Chapter 89 : Start a war (part 1)

Alessandro was speechless, he was in front of Saber who was the legendary dictator Gaius Julius Caesar. The girl patted him on the forehead.
« I know I'm more beautiful than a divinity but don't you think you are exaggerating? We have a war to fight, don't we? Then we go! Let's go fight! »
« Yes ... no ... wait! Wait a moment! »
« What's up? »
« We must first prepare and we must know where this war will be fought. »
« Here, right? »
« No I don't think so. I don't know. »
Saber wanted to fight, she was delighted at the idea of ​​starting the Holy Grail War of Yggdrasil but Alessandro didn't share that same joy and so he told Servant to calm down and follow him to his quarters. Saber sat in Alessandro's room and the first thing she noticed was the presence of a dozen books on a desk.
« Are you a reader? » She asked.
« I like reading, yes, but not always. »
« I also like reading, when there were shows in the amphitheater I was forced to make a presence in order to cultivate my public image, but I didn't like horse racing and so I took a book and started reading it. »
« What did you read? »
« Poems. »
« I didn't think that Gaius Julius Caesar liked to read. »
« Obviously I like reading, that's how I learned to write in an excellent way. I composed poetry, did you know? »
« No. »
« I composed poetry, I wrote history and military tactics books. I love writing! I also love reading! »
Alessandro was surprised at how Saber was bragging about her tastes, but he certainly could not have expected anything more from a dictator who had cultivated a great cult of personality in ancient Rome.
Someone knocked on the door, Alessandro opened: it was Marco Lombardo.
« You summoned the Servant, then. Well. »
« What should I do now? »
« Here. »
Marco Lombardo gave Alessandro an envelope with several sheets inside.
« Inside you will find information about the hotel and the room you will stay in during the Holy Grail War. The Coven will pay for you, don't let yourself be seen around with the Servant. »
« But where shall I go? »
« In London. »
« London? »
« Yes. Apparently the war will be supervised by a certain Yukiko Kumahira who is staying in a hotel opposite Regent's Park. You will leave today. »
« Wait ... I've never traveled in my life and ...  »
« I don't want to hear protests, Alessandro. Go and win for the Coven. »
Marco Lombardo left closing the door behind him and leaving Alessandro alone with Saber, who was intrigued by the unusual reaction of her Master. Generally a Master had to be happy to fight to get the Holy Grail but this time it was completely different: Alessandro Serpi seemed not to want to fight.
Saber asked:
« Master, do you want to tell me something? »
« What are you talking about, Saber? »
« You are acting strange. Do you want to fight this war? »
« Forget it. We go, now. »
Alessandro began packing his bags leaving Saber with the doubt that she had a Master who didn't want to fight the Holy Grail War of Yggdrasil. That was a problem.

Saber and Alessandro Serpi by Bikowolf

 

Chapter 88 : Saber

January 25, 2021

Alessandro was in the chapel of the Coven Abbey. He had just drawn the magic circle and placed a Roman sword in the center, everything was ready for the ritual. The relic had been delivered to him by the Grand Master himself. Alessandro had only to pronounce the enchantment formula and the rest would have happened by itself, he would have obtained a Servant to fight the Holy Grail War of Yggdrasil.
He was sitting on a bench and thinking about the letter he had received from his mother.
« Why did she write to me? I thought she was busy making a new life. »
It was four years since she made herself heard, it was four years that Alessandro received nothing from his mother, why did she send him a letter that January 12? It made no sense.
« But why am I thinking about it? Why am I thinking about it right now? Maybe it's a sign? »
He looked at the sword on the floor.
« Maybe I shouldn't be fighting this war. Maybe my fate is to have a normal life again, it doesn't make sense for me to be here, right? »
But then Alessandro thought back to that nefarious day when his mother forced him to join the Coven with the excuse that she wanted to rediscover youthful love, that woman preferred a life of leisure to her son. Alessandro was sixteen without a family: his father and mother had abandoned him to his fate.
« But is this really my destiny? » He asked himself.
A moon beam that passed through the windows illuminated that sword making it shine as if it were a sort of divine object, Alessandro was fascinated by the brightness of that perfect blade, that white reflection seemed to invite him to perform the ritual, to evoke the Servant. He couldn't betray the Coven, it was his only family, he knew he was being manipulated by the Grand Master but he didn't want to be completely alone.
« I must be quick. I will end the war immediately and go home. »
Alessandro approached the magic circle, opened his hand and began to recite the magic formula:
« Deum benedicite mihi, benedicat anima mea, benedicat mihi in gladio, ferrum et sanguine, protegas me, in hoc belli! I invoke the Servant! »
The magic circle gave off a very strong red light and Alessandro was overturned by an incredible shock wave. When he recovered he found himself surrounded by a curtain of black smoke from which came out this girl with white hair and red eyes, with a smooth skin and a face like that of a goddess, she had a laurel wreath and a armor surrounded by an aura of power. She had a beautiful sword with her that her scabbard. This girl smiled and exclaimed:
« Bow down to me! Look at me in all my splendor! I am the First of the Twelve Caesars, Pater Patriae and Divus Iulus. I am a descendant of the gens Iulia, the blood of Aeneas and the Goddess Venus flows in my veins! I am Gaius Julius Caesar and I belong to the noble Saber class! »
« Gaius ... Julius ... Caesar? » Alessandro was speechless. He never expected to summon such a powerful Servant.
« I see you are speechless, I take it as a compliment. Now answer this question. »
Saber stood in front of Alessandro, crossed her arms and with an arrogant but exalted smile, asked:
« Are you my Master? »

Saber by Bikowolf

 

🎄 Merry Christmas 🎄

Merry Christmas to all my readers!
Spend time with your loved ones and have fun! 🎅

Chapter 87 : The lair of fears

Alessandro Serpi was lying on the asphalt, it was night, he looked around, he recognized the Westminster Abbey that was in flames, around him there was London reduced to rubble: abandoned buildings, in ruins, streets broken by immense chasms and corpses burned around the city. The moon was full and a giant black snake flew undisturbed devouring the stars.
Alessandro got up and saw the body of a girl, he did not know her name but his heart ached to see that body lying on the ground, pale as snow and immobile as a statue. The boy approached the girl and looked her in the face: he did not recognize her. Suddenly this girl's eyes opened, she took him by the throat and lifted him off the ground with inhuman force.
« You killed me. » She said in a ghostly voice.
Alessandro tried to free himself but was thrown near Westminster Abbey. The girl once again said:
« You killed me. »
« I don't know who you are. I didn't do anything to you! I swear! »
Alessandro was scared like a child and tried in vain to run away from the girl but his legs were like concrete and he couldn't move, she took him and forced him to look into the flames of the church. Among the fires and embers a girl with long pink hair and green eyes emerged, a girl with a gothic dress, Kumahira Yukiko.
« You created this hell. It's your fault that you are now suffering. » Said Yukiko.
« I'm the one you have forgotten. I'm the one you betrayed. » Said the unknown girl.
« I don't know what you're talking about. I swear! I do not know! I know nothing! Leave me alone! Please! » Shouted Alessandro, scared.
« In this game of life and death only the strongest will win. »
Yukiko took Alessandro by the chin and with a sadistic grin said:
« In this game of life and death, only one will break the cycle. But who will it be? »
« Let me go! »
At that moment Alessandro awoke in his bedroom in the Coven Abbey. He was sweating and agitated, got out of bed and took off the top of his pajamas which was completely wet, his hair was damp and his heart was beating madly. He sat down on the first available chair and tried to relax. He didn't know the girls he had dreamed of and yet he was sure he had seen them somewhere before but he couldn't remember where. Someone knocked on the bedroom door:
« Today is the lesson. »
Alessandro had to teach the Coven newbies a lesson, he had just remembered.

