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Post by Vapovile on Jul 19, 2021 6:28:47 GMT
June 10th, 2021
In a dimension far from our own, the bustling city of Kyoto was rife with activity. People going work as the morning sun shone brightly in the sky. In the quiet countryside, a large stone church loomed over the nearby farmland. Inside was adorned with beautiful stained glass depicting various Christian imagery, the center holding a large wooden stage for service to be held on. A tall man in a set of black robes sat in one of the front pews, an open book in his hands. He had short blond hair and blue eyes, which occasionally gave locals pause. The priest looked over to his right.
“I think it’s about time...are you ready?” He asked. The short child next to them nodded her head, floating half a foot off the ground. “Whenever you are, maaaaaaster.” She chirped the last part in a strangely monotone trying to sound cheerful. The priest chuckled and closed his book. “Still not used to hearing that, you know? For the only master I recognize is God.” He stepped up to the stage and stood in front of the church, soon joined by the girl.
“Begin the spell, I have received word that the last Servant has been summoned.” He said, the girl nodding and holding out her hand, forming a large green magical circle upon the floor. Images of the two would soon be projected to 7 points around the city.
In front of 7 pairs of individuals, blue holograms of the two would appear. They would see that the girl was far shorter than the priest, wearing a plaid skirt and black shirt with pink bow, all under an oversized lab coat. Her long twintails stretched nearly to her ankles. But the strangest sight was her eyes. They seemed nearly lifeless, despite her faint smile.
“Welcome, masters and servants alike!” The man began. “My name is Ryuji Madarame, and I would like to warmly welcome you all to our most recent Holy Grail War. Some of you may be familiar with this ritual, but we are here to explain for those that have...stumbled into our midst.” He began. “In the simplest terms, you are now participants of the Holy Grail War, a competition between powerful Servants and their cunning Masters. You must work together to defeat the other Masters, and the last one standing shall receive no less than a wish from the Holy Grail itself.” Ryuji explained.
Suddenly, the girl chirped in. “Hoooooowever, this war is a little different. Normally Servants are historical figures or fictional icons brought to life. But for some reason, the Servants have been pulled from another dimension entirely. Such a strange occurrence, no?” The girl asked, tilting her head in confusion. The priest nodded.
“Regardless, these Servants are suitably powerful for the war to continue on. You have all been given 3 command seals, if you will take a look at your wrists.” Ryuji held up his left hand, which had a strange glowing tattoo on it. “These seals allow you to command your Servant to do your bidding. But they may also be used to draw energy from yourself to heal your Servant, or force them to use their Noble Phantasm. But be careful about abusing this power, Masters.” The priest continued.
“There are two churches located on the outskirts of town, one on the west, the other east. I will be here in the eastern church, and my assistant Kazuo Akechi runs the western one. We are here to facilitate this competition to minimize bystander casualties, and make sure the rules are followed. Since we are a place of faith and healing, we will work to heal any who walk through our doors. Combat is strictly forbidden in both of these places of worship.” Ryuji instructed, more stern with his tone.
The girl stepped up once more. “I am his Servant, but not someone you all have to face. My role is as a Ruler, whiiiiich just means I’m here to keep you all in line. Let’s hope I don’t have to, ok?” She winked at the others. “Oh right, my name is Iris. Some of you may know who I am, but let’s keep that a story for another day~.”
“If any of you require assistance, simply call out Iris’s name and she shall be with you. But know that Iris is not here to take any sides, only to explain the rules and enforce them. Now, if there are no further questions…” Ryuji smiled and held out his arms. “I declare the Eighth Holy Grail War has officially...begun. I wish you all good luck!” Waving, the two holograms disappeared.
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Rider
Letting out a sigh after the announcement, Ryuji smiled and waved at the pair sitting in a pew in the middle of the church. The white-haired child clapped her hands, dressed in a blue dress with white frills along the sleeves and bottom. She had a black sheathe at her side. “That was wonderful!” She cheered. Ryuji blushed at the praise.
“Thank you, miss. I hope that was sufficient for you.” He said, the girl nodding her head. “Of course! I learned all about this! I even summoned a strong Servant!” She held out her arms to present the short green-haired woman next to her. Her face was nearly as stoic as Iris, but without the facade of happiness. She stared at the white-haired girl, then Ryuji.
“...so we need to kill these...6 other Servants...and we both get a wish?” She asked. Ryuji nodded his head. “That is correct. Cooperation between Master and Servant is very important.” He explained. The girl reached over and hugged the other. “Don’t worry, with this Servant, we are sure to win!” She said happily. The green-haired Servant stared in silence, then patted the child’s shoulders in a vague return of the hug. “...consider me interested…”
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Caster
In the western church, a man with long black hair stood in a similar spot to Ryuji, but without a Servant of his own. There was only a single pair in the Church with him as well. He wore the same set of black priest robes as Ryuji, with a silver cross necklace hanging down across his neck.
“You heard what the head priest said. Do either of you require clarification, hm?” He asked, voice noticeably deeper than Ryuji’s. The look in his eyes seemed to exude pure professionalism.
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Saber
Saber and their master find themselves in the middle of a grassy field, with a large cliff to their west that houses a system of caves. To their east, they could see the outskirts of an outlying neighborhood and its 2-storey wooden houses. South contained more grassland that led into farms. The distinct sound of water could be heard in that direction.
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Archer
The Archer duo stood on top of a small apartment building inside the city, with buildings packed against each other and people bustling about down below. Skyscrapers loomed to their east, while west lead to more traditional neighborhoods. They are able to see a particularly tall red triangular tower looming overhead, decorated with lights on the beams that crisscrossed it.
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Lancer
Lancer and their master found themselves also in a patch of grassland, though right next to a small rural town that bordered a pond they used for crops. North and east lay a more forested area, and west held more grassland. The town was made up of traditional Japanese wooden houses with sliding doors, and the distinct sound of farm animals could be heard.
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Assassin
Inside of a dark apartment building in a dense part of the city, an imposing man with a massive hammer looked down at a black-haired girl wearing a grey hoodie and long black pants. The room was filled with the corpses of the vampire mages who had made the ritual, but neither seemed to mind. The sound of a river could be heard to their west.
The imposing man in a brown trench coat and dark sunglasses smiled when the holograms faded. He swung his massive metal hammer over his shoulder and turned to the small black-haired girl before him.
“So they weren’t bullshitt’n about all this, huh? You’re the real deal, girl.” He asked in a gruff voice, the girl twirling a knife between her fingers. “I told you, after all.” Anemone rolled her eyes. She didn’t know why she was here, but the prospect of getting a wish was enticing. And this master seemed willing to let her do what’s needed for that.
