Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Out of the Dark

Chapter 3

Eva paused mid-step as the telltale stink of putrefaction reached her nose. Not that it came as a surprise, of course. The house around her was supposed to be a Master's hideout, but its defenses were in tatters even before she arrived, so much so that she hadn't even bothered to tear them down. All she had to do was step through the holes. Less wasted effort, that way.

Besides, it wasn't as though her precognition hadn't warned of this possible outcome. Granted, precognition wasn't infallible, but once you started eliminating the possibilities based on the realities on the ground, what was left became increasingly probable.

Still, there remained the possibility of a trap, which was why Eva had her rapier drawn. A few minutes later, though, and it was sheathed as all other possibilities but one were eliminated.

How could they not? She was standing over the rotting corpse of a female magus, her clothes damp and rotting with rot and liquified flesh. At the sight, and a quick sweep of her surroundings, Eva's precognition kicked in, allowing her to divine what had happened.

In truth, calling it precognition was something of a misnomer. It was more the subconscious ability to take in details and knowledge of a given situation or possibility, and putting them together, deduce and infer possible outcomes. Or indeed, the reverse, assembling a timeline leading to a present situation.

Basically, it was superhuman deduction and inference.

An ability once shared by all Humans, back in ancient times, when gods ruled the World, and monsters stalked the land, the seas, and the air. A way to increase the chances of survival in a World where Humans were prey, if not playthings to beings greater than them.

But when the World changed, and Humans assumed the Seat of Primacy from the gods, the ability, among others, was lost.

It was unnecessary, after all.

Redundant.

If you asked Eva and her siblings, or indeed, Ishtar and the Benefactor, Alaya must have been drunk when it decided to strip Humanity of that and other abilities.

That, or it was caused by the general dilution of Human potential caused by the uncontrolled population explosion suffered by Humanity ever since the Age of Gods came to an end. As per the principle of Conservation of Mysteries, and all that.

But that was beside the point. Here and now, Eva stood over the rotting corpse of Bazett Fraga McRemitz, one-time Master of the Lancer of the Fifth Holy Grail War, betrayed and murdered by one she had trusted, her body left for worms and rats.

"You were a child of the Age of Man, Magus McRemitz." Eva solemnly said, taking off her hat and placing it against her chest. "But your blood was that of the Age of Gods. You did not deserve such a fate. Rest now with the assurance that vengeance will be yours in time, and Kirei Kotomine shall taste the dark fruit of the Inverted Avesta. But I will not allow your earthly body to rot and be devoured by vermin. No, it shall burn, that you might shine on this world one last time. DUZAKH!"

Black flames from the lowest level of Hell exploded outwards from Eva's feet at her final word, stripping Bazett's flesh down to her bones in an instant, before lingering and clinging to the pale skeleton that remained. The floors and carpets burned, then the walls and ceilings, hellfire roaring hungrily as it spread across the house.

With one last bow, Eva replaced her hat before turning to leave, hellfire parting before and around her as she departed.

If Eva was solemn and mournful at finding Bazett's body, she was less so at finding the mutilated and rotting corpse of Caster's one-time Master. Atrum Galliasta, that was his name, but Eva couldn't be bothered to remember it, even as she sneered down at the remains.

"Pathetic fool," she mocked. "Did you think belittling one born of ancient days and risen by great and heroic deeds would have ended well for you? You got what you deserved."

Eva spat on the corpse before turning to leave, refusing to give the fallen magus a fiery sendoff the way she had Bazett. He didn't deserve it.

She did, however, pause to marvel as her mind reconstructed the spatial labyrinth Caster had erected to make sport of her former Master before killing her. It almost certainly wasn't a perfect reconstruction, but even what her mind could put together out of her deductions and inferences were a work of art.

Truly, Caster - or rather, Medea of Colchis - deserved the reputation of one of the greatest magi of the Age of Gods. Perhaps not on the same level as the Master of Masters, Solomon of Israel, the King of Mages himself, but that wasn't really her fault.

