Dream's & Downtime
Hello again, I just wanted to mention that by the time I'm writing this I've just posted the twenty-third chapter of Shattered, so there's a bit of a reference on how far ahead I am with Grave reality.
Alexander's home, London, eight days till Alexander's tribunal, Saturday November 12th, 2000
Luvia awaking from her dreamless sleep, opens her eyes and immediately asks "Alexander what are you doing?" as Alexander is currently working out on the floor. "Good morning... Just doing my morning routine, more importantly, did you notice anything?"
Luvia shaking her head answers "I assume that means you've had a dream?" Alexander pausing for a moment to nod asks "You didn't?" sighing Luvia says, "We should check the ritual is working... in an hour."
Getting out of bed, Luvia exits the room, leaving Alexander alone to finish his workout. Once finished, he gets up and goes into his bathroom, grabbing some clothes along the way, before taking a shower. Done with his shower, he heads downstairs, and goes into the kitchen getting started on breakfast. After some time, cooking, Luvia walks into the room and sits at the table. Idly examining her gemstone necklace.
Alexander moving an omelet onto a plate, before taking a kettle off the stove a moment before it whistles. Pouring it into a mug before putting a saucer over it steeping the tea and grabbing the prepared coffee grounds holding it over his cup with his other hand and filling it with the boiling water.
Alexander then, with a dexterity he did not previously have, takes both plates of omelets, balancing them on his arms grabbing the tea and coffee with his hands, before moving over to the table and serving the tea and breakfast to Luvia.
"Thanks." Luvia says taking a sip of her tea, before asking "What is it you remember from your dream?" taking a moment before answering to set down his mug he says, "Some guy was giving a speech about something, I couldn't hear what, before I shot him with my rifle... twice."
"You assassinated someone?" Luvia asks for confirmation, nodding he says "Yes, though I've done that with Elias." nodding slightly she says, "I'm aware, do you have more information?" Alexander taking a moment to think before answering with "I think I might have been rummaging through someone's workshop."
Finishing up their meal with some small talk interspersed, before the two move back to the bedroom, with Alexander checking over the runes, making sure they are properly connected to the ritual. And Luvia checking over the ritual itself.
"Alexander are the runes connected?" she asks, getting a nod in reply. "Then the ritual should be working." sighing Alexander says, "I think we might need another set of eyes on this, ideas?" Luvia taking a moment before responding answers. "I agree, perhaps, Lord El-Melloi, or Escardos?"
"Hard no on Flat, after class, I'll talk to the professor about it." Alexander responds immediately. "Do you have an issue with Escardos?" She asks to which Alexander shrugging says, "Nothing against him personally it's just his prana is way too strong."
"I would have thought that a good thing." Luvia replies. Shaking his head Alexander says, "I mean the taste; I had a sensory overload just being near him." Luvia nodding says "Oh, I suppose that is why you go through so many mints in Lord El-Melloi's class."
"It takes a lot to overpower the tastes." Alexander confirms, still looking through the runes attempting to find a fault. "Staying on topic, unfortunately we must wait a few more days to speak with Lord El-Melloi."
"Yeah..." Alexander says trailing off before continuing with "Let's check it over one more time to make sure it's not causing any harm, before we continue with the ritual." Luvia, not saying anything in response, starts working alongside Alexander looking through the ritual to see if it can cause any harm.
Spending the next hour looking over the ritual, concluding that it shouldn't do any damage. Alexander, having moved onto his research into Avenger's card, is currently in the library using structural analysis on the servant card.
"End" he says pulling his prana away from the card unable to gain any useful insights. Sighing, he puts Avenger back in its case, snapping it shut before grabbing a book on the heaven's feel.
The Heaven's feel, otherwise known as the third magic, is the materialization of the soul allowing one to interact with the material world while in a higher form of existence. The soul containing one's memories, mind, and magic circuits when under the Heaven's feel does not disperse upon loss of one's anchor, the body.
