Hello once more my ever-lovely peeps and peeplips!
So, this will be a sort of interlude/intermission chapter mixed in with a Bio chapter meant to move the story along, discuss Xero's future plans for Vanessa, the animatronics and Gregory while revealing just WHO is the one behind allowing Xero to obtaining the chains of Purgatory. I swear, the next chapter will see some world-shattering revelations but just bear with me, as with this chapter, i won't have to do an entirely different Bio chapter just made up of that.
So basically, i spilt the difference.
I would make a nice, informative chapter that would clear some things up, set up some things that will be in monition during the next few arcs of the story and a bio chapter that should make up for the possible very short chapter. Given how the past chapters have been about over 8,000 words long, i think it makes up for it for how long this chapter has been. This will probably be my last chapter, my last update this year before the New Year is swings in, so i do hope you enjoyed it so far, as next chapter, next year will reveal just how dangerous, how big this world really is. As always i own nothing.
So please read, review and "What the fuc-BOOM"
Chapter 12: The Benefactor
At Chaldea, Xero's Room
There was something about taking a well-deserved, well-earned shower that just washed away all the stress of the day (Or in his case, days) events that made it all seem worth it. Maybe it was the fact that one's muscles would loosen and the tension in them would leave once the hot water started flowing and working its way down the very tense body after a long day.
Whether it was a hard day at work, merely annoyance at today or simply everything going wrong, when you felt that hot water hit you, it just washed all the stress away.
A perfect way to end the day and for someone like Xero, the Magus can attest to that is indeed fact and would fight anyone who dare say otherwise.
Trying to save the world be it from ancient/aliens Gods hellbent on destroying humanity, supernatural creatures also hellbent on sucking the blood out of people, megacorporation with more money than sense in using biological weapons, unaware or uncaring how close they are to ending the world thanks to their greed, fighting/slaying crime syndicates, and of course, training his apprentices/proteges to be the greatest among their generations.
"And now, raising a son as well."
Not that he wasn't technically a parent to his more childish Servants, this new child could actually grow and would sooner or later, branch out on his own, to go his own way.
Speaking of which, it had been barely ten minutes after his shower and he was all but bombarded with people wanting to check on him personally, namely his 'children'. Namely Jack, Alice (Nursery Rhyme), Mordred, Gareth, Gawain, Kid Gil, Alex, J-Liliy (Jeanne Alter Liliy), Baobhan Sith, Kuro (Chole) and Illya. Normally, dealing with upset Servants for any reason was like herding cats at the worst of times but when he got hurt as bad as he is now or at least the very least, pushed to the brink of death, they all but stopped listening to a word he said until they checked him over personal.
It has only gotten worse over the years as he accepted and reciprocate their love.
Shaking his head, Xero slowly trudged across his room, a fairly large room that had been updated several times throughout the years. For one, the room now looked very much like a master bedroom, complete with his own personal bathroom, a workbench for some of his smaller projects, a massive flat screen TV connected to a movie player and his own specially design, play any and all game station. Complete with a set with several video games placed neatly in a bookshelf that contained both books and games, for his own personal use. Along with several wireless controllers and the game station itself was created so it could play any video game ranging from PS1, PS2, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, etc.
Hell, it could even play PS4, PS5 and Xbox 1 games, several he had taken from different worlds and timelines to add to his ever growing collection.
Or when Tomoe or any other member of the "Gamer Club" wanted to come by and play a round with him.
But Xero had gotten rid of any and all of his PSVR headsets and any Virtual Reality games related after THAT incident. The time when Gudako, his partner, his fellow master, one of his dear wives had been trapped in the Amazing Digital Circus and had nearly been driven completely insane.
Something he imaged Vanessa would understand very well given the events of the past few hours.
Moving on.
The walls were, shockingly enough painted a sky blue with a large window, peering out into the snowy depths of their base with brown wool carpet that felt good against his feet. The bed itself was an Alaskan king size with red covers, blue blankets and red pillows. One might have thought he would have made his room with his color scheme, but his lovely wives/husbands decided on a simpler design, not that he would complain. It looked quite nice and even had a dimmer switch for the overhead lights, hanging from the ceiling.
On the far side of the room was a rack of his various weapons and even the Immortal Guardian Armor sitting on its stand. On the other side, was his closet that had all of his clothes, ranging from the simpler ones like button up tee-shirts that he used for sleep wear, his standard sleeveless shirts, pants, shoes/boots and even a couple of fancy suits.
Ones that he rarely used other than important events but again, rarely used. Hell, he even had a rack for his 'Reaper/phantom cloak' with the full face mask sitting within the hood.
Once before he had a lab top to use as his personal research on the world wide web, but thanks to his Focus, he was able to phase it, a cellphone and pretty much a lot of things thanks to all the applications a Focus had. It would honestly be taking up more room than necessary and Olga called him a hoarder. Ha, who's a hoarder, not him!
Even if he kept several relics he found in his pocket dimension, it meant nothing! Really, it didn't!
His room was much larger then when he first started out, as it had been a standard Chaldea room but thanks to his own magic and the system, it was heavily personalized to his tastes.
That and due to his 'Open door policy', the room HAD to be expanded in order to fit in everyone that came in here to sleep.
Nothing sexual or anything like that but some Servants, like the Cu's or the knightly types are in fact more comfortable sleeping in groups, rather then sleeping alone. Plus, many of the child Servants like to sleep with their "Parent" or in Lobo's case, with the Magus sleeping on HIM instead of the other way around. That and while some things might be awkward now that he had a near constant sex life, with the various Servants wanting a different kind of love or him simply needing to blow off steam, or just wanting to make love, everyone thankfully figured out a way there would be no equally awkward walk ins.
"Not that it's a secret."
Everyone, from the lowest, simple workers to the director herself knew Xero frequently had company in bed, both female and male, mostly female and while the Magus director warned him to not blur the lines between Servant and master, it happened.
It happened a fucking lot.
