Chapter 37 : The great battle (part 2)

The lands of Gaul disappeared. The fighters were back on the streets of London. Rider was seriously injured and would surely have died in a few seconds. All those present were still amazed by this immense show of strength. Saber's Noble Phantasm, aka Gaius Julius Caesar, was indeed formidable.

However Kumahira Yukiko had no intention of letting her Servant die. She used a Command Seal to order the Servant:
« You will not die, Rider, I prevent you. You will fight with all your strength to survive. »
Rider, forced by the order, got up again. The magical energy of Yukiko was already healing, slowly, the wounds of the Servant but there was something in the expression of Rider that made to understand the lack of desire on the part of this to fight further.
"I've already seen that expression on Saber's face." Rider reflected "I have already seen that smile full of pride, of bravado and triumphant as that of a hero who does not know defeat. It was in the face of Oda Nobunaga ... the Demon King. She too, like Caesar, looked at me in that as if all my attempts to overcome her were useless. ".
Yukiko ordered Rider, using another Command Seal:
« Rider, I order you to continue fighting and to kill Saber! »

Rider, even if she didn't want to, had to point her sword at her opponent. Frustrated and filled with anger, she kept rethinking her past "In order to be adored and respected just like Oda Nobunaga, I made myself up to be a pathetic descendant of the Imperial Family. It was a pathetic move on my part. But that's enough! I've had enough! ". 

Turning to Saber, Rider said: 

« Caesar ... you have proven to be powerful, you are a really fearsome rival however, even if I do not wish to continue this battle I am forced to do so. So I have to ask you a favor … »

Saber was confused and asked her:

« A favor? Do you want me to do you a favor? Why? » 

« Because I'm tired. I have wasted much of my life as a simple right hand of the Demon King ... I don't want to fight this war like Kumahira Yukiko's slave. You and Oda Nobunaga have a lot in common and so you will know how to put an end to my suffering, Caesar ... I ask of you, please, not as Servant but as Ieyasu Tokugawa ... the human ... please ... put an end to this torment of mine. »

Saber drew her sword from the asphalt. She wasn't convinced of her rival's strange request, on one hand she thought it was a trap but on the other hand she was feeling sorry for her. Shaking her weapon, Saber advanced on Rider and said:
« So be it. Ieyasu rejoice, I Caesar will give you the death you deserve. »
Rider, with tears in her eyes, smiled and launched herself at Saber. The blades only collided a couple of times and eventually Saber pierced the opponent's heart.
Rider, leaning on Saber, murmured to her, after spitting blood:
« Here it is ... I will finally die knowing I was free. »
Rider disappeared.

Chapter 36 : The great battle (part 1)

Rider stood motionless, with a victorious smile, ready to witness the fall of Saber, who was dodging the blows of several civilians who were under the influence of the Noble Phantasm.

Rider, in a bold tone, exclaimed:
« Surrender, Saber! The people, under the control of Tokugawa Ieyasu, always wins! »
At that moment an arrow was about to hit Rider's head but a man, under the girl's control, caught it in flight.
Archer, on top of a building, was surprised by the efficiency of those pawns. Rider, laughing, exclaimed:
« But did you really think my people were stupid enough to let me die? I'm the guide! I'm the governor! Everyone loves me and everyone protects me! »
Saber left Rider and with a leap she reached Archer; the man, seeing the girl arrive, told her:

« We have to stop that Noble Phantasm. We can't let civilians getting hurt. »

« I already know. »

Rider, seeing that the two rivals were together on a roof, shouted:
« Do you really think my people can't reach you? »
Rider's various slaves began to climb the building and the two Servants decided to move to another roof. Rider, annoyed, ordered her slaves to get off and then, smiling, decided to kick one against the foundations of the building on which Archer and Saber had settled.
The chain attached to the man's chest lit up red and Rider then exclaimed:
« From what I understand, neither of you seems to want to fight! Drop down or I'll blow one of them off. »
Archer replied, shouting:

« You can't do that! You're staining yourself with an inhuman crime! They have nothing 

to do with it! »

« Do you really care so much about their well-being, Archer? Then come down and face me instead of crying like a little girl. »

