The Fifth Holy Grail War
"...arrive from the ring of deterrence, O keeper of balance ---!"
Atrum Galliasta was feeling quite proud of himself. While he had originally planned to use the scrap of cloak he had found in Georgia, some part of him realized, despite his innate belief in the inferiority of women, that summoning a magus known literally as the Witch of Betrayal may not be the best idea for his long-term health. Instead, he had obtained a copy of Theophrastus von Hohenheim's 'Rediscovery of the Five Elements,' believing Paracelsus would be a better servant and far less likely to betray him.
This would have been worse for him, ironically enough, but he would never get the chance to learn this, as the ritual looked to the book in another fashion, as progress and the spreading of knowledge made manifest. And thus, our protagonist enters the scene.
For Atrum Galliasta, this was a bit of a shock. At the cost of quite a few bottles of expensive alcohol and some high-grade research materials, he had gotten a lot out of the new Lord El-Melloi, including the fact that King Arthur was apparently a girl, but Paracelsus was still very much living memory for the Clock Tower.
"I am servant Caster, and I have answered your call. I ask of you, are you my master?"
Even if this was not in the plan, Galliasta was still a highly trained magus, and could complete a ritual this simple without thinking. Raising his right hand so his command seals were visible, he responded "Yes indeed, I am Atrum Galliasta, and I will be serving as your master in the Fifth Holy Grail War. I have to ask, are you von Hohenheim?"
"No, my name is… is that your laboratory in the basement?"
"Hmm, oh? Yes, it is. Impressive, is it not? It will surely be an advantage in the war with the amount of Od available, giving you the power to use your magecraft far more freely. Your mana rank may be off the charts, but every bit helps, no?"
Whatever he was expecting, the sheer look of hatred visible on Caster's face was not it. He reacted quickly, beginning the syllables of a Command, but it was not nearly enough. Caster gestured with her hand, and a bolt of white light entered his left eye, and he knew no more.
-/-
When he woke up, it was in a mundane jail cell. To him, that would be no big deal, while his hypnotism was mediocre, preferring elemental and weather attacks, the skill needed to get himself out by hypnotising a guard, and then mind-wiping them all, was simple even to a beginner. All he had to do was activate his magic circuits…
Activate his circuits…
Activate his…
By the root, the witch had removed his circuits! And, now looking at the back of his hand, his command seals, too! He sat back down on the bench, and noticed a newspaper on it. The front page had his face across it, labeling him as a mass kidnapper and murderer, and implying he was a satanist of some sort.
In the back of his mind, in a tiny part that was not yet consumed with dread about the loss of all his research and talent as a magi, noted that satanism was actually very different, and animal sacrifices generally worked better. He figured this was not going to convince any judge. He still had a few contacts left, after burning a lot to get prepared for the Grail War, so could probably get out, but without his circuits, he wasn't sure if he should bother. Life in prison may even be preferable to the mockery of his 'peers'.
-/-
A tall woman with bright blond hair looked out over the British Channel, standing above the cliffs of Dover. As she looked out over a world she had not seen outside memory, she begins to morph, hair growing darker and shorter, and features changing from British to Japanese. "So, Fuyuki, huh. This should be interesting." she muttered, before vanishing in a muted clap.
-/-
Sakura Matou was not having the best day. Senpai had to leave to school early today, to do some work that someone else should have done already, and was busy all day helping Issei do something or the other. She wouldn't even be able to see him at archery club either, because she had 'family obligations' to attend to. She'd be summoning Rider soon, and Grandfather insisted she have the maximum mana available for it, to maximize the servant's power, despite the fact that it would be crippled by the use of False Attendant's Writings. Yet there was something else, some vague feeling… like someone was following her? No, she was pretty sure it was nothing.
As she entered the house (She refused to call it a home. That was the Tohsaka Manor, once, or Senpai's house) she heard a whisper in her ear, asking her to stay still, and that she (that is, the voice) would handle it. She turned quickly, but didn't see anyone, though this didn't surprise her too much, as ventriloquism was a fairly basic trick for a mage, but to bypass the formidable defenses surrounding the house was quite impressive. But she might as well, sitting down on the step up into the house proper, figuring it would be interesting to see what happened, and it was not as if doing so would make Grandfather any less disappointed, or Shinji yell less. (Or either be more gentle, but she tried not to think about that) A couple of minutes later, she felt the worm in her heart, and then the rest, begin to stir, shortly followed by stillness. And then, them dissolving? What?
A moment later, the voice, now an average-looking Japanese woman, appeared, carrying a limp Shinji. She must have let some of her concern show on her face, as while there was no lost love between the two of them they were still siblings, and Sakura was aware that some of Shinji's hate came from her and her magic circuits, so the woman was quick to interject that he was not dead, merely unconscious, and that she would alter his memory a bit as she took him to an orphanage in Sendai. Sakura was pretty sure she was in shock by this point.
A few minutes later when she returned, she introduced herself as Caster. Her subsequent explanation of her behavior honestly reminded her of Senpai, all heroic-like, though she clearly had more power to back it up. After a brief discussion, Sakura agreed to let Caster stay in the house, to help finish up healing her and as Caster had no actual place to stay. (She would have been fine in a hotel, she insisted, but Sakura would not have any of it) And she wanted to meet Senpai too, so tomorrow (a weekend) would be a very interesting day.
Things were finally looking up for Sakura Matou. Sakura Tohsaka? No, for now at least she would be Sakura Salnus.
-/-
Aŋra Mainiiu was getting excited. Though the grail war hadn't yet begun in proper, conflict had already started. Though no servant had yet to die, it was only a matter of time now. In the massive cavern of Ten no Sakazuki, he lied in wait.
Then, all of a sudden, five figures appeared. Two were clearly masters, one possessing a great internal holy light, the other the remnants of a false grail vessel. Two were clearly servants, one with a bright shining sword that matched the first master, almost certainly the one who destroyed the container last time, the second a woman with long purple hair and a blindfold. The final… burned.
Burning with order, good, and repentance, Aŋra could not stand in her view. He felt himself dissolving under her aura, melting away to nothing. The last thing he heard, before being purged completely, was the woman, saying "about a week until I'm sure I've purged it completely." Ironically, as he faded, he actually began to feel better. The sins of humanity, he realized, were being stripped away.
-/-
Gilgamesh watched, no longer surprised, as Caster shrugged off or deflected yet another volley from the Gate. He had already tried most of his other plans, to no avail. Attempting to get a range advantage with the Vimana proved pointless when Caster merely began flying. Enki, the bow that is the Harbinger of the End, found the arrows of light and the surge of Utnapishtim deflected and controlled. The clairvoiance of Sha Naqba Imuru also found itself outmatched, though Caster's supernatural dodging seemed lessened. Even the Chains of Heaven, his beloved friend, failed to take hold, despite her divinity, it seemed her mobility could surpass even it. At the very least, she had noticed it for what it is, and treated it with respect. That alone would have proven her worthy for this, even had she not astounded him again and again before. It was time, then.
For the first time since the battle had begun, he saw actual shock, and possibly a bit of fear, in Caster's eyes. He didn't blame her, by all accounts, the 'Sword' of Rupture was like nothing else in the world. But to her credit, she began casting in some far-off language, ending with something more familiar, Hebrew. As the blast of Enûma Eliš progressed, it suddenly halted. Honestly, Gilgamesh was hoping for this. All this promise, just to be defeated at the end so simply? But with this, he was actually gaining an appreciation for humanity. When (if never entered his mind) he won, he would actually do better, and help humanity out. It would be the least he could do to honor someone of Caster's ability.
-/-
A compromise was eventually reached between the surviving masters and servants, that the power of the grail would go towards stopping future catastrophes. The Incineration of Earth, the Velbers, Wheat and Angel Notes, and whatever else Atlas was preparing for, not having any of those occur was something they could all agree on. With Gilgamesh counting as five or so servants, most of the others were able to continue living on after the war, with the exception of Archer and Assassin. And well, if the Clock Tower ever came to investigate too closely, five servants is a threat no one wants to tangle with.
