A talk with a certain spellcaster.
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Well, I finally have some time!
8 day holiday, yahoooo!
I'll try and squeeze out two chapters this week to make up for the long absence.
Hope you lot enjoy.
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In the beginning, there was Da'at: Nothing.
After the End of the Beginning, when the two original humans were banished from heaven and tainted Da'at with desire, there was still Da'at: Nothing.
Yet with desire came knowledge, and with knowledge came understanding. Feeding upon the shards of the angels that had been settling within Da'at for eons, Da'at created his soul by stitching and blending them together.
Eons passed.
The two original humans Da'at had inadvertently helped proliferated, their spawn populating the world. Da'at was surprised. They were almost as quick as Ein Sof when birthing new life.
Humans were weak, unlike the angels.
Humans would die, unlike Ein Sof.
Humans had physical bodies, unlike Da'at.
Fragile and soft, their flesh turns to ash, and their souls shatter before even the weakest angel.
Thus, their minds sought to understand the world, driven by a natural fear of death, and learned to avoid what they could not.
They gave names to those who were too powerful, limited their glory to the physical, and, using prayer, transformed nine of the Emanations into nine Great Seraphim.
Malkuth became Sandalphon,
Yesod became Gabriel,
Hod became Raphael,
Netzach became Haniel,
Tiferet became Michael,
Gevurah became Camael,
Chesed became Zadkiel,
Binah became Zafkiel,
Chokmah became Raziel.
Only Keter, the canopy of the World Tree, remained unmaterialized as it was the closest thing to Ein Sof, the Infinite. And there were two things humans could not imagine: Infinity and Nothing.
Eons passed.
The one called Death, now named Azrael by humanity, brought their souls back to Ein Sof, passing through the Void between Heaven and Earth and Hell countless times, yet never once did he see Da'at's soul.
Eons passed.
The one called Pride, known as the Morning Star by humanity, bored of singing of everything and nothing all at once, led seventy-two other concepts through the Rings of Heaven. So tired of seeing the Infinite, they dug deep into the Earth, reaching the Seven Shadows cast by the Seven Rings.
One by one, others followed their descent, each passing through the Void where Da'at idly watched. The Void did not permit the Infinite. Thus, those who reached the Earth had their divinity stripped away in the emptiness, their wings fading to black to reflect the shard of Ein Sof they gave up.
Eons passed.
The shards of Ein Sof stripped from the fallen were consumed by Da'at, forming a shell around his soul. Made of wood taken from the world tree bleached dull-white, merged with the flesh of the first human and shelled with light and gold.
The desires of the two original humans melded with the essence of the angels that settled within Da'at's hollow chest and formed a beating, feeling heart that echoed a human's soul.
Da'at, like nine of the Emanations, gained a form that would not turn humans to ash.
Eons passed.
Da'at was Nothing, yet the concept of nothing could not have a solid form. Only the Emanations could be concepts given shape. Thus, by a contradiction in Ein Sof's laws, Da'at slowly rose, ascending from the Void between Heaven and Earth and Hell to the Void cast by Keter and becoming the eleventh hidden Emanation unknown by his kin.
Eons passed.
From his new pedestal amongst the heavens, hidden within the shadow of Keter, Da'at watched all that transpired upon the Earth. He was unlike the Sephira and Seraphim, who were concepts manifested and thus had purposes to achieve. Da'at was Nothing, and hence "Nothing" was his purpose.
There was nothing for Da'at to do aside from observing.
Eons passed.
The Nine Great Seraphim operated within the realms of the heavens under Ein Sof's omnipotent watch.
By Ein Sof's will, Death brought a soul to the Crown. A mark of the Seraphim drawn within his spirit's flesh, the soul traveled down from the Crown, passing briefly through Da'at as he made his way to where the Earth was connected with the Heavens.
At this time, 200 more concepts grew weary of singing the celestial songs. Led by the Giver of Names, Samyaza, they, too, rebelled. Yet did not join Pride within the Seven Shadows. Instead, they remained upon the Earth, watching the humans conduct monotonous dirigibles.
Rain, now called Matariel, begged Ein Sof to let his brothers, Storm, Thunder, and Lightning, Ananiel, Ramiel, and Baraqiel, back into the seven Rings. He pleaded for the forgiveness of their arrogance and ignorance. Upon Infinity's refusal, Rain lept from the edge of the Seven Rings, landing upon the clouds of the Firmament, weeping in loathing of his brothers' decisions. Eventually, his tears brought about a flood that covered the lands, prompting the Giver of Names to slay Rain and, subsequently, calling forth a shower of blood followed by an unending drought.