Saber got off the roof. Rider, pretending to be impressed, exclaimed:
« Damn, you were really good at following my advice. »
Saber turned to Rider: she wasn't scared. She knew she was surrounded by invulnerable enemies but she was not afraid; she ran towards Rider, miraculously avoiding all the blows of her enemies and with a leap she was about to hit Rider. One of the slaves threw himself at Saber but the latter was able to get up immediately, she dodged the blows of other enemies and then, with great skill, threw her sword; Rider dodged the blow and, laughing, said:
« You have a crappy aim. »

« I know. » 

Saber commented with a triumphant smile. Rider, confused, turned and saw that the sword had struck a lamppost that fell towards her. Rider moved; Archer took the opportunity to shoot two arrows but they were both blocked by Rider's slaves. Any attempt to directly hurt Rider seemed to fail, which meant that the battle would be prolonged further.

Rider, tired of continuing to move, decided to turn all her slaves into living bombs, the chains were all a vermilion red. The girl sent the first two against Saber and ordered:

« Explode! »

Two explosions as big as those of a grenade put ko Saber, who had completely lost her senses. Archer, shocked by Rider's cruelty, shouted:

« You're a monster! You are a lousy being and you deserve to rot in Hell for the rest of your days! God is my witness on this night: I will eliminate you, Rider! »

Archer shot four arrows at Rider but she sent out her slaves who were shot in her place, exploding. Archer then realized that they had lost their invulnerability and Rider, laughing, exclaimed: 

« I read fear in your eyes. I see you understand what's going on. If you hit me they will get in the way and die for me. In other words, you'll be the one to kill civilians, not me! You're a knight, aren't you? I bet that like me you too know that you should never hurt civilians. »

« Bastard! With what arrogance do you utter these words ?! You're the first to involve civilians in this fight! You have no honor! »

« You're wrong, Archer, you're the only killer. When they fought by my side they were invulnerable, I would never have let them be hurt. I have chosen to make them like human bombs, it is true, but it is not I who order them to explode, it is you who make them explode. In both cases you are the real enemies of the people. »

« Lies! Give up these slaves and face me with honor! » 

« Still don't understand, Archer? I'm already fighting with honor. You think they are under the influence of a strange magic, right? But is not so. My Noble Phantasm acts on people's hearts and awakens in them the need to fight for something bigger. It is not a trivial "mind control" it is a call to duty. They protect me, they love me, they love me, but the fact remains that this is an honorable battle between you and me. »

« You're wrong! You're using them to fight me! »

« No, you are wrong, Archer. They are THOSE who want to fight for me. I'm not forcing them. »

« May you be cursed! » Archer screamed. 

Meanwhile, Saber regained consciousness. She was lying on the ground and watching the starry sky above her. The girl could hear the sounds of a battle that seemed so distant from her; Saber was serene with the look of a dreamer who wanted to reach the stars. For a moment she felt the ears of corn of her native land run over her hands, she felt so far from the adversities of the world. She closed her hand in the vain hope of being able to grab an ear of corn but when she realized that it was only an illusion her eyes slowly moistened with tears that reached the asphalt. She muttered to herself:

« The Elysees are still far away, huh? How long will I have to fight? Do I still have to get my hands dirty with blood? »

At that moment, Saber turned to her Master and asked:

« Master, I have to ask you a favor … »

Alessandro had just left the hotel, the boy was grieved and dirty with dust. When he heard Saber's voice he asked her:

« What is it, Saber? »

« I need you to escape in case you lose all your magical energy. »
Alessandro Serpi was surprised by the request but, smiling, he reassured her:

« You don't have to worry me, Saber, I have enough magical energy. Do what you have to do, Saber and win. » 

« Thank you, Master. »

Saber raised her hand to the stars. Her gaze was lost in those thousands of lights that seemed to form the face of her lover. The girl murmured:

« Finally the time has come to return to the battlefield. »

Saber got up and took her gladius from the ground. She turned to see the hopeful look of Alessandro and with a smile assured him that the battle would be won.