January 12, 2021

In a class with at least thirty-two students in front of the desks, Alessandro had to take a lesson, even if he wasn't an elderly member, he was still a very talented magus who was entrusted with the task of welcoming the new members of the Coven and in some cases he had to teach to beginners.
« Today we will talk about demons. Surely you have already heard of these mystical creatures that belong to another dimensional plane. Angels and demons exist but do not belong to this world. They are like visitors from other worlds that we call Heaven and Hell. »
« So they're like us? » Asked a student.
« Yes, they are living beings, and they are also sentient, but on the contrary of us they have a higher quantity of mana and in some cases even unlimited. Have you ever read Johann Weyer's demonology texts? He wrote the De praestigiis daemonum in which he classified the different demons based on their strength, their power, their sphere of influence and their ability to manifest themselves in the human world with or without human form. Weyer theorized the existence of at least 45 million demons. »
The class was shocked.
« According to Gregory of Nice, however, the demons are at least triple. Why? Because like humans, demons also experience emotions and like humans also reproduce, even if they do it much faster. »

« I read that according to the ancient Persians Angra Mainyu is the strongest demon of all. It's true? »
« Are you talking about Ahriman? Well, he's certainly a very powerful infernal prince but he's not the strongest of demons. Ahriman, according to the Persians and the Greeks, was able to present himself in this world, he was so powerful that he could break the chains of Hell and enter the human world. However, there are demons so powerful that they cannot even have a human form because it would be like trying to contain a supernova in a box. I'm talking about Abaddon, known as the King of the Abyss and Ruin, but there are many other even stronger demons such as Paymon, who are said to even have the ability to corrupt angels and command two hundred legions. »
« Two hundred legions? » Asked a confused student.
« It means that if Paymon were to enter this world, he would carry one million two hundred thousand demons. An immense army. But before, one of you had talked about Ahriman and called him "the strongest demon of all." well, this is difficult to believe considering that here in Rome we have texts by scholars who claim that Lucifer, the first fallen angel, and the first demon of Hell, is the most terrible being that has ever existed. And do you know why they say it? Because Lucifer is so powerful that he's almost as strong as a god, but at the same time he's charming, very beautiful and he is also the most intelligent of demons. So clever that it's almost painful to think that he's forced into Hell. Even Dante Alighieri pitied him. »
« But can demons materialize alone in this world? »
« Many demons must be summoned but others have been sealed in this world by some confreres of the Coven. Generally demons disguise themselves under human faces but we of the Coven know how to identify them. »
« And how will the priests and nuns defend themselves? »
« It's we who defend them. The pope has always used exorcists in the name of the Holy Church of Rome to fight demons even though we of the Coven have always advised not to send amateur exorcists to deal with demons. »

« Why? » Asked a student, curious.
« Because people with a weak mind fall into temptation more easily and some end up becoming victims of demons. Men are possessed and women raped. It's always the same story every time. During the Sabbath women offered themselves to demons to get pregnant by them, it's a tradition of the witches that we condemn. »
Then Alessandro noticed that Marco Lombardo was also in the class, listening to him. The lesson ended and the boy had the opportunity to have a chat with the elderly man.
« How did the lesson seem to you? »
« Interesting. You are very good at explaining. »
« Newbies are always very careful. »
« I want to give you something, maybe it will interest you. »
Marco gave Alessandro a letter. He turned it over and saw the mother's name, gave the letter back to Marco, puffing:
« I don't want to talk to that woman. »
« But she's your mother. »
« I don't have a mother. » 

Alessandro Serpi and Yukiko Kumahira by Bikowolf

 

Chapter 86 : The living dead

The night rain was drenching the noisy Tokyo. On an empty building site, on the third floor of a building under construction, Tetsuya Murakawa could see the spectacle of lights distorted by individual drops of water. He lit a cigarette and wiped the blood from his face, before him, on the floor, there was the corpse of a man who, just ten minutes ago, was about to kill him, his name was Kazuya Togasaki and he was a friend of his. Tetsuya had shot him in the head after having beaten him up and now he was calm, sitting on a pair of beams, smoking the cigarette.
He heard the sound of police sirens, got up and with his hands in his pockets went down the stairs to the ground floor where he met the policemen who ordered him to raise his hands but he, ignoring the orders, advanced with his hands in his pockets and the expression of a sadistic killer. The first shot started, Tetsuya was so quick to avoid the bullet and with one fist he broke the first policeman's chin. The other three began to fire but Tetsuya used one of them as a human shield. He killed two policemen by piercing their bodies with his bare hands, the last man standing trembling with fear shouted:
« Monster! »
« You're not the first one to call me a monster, you know? »
« Stay away from me! »
« You're not very polite, dickhead. »
Tetsuya took that cop, took his cigarette out of his mouth and put it out on his forehead and then, with a terrifying force, threw him at a protruding beam, impaling the policeman. Tetsuya was a magus who should have died that day.

January 10, 2021

Tetsuya had returned to his apartment, wiped himself from the blood and took a hot shower. He opened a suitcase containing several false documents, he planned to travel to China under the name Sheng Zhen. He cut his beard, and prepared both contact lenses and a wig to wear. He had to hide from the other T6 members who were looking for him.
He heard a knock at the door and shouted:
« Fuck you! Go the fuck away! »
A girl's voice said:
« Murakawa Tetsuya, I have something for you. »
« Can't you hear me ?! I said GO THE FUCK AWAY! »
« Don't you want to see what I have to offer you?" »
« Listen, honey, when I'll need a whore to suck my dick I'll let you know! But today is not the right day! Go away, bitch, or you'll get hurt! »
« All right, but know that I'll find you anyway, Sheng Zhen. »
How did that girl know the false name he would use? Who was beyond that door? Tetsuya was not the type that was easily frightened and so he became furious, opened the door and saw Yukiko Kumahira who smiled mischievously. He didn't know her but the black gothic dress didn't enchant him. He took the girl by the hair and pulled her inside the apartment, locked the door and prepared to hurt her but she didn't seem to be intimidated by him, in fact, she sat on the bed, crossing her legs, and quipped:
« Know that I'm still a virgin, don't go so strong with me. »
« You're a whore who likes to play, I see. »
« And you're not really my type, especially with that little thing you have between your legs. »
« Ah! You like making jokes! Well, if you love so much to hear the sound of your voice, how about using that mouth to tell me what I want to know. »
« All right. What do you want? »
« How did you know about that name? Do you work for T6? »
« I'm the one who has the key to paradise, your paradise. »
« What did you smoke? »
« Ah, ah! I like you, Tetsuya. You really deserve a chance. »
Yukiko threw a spearhead at Tetsuya's feet and said:
« That's a relic. Use it to summon the Servant and fight the Holy Grail War of Yggdrasil in London, just so you can fulfill your wish. »
« What do you know about my desire? »
« I know enough. But ask yourself this question: do you know what you want? If you know it then you will know that it's right to fight to get what you want. Every dream deserves to be realized. »
The girl headed for the exit, turned the key and opened the door.
« Who the hell are you? » Tetsuya asked, puzzled.
« Yukiko. Kumahira Yukiko. »
« Are you a magus too? »
« I'm an imitation. Just an imitation. »
Yukiko left leaving the man with that spear fragment.