So much they decided to expand the room to the point it was one of the biggest in Chaldea, despite the fact Xero had everything he could want or need within arm's reach but not to the point where if he moved wrong, it would knock something over.
Moving on.
It happened enough times for him to be willingly to marry those he loved, which was pretty much all his female Servants, some males but despite their newly made massive family, they made it work somehow. Hell, despite her saying otherwise, Olga often ended up in his bed as well, not always for sex but simply seeking out the warmth of another person.
The fact it was natural and even expected for a blood member of the Mazoku clan to take multiple lovers and or spouses was testament to their inhuman stamina.
And part of their religion of the Twins Goddess faith to 'spread the love to all' and not to discriminate nor restraint oneself from doing as their hearts command. After all, everybody wanted love in some way or form and given how many marriages end in divorce, one could argue the Goddess view of marriage in taking many partners was superior.
If it works, then it works, why should it be complicated when it can be simple?
Something he was more than willingly to give her, after everything they happened, they both knew if the world really did turn on either of them, they would have each other's back to the very end. Gudako too, as she had formed her own group of many lovers, a polar opposite of his own as most were men but had a few women in her own.
Maybe he was rubbing off on her more then he realized.
Back to the point, at the moment, Xero was sitting on his bed after taking a relaxing shower, dressed in his sleeping clothes, the button up shirt and a simple black boxers, waiting for Tamamo to get him some last-minute food in his belly. Seeing as he outright not eaten ANYTHING in the past few days, the Kitsune all but threatened to show the food down his throat if she had to if Xero fell asleep before he ate.
Something he was one hundred percent sure, she would in fact do if he dared push her. That woman could be scary when she wanted to be and he dare not provoke her anger.
"Jesus and i thought the Mega-Pizza Plex was big." His new tenet spoke and was speaking with him about his, THEIR current focus of Xero's current main problem: The Freddy Fazbear.
Namely its creator and current owners.
There was no fucking way that Afton and Vanny were able to carry out their twisted plans without someone noticing. But more then that, someone would have tried to stop them and in doing so, while they would have failed, their 'disappearance' would have been noticed. The phasing out of flesh working employee's and having Vanessa be the soul guard of the Mega-Pizza Plex simply didn't add as a logic or even a penny-pinching plan unless it was for the soul purpose of basically making sure no one could find out about Afton's plans before it was too late.
While the higher ups at Fazbear Entertainment were cheap assholes, SOMEONE had to notice what was going on before it got to the point it did.
The only way for all the pieces to fit together, was because someone not only noticed what was going on but was quietly ensuring no one else would notice and made sure that no one would without killing them.
But who?
The why was obvious, aside from stupidity, greed and promises of either immortality, power, Xero was aware of how far human greed could go. And yeah, he was aware that this line of thinking would make many people believe he wore tin foil hats on his head and wrote crazy ramblings on the wall.
The crazy rambling, not the writing on the wall part, because he admittedly did that sometimes but that was beside the point.
"Oh Goddess, speaking of crazy rambling, what the ever-living fuck am i going to do about Vanessa?"
It wasn't just his newly adopted son that would need help in the mental department but the blonde security guard as well or well, in this case, former security guard. He was pretty damn sure that allowing the place your supposed to be guarding suddenly gets reduced to nothing more than a crater, would be a good reason to be fired. Hell, people have been fired for far, far less and more than half the time, they did it because it was convenient.
Plus allowing a mass child murder to make you into their puppet would no doubt look bad on her resume.
Aside from that, at least Gregory didn't remember anything while under Afton's control but Vanessa. Vanessa was drowning in guilt, he could see it in her eyes and if there is anything Xero knew better than anyone, it was guilt and regret.
No doubt the blonde was beating herself up for allowing Afton to take control of her like that and allowing her evil alter ego to take control of her like she did. Even though Xero knew for a fact Vanessa had no chance to resist Afton's control, not after he clearly got his hands on some sort of magical means to do so or maybe it was technological but either way, it left a deep scar on Vanessa.
Both physically and psychological.
Sure, he and Gudako had their own psychological scars, some far worse than Vanessa's but here's the kicker; they had each other. Each other and their beloved Servants that have helped them every step of the way but Vanessa...Vanessa had no one. He read up on her before he entered the Mega Pizza-Plex, knowing full well the blonde lived alone, had no family to speak of, let alone friends. Those few that she did have were either 'removed' by Vanny or working for Afton in his twisted plans, effectively leaving the blonde all alone in this cold, cruel world.
He already planned to take Gregory in, just as he would do the same for Vanessa but while Gregory would be easier to help, Vanessa would be much more difficult.
One thing he noted about her file was the fact she had three therapist and went through a very nasty divorce with her parents and her 'father' was the type to plan as dirty as can be. He could have dug in deeper into the files but just the first few pages told him enough.
Enough to worry for the blonde's mental state.
Vanessa had a very rough life and now this piled onto of that, was a recipe for disaster. After reading all that, it was no wonder how easily Afton was able to trick Vanessa into willingly going into his clutches and nearly destroyed her, both in mind, soul and body. Vanessa was led to believe she could become something great, that she was chosen for a higher calling only for her to learn that she had become nothing more than a tool, a flesh covered puppet to carry out its master twisted desires.
To forever be his puppet, had Charlie not stepped in to save the children, giving gifts, giving life.
But in all honest, Vanessa was lucky she was not possessed by a Shadow Demon. There was just no coming back from that.
Ever.
He sighed deeply, running a hand down his face, "Goddess and Twins above, what a fucking mess." And the worst part had yet to come. Even if he had killed the big boss himself, personally sending the bastard to Hell where he belonged, he still had many more disciples out in the world, ready to carry on Afton's dark legacy.
In a lot of ways, it was basically the fall of Raccoon city all over again; The Umbrella Corporation fell shortly after its hometown did but a decade later, their viral legacy was still going strong, stronger than ever in fact and with no sign of slowing down, despite his best efforts.