“Wonderful news!” He boomed. “Name’s Victor Redfield, I hunt creatures of the night and smash them back to Hell where they belong. What makes you special, girie?” Victor asked, adjusting his sunglasses. Anemone reached into her pocket and pulled out a lollipop, putting it in her mouth.
“Call me Anenome. I am an assassin for hire.” She explained. Victor grinned wide. “Well I would be disappointed if an assassin class didn’t give me a damn assassin! I want to know who YOU are!” He demanded, looming over Anenome. She looked at him and smirked.
“I think we’re going to get along just fine.” She said, pulling the stick out of her mouth and letting the red candy glisten in the morning sun.
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Berserker
Located on top of another apartment building with a chain link fence running along the outside, the duo could see the docks to their north and dense city to their south. A bridge connected the highway across a river nearby, with morning traffic clogging the road. Ships holding mostly fish were being unloaded at the dockyard. To the south lay more dense city, which seemed to hold the more run-down apartment buildings.
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Post by HungryHunter on Jul 21, 2021 21:19:55 GMT
“...dude, stop. There’s nothing here.” Amelia sat in the pews, waiting while Albert fruitlessly searched for a projector. “Something had to be projecting those holograms… something!” His voice cracked. “It’s magic. It’s literally magic.” Amelia said. “I was summoned with magic. The holograms were magic. It’s all magic.” She made a fire pop into life in her palm. “You’re in a Grail War now. Just ask him.” She pointed at the priest. “That can’t be. Magic is… I grew up doing baseball, but all the superstitious stuff you do is just to calm down.” Amelia sighed and put a hand on Albert’s shoulder. Before he could ask what she was doing, they were outside.
“I just teleported us. Magic.” She said flatly. “I admit, I don’t know a lot about this either… but I could use that wish.” “...this is a lot to wrap my head around. I’m expected to kill people now?” Albert looked down at the gun strapped to his hip. “That probably won’t do it. People on my level are either fast enough to avoid those or tough enough they don’t hurt us.” Amelia frowned. “And look, I know this is a lot. It’s a lot for me too. You should report back to your station and call out for the next week. And maybe get some bigger guns.” “Ah, hell… I might as well, if only to figure this all out.” Albert sighed. “Get in the car. We’re heading back.”
“It worked! Welcome to the world!” Touko spread her arms to greet her Servant into reality. “Oh… you’re my master?” Akabane found herself in another world once again. She looked out at a world of concrete and steel trees. Another land that prospered, full of life. “Well it certainly looks like it.” Touko raised her hand, showing off the command seals that splayed like strange tattoos. “Well, let’s start looking for the others!” She cheerfully said, slinging her purse over her shoulder. “What? Already?” Akabane said. “We haven’t even introduced ourselves.”
“Tell me on the way. Come on, I don’t want to have to explain that.” She pointed at the summoning circle on the rooftop. “Oh… yeah, okay.” Akabane trotted after Touko. The circle… it looked a lot like blood. Was that what they used? From a butcher shop, right? “I’m Aka… Akabane.” She decided which name to use. “I’m Kodokawa Touko, but you can just call me Touko. We’re gonna have a great time together.” The girl was all smiles. Man her hair was long. She seemed awfully young though. Was it normal to have such a young mage summon somebody? “Is that a well-known family?” “Decently so. In fact, we're important enough that I'm not the only one in this game."
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Post by othus on Jul 21, 2021 21:56:52 GMT
"Well, we might as well get started, I don't plant on being killed at a place like this for no good reason"- Junji said as he activated the seal, light shone and a tall woman with dark hair and black armor appeared.
"I ask you...Are you my master?"- Her serious look was replaced for a more kind one. She streched her hand out to him and he took it.
"Saber...let's do this!"
Both Saber and Master walked together, The woman stopped and looked around..
"This might not be a bad location, however..."
"Is something troubling you?"-Junji replied at Saber
"The cliff in the distance, if there's a master in that direction, he might be aware of our presence already. No matter, I think we can at least hold this position for a while and see how things develop. rushing into a different area could end up being our demise..."- Saber looked at Junji and noticed the two blades.
"Are you swordsman?"
Junji blushed and scratched his head.
"I am, just nowhere near your level, Saber"
The woman smiled as she set her hand on his and smiled.
"You don't need to be. I am here to protect you until the end after all"
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Post by TimePuppy on Jul 21, 2021 22:11:20 GMT
"So... It's true. You are a hero, though not one from this dimension. Ufufufuf, I suppose this wasn't a curse of Pandora messing with my ritual after all." Fuji walked around a towering mountain of a woman who glared at him in turn. Her hair was white and wild and her golden eyes tainted with madness. Knowing that she was a valid participant of the grail war didn't help him much in discerning her identity. When he closed his eyes, he could visualize all the information about her basic skills, but not her name. And asking her directly only resulted in an inhuman growl.
"No matter. You are Berserker after all, so that's what I will call you. Let's go, Berserker. We need to get to my safehouse and wait until evening. You stick out too much, we should avoid movement when there are too many people around."
In response, the woman disappeared. "Oh, so you can enter a spirit form? Good, that should make it easier to blend in. In that case, we could look around town first."
The duo went south, deeper into the freshly waking city. Perhaps they would get lucky and find an enemy early. Strike while the iron's hot.
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Post by Fehafare on Jul 27, 2021 1:27:31 GMT
As the light of the hologram faded, so did the unnatural light from Aimon's eyes. He had hoped that the relatively open field would have allowed him to catch a glimpse of other Masters' positions with his Mystic Eyes of Far Sight, yet the effort proved utterly fruitless. He had reasoned that the light of the holograms would have been visible enough to give him a vague impression of his enemy's location, but he had clearly overestimated the light given off by the overseer's image and underestimated the interference of daylight. Perhaps if he had a decent vantage point to project his vision onto he could have gleamed more, but one look around told him there was no hope of that here.
As the overseer's announcement ended, Aimon clicked his tongue. He hadn't expected the church to take this proactive of a role in all of this. Aimon had to pause for a moment and consider whether or not the overseer would be a threat. However, the overseer's level of investment was the least of the irregularities with his Holy Grail War. The Servants... well they weren't quite Servants. The Lancer Aimon summoned could almost pass as one. At first glance, she seemed to be a warrior of Ancient Greece, perhaps a famous warrior-woman of Sparta or an Amazon. Yet a short conversation with her confirmed to Aimon that she too was indeed from a different world altogether and, difference of reality aside, was his contemporary. It was a disappointment. Not a sore one, but a disappointment nonetheless. Interacting with a Heroic Spirit was something Aimon had been looking forward to. He wasn't going to hold it against his Servant of course, it just served to heighten the sudden caution he felt about this war. It was just the start, a lot of things happened quickly, and none went quite as he had anticipated they would. Perhaps he had been a bit of a fool to expect anything in this ritual would play out according to his imagination.