Tetsuya Murakawa and Yukiko Kumahira by Bikowolf

Chapter 85 : Archer

January 24, 2021
 
It was early morning and Hisae woke up to leave the house early and practice the ritual to invoke the Servant, she knew an abandoned building in Kyoto where she could prepare everything needed to perform the spell. She drew the magic circle on the ground and placed the shred of the red cloak in the center of it. She walked away and got in position to cast the spell but at that moment her cell phone vibrated. It was  a friend of hers who belonged to the family that the Sunaharas faithfully respected and served:
« Hello? »
« Don't say "hello" as if nothing had happened! Today we had to go out shopping, remember? »
« Right, you're right, but I have an urgent commitment. My father sended me to run errands outside Japan. Family things, you know. »
« Are you okay? You have a strange voice. What's going on? »
« Nothing. I'm just a little tired. I'm sorry I have to go. Bye, Rin. »
« Wait-! »
Hisae ended the call and turned off the phone to avoid being disturbed. She didn't want to participate in the Holy Grail War but she didn't even want to involve loved ones. The time had come: she opened her hand and recited the magic formula to summon the Servant:
« Listen to my call, hero of another time! I am your Master, I am the one who will guide you in this glorious battle to get the most coveted trophy of all! Entrust your powers to me, give me your strength and become my sword and my shield! I evoke you! »
The circle lit up a pale blue and a glow forced the girl to put her hands in front of her eyes. From a thick curtain of smoke came out a man with a medieval knight's armor, a long red cloak and short black hair and with mustaches. He was Archer. He bowed before Hisae, leaning his fine bow with golden decorations on the floor and said:
« I'm Sir Thomas de Camoys, first Baron of Camoys, Knight of the Garter and Peer of England. Answer my question: are you my Master? »

That handsome man with a virile appearance and princely charm made Hisae blush, she remained stunned for a while and stared at him.
« I'm Hisae. Sunahara Hisae and I'm your Master. »
« Excellent! Lead me, then, Master, I belong to the Archer class and with me victory is assured! »
« You are an English Servant. Let me take a look at something. »
Hisae touched Archer's chest and closed her eyes. The manifestation of a Servant was possible only thanks to the magical energy of the Master who evoked it and the Master could know both the abilities and the parameters of his Servant in order to study a way to be able to use it in battle. Touching Archer's chest, Hisae, although her eyes were closed, she could feel the strength of the Servant, every magus could do such a thing.
« Your values ​​don't seem horrible to me. You're a strong Servant, maybe we can win. »
« Do you want to see my Noble Phantasm too? »
« No, but I deduce that it will be strong enough. »
« So what do we do, Master?" »
« Well! I have no idea! » Exclaimed Hisae with irony.
Her cell phone vibrated again.
« Strange, I thought I turned it off. »
She took a look and saw a symbol on the black screen that resembled a tree surrounded by nine circles. Below it appeared an message:

"Welcome to war, new Master! You are one of the nine chosen who will fight to get the Holy Grail of Yggdrasil. The war will officially start in London when all the Masters have reached the city."

« London, huh? Well, I guess it's time to get ready. » 

Hisae Sunahara and Archer by Bikowolf

 

Chapter 84 : Family comes first

The family comes first. The honor of the family comes first. Nothing is greater than the honor of the family. What matters is winning for the Sunahara family, this is what Hisae had learned from her father and for this she devoted herself day and night to the practice of Magecraft to be able to prove herself worthy of the respect and love of her family. Not being loved by the head of the family, Kazuo Sunahara, meant being seen as foot weights, like pieces of garbage that had to be tolerated despite their uselessness. Hisae didn't want to be treated as a nullity but at the same time didn't want to put in a bad light her younger brother, Hiro, who since he was a child it was obvious that he was incapable of knowing how to channel his own mana, he would never have been a strong magus.
Hisae begged her father to give her the opportunity to train her little brother and make him worthy of family love but her father told her these exact words:
« A fast runner can't stop to help the slower one. You run and you prove yourself worthy of this family, forget your brother, I'll take care of him. »
Hisae was forced to accept her father's orders with submission.

January 23, 2021

On the news, they talked about a girl who had committed suicide by throwing herself out of the school window. Hisae was watching television with her little brother when her mother came, Chieko:
« Your father wants to see you, Hisae. »
« All right. »
Hisae got up and left her brother alone to watch television. She went to his father who was in a room lit only by four lighted candles, Kazuo was meditating and when he heard his daughter arrive he grumbled:
« Don't make too much noise. »
« Sorry, Father. »
« Sit down, I have to talk to you. »

Hisae sat down in front of her father who handed her a piece of an old red cloak where the coat of arms of the first Baron of Camoys was drawn on. The girl asked:
« What is this? »
« Your chance to make the Sunahara house famous throughout the world. That is a relic with which you will evoke a Servant. »
« A Servant? Why are you giving me this thing? »
« You will participate in the Holy Grail War of Yggdrasil, Hisae. You will do it and you will win for the sake of your family. »
Hisae didn't want to participate in the war, she didn't want to abandon her little brother and then she said to her father, in an attempt to make him change his mind:
« I'm still young, I don't know if I'll be strong enough to fight. »
« You've just turned eighteen, when you had Hiro's age you were stronger than your uncle Kunisada, in two years you will surely become even stronger. I trust your skills. »
« I'm honored, father, but ... »
« You're not allowed to oppose my choice. »
« I don't want to oppose it, it's just that ... I'm not sure. »
Kazuo cast a cold glance at his daughter, like that of a man who was about to use his hands. The girl became intimidated and, bowing her head, accepted the responsibility of fighting the Holy Grail War of Yggdrasil in the name of the Sunahara family.
 
That night, after taking a shower, she closed herself in her room and lay on the bed looking at that piece of cloak that was on her chair. She didn't want to fight the war but was forced to follow her father's order. Hiro knocked on the door.
« You can enter. » She said.
« Sister, why were you so silent at dinner? Something wrong? »

She got out of bed and answered immediately, feigning a smile:
« No, no, you don't have to worry, I'm fine." »
« Ok, sorry. »
Hiro was about to leave.
« Wait. »
« What's up? »
« I'll leave for a while, Hiro. I don't know how long I'll be away but I just wish you knew one thing: you're not weak. You are a formidable boy and one day you will be a great magus, you just have to believe in yourself and in your abilities. All right? » She burst into tears.
« Are you okay, sister? » Hiro was worrying about her and she hugged him.
« Hiro, promise me you won't stop believing in yourself. Promise. »
« Yes. I promise, Hisae. »
« I love you. »
« I love you too. »

Hisae Sunahara by Bikowolf

 

Chapter 83 : Imitations

 

Friedrich returned to the airport. Specter, the Servant with whom he had contracted against his will, had hidden herself and followed him. Friedrich decided to leave the flight to New York and took the first bus available to get away from the airport as much as possible, he wanted to avoid fighting.
The bus left and Friedrich settled into the seats at the back and then noticed suspicious men entering the airport.
« Danger avoided. » He said with a sigh.
A girl with long, straight pink hair and green eyes was sitting right next to Friedrich, the boy composed himself, realizing that perhaps she had heard him. The girl had a gothic dress with the right sleeve longer than the left, yet by the way in which the right arm was placed on the leg it did not seem that she was amputated and therefore it was difficult to understand the reason for such a stylistic choice.
« Kumahira Yukiko. You can call me Yukiko if you want. »
Friedrich became red as a tomato when he saw her gaze, she realized that he was staring at her.
« I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't want to! »
« You find me beautiful? I'll take that as a compliment. »
« I'm Friedrich Wolff. Pleased to meet you. I'm sorry if I was staring at you, it's just that ... I was fascinated by your black gothic dress. I really like it. »
« Thank you. » Her smile was as sunny as a ten-year-old girl's.
« You're Japanese? »
« Yes and no. I consider myself a citizen of the world. I don't like having a nation of belonging. »
« Do you like traveling? »
« Generally yes. But this time I have a precise goal. I go to London. »
« London? I have been there. It's a beautiful city. »