As such the third magic realizes true immortality by making the soul into a higher dimensional being, preventing the inevitable return to the Root. With the third magic in a more limited capacity, it is possible to move a soul into another anchor upon death if it could be done with enough haste.
"Alexander?" Luvia asks, drawing his attention away from the book. "Yeah?" he asks, setting his book down. "I came to let you know some crates were delivered for you." she says, grabbing a book off the shelf and sitting down next to Alexander.
"Thanks, probably my ammo." He says, pushing his chair out and leaving the room, as Luvia leafs through her book. After a few moments Alexander comes back into the room lifting a large trunk with little visible strain, before setting it down and going back to his book.
"Were you not going to store your ammo?" Luvia asks, her eyes peering over her book towards Alexander. Not looking up from his book he says, "I can do it later." Humming she asks, "Not like you to procrastinate, what are you reading?"
"A brief explanation on the Heaven's feel." he answers not taking his eyes off the pages. Slightly confused Luvia asks, "May I ask why you are reading a basic book, with your proficiency in the third magic being described by Zeltretch as second only to Justeaze von Enizbern herself?"
"Firstly, He described Avenger like that, and secondly Justeaze apparently couldn't use the Heaven's feel due to a few complications in her birth she was just the closest to being able to use it since the third magician's disappearance." Alexander says sighing to himself.
"I would still count that as a compliment." Luvia says, before continuing with. "But that does not answer my question, I am sure you have already have read Avenger's Work on the Heaven's feel including the basics of it."
"That I did." Alexander says nodding, before setting down the book. "I asked Zeltretch for anything he would be willing to give me about the Heaven's feel, and he told me to start with this one since it was written by one of the few Enizbern he liked."
"I see, my apologies for taking you from your studies." Luvia says smiling lightly. Smiling back "No problem, you want to borrow it after I'm done?" he asks, getting a shake of her head in response. "While I do admit to being intrigued by the third magic, I am in no rush to attempt to learn it." Alexander nods in understanding before both go back to their own books, reading in silence together.
Waver's office, Clock Tower, London, Six days till Alexander's tribunal, Monday November 14th, 2000
Alexander, currently sitting in Waver's office having brought him notes on the dream-sharing ritual he and Luvia were attempting after another two days of the two of them not sharing dreams. Shaking his head Waver says, "While I haven't seen the full ritual, if these notes are correct then the ritual should be working."
Sighing Alexander says, "I figured, any ideas on why it couldn't be working?" Waver taking one more look at the papers shakes his head, "This ritual is of a far more advanced level than I am used to working with, as such I am unsure on anything that could be wrong with it. Then again, I am not familiar with most of the runes the ritual requires." Holding out the papers for Alexander to grab. Taking them Alexander says, "Thanks for the help, Professor."
"Anytime Mister Silver." He says as Alexander exits the office. "Did El Melloi have an answer?" Luvia asks him getting "Were you waiting outside the door that entire time?" in response. "No not the entire time." she says shaking her head.
"No, he didn't know what was wrong with it." Alexander says answering her previous question. "A shame, however, we have more important matters to deal with." she says hiding any disappointment she might have felt well. "Like?" Alexander asks, causing a slight smile to appear on Luvia's face.
"Simple, I realized that after your idiotic stunt of installing Avenger, that while we did record your mental state, we neglected to perform a full physical on your condition." she says as Alexander sighs slightly before saying "We'll have to establish a benchmark before we do any testing, and since I've already installed Avenger any changes are unlikely to be caught."
"Don't worry we will mostly be looking for any outward signs, such as any increase in strength, stamina, or thaumaturgical ability." she starts as she pulls out a leather-bound book. "I'll be taking notes, marking down all the marks and comparing them to what you remember of your previous capabilities." she finishes grabbing Him and dragging him away before he could say anything in response.
Luvia hastily dragging Alexander behind her, works her way through the twisting halls of the clock tower, till the two reach a training room. "Alright, what's the plan?" Alexander asks, looking around the uninhabited room.