With an equally deadly product many will want to abuse, not knowing it's true origins of where it came from.
"I knew they wouldn't go down quietly but you would think we would have slowed them down, if only a little. Instead, feels like we do nothing more than play catch up with these assholes, while they use people for their sick, twisted experiments." Innocents or not, human or mutant or Youkai or Goddess knows what else, it didn't matter. To these monsters, all living beings, from people to animals to spirits and even other monsters, they were all test subjects to them. Xero wasn't complaining, he just wished they made some progress in wiping out the viral legacy of Umbrella.
And now with all the new information he acquired from his old friend, the Cult of Glitchtrap, plus taking in Gregory and Vanessa, he most certainly had his hands more than full now!
Did they, are they ACTUALLY making a difference?!
"You have my dearie; you are just don't realize all the good you've done in the world." Before Xero realized what was going on, he was suddenly pulled into someone's lap, as soft hands wrapped around him, while one held his body closer to hers pulling his head to rest against her bosom, another ran through his semi-dry hair, "But much like Mr. Redfield, you always try to go above and beyond what is expected of you. Not exactly a bad thing in moderation but your burning yourself out and because of that, you ended up exactly as you are now, tired and weak, barely able to stand on your own. That simply won't do at all." It was one of his many Riders and pseudo-grandma, Europa.
As a Rider, she wasn't overly muscular like of the Berserkers or even Sabers or Lancers, with a much slimmer but full womanly figure. Wearing a mixed robes that show off a fair amount of her fair, lightly pale skin, colored red and white, with a golden crown atop her head, Europa had long golden hair with light pinkish/purple eyes. The aura around her was clamming and comforting to anyone that was within its range and already, Xero felt his already relaxed body all but going limp, as she cradles him closer to her.
Sighing again, Xero didn't bother to fight it, just letting the Rider do as she pleased, "And yet for everyone i knock down, ten more spring up like the world's most annoying game of Wack a mole or living up to HYDRA's motto; cut off one head and two more shall take its place."
"And within the last five years, you have not only broken well over a hundred criminal rings, hunted down many of the original Umbrella members that survived the fall of Raccoon city, the same ones that helped create the T-virus and brought them to justice, while saving countless lives in the process. You even routed out the corruption within the Vatican church by exposing over nine Archbishops, their co-conspirators and sending many exorcists on the run with nowhere to go, not even to their allies in the underworld, least they gain more reason for us to come after them. That's not even including the fact by taking down those people, you save many people, both within and outside the Vatican as well my dear grandchild."
"Not exactly my intention when i discovered the Irina had been heavily brainwashed." The Phantom muttered from his position, as the Rider comb his hair with her soft hands as she hummed lightly, "Besides, even if i did, people like them will always exist, all i did was just wipe out the current ones and deprive the Vatican of several soldiers. It's not something i would call 'doing good'."
"Oh, then what about defeating the Corrupted Valkyries and freeing them from their imprisonment within their own bodies? Is THAT not considered 'doing good'? Like it or not dearie, you SAVED them and not many others could claim to do the same. Both you and Gudako have done not only the Valkyries a great service by giving them the sweet release of death but sending them back to Valhalla and in doing so, did Asgard a great service in the process." Well shit, she had him there.
He'd be quite a busy little bee during these past five years, and he hadn't been sitting on his hands and knee's.
Neither had Gudako for that matter and killing bad guys or helping people weren't the only thing they've done in the past five years. In the past five years, during the first year, after coming back to the world when they finished the Grand Order quest the duo didn't know what to do.
Truthfully yes, they agreed to stay, to keep working at Chaldea but it didn't immediately become a PMC (Private Military Company) but during the first year they did very little in the world they saved. Just, for the first time in YEARS, the Magus pair didn't have the weight of the world crushing down on their shoulders. They could actually slow down and breath, without worrying about the next fight, the next war to win and the next mission to complete. Instead, they could simply put down their weapons, put down their heads and sleep until it went well past dawn and not have to worry about anything or anyone until they were up to it.
But if only it were that easy.
The Grand Order quest did more than just scar the duo physically, it scared them mentally and for the first year, the two took a semi-indefinite vacation that year to get their heads and hearts right, to heal. And what was next for them.
What was next for Chaldea.
No matter what anyone said or believed, the fact of the matter was that Xero and Gudako were the two masters of Chaldea with a literally army of powerful Servants at their beck and call. They were easily one of the most powerful fighting forces in the world, not only in their Servants but in their own magic power, knowledge and skills. The only reason why they still listened to Olga, was nothing more than simple respect for the white-haired Magus that had been their director from the beginning of their quest to save the world.
With the way the world was, with new species (The mutants) rising, technology also on the rise with the threat of not only the Magus but the supernatural creatures being revealed to the rest of humanity looming over the horizon, they didn't know where their place in all of this would be.
He'd be the first to admit, most modern Magus were complete and utter assholes but that did not mean they all deserved to be burned at the stake, not like the Salem Witch Trails where both Magus and non-Magi were burned simply because someone pointed the finger at them. The same could be said of supernatural creatures, some were vicious, cruel and downright evil but like some Magus, some of them simply wished to be left alone, to live their lives without fear of prosecution simply for being what they are.
It was a failing of humanity to hate what they do not understand and or want to destroy something simply because it was different.
The way mutants were treated was pretty much a giant neon sign of what could happen to them. Hell, throughout history every tragedy was nothing more than more proof stacked upon mountains of bodies, both guilty and innocent alike of how discrimination can destroy lives. That wasn't even including those who fought back just as bloody, spreading the hatred that could end up drowning entire nations in blood because of people unwillingly to compromise or try to understand something different, to try to negotiate for peace.
And that wasn't including the more dangerous beings from completely different dimensions that sometime slip into their world, for the soul purpose of causing chaos. Not that it would stop certain people from committing evil acts, regardless if they were mutant, human, Magus, supernatural or otherwise. Like the group that had created Laura.
How did he know of "The Facility's" existence?