"I gather from what the priest had to say that some of the other participants might have entered this contest with less intentionality than I." Aimon spoke to his Servant without facing her. "I feel rather confident about out chances." he added.
"Yeah, I feel pretty confident about my chances too." his Servant answered back, though Aimon didn't fail to notice the change from plural to singular. He shot the spear-wielder a look, letting her know that he caught the implication in her words, but chose to not comment further on it.
"Fighting's what I do. What I'm good at. What I enjoy. You point me at them and I'll pummel them into the ground. It's rather simple from my perspective really. I'm kinda looking forward to it." she added with a shrug.
"I've no doubts about that." Aimon answered in a slightly deadpan tone. "And trust me, you'll have your fill of the fight, but it'll have to wait until evening most likely. If you have no objections I'd have us head back to the village now. Feel free to assume spirit form, it's both economic and inconspicuous, confident as we may be, I'd rather not relax too much. The upsets in how I thought things would play out have been minor and inconsequential so far, but they are still a call for caution I won't ignore. I may not truly fear death, I am a Magus after all, but it'd rather be a pity if I were to not see this ritual through to the end."
He took a deep breath before he started walking back.
"I place my trust in you." he said.
Laura followed without answering.
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Post by Vapovile on Aug 13, 2021 3:36:58 GMT
Saber
Since the Servant and Master didn’t move, nothing but the gentle morning breeze passed through their area. The gentle sound of water continued to be heard coming from their west.
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Lancer
Lancer and her master traveled south to a small rural town, seeing a hardware store situated next to a local ramen restaurant. A Meiji-era 2-story hotel sat nearby, clearly having seen more prosperous days. It was really more of a village than a town, those few buildings being nearly all there was, every residence spaced out in the rice paddies that surrounded them. There wasn’t much sign of activity here, just a few worn-out farming vehicles. A worn-out sign directed them to a shrine in the grove that grew up behind the hotel.
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Archer
Skyscrapers loomed over Touko and Akabane to the north and east, showing off the heart of the city. Cars were nonexistent down below, with the roads blocked off so the mass of foot traffic could make their way to work. The tallest skyscraper, located just to their northeast, was the imposing Haibatsu building, housing the insurance giant’s offices. The rectangular monolith tapered to a single radio spire up top, looking down at the city like an obelisk.
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Caster
It wasn’t long before Albert and Amelia rolled up to Albert’s police station. It was a small, simple brick building, about to be expected for the small town around them. There wasn’t anything incredible within, but Albert would know where the riot gear and few shotguns they had were. He would have to make do with that if he were to arm up. The fire station was right next door, equally unimpressive and rustic. Some small businesses lined the street before it got into housing as one went towards the lake.
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Assassin
Both Victor and Anemone exited the apartment building and stepped foot onto the walkway. They were in a reasonably nice apartment building next to the river that ran through town. Anemone whistled when she saw the particular architecture of the town, the cherry blossom trees in full bloom.
“So we’re in Japan?” She asked, Victor nodding his head. “Of course we’re in Japan! What, ya not Japanese?” He asked with suspicion. Anemone clicked her tongue in annoyance. “I was mostly raised in Canada, so this is a treat for me.” With a grin, Anemone pulled out a black face mask and slapped it on over her nose and mouth, putting on a torn baseball cap sideways that just had 'TIGER' written across the top in red letters.
Victor let out a hearty laugh. “What, that yer disguise is it?” He asked. Anemone nodded her head. “Well, who’m I to judge? Come on, let’s find these rats.” He beckoned, the two of them leaping off the edge and crashing to the concrete below, casually stepping onto a nearby bridge and making their way down it. Anemone gazed down at the clear water below, trying to find any fish to spot while Victor walked on without her.
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Rider
Both Cadence and Reiko exited the church, waving to the priest and Iris as they walked out. Ryuji waved back, waiting until the door closed before giving another sigh. “I really don’t like having a girl so young in this contest…” He said with concern. Iris glanced at her master. “Oho? Yet you feel moral pushing me around? How could you.” She held her fists up to her face in astonishment.
Ryuji laughed and rolled his eyes. “Come now, we both know you’re far older than anyone present. And besides...it’ll be ideal if you don’t have to intervene at all.” He reminded her. Iris nodded her head and casually floated in the air with her arms interlocked behind her head.
Outside, Reiko skipped across the grassy floor. Cadence held out her hand and forced a nearby tree to grow out its limbs into an intricate wooden chair, lined with multicolored flowers of pink, red and white. Cadence sat down on the chair and smoothed out her dress. Reiko looked on with astonishment.
“Rider-san! Th-that’s amazing, and pretty!” Reiko’s eyes glinted at the chair’s flowers. Cadence stared into the child’s eyes, getting a strange feeling of familiarity in that childish joy. An image of a young white-haired doll flashed in her mind before she snapped out of it.
“...do you want one…?” She asked. Reiko’s eyes bulged once more. “CAN I?!” She squealed. Cadence leaned forward in her chair and clasped her cold hand to Reiko’s mouth. “...just stay quiet...we are now in danger…” She instructed, Reiko meekly apologizing and bowing.
Suddenly, Cadence’s chair began to expand out, forming more of a two-seated couch adorned with the same flowers. Reiko jumped on, feeling the pleasant cushion for herself. “Ah…” She sighed. “Thank you, Rider-san!”
Cadence nodded her head, and commanded her seat to move deeper into the forest. “Rider-san? Where are we going?” “...we need to prepare…” She said ominously. The trees around them began to shudder as Cadence began to manipulate them around the two. There was a strange, ominous fire within Cadence’s eyes, one that Reiko was surprised to see.
(Earlier that morning)
“Bye mom, bye daddddddd!” Reiko waved to her parents, dropping her off at the church and driving away, yelling out their goodbyes. Reiko stood at the edge of the church, a strange pit in her stomach. “I-it’s for onii-san…” She mumbled to herself, knocking on the door with determination. A familiar blond-haired priest answered the door and let the girl inside.
Once inside the church, Reiko started to draw her summoning circle, following the instructions in her book exactly. “Here...and here…” The girl struggled to paint the complicated ancient language into the ground. Once it was all completed, Reiko watched as a bright light flashed...leaving a small green-haired woman kneeling on the floor. She appeared to be deathly pale.