« The first time I visited London, I was just a child. I remember my father showed me the beautiful Westminster Abbey. I bet that will also be your goal. »
« Why? »
Yukiko pointed to Friedrich's chest and at that moment he realized that the girl was aware of the Holy Grail War of Yggdrasil, otherwise she would never have been able to recognize the symbol. He prepared to flee but she stopped him, grabbing his hand and told him:
« You and your Servant will participate in that war. This is the first time I've heard of the Specter class. It's curious. »
« Are you a Master? »
« Not yet, but soon the melody will change. For now, though, let me ask you: why do you want to fight? »
« I don't want to fight. I was forced by Specter. »
« So you want to give up the Grail? »
« I don't do anything with such an object. »
« So you are not interested in finding out more about this world? » She asked with a grin.
« What are you talking about? » Friedrich was confused.
« This is not the first Holy Grail War of Yggdrasil. This is the first of this world but it's the second view from a different perspective. »
« I'm not following you. »
« Do you know the eternal recurrence of the same of Friedrich Nietzsche? »
« Are you talking about Thus Spoke Zarathustra? »
« The universe is born and dies continuously, always returning to itself. Everything returns as it was before, this is the true miracle I witnessed, but it's an imperfect miracle because Nidhoggr pretends to be the ouroboros. »
« I don't understand. »

« No? It's a pity. »
The bus stopped at that moment and Yukiko got out of the vehicle:
« Maybe we'll talk again when we meet again in London, Master of Specter. »
Friedrich was confused and perplexed, he didn't know whether to accept Yukiko's words and consider them true or simply ignore them and break the contract with Specter. Curiosity was too strong, he could not simply ignore those words spoken with that seriousness. That girl knew better and Friedrich wanted to find out what was happening. So he decided to participate in the Holy Grail War of Yggdrasil.

 

Yukiko Kumahira and Friedrich Wolff by Bikowolf

 

Deleted tags

The "Servant" and "Memories" tags have been deleted to avoid confusion during the publication of the new chapters. I was suggested to do so in such a way as to avoid inconsistencies, perhaps they will be republished later but for now the situation is like this.

Chapter 82 : Specter

 

Friedrich had reached the airport, he was ready to return to New York, shortly before he had moved to the hotel to take the case in which he had his classical guitar. The boy didn't regret refusing Herbert's request, he did care about his brother but didn't want to take orders from a member of the Rote Mäntel just to enact a foolish revenge. He considered himself a free spirit.
An hour had passed and Friedrich was still sitting, waiting for his flight, regretting that he had left the hotel early. He got up to go to the bathroom just a moment, took his case behind and headed for the first public bathroom he could find. He was washing his face and after drying himself he heard the barking of a dog, he turned around, there was no one. There was no dog in sight when he opened the bathroom door. He heard barking again, coming from inside.
« What the hell is it? »
There seemed to be a dog on the other side of the wall but how was it possible? Friedrich touched the wall, it was solid, it wasn't fake. He still heard barking and suddenly saw a strange symbol appear.
« A demonic symbol. The symbol of Glasya-Labolas. Good thing I remember the demonology lessons. » 

Friedrich walked away, took the guitar case with him and tried to open the door. The handle was blocked, the door did not move. He was locked inside the bathroom, then Friedrich stirred and saw that red, magical arms that wanted to grab him were coming out of the symbol. He then used Magecraft and said:
« Feuerwolf! »
A fiery wolf appeared from nowhere and bit one of those arms. A female voice that seemed to come from the seal exclaimed:
« You are a conceited magus! You can't hope to escape! »
The wolf spat a fireball at the demonic seal and it was burned completely. The arms disappeared and Friedrich could relax but only briefly.

The female voice said:
« I smell the scent of your sin, magus, I know perfectly well that you are avoiding the Holy Grail War but I am interested in it and you will make me participate, willingly or not. »
« You're a very interesting demon. You demons are superior to human beings, from what I know, since ancient times you have managed to manifest yourself without our help, why would you ever need me? »
« You are very informed, magus. »
« I also recognized your seal: you are Glasya-Labolas the demon who teaches all the arts and sciences, you predict the future, you are a born executioner and you can make friends and enemies fall in love. I know enough things about you, yes. »
« Yes, I'm Glasya-Labolas, I was locked up in a crypt here in Hamburg, I felt the presence of a magus with a fragile soul. I need you. »
« You need me? What can a demon do in the Holy Grail of Yggdrasil? »
« I am a President of Hell, my desire is to be able to become King of Hell. I felt that the Grail realizes every desire so it will also realize mine. But the only way to get it is to agree to participate in this game that you mortals call "war". »
Friedrich knew perfectly the nature of demons: evil creatures, devoid of pity for human beings, who from the time they discovered how to cross the gates of Hell began to spread death and suffering in the mortal world. He couldn't trust Glasya-Labolas but at the same time he knew he was trapped. His Magecraft seemed to be ineffective and he would never be able to face the demon in a direct confrontation.
« How do I know you don't want to fool me? »
« Do you think I'm so mean? »
« I think you're one of the worst demons. »
« Ah, ha, ha, ha! »

 

The arms appeared again from every corner of the room but this time Friedrich was not quick enough to avoid them and was grabbed by the legs, the arms and even the throat. He was carried over the wall into a dimension that was not the mortal one, something that could be understood from the desolate landscape, from the soil black as coal and from rivers as red as blood, the arms dragged him into a wooden hut surrounded by mutilated bodies and human bones. The door closed and Friedrich felt his chest burn, a Command Seal appeared, the floor began to shake under his feet and a purple magic circle lit up, a curtain of smoke rose and this demonic creature with almost pale skin appeared, she had pointed ears and black hair and red eyes. She was a demon in the flesh.
« I am Glasya-Labolas, the first of my class. For the duration of this war you will refer to me as Specter! My class! »
Friedrich had been shocked by the magical energy that the Servant gave off. He stood up, moved the sweatshirt and looked at the symbol on his chest then said:
« So how do I remove this, now? »
« What?! No, wait! You can't do this! »
« Yes I can. If I use all three Command Seals I will break our bond and you will disappear, right? »
« Yes, but wait! Think about it! Come on, we're all friends here, right? »
« You literally forced me to make a deal with you. I didn't want to be your Master. »
« Wait up! I can do what you want! » She went up to him and whispered: « I bet you're a virgin. »
« First order … »
« WAIT UP! Ok, I was joking! What do you think of this? »
Specter snapped her fingers and showed Friedrich the image of some assassins sent by the Rote Mäntel to attack him at the airport. The girl then said:
« They're looking for you, Master. They'll kill you. »
« What am I seeing? »

« This is one of my personal abilities: it allows me to see events of the near future, very close. Will you still refuse me? How will you fight them by yourself? Do you really think they won't hunt you for the duration of the Holy Grail War of Yggdrasil? »
The idea of working together with a demon didn't exalt Friedrich, his intent was to get rid of Specter as soon as possible, he had no intention of participating in the Holy Grail War.

 

Friedrich Wolff and Glasya-Labolas by Bikowolf

 

Chapter 81 : The lone wolf

His name was Friedrich Wolff, he was a young magus, a boy who had betrayed the Rote Mäntel and who had decided to travel the world to learn about new places and to make a new life, and yet he was back in Hamburg. His hometown.