One might think it was because the female clone/daughter of Wolverine told him, but the truth is, during their one year 'hiatus' so to speak, Xero did some recon. While he was studying up on his family's history via the Mazoku Grimoire, learning of the connection between his mother, Afton and even the Remnant itself, he had his stealthier Servants scope out possible allies and or possible enemies. Not only had he discovered the various Weapon X groups throughout the world, but he had also learned a great many things.
One of them being the existence of SHEILD, the X Men and their counterparts, The Brotherhood of Mutants.
As the son of Lilith and heir to the Mazoku clan, his mother made sure to educate her son on the cold, hard truths of the world and just how not so alone humanity really was. But it wasn't just history the book had given him, it told Xero many things and it even told him of a way to bring Olga back from the dead.
Where to find HIM.
That event, that one signal event is what set everything into monition, the day he made the deal with his benefactor and truth be told, he was surprised HE went for it, that he accepted to make a deal at all. He wasn't sure if it was generous or rather, more of a particular sense and Lord Death did not do anything without a damn good reason to do so.
Flashback
The Cave Of Lost Souls
"Lord Death, I've come to bargain!"
The physically fifteen-year-old Xero yelled out in the uniquely colored cave. For one, the entire cave did not look like it was made out of rock or stone or even metal but a clear crystal/diamond like scenery. Each one looked very clear, like water, but at the tips of each one was a different shining color that reflected many different colors yet none at all.
The cave had a very supernatural and ethereal look to it but was also strangely beautiful at the same time.
In a dark, supernatural twisted kind of way. Not dark enough to be a H.P Lovecraft kind of dark but it most certainly had the potential to do so. But the being that dwelled within this cave, well not so much as lived or resided here but a section where mortals could in fact come into contact with the physical embodiment of Death itself was why he was here.
To see Death himself and make a deal.
"Goddess and Twins above, Medea would have my head if she knew i was doing this." Hell, everyone he knew he would have his head and tan his hide if they knew he was doing this. For damn good reason he knew, but-
~WHISTLE~
The sound of a whistle, one that was soft, gentle melody tune that filled the cave with an underling menacing tone at the same time filled his ears, as a cold chill ran up his spine. All the while the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. Hell, if he were a cat or simply had fur, ALL of his hairs would be standing and for good reason too.
Death himself had arrived.
Xero didn't even need to look to know where it, HE, was as he saw the shadow looming over him, even standing at his 5'11 foot tall, it was clear to the Magus that the physical form of Death was much, MUCH taller than himself. Especially when the being's shadow seemed to engulf his entire being. Death appears to be an anthropomorphic silvery-white wolf with an elongated snout, a gray "mask" marking on his face, sharp teeth, and large, round eyes that have jet black sclera and bright red irises that glow when he's excited. He wears a black cloak with a built-in hood, and brown trousers under the cloak. He also has brownish-gray wraps around his wrists and calves and carries a pair of razor-sharp sickles that can be combined at the handle and extended to form a double-bladed scythe. Each sickle can be bent inwards for compact holstering or be use as brass knuckles as Xero's own analytical mind, one he had to developed on his quest to save the world, simply to survive.
And right now, that same mind, one that had helped him defeat beings of immeasurable power, some quite literally Gods and not just Gods but very powerful Gods too boot with powerful abilities beyond him, was telling him to run like hell and don't look back.
Not that it would mean much as sooner or later, Death would find him, come for him and take his soul. Just like every other being those lives, every living being eventually dies.
And Death comes to collect them.
Even if Xero could find some way to be able to overcome and kill Death himself, the consequences of that very action would not only affect him in the future, but very possible all of creation itself or at the very least, his world, his multiverse. There are server consequences for killing a God and unless he had literally no choice, like the fate of his world in the balance, the Magus would do his best to NOT kill a God.
But not for reasons most people would think.
"Well, well what do we have here? ~" Despite his massive size, the man, creatures voice was soothing as it was terrifying, like a mad man's lullaby, "An arrogant little Magus WILLINGLY coming to my doorsteps, must be my lucky day." The large, toothy smile on his muzzle stretched way to wide reminded the Magus of a certain bloodthirsty vampire lord he knew and it was making him break out in a cold sweat, even more so when he liked his chops, like he was eyeing a particular juicy piece of meat, "So tell me, dear master of Chaldea, what could the all-powerful Mazoku want with Death himself?"
Xero realized far too late that coming here was a mistake, even more so when he didn't tell anyone he was coming here but he couldn't back now, not when he'd come this far. Clearing his throat, he spoke clearly but respectfully, "It's as i said Lord Death, I've come to bargain."
"Hmmm, respectful too, not many if any Magus are ever so respectful to anyone, least of all me. SNIFF, SNIFF, Ah i know that smell, it's the smell of... FEAR. I do love the smell of fear, it's intoxicating." The grin on his muzzle face grew wider if that was possible, as he slowly circled Xero, like a shark smelling blood, as his ears perked up, "And your heartbeat is increasing, do i make you nervous? ARE you nervous to be in my presence...little Magus?"
Terrified.
Complete and utter terror was pumping through his veins, making his blood turn to ice. It was a terror he hadn't felt in ever, he was even more scared then when Solomon appeared during the end of the Third Singularity and the final battle against the demon god king.
At least then he wasn't alone, and he could just punch his way out of it, but this time, this situation, he couldn't and not just because he lacked the strength or power.
It's because Death himself had his eyes on him and was giving the Magus his full attention. More often than naught, those that gain Death's attention, his FULL attention, often didn't mean anything good for the those involved.
"You know me?"
"I do. I must say, not many mortals have been able to gain my attention, let alone slip from my grasp so many times to the point it felt like you were openly mocking me." Death said, still circling Xero like a hungry shark, eyes aglow that dark, blood red, "Ever since you near death experience at the tender age of twelve, i have been watching you for a LONG time. Every fight you've been in, every war you fought in, every timeline you've been in, i was there, to witness ALL OF THEM." Xero felt his heart clench in, well he couldn't say. Fear, despair, an odd combination of mixed emotions that was passing through his mind, as Death gave him a look of...approval? "But as annoying, as infuriating as you have become to me, i cannot say what you have accomplished is nothing to dismiss so easily. I know why you are here Magus and while i normally can't stand your kind, i cannot deny you can be useful to me. Perhaps we can come to an agreement of sorts."