Saber returned to the center of the battle with a combative step and blazing eyes. When Rider noticed that her rival was still alive, she worried and said:

« I see you're stubborn, Saber. »

« I will win, Ieyasu Tokugawa. I'll have your head tonight. »

« What ?! » 

There was something in Saber's expression that was intimidating Rider. It was the look of a person who knew she was about to triumph. Rider could not accept Saber's full security attitude and shouted:

« Stop being so sure of yourself! You would never dare to harm civilians and therefore you are at a disadvantage! »

« You're wrong, Ieyasu, I'm never at a disadvantage against my enemies. Get ready, because from today everyone will know the name of the Saber who is participating in the Holy Grail War in London! I am not a normal heroic spirit, I am the founder of an ideal that has shaped Europe after my death; I have overcome my own mortality with myths and legends that have made me immortal; the blood of Romulus flows in my veins and as he was the first king I was the first to be myself and all those who came after me did nothing but copy me. Every great sovereign knows who I am and has tried to repeat my deeds for better or for worse. Tonight you will know me too! » 

Saber thrust her gladius into the asphalt; the weapon lit up and generated a powerful glow that enveloped the whole city. Suddenly all those who had taken part in the battle found themselves catapulted into a misty land full of trees and with the sky overcast; the grass was damp and there were several hills that extended towards the horizon. 

No one knew what place it was.

At that moment, Alessandro saw a red banner with a golden eagle on it rising from over a hill.
Entire legions of soldiers marched into the hills and reached Saber who with open arms and closed eyes seemed to welcome an army that seemed to have no limits.
Rider, shocked, asked:

« But ... how many are there? »

Archer stammered:
« This land ... reminds me of France … »
Yukiko was as upset as the others:

« A legion so big ... could it be ...? » 

Rider became angry and shouted:

« Bastard! What kind of king are you ?! »

« I am neither a king nor an emperor. I am not a sovereign, I am CAESAR! »

That name had all those present paralyzed. Alessandro, astonished, asked:
« You are ... Gaius Julius Caesar? The dictator of Rome? He who laid the foundations for the Roman Empire? »

« Exactly, Master! Observe me in all my glory! I am immortal! I am divine! I am Gaius Julius Caesar, Dictator of Rome, the First of the Twelve Caesars, Pater Patriae, Divus Iulius! And this is my legion behind me! My Noble Phantasm with which I will destroy your people! Legio Gallica! (The Legion That Conquered Gaul) »

After a battle cry, the legion went on the attack and completely slaughtered Rider's slaves and also hit Rider. Despite the explosions, the legionaries did not fall and continued to strike and advance. The power of that Noble Phantasm was incredible. This was the power of Saber, the power of Caesar.

Chapter 35 : Before the battle

Archer was holding Harumi and was jumping from roof to roof. The two were heading to the hotel where Rider's Master, Sunahara Hiro, was staying.
Harumi told Archer:
« Fortunately we had spied on that boy, otherwise we would never have discovered his position. Are you ready, Archer? »
« I'm always ready, princess. »
The two stopped on the roof of a building opposite the hotel. Harumi got out of her Servant's arms and prepared to get off the roof but at that moment she was stopped by Archer who asked her, intrigued:
« How are you? »
« Don't you understand? » She asked with melancholy eyes.
« Are you hurt because that Master sent your friend to the hospital? »
« I didn't want to endanger him, Archer. Yusuke has always been my only friend, the only person I trusted. When we separated I felt abandoned to myself, that's why when I saw him again I couldn't resist the temptation to talk to him. I need to feel loved, Archer; you have no idea what it means to wake up every morning and feel that your wrists are tied; you don't know what it means to be ashamed to look in the mirror. Yusuke was like a glimmer of light, a way out. I talked to him hoping to change myself, I hoped to say goodbye to my suffering. But I still feel ashamed and now I feel worse because because of me ... he's hurt. »
« Master .. .»
Harumi was crying; her hands trembled; the girl tightened her wrist, as if to stop the continuous flicker but it was useless. Archer approached her and hugged her. He cuddled her head and murmured:
« It's all right. »
« Archer, why can't I escape these sufferings? Why does the world seem to be angry with me? I'm trying ... I'm trying with all my strength ... but I can't! It's not fair!
It's not fair! »
« I know, princess. »
« I don't ask for much: I just want to have a normal life. I want to say goodbye to my uncle ... but apparently the Holy Grail is really the only way to do it. I will have my family back ... I will have my happiness. »
Harumi distanced herself from Archer with the help of her hands. With the sleeve of her jacket she dried her tears and exclaimed:
« I'm going. If it gets serious, you are allowed to use the Noble Phantasm. »
« Be careful, princess. »
« Thank you, Archer. You too, be careful. » She said, smiling.
« I won't die here, princess. I'll be by your side until the end. »
Harumi jumped off the roof while Archer stayed on the lookout. A few minutes later he saw one of the windows of the hotel break and he noticed that there were two Servants who were fighting on the building: Rider and Saber.
Archer immediately thought of intruding but subsided and muttered, to himself:
« It is not yet time, I want to see what they have in mind. »
Archer saw Rider use his Noble Phantasm to control the minds of hundreds of civilians. Initially he didn't give too much weight to the thing but as soon as he realized that Saber was incapable of hitting them, he got scared. His first thought is that dealing with so many invulnerable enemies was madness. It was necessary to put an end to the mental control exercised by Rider.
Archer remarked that Rider didn't move, so probably the only way to end that Noble Phantasm was to hit her. Archer nocked an arrow and, after taking aim, shot it.