That aside, Eva watched in silence and with a small smile as Galliasta panickedly fled through Caster's spatial labyrinth, taunting and mockery his only companions until the end. And at the end, trapped in a corner, he didn't even have the courage to die with dignity. Eva's sneer returned in full force, as she watched the pathetic excuse for a Human and a magus alike wet himself as he begged for mercy.

Mercy that never came, screaming instead as Caster slowly began to take him apart.

"...should I pay a visit to Caster?" she thought to herself, eyes turning in the direction of Mount Enzo in the distance. "It might not be received so well…then again, from the look of things, she only lashed out because of that fool's mistreatment and overweening pride. And according to the legends, well, reading between the lines and past the Greek bias, her 'betrayals' only happened after either getting her mind clouded by Aphrodite or being betrayed first by Jason. She didn't turn on Heracles when they met after everything that went down at Athens…"

Eva's thoughts trailed off as her stomach growled and caused her to grimace. "I need something to eat." she thought while looking around. A moment later, and prana flowed, Eva rising up into the sky before flying in the direction of Mount Enzo.

"Well," she thought as rainbow light flickered over her eyes. "As long as I stay polite and don't provoke her, it should be fine. That, and keep my sister Julia's association with Aphrodite secret. Letting that slip probably won't end well. It's also in the middle of the day too, so it should be fine."

Nodding to herself, Eva picked up speed, speeding across the sky towards Mount Enzo. She had pleasantries to deliver.

Over the past few days, the Caster-class Servant of the Holy Grail War, Medea, had found involvement in said contest to be a whirlwind of experiences. For starters, there was her unsurprising disappointment of an original Master. A braggart and a fool who had proven his lack of worth in short order, and would only have led her to disaster should she have remained by his side. And this was before his complete and utter lack of even the most basic of manners, much less anything more that could be expected from anyone claiming to be civilized.

…to be fair, he could have been worse.

But not by much.

Then there was her new Master. Souichirou Kuzuki. Cold, ruthless, and enigmatic, hollow, even, a man who had taken up the mantle of a schoolteacher despite a completely contradictory background. One would think he would have been more of the same, but surprisingly, he had proven…kind, caring…certainly more civilized than she had long thought any man who had stumbled onto her in the state she had been on that rainy night…

…sadly, he was no magus…but he didn't need to be.

Despite herself, Caster dared to hope. Dared to truly gamble with her fate in a way she had not even long before the end of her first life, and just maybe, maybe, start anew. By the power of the Holy Grail, all thanks to him.

But now this.

A magus was approaching, brazenly flying through the skies towards her stronghold of Ryuudo Temple. They weren't even bothering to conceal their approach, at least for those with the eyes to see. And thanks to that, Caster realized something.

This…shouldn't be.

That magus…that woman…she couldn't be…

Then the magus was descending, slowly floating down to the ground, and walking the last several meters to the base of the stairs leading up to the temple grounds before similarly ascending by foot. "She wasn't being brazen." Caster realized inside her inner sanctum. "She made an open approach to avoid being seen as a threat…an emissary of some kind? In whose name? Her own? Another's? She doesn't seem to be a Servant…but if so, how?"

Intrigued despite herself, Caster teleported out of her inner sanctum and onto the outer grounds, simultaneously casting a spell to keep anyone else from noticing as she and a fellow magus confronted each other. It didn't take long, and then a blonde young woman in black and white was crossing the threshold.

"Welcome to Ryuudo Temple, young magus." Caster greeted her. "Before anything else, might I indulge in a question: how?"

"A single word that could have so many different answers." the blonde woman replied with a small smile.

"The mysteries you wield are an impossibility for this day and age." Caster elaborated with a gracious nod.

The blonde's smile widened. "Then it clearly isn't an impossibility." she replied.