"An agreement?"
"Yes, an agreement, a deal if you will." Oh, Goddess and Twins above, he could already feel Medea glaring a hole in the back of his head, as Death looked him over with a critical eye, "As I'm sure you are aware, my position keeps me very busy and limits me from preforming certain actions in the mortal world. In doing so, i am unable to take the souls of certain people, namely the ones who keep themselves alive well beyond their time through various means that allow them to cling to life. More often than naught, means that not only take the lives of many others in the process but could threaten the fragile balance between life and death." Yeah, that made sense as he met a couple of assholes like that before, "So, if we can come to an agreement, i get what i want, what i NEED done and you get your little friend back. So, interested?"
Oh fuck, Medea was going to skin him alive, slowly and painful, as his mouth opened, "What kind of agreement?"
Flashback End
What Death had meant by 'get what i want' he meant taking down those that had obtained false immortality. The kind of immortality that was not only unnatural but the kind that required a constant supply of energy, typically of the innocent kind.
In order words, Xero was tasked with hunting down people like William Afton in a twisted pursuit of immortal, for either self-entitlement, fear of death or a number of other shitty things that basically meant innocent people would die a painful, horrible deaths. Along with threatening to undo, to unravel the very, VERY fragile balance line between life and death. In return, Olga Marie Animusphere to the world of the living but there was a catch, Xero and Olga's souls would be bound together, so if he died, she died.
However, it wasn't all bad, as while Olga would die if he died, she would gain his eternal youth and to a certain extent, hear each other's thoughts. It was admittedly a very selfish thing of Xero to do. He knew that he acknowledges that fact as he had lost a lot of good friends before and with Romani's 'betrayal' and Mashu's death and rebirth, losing Olga was something he was unwillingly to let her go.
Not if he could help it and as it turned out, he could help it.
Death had done right by him, upholding his end of the deal in bringing Olga back and while the woman didn't like the idea of being bound to another, she did apprentice the willingness he was willingly to go to, in order to bring her back. They had a long talk afterward, after getting a very vicious tongue lashing from several Servants, Olga swore to Xero, she would not betray his trust.
On that, he believed her wholeheartedly.
But just as Death upheld his end, Xero would uphold his end of the deal and boy, his task was anything but simple.
In case you hadn't realized it yet, in his world, things don't stay dead like they should, and he wasn't talking about the Servants either.
It was because of Lord Death he now had the means to end the Fazbear nightmare, to put an end to Afton and releasing the lost souls, that were still bond to this plane of existence to go onto their final resting place. That he would have the means to put an end to the agony that every tragedy caused. To finish what his mother started.
It was because of Lord Death, that Xero was able to obtain his Focus after helping Aloy and her allies defeat the Far Zenith threat and prepare them for the incoming monster that was Nemesis. By becoming a machine hunter, mentoring Aloy in using the advanced tech they found, helping her hunt down the lost subordinate functions, capturing the rogue AI HEPHAESTUS, saving Varl from certain death and slaying the Far Zenith's personal when their reluctant ally, Sylens brought down their shields.
Part of him wanted to take some of the tech with him but with what he seen, what it could do and the danger it represented, he settled with taking the Focus.
It was because of Lord Death, that Xero was sent to a world where Superheroes and so called 'mutants' were not only the norm but the regular people, the 'humans' were the anomaly in the human race. Not to save the world from drowning in its own blood but simply to deal with the self-made Dark Emperor of the evil mutants or 'villains' as that world calls them.
It was because of Lord Death, that Xero had the privilege of working alongside the Doom Slayer to prevent the invasion of his own home dimension and stopping Hell from completely consuming his world and his people. Even if all he did was provide magical and tech support, the Doom Slayer really didn't need a partner in fighting; he was a one-man massacre all on his own. All he did was become a glorified taxi service and cheap IT help.
Only he was working to save creation from Hell itself and not a paycheck, much more fulfilling.
It was because of Lord Death, that Xero was sent to an alternative timeline, where the Allies lost the war to the Nazi's because of the Da'at Yichud technology they found that could rival even his own tech. Hell, it was only a few steps down from the advanced Zenith tech, while not there, it could have gotten to it if it had been given the chance in the far future.
Maybe.
It was because of Lord Death, that Xero had gone to several different worlds, to several different timelines, met so many different people and even helped prevent a worldwide cataclysm in the form of the Red Skull's insane plan to bomb more than half the world to Hell. Even if he didn't have the honor of working personal with Captain America, Xero had to work in the shadows to ensure the war was won by the allies and even went head-to-head with the Red Skull's own Servant, The Red Devil of HYDRA aka Cu Alter, Berserker class Servant.
For fear of how much the timeline could change and to protect themselves, Xero was all but ordered to stay hidden in the shadows during the war. But that didn't mean he couldn't be an unsung hero of sorts, as he had personal destroyed several concentration/prisoner camps, freeing those insides, while slaughtering their captors.
Even if he did push that rule to the extreme, when Xero inserted himself into an Ally mission known as Operation Overlord, to ensure the allies planes could bomb the ever-living shit out of the Nazi's after HYDRA fell and it was on the eve of the infamous D-Day. When the allies would pool their resources together to unleash an all-out assault on the Normandy beaches of France to take it back from the Nazi's.
The beginning of the end of the war and the end of the Nazi army.
The mission itself entitled the ones tasked with the mission to take out a radio transmitter but it was only when Xero and his fellow soldiers entered the Church, in where the transmitter was, did they realize that something far worse was happening in the village, something hidden below the Church.
Something primordial in nature, of what it could do and its age.