After a long vacation, back to work ...

It is a long time since I published any new chapters, the reason is that I went on vacation. Finally it's time to write more chapters for Fate / Yggdrasil! While I was away I had the chance to think of some really incredible scenes, I can't wait to publish them! 😋

Chapter 34 : Twelfth day

It was night. Alessandro Serpi was preparing to go out and fight with Saber. Elisa Mancina, who had seen them head for the apartment lobby, told them:
« Be careful. »

« Don't worry about us, we'll manage! » Saber answered, smiling.

Alessandro opened the door and went out first, followed by Saber.

Once they left the hotel, they headed for Regent's Park. Saber had noticed that her Master was rather silent; his gaze was dark and thoughtful and his step was as heavy as that of a man who was preparing to do something decisive. The girl had realized that Alessandro had in mind to do something really big.
The two, from Regent's Park, took a road that led them to a hotel that overlooked the park: there resided Kumahira Yukiko, Alessandro Serpi's half-sister. Saber did not know the place but she immediately understood that instead Alessandro knew it, so she concluded that it was the same in which he was invited by Yukiko. Alessandro and Saber were at the entrance. The girl asked the Master:
« Are you ready? »
« Yes. »
« Is there something bothering you, Master? »
« I'm aware that starting tonight the countdown will officially begin. »
« What are you talking about? »
«Nothing. »
Alessandro snapped his fingers and said:
« Dis. »
A powerful shock wave split the hotel doors. The men in the lobby got up and took out firearms. Saber prepared to attack them but Alessando stopped her and said:
« Save energy, Saber. Leave them to me. »

« Are you sure, Master? » Asked Saber, worried. 

« I know I can kill them. »

Alessandro approached the armed homunculi. They pointed their weapons. Alessandro snapped his fingers and said:
« Defendere. »
The homunculi fired but the bullets were blocked by the magic shield that defended the boy. Once the enemies ran out of bullets, Alessandro snapped his fingers again and said:
« Diffundit. »
The magic shield also set in front of Saber. The girl realized that Alessandro wanted to protect her from something, but she didn't know what. The boy closed both arms and then quickly opened them, exclaiming:
« Sanguis Ignis! »
At that moment the homunculi began to suffer, shaking and collapsing to the ground in the throes of excruciating pain. Smoke came from their bodies and their skin was slowly charring; then, without warning, they all exploded together. More than being devastating, the explosion was macabre. The magic shield deactivated. The air was impregnated with the smell of burnt meat and sulfur.
Saber was both surprised and frightened by the immense power of Alessandro Serpi.
The two got into the elevator and reached the top floor, where Yukiko's room was.
As soon as Alessandro approached the door he was grabbed by the arm, Saber removed him exclaiming:
« Attention! »
The apartment door was smashed with a kick: that's Rider. The two girls began to fight each other but the first thing that Alessandro noticed was that Saber seemed already at a distinct disadvantage compared to Rider, which took him unawares since she was able to tackle both Lancer and Archer without problems. Against Rider, Saber, seemed more awkward in the movements, she was not able to fight back and she was more on the defensive. Alessandro asked Saber, worried:
« What's the matter with you? Why don't you attack? »
« I'm sorry, Master! But this Servant is not really one of those I know how to fight! »
« Why? »
«Well… because I have no idea who the hell she is. »
« What do you mean ...? »
Then Alessandro realized that Rider was wearing a Japanese armor, she was a samurai. Saber had fought against an English knight and against an Amazon warrior linked to the history of Greece. Then he realized that evidently Saber was better at fighting against the Western Heroic Spirits than against the Eastern ones.