“...what…?” The woman asked in confusion, looking up and down her body. “...I’m...alive…?” “Eeeeeeeeeeee! Of course you are, you’re my Servant now!” Cadence looked up just in time to see herself wrapped into a tight hug by a girl who looked no more than 10. Thoughts began to appear in her head, thoughts that explained her current situation.
“...Servant...yes...Rider. My true name is...Cadence…” She explained. Reiko’s eyes twinkled. “You aaaaaare a Rider! I did the spell right! Onii-chan would be so proud of meeeee!” She squealed. Cadence got a sinking feeling with this master. Did she really have what it took to win this? It was best to play along for now…she needed that wish badly.
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Berserker
Fuji and Mai moved south, putting them closer to the river’s crossing. A shipyard hugged the shoreline below them, a maze of shipping containers and docked boats. The place was grimy and dim, large clumps of rotting water weeds caught on the docks and oily splashes coloring the concrete. The bridge on the other hand was the glory of the city. Its castle-like supports blinked at the top to warn away planes, and the space for pedestrians to walk was big enough that even Mai could get lost in the masses of people crossing it every moment. Right now, the bridge was down, allowing easy crossing, but it could lift in the middle to allow ships entry and exit from the city.
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Kazuo watched Amelia and her Master teleport out of the church, completely ignoring his question. The priest shrugged his shoulders and took a seat near the window, watching the two of them get into a car. "And with a single stroke, the machine has been set into motion." He mused to himself. The image of Ryuji and his Servant flashed before Kazuo's mind.
"Of course the golden boy becomes a Ruler, while I'm a glorified nurse." Closing his eyes, Kazuo let out a few chuckled. "But not this time, Ryuji-kun. This time..." His gaze fell upon the corner of the room, a darkened circle on the floor. "This time, I stake my claim on this existence."
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Post by HungryHunter on Aug 18, 2021 20:54:27 GMT
“Stay here. I’d have a hard time explaining you.” Albert commanded as he left the car. Amelia didn’t respond, and a glance inside told him she was gone. “It’s called spirit form. Basically I’m a ghost right now.” Amelia’s voice in his ear made him jump and she giggled. “I thought cops were supposed to be brave.” “Unfortunately a lot of us are only brave when we’re in control of the situation.” Albert sighed. “Alright, guess you’re coming with. I promise it’s going to be boring though. I just have to make my report and figure out an excuse for taking the week off.” “Say your girlfriend sprang a surprise vacation on you. You’ve gotta be at a hot spring in an hour.” Amelia suggested. “Yeah, maybe not. I’m leaning towards a family emergency.” Albert mumbled a few different options as he went down the hallway, but Amelia was no longer listening. In fact, she was no longer even with him. Silently, she passed through the door reading “armory”.
It was about half an hour later that he returned to his car and found Amelia waiting, a swat team helmet on her head. “Picked up some gifts for you.” She gestured to the back of the car and he looked to find more swat gear and a semi-automatic shotgun. “Why did you do that!? I’m in enough trouble for taking time off on short notice! When they notice this is missing, they’ll be pissed!” “Look, I get why you’re mad, but the people you’re facing can all use magic. As you are, you wouldn’t stand a chance. I’ve seen what magic can do. Entire forests burned down, hills of snow melted in a second… the people you’ll face aren’t that strong, but still. You need a fighting edge.” Amelia offered Albert the helmet and he sighed.
“...you’re probably right. Sorry. I guess I’m thinking like a cop and not like… well, somebody dragged into a death game.” He sighed and leaned back. “There’s a lake just north of here. Want to stop there and think about things for a bit? Maybe we can make a plan. Have a drink…” Albert felt bad suggesting it, but Amelia immediately smiled. “Deal, Master. Let’s have a picnic.” She was humming to herself as they moved north.
“I’m thinking we should stay in the city. Good population density, so there’s a way higher likelihood we’ll pass within sensing distance of another master. Sound fair to you, Archer?” Touko said. “You really are intent on getting into a fight right away, huh? These are battles to the death, you know.” Akabane had entered spirit form to save on energy, also keeping her out of sight. “It’s it worth it… for a wish?” Touko said, and Akabane didn’t have an answer. She was really beginning to suspect Touko and her were a bad match, and she jumped at the chance she was given the next moment.
“Hey, can you try getting a view from one of the skyscrapers? Maybe set up a sniper nest if you see anybody.” Touko suggested. Akabane immediately picked the Haibatsu building. It wasn’t remotely save for a human to get up on the top of such a structure, but for her, it was quite manageable. And well worth getting away from her master for a bit.
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Post by othus on Aug 20, 2021 1:32:14 GMT
"I have a question, Saber"-Junji told Saber while he sat down on the grass
"You want to know what is my wish, don't you?"-She replied.
"Well, yes. Even If we win, I was forced into this. Having no real desire to participate in all this, at least I can hope that you have a far better reason than I"
Saber looked up at the sky and smiled.
"Once...I had a dream. I am here to make that happen. Perhaps I will tell you, once we get there"
Saber smiled and walked up to Junji, extending a hand out out to him.
"Come, we cannot stay here forever after all"
Saber and Master moved west towards the sound of water.
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Post by Fehafare on Aug 28, 2021 1:48:34 GMT
Master and Servant made their way down the street in the small town. They stepped into the hotel and then made their way to one of the rooms. Aimon had considered avoiding the hotel, considering it too obvious of a pick, but then again its obviousness was perhaps also a boon. It would have attracted a lot more attention for a foreigner to suddenly rent or buy a home in some small dingy Japanese village. The hotel by comparison shouldn't raise any eyebrows among locals or other Masters. Although the hotel was small and nearly empty, Aimon had already had a couple run ins with other foreigners staying at the hotel. He came across as just another tourist exploring the countryside.
Aimon's room was by no means glamorous. Though it had been tidy and clean when he first arrived, now there was a considerable number of books strewn about, as well as a variety of telescopes, or rather telescope-like instruments, set up as well, most being set up close to the two windows the room had. "Make yourself at home Lancer. It's not much, but I suppose a spartan abode suits you quite well." Aimon said as he sat down at a small desk and quickly wrote down something in a journal. Laura materialized in the middle of the room and shot a glance at her Master.
"So what? Just wanna sit around now?" she asked while he was still preoccupied with his journal.
"In essence. I think it'd be beneficial for us to act at night. We'll probably have to go into the city to find other Masters. I've prepared maps, both digital and physical ones and I've taken a tour or two of the place, but I'm sure things will feel quite different with a Servant at my side and with other Masters out and about. This first night might very well be crucial for us, in terms of figuring out our approach in this war. We can probably head out at sunset and spend some time in the city itself, so we don't have to arrive when other pairs would already be on the prowl. Until that time, we can do as you wish, so long it's within reason of course. And I'll of course want to hear about what to expect from you as a Servant, but then again I expect you have questions of your own. Well? I'm all yours. Inquire and make demands as you wish." as he finished speaking Aimon also closed his journal and turned around to face his Servant.