Something dangerous.
Something pure evil.
That something was classified as The Black Tar. It was a serum that in Xero's mind, was nothing more than a rough, refined version of the modern day T-virus. The Tar Serum was created by a Nazi scientist named Dr. Schmidt. The serum was being created using surpluses of tar that were embedded in the ground of Ciel Blanc for centuries. Dr. Schmidt injected the tar into the local population's bodies in order to refine the substance. The solution was being developed in order to create superior soldiers that would be worthy to serve the Third Reich. The serum was still in the early stages of development and was unstable. Dr. Schmidt was still only testing the formula on deceased subjects. The serum appeared to be designed to enhance Nazi soldiers' strength and durability. The Tar Serum was able to bring deceased individuals back to life even if they were heavily injured or dismembered. Side effects of the solution were that cost subjects to become mutated and volatile.
VERY volatile, quick to anger and a massive surge in bloodlust.
It was only later, after he returned to his own time, stealing all of their research notes on the Black Tar, after sealing it off from the rest of the world, did Xero learn that Dr. Schmidt had an ally in the Allies Alliance: Oswell E. Spencer.
The same Oswell E. Spencer that founded the Umbrella cooperation and was the head of the project that would create the T-virus. While part of him wanted to go back, to go hunting down that fucker and strangle him with his own insides for all the pain and suffering he was going to cause but he ultimately couldn't. For one, attempting the change the past and or killing figures like Oswell, often end in greater disaster in unforeseen ways.
It was like a common SCI-FI time travel flick but if there was one rule to time travel was true and very real, it was this one:
DON'T FUCKING TIME TRAVEL YOU BLOODY IDIOT!
It was during the second year, after the Grand Order, when Xero and Gudako were ready to start their work, Xero went out of his way to discover any hidden hideouts Oswell might have had. Ironically, it was during that time he met Chirs Redfield and after facing off the dangerous Umbrella elite strike squad, the U.S.S Delta team aka Wolf Pack.
Despite being powerful and strong enough to snap them like twigs, they put up quite the fight. It was truly a shame their loyalty was to the wrong people but hey, what can you do?
It was during the second and third years that Xero went around, building alliances and good relationships with several organizations. Organizations like Yasaka's Youkai fraction, the BSAA, TerraSave, the Vatican Church, the Mage's Assocation, Sable International, the Devil Hunter Organization in Japan, the United Nations, even after becoming a PMC they still work with their former employer's just that Chaldea now had a lot more freedom than before or official anyway and the Sorcerers of Kamar Taj and that last one was a bit tricky.
Sorcerers and Magus do NOT get along very well and while it was an uphill battle, Chaldea was able to secure a firm alliance with the sorcerers. Of course, that wasn't the only one who's relationships were tense, as the Chruch working with him was like pulling teeth.
For them anyway.
Magus and the Chruch have had very, very, VERY tense relationships throughout the past, it is reaching a boiling point during the Salem Witch Trails and both sides were ready to go to all-out war with one another. Even to this day, the tension between the two groups had not faded, especially between the Church and Mage's Assocation, but while they are very reluctant to help Chaldea, it could not be denied that they needed Chaldea.
Especially after Xero and Gudako exposed the conspiracy within the Vacation, the high levels of corruption that had infected the holy sanctuary after they tried to have his daughter Asia killed.
Funny enough it was the Pope's own exorcist and one of Xero's oldest friends, Father Gabriele Amorth and Sister Gabriela Quartz that brought the unjustly excommunicated Asia to him. Both to give her a home after being kicked out of the only home she knew and to protect her from those that sought to harm her. Both were the Vacation's top exorcists, two of its strongest and both had the Pope's ear in these kinds of matters. It was after being shown undeniable proof of the corruption, all the evidence needed to expose the conspiracy, the Pope was able to strike back against those who tried to kill Asia and funny enough, one of those pieces of evidence was the enslavement charms on Irina.
The same Irina that bastard Valper Galilei, tried to use as his own personal weapon to kill Asia and was in charge of the "Holy Sword Project" but due to the lack of evidence and living victims, got off scoot free at the time.
But it was his own arrogance that led to his and the rest of his co-conspirator's downfall...along with a good number of their higher ups within the Church itself.
It might sound like strong arming or simple blackmail, but the Vatican had very little choice but to ally itself with Chaldea after the whole debacle. Not like Chaldea liked it very much either, Xero most of all as he had plenty of bad run's ins with the Church and it's more zealot members, but beggars can't be choosers.
On the other hand, this did give Xero and Gudako the chance to start hunting down legendary relics, artifacts and weapons all over the world to not only keep them out of the hands of people who would use their power for the wrong reasons, but it also gave them the chance to hunt down cursed weapons as well. The kind of cursed weapons that would send whoever touched them to become possessed by the curse and go on very bloody killing sprees. More often naught, when one gets possessed by the spirit, demon or Warith within the cursed sword or item, if one is fast enough, the victim can be saved but if exposed long enough, then the corrupted, twisted mana would wrap the victim.
Ultimately their souls would either become fuel for the evil spirit within or would merge with the spirit itself, becoming a twisted amalgamation of the person, transforming into a chimera like being.
By this point, it they would beyond saving and the mercy thing to do, would be to put down the once person, least they spread their madness to everyone else. Human, Youkai and mutant alike.
However, among all the cursed items they found, Xero was able to unique items that could greatly help them, such as Asia's Rod of Asclepius, also known as the Staff of Aesculapius and as the asklepian, is a serpent-entwined rod wielded by the Greek god Asclepius, a deity associated with healing and medicine. A perfect item to go with Asia's Twilight Healing, that not only gives her a way to defend herself but boost her overall power.
The many magical, enchanted and or cursed objects they collected, sealing it within the Vault also includes the seven shards of the now shattered Excalibur sword, Artoria Saber's sword.