The soul who traveled down from the Crown could not bear watching his kin suffer any longer.
By Ein Sof's demand, Death aided the soul's ascent back to the Crown. From the Kingdom, they rose to Foundation and then Beauty, finally arriving at the Empty Bridge, the Void cast by the Crown, where all ten Sephira existed as one.
Da'at was Nothing, Ein Sof was Infinity. The Infinite could not demand from the Void, and the Void could not order the Infinite. Yet Da'at was intrigued, his soul tainted with the desire for knowledge inflicted upon him by the first two humans.
Without Ein Sof's word, Da'at opened the Empty Bridge, letting Death and the soul who traveled down from the Crown back into the Canopy of the World Tree.
There, the mark of the Seraphim was removed from the soul's flesh, Death leaving him before the gate to Ein Sof itself. The soul entered, bathing in the swirl of the remnants of the Light of Genesis Ein Sof used to create the world. Merging with the soul's yearning for an audience with the Infinite and the wisps of Nothing he gained from passing through the domain of Da'at, the soul became one with the Crown.
The human Enoch was no more.
He was the closest to Ein Sof's throne, Metatron, now.
Because Da'at was the shadow cast by the Crown, his form, too, became a shadow of Metatron.
His blank face took Metatron's blue eyes.
His shattered skull copied Metatron's black hair.
The shards of the angels he collected took the shape of Metatron's twelve wings.
Thus, Da'at took the body Metatron had abandoned when he ascended to stand by the Infinite's throne.
Midnight was when the bats came out to hunt.
Shadows crept along the hotel room, the silent shades disturbed by a faint breeze. The room, so dark and banished of light, was lit up by the pale shower the moon granted through the window veils. Cigarette smoke permeated the room, mixing terribly with the greasy scent of fast food.
Kiritsugu shut down his phone and returned it to his pocket, running Maiya's reports over in his head. Saber and Iri were set to arrive at the new base tomorrow morning, as the schedule planned.
He fished around in a paper bag for an unfinished burger. Cold and soggy, sure, but it would give him the calories to keep moving. Smoke assaulted his nostrils as he peeled the wrapping, jolting his brain unhealthily awake.
Good. It meant he could strategize without fatigue getting in the way.
Archer's Master, Tokiyomi, hasn't left his manor since Assassin's first attack. As a first-rate mage, his manor was too much trouble to infiltrate with how things were going. Not impossible, no, but Kiritsugu wasn't that desperate.
Berserker's Master, Kariya, remains undefended. An easy target and the logical choice to eliminate at first glance, but considering Berserker's unique abilities, it would be more beneficial to leave him alive to deal with Gilgamesh.
The Grail should have already consumed Lancer when Kiritsugu shot Kayneth with an Origin Round, yet he remains active. Either Lancer has a high rank in Independent Action or has found a new Master to supply him with Magical Energy. Considering his identity, the latter is more likely. In that case, locating his new Master should be the highest priority.
Caster's location remains unknown, but last night, several children vanished again. They continue to commit planless atrocities.
Rider and his Master are difficult to track. However large-hearted he may seem, he is a dangerous foe. With the shroud of mystery surrounding his Noble Phantasm, Kiritsugu found it optimal to leave them until he figured it out.
And most importantly...
Ruler, the wildcard.
The Einzberns never told him about an eighth class. He contacted them immediately after the Banquet of Kings to request additional information, yet what he received was general at best.
An eighth Class meant to be summoned in case the seven Masters refused to compete and instead chose to work together. In that event, another seven Servants would be summoned, and the two sides would compete instead, with the Ruler as an observer to maintain peace.
To control fourteen servants, the Grail gave the eighth class extraordinary abilities. True Name Discernment, Magical
Resistance of the highest rank, and most importantly, fourteen Command Spells, one for each Servant.
The Old Man of the Einzberns had been thoroughly baffled by Kiritsugu's report. The Grail didn't even have the energy to summon an eighth seven-knights Servant, much less a Ruler. And the class was supposed to only watch unless provoked, never act, much less aid in the extermination of a Servant. But the black-haired saint didn't seem to be lying when he spoke.
Giving up on trying to smooth over those contradictions, Kiritsugu began thinking of more important matters.
Ruler hadn't given them a straight answer about his identity despite how he made it seem. Saber had made it clear she didn't believe him when he said his name was Enoch.