Rider was dominating Saber and was forcing her to remain defensive. Alessandro intended to use a Command Seal to upgrade Saber but at that moment he saw Yukiko leaving the room. The young girl, with a pleased smile, said: 

« You've come to me, then. »

« Exactly, but I'm not here to talk. I'm here to eliminate you. »
« Why do you want to kill me? Don't you realize that we are bound by destiny, you and me? Didn't my words convince you? Did the fact that our father always wanted our covenant not even touch your heart? Don't you want to destroy the Holy Grail? »
« I don't care! » Alessandro screamed.
« You don't care? »
« No! It no longer matters what is true and what is not! This is a war and I have to eliminate you to have the life I desire and to fulfill Saber's dream! »
« I see … » Yukiko murmured, sighing.
Alessandro snapped his fingers and exclaimed:

« Dis! »

Yukiko was turned upside down against a wall of the apartment. Alessandro followed her and prepared to attack again but the girl immediately got up and hit Alessandro with a kick so powerful that it made him fly against the TV, breaking it.

Yukiko said:
« Jag är Oövervinnlig. »
Then she said:
« Jag är Stark. »
Yukiko approached the sofa and turned it over using one hand. She grabbed Alessando by the throat, with one hand, and threw him against a wall, smashing it completely.

Alessandro, full of dust, tried to get up with his own strength but Yukiko hit him with a kick that made him fly against the ceiling; the boy fell to the ground again. Alessandro started spitting blood out of his mouth, he was now unable to react. Yukiko, with a sad look said to him: 

« I tried to convince you to join me, but you did your own thing and look where you are. You thought you were stronger than the wolf but the wolf defeated you ... and now the wolf will tear you apart. »

At that moment Fukano Harumi arrived unexpectedly. The girl was already looking for Sunahara Hiro but did not see him then realized that Yukiko had the Rider symbol on her right hand.

Yukiko, seeing the girl, raised a sadistic grin and said:
« I see that other lambs are here to be killed by me. »

Meanwhile, Saber and Rider were still dueling against each other. Archer had not yet arrived. Rider was in a clear advantage over Saber and after striking a series of slashes she made her opponent fly to the ground with a kick; Rider leaped and prepared a final blow to behead Saber but the latter was quick enough to dodge the blow and get back on her feet. Rider said, smiling:

« You are tenacious, but I would have expected a better performance from a Saber-class Servant. »
« Don't underestimate me, Rider. I'm just a little bit in trouble, don't give me up. »
« Good, because I want to have some fun! »
The two warriors exchanged other blows but in the end Rider managed to hit Saber again with a kick that made her crash into a hotel window; Saber did an aerial somersault and landed on the vertical wall of the building; Rider followed her. The two warriors resumed fighting outside the hotel, keeping their balance on the vertical walls but in the end they both jumped and landed on the asphalt.
Rider was getting nervous because Saber showed no signs of abating but recovered her composure and, pointing her sword, asked her rival:

« You fight with great tenacity, Saber. Can I know what your real name is? » 

« Ah! Why should I tell you, Rider? »

« It's a matter of honor and respect. We are two Heroic Spirits who are fighting to get the Holy Grail. In this duel to the death it's customary to give one's name. »

« Honor? Are you stupid? Are you talking about "honor" with me? Who do you think I am, sorry? I'm not a knight with little imagination who must necessarily show his weaknesses in the name of honor and respect! I am a conqueror! I am a dictator! I am a winner! I'm not a knight! I don't care about honor! What matters is to win and be glorified for eternity! Everything else is just nonsense for children! » Exclaimed Saber.

