poster note not my story just posting it here after author abandoning the quest there say do whatever you want with the quest that why i posting it aroundd author name cantsleep25 original remove space from live fiction. live/stories/For-want-of-a-Grail/tGcdDfsPvDEbTMabP

Chapter 0: How it went oh so wrong

You awake in nothing. Not nothing, per say. But nothing. There's nothing. You are nothing. Everything is nothing. There is something. Stars. Everywhere. Where there is not the bright light of constellations, there is darkness. You are… falling? You are unsure of this fe-

You land on something. It didn't hurt when you came to an abrupt stop. Everything felt like a surreal dream. The 'floor' was smooth as marble, you almost slipped from how slick it was. But there is no 'floor', just nothing. You are confused. You just don't know how to process this.

The stars shift and shake as they begin to move. They focus on a single point as they all collide, making a creature of stars. "Good evening…" It's voice is hoarse but welcoming. It was in the shape of a serpent. It was entirely composed of stars as lines of starlight connected each and every one of them. A creature of constellations.

Your voice takes a moment to find itself. Your awe at the creature was obvious, but you found yourself composed in a matter of moments. "Who are you?" You chide yourself for the shake in your voice. Childish.

"There is nothing to be ashamed of. You are still a child after all." You will not let this, Voice, annoy you.

"What are you?" It shifts its body with two arms coming into shape…

It's voice becomes smooth and inviting, "I am, myself, and you are Pride. The previous champion… He did what was needed… However, the test has ended. Your story has begun." You don't know what it's talking about.

"Could you answer this question, Pride? It is the only one I require of you… What are you most proud of? Simple really…" It's voice once more shifting, this time into a silky and ominous tone.

You couldn't stop yourself from speaking…

"Myself! Who else should I be proud of! I have nothing else I need to rely on!" The creature laughs with mirth as it echoes throughout the space. The different tones and pitches made it seem like there was a choir backing it slithers up to you.

Grabbing your shoulders and shoving it's bright face right in front of you, "Good, good! You are honest to yourself… However, I have one… last… question… You are not required to answer of course…"

Your childish curiosity got the better of you, "What is it?" It lets go of you as it starts to clap. So jubilant at being acknowledged. It's laugh high pitched and piercing, hurting your ears. Covering them did nothing as the sound echoed within your head.

"Forgive me, forgive me. I have yet had a champion who has humored me! I sure do hope you prove to be as entertaining as you seem. Now, my question is simple… If you're so proud of yourself… What about your family? Your craft? Do those mean nothing to you?" A ridiculous question. A stupid question. An annoying question. The answer was so obvious.

"Of course they do! They're a part of me! My family should be happy to be a facet of my being! While my craft is my practice! A show of my skills! They are the pieces that make me whole! So by extension they are my pride!" You had no idea you were so passionate before. The celestial serpent shifted and weaved into a more human shape before kneeling in front of you.

"I see, I see… Well let's see if you are as capable as you think you are. A war is coming. One you will participate in. Can you live to participate, or will your pride be your downfall? I sure do enjoy expectations, I hope that you will meet mine. Till then Pride. I wish you a good life…" The dream begins to fade as the Voice waves towards you.

Your eyes begin to open…

Your older brother… Oh no… "WILL!" You find yourself on the floor not long after the scream. Your absolute behemoth of an older brother rough housing your smaller frame. Though you had nothing to worry about, he was very in control of his strength. Then again, with his size that didn't really make you feel safe.

"JOHN! Get the hell off of me you oaf! We're dignified magus's not damn barbarians! STOOOP!" He's so annoying. You love him though, he is your brother after all. You get a better look at him after he lets you go.

"Ah yeah! Father needed you for something. I think he's trying to figure out your potential with our magecraft." Jonathan Arathorn, your older brother by a good 10 years. He would be first in line for heirship but he had no skill in the magecraft of your family. Contracts. So right now you're the current heir at the age of 11.

"If father needed me he could've sent someone with manners. Unlike you!" You speak with a huff. Your brother, the doofus he is, just scratches the back of his head in embarrassment. As long as he feels bad about it, that's good enough for you.