 January 20, 2021

Friedrich had gone to the Hamburg cemetery to visit the grave of his older brother, Clovis Wolff, who had committed suicide in November, probably because he was not strong enough to endure the sad loss of his daughter, who had died of tuberculosis. He hadn't taken part in the funeral but he didn't want to disrespect his beloved brother and so, that sad January, he brought flowers to the grave and remained silent, with his hands in the pockets of his jacket, his head bowed and his eyes closed. He prayed some prayers, the first one that crossed his mind, and then he left the grave. A man, at the exit of the cemetery, was waiting for Friedrich: Herbert Schmidt.
« Why did you come back, Friedrich? »
« I'm here just for my brother. »
« But you didn't show up at the funeral. »
« I was in New York. »
« Were you afraid to come back?" »
« Will you blame me? The Rote Mäntel are not known for their goodness. They love revenge. »
Friedrich passed close to Herbert and then left the cemetery. Herbert followed him along the road.
« I'm sorry for Clovis's death. »
« So? »
« I also cared for him, he was my disciple. »
« But he wasn't your brother. » Friedrich said, coldly.
« I know you don't like me, but I need to talk to you about something important. »
« I already know what you want from me, I'm not stupid. »
Friedrich turned to Herbert and without saying anything else shook his head slowly and then resumed his step.
« What do you mean? » Herbert asked, confused.
« I have heard that the Rote Mäntel and the Coven have put their hands on the research of a friend of mine, a French magus. Does the name Dorian Benard tell you anything? »
« So you also know about war. »
« The Holy Grail War? Yes I know it. But I'm not interested. »
« Did you really think I wanted to get you involved?" »
« What do you want from me? »
Friedrich was getting nervous and Herbert told him:
« He didn't commit suicide. Your brother didn't commit suicide. »
Those words shocked Friedrich more than anything else. He hated the Rote Mäntel and considered Herbert a rather unpleasant person but he certainly was not a liar, when he saw his grim expression he asked:
« What do you mean? »
« Clovis has always been loyal to the cause of the Rote Mäntel but his daughter's dire situation caused him to lose his mind, he turned against the organization and threatened to make some of our secret operations public if we hadn't taken care of the child. »
Friedrich, in a burst of anger, took Herbert by his tie and dragged him to the wall and said:
« Measure your next words, because I could hurt you a lot. »
« I didn't do anything to Clovis! Believe me! But the Rote Mäntel didn't want to risk and so they killed him! They made it look like a suicide. » Exclaimed Herbert, agitated.
« Why are you telling me this? »
« Because I want revenge. The Rote Mäntel want to take part in the Holy Grail War of Yggdrasil, I stole the relic to summon a Servant, I want you to have it. Help me complete this revenge: for Clovis! »
Friedrich was shocked and angry at the same time, he could not understand anything. He didn't know whether to trust Herbert or not, he didn't even know if the story of Clovis's murder was true or not but he was sure he didn't want to take orders from Herbert.
« You forgot, Herbert, that I left Rote Mäntel because I don't want to take orders from anyone. I'm me and I'm not going to play your game. Do you want revenge? You take part in the Holy Grail War. Don't count on me. »
« Don't you want to avenge Clovis? »
Friedrich let go and left, saying:
« I'm not your dog, just consider me a lone wolf. Find someone else. »

Friedrich Wolff and Herbert Schmidt by Bikowolf

 

December update

I just did an exam on Foucault, nothing funny: an asshole professor who made me wait 3 hours to interrogate me and then in a 700 page book he just asked me questions on the ten pages of the preface. What the fuck! 😑
However in the end I got 28 and fuck him!  
However this should be the December update, I didn't do it yesterday because I had to study. Today I publish the new chapter! Enjoy the reading! 😁

Chapter 80 : The orders of the Coven

Alessandro had a dream, a strange dream, similar to a nightmare in some places, where the image of a dead girl in front of a church distressed him, which was inexplicable since he had no idea who that person was.
Marco Lombardo opened a wooden door and brought Alessandro into the central chapel where the statue of a lion stood, placing his paw on a depiction of the world, clutching a snake between his jaws, in front of the statue was Grand Master Giovanni Monteverdi X , standing like a soldier and with his hands behind his back. The Grand Master, with the white robe, turned to Alessandro who, lowering his head, saluted:
« Beatus Leonis. »
« Benedictus Sis. »
Alessandro approached the Grand Master while Marco Lombardo remained in the rear.
« Did you ask for me, Grand Master? »
« The Coven needs you, disciple. You wear the blessed ribbon, proof of your skill, that's why I called you. »
« Marco Lombardo told me that I was chosen to fight the Holy Grail War. It's true? »
« Exactly. The Coven wants the Holy Grail. Since the Church of Fuyuki, that den of heretics, betrayed the cause of the Vatican State, we have lost almost all our contacts with Japan. But we lost interest in that Grail. Now we're looking for the Holy Grail of Yggdrasil. »
« What's so interesting about that Grail? »
Alessandro did not want to go to war, he was a person who only aspired to a peaceful and normal life, he didn't want to fight the Holy Grail War but Giovanni Monteverdi X had a combative look, fiery eyes and an enthusiastic grin.
« It's a unique object of its kind, you understand? The Coven must have it at all costs. That's why you will participate in the war and fight against our enemies. »
« Who else will fight? »
« The Rote Mäntel, in Hamburg, are already moving. I spoke with the Mage's Association which will do everything in its power to prevent the war from causing significant damage, especially to the population. »
« So where will the war take place? »
« We don't know yet, but we'll tell you in the right time. » Marco answered, approaching Alessandro's shoulders.
«Right ... »
« For now you must think only about the Servant. »
« I understand. »
« But this war will not be like the others. »
« Lombardo is right » Giovanni said: « In this war nine different Servants from nine classes will participate. »
« Nine ?! »
Alessandro knew that in a Holy Grail War only seven Servants with seven classes were admitted: Saber, Lancer, Archer, Caster, Assassin, Rider and Berserker. What could be the other two classes?
« Over seven other classes common to the Holy Grail War there are two more: the Specter and Devourer class. »
« Specter? Devourer? »
« The Specter class welcomes all creatures related to the demonic or angelic world. It's a class born solely to accept the demons and angels that we Catholic Christians have fought for thousands of years. The Devourer class, on the other hand, is a class of which I was informed by a certain Bradley Jenkins, a magus of the Mage's Association. This is an anomalous class of which we know little. »
Alessandro Serpi, in hearing the name of the last class had goose bumps and remembered a creature, a terrifying beast with the appearance of a giant snake and with immense jaws, like those of a dragon. Giovanni had noticed the boy's uneasy expression but reassured him by saying:
« Quiet, Alessandro, we will give you the means to fight this war. Thanks to us you will win and you will bring us the Holy Grail of Yggdrasil. »
Marco put his hand on Alessandro's shoulder, smiled at him and in a low voice told him that everything would be fine. It was a lie.
Alessandro was sure of it, he had the feeling of having already experienced those moments and those doubts, the looks full of expectations of his Grand Master and also of Marco Lombardo were weighing on his shoulders, he could not refuse the job, he could not say no , could not escape. He was forced to follow the orders of the Coven.

A. Serpi , M. Lombardo and G. Monteverdi X by Bikowolf

 

Chapter 79 : From death to life

Rèquiem aetèrnam,
dona eis, Domine,
et lux perpètua lùceat eis.
Requiéscant in pace.

Amen.

Was it a dream? No, it was more like a nightmare. A young man in his twenties named Alessandro Serpi got up on the bed in his room, one of the many that were inside the Coven Abbey in Rome. He had dreamed of a female face, a face of a girl with white hair and red eyes and even a battle, an epic battle with other people. It was something absurd, something so absurd as to seem the fruit of his imagination and nothing else, yet it also seemed so real.
Alessandro got out of bed with a headache. He took off his pajamas, put on a bathrobe and headed for the bathrooms. After a quick shower he returned to his room, put on his black trousers and the black suit of the Coven which depicted the symbol of the lion holding a snake in its jaws. He mirrored himself and straightened his brown hair and then left the room after taking a quick look at the calendar.

