the barrel of the gun.
I instantly recognize the iconic item. "What are you…?"
"I will help you, just this once." Minato states his intent. "You still have work to do. Humanity needs a hero."
I take the [Evoker] and examine it; it's cold but it feels just right.
"Okay, but how I-" I look up to see that Minato is gone. "Did he just pull a Batman on me?"
I look at the [Evoker] in my hands, its silver metallic reflecting the passing lights. "Well… what else do I have to lose?" I lift the gun to the side of my head, the barrel cool and comforting against my skin.
And that's when I felt it.
An emotional overload overtakes my senses as I find myself unable to pull the trigger. No matter how hard I wanted to, I couldn't pull the trigger on the gun, despite knowing I wouldn't die from it.
This was fear. I know it very well.
"Come on. If they can do it, so can you. You can't give up now." I grit my teeth as I desperately try to pull my finger.
'Theo!' The voice of Illya rings in my head along with everyone else I've befriended so far.
Inhale… exhale…
"Per... sona!"
*BANG-SHATTER!*
A massive bag made of flesh is seen suspended on the roof by veins of some kind.
Suddenly, a blade erupts from the flesh bag and it travels downward before the blade travels in every direction until it explodes into a gorey mess and in its place is something even more monstrous.
A silver, bird-like mask separated into two pieces was fastened on its head, the lower part looking like some demented maw. It's clad in dark blue clothing with white-clad boots with gold at the soles that reach all the way up to its knees. It wears elbow-length white gloves, and clutches a blade on its right hand while holding its summoner on its left. It wears an odd belt with the design of a skull on the buckle. Finally, on its shoulders are a series of floating coffins which were linked to its shoulders via a chain that kept moving as if pushed by the wind.
It raises its head up before unleashes a ragged, rasping noise as if declaring its existence to the world.
Meanwhile
Everyone who heard that infernal noise felt a shiver running down their spines. However, no one was more affected than the Masters and the Servants.
In the church, Risei loses his balance as he clutches his chest as if he is on the verge of a heart attack. In his room, Kirei's grip on his desk tightens before it suddenly breaks. Assassin is seen desperately fighting the urge to run away.
In the Einzbern Castle, Artoria is comforting a fallen and crying Irisviel while Maiya leans on a nearby wall hyperventilating. Her weapons littering the floor.
Artoria turns to her Master who is rooted on the table. The camera switches to a close up of his face, revealing Kiritsugu's sweaty face as he is also hyperventilating.
In the skies, Waver Velvet and his Servant ride in their lightning chariot as they hear the noise coming from the creature.
"W-What the hell!?" Waver Velvet hugs himself trying to stop his body from shivering.
"Something has awakened, boy." Rider said ominously. "We're leaving."
"W-What!? Why!?" He demands.
"My instincts tell me not to get any closer. If I do, death will surely follow." The Rider states before he turns the chariot around.
In an abandoned building, Kayneth El-melloi Archibald was anxious. However, that anxiety quickly turns into burning jealousy as he sees her fiancé going to his Servant for comfort.
Penthouse
"What the hell was that!?" Filia demands.
"I don't know, Filia!" Sella cried.
"AAAHHHH!" The two maids turn to see Illya running towards them.
"Lady Illyasviel!" Sella said as she got tackled by the girl.
"I-I had a nightmare!" Illya sobs. "I saw a monster!"
"It's alright. It was just a nightmare." Sella tries to comfort her ward.
Illya looks at her. "W-Where is Theo?"
The two maids turn to each other, now taking notice of the missing boy. Just then Mashu and Liz rush to the room.
"Theo is missing!" The two girls yell at the same time.
"WHAT!?"
Tohsaka Estate - Workshop
*CRASH!* A wine glass shatters on the stone floor.
Tohsaka Tokiomi was having a hard time keeping his composure as he tried to comprehend the cause for this. Was he hit with a curse? He hasn't left his workshop or stepped out of his home since the war began. How could a curse get through his defenses!?
In the estate's study room, Gilgamesh looks through the window with visible anger.
"So now there are two gods in my garden. And this one reeks of death." Gilgamesh glares at the night sky. "I may be forced to take this war seriously."