After the whole debacle with the Holy Sword Project and the thief of the shards the Church had in their possession by the now exposed traitorous comrades, Chaldea took back ALL the shards. It would have been a massive political shit storm, had it not been for the simple fact the Church had so many traitors within that when the "Cull of corruption" was over, more than half of the Church's forces were stripped of their position, arrested gone rogue or killed during the ensuring fire fight.
While thankful they captured/killed a good majority of the conspirators, another good number of them escaped and given how easily their shards were stolen by these people, it was concluded that Chaldea was safer to store the shards. Mostly because the Chruch had no real presence within Chaldea itself and it had a quite literally army between them and the Shards, as the Vault could only be opened via a three-person combination.
In other words, it could only be opened by Xero, Gudako and Olga, all using their unique mana signature to open the Vault door. Like a three-person handprint identity scan only it's their mana and not fingerprints.
This happened between the second and third year, while the fourth year was a hell of a lot different for Chaldea.
Because of the Chruch's short handiness, thanks to cutting the corruption out of their ranks, Chaldea had to pick up the slack in dealing with both, supernatural monsters that threaten humanity and Dead Apostles. Which it became apparent they were fully aware of what was going on at the Church, as the corrupted members of the Church had actively helped many escape their eyes and with many of their allies within it dead, the Mage Assocation now able to fully hunt them without being feud false information, many did the next best thing.
Team up with the disgraced and in hiding members of the now fallen Umbrella corporation, combining their skills to fight back against their hunters; The Church, Mage Assocation, Chaldea and the BSAA. Because of this, Xero was given the green light to expose the truth of the world, what was hidden from the non-Magi to fully bring the BSAA into the fold, to better fight their shared enemies.
After all, the enemy of my enemy, is my friend.
But while the primary master of Chaldea was doing that, the secondary one had other plans.
Gudako, in her own way of wanting to go her own way decided to temporary leave Chaldea behind, so she could join the CIA. It was a dream of her to join the agency and despite everything that had happened, she believed that they could be a real force for good and decided to join. Sure, she still worked for Chaldea but that didn't mean she couldn't take on a second job and given what the CIA is supposed to do, they had an insider to deliver them messages if someone was getting too close to discover the Magus world or if better yet, a lead where their enemies were hiding, so it was a win-win. Thanks to her unique skillset and revealing her 'mutant' ability, she was accepted into the agency quite quickly and despite her young age, she was sent on high profile missions.
One might be shocked to see a seventeen, almost eighteen-year-old be accepted into an agency like the CIA but more often than naught, if someone proved themselves, the rules could be bent.
It was during this time, that Xero met Violet and Powder, saving them from the Witch Hunters that murdered their family. This same year, he met Laura, after helping the sister duo track the female clone of Wolverine down, knowing the people that were hunting her.
We all knew how that turned out and Chaldea now had a proud new member in their ranks.
By the end of the year, Gudako was quickly disillusioned by the agency, as she soon realized her dream wasn't everything, she believed it to be, but it was THAT mission, did she realize just how foolish and idiotic she was being.
It was a black ops mission to kill one of the most dangerous warlord, responsible for numerous war crimes and was holed up in East Africa, Somalia. She succussed but in doing so, Gudako had orphaned a young boy after killing his father, to kill the warlord. The same one that had helped her get into the compound in the first place. Gudako buried her guilt in knowing what she did was right, and she made the world a better place with the warlord, Gemall Sheik Charrief.
Until it wasn't.
In a shocking turn of events and thanks to a news report, Gudako learned that Gemall wasn't a warlord at all but was in fact the democratically elected president, and the country's only hope for peace and prosperity.
Needless to say, Gudako was very pissed and not only had her possible boyfriend Ryan lied to her, but the CIA used her to kill an innocent man and send an entire country into anarchy with the death of Charrief. They're being very little anyone could do, as Charrief truly proved to be the last hope of uniting the country and all that did, was make Gudako's anger towards the ones who tricked her grow into outright hatred, but she resisted the urge to burn the assholes who betrayed her trust to ash.
If it were Xero, he'd would have just exposed their crimes and brought the entire building down on their heads, but it would do very little good as the entire thing was swiped under the rug and landed Gudako on the CIA's capture list.
Thankfully, the duo had the ear and friendship of the president's right hand and while Ellis couldn't take away the director of the CIA's position away, he had far too many supporters and friends for that, he could retrack the 'capture on site' order.
One of the many reasons why Xero hated politics.
At least officially and if any CIA attempted to kidnap or take her by force, then Chaldea was free to kill them, as they were committing treason. At least they could defend themselves without consequences. It should be noted the previous year, Xero and Gudako had met Leon, after he saved Kunou from the Las Plaga cult that kidnapped Ashely.
Their fifth year, this year, when he would turn twenty-one in September well who the hell knew. Aside from helping destroy any Bioresearch faculty, hunting down legendary artifacts or killing monsters, Xero spent some of his downtime hunting down the various criminal organizations in the world, like the Cartels. Not just the Mexico drug cartels, but many more, including human/animal trafficking, arms dealers, terrorists, etc.
So yeah, now that the Rider mention it, Xero HAD done quite a lot of good in the world, but it still felt like it did very little in the head. He cut off one head, two more took it's place, just like that fucking HYDRA motto. No matter what he did, it would never-
"Now you stop that right now, my dear boy." Europa however was having none of that, as she lightly smacked his head, "You have helped more then you will ever know, and you need to learn to take a compliment."
"She's right you know darling." Tamamo said, as she walked in, carrying a turkey sandwich, "Now eat, once you eat this, we can go to bed."
"Yes dear." He said, having no energy to fight either of them on it, as he ate rather quickly, realizing just how hungry he was in the process but the desire for sleep overrides his desire for food. Afterward, the Rider let him go, as Tamamo quickly snaked around him like a anaconda, as she grabbed the sheets, pulling it over the two of them, as the lights dimmed over, sending the room into darkness. Even if his mind told him that things would come to head soon, that things would change from this point on.
But it was a problem for future Xero.
Even the feeling of something in his back, namely between his shoulder blades was ignored for now, as sleep took him while Tamamo wrapped him up in her very soft, fluffy tails doing a very good job of sending him into blissful sleep.
Done and fuck, am i glad i was able to get this done before the new year. Anyway as promised, here is the bio part of the chapter.
Xero's Bio
Full Name: Xero Mazoku/Stark/Le Fay/Pendragon
Family Members; Lilith Mazoku(Mother), Tony Stark(Father), Gregory Mazoku (Adopted Son), Violet Mazoku (Adopted Daughter) Powder Mazoku (Adopted Daughter?)
Familiar's: Abraxas (Undead Horse)
Alignments: Chaotic Good
Servants:
Sheidler Mash Kyrielight
Ruler's: Jeanne D'Arc, Artoria Pendragon, Leonardo Da Vinci (Ruler), Shiro Amakusa
Saber's: Artoria Pendragon, Charlemagne (Charlie) Artoria Pendragon Alter, Artoria Lily, Nero Claudius, Altera, Chevalier d'Eon, Okita Sōji, Fergus mac Róich, Mordred Pendragon, Elizabeth Báthory (Brave), Miyamoto Musashi, Arthur Pendragon, Diarmuid Ua Duibhne (Saber), Gawain, Lanling Wang, Beni-enma, Ibuki Doji, Ryōgi Shiki (Saber), Fairy Knight Gawain(Barghest)
Archer's: EMYIA, Kid Gilgamesh, Robin Hood, Atalanta, Oda Nobunaga, Arjuna, Artoria Pendragon (Archer), Chloe von Einzbern, Ishtar, Tomoe Gozen, Jeanne D'Arc Archer, Calamity Jane, Baobhan Sith, Zenobia
Lancer's: Cú Chulainn, Elizabeth Báthory, Scáthach, Artoria Pendragon (Lancer Alter), Artoria Pendragon, Karna, Brynhildr, Kiyohime (Lancer), Jeanne d'Arc (Alter) (Santa Lily), Bradamante, Ereshkigal, Valkyrie, Jaguar Man, Medusa Lily, Fairy Knight Lancelot aka Mélusine, Nezha, Gareth, Tamamo no Mae (Lancer), Nezha, Gareth
Caster's: Medea, Tamamo no Mae, Elizabeth Báthory (Halloween), Nursery Rhyme, Nitocris, Leonardo Da Vinci, Illyasviel von Einzbern, Xuanzang Sanzang, Merlin, Irisviel Von Einzbern, Medea Lily, Scheherazade, Miyu Edelfelt, Queen Of Sheba, Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova, Artoria Caster, Marie Antoinette (Caster), Nero Claudius (Caster), Circe
Riders: Medusa, Boudica, Ushiwakamaru, Alexander, Martha, Francis Drake, Anne Bonny & Mary Read, Artoria Pendragon (Santa Alter), Astolfo, Iskandar, Artoria Pendragon (Rider Alter), Quetzalcoatl, Leonardo Da Vinci (Rider), Europa, Habetrot, Marie Antoinette,
Assassin's: Jing Ke, Mata Hari, Carmilla, Jack the Ripper, Mysterious Heroine X, Ryōgi Shiki, (Assassin) EMIYA (Assassin) Hassan of the Hundred Faces, Hassan Of The Crused Arm, Shuten Dōji, Fūma Kotarō, Hassan of the Serenity, Cleopatra, Mochizuki Chiyome, Katō Danzō, Semiramis, Charlotte Corday, Kama, Wu Zetain, Gray, Kiichi Hogen, Okita J Sōji
Berserker's: Heracles, Lancelot, Kiyohime, Tamamo Cat, Frankenstein, Nightingale, Minamoto no Raikō, Ibaraki Dōji, Mysterious Heroine X (Alter), Chacha, Penthesilea, Atalanta (Alter), Sakata Kintoki or Gold as he prefers, Berserker Morgan, Jeanne D' Alter Berserker
Avengers: Edmond Dantès, Jeanne d'Arc (Alter), Gorgon, Demon King Nobunaga, Hessian Lobo
Alter Ego's: Meltlilith, Passionlip, Sesshōin Kiara, Okita Sōji (Alter)
Foreigner's: Abigail Williams, Mysterious Heroine XX, Van Gogh
Moon Caner: BB
Line Break
Gudako Bio
Full Name: Ritsuko Fujimaru
Nickname: Gudako
Parents: Unknown
Alignment: Neutral
Servants:
Saber's: Siegfried, Bedivere, Lancelot (Saber), Astolfo (Saber), Rama, Yagyū Munenori,
Lancer's: Leonidas I, Romulus, Hector, Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, Li Shuwen(Lancer), Enkidu, Vlad iii, Parvati, Fionn Mac Cumhaill, Minamoto no Raikō Lancer, Musashibō Benkei, Hector, Cú Chulainn (Prototype)
Assassin's: Stheno. "The Old Man of the Mountain, Li Shuwen, Dr. Jekyl l(And Mr. Hyde), Phantom of the Opera(Eric), Yan Qing, Osakabehime
Berserker: Lu Bu Fengxian, Vlad III, Xiang Yu, Beowulf, Paul Bunyan, Caligula, Asterios
Riders: Georgios, Ozymandias, Achilles, Martha, Red Hara
Caster's: Zhuge Liang (Lord El-Melloi II), Cú Chulainn, Helena Blavatsky, Scáthach-Skaði, Sieg, Gilgamesh, Scáthach-Skaði, Hans Christian Andersen, William Shakespeare, Geronimo, Murasaki Shikibu, Asclepius, Geronimo
Archer's: Euryale, Arash, Orion(And Artimes) David, Billy the Kid, Tristan, James Moriarty, Chiron, Napoléon, Gilgamesh, David
Ruler: Martha, Sherlock Holmes, Himiko
Foreigner's: Katsushika Hokusai
Alter Ego's: Mecha Eli-chan and Mecha Eli-chan 2
Done.
Devil out!