This is further contradicted by the name of his Noble Phantasm, Ars Almadel Salomonis, which should have been a grimoire belonging to King Solomon of Israel. For some reason, it manifested as a Reality Marble with bands of light equivalent to hundreds of thousands of Holy Swords.
A few possible names ran through Kiritsugu's mind; outrageous names, but they were possibilities. King Solomon, Enoch, or perhaps even Jesus Christ himself. Ruler had used a Holy Grail to summon the band of light. What better person to possess that than the person whose blood was caught by the chalice?
If he wanted to defeat Ruler, figuring out his identity was unskippable. All the possibilities were people who not only left their marks on history but were worshipped as messiahs or saviors.
As Kiritsugu was about to take another bite of his midnight meal, he heard a voice by the window.
"I don't think that's healthy for you."
Ruler, leaning on the glass panes, munching a golden apple as he looked disapprovingly at the soggy burger in Kiritsugu's hand. A thaumaturgical symbol appeared above his hand, sketched from thirteen circles and connected with lines. A cube rose from the central circle, and from that came another golden apple.
"Would you like an apple instead?"
Ignoring how a human couldn't possibly hurt a Servant, Kiritsugu, with years of instinct, reached for a gun hidden in his bedsheets and fired.
The gunshot, even with a silencer, echoed deafeningly through the room.
A seven-layered golden shield knocked the bullet aside effortlessly. Ruler sighed, dropping the apple core into a portal with a gold and blue rim.
"Please stop."
Kiritsugu didn't listen. Thanking the silencing bounded field he set up in his hotel room, he pulled a pistol from below and showered the Servant with steel.
Still, the golden shield held firm, not even cracking as the salvo ended.
"You can't hurt me, EMYIA. Did you really think I would come unprepared?" Ruler asked. "Ars Amadel won't be cracked by a few bullets. They're the crystalization of the Seven Heavens as defense Bounded Fields. I know most of your tricks, even your Origin Rounds."
The last statement caused Kiritsugu to stiffen. "How" was the prominent question in his mind. Not even his enemies knew of his ace, so how did this recently summoned Ghost Liner figure it out?
"You don't have to worry, though." Ruler continued, his shield still up. "I'm just here to talk."
His nose crunched, finally unable to stand the suffocating stench of smoke in the room. His hand reached for the window's lock. "I'm opening the window. You don't mind, right? All this smog can't be good for your lungs. What would Illya say if she saw her dad in this state?"
Again, how?! Ignoring his mental screams, Kiritsugu held his gun with a kung-fu grip. Finding out about his daughter should have been impossible for this Servant. She was all the way back in Germany!
The chance of him obtaining such information from Iri was high, but she would have called if Ruler came for a visit.
Taking a deep breath of the midnight air, Ruler hummed, pleased to finally get the lingering smell out of his lungs. He walked to the hotel bed and sat down with a plop. Seeing the gun still in Kiritsugu's hands, he sighed deeply.
"I see you're not willing to trust me... I expected as much. You're EMIYA, after all. But it would be beneficial for you to listen." Ruler held up a finger, a smile that hid nothing appearing on his face. "How about this: I ask you a question, and you can ask me one. I swear to the heavens to only tell the full truth and nothing but the truth."
He balled the hand with the outstretched finger into a fist and pounded it into his palm. "Oh, but you have to do the same, 'kay? It's only fair, and don't bother lying. My eyes tell truths from lies. If you agree, place that gun on your bedside table, and I'll lower Ars Amadel."
Kiritsugu mulled his choices over.
He could attack again, but that would hardly accomplish anything of value. He didn't have an Origin Round on him, and even if he did, his instinct told him Ruler would counter it. This Ghost Liner was no ordinary Servant; that much was clear.
Or he could listen to Ruler, give up on resisting, and exchange information with a high chance of walking away unscathed. If Ruler wanted to dispose of him, he would already be in hell.
Even a fool could distinguish which choice to take.
The gun, thrown, flew in an arc and clattered on the wooden table. Seeing this, Ruler smiled. "I knew you would make the logical choice, EMIYA." The seven shields disintegrated into wisps of light. "Go on, then. Ask your question. I'll honor my promise."
"Who are you?"
The question came instantly. Kiritsugu would not waste this chance; he knew better than that. Who knows what goes on inside the head of this whimsical Servant? For all the Magus Killer knew, Ruler might ask a single question before leaving.
"Ah, the obvious choice." Ruler nodded in approval. "Yes, to know your enemy is half the battle. Yet, in my case, I'm afraid you just wasted a question."
What did Ruler mean by that? Could he be misleading Kiritsugu somehow, playing some mind game, or using reverse psychology to avoid answering? Or was there no mention of his weakness in any of his legends?
"But I'll tell you, nonetheless. My name is Ritsuka Fujimaru. Just a normal human."
Kiritsugu frowned, not knowing if this Servant was making fun of him.
A human? A normal human?
Ruler wasn't lying, but it made no sense. A hero capable of standing toe-to-toe with the King of Heroes himself couldn't be "a normal human." It was impossible. Just as a household kitten couldn't be compared with a wild tiger, a no-name teenager couldn't stand up to the Wedge of the Heavens.
But he would not dismiss any possibility, not before this walking anomaly.
"You aren't satisfied, are you?" Ruler asked, a knowing look cast Kiritsugu's way. "I'll elaborate, then.
"I am a hero with two shining heydays, once over three thousand years in the past and another set a decade or so in the future. Both times, I saved the world, and both times I was forgotten by it."
Ruler smiled acceptingly.
"A hero that no one shall remember. That is who I am."
The information was compressed and abridged, and Kiritsugu tore apart every detail.
3,000 years ago. That's right around Solomon's time, wasn't that far from the birth of Christ, either, but the former was more probable.
But still, "two heydays?" What could that mean? Was he resurrected in the future? The legend of his own King of Knights popped into thought, where she would forever lay in Avalon until the destined time for reawakening.
Then perhaps Jesus Christ was the only option. His legend states that he shall one day return to earth to bring about the end of all days.
But that doesn't explain why he shalln't be remembered. Everyone knew of Jesus Christ, regardless of religion.
Then...
This spirit was born in the future but then traveled back in time? Or was he summoned in the past?
Is that even possible?
Yes. Yes, it was.
Kiritsugu remembered what the Old Man told him. These Servants were taken directly from the Throne of Heroes, a place outside of time. Therefore, it wasn't impossible to summon someone from the future. But with the decline of Mystery in full force, rarer and rarer were those of modern descent who managed to reach that sacred throne.
If this were the case, then he would need to search for heroes without mentioned backgrounds originating from 3 millennia ago, ideally with a connection to the angels.
"Well, I've answered you. 'Tis time for you to do the same upon to me." Ruler, ignoring the expression of deep thought on Kiritsugu's face, asked his own question. "Why do you seek the Grail?"
"The Einzberns hired me to retrieve it."
It technically wasn't a lie; he had made a deal with one of the founding families.
Ruler frowned. "You know that's not the answer I want." His piercing blue eyes ignited with the flame of interest. "Tell me what you'd wish upon that holy chalice; that is all I ask."
"Why do you think I have a wish?"
"That's obvious, isn't it?" Ruler chuckled, hand to his mouth as he looked out the window towards the stars. "Your eyes are like mine used to be, so filled with a burning desire to accomplish your goal that nothing else seems to matter."
He was perceptive, Kiritsugu was reminded of. Those eyes, burning blue yet gentle, were like the sun that evaporated the morning haze, shedding light on any enigma before him.
"Fine." There was no use lying to this monster of a Servant. "World peace."
An impossible goal in any other circumstance. Many would laugh in Kiritsugu's face, dismissing his words as the drabble of one who had gone insane. Yet Ruler hummed, running his hand through his hair and whistling.
"Phew~ So this is what he meant..."
At Kiritsugu's raised eyebrow, Ruler dismissed him with a wave.
"Oh, don't worry about that. Still, it is a remarkable dream, perhaps even too grand for you to shoulder. Though I have no right to talk, having done the same twice, eh?
"Well, go on. Ask another question if you have one."
"Will you be a participant in this Grail War?"
Rulers were arbitrators. Overseers. Never were they meant to desire the Grail as they were saints who wanted naught. But this one was an enigma, for besides his powers, none of his actions led people to believe he was a saint.
Thus, knowing whether he would become an obstacle in the future would prove vital.
"Yes." Ruler shook his head, almost in exasperation. "In a normal Grail War, I would perform as you expect. Yet this time is different. I was summoned by the Grail to retrieve the Grail."
Nothing this Servant said made any sense, Kiritsugu noted. He spoke as if the Grail had a consciousness. He wanted to ask more, but the time with this Servant was currently more valuable than gold.
"But don't fret." Ruler assured him as fourteen red sigils manifested behind his back. Command Spells, arranged like seven pairs of wings. Kiritsugu's guard lifted. What was he about to do? "I will not be using my Command Spells in the conventional way, that is, ordering your Servants. Instead, think of them as stores of mass energy I can use to manifest my Noble Phantasms.
"Although I may be powerful, I shall not be undefeatable."
So, it's confirmed that Ruler will be an obstacle, at least not an insurmountable one. Kiritsugu decided he'd take what he could get as he braced himself for what Ruler would ask.
"What will you do after this war ends?"
Kiritsugu paused, his mind halting in its tracks. He would return to the castle of snow to retrieve Illya regardless of whether he won or lost. But after that...what?
Ruler clicked his tongue, a short breath escaping his mouth. "You don't know, do you?"
It didn't matter in Kiritsugu's eyes. After Saber slays the other Servants, including Ruler, he would finally achieve his lifelong goal.
"I understand your mentality," Ruler acknowledged. "But I can't say it's healthy. What about your daughter and wife? Have you managed to slot them into your plans?"
The Mage Killer gritted his teeth. Irisviel would be turned into the Lesser Grail. She couldn't survive past the fleeting two weeks the Grail War occurred.
"I'll take your silence as a no," Ruler decided. "You must have thought about it long and hard, yet you just couldn't resist the allure presented by an omnipotent wish granter.
"Then let me tell you something. Don't worry. I won't count this as an extra question. The Holy Grail has been corrupted; whatever wish you make upon it shall be interpreted and granted in the context of mass murder and destruction."
Ruler's words, gentle yet firm, stung like ice in Kiritsugu's ears.
"I won't coat this in sugar. Forget the Grail. It will never grant your wish."
What was this Servant saying? Give up on the only chance of achieving his dream? Kiritsugu's teeth clenched and ground together so hard they seemed to chip and screech like metal and sandpaper.
Ruler gave a wry grin, seeing the denial in his eyes. "You cannot let yourself be swayed by my words, can you? I do not blame you. All I have given you until now has been my word. Then perhaps this shall change your mind." Once again, fourteen Command Spells manifested as fourteen wings. "I order myself, Servant Ruler, Ritsuka Fujimaru, to only tell the full and complete truth before the Master Kiritsugu Emiya."
One of Ruler's fourteen crimson wings vanished, leaving but smudges akin to levitating blood where it once was to show its previous position. Wisps danced around him as a seal briefly flashed over his mouth to visually ensure the command had taken effect.
"Give up on the Grail."
The words were like a hammer and bucket of ice merged into one.
"It will never grant your wish."
It was then that Kiritsugu slammed his fist into the hotel wall. Cracks spread like a spiderwebs upon the concrete as a sickening snap was accompanied by blood dripping onto the bedsheets.
There was only one emotion in Kiritsugu's mind.
Pure anger.
Wordlessly, Ruler cast one of the many healing and recovery spells he knew on the man's fist. He understood. This man's dreams had just been thoroughly shattered.
Kiritsugu's actions ran rampant in his mind. All that he had done, the affairs committed while telling himself this was in the pretense of sacrificing Iri as the Lesser Grail. But Ruler must be telling the truth. If that were the case, then...
"Dear lord, what have I done..." He whispered, voice so low he could barely hear himself.
Ruler placed his hand on Kiritsugu's shoulder. "I see you're finally getting your priorities straight, even if the list is still unclear. This much is normal; letting the anger and regret linger shall only do your spirit harm."
He stood up from the bed, but not before opening his gate and retrieving a Craft Essence from his Second Archive. A small ball of wound-up wire, glowing dull white.
Kiritsugu's eyes widened. That was...
"This Storch Ritter shall lead you back to the Einzbern's castle when the time is right. I see you're in no condition to ask more questions, so I'll end our discussion here." Ruler's twelve golden wings unfurled and spread as he turned to the window. "Think about what matters most to you, EMIYA. Dreams are beautiful things, dazzling as starlight. Nonetheless, you must let go when that radiance threatens to burn."
The following words were but a murmur, drowned by the intense howling winds and bellowing of feathers.
Do not make the same mistakes as your other self.
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Well, what'd you all think? Hope it wasn't too boring. It was basically Ritsuka talking and Kiritsugu listening.
And yes, the sketchy part at the beginning was Ritsuka's memory.
If there are any suggestions, leave those in the comments.
See you all in the next one.