Matou Estate - Living Room
Kariya holds back a smirk as he sees Zouken Matou groveling on the floor like the worm he is.
The moment the sound rang through the manor, the old ghoul collapsed on the floor, the worms making up his body dropping dead like mayflies.
Oh, he so wanted to laugh out loud as this decrepit fool's body was on his last legs but couldn't as while the worms in Zouken's body were dying, the worms in HIS body were very much active and still under Zouken's control.
"What's with that look on your face? Does my current state amuse you, son?" Zouken says the word with venom.
"No, of course not." God, he wanted this bastard to die already.
Zouken's head turns a full 180 degrees as he glares at his son. "You will go out and locate the source of that infernal cry and bring them to me. I want to get to know the one who could do this much damage to me.
"... fine." Kariya turns around and walks out.
However, unbeknownst to either of them, something was looking at them through an adjacent door. It's red eyes filled with malice and hatred.
"Interesting… very, very interesting."
Wild Card [Minato Arisato] has given you temporary rights.
Persona [Thanatos] has been temporarily added to your roster.
Time remaining [00:03:59]
I stare at the monstrous creature holding onto me. I don't feel anything from it at all, there is no connection between us. I know I have Thanatos in the compendium but this one isn't my Thanatos at all.
It was Minato's. He gave this to me.
"Thanatos, I only have one objective for you: search and destroy!" I ordered.
The son of Nyx lets out a roar and flies forward at impossible speeds.
Fleshy walls begin to encroach, trying to block our path, but Thanatos lets out a hallowing roar that blows the walls to pieces and continues on.
Veins begin to detach themselves from the walls and intercept them, but Thanatos dodges them all.
The aspect of death reaches for its sword and swings it in an arc, the resulting shockwave cleaves everything in half and creates a massive gash outside with blood flooding everything around it.
"Wait, we need to find Arcueid." I activate [Third Eye] and see a golden aura. "There. She's just above us."
[00:02:46]
Thanatos slashes the fleshy roof before flying upwards and finds Arcueid right in front of us… already out and walking about.
"Hi! Nice of you to droAAAAHHH! Why is your face on fire!?" Arcueid screams out.
I shrug. "I don't know. It just is."
Arcueid stares Thanatos who glares back at her. It makes a ragged sound which causes the True Ancestor to nearly jump and attack on instinct.
I bump Thanatos in the head. "Behave. We have more important things to worry about."
Thanatos lets out a grunt and calms down.
Still disturbed by its presence, Arcueid slowly moves to the side. "A-Anyways, I-I'll see you outside!" She rushes towards the opening we came in and jumps into it.
[00:02:11]
With the True Ancestor now gone, we continue our venture through the creature's body, destroying every obstacle with ease.
They are all powerless against the emissary of Death.
Eventually, we arrive at a large cavity and at its center is a large nucleus that connects to the entire room.
"This must be the core." I surmised.
The nucleus splits revealing a blinking orange eye that stares at us.
[00:01:37]
"Kill it." I ordered.
Thanatos metallic maw opens wide and an orb of energy quickly forms before firing at the eye, engulfing everything in a white light.
At the same time
The monster's body suddenly erupts in a massive explosion of light that blows everything away, including Arcueid.
Arcueid tries to regain control and uses her claws to pin herself to a large stone. "You're not getting rid of me that easily!"
The light is seen throughout the entire city. Everyone who saw couldn't help but be mesmerized by it; it was so beautiful, so blinding.
The Master and Servants look on from their individual hideout and every single one of them have one thought in common.
This war has become a whole lot harder.
In the remains of sewers, the remains of the [Horror] burn with white flames as Thanatos descends down and lets go of its charge.
I look around at the bizarre sight before a pit forms on my stomach. The children. I couldn't save the children. The moment they converge to form that monstrosity there was no turning back.
"Fuck…" I curse, gritting my teeth before letting out a sigh. "At least, it's over. They can now rest in peace."
"Don't be so sure about that!"
I look to shockingly see Gilles de Rais alive. Heavily wounded, disfigured, burned nearly to a crisp, but very much alive with a burned Ryuunosuke lying on the floor behind him.