Laura raised an eyebrow.
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Post by TimePuppy on Aug 28, 2021 22:02:51 GMT
Fuji turned southwest, toward the skyscrapers, followed by Mai's shapeless form. There would be more people in that direction and so more chance of running into an enemy. Fuji was sure the others would try to wait until night. So if they ran into someone to ambush during the day... A perfect test run for his new Berserker. Oh, that reminded him.
"Berserker, since you are some unknown being from a different dimension, I need you to tell me exactly what you can do."
The response he got was silence. Fuji wasn't sure if she couldn't speak in spirit form, if she was too insane to answer, or if she just didn't want to answer. The sensation of menace he felt coming from behind him didn't inspire confidence.
"Behave yourself, Berserker. I suppose your kind is made to fight. Don't worry, we will find someone sooner or later. If you refuse to tell me about your abilities, I will need to be ready to see them in action."
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Post by Vapovile on Sept 15, 2021 8:21:48 GMT
Saber
Junji and Saber decided to make their way inside of a nearby cave, the sun disappearing from sight as the inside of the cave loomed before them. Strangely, torches burned along the sides of the cavern, providing plenty of light to illuminate the nearby stalactites and stalagmites.
To the south was sunlight once more, as with the east where they came. But to the north west was a path illuminated by torches, leading deeper into the cave. Fresh tracks in the dirt indicated that someone had traversed this path within the last day. To the south, the sound of water was closer than before.
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Lancer
Since Lancer and her Master decided to stay inside the hotel, all remains relatively calm. The sound of people outside could be heard, but nothing out of the ordinary could be seen.
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Archer
Archer and Toko reached their destination, the balcony of a penthouse suite thousands of feet off the ground. From here they could see half the city, from the tallest building in town to their left to the bridge crossing the river before them. But more important than what they could see was what they could feel. There was a servant to the north.
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Caster
Caster and Albert arrived at the lake in no time. The lake was a cozy hideaway, kept sequestered from civilization by a layer of forest. Small boats puttered about on the lake and a few families enjoyed a break on the beach. Across the lake were more trees, and among them the opening of a cave system.
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Assassin
Victor finally finished his trek across the bridge, his Servant trailing behind in spirit form. “So, how’s we go about finding these mages? Should I jus’ start raising Hell until someone worthy shows up?” He joked, Anemone staying silent. She squinted into the distance.
“We have one…” Assassin whispered, using her Presence Concealment to hide from the detection of other Servants. Victor squinted his eyes and casually followed behind, letting Anenome weave her way through the streets. The hunt was on.
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Rider
The forest bent to Cadence’s will, layering thick wooden slabs around the two of them. Arms of spikes laced with poison sap grew out of the sides of the two’s pod, making makeshift arms. Soon, legs began to form as well. Reiko’s eyes shined with wonder.
“Whoa...are you making us one of those Tokusatsu mechs?!” She asked enthusiastically. Cadence nodded her head, having heard the term from Jane. “...you could...say that…” Cadence responded, contracting the wooden limbs to make them denser.
“So um...what’s your plan with this?” Reiko asked, turning to Cadence and tilting her head. “...I can barely move...and this can protect both of us...this is merely stage one…” Cadence explained. Reiko squealed in excitement and leaned back in the comfortable flower throne.
“You’re so cool, Rider! You’re a pro at this already!”
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Berserker
Fuji and his Servant now stood at the foot of the complex of skyscrapers. Traffic was nearly at a standstill, with thousands of commuters making their way through the streets to their jobs. Several low-rise buildings gave a clear path should Fuji wish to ascend to the higher buildings.
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East Church
Ryuji sat in a chair at the front of the church, reading a book while Iris floated lazily around the room. “You mean to tell me...that my potential is tied to your ability?” Iris asked, Ryuji nodding his head.
“Yeah, sorry about that. You might be a nightmare in your own world, but here, you’re only as strong as your Master is able. But your Ruler class should give you the edge over any Servant, should the need arise.” The priest explained.
Iris stopped drifting, focusing her gaze upon him. “And just how does this wish get fulfilled?” She asked. Ryuji closed his book and looked at his Servant. “My colleague has a special item that will allow for the wish to be granted once the war ends. We will both welcome the victor at the end, and use this item to summon the true object that grants the wish. But we must wait until the battle is over, Ruler.” Ryuji explained.
Shrugging her shoulders, Iris went back to floating around the church like a leaf in the wind.
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Post by othus on Sept 21, 2021 22:40:10 GMT
"Someone has been through here...are you ready for battle?"-Saber asked her master.
"As ready as I'll ever be, I guess"-Junji replied to Saber as they both moved into the cave. It being lit was certainly a surprise, perhaps done with the help of a fire spell
"If the worst comes to happen, be sure to memorize your way back and run away as fast as you can, alright? I don't like the hero types"-Saber lied, the image of a certain man's back came to mind and she smiled.
"Yes...I'll do my best, saber." Junji lied as well, as much as he didn't want to be part of this, he was not the kind to leave a friend behind.
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Post by HungryHunter on Sept 23, 2021 6:30:39 GMT
“Oh, nice. Want to swim?” Amelia said, stepping out. “Neither of us has a swimsuit.” Albert responded. “You haven’t swam in your clothes? Come on, let’s live a little.” She smiled and walked up onto the shore. She wasn’t wearing shoes, he now realized, and she relaxed for a moment with her feet in the sand. “Do you take anything seriously?” Albert grumbled as he walked out next to her. “Hey, I’m taking everything seriously. I’ve seen some really fucked up stuff. I know what we’re getting into. I just want to enjoy myself before anything happens, okay?” She stepped back onto the grass to sit. Albert hesitated a moment before sitting beside her. “It’s nice out here.” He offered. “It is, isn’t it? I hope I get to stay with you a while, Albert. You’re a good guy.” Amelia closed her eyes and flopped down on her side. “What will you wish for, if we win?” “Hm? I have no idea. I didn’t even want to be involved. Anything for myself would seem selfish, but if I wished for the world, wouldn’t that be imposing my will on others?” Albert said. “You really are a decent guy. It’s easy for me. I… I’ll tell you later. Maybe.” Amelia responded.
“It’s a nice view up here.” Akabane said, hanging out over the balcony. They had picked a lock to get here, so she was a touch nervous about getting caught. Toko didn’t seem to mind at all, just taking in the view until she felt her prey. “There we go. We’ve got a servant somewhere. Take a look.” Toko pointed north. Akabane sighed. She was hoping for some relaxation, but it didn’t look like she would have the chance. Her superior vision scanned the area ahead. “I don’t see anything just yet. Want to try elsewhere?” “Yeah, let’s get going.” Toko grumbled, making for the door. “No need for that. Come on, let’s do something fun.” Akabane grinned and drew her guns. With a twirl, they dissolved into spinning energy and coalesced to form a new weapon, a bulky gun with a grappling hook. “Damn. Must be brutal to be hit by that. Could pull somebody’s guts right out.” Toko said, putting her hands around Akabane’s waist. “Yeah, don’t usually this thing as a weapon...” Akabane’s smile vanished as Toko again made things weird. She was worried about what she would see in the rapidly approaching battle.
The grappling hook launched a few times, dragging them between buildings until Akane looked down at the street and saw it. “...no.” She saw her sister. “You found them!? Who!?” Toko peered over the edge. “It’s my sister…” Akabane mumbled. “The servant? Damn, rough luck.” Toko whistled. “We can’t just give up this advantage though, you know that…” She glared. “...no, you’re right. But I can’t fight my sister.” Akabane said. “I already… lost her before.” Toko stared and seemed to think for a moment. “Fine. Don’t attack her. Kneecap her master. Then we can talk to them. Keep the advantage, but don’t kill them. That seems fair, doesn’t it?” Toko’s idea was horrifying, but Akabane couldn’t deny it made sense. The warrior within her knew that you didn’t give up an advantage like this. Her gun transformed again, boxy hook-launcher stretching out into a long and thin sniper rifle. She set up on the edge and found him again, the man who was working with her sister. Her superhuman speed let her watch the slow human carefully, picking the exact right moment to fire. She refused to look at Mai as she pulled the trigger to send a bullet straight through the man’s knee to utterly destroy it.
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Post by TimePuppy on Sept 29, 2021 20:28:01 GMT
Fuji approached the skyscrapers when he felt something change behind him. Berserker was agitated, her aimless anger turned pointed. She had felt someone. Or something. But she couldn't tell Fuji what exactly it was that she sensed. Still, he got the hint.
"Fufu, we just started and we already have a target nearby? Excellent. Let's hunt our prey down." Fuji spoke and turned toward the skyscraper. But he was shoved, suddenly yet strangely not very violently, toward the entrance. Turning toward the now visible Mai, he noticed she was looking up. Their target noticed them too? The smoking hole where he'd been Perhaps it shouldn't be that surprising, considering his Servant was mad as a rule.
"Berserker, go. Crush them." He ordered and ran into the building. He tapped his pocket, feeling Pandora's box resting in there, its malicious aura tangible even through the cloth. He ran toward the stairs, hoping to get up there in time to assist Berserker.
Mai meanwhile took a more direct route. She jumped as high as she could, which was quite high indeed, though not high enough. She grabbed windowsills, cracks and even dug her thick fingers into the walls themselves while she climbed toward her target faster and more nimbly than someone her size should do.
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Post by Fehafare on Oct 4, 2021 0:11:09 GMT
"Wishes? Demands? Alright then, get off your ass." Laura told her Master in a flat tone. "Hm? But I meant-" Aimon began to respond but found himself cut off. "I know what you meant, but look a couple maps won't replace hands on experience and me actually getting a feel for this city. If you want to prioritize night action that's fine, but I gotta at least know the field I'm operating in. Besides, if you'd rather take a nap I'll just go and have a look myself." as Laura explained her demand Aimon slowly turned towards her with an unreadable expression on his face.
The Master closed his eyes for a moment before a light blue translucent globe was projected out of the palm of his hand. Within the globe small dots of light arranged themselves in various formations, dancing about and flowing from one arrangement to another. It could have been difficult to guess just what it was that Aimon was holding at first glance, but the longer the scene went on the more obvious it became that the glove was an orrery of some kind. A projection of the heavens, with the dots imitating celestial bodies, constellations and their shifting positions. After a short while Aimon let out a small sigh and nodded.
"Very well, I don't object to scouting the city. I did say I didn't want to throw caution to the wind, but perhaps I thought to indulge it to the point of passivity. Let me just confirm the safety measures I prepared for our room are in order and we can go." as he finished Aimon opened started walking around the room, checking specific spots and objects within it.
"Did you just... consult the stars to decide what to do?" Laura asked him as she observed him work.
"Maybe." Aimon answered with the slightest of smiles.
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Post by Vapovile on Oct 10, 2021 22:51:30 GMT
Saber
Akane and her Master continued through the cave, following the torches laid before them. The two would feel themselves passing through an invisible magic barrier, stepping into a tall cavern that had a ceiling that appeared to stretch into the sky. The path before them was flanked by two deep pits that disappeared into a black void. Past the path was a set of neatly carved stone stairs, leading up to a platform at the far edge of the cave.
The platform held a tall tower that seemed to be 10 stories tall, with three prongs reaching for the cave roof at the top. There was a figure kneeling on the ground, his back to them as he worked on something with the floor in front of himself. They could hear an amused laugh echo through the cave as he turned to face them.
The figure wore a set of black priest robes, a silver necklace hanging down. His long black hair hung down past his ears. The figure seemed muscular, even with the robes mostly hiding his figure. “Welcome to the endgame, Master, Saber.” He called out in a baritone. “You might have heard that other priest mention my name. Kazuo Akechi, at your service.” He announced across the room.
“You fancied yourself a rather eerie retreat, priest”-Akane said as she positioned herself in front of Junji while resting her hand on the pommel of her blade.
“You seem to be in the loop, what do you want from us?”-Junji asked with curiosity, after all, he did not appear to be a master.
The priest stared at them for a second in confusion, then let out another laugh. “What I want from you? Master, you are part of the Holy Grail War. Your duty is to slay the other Servants, and gather their energy to make your wish from the holy grail.” Turning to the massive pillar, Kazuo motioned toward it.
“This is where that energy goes. Nobody has been slain thus far, so it lies dormant. But rest assured...Master.” Kazuo smiled and held his arms out. “If you both prove successful, you will see me again here for your wish. With the energy of six Servants, the power concentrated in this room will be...godly.” He said ominously, staring up at the pillar once more.
Junji scratched his head and sighed at the speech.
“It’s not like I need Godly powers to attain my wish, then again, I don’t plan on dying for someone else’s either...Saber, let’s go, we came here far too early”
Musashi looked at the vessel with determination, then her eyes went back to the priest
“Hold on, Master, he might have told us about the grail, but never explained what he was doing here”-Musashi said as she drew her blade and pointed it at the priest.
Kazuo looked at the blade calmly from the other side of the chasm, closing his eyes, then reopening them. “Am I not allowed to go where I please, as an official of this game? Perhaps I wished to marvel at the sight of such a vessel, watch as it slowly gained its power through the energy of the other Servants. Witnessing such a transformation is desirable, no?” He asked casually, displaying his open palms.
Akane frowned at the reasoning, it was sound, but not quite.
“Then, are we supposed to ignore whatever you were doing on the floor until recently? Be careful on your next answer, I am not forgiving of liars”
Junji traced a defensive spell for himself preemptively, the situation did not seem to be deescalating for some reason.
A frown descended down Kazuo’s face when Akane mentioned her observation. One of the non-magically aware Masters would have fallen for his next bluff, but Junji was a proper magus. Kazuo stood at the edge of the stairs.
“I can assure you, Saber, I have no ill intentions. I am a man of the Lord after all, simply doing my job as an officiate of this game. If you insist on being hostile with me, I will properly defend myself though. The choice is yours, Saber.” Kazuo said darkly, glancing at the spot of ground he was leaning on. A magic circle was neatly drawn across the floor, glowing slightly blue as the fight between Mai and Akabane started.
Akane sheathed her blade and turned his back to the man, only looking back once before she walked away.
“We have no time for this, there are far too many enemies to waste our energy here with you. We will return, know that this conversation isn’t over”
Junji sighed and left the cave with Akane.
“I do not like that man, it is best we stay wary of him”-Musashi told Junji, who nodded in agreement.
As Akane and Junji left, the priest’s expression relaxed, the man putting his hands together. “A wise choice, Master. You’ll need all the energy you can for the trials ahead…” The priest then looked toward the high ceiling, smirking. “Why is it always Sabers that cause the most headache…?” He pondered.
When Akane stepped out into the open air once more, she would see a pleasant lake stretching out before her. On the far end, she may notice two people relaxing on the shore...a familiar head of blazing red hair standing out among the grassy terrain.
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Lancer
Out here, Aimon could see far and Laura could see farther. The grasslands were flat, bordered on one side by the nearby small town. Across the river, the buildings were more densely packed and larger, the city making itself known from miles away. Laura’s superhuman eyes couldn’t cut through the skyline, but they were able to pick out more between the buildings. Just to the north, she could see the bridge leading deeper into the city.
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Archer
Berserker’s leap alone pulverized the sidewalk and made people stare, but they only began to scatter when she clung onto the building. Shattered glass fell among the rubble of broken concrete as she climbed, ignoring full glass panes shattering on her face. Inside, everybody in the lobby had taken shelter from what they thought was an earthquake, letting Fuji pass by quickly. Plush carpet absorbed his steps, but he himself would still feel the building shake from his servant’s mad rush outside.
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Caster
The air around Amelia and Albert seemed peaceful, people around them setting up for their own pleasant day at the lake. If Amelia looked up though, she might see two figures leave a cave on the far side of the lake, one being a tall woman whom she might recognize.
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Assassin
On cue, Mai’s rampage started a panic among the people on the ground. Victor smirked at this display and marched into the lobby of a skyscraper, waving to the receptionist. “Um sir, you can’t go back th-” The man paused when Victor motioned to his oversized hammer. Stepping into the elevator, Victor began to ascend up toward the roof.
“Yer still here, Assassin?” He casually asked, but no response came. An invisible figure was silently sprinting up the side of the building he was ascending, ready to see what the situation was up top.
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Rider
The golem Cadence was making is now complete, standing tall among the forest. Tiny eye slits allowed Cadence and Reiko to still see outside, but from the other end, it seemed completely armored. Keiko continued to hug Cadence’s body as it began to shift, turning its attention to the north. There appeared to be a small town nearby, the forest becoming grassland. Cadence frowned at this and held up her hand.
The grassland began to change, nearby forest trees reaching their roots out and growing dense trunks on top of the terrain. The grassland began to change into more forest. Reiko looked on with amazement in her eyes.
“Rider, are you going to surround the city in forest?!” She asked with sparkles dancing in her eyes. Cadence nodded her head.
“...I don’t do well with speed...so I am making this land to my advantage…” She stated.
Nearby, Ryuji and Iris looked out at the forest springing up around the church’s northeast side. “That’s going to be annoying to clean up…” Ryuji complained, Iris shrugging her shoulders. “I could remove those whenever you want, you know?” She offered.
Ryuji shook his head and leaned back against a chair. “We’re not meant to interfere unless there are rules broken, Ruler.” He reminded her. Iris sighed and floated next to Ryuji’s head.
“So what’s stopping me from vaporizing the winner of this game, and giving my own wish?” She jokingly asked, Ryuji shooting a stern look in her direction.
“Your class. Rulers are meant to not have any desires for the Grail to fulfill. Is that incorrect for you?” The priest, Iris closing her eyes and looked up at the ceiling.
“I...guess that is accurate, yeah. I have lived a long time, Master. And no matter how godly the power I wield...I can’t fulfill the last wish I want. Tragic, huh?” She asked, smiling at her Master. Ryuji looked at her with sadness in his eyes. Wordlessly, he stood up, grabbed Iris by the shoulders, and pulled her into a vertical floating position as he hugged the small sorceress.
“I knew I sensed great sadness in you, little one. I don’t know if the Grail could fulfill this wish you seek, but I can try to make your time here as meaningful as I can. We are a team, Iris.” Ryuji said in a soft voice, taking Iris by complete surprise...until she hugged back softly.
“...ehe...I’ll hold you to that, master-san~.” Iris chirped, having a small hint of happiness in her lifeless voice.
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Post by HungryHunter on Oct 11, 2021 3:37:48 GMT
“Ah, dammit.” Toko growled. “She’s pretty fast for a zerker. Knock her off the building and move.” She retreated from the balcony. “...yeah.” Akabane’s scope showed her Mai’s face clear as day, tracking her motion. She was coming in a straight line. It would be easy to land a shot on her right in the eyes. Multiple even. Akabane’s finger twitched on the trigger and she swiveled downwards. Her shot went low, not striking Mai but blasting the surface of the building out from under her to drop her back down onto the city street. The servant hopefully slowed down, she ran to join her master in facing the enemy directly.
She should just shoot him. Let Mai fade away where she wouldn’t have to see it. It was a merciful death. Toko stood in the middle of the hallway, glancing each way. Already she was armed. In one hand a taser dangled, the other tightly holding the handle of a butterfly knife. “Any idea which way they’re coming from?” She asked her servant, but Akabane shook her head. “Permission to open fire when they arrive?” “Granted. Blow them away. I’m not fighting a zerker in a hallway.” Akabane switched her gun to semiautomatic and readied herself to fire at the first door that opened.
“Want to tell me now?” Albert asked after a few minutes laying in the sand. They were drawing attention, an oddly-dressed couple for the beach, what with his body armor and her spandex suit. “Maybe if I had some wine in me. I’ll tell you if we survive a fight, okay?” She smiled so innocently and yet Albert went completely pale. She giggled, stopping herself after a few adorable snorts. “Okay, sorry, sorry! You’re probably gonna be fine. People won’t see you as a threat. You’re not even aware, or whatever they call it in this world. And I promise that if they try to hurt you, I’ll stop them.” Amelia reached out and squeezed Albert’s hand, bringing some color back to his cheeks. She giggled again and leaned up. “Unh. No, I can’t just lay here…” She looked around for a thicker blanket, but there was none in sight.
“We should move and do some planning. I want to see what’s up with that cave.” Amelia pointed across the lake. “The cave? It’s always been there. Occasional hideout for kids who think they’re tough, but otherwise pretty mundane.” “Caves are a good place to set up shop at a time like this. Very defensible. We might have a rival hidden in there, and if not, well, it’s a good spot for us to do so.” She stood and he reluctantly followed. Or perhaps he was just having a hard time getting up with the extra weight of the body armor. “I can’t get us all the way across, but I can get us to that boat.” Amelia pointed at a fisherman paddling out about two thirds of the way across the lake. “Then just let me rest up and we can jump the rest.” “Hold on, get us there? How? Walking one water? Actually jumping? I’m not sure I like this, I can’t swim in this stu-” Albert didn’t finish before Amelia grabbed his hand and they were in the boat. There was no motion, no sound, no flash of color. They were in one space and now they were in another. They were standing in front of a baffled old fisherman, his jaw loose as he tried to figure out just how these two got into his boat. “Sorry sir, we’ll be out in a moment. Official police business.” Albert said, only halfway convincing even himself. He flicked the visor of his helmet down to hide that he was just as confused. This world she was getting him into was strange, and, he was beginning to admit, exciting. He really wanted to see that cave with her now. It would feel more special with somebody who brought real magic into the world along.
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Post by othus on Oct 16, 2021 1:04:35 GMT
Akane was shocked to see she recognized the redhead woman. She signaled Junji not to do any harsh movements.
"Amelia-San...or should I say caster? Should we talk things through? The war has just begun and I don't want to fight one of my saviors"
Junji walked forward as well hands up in the air.
"I am Saber's master, My name is Kodokawa Junji, we have no intention of fighting for now...I believe it would be more productive at the moment to join forces...if you think about it, we would have a numerical advantage, and our classes cover each other's weaknesses. Plus, nothing guarantees the rest of the people fighting this war will be as reasonable"
Musashi set her hand lightly on top of her blade, dealing with Amelia would be an uphill battle. Even with the fire resistance of her virtual machine, the mage had a vast ammount of range over her.
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Post by TimePuppy on Oct 21, 2021 22:10:19 GMT
The side of the building started crumbling under Mai's grip from Akabane's shot, so she used one arm to swing herself through the nearest window of the hotel, bringing a chunk of wall with her just with her weight alone.
Fuji used Reinforcement to enhance himself while running up the stairwell, speeding up his ascent and preparing for the inevitable clash. He also teased some magic out of his Pandora's box, taking a glob of pulsing darkness. He knew he was finally near his opponents when he heard a crashing sound right on the next floor.
Crash. The floor under Akabane and her master exploded while a chunk of the hotel flew through it. Mai jumped through the cloud of dust and debris she'd just created, letting out a bestial scream while crashing down with a titanic fist where Akabane should've stood. She couldn't see her target in the dust, but she was relying on a simple animalistic instinct for combat.
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Post by Fehafare on Oct 28, 2021 0:57:26 GMT
"So... you didn't really see the future there?" Laura asked her Master as the two somewhat leisurely walked towards the city. "No, I did not. Not that I'm incapable of some divining, but that'd demand a ritual far grander than my Astralogia can manifest at will. Sadly the days when oracles could grasp prophecies at a whim are long past. There are still a few individuals like that left in the world but they're not astromancers, like I, they're simply born gifted."
"You sound envious." Laura supplied while Aimon let out a small sigh. "Shouldn't I be? It's not that I wasn't born without any gifts of my own, but future sight is truly beyond this mundane realm." Laura's Master answered, though his tone had no bitterness to it. "So what are you all about?" Laura asked suddenly after the pair had walked barely a dozen meters in silence. "Hm?" Aimon cocked his head to the side while putting his hands in his pockets. "So far you've been talking kinda pompously and you've referenced various magical things half a dozen times but that doesn't really tell me much about who you are or why you're here. And oh, why I should stick with you for that matter. I'm sure playing the mysterious type works wonders on uptight wizard ladies, but the less questions I have about you the better." Laura spoke in a firm and straightforward manner, making her stance on her Master rather plain to understand.
"Ah, that. Yes, I apologize. I don't meant to come across as secretive, it's just a matter of habit and of priorities right now. I suppose, you could just see me as a magus who's way in over his head with some romantic views about magic and how the world ought to work." Aimon answered nonchalantly seemingly not at all bothered by the implications some of Laura's words carried. He received a flat look from his Servant, one that clearly conveyed that she wasn't satisfied with what she got. "What? Too cryptic for you? Fine, fine, I'm simply a magus who became sick of other magi. You know, we severed out tries with the rest of humanity and divorced mundane desires. You'd think as a group we'd be above pettiness, scheming and the tedious weight of vapid social interaction. But no, all those things are still there, concentrated and amplified by our esoteric goals and powers. I think a lot of magi simply turn a blind eye to that and I'm just one of those who couldn't do that. But I'm still a magus at the end of the day. I can swear off other magi and their society, but I cannot swear off the way of life. Magecraft, the pursuit of mystery, it's all a bit too intoxicating. Not just on its own, but the effect it can have on the world, the ways of its manifestation, it all fascinates me to no end. But beyond all that, I too am a man who is not fond of secrets wrought by others. It's why I'm here in fact"
As Aimon finished Laura gave him another look, a softer one. She was actually taking in what he said rather than dismissing it outright.
"And oh, as for why you should follow me. You're a Servant, you need a Master. And you can well enough trust me that you won't find a better one assembled here among us seven. In other words, I'm counting on self-interest to keep you around if nothing else, and maybe a sense of camaraderie somewhere down the line if things work out, which I do want to say they well." Aimon suddenly paused for a moment there as he glanced in the direction of Laura, almost as though he looked her up and down, something which was impossible as his Servant was in spirit form. "So, what about you? We've got time for another life story."
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