« I'm sorry to hear you say it. You will rot in hell knowing that it was Ieyasu Tokugawa who sent you! May the gods take pity on you! »

Rider raised the katana and said:

« You must have wondered why a Rider like me doesn't have a horse, it's because my horse is metaphorical. I am a samurai but I am also a leader and what I "ride" is society. I have the reins of my people and their destiny, even when someone else seems to be in charge, I have the real control. » 

Rider's katana began to light up and the girl said:

« Do you want to see my steed? Now I'll show you! »
Rider screamed:
« Kairō no Eien no Shōgun! (The Commander of the Cloister) »
Suddenly several chains made of a blue light started from the katana and began to enter the surrounding buildings. From these came out, armed, several London citizens who were clearly under Rider's control. The mystical chains were anchored to the chests of at least a hundred people, armed with household knives, brooms and other objects of common use.
Saber tried to hit one of them but the sword bounced. Rider, laughing, exclaimed:
« You can't hurt my people, Saber! No one can! Now get yourself killed, Saber! »

Chapter 33 : Purpose (part 4)

Fukano Harumi was outside the hospital where his friend Yusuke was hospitalized. The girl had already called the parents of his, who had rushed in immediately. Only two hours had passed since Tetsuya's attack. The girl felt guilty for endangering her best friend.
What did she has in mind? Was it really so important to reveal everything to him? Wouldn't it have been better to keep quiet and move on?
Harumi summoned a magical circle and used it to jump over a roof. Archer joined the girl and said:
« Your friend could get by but you should worry about your well-being, princess. »
« I know. »
« But then why did you want to meet him in the middle of the night? We are in the middle of a war, certain nonsense should be avoided at all costs, don't you think? »
« I know perfectly, Archer. I know, and yet I needed to talk to Yusuke. »
« Why? »
« I don't know. I was sorry to keep him in the dark about everything, but I think I made
things worse. »
« You have to be more careful, princess. »
Harumi turned to Archer and asked him:
« What if we tried to attack first? So far we have used a defensive tactic, perhaps we need to change method. Perhaps this way we could prevent being caught off guard by enemy attacks. »
« It seems like a great idea. Who would you like to attack first? »
« The Master of Lancer seems to me too dangerous and also the Master of Saber is very strong. Caster's Master seems to me to be an expert type, but the Assassin's Master could be complicated to manage. Only the only inexperienced remains: the Master of Rider. That boy is a weak magus. Let's get rid of him first. »
« As you wish, princess. » Archer said, with a bow.

Meanwhile, several miles from the hospital, in a parking lot, Tetsuya Murakawa anxiously waited for his payment to arrive. Lancer, near him, asked curiously:
« Why are you doing it? Is the Holy Grail no more important? »
« The Holy Grail is important, yes, but money is much safer than a chalice that makes desires, you know? »
« So is it just for the money you kill? »
« See? It's not complicated. Someone comes. Take cover. »
A red car came and stopped in front of Tetsuya. A call started. The man replied:
« Hello? »
The modified, heavy voice spoke:
« As was agreed you will have half the payment now and half at work done. »
« I have no problems. »
A car door opened and a black suitcase was thrown out. The vehicle left immediately. Tetsuya asked:
« Do you have so many problems showing your face? »
« Do your job and don't ask too many questions. »
« Wait, first I want to see that everything is in order. »
Tetsuya opened the suitcase and saw the banknotes arranged in order. He closed the suitcase and picked it up then asked:
« So I have to kill Bradley Jenkins? »
« Exactly. Kill him and you will be paid. I hope I have been clear. »
« As clear as the sun. »
« Then do your job. »
The call ended. Tetsuya put the phone in his pocket.

Chapter 32 : Purpose (part 3)

Harumi was walking alone at the intersection of the Piccadilly Circus. It was night and the girl needed to walk the streets of London in order to explore the city a little. She stopped to see the immense illuminated signs that lit up the intersection like a colorful sun.

Fascinated by those lights, Harumi didn't even notice Yusuke's presence. The boy had to be noticed, exclaiming the girl's name. Harumi turned and, smiling, threw herself into Yusuke's arms, hugging him. He, slightly surprised, said:
« Wow! What a warm welcome! What do I owe you? Did I do something special? »
« Well ... you showed up at the meeting. »
« Is it strange? You told me you needed to talk to me and then I arrived. I'm your friend, after all. »
« You're right, but I'm still happy that you're here. »
« You were enchanted watching the signs of the Piccadilly Circus, huh? Do you like them? »

« They are splendid. » She answered. 