"You've only delayed the inevitable, boy!" Gilles cries out.
"You're Master is on death's door. Your monster's nothing but ashes. Face it, you're finished." I point out.
"No, no, no, it's not over. IT'S NOT OVER! I can still fight! I will see my Jeanne again, I will snatch her from the clutches of God himself! I will keep her safe just like I should have done a long time ago!" Gilles rambles on.
"If you do that, she'll just hate you more."
"Nonsense! She loves me! MY Holy Virgin loves me!" Gilles affirms his belief. "She loves me, she loves me, SHE LOVES ME!"
I narrow my eyes. "You don't love her, you're obsessed with her. You want her all to yourself because you fear that someone else may try to steal her heart before you could."
"Shut up, shut up! I'll kill you! I'LL KILL-!" But Caster's ramblings are cut short by Thanatos crushing him into the ground.
You have defeated Gilles de Rais (Caster)! You have gained 19,143 EXP! You have earned ¥110,245!
Level Up(x8)!
When Thanatos lifts his arm, it reveals a puddle of blood with shredded skin and organs before they disappear into blue particles of light.
"Finally, I'd never thought he'd shut up." I said as I watched the particles fly away. "Now, there's only one loose end to tie up." I walk towards the charred remains of Ryuunosuke before stopping right in front of him. "I'm surprised you're still breathing, considering the fire burned you from the inside out."
Ryuunosuke's single eye opens and looks at me before forcing his mouth to form a makeshift smile.
"Even now, you still wear a smile on your face. I don't know if I should be impressed or creeped out by it." I summon [Governance] and aim it at the serial killer. "I'd say it was nice meeting you, but then I'd be lying."
*BANG!*
I shoot Ryuunosuke in the head, killing him instantly.
You have defeated Ryuunosuke Uryuu! You have gained 945 EXP! You have earned ¥88,744!
Quest Complete!
Ley Line issues
Objective(Complete): Track down the abnormality with Arcueid.
Objective(Complete): Kill Gilles de Rais and Ryuunosuke Uryuu
Level Up(x4)!
Ryuunosuke's Command Seal acquired!
"Finally, it's over." I breathe out in content.
[00:00:00]
Time's Up!
Thanatos form begins to break down as I am suddenly hit with exhaustion. "Oh no…" Thanatos breaks down into shards of glass as I start to fall, but not before being caught midway by Arcueid.
"I got you!" Arcueid catches the knight as his outfit dissolves and she sees his face. "Uwa! He's so cute! And he's so young, too!" She squints her eyes as she gets a closer look at the boy's face. "Wait a minute…"
Just then, the sounds of sirens catch her attention. "Oh shoot, gotta go!" Arcueid rushes out of the area, just as police cars arrive.
Later
"Oh… my head." I let out a pained moan as I opened my eyes.
"You're awake!" A familiar voice cheered as I suddenly get tackled by something.
My vision quickly adjusts as I see who it is. "Illya?" I'm back at the penthouse? How did I get back?
"Hi, hi!" I turn to see Arcueid sitting next to me. "Did you have a nice sleep?"
"Yes… did you have a nice sleep?"
I look down to see Sella and her sisters looking down on me with Mashu alongside them.
"You have A LOT of explaining to do young man. And please, do not lie, for your own sake." Sella states with a stern tone.
Fuck…
Author Notes
Edit: 6/8/23
0. Fool: The Artificial Human Squad (Theo, Sella, Liz, Fillia, Illya, Mash)
I. Magician: Senji Shirou
I. Councillor:
II. Priestess: Leysritt
III. Empress:
IV. Emperor:
V. Hierophant: Sella
V. Apostle:
?. Faith:
?. Hope: Mash Kyrielight
VI. Lovers:
VII. Chariot:
VIII. Justice:
IX. Hermit:
X. Fortune:
XI. Strength:
XI. Hunger:
XII. Hanged Man: Kariya Matou
XIII. Death:
XIV. Temperance:
XV. Devil:
XVI. Tower:
XVII. Star: Arcueid Brunestud
XVIII. Moon: Illyasviel von Einzbern
XIX. Sun:
XX. Judgment:
XX Aeon:
XXI. The World:
Peace~