Caster blinked, and then once again despite herself, she laughed. "I suppose." she admitted. "Very well…incredibly improbable then…and no doubt with a very complicated answer behind it all…shall we retire to somewhere more comfortable? Over early lunch, perhaps?"

"I accept the invitation, thank you." The blonde said, taking off her hat and giving a polite bow. "My name, by the way, is Evangeline Tohsaka."

"Ah…good manners, at long last…" Caster said with evident satisfaction. "...such a rarity these days…I am the Caster of the Fifth Holy Grail War, although I must apologize in advance, for I cannot reveal my true identity."

"Understandable, although my sources have already informed me thereof." Evangeline replied.

Caster's eyes narrowed. "Have they now?" she neutrally asked.

Evangeline smiled reassuringly. "I can read between the lines of the myth." she said. "You would not betray without being betrayed first, and I am not a Master. Just a magus with her own business separate from the Holy Grail War."

"Truly?"

"You know as well as I do that those who gave us our mysteries make the Grail a redundancy."

"...so that's how it is." Caster breathed in realization before shaking her head. "Very well, come…let us discuss this further over a hot meal."

Evangeline bowed and simply followed after the elder magus in silence.

"Who are you, really?" Caster asked, as they waited in a room for the monks to bring them their meal. "And what do you want?"

"Like I said, I am Evangeline Tohsaka." Evangeline replied. "More than that, I am the Champion and Chosen of Angra Mainyu, and Gatekeeper to the Aryan Texture in this Age of Man."

"...I knew those mysteries seemed familiar." Caster grumbled.

Evangeline chuckled. "I'm not surprised you would know." she said. "Beyond being one of the greatest magi of the Age of Gods, your son was the King of the Aryans, was he not?"

"Yes, Medus." Caster sighed fondly. "He was such a good boy, brave and loyal…you know he named his kingdom after me…the King of Media…"

Caster sighed again, sadly this time. "I miss him." she finished softly.

Evangeline was silent, and after a moment, Caster glanced back at her. "No children of your own, I take it?" she asked.

"Too young and too busy, I'm afraid." Evangeline replied.

"Hmm…I suppose it is only to be expected…" Caster mused. "...no doubt your god has plenty of demands for you to fulfill in return for the secrets he gifted to you…"

"No concerns about that nature of the god I am sworn to uphold the cause of?" Evangeline asked, and Caster her an unimpressed look.

"Am I in any position to judge someone for following a god of evil and chaos?" she asked.

"I suppose not."

Caster snorted. "At least your god - and other gods like him - are honest about their natures." she sneered. "The same cannot be said for the likes of Aphrodite and her ilk."

"Did Hera not side with you in the end?" Evangeline softly asked.

"...so she did." Caster conceded before looking at Evangeline curiously. "How, though?"

"How did I become Angra Mainyu's champion in this day and age, when gods are supposed to be no more?"

"Yes."

Evangeline smiled, though there was no humor in it. "A lingering legacy of a certain West African god of disease," she said. "Plus a fair bit of trial and error that resulted in plenty of dead children. Those that survived, though…well."

"Why though?"

Evangeline shrugged. "Our Benefactor has grown…dissatisfied, with modern magi, as well as modern man in general." she replied. "The former have lost their way, forgotten the ideals of the King of Mages, and twisted his teachings into something unrecognizable. Likewise for modern man - they lack purpose and leadership, and now lie content and prostate in idle hedonism and consumerism, unknowingly waiting for the end to come instead of aspiring for the stars as they ought to."

"And you - and others like you - are meant to provide that purpose and leadership?" Caster dryly asked. She didn't like the sound of that, in fact, it gave her a very bad feeling, and was reminded of arrogant, entitled, and brutish thugs that called themselves 'heroes' in times long past. Especially since from the sound of things, this 'Benefactor' of theirs did not hesitate to sacrifice children in large numbers just to filter those few who could learn divine mysteries from the masses who could not.

"Yes and no."

"Explain."

"One of the few good things about modern civilization is that its people have come to value their freedom very highly." Evangeline said. "Anyone tries to take it away, and they will fight back, to the death if need be. History teaches that much, and is worthy of respect."

Caster nodded sagely, her bad feelings lightening up. "So," she pressed then. "What then?"

"We shall be as an invisible hand, nudging and pushing, but never striking in threat or command," Evangeline continued. "And ever so much, guide them back to the path."

"And what path is that?" Caster asked.

"Why, the Path of the Stars, of course." Evangeline said in surprise. "As prophesied in ancient times, by the oracles of the Great Mother and her aspects, Cybele, Tiamat, Gaia, Rhea, and so others more besides, and codified even further in the Proclamations of King Gilgamesh of Uruk."

Caster snorted and shook her head before looking away with a wistful and fond smile. "A part of me wants to say you are foolish, putting so much faith in men." she said softly. "But I know better…it's surprising…modern Humans are slow, stupid, and weak…and yet…they don't have to be."

"No, they don't." Evangeline agreed before blinking. "Mind you, this only applies to modern man in general. Modern magi, though, now they are an entirely different matter."

Caster blinked and chuckled. "Well, that's just only to be expected when disciples and masters of the arcane gather together." she said. "Indeed, I would expect nothing less, for a fellow wielder of divine mysteries to whip our modern counterparts into shape, and show them an example to aspire to meet. Of course, the question then becomes, can they?"

"A few, yes." Evangeline contemptuously said. "Most, no. Not even close."

"A shame. Although, I notice you have not answered one of my two original questions."

"What is my business in this city, as even if it is independent of the contest, might still conflict with it?"

"Yes."

Evangeline hummed, only to break off as monks arrived with their meal.

"That was a pleasant meal," Evangeline said as Caster walked her back to the gates of Ryuudo Temple an hour later. "And a most interesting conversation."

"Very interesting indeed." Caster agreed. "Alright, Champion Tohsaka, as we agreed, I will not stand in your way, so long as you do not stand in mine."

Evangeline nodded before giving a smile. "Although you'll be keeping an eye on things, of course." she said.

"That should go without saying."

"Indeed."

"A piece of advice, though." Caster said in a serious tone, so much so that Evangeline actually blinked and turned to regard her in full. "Take it from someone who has faced the gods' apathy and endured their fickleness to the bitterest extent. Your god may have given you great power, knowledge and wisdom beyond all but the greatest of modern magi, but never forget: to a god, mortals are always replaceable. The power you possess may yet prove unequal to the cost paid for it, and you may find those of your siblings sacrificed to have the better end of the deal."

Evangeline silently regarded Caster, who met her eyes resolutely. Then Evangeline nodded. "I shall it take under advisement," she said. "And be wary."

"That is all I ask." Caster said with a nod of her own.

"Well, then," Evangeline said while replacing her hat. "I shall take my leave."

"Safe travels, Champion of the Void." Caster said while stepping back. "And strange as it might sound, I look forward to seeing what you and your sister's business may yet bring to this contest, one way or another."

Evangeline snorted. "My sister should be the more interesting between the two of us, if you must know." she said.

"No doubt." Caster dryly said. "The Queen of Heaven's reputation is well-earned. Well, I suppose I cannot begrudge her that. Goddess or not, I cannot fault a woman getting ahead, no matter the means she uses. I am hardly one to judge, and in this dreadfully male-dominated world of ours, women could certainly use more examples like the Queen of Heaven to aspire to."

Evangeline laughed. "I'll be sure to pass the word along," she said. "And I'm just as sure she'll appreciate it."

Caster nodded, and without another word, Evangeline departed, heading up and away into the afternoon sky.

What an interesting encounter, and here I thought the day would lack for entertainment.

I'll have to tell Master Souichirou all about it later on.

A/N

Ugh…RL can be such a pain at times, and now, after so long, here's the update.