"Anyways we should probably go meet him Will. He was pretty angry earlier! Wouldn't want to make it worse right?" He's lying. Your father is one of those men who when they get angry they become silent. You can feel his disapproval from his aura alone. If he was raging about something earlier it was likely annoyance at one of your relatives screwing up something.

Either way you don't want to be the focus of your father's ire. You're a good son and a great heir. "Alright, I assume he is by the stockades?" The stockades is where your family keeps the experiments. It's also usually where your family practices their magecraft.

However, there was fear you were as incompatible with Contracts as your brother. You shared this fear. So testing your skill with it was pushed off to the side for a while.

"Yep. They caught a live one roaming around the border. Thought it would be the perfect time for you to test the family craft." A live one? It's been a while. Why would they be snooping around the border you have no idea. Oh you never mentioned where you lived, huh. Anyways you live somewhere in the dense German Woods. Though you don't know where it is specific.

You were never allowed to leave after all. Either way the family manor, more of a mansion really, was far away from civilization. So something out by the border? Incredibly rare. Truly it was the perfect time for testing. You were nervous though. Your brother couldn't use the family magecraft, and you were afraid you were the same. "Come on Will! You're taking too long!"

Ah right. You begin to follow your brother throughout the family manor.

You pass by some of your family. Not your direct relatives though. The Arathorn's are one of the larger Magus families in the world. Due to Contracts things like who gets who's magic crest was rarely an issue. After all, with a Contract all of you shared mana. You don't know how to describe the feeling.

Being connected to every one of your family members, you mean. It gives a level of empathic understanding just not capable with other people. It doesn't allow you to read each other's thoughts but having one large mana supply and a tight-knit family is all you really need. "Will! can you stop spacing out? You're starting to worry me…"

His concern makes you shake. For a moment it sounded like the Voice from that strange dream. "It's nothing brother. I had a… Dream last night. It left an impression on me." He nods in understanding as he wraps his arm around you leading you to your father. Surprisingly instead of being at the stockades he was in the foyer with two of your relatives. Neither was your uncle…

Your father turns around to face you and there is a look of recognition. "William, I hope you had a good rest. You slept till noon. That's very unlike you." Your father was a professional man even with his family. But he gave those closest to him a level of familiarity not granted to others. Though he had a point, usually you woke up in the early morning.

"I had a strange dream father. It was a, visceral experience. I just got caught up in it rather than consider my duties as a magus. Forgive me…" You were certain he wasn't angry, but you were disappointed with yourself. To sleep in so late? Unforgivable.

"It is alright my son. In a moment we'll head to the stockades to see if you're capable of using contracts. I just… Have to handle a few things before…" There was the sound of a scuffle outside of the manor. A woman's scream in particular rang out.

"You Arathorn bastards! Damn you! Damn each and every last one of you!" A nude woman in chains struggled against her restraints as two of your relatives led her to the stockades. A second live one?

"Another one? Father, this is the second time in the past week that someone has crossed the border! What's going on!" Your father pinches his nose as he sighs. You can feel his anger. It's not towards your brother nor you. It's towards the woods themselves.

"I guess we'll have to renew the contract with the forest spirits. They're getting too complacent if this was allowed to happen a second time. That girl was a mundane for Christ's sake." A mundane? That was the word your family used to describe those who couldn't use magecraft. How'd she cross the border much less know about your family?

"Jonathan. Take William to the stockades. Keep him busy while I go work out what's happening. I'll be back by the end of the hour." Your father, the ever dutiful magus he is. Your brother nodded at his words before leading you to where the woman was taken. The stockades were where your family's experiments were kept. Along with 'live ones'.

However, you have time to waste as your father is dealing with issues. You could do something with your brother?

Not long after that encounter you and your brother end up by the stockades. A large bunker that went deep underground. Neither of you usually enter the place. As it reeks of death and disease. It's again where experiments and 'live ones' are kept. Not a place for a magus to live. However, it is the perfect place to practice magecraft. Especially on moving targets. You were never allowed though.

You look towards your brother… You get an extremely bad idea… "Jonathan… Could… Could you help me train with my spear?" He gains a surprised face before guffawing. He's undoubtedly baffled by you actually asking for help.