« Well, then what did you want to talk about? »

Harumi's eyes saddened, becoming darker; the girl took Yusuke from the sleeve of his jacket and urged him to follow her along the road. The two reached a practically empty lane. Harumi stood before Yusuke, looking him straight in the eyes, stammered:
« I ... I don't know how to tell you ... seriously ... it's very difficult … »
« What do you have to tell me? » Yusuke asked, worried.
« I ran away from home. »
« You ran away? Why? »
« Because ... you know … »
Harumi was shaking. Yusuke then asked her, worried:
« What happened to you, Harumi? What did he do to you? »

« I don't even know how to tell you ... seriously ... it's so humiliating … » 

Yusuke took Harumi by the arms and asked her again, in a more agitated tone:

« What did he do to you? »
« Yusuke ... I ... am no longer … »

Harumi's eyes were getting wet; his cheeks were crossed by heavy tears; the girl trembled and sobbed. Yusuke had sensed that something really horrible had happened and then, using his imagination, he hypothesized what could be so serious as to force his friend to escape. 

With a trembling, uneasy voice, the boy asked:

« Harumi ... have you been raped? »
The girl closed her eyes to avoid Yusuke's gaze and turned away, as if to defend herself from possible criticism. The boy, shocked, exclaimed:
« Why didn't you tell the police ?! That man must pay for it! »

« Yusuke ... you don't understand … » 

« Harumi you had to tell the police! »

« Wait ... Yusuke ... don't scream … »
« Harumi! »
« Yusuke! » She screamed.
The boy silenced himself and the girl continued to scream:
« It's not something that happened once or recently. It has been going on since ... since my parents died! »
« But you were only ... ten years old … » Yusuke stammered, shocked.
« I know! I know! That man has been tormenting me for six long years! What can I do, in your opinion? Say it all to the police? And do you think my uncle won't know? Won't you make me pay? Will not find a way to blackmail me? I wanted to tell you my story because I don't want to keep you a secret, we're friends and you have to know about the mud that is covering me. »

« Harumi enough with this bullshit! There is no mud! You were a victim of an unforgivable act! That man must pay for it! I fucking kill him! I kill him! »Yusuke shouted, enraged. 

« Yusuke, wait! »

« No! Fuck that man! Your uncle is fucked! I'll tell my father everything, he knows some cops who will immediately throw him in jail for the rest of his fucking years! »
« Yusuke, please ... don't make this worse! » Begged Harumi.
« Harumi, I can't! You are like a sister to me! I can't leave you at the mercy of such an animal! I'll put things right, I promise! »
Harumi was slumped to the ground, in tears. She didn't know what to say to prevent Yusuke from getting into trouble because of her. At that moment a shadow came that covered her. Initially she thought it was Archer but then, turning around, she saw that it was Tetsuya. Murakawa Tetsuya.
Harumi, shocked and scared, got up immediately and yelled at Yusuke:

« RUN! » 

Yusuke turned, confused, and saw Tetsuya grab Harumi by the shoulder and throw her against the wall of a building. The boy, shocked, shouted:

« Hey! What the fuck do you think you're doing ?! »
Tetsuya with a sadistic smile, exclaimed:
« Who do we have here? A brat who gets along with Archer's Master. I guess she forgot to tell you that when the sun goes down the war begins. »
« What? »
« I'm not going to explain everything all over again, okay? Do me a favor and get the fuck out of here, brat with the diaper! »
Tetsuya launched a kick that caused Yusuke to crash into a parked car. The boy fell to the ground, helpless and full of wounds. Harumi, upset by Tetsuya's violence, decided to go into action immediately and was about to summon a magic circle but the man took her by the throat and lifted her from the ground.
The girl struggled to breathe and the man enjoyed seeing her suffer. In a smug tone he said to her:
« Playing the princess with men who are unable to defend themselves is not a good idea, unless you are able to pull a full dimension of swords out of your ass. I'll break that chicken neck you got, you fucking brat! »
At that moment a cellphone rang. It was that of Tetsuya. The man answered the call:

« Hello? … Who's talking? ... Yes, I'm Murakawa Tetsuya, what the fuck do you want? ... No, I don't work for that shit organization anymore. ... OK, listen, my friend, I'm pretty busy right now, can't we postpone it? … Wait wait! Do you want to pay me so much? Are you kidding me? To kill a single asshole? ... No shit! I have no problem! If that's all right with you, then it's good for me too! ... Of course, you will give me all the information and I will do this job. »

Tetsuya put the phone away and saw Archer arrive. He threw Harumