'Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip.' A shower of rain falls over the ruins of the Edelfelt mansion. The courtyard could be seen as a familiar figure comes into view. A man with green hair, the same man that has protected his Master by defeating the dreaded Gorgon stands until he falls on his knees with an audible 'bam.'
"HAAH… HAAH… HAAH…" Archer gasped for breath as unleashing the full power of the Ark of the Covenant had cost him an immense amount of Magical Energy to the point that he was practically drained of it. There was nothing that he could do for a few minutes…
… And that was the perfect opportunity for them to strike.
"WHO GOES THERE?!" Archer shouted at the top of his lungs as he sensed the presence of a Servant in the distance as well as the person who was most likely the Servant's Master. It was then that the both of them walked over to Archer and came into view. One appeared to be a man wearing a plague doctor's mask, and the other was a man who wore clothes that were fitting of a professor. The two men were the Caster-Class Servant Asclepius and his Master Hifumi Takano respectively. But it was then-
"ARCHER!" The voice of his Master went through the ears of the King of Israel, it was undoubtedly, the man named Indiana Jones who called out to him. Archer turned his head to see that the archaeologist had a worried look on his face as he held the body of Takina Tohsaka in his arms. But his eyes soon went wide when he noticed the blood on his Master's leather jacket. But Jones did not look injured in the slightest, which meant that was most certainly Takina's blood. David then clenched his fists and gritted his teeth hard.
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO THEM?!" Archer shouted at the top of his lungs once more as he attempted to stand up but couldn't do it no matter how much he tried. And with the lack of Magical Energy that he's receiving from his Master, it was a miracle that David was still conscious. But even though he asked the Master and Servant a question, the latter walked past him without a care in the world. But the former stood in place as he recognized the girl in the man's arms even with the raindrops on the lenses of his glasses obscuring his vision.
"M-Ms… Tohsaka?!" Takano muttered with a confused look on his face, but Jones did not hear him due to the quietness of his voice and the sound of the raindrops. This happened while Caster was inspecting Gorgon's body which was rapidly disintegrating before his eyes. Time was of the essence, so he procured a pouch and took the blood that was leaking from the right side of the snake monster's body, as there was nothing left on the left side of her body.
"Now… I will finally be able to fulfill my role." Asclepius muttered to himself as he closed the pouch and made it vanish like a magic trick, courtesy of the Caster Class. After the Greek God of Medicine had procured what he had desired ever since he learned of Gorgon's summoning, he then approached Archer.
"Nothing at all. Me and My Master had only watched the battle from a safe distance. To be honest, I had expected you to defeat that monster, but you exceeded my wildest expectations. You had left the right side of her body intact. I have no idea if that was your intention or if it was the whims of Fate, but I thank you for your efforts, King of Israel." Caster spoke as he bowed toward Archer which made the former's Master's eyes shoot wide open out of surprise.
"Caster?!" Takano yelled out as he could not believe what he was seeing before his eyes to the point that he had to wipe the raindrops off his glasses and put them back on. However, he saw the same thing and was flabbergasted and couldn't believe what he was witnessing. But it was the truth, his Servant Asclepius, a man who did not have sympathy for mankind and only pursued the field of medicine was now bowing toward a man.
"It is for that reason that I will allow you to live another day. I will grant that same mercy to your Master and the child in his arms. You alone… have gained my respect." Caster admitted as he stood up and looked at Archer in his eyes with his own. Not long after that, he began walking away but before he left the scene-
"But this is a war… next time we see other… I won't hold back, and I'll kill you. Mark my words, man who had slayed a giant." Caster declared as he went into Spirit Form and vanished without a trace. However, his Master was at a crossroads. He had not known what to do at that moment. Should he help Ms. Tohsaka even though it won't benefit him in any way, and will actually hurt his chances of obtaining the grail or… no. The answer was clear from the beginning. After all…
… Hifumi Takano swore to not abandon those in need ever since that day which changed his life forever.
"My name is Hifumi Takano! I'm a doctor! Allow me to help her!" Takano yelled out as he bowed his body toward the archaeologist, the latter of whom had a desperate look on his face. Jones had never seen this man before until this moment, but Takina was hurting right now and needed help. That was what mattered most of all at this moment. But Indy was concerned over his Servant as well. Archer noticed this.
"Go! I'll catch up!" Archer yelled out as his Master nodded in affirmation as there was nothing else holding the latter back now.
"Then we have no time to lose, let's go." Indy replied as he hurried away from the scene with Takano in tow. With his Master out of sight, it was then that Archer fully collapsed to the ground and lost consciousness due to the sheer amount of Mana he used in the fight with Gorgon. But while David was unconscious, something else that seemed familiar but different strolled onto the scene. It wasn't long until it-
'BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!' Started tearing through the wreckage of what used to be the Edelfelt Mansion. This went on for a bit longer until it found the person he was looking for, a woman wearing a black dress with long blonde hair. The thing leaned in and heard the faint sound of the woman breathing. This meant that the woman named Luar Edelfelt still lived.
"Hmm… seems that my Master was right after all." The thing muttered to himself before taking the unconscious woman into his arms and vanishing from the scene not long after that. It avoided Archer because it was not ordered to procure him. So, it had no reason to do anything to the King of Israel. It was then that the scene faded to black as the Third Holy Grail War would enter its inevitable climax. But until then… the night would persist until the end is nigh…
'Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta! Ta!' The girl with a kitsune fox mask concealing her face started playing the samisen again for the audience of spectators before her as the orange, green, and black curtain began rising once more on the final act of this grand adventure…
Act 3: Night of the Third Holy Grail War
'Whoosh.' The sounds of waves rolling back and forth were all I could hear as I witnessed the sight of the man who was much bigger than me within my dreams. The misty fog was no longer obscuring my vision as I could see him clearly. My judgment from before was correct. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that this man was Rider, all grown up. Seeing my first friend once more, even if it was a version of him who had known me in his life. I couldn't help myself-
"… Rider!" I yelled out as the man turned his head to look me in the eyes with his own. He had a warm smile on his face just like the young man who I had come to know throughout the few days I knew him. But it was as if he was waiting for me to call out to him, for a very long time… longer than I can possibly imagine.
"… It's been a while… hasn't it? Takina." Rider replied as closed his eyes while showcasing his teeth to me. It was then that I was able to move my body and I walked over to the man in the distance until I was right beside him.
"Ah." I gasped as I noticed the sea before me that reached out farther than I could see. It seemed endless. It even got me a little excited to see how far it went on with both of my eyes. Rider must have noticed the excitement on my face because of what he said next.
"That sea… it has a name. It's called… Okeanos. It was what I was seeking for as far back as I can remember. But even though I pursued it for all of my life… in the end… I never reached it. But now… I can see what I was looking for all this time… a vast ocean that held within it held many wonders… so many that it would be impossible to see everything before death. I now realize… it was a foolish dream." Rider admitted but even though he was being honest with himself, the girl beside him disagreed.
"But… it wasn't foolish. Don't you see… now you can see everything that this beautiful place has to offer. You have all the time in the world to see every nook and cranny of it." I spoke as I faced Rider with a smile on my face.
"To tell you the truth… a part of me wants to see everything that Okeanos has to offer… but another part of me wants to keep it a mystery. Because… it's not endless. Even this ocean… has an end… just like any life that anyone has. No matter if you are as small as an ant… or as big as an elephant… everything dies eventually. So… even if I get an eternity to explore it… I'd probably see everything within a few hundred years. After that… I'd be back here staring off into something that I had already seen… and that's just boring." Rider admitted as his dream was within his grasp, but he hesitated to move forward. Takina noticed this.
"I don't think I would ever get bored of it… I mean look at it. It's really beautiful. That's why… I wouldn't mind swimming through this ocean until the end of time. But… what's stopping you from going past it?" I asked as I brushed my hair away from my eyes and looked at the beauty of Okeanos in the distance. However, Rider looked at me and blinked his eyes with a confused look on his face.
"Go past… Okeanos?" Rider asked as I realized even though he has a few decades over me in terms of age, he's still the kid I remember.
"Idiot, have you seriously never thought of it? This world… isn't limited to just Okeanos. Don't you want to see what lies beyond Okeanos? The entire world… no. The entire universe is at your fingertips! And you have all the time to see it! So, what's stopping you from taking that first step into the unknown?" I asked with what was certainly a bright smile on my face. A few seconds passed by until-
"Hahaha… HAHAHA!" Rider let out a quiet laugh until it became very hearty. It was then that I noticed tears streaming down his face. But before I could say another word, he beat me to the punch.
"In all this time… I just wanted to see Okeanos… that was my goal… the one thing I wanted more than anything else. To be honest… I had considered venturing throughout the world… but I wanted to see all of Okeanos first. But even then… I had thought after seeing everything that this world has to offer… I'd lose my admiration for it… that scared me." Rider admitted as I looked at him in awe.
"But now… you have relieved me of that fear. I had not even considered exploring what lay past this planet in all this time. I thought it was impossible. But since I'm already dead… it's not like I could die again, right?" Rider asked with a smile on his face as for the first time in a very long time, he shifted his gaze away from Okeanos and to what lay above it… the sky. And above that… was a universe that may very well be endless. A sea of stars that would truly take an eternity to explore and even then… you might never see it all.
"So… then let's do it. Let's see the entire universe, Rider." I asked as Rider looked at me while he maintained a smile on his face. But then…
"Ah!" I gasped as my vision became blurry. It was the sign that I was beginning to wake up. But I want to-
"I'm sorry… but now is not the time for that. If you spend any more time here… then you really will die. That's why you must return to the people who cherish you… and are waiting for you with bated breath. I'd want nothing more than to see the endless sea of stars for you… that's why I'm going to wait until you have lived a long and fulfilling life… one much longer than I had." Rider admitted with tears in his eyes as I was about to return to reality but before that-
"… Takina… you've matured beyond my wildest expectations… look out for me, will ya?" Rider asked as before I could utter a single word, the endless sea of Okeanos vanished before my eyes along with him as everything turned to darkness until-
"Ah!" I gasped as my eyes opened and I awakened from a slumber that felt like it lasted for an eternity. I attempted to move my body upward, but it would barely budge an inch. However, this was noticed by the other person in the room.
"Woah there! Take it easy!" The voice of a man who was familiar to me spoke as I instantly recognized the man in question. It was none other than Risei Kotomine, the head priest of Kotomine Church and the Overseer of the Holy Grail War. The surrounding area was familiar too, it was the same room I had awoken in the other day when Lancer had knocked me out. But now I was left with a question, why was I here?
"Risei… what am I doing here?" I asked with what was most certainly a confused look on my face. This also confused the priest.
"You… don't remember what happened do you?" Risei asked as his face reverted to a serious expression as I turned my head side to side to indicate a 'no.' It was then that Risei came into view, and I noticed that he had a bruise on his cheek. This alarmed me as Risei was not one to get into fights. But Risei must have noticed the look on my face.
"Oh this? I accidentally brushed my arm too close to Assassin and she hit me for it. I'm ok, so don't worry about it." Risei continued as a smile appeared on his face. However, I was sure what he had said was a lie. Something happened while I was asleep, and I was going to get to the bottom of it.
"Risei, just how long was I out?" I asked with a serious expression on my face, but Risei froze. This lasted for a few seconds until-
"… Brace yourself… you were out for three days." Risei admitted with a serious look on his face. Wait… WHAT?!
"T-T-Three days?! That's impossible! Is this your idea of a sick joke?! Cause if it is then it's NOT funny!" I snapped back with what was surely anger all over my face. It wasn't my intention to snap at him, but I was so surprised that I couldn't help myself. After all, three days is a lot of time! So much stuff could have happened to… wait. Where is-
"Risei… where's Indy?" I asked with a face that was most certainly one of fear as the worst possible scenarios went through my mind at lightning speed.
"… Mr. Jones is alright. The last time I checked in on him, he was at your house. Both he and his Servant decided that it was best not to make any moves while you were out. So, they are waiting for you to recover before they continue the fight." Risei explained as knowing that they were alright almost brought me to tears. I wasn't a believer of God but thank goodness they are okay. I have to get there and-
"Absolutely not. You haven't moved a muscle in three days. You need to rest for a bit longer." Risei declared with a serious expression on his face. But this only made me even more determined to prove him wrong.
"That's all the more reason why I CAN'T rest any longer! They needed me so I- I spoke but I was cut off before I could finish speaking.
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Risei shouted at the top of his lungs as I froze out of shock upon hearing him. That was the first time I heard him scream like that. He always had this laid-back attitude but that was all gone now. In its place was a man who was clearly worried about me. At that moment, I decided that it would be best to comply with his wishes.
"… I understand. I'll stay here for the time being." I replied as I laid back down on the bed. Silence occurred for a few more seconds until-
"Sorry about that… I didn't mean to yell like that. It's just that… never mind. It's nothing. Just get some sleep, ok?" Risei spoke with a forced smile on his face as he was clearly hiding something from me, the question was 'What?' What could have gotten him that riled up? I didn't know. All I could do was think in silence as I drifted back to sleep once more.
Three days earlier…
'Bam!' Risei was decked in the face by the man in front of him, the man named Indiana Jones. The latter of which was fuming with anger. But the former maintained a calm and collected attitude as he took a punch in the face like a champ. The woman wearing a yellow dress could only watch what was unfolding before her eyes with her mouth agape. Hifumi Takano who was also present was similarly surprised. But it wasn't long until things picked back up.
"Just what the hell do you mean she's going to die?!" Indy snapped back at the priest as the Fate of the girl in red was revealed at last.
"… It's exactly what I said. She's been cursed. It took all of the Command Spells on my body just to keep the curse at bay for the time being. But even with the abundance of Magical Energy that I used to heal her… she doesn't have much time left. I'd say about a week at most left." Risei explained but this only enraged the archaeologist further as the former's Servant collapsed to her knees.
"… Takina…." Mata muttered as tears streamed down her eyes. Hifumi was distraught too but kept it contained. But in stellar contrast to the both of them, Indy was clenching his fists hard and gritting his teeth to the point they could break. He then gripped the priest by the hem of his shirt. And then…
"WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU TELL HER THIS SOONER?!" Indy snapped back at the top of his lungs.
"Because I promised Tatsuo… to keep it a secret." Risei admitted with a face full of regret as Indy's eyes shot wide open out of surprise. But soon anger returned to his face in full force.
"Bullshit! Tell me the truth now!" Indy snapped back once more. But then…
"It is the truth! Tatsuo made me promise him that if he were to die because of the curse that I must not tell Takina! He didn't want her to lose the will to live! Even knowing full well that she was going to be cursed in the advent of his demise… he wanted her to cling to her life to the very end!" Risei admitted as he maintained his face that was full of regret as Jones realized that the man in front of him wasn't lying. But at the same time, it was hard to believe. Risei noticed this.
"I know you must find this hard to believe but it's the truth! I swear to God that I'm not lying! You have to believe me!" Risei yelled out as he begged the man gripping his shirt to believe him. But Jones was already convinced and released him from his gasp. But then…
'BAM!' Indy slammed his fist against the nearest pew and broke it into two pieces as Risei, Mata and Takano were stunned by this sudden burst of anger as well as the result being that the Archaeologist injured his hand in the process.
"Damn it. I forgot to use Reinforcement." Indy muttered as he noticed the state of his hand that had several splinters in it and was bleeding due to him punching the wooden pew so hard. Risei noticed this.
"I can treat your hand with the medical supplies I have in the back- Risei spoke but was cut off before he could finish speaking.
"Don't want them. As far as I'm concerned, you've done enough. I'm taking Takina and getting the hell out of here." Indy declared as Risei's eyes shot wide open.
"You can't! You know as well as I do, she needs her rest! Anything that could wake her up now could be fatal!" Risei snapped back as a scowl appeared on the face of the archaeologist. And then…
"… Fine. But once she's awake I'm taking her back home no ifs or buts about it. You hear me, priest?" Indy spoke with a serious look on his face as Risei nodded his head in affirmation. Jones noticed this and was about to head out of the church but before he could-
"Wait! There's something back at her house that will explain everything better than I could. It's in Tatsuo's study. Here." Risei spoke as he threw something at Indy, the latter of which caught it without batting an eye. He then opened his hand to notice that it was a key.
"I'm not going to thank you for that. Whether he decided it or not, keeping such a thing secret from her… is unforgivable." Indy spoke as not a moment later, he exited the church as the double doors slammed shut behind him with an audible 'Bam!' It wasn't long after that, that the archaeologist made it back to the Tohsaka Residence. He then made it to the study belonging to his departed friend and attempted to open several of the drawers in the room with the key in his hand. There were several failed attempts until finally, he reached the one, he was looking for-
'Click.' With a click, the drawer was unlocked as Jones pulled it open and found a certain notebook inside of it. Upon seeing it he instantly recognized it as the journal that his friend would always write in when given the chance to. He had never read its contents but now was the time to do so.
'Just what the hell were you hiding, Tatsuo?' Indy thought internally as he opened the journal and read the contents of the first page, which detailed several subjects regarding Magecraft. It was then that he remembered that his friend was a professor at the Clock Tower in London. He then flipped through several more pages until he found a part of the journal that stuck out to him.
Instead of listing several things he couldn't understand in the slightest, he found something that was all too familiar to him, an account detailing his departed friend's experience with the place called Waverly Hills Sanitorium. Not only that but it was also the place where Jones had met Tatsuo for the very first time…
Chapter 13: The Adventure of the Unspeakable Story
Louisville, Kentucky. January 1927
It was a cold winter's day when me and Edgeworth had finally arrived at our destination, Waverly Hill Sanitorium. A place that had only been built a year prior but had built up a reputation for being the most haunted place in America. This was the first time I had been here so I could not say whether that was the truth or not. I was about to find out. Good thing I wasn't alone.
"You ok, Mr. Tohsaka?" Edgeworth asked with a smile on his face as he was as cool as a cucumber. In stellar contrast, I was fidgeting all over the place as my palms were covered in sweat. It wasn't as if I was afraid of the place before me. No. It was because my wife back in Japan was on the verge of death. To make matters worse, she was carrying our child and there was a chance that they could both die. I would not allow such a thing to occur, that's why I can't be afraid!
'Slap!' I slapped my cheeks and regained my resolve as I took in the place before my eyes. It was a very massive building that stretched out as far as the eye could see. Apparently, Waverly Hills was built as a hospital for tuberculosis patients. However, my wife did not have such a disease. No. The illness she was suffering from was much worse than that. It was a curse that had run in her family for generations, one that had claimed the lives of her mother and her grandmother.
The curse was now trying to take her own life, but no matter how much I tried to cure it with modern Magecraft… nothing worked. In my desperation, I stumbled upon an article that listed a place in America of all places that was rumored to be cursed but also had people who could heal illnesses thought incurable. It was for that reason I had ventured to this country accompanied by my assistant Edouard Edgeworth, a man who I considered to be very promising when teaching him at the Clock Tower even among several other students who would undoubtedly claim the rank of Pride in the next few years.
"I'm fine! Let's go, Edgeworth!" I yelled out with resolve in my voice and a face that matched it as I pressed on and entered through the double doors of the sanatorium. It was then that I caught sight of how this place did not live up to its name in the slightest. Waverly Hills was supposed to be a sanatorium, the name of which was similar to the English word sanitary, but this place was not at all common with that word. There was dust everywhere I could see and even cobwebs on the nooks and crannies of the walls! In fact, it looked like it hadn't been cleaned once in the entire year it had been opened to the public!
'H-How can Americans be so… filthy?!' I thought internally as I most certainly had a look of cringe on my face. But my assistant must have noticed this because he let out a hearty laugh in response.
"If you think this is bad, you haven't seen how disgusting people can be." Edgeworth commented as I recalled what he told me a while back.
"You grew up in Romania, right? I had assumed that place was kept in tip-top shape due to the influence of the Yggdmillennia family?" I asked with what was most certainly a look of confusion on my face. The Yggdmillennia family was one that was considered to be very prestigious throughout the Clock Tower to the point that they held even more respect than me who was already a professor there.
"That's right. Me and the man who's all but destined to become the head, Darnic, both go way back. But while his mansion was nice, it wasn't as if they spread their wealth and influence on every part of Trifas. There are several places there much worse than this." Edgeworth admitted with a smile on his face as he undoubtedly reminisced on his memories.
'You poor soul.' I thought internally as I gripped my chest with tears in my eyes. Someone who would have to experience such dirtiness is one to be pitied in my book. But now was not the time to be standing around like this. I had to meet with the person who was in charge of the not fine in the slightest establishment. But before I could utter a single word-
"Yes. May I help you?" A voice spoke as I noticed a person whose skin was absurdly pale! They almost looked like a z-z-ZOMBIE!
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" I let out a shriek of terror as I thought I was about to lose my life! But in response, my friend gave out a hearty laugh.
"Relax, Tohsaka. This guy's human… I think." Edgeworth spoke while maintaining his signature smile on his face. To be honest, I have no clue how he's able to maintain his calm and composed attitude all the time. But it was that part about him that impressed me more than any Magecraft that he could produce. His smile always helped me regain my confidence and for that, I'm grateful to him from the bottom of my heart. Though he could be a bit too 'blunt' from time to time.
"I heard that." The man who appeared to be a zombie but wasn't, spoke with a monotone tone that illustrated how much he hates being in this place. I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't share the same opinion he clearly held within his heart if I had to work at a place as filthy as this. But I moved forward not to just get out of here as soon as possible but to save my wife who was dying as I drew breath.
"Hey Mister. Can you take us to someone who is skilled in healing? Particularly from a distance since the person I want healed is not present within this building." I asked with what was most certainly a serious look on my face.
"That's a lot to ask for right off the bat. But I'll see what I can do. See you in a bit." The zombie-looking man said before disappearing from my line of sight. For a second, I thought he was returning to a place that was six feet under me. But it was only a few minutes before he returned.
"Good news… I found a person who specializes in healing people who are not present here. Says he can even heal someone even if they are in a different country. I assume that's what you wanted to hear cause you're clearly Japanese." The zombie-looking man asked with a blank expression on his face but in stellar contrast, I couldn't be more elated over this news!
"That's wonderful! Take us to them immediately!" I yelled out with what was most certainly a smile on my face. But the zombie did not bat an eye to my enthusiasm and pulled something out of the drawer of the front desk.
"You both are going to want to wear these." The zombie spoke as he slid two things across the front desk to us. They were all too familiar to me as many people in my homeland have worn them whenever they had suffered from sickness. The items in question being face masks.
"By any chance is this man suffering from tuberculosis?" Edgeworth asked with a pleasant look on his face even though he was talking about something so horrifying. The zombie nodded his head in response.
"That's correct. The majority of the patients who are here suffer from tuberculosis. As for the minority… they are not considered fit for society. This man is the rare example who fits both of those archetypes." The zombie admitted as my eyes went wide with surprise.
"Wait a second! Is this man… clinically deranged?" I asked with what was most certainly a look of worry all over my face as I felt sweat dripping from my forehead.
"Don't worry… as long as you don't piss him off, he won't bite back. Now let's go already. I don't got all day." The zombie spoke as if he had to return to the depths of the earth once the sun finished setting and was replaced by the moon. Or perhaps he just wanted to go back home as soon as his shift finished. The latter makes much more sense than the former in hindsight.
It was then that I followed the zombie down the dimly lit corridor as Edgeworth strolled behind me. Throughout the corridor, I noticed many rooms beside me that held 'patients' in them. However, what separated us from them were metal bars reminiscent of a jail cell, not that I had ever been in one before, luckily. But unluckily for them. But not long after that, I caught a whiff of something in the air that was unpleasant, to say the least.
"Oh my! J-Just what is that smell?!" I blurted out loud as the only thing protecting my nose was the face mask on my… face.
"That smell is what happens when we can't afford to have this place cleaned. All the money goes to the doctors. But even then, we can only afford a few of them. That's why most of the patients here die. That smell is probably from their corpses." The zombie spoke as I was extremely surprised, he'd reveal such details to an outsider.
"That explains things! No wonder this place smells like someone died! Hahaha!" Edgeworth laughed with a smile on his face as he joked around.
'Edgeworth… you're not helping.' I thought internally with what was surely a look of fear on my face as sweat dripped down my forehead. Thankfully, it was not much longer until we reached our destination, the cell-I mean patient room that housed the person whom we were told about. The sight of him brought a shiver down my spine.
"What do we have here… two men that I had not seen before… not that I could see anything! Hahaha!" The man laughed as his eyes along with his words illustrated that he was completely blind. But that wasn't the part about him that scared me. No, if that was it then I'd be fine. But what terrified me down to my very core, was his appearance. He had very little hair on his head that had long since turned grey. He also wore clothes that had holes all over them. To make matters worse he even had missing teeth. He was quite literally the personification of a drug addict.
"T-This can't be him… right?" I attempted to whisper to the zombie, but he had already gone back to his grave so to speak. But to my surprise, the man who appeared to be nothing more than a drug addict heard my whisper.
"Oh, were you expecting someone else? Perhaps someone with a bit more of a respectful appearance. Sorry to disappoint but you get what you get. You can call me… Shadi Enigmar." The man proclaiming himself as 'Shadi' spoke with a wide grin on his face. Wirth such a dubious name it was as if he was mocking me. Why that little-
"I want to hear you say it! Can you in fact cure people of their illnesses from an entirely different country than the one we find ourselves in now?!" I yelled out with a serious expression on my face. I didn't want to doubt the man as I had ventured all the way to this country with the hope that my wife would be cured of the curse plaguing her. But this man really lived up to the name 'Shadi Enigmar.'
"Of course! I can cure anyone from any place in the world! My powers are not bounded by distance! That's why I can assure you that I'm indeed the person you've been seeking, Mr. Tohsaka!" Shadi exclaimed as he rubbed both of his hands together but while that was suspicious what was even more suspicious than that was the fact that he knew my name!
"H-How could you have known that?! I had not told you, my name!" I blurted out with what was certainly a dumbfounded look on my face. But to my utmost surprise, my assistant had already found the answer.
"Tohsaka, that's simpler than you think. You and I can see perfectly fine. But this man can't. He's completely blind. Which means that all of his other senses have been heightened. That includes hearing, am I right, Shadi?" Edgeworth asked with a smile on his face as the man before us nodded in affirmation.
"Correct. I can't see a damn thing with these eyes anymore. But in exchange, I can hear all the way to the front desk with ease! Now, without further ado. Let's get down to business. I can give you exactly what you want. To heal the person that you cherish more than any other, undoubtedly your wife, right?" Shadi asked while maintaining a grin on his face. At that moment, I realized that I had underestimated the man as I nodded my head in response to his question that was right on the money.
"But! I require something in exchange for my efforts if you know what I'm saying." Shadi spoke as his grin grew wider.
"If it's something of monetary value then I can give you as much as you want! Just please! Save my wife! That's all I ask!" I shouted as I bowed toward the man before me. But since my eyes were facing the floor, I couldn't see the sinister-looking smile on his face.
"Good! However, I expect to be paid upfront for my efforts! And if I can ask for all that I want… then… how about… ten thousand dollars!" Shadi replied as he snapped his fingers. However, I had known little of how American currency worked so I didn't know how much that meant in Yen. However, to my utmost surprise, Edgeworth knew how much it was.
"He's asking for roughly a million and a half yen. This guy really didn't hold back one bit, did he? You are one shady bastard." Edgeworth spoke with a grin on his face as he glared daggers at the man before him. Upon hearing this I almost had a heart attack!
"I-I can't afford that! Even if I gave you everything, I own I still wouldn't be able to give you nearly that much! Please! Lower the price to a million! Then I would be able to afford it! I beg of you!" I begged the older man as I bowed toward him once more, but I had only inadvertently made him angry just as the zombie told me not to do.
"Are you kidding me?! You said, 'If it's something of monetary value then I can give you as much as you want!' But now you are taking it back?! How dare you!? Perhaps I'll just let your wife die! Hahaha!" Shadi laughed with a horrifying smile on his face. His words made me clench my fists and grit my teeth hard. I had wanted to give this man a piece of my mind. But… I can't let my wife die. My wife being cured of her curse so that she and our daughter can both live long happy lives is what truly matters in this moment more than anything else!
"… Fine. One million and a half it is. But I don't have all of that on me. Please… just let me give you half now and the other half when I can procure it. That's all I ask." I spoke as I bowed forward once more. I had half expected the man to snap at me once more, but to my surprise, he didn't.
"I'll accept that… as long as you can pay the amount before I kick the bucket. Now, give me what I asked for already, Mr. Tohsaka." Shadi asked with a twisted smile on his face as I had no choice but to accept his offer. It was quite literally one that I couldn't refuse. But just as I was about to hand him all the money I had on hand-
"HOLD IT!" The voice of someone that I had not heard in my entire life up to this very moment went through my ears. I then found myself turning around to face the man who had entered onto the scene, the man whom I would later come to know as-
"Indiana Jones! You bastard!" Shadi yelled out as he gritted his teeth and clenched his fist at the sight of the man in view. A man who looked like any random person you'd find on the street, aside from his leather jacket, satchel, and fedora that made him stand out from the crowd. It was as if a ray of light shined down onto the man named Indiana Jones.
"Oh, Shadi. You flatter me. It's been way too long. I had hoped to meet you again sooner before you swindled another person out of their money. Looks like I arrived in the nick of time." Indy replied with a grin on his face as he snapped his fingers as the metaphorical spotlight shined onto Mr. Enigmar. Wait… what did he just say?!
"Swindled?! Are you saying that this man is a con artist?!" I blurted out as the light highlighted the dumbfounded look on my face But, my suspicions were confirmed by the click of the man in question's tongue. Along with what Jones had said next-
"That's right. This man has built up a fortune by swindling people out of their money. He took advantage of many people who just wanted to save their loved ones. But in the end, he's just a phony who got what he deserved in the end, isn't that right, Shadi?" Indy asked with a smirk on his face as he crossed his arms while the spotlight returned to the smug archaeologist. This obscured the look on Shadi's face for a few moments until-
"This man's a liar! I have never seen him before in my entire life!" Shadi yelled out with an anxious look on his face as sweat dripped off his brow which was highlighted by the spotlight. But it was then that Mr. Enigmar made a contradiction. One that my assistant noticed.
"Oh please. Do you really expect us to buy such bullshit? You literally just called the guy 'Indiana Jones.' You're at least familiar with him, that's for damn sure." Edgeworth pointed out while the spotlight was shined onto him as he swiftly shattered the fragile glass of the man's lies! It was as if I could hear the glass crack with an audible 'CRACK!'
"N-No! W-What I meant t-to say w-was- Shadi spoke as he rubbed his hands together as sweat dripped off his brow, while the spotlight shined onto him, but I had already seen the truth with my own eyes! This man was without a doubt a fake! And I intended to say it right to his face! Which is why I cut him off before he could finish his sentence!
"ENOUGH! YOU ARE THE ONE WHO LIED SHADI ENIGMAR! YOU ARE NOTHING MORE THAN A LIAR WHO DESERVED SUCH A CRUEL TWIST OF FATE!" I shouted at the top of my lungs with the spotlight on me as I pointed at him with enough conviction in my heart that it shattered any more lies, he could spew like glass! 'CRACK!
'WHOOOOOOOOSH!' But to my utmost surprise, I released a gust of wind that shot forward and knocked Mr. Enigmar off his feet!
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Shadi shrieked at the top of his lungs as he fell right onto his butt. But wait? How did that happen? Last time I checked the element that was my affinity wasn't wind. Was this the wrath of God who struck the man down? But before I could find the answer to this perplexing question-
"… Y-You…" Shadi spoke as he stood up from the ground and my eyes shot wide open out of surprise. But what happened next would make this moment pale in comparison-
"… HOW DARE YOU! TATSUO TOHSAKA, I CURSE YOU! THAT CURSE PLAGUING YOUR WIFE WILL TRANSFER TO YOU AND MAKE EVERY MOMENT OF YOUR LIFE UTTER AGONY! AND ONLY AFTER YOU HAVE SUCCUMBED TO IT WILL IT THEN KILL YOUR DAUGHTER! THE ENTIRE TOHSAKA FAMILY WILL SUFFER BY MY WRA- Shadi shouted at the top of his lungs like a demon, but he was cut off before he could finish-
'BANG!' By the bullet that pierced his forehead. It was then that Mr. Enigmar collapsed to the ground like a puppet who had their strings cut. I was so astonished I had not known what happened! Just who could have shot him?! But the answer was revealed by the same man who exposed the lies of the now-deceased man-
"Hey! What's the big idea of bringing a gun in here?!" The man I had just met yelled out with a pissed-off look on his face as he gripped my assistant's shirt, the latter of which had a gun in his hand. Which meant that the culprit was none other than Edgeworth!
"Edgeworth?! H-Have you gone mad?!" I yelled out with what was surely a look that was similar to the archaeologist's. We were both angry and couldn't understand why Edgeworth had just killed the man. But he was about to reveal the truth to us.
"That man was deranged as they come. Such a pathetic waste of space does not deserve to draw breath. You should be thankful that man is no longer among the living, Tohsaka." Edgeworth replied while he maintained his smile which was extremely inappropriate. He had just killed a man, but he held no regret for his actions in the slightest. It was as if everything that I had thought I knew about the man named Edouard Edgeworth was thrown out of the window and replaced by someone I had never laid eyes on before.
"You bastard! He wasn't even trying to kill us! And yet you killed him! Do you honestly think you have the right to decide the Fates of others?! Just who the hell do you think you are?!" Jones shouted as he continued to grip the hem of Edgeworth's shirt with enough strength to tear it but before he could-
"Name's Edouard Edgeworth. And got to say… you make one hell of a first impression. See you around… Indiana Jones." Edgeworth replied with a whisper as he shoved the man off of him and left the scene of the crime. He then vanished into the dimly lit hallway and became one with the darkness. But it was then that I and Jones were left alone as no one among the living was in sight. And then…
"I want to apologize for my assistant's actions. I do not know what came over him at that moment. He had never shown such behavior in the past. But it was my fault that I brought him here. For that, I share the sin of this man's untimely death. And for that, I'm truly sorry." I admitted as I bowed toward the archaeologist. But the man was not satisfied by this. Instead, he-
"You don't have to be sorry. You did nothing wrong. After all, all the blood is on that bastard's hands. But perhaps it was for the best. Shadi had conned people out of all of the money that they had to the point that they went bankrupt. I heard a few of them committed suicide. Someone like him… did not deserve to die in peace." Indy replied with a serious expression on his face. Perhaps he was right. But even if that's the case-
"… Then allow me to say this. I'm truly thankful for what you did. If you had not shown up, then I would have certainly been relieved of all of my money. You have given me and my family a second chance. For that, I'm truly grateful for your assistance, Mr. Jones." I spoke as I thanked the man before me. The same man who I would rely on in my future endeavors.
"It was nothing, don't worry about it, Tohsaka. And you don't have to say 'mister.' Just 'Jones' is fine. 'Indy' works too." Jones replied as he shifted his gaze away from me for a moment. Perhaps he was embarrassed. It was then that I knew this man was truly a good person. Someone who truly lived up to the word 'hero.' However, while our brief encounter had ended up with me being saved, unfortunately, I could not say the same thing for my wife.
Upon returning home to Japan I had learned that my wife suddenly passed away. I was, for all intents and purposes, an emotional wreck. But there was a shining grace in this tragedy. Our daughter was able to come into this world perfectly healthy. At that moment, I was truly saved. She had become my hope for a better future, which is why I gave her the name 'Takina.' A name that means 'hope.'
But not long after that, I noticed that I was suffering from the same side effects as my wife did before she passed. It was then that I remembered the words of that deranged man I met in Waverly Hills for the first and last time-
'… HOW DARE YOU! TATSUO TOHSAKA, I CURSE YOU! THAT CURSE PLAGUING YOUR WIFE WILL TRANSFER TO YOU AND MAKE EVERY MOMENT OF YOUR LIFE UTTER AGONY! AND ONLY AFTER YOU HAVE SUCCUMBED TO IT WILL IT THEN KILL YOUR DAUGHTER! THE ENTIRE TOHSAKA FAMILY WILL SUFFER BY MY WRA- It was this that made me do a little digging into the life of the man named Shadi Enigmar. But since his name was clearly fake, I couldn't find any leads on him.
However, by luck or perhaps Fate itself, I had come across an individual who had knowledge of Mr. Enigmar. They told me that Shadi was a shaman and used his powers to cure people and foretell events that would occur in the future with astonishing accuracy. But he had a darker side to him, one that would curse other people. Somewhere along the way, this dark side consumed him, and he would swindle people out of their money before cursing them to death. It was then that I realized that he had transferred my wife's curse to me.
But perhaps this was a blessing. It meant that my daughter would be given time to live and grow up peacefully. However, if I did not act to dispel the curse before it claimed my life then it would claim her life as well. I refused to let such a tragedy occur. So, I had no choice but to abandon her. I didn't have any time to lose so I contacted Jones and went on several adventures with him. But not for the thrill of it, it was all so I could break that curse.
But time and time again, I was not able to find what I was looking for. And with the Third Holy Grail War on the horizon, I decided that the Grail was the only thing in this world that could save my daughter. Jones had learned of the existence of Alexander the Great's tomb, and I seized this chance by requesting to accompany him to Italy. However, throughout the years my Magic Circuits have diminished to the point that I could barely use any Magecraft to speak of! Please, God! Just give me some more time! Just enough to save my daughter! That's all I ask for.
It was then that Jones closed the journal in his hands as he had come to know everything he needed to know. His friend had gone on all of those adventures, even while he was suffering, all for his daughter. But in the end, he was killed before he could ever see his dream accomplished. The realization of this truth fueled the man named Indiana Jones with so much anger that he did not know what to do with himself. That was the case until he recalled the events of twelve years ago once more and the man who had killed Shadi Enigmar-
'Name's Edouard Edgeworth. And got to say… you make one hell of a first impression. See you around… Indiana Jones.' It was this man, Edouard Edgeworth who had taken the identity of Darnic Prestone Yggdmillennia. For what reasons he did such a thing alluded the archaeologist. But this reminder of who his true enemy in this war was did enough to contain the immense rage in Jones's heart for the time being.
"You might have not been able to tell her the truth, Tohsaka. But I will make damn sure she knows everything you did for her." Indy muttered to himself while holding the journal in his hands as he left his departed friend's study behind. But upon leaving it was as if he could hear the words 'Thank you.' That resembled the tone of voice that his friend used, but Jones thought nothing more than that as he shut the door behind him and vanished from the scene.
To Be Continued…