You weren't allowed to practice your magecraft because your element was weird and you were never allowed to use the family magecraft out of fear that you couldn't even use it. So you practiced weapons, specifically the spear, instead.

"I don't know about that Will. I wouldn't want to break your precious spear." He says this as he flexes his muscles wildly while reinforcing them with one of the few spells he actually has. The goof once more proving that he is a barbarian. However, you don't want to sit here for an hour doing nothing…

"I'll be fine. I'm more worried about you… After all, Reinforcement can only save you for so long!" He gets a manic grin at your words. Honestly, he should be more grateful to be spending time with you. Your intellect only staves off his lack of manners for so long.

You soon find yourself on the other side of the field before the stockades with your brother just outside the doors leading inside. Your spear, name pending, and his fists. His really strong fists… As your uncle would say… You're fucked. You two then launch yourselves at each other. Your lithe body versus his mighty frame.

Clash after clash as you desperately try to get any sense of victory over your brother. Despite the steel spear in hand, his fists are just stronger in every way. Every contact ends with you being pushed back and him pushing forward. You have no way of beating him like this…

What do you do?

Just as you two are about to clash again you stand straight up, spear pointing down. Jonathan showing his extreme restraint stops his fist just a second before he hits you in the face. "Will, what the fu-" But before he can speak you turn around getting ready for a sprint.

You scream as loud as possible, "NIGERUNDAYO!" You hear Jonathan let out a, "WHAT THE HELL!", just behind you. You begin running and as you hear his heavy footfalls you swerve to the right. Just barely dodging his fist. You swing your spear upwards taking a bit of his cheek as he backs up.

"Damn, didn't think you were capable of something like that Will! Don't think that will work again though!" He was wrong. Well not exactly. No way that same trick would work twice. But you did start dodging his swings. It was a bit rough at first, you got your ass handed to you by a single fist. However, you were now in your groove.

Everything just felt natural. You swerved every fist and ducked/jumped over every kick. No matter what Jonathan did he could not hit you. Of course if he started going all out you'd already be on the floor but this much improvement in just a couple of minutes? It was surely impressive. As is expected of you!

You can see him start to tire out as his reinforcement recedes. "Man, you are going to be one tough cookie once you reach my age huh? Good job bro, a year ago you wouldn't have lasted five minutes. This time you actually tired me out!" He sounds so impressed, ah! This feeling of satisfaction, it can't end! Oh no… Your brother is laughing at you… He noticed your pleased expression! Dammit!

You couldn't act like that forever though. Your father soon arrived and you had to go back to being the perfect magus heir that you were.

"William, come with me." Leaving no room for argument you both enter the stockades. Only being allowed to give a wave to Jonathan. The stockades were as putrid as you had been told. The second you entered you gagged from the disgusting air. Your father looks back at you with concern but you compose yourself. You can't show a single sign of weakness.

As you two walk down the ramps to the bottom floor you can already see the 'live one', not the woman from earlier. A man. Ragged from being interrogated most likely. He is in the actual stockades at the bottom floor.

So he'll be your test subject then? As you look away from the man a sense of hunger rushes you. Actual hunger, as you hadn't eaten anything yet. But you wouldn't let it be known. You have to show you're good enough.

"William. Do you see this?" In his hand was… A fruit… An apple to be specific. As he holds up the apple letting it be contaminated by the death filled air, you can't help but look at it in hunger. He knew from the moment he realized you woke up late didn't he…

"I'm about to teach you how to use our magecraft. I want you to look at this apple." He says succinctly. You do as you're told. You feel a gnawing sensation at the back of your mind before you find the apple in your hand. What?

"Hmm… Did you feel it?" That sensation at the back of your skull you guess he means. You feel it again and notice your arm lifting itself up to throw the apple down. You stop, but your arm continues anyway. It splatters the apple upon the rusted floor.

"You did feel it? That is good… That is great, actually. I'm impressed, son. While you couldn't resist, it's rare for anyone to do it on their first try." So that was your magecraft then? Contracts, the ability to affect the natural world with statements and conditions?

"Our magecraft works in a rather simple way. For example. When you went to grab the apple I used the conditions, you want the apple. So you will grab the apple. You answered yes subconsciously to both. When you threw it on the floor I used the same condition, you want the apple. So you throw it on the floor. " You follow along as best you can.

"Sadly you agreed to the contract despite it coming to a negative outcome for yourself. However, using contracts on the world around us is much easier than on other humans. Come follow me. It's time to see your aptitude." You follow your father to the man.

"Now I want you to reach out and feel. Feel for the world around you. Feel for the air in front of you, and use these conditions. You are air. So you will be solid. You are air. So you will float. Now try, otherwise this apple will hit you." He pulls out another apple from his back pocket.

You must succeed. It's your pride on the line here. All that matters is that you succeed, not that you do it well. Though you don't want to do poorly either… Feel the world around you… Feel the air around you… It's faint but you think you feel what your father meant. You hear a toss and then. Splat.

In front of you an apple splattered all over the air itself. It's a broken and fragmented wall. Not at all clean. However, what was impressive was the size of the wall. Pieces of the apple stuck in so many random places. Wait… you didn't stop the apple… You contained it in the air itself… Unconsciously?

"Very good! Very good indeed! I am impressed! It is sad that your brother cannot use our magecraft. However, this level of control? It's something to be admired. Not even my initial use of contracts could produce such a feat… Now I want you to do the same thing. But on this man. Stop his breathing…" The man begins struggling at that last word… Are you… Can you… Can you even do this…

With a heavy heart you feel towards him. You want to live. So stop breathing. You see him take a sharp inhale before he again begins his struggles. Breathing and yelling out curses in a language you don't understand. You want to live. So stop breathing. Again he breathes. Fighting back tooth and nail to not die.

You want to live. So stop breathing. He inhales again as he once more keeps breathing. You want to live. So stop breathing. Again he draws breath. You want to live. So stop breathing. Again. You want to live. Stop breathing. Again. You live. Stop breathing. Again. I want you to die. Stop breathing.

You don't want to suffer. So stop breathing. Your father motions one of your relatives to let the man loose. He begins to crawl towards you. He isn't breathing. He's trying, but he cannot. He wants to so desperately. But his desire to stop suffering, stopped his breathing.

So that's how they work…

How disturbing. You hear your father clap as he walks towards you. "Good job William. I am proud of you. Come we'll have a feast for your potential!" He wraps an arm around you as he leads you out of the stockades. You feel like a little bit of you died with that man.

Dinner… Felt empty. All your family gave you congratulations. You were scheduled to gain the family's magic crest soon. You looked forward to this day all your life. But it feels like nothing… You feel pride, you accomplished what you wanted most. To cement your right as heir. You did it. But it cost the life of a man… No, that's not why you're moody. It's because you had to do it. The dirty work.

Dammit! This should be the happiest day of your fucking life! Yet here you are moping in your bedroom when you should be celebrating… You get out of your bed and walk towards your hung up spear... Name still pending. You pick it up. This damn thing was the happiest day of your life somehow! Your uncle helped you make it on your 8th birthday…

It was a treasured memory. You remember your brother mocking you for using a spear instead of your fists. You knocked him upside the head with the butt end of the spear… Why… Why are you crying? Why are you getting sentimental over this crap… Everything is fine… You just had to make a hard choice today.

You'll make another one tomorrow and you'll get used to it. You're the best damn magus there ever will be. Everyone will appreciate your skill and everyone will respect your name. Just like your father... Wait? A crashing noise reaches your ears.

What was that?

You carefully walk towards your door and look outside of it. Getting a good look of the upstairs hallway leading into the foyer. What… What the hell? You see one of your cousins impaled on a blade… What? What's going on. You hear yells coming from downstairs. "The Arathorn family! Dies tonight!" Oh… God… Why…

You quickly and rather messily put on your pair of boots and grab a cloak for safe measure. Spear still in hand you slink out of your room. At the edge of the steps you see him… Your uncle, dead… You didn't even get to speak to him today…

In the middle of the room you see them… The Church? Executors? Why are they here? Why are they killing your family? "George Arathorn, you are found guilty of crimes against humanity, the church, and against god. What do you say in your defense?" Your father stands at the center of the foyer. Bloodied and with more of those blades sticking out of him.

"I say nothing. I will instead, do." With those last words half of the Executors drop dead. Not like they were slain or anything. They literally dropped dead. The rest launch themselves at your father without a single consideration for their now former comrades. You could barely keep up as blasts of magic and blades of the church crossed each other in a mass of chaos.

You so desperately want to help but you know you would only get yourself killed. With a heavy conscience you sneak your way out of the house, hoping to find your brother. Maybe help him. You have to help someone. You can't help your father, you'll only get in his way. There on the front lawn you see him.

Your brother with an Executor in a headlock before a crack. You've never seen such an angry expression on your brother. Tears ran down his face. You look towards the stairs leading up to the manor… Your sister-in-law. Your brother's wife. Dead clutching her stomach with three executor blades piercing her…

Why? Why are they doing this? You rush to help your brother, piercing an Executor that tried to sneak up on him. "Will?" He says frightened. He's concerned, but without any concern for his own, you throw your spear at another executor in front of him.

He understands immediately and pulls the spear out of the Executor before they hit the ground. Throwing it back towards you as you two begin to fight the remaining six. You skewer one almost immediately afterwards, your speed just too much for them. While your brother simply punches a hole through the stomach of another.

A barbarian as usual, you try to humor yourself to little success. Another falls as they impale themself on your spear. Trying to attack you in melee with weapons meant for range. A fool. You turn around and see two fighting your brother at once, almost in perfect sync. He's actually getting hurt by them.

You go to back him up but the last remaining member of the Church jumps in your way and shatters your spear. You can barely believe it as it happens. Then just as your life flashes before your eyes you see your brother tackle the Executor to the ground. Pummeling them. You watch as he slowly begins to calm.

Getting up slowly before falling to his knees once more. You rush to his side. "Jonathan! Are you ok! Please! Please don't die!" Your tears are running. You don't want to lose him. He's your brother. Family is a part of you. It's your pride.

"S-sorry Will… One… Got a good hit on me… I… I don't think I'm making it… Please… Please live… For me…" With that he falls over. With that your tears fall. With that Jonathan stops breathing. Why? Why did this happen… This was meant to be the happiest day in your life…

The sounds of battle quiet as you see the battle in the foyer has ended as you run back inside hoping to find your father still alive. No such luck. On the stairs he and the lead Executor were pierced upon the air itself. However, what attracted your attention was the red… Gem? In your fathers hand. You rushed to it.

Your heavy footfalls must have caused the gem to slip out of your fathers cold grip. As it slides to you, you begin to get a better look at it. It's a… Spearhead? Red in coloration. What kind of spear did this come from? The mystery over the spearhead momentarily distracts you from the tragedy that just occurred.

You reach out for it as it glows. You feel something pierce your heart. A red spear… What a terrible day, huh…

You hear… You hear something… Crying? A baby's cry. Your eyes open once more. A piercing feeling in your heart. You feel something slick pull out of your chest as you start to breathe heavily. You look down… A red spear. The same one that… Pierced your heart. You clutch your chest looking for a wound to find nothing.

Was it all a… You look up and see your fathers corpse… No, no it wasn't. You still hear the baby's cry. Picking up the spear, you run towards the location. Outside. More bodies? How? Weren't the Executors dead… You see him. Your brother, face down in the dirt… A few bodies away you see one of your relatives. She's carrying something close to her chest.

That's where the noise of the child is coming from. You rush forward hoping to salvage any of your family, but as you did so, "You are destined for greatness. By your Pride. You will carry your family with you. Wherever you go." You scream out as your back feels like it was lit on fire. You feel… Mana surge within you… What is this? What's happening, why can't anything make sense anymore?

You power through the pain as you crawl towards the crying. Not noticing the corpses of your family all of a sudden being burnt to a crisp. Every inch was the most painful experience. Your back felt like an inferno. You can feel the pyre all around you. "I will… Save you…" You find yourself at your relative's newly burnt corpse… Realization catches up with you.

You quickly dismiss it. Hoping that it's a figment of your imagination. You move the crisp arm out of the way seeing… A baby. Your cousin… Lucy? Lucia? Lucia. That was it! She's only a year old… You get up.

Carrying the child in your arms. Uncertain how to continue. You hear it. Noise, ruffling of leaves getting closer and closer. You close your eyes in anticipation then-