January 19, 2021

He walked down the long corridor completely ignoring his brothers who talked to him behind and giggled like five-year-olds. He opened a door to his left, climbed a staircase and reached the cafeteria where there were already other confreres of the Coven who were having breakfast. There was a nun who served food and Alessandro took a simple salad with tomatoes, sat down, opened a bottle of water and ate. He was at least thirty centimeters from another brother who was talking to his friends, he said something about a certain Elisa Mancini whom he didn't know. A red-haired girl approached him and asked him:
« Ex-excuse me, can I sit next to you?" »
Alessandro had already finished eating. He got up and left without speaking to her, she was upset but he didn't care. Alessandro returned the plate and took the bottle of water with him. He went to the library where he read several magic books for hours: when people came he went away and looked for a more secluded place and eventually, when the library filled up, he went to his room to read and even made sure to lock the door. After reading he took the books back to the library and went to lunch. When he had finished eating, he went to a room used for training the Magi of the Coven.
There were some confreres who trained to do simple magic, they were amateurs compared to Alessandro. He didn't train to use Dis or Defendere, he used much more powerful spells. He stood in front of a straw mannequin, snapped his fingers and said:
« Obscuro. »
The Magic Circuits lit up on the hand and on part of Alessandro's face every time he used Magecraft. The mannequin became invisible but only for a few seconds and then reappeared. A man, Marco Lombardo, had seen Alessandro and said:
« The Magecraft of the Coven is very powerful in the hands of an expert magus
like you. »
« But I'm not good enough to keep a mannequin invisible. »
« I bet you can improve, after all you've got it in your blood. You're a born magus. The Grand Master Marco Paolino III was considered an excellent magus, one of the strongest, and it was he who taught this type of unique Magecraft. »
« I thought it was Marco Paolino I. »
« No. He accepted the use of Magecraft in the Coven, but it was Marco Paolino III who designed the use of simple but effective magic. The enchantment formulas must be studied carefully but in our case we must meditate on words, understand their power, make them connect with our inner life and only then we can control them. A very common magus of the Coven can at most know Dis, Defendere and Gladio. I know I know six others but you, like Grand Master Giovanni Monteverdi X, have a talent for this magic. »
« I see. »
Alessandro was not in the least interested in the discussion and resumed training but Marco interrupted him again and said:
« The Grand Master wants to talk to you, Alessandro. »
« Why? »
« Follow me, we'll talk along the way. »
The two walked along the corridor of the Coven Abbey, heading towards the main chapel where they would meet the Grand Master.
« Do you know the Holy Grail War? »
« Are you talking about all those in Japan? Yes, I know them. »
« A French scholar, an expert on Norse magic and mythology, a certain Dorian Benard, has recently discovered the existence of a Holy Grail that he believes to be connected to the tree of Yggdrasil, the tree that binds the nine worlds born from the sacrifice of
Ymir. »
« But the Holy Grail is Christian. » Commented Alessandro, perplexed.
« True, but the concept of the Holy Grail is pre-Christian, perhaps it derives from the Age of the Gods. The idea is that of an object that makes desires come true and there are several, perhaps more than a hundred, and among these is the Holy Grail of Yggdrasil. Do you know the Hávamál? »
« No, I never heard of it. What's that? »
« It's a collection of ancient Nordic poems composed during the era of the Vikings. There is a very interesting piece from the poem where Odin's self-sacrifice is present and according to Dorian it's done at the feet of Yggdrasil. Read here. »
Marco Lombardo passed to Alessandro a sheet where it was written:

"I know, I was hung on the trunk whipped by the wind for nine whole nights, wounded by spear and given to Odin, myself to myself, on that tree that no one knows where from the roots rise up.
With bread they did not satisfy me nor with horns I quenched my thirst. I looked down, got the runes up, called them, and fell over there. "

When Alessandro finished reading that fragment, he asked:
« So? »
« So, according to Dorian, what is written here is a true story that testifies to the existence of a Holy Grail that collected the blood of Odin, or of a god, and who thus obtained his miraculous power. The Holy Grail of Yggdrasil, in fact. »
« Why does the Grand Master want to see me? »
« Because he chose you, Alessandro. He chose you to take part in the Holy Grail War of
Yggdrasil. »
As soon as Alessandro heard those words he became worried. He didn't want to take part in a war, he just wanted to stay quiet and live a normal life, but the Grand Master had something different in mind for him.

Alessandro Serpi and Marco Lombardo by Bikowolf

Chapter 78 : The Devourer

The ground began to shake, Berserker disappeared but her blood had already stained the seal of the ritual. The earth shattered, immense rifts opened, Saber was shocked to witness the immense magical power that was emerging, from an immense glow sprang an immense cup of at least two meters, made of wood, wrapped in roots, full of blood . The roots penetrated the ground and the face of a snake was depicted on the cup. That was the Holy Grail of Yggdrasil. When Alessandro saw it he remained petrified and Yukiko, instead, approached the object and said:
« I only want one thing, Grail, I want the end of the world. The end of every imitation! »
The roots moved and pierced Yukiko's body which was eaten by the Grail. She died laughing and wishing death to Alessandro and Saber. The boy went to his Servant and said:
« We need to find a way to stop it. We must destroy the Holy Grail. We can still do it. »
« With what weapon? Calpurnia is not such an effective weapon. If I had Crocea Mors it would have been another story, but this sword was only a symbol of power when I was in Rome, it is not meant to destroy the Grail. Not even my legion would be able to do such a thing. »
« Caesar! »
« I know! I know! I have to think about what I can do! »
The blood inside the Holy Grail began to boil, the roots moved and the cup became a darker color, similar to ebony, and then the wood shattered, like a shell and showed a steel cup, black, full of spikes, and depictions of demons. Alessandro, ironically:
« Thank goodness it's holy! »
« Master, be careful! »
Saber took Alessandro and took him away from the Grail of Yggdrasil.

From the blood came out the bones, a giant bone snake rose, broke the roof of the abbey. From the gold casket, well buried, the skin freed itself and attached itself to the skeleton after the formation of the first meats. A huge coal-black snake with blood-red eyes and gigantic jaws made a terrifying sound. That was Nidhoggr, the devourer of the worlds.
Alessandro was paralyzed with fear, he was sweating and trembling like a child. Even Saber couldn't move because of the terrible imagining that presented itself to them. This terrible and gigantic beast approached them and in a heavy and monstrous voice said:
« Mortals, you know my name. My name is death. I'm death. You tremble with fear, but it's not you who has summoned me in this world. Who are you, trembling like a child? »
« Alessandro Serpi. I am the Master of Saber. You must be Nidhoggr. »
« My name is that, yes, but you haven't summon me. The blood of one of those who dared to seal me flows in your veins. You are a druid but I sense your inexperience. You are not an obstacle. You are not a real enemy. Neither you nor the dead girl you keep alive thanks to magical energy. »
« I can't let you destroy the world! I'm here to stop you! »
« Do you want to stop me from doing my duty? If I don't destroy it SHE will do it, whom even the darkness fears. I am necessary, you consider me evil, but I am necessary. I am the one who destroys everything so that a new world can begin again. »
Nidhoggr opened his jaws and spat a flame towards the sky that generated a rain of fire. London fell into chaos and Nidhoggr prepared to destroy everything. Alessandro, in a vain attempt to stop him, snapped his fingers and exclaimed:
« Manus Sancti! »
The glow of light had no effect on the gigantic monstrous snake and Nidhoggr, laughing, said:
« In the divine world no one dares face me. I, like others, belong to a vast kingdom that you humans call the "afterlife". I tormented the souls of the worlds and killed sinners.Your magus tricks can't stop me. I belong to the dragon race and to the dark world, a mortal can never kill me. »
« Then I will fight! » Saber exclaimed and then she tried to hurt Nidhoggr's very hard skin.
« Your sword, which has not been blessed by anyone, can never hurt me, Caesar. Accept your end, be aware of your fragile destiny and agree to die. »
« I cannot! Not here! Not now! »
« The end of the world is inevitable. Quench your spirits and accept the end. Better me than  שְׁאוֹל the one who rules over all the dead. If I had been שְׁאוֹל I would have conquered the world instead of destroying it and I would have given only eternal suffering to mortals. But fate has been kind
to you. »
Nidhoggr opened his mouth and spat out a giant sphere that was blacker than the night and that was surrounded by a form of energy that distorted the space around it. It was something incredibly powerful, something that made the light disappear, bent the matter and made the darkness fall.

The end of the world.

The new phase of Fate / Yggdrasil

I apologize in advance for my absence, but there were several personal problems that I had to solve.
It's not easy to study at university in a faculty that does not give many job hopes and so I am working to open up job opportunities before I graduate.
However, I will soon publish the new Fate / Yggdrasil chapters. So my blognovel will enter a new phase. I hope you enjoy it and I hope to continue writing for you. As always I thank the people who read my story, it's only thanks to you if I go on writing.

Chapter 77 : Arthur against Caesar (part 3)

Saber was standing, wounded, but on her feet. Berserker was shocked, her Noble Phantasm should have killed her, and instead she stood before her with a triumphant smile and then Berserker screamed with all her fury:

« How can you still stand? You should be dead! »
« Like you, I also have another Noble Phantasm  … it's my sword. Calpurnia. A lucky sword in the true sense of the word. »
Berserker was speechless, she never expected Saber to be strong enough to survive that devastating attack. Saber, seeing Berserker's worried expression, exclaimed, smiling:
« Ah! Now can you see the difference between us, Arthur? With what right do you look down on me and judge me? You know me? Do you know who I am? I am the one who brought civilization to Gaul, Germany and Britain! I am the descendant of the founder of Rome, Romulus, and of the Goddess of Beauty, Venus! In my veins runs the blood of Aeneas and the God of War, Mars! I am Gaius Julius Caesar! Protector of Rome and the legions! What are you? »
Berserker attacked Saber with a direct blow to his heart but the latter dodged the blow and while the two fought, he kept talking:
« A failed king who did not know how to lead her people, daughter of a dragon and protected by a magician. King of a tiny kingdom, a king who could do nothing but defend, defend and defend. A king who never coveted anything! A king who has never tried to challenge her limits! And you, who lived an empty life you dare to judge me? Do you dare to speak ill of me? »
Saber hit Berserker and then put her on the ground with a kick in the stomach.
« Look into my eyes, Arthur, and tell me what you see. If it bothers you to know that I managed to get power by living a full life, I don't care. I don't want your approval because if I'm honest, you are a third-rate Servant compared to me. Of you, the only thing that can be said is that you have been like Vercingetorix: interesting but at the end of the race, useless. Even that incompetent of Nero has proved to be more important than you! »

Saber laughed but Berserker did not allow herself to be insulted by the adversary and prepared to kill her with a decisive blow, yet Saber dodged the sword, grabbed Berserker's arm with a quick glance at the sword and said:

« You have even destroyed my Crocea Mors, you barbarians are indeed incapable of doing things right. You're only good at dying. »

Saber stuck the blade into Berserker's heart and she slowly receded, dripping blood and fell to the center of Westminster Abbey. Her blood wet the floor with a dull red and Saber remained silent.

With a sad look. She murmured, looking at the corpse of her opponent:
« You and I are similar and you will continue to refuse me until the end of your days. I cannot rejoice in this victory because you are yet another proof that blood relatives are destined to kill each other. Avalon is not your home, Elysians Fields are waiting for you. There's a whole family waiting for you there. »
Artoria's weak voice said:
« Why ... are you crying, Caesar? »
« Because I feel sorry for you, Arthur. Why do you want to be alone? Why don't you want to feel love? Why do you keep tormenting yourself? »

« You're wrong … I loved someone … a boy … I don't know why but my heart beats when I see his face in my dreams … a part of me would like to see him again … but a another is afraid that he will deny me. I am afraid I have disappointed him. What have I become? »

« Impossible. If he really loves you then he will never blame you, he will be on your side to the end. »
« If only it were that simple. Caesar, you have no idea how much … how sorry I am for your destiny. In this war … »
« I don't care. I'll go ahead with my head held high until the end. »
« You are really arrogant. »
« I swear to you that one day, I don't know when and I don't know how, but one day I'll be able to take you to the Elysian Fields. »

Alessandro saw the scene from a distance and heaved a sigh of relief but Yukiko, who was injured, started laughing like crazy. Alessandro, confused, said:

« Why are you laughing? You have lost the magic energy, you have lost the Servant, you can no longer do the ritual …  why are you laughing? »
« You ask me why? Because I won. »
« What are you saying? » Alessandro was confused and frightened at the same time.
« What did the Coven tell you? They told you I needed a descendant of a Druid to do the ritual, right? »
« Yes exactly! Exactly! »
« But pay attention, why do you think there was a need for a descendant? Because the druids that sealed Nidhoggr came into contact with him, with his evil energy and their blood was cursed. But according to you: what is Nidhoggr? »
« According to Norse mythology it was a sort of giant snake or dragon … »
Then Alessandro understood why Yukiko was so happy.

« Exactly. » She said: « The blood of a wicked creature tied in some way to Nidhoggr: a descendant of a druid … or the blood of a dragon is enough for me. » 

Alessandro was traumatized but could not understand the reason for the battle. If Yukiko had Berserker, why hadn't she sacrificed her before? Why did she need to fight him and Saber?

«Why fight us? You already had the means to do the ritual. Why fight us, then? »

« Because I wanted to have fun, Alessandro. I already told you: not everything I do has a superior reason. Sometimes I only act by following my instinct. I would have won anyway. I had nothing to lose. » She answered, smiling.

« So all this was just a game for you ?! »
« What did you expect from an imitation? But now it's enough to talk about me. It's time to welcome Nidhoggr! »

Chapter 76 : Arthur against Caesar (part 2)

Alessandro Serpi had managed to escape from Yukiko, he took refuge in the chapel of Westminster where he decided to do a ritual to be able to restore his magical energy and support the battle with the opponent. He bowed, took off his sweatshirt and shirt. Alessandro bare-chested, snapped his fingers and said:

« Gladio. »
He put his hand on the ground and he pierced it with his sword, he held back the lament of pain so as not to be discovered by the girl, and he made the sign of the cross on his chest and then on his head and began to pray:
« God, with your jaws sanctified, you kill the serpent that corrupts man and that bears the seed of sin. Your son is here on his knees, begging you to give him the strength to punish those who destroy your creation. Pater noster, qui es in cœlis. Sanctificétur nomen tuum. Advéniat Regnum tuum. Fiat volúntas tua, sicut in cœlo et in terra. Panem nostrum quotidiánum da nobis hódie. Et dimítte nobis débita nostra, sicut et nos dimíttimus debitóribus nostris. Et ne nos indúcas in tentatiónem; sed líbera nos a malo. Amen. »
Yukiko found Alessandro Serpi but this had just finished the prayer. He turned, snapped his fingers and said:
« Manus Sancti! »
A flash blinded Yukiko for a moment and the girl suddenly found herself without magical energy, tired and defenseless.
« Curse you! What did you do?! »
« You're not a true magician. If you were a true magician this Magecraft would have had no effect on you. I can't deal with you if you're stronger than me so I used a trick. The light that you saw works on anyone who sees it, it's an imitation of the divine glow that deprives the person who sees it of the magical energy necessary to make a fight. Doing it three times in a single night is definitely a record for me. »

« You are a scoundrel! » 

« I never thought of having a fair fight, Yukiko. Before you were well protected by your magic but now the song changes. »

Meanwhile Saber and Berserker were running out of power it was too much that they were fighting but at that moment Saber realized that the opponent's wounds were not regenerating and then realized that Alessandro had used his magic to weaken Yukiko.
« So you want to win by cheating? » Berserker asked, nervous.
« I love winning. I don't care about honor, dear Arthur. Now get ready to die! »

Berserker's wounds regenerated themselves without any explanation and Saber was stunned, she could not explain what was happening but then understood:

« Damn that dragon blood of yours. »
« I am not just any Heroic Spirit. »
« Me too and I will prove it to you now, King of the Knights! »

Saber clashed with Berserker. Each slash shot by Saber was parried by Berserker, every punch of Berserker was dodged by Saber. This battle proceeded again until Berserker, tired of the stalemate, did not decide to draw her broken sword, Excalibur, and prepared her Noble Phantasm. 

The shining blade appeared and Saber, without hesitating, stuck her sword into the ground and decided to use her Noble Phantasm:

« Legio Gallica! (The Legion That Conquered Gaul) "

The two Servants found themselves in the expanses of Gaul and the vast legion of Saber appeared, ready to charge against Berserker, who shouted:

« No More Avalon! (Deicide) "
The powerful slash of light destroyed the legion of Saber in a single blow and razed Gaul to the ground, making that dimension disappear. The powerful attack had defeated Saber.

Chapter 75 : Arthur against Caesar (part 1)

Saber and Berserker were still engaged in a duel to the death but none of the two warriors wanted to surrender. Berserker hit the opponent with a fist so strong that she spit out blood from her mouth, Saber recovered and counterattacked with a series of slashes that put Berserker in trouble.

« You're not really made for the Berserker class, Arthur. »
« Be quiet … »
« The reason has finally returned to you. Will you answer me then? How did you become Berserker? I thought it was a class destined for crazy people, not for honorable knights. »
« I am dishonored. »
« Really? And what did you do? »
« I lost my way, I lost the right way. After my departure, I was taken to Avalon but there I didn't find peace but only regret. Isn't all this senseless? My paradise was filled with sadness and hatred towards those who condemned me because I was the perfect monarch. I was the perfect king, I had the best justice and I was invincible and yet those plebeians insulted me and were afraid of me. Ungrateful! They have all been ungrateful! Ungrateful lice without a spine! I extracted Caliburn! I fought to defend the kingdom from barbarians! I sacrificed myself for the people! They have done NOTHING! »
« I'm sorry to have to deal with you in this state. If you had been in another class it would have been fun to face you, but I imagine that fate was clumsy. »
« You can't understand, Caesar, you can't understand what it means to be like me. You don't know what it means to be abandoned by those you defended. »

« You insult me, Arthur. You and I are very similar, you know? Our rise to power was willed by destiny and our end was marked by our children: you were betrayed by Mordred and I by Brutus. But we are also different. I loved the conquest while you preferred the defense, I loved the army while you surrounded yourself with some knights. » 

« I have always followed the honor while you were lying, deceiving and manipulating to achieve your goals. »

« True. But I always gave the people what they wanted, the people loved me, while you were feared by the people because you were unable to satisfy them. »
« But you were monstrous with those who rebelled against you, not surprisingly you are a dictator and not a king. You think it's a good thing to be "Caesar" but that makes you a tyrant not a monarch, you are not worthy of the title of king. »
« True. I am a tyrant. But unlike you I enjoyed life, I was never just a warrior: I was a philosopher, an artist, a historian and a lover. I had three wives, a lover and I loved several soldiers of my legion. I have adopted several children and one of these, my dear Augustus, has carried out my project. But can you say the same thing? You were only good at something and you did it in a mediocre way. No coincidence that your kingdom ended almost immediately. »
« Caesar! You speak as if you were an expert, but you lack the values ​​I had! My name was associated with salvation, honor and justice while your … »
« You are me. » Interrupted Saber.
« Don't talk nonsense! »
« Listen to me, Arthur: you say your name was associated with justice but who decided what was right and what was wrong? You. You were the power. You were the judge, the jury and the executioner. Being correct doesn't mean being right. Who said that it was right for you to lead Britain? Did you decide that? If you have decided then you have imposed yourself on the people and so what does this make you? A king or a dictator? »
« I didn't oppress people! » Berserker shouted angrily.
« Me neither. The people loved me, I've already told you. They did everything for me. I never needed to oppress anyone, and like you I created laws and a justice of mine that the people respected. You and I are the same, Arthur. You are Caesar. But you don't want to accept it. You don't want to accept being like me. »
« I will never be like you! »
Berserker prepared to draw her sword but Saber, with an incredible speed, hit the opponent with a slash that split a part of the armor. Berserker, furious, counterattacked with a devastating series of punches that Saber managed to parry in part. The two warriors began to fight.

Chapter 74 : The fate of Caesar

Saber saw Berserker coming towards her, smiled, and said:

« My rival finally shows up in front of me. I was getting bored standing by and 

watching. »

« SABER !!!! »
« Have you gone crazy again, Berserker? Why are you Berserkers always the bipolar ones? You really are strange Heroic Spirits. Especially you. »
« Aaaaarggh! »
Berserker had her fists wrapped in flames and hit Saber but this parried the blow with her sword and counterattacked. The two Servants exchanged several shots but neither was stronger than the other, they were on the same level. Berserker, without wasting time, decided to use her Noble Phantasm but did not take the sword, she used her fists and shouted:
« Ashes of Camelot! (My Hell is Eternal) "

A devastating attack, a powerful blaze was thrown forward towards Saber, this vortex of fire destroyed a part of the church causing some columns to collapse and burning the ground, everything that was before on its way had been incinerated. Saber, fortunately, was able to dodge the attack and when she noticed her strength commented:

« Those really are the flames of a dragon. I knew it. »

« Fight me, don't run away! Coward! »
« Your reason is coming back. Your madness is weaker than your mind, I guess this is due to the fact that you have never been a person dominated by emotions, this would explain your marked bipolarity. You are, de facto, a Servant with two personalities. »
« Why are you talking to me as if you knew me? You do not know anything about me. »
« I bet instead of having discovered your identity. But now I would like to verify it. »

Saber struck with a series of slashes that Berserker parried easily with the use of her hands but in the end one of these blows destroyed a part of Berserker's helmet. Saber gave a final decisive blow and finally Berserker's helmet broke completely: it turned out to be a feminine face, similar to Saber's, but with the hair of a dull blond, white eyes and pale skin with signs of scales of dragon on the cheeks. Saber smiled and exclaimed:

« Finally we are face to face, King of the Knights: Arthur Pendragon! »

« That's not my name. Arthur is the name my father wanted to give me, I am Artoria. »
« Sorry, I don't think I'll call you that. If I called you Artoria it would be strange. »
« Why do you say that? »
« Artoria is not your name, it is the name of your gens. Gens Artoria, a family descended from the gens Iulia, my family. Your real name is Lucius Artorius Castus and you are the person I was destined to meet. You are an extension of my destiny. »

« Enough of these nonsense! I'm Artoria Pendragon! King of the Knights, King of Britain and Daughter of the Dragon! » She exclaimed. 

« Do you really think it's that simple? Pendragon? That's just a nickname, nothing more. What you are is far from the reality of your legend. You are not a Breton, you are Roman. And believe me if I tell you, because I know how to recognize the Romans when I see them and above all I know how to recognize those who have my blood. »

« You are wrong! I have nothing to do with you! »

Berserker and Saber once again clashed. Saber led several blows with the aim of make her opponent retreat but Berserker managed to counterattack and sent Saber to the mat but she was able to get up quickly. The two continued their battle until Berserker thought of using the Noble Phantasm again, but Saber intercepted her and hit her with a blow so powerful that it split a part of the armor leaving the right side exposed.

« It's not good for you at all, Arthur. »
« You say I'm Roman, but I'm not. You call me "Arthur" yourself. »
« Because I want to respect your legend. But you are Lucius Artorius Castus. We two are so similar yet you don't realize it. »

« Are you talking about our physical appearance? That doesn't count. It means 

nothing. »

« It means that the prophecy that was made about you was no accident. It was destiny. Your destiny was the same one that brought me to power. You became "Caesar" for England as I was myself for Rome. But you ignore it. »
« I will never be like you, you are a dictator. »
« And how come you don't belong to a noble Servant class? Why are you a Berserker? What happened to you, Arthur? »
« AAAAARGH! »

Berserker screamed like an angry beast and struck Saber with such force that she threw her into the air and then grabbed her by the leg and threw her on the ground with such force that she cracked the cement under their feet. Berserker was irrepressible and the only way Saber had to face her was to play cunning.