"Simple, you will go through a series of exercises and tests starting with sprints." Luvia says as she pulls out a stopwatch. "Since when do you know how to use a stopwatch?" he asks again, receiving a laugh in reply. "Did you honestly not expect me to take up more... modern implements after being friends with you for the past months. Now get sprinting."
Alexander sighing takes off running along the edges of the room, with Luvia keeping track of the time noting down the time each lap takes. After around two minutes of this Alexander stops for a breather. "An average lap time of nine seconds, and you lasted two minutes and thirteen seconds in full sprint." Luvia says looking at her stopwatch.
With confusion evident on his face Alexander says "Two minutes? That's four times the average." nodding Luvia says, "You did install a servant card, a result superior to the average person is expected." nodding Alexander says, "I guess, the lowest ability of servants is usual ten times the average, but I shouldn't be doing four times the average from one use."
"Yes, yes, while I did book the room for the day, we do not have that much time, so let us move onto your long jump." She says motioning him to another part of the room. Alexander walking up to the edge of the long jump, bends his legs, and without any mage-craft, jumps.
Luvia marking down where he landed. "Three point two seven six, six meters very impressive." doing a few quick calculations in his heads Alexander says, "that's about a foot more than my best." to which Luvia marks down.
"Okay moving on how many pushups can you do?" she asks, taking a moment before answering "Around forty not pushing myself." nodding Luvia says, "Get to it." Getting into position Alexander starts doing pushups with Luvia once again keeping track.
Alexander stopping once the burn in his arms becomes too much to ignore, turns to Luvia not bothering to get up from the floor yet asks. "How many?" Luvia taking a second to finish marking down the results before answering "Seventy-nine."
"Next you are going to be doing sit-ups." she says, giving Alexander a moment to catch his breath before he starts doing sit-ups. Eventually stopping and looking at Luvia, not bothering to say anything. "Two hundred and sixteen."
"What's next?" Alexander asks, getting up from the floor. "Next comes the unpleasant bit." Luvia starts before Alexander asks, "This wasn't the unpleasant bit?" Shaking her head, she says "No we are going to spar, that will be the unpleasant bit, and hopefully by the time we're finished the equipment I asked for will arrive and we can test your skills."
Alexander taking a moment to look at Luvia's attire consisting of a green dress asks, "Are you going to spar in that, or is there a change of clothes for us?" shaking her head responds "Of course not, I have brought more appropriate attire for our spar, go clean up and we will meet back her in fifth teen minutes."
Nodding the two walk towards the changing rooms, with Alexander taking a shower to soothe his muscles, before finding the clothes Luvia prepared for him those being the exact same clothes of his enforcer attire, minus flat cap.
Getting dressed quickly after checking the runes along the inseam to make sure they're working properly. Alexander taking second to activate the runes to test the prana flow before cutting off the prana supply, sighs to himself before walking out of the room.
Omake, Apocrypha 3,
Alexander sitting on a highway sign, in the middle of the night watching Lancer wait as a truck drives off leaving a young girl with blonde hair. "I'm guessing you're Ruler." Lancer says already aware of the answer. Ruler taking a ready stance as her clothes change into armor and a flag standard appears in her hands says, "Indeed I am, seeing as true name revelation does not appear to work on you would you care to introduce yourself?" she asks not letting her guard down around Lancer.
"Nah Black faction already has an idea of who I am, might as well let them stew in if their right or wrong for a bit longer. For now, you can call me lancer, Joan." Lancer says slinging the rifle off his back as Ruler says, "I don't believe I've introduced myself yet."
"Don't have to I recognize that flag, my apologies for not facing you with my strongest weapon, but this rifle will have to do." Lancer says as he pushes off charging straight towards Ruler. Knocking aside the bayonet of Lancers rifle she takes a few steps back as she says "Lancer, are you not aware of the consequences of attacking me?"
Lancer not batting an eye mutters "Not as big a gap in speed as I thought." before answering Ruler. "Of course, I know the consequences it's nothing personal just our ends are a lot easier with you out the picture." Ruler pointing her flag at lancer asks, "And those ends would be?"
"What need does a dead woman have of my master and mine goals, perhaps we will tell your host of such, in return for how gracious she has been to you." Lancer says as shock pours out of Ruler's frame as she lets out "How do you know that?"
"Saber!" a voice shout outs, as a man with silver hair, wielding a great sword, appears swinging his sword at an already dodging Lancer. Lancer as he dodges swings his rifle up scoring a small cut into the servant's flesh.
Surprised by the cut Saber takes a step back, keeping himself between Ruler and Lancer. "How?" he asks under his breath as a fatter man runs up to Ruler and notices the already healing cut on Saber. "Saber how did Lancer manage to cut you!?" he demands outraged.
Lancer smiling says "Well that certainly confirms whom you are Siegfried, to be honest I didn't know if I could bypass Fafnir's armor, especially seeing as that attack was not dragon slaying." Saber not reacting outwardly to Lancer's statement as his master says, "It matters not that you can bypass my armor, you Lancer are clearly unused to such a modern weapon, as I doubt one of your skill would have only scored a scratch against me."
"Indeed, I doubt even you could stand up to the might of Saber and Ruler." Sabers master says as Ruler interrupts with "I will not be participating in this battle." Sabers master caught off guard turns to Ruler just as Alexander pulling out a black key from between the pages of a bible throws it with practiced accuracy into Saber's master's shadow, pinning the man in place as he drops down next to him, holding another black key to his throat.
"Do stop wasting oxygen with your pointless prattling." Alexander says as Ruler jumps away from him "how?" she lets out not having sensed him. Saber launching towards Alexander is forced to block as Lancer, moving faster than him gets in between them and swings out with his rifle.
"I take it you are Lancer's master?" Ruler asks keeping an eye on the other two servants. Nodding Alexander says, "I am, now what should I do with you." he says digging the blade of the black key into Saber's master neck.
"Unha-" He starts as Alexander says, "Did I say you could speak; Lancer keep Saber occupied for a bit will you." nodding Lancer stands ready waiting for Saber to make a move. Alexander, with the hand not holding the black key, quickly moves some of the bandages from his face making sure his eyes are uncovered, before grabbing his hostage's head and forcing him to meet his eyes.
Pushing some Prana to his eyes activating his mystic eyes using prana to bypass Saber's master's resistances. "Now you're going to tell me every little secret about black faction." to which he absently nods and starts muttering to Alexander.
Deactivating his mystic eyes Alexander pulling his blade away from his hostage's neck weakly walks towards lancer. "Master?" Lancer asks as Alexander says, "Let's go Lancer, we've missed our opportunity to kill Ruler."
"And Saber?" he asks, "Better let him deal with some of the competition for us." nodding Lancer turns to Ruler "Farewell miss saint, we will be back to take another attempt on your life later. And to you Saber, remember we could have." he says before taking Alexander and retreating with him leaving the two servants in the middle of the street with a bound master.
And that's it, a few things before I go, Firstly Luvia and Alexander's ritual failing, I do know the reason for that, but I think I will leave you to come to your own conclusions on it. And secondly Alexander's physical abilities as I've hinted at the past few chapters and made clear here, Alexander is officially superhuman he is nowhere near servant level's let alone Avenger level, just above the regular human. And finally moving onto the omake, I hope I did the character's justice it's been a while since I've watched fate Apocrypha, so I hope there not too out of character, and to be clear since it may seem Lancer is strong here, against Ruler all his status but one are lower than hers, while against Saber a few of them are ahead of his, but most are lower that plus the fact they are way more skilled than him means he was not going to win that fight, and I know someone is going to ask how did Lancer cut Saber, his origin is Faith and Void, he just voided the armor's protection since an origin is on a higher level than anything else except maybe true magic. And finally, you get to see a bit more on how Tsukihime Alexander fights basically a bit like a church executor, and not basically, you haven't seen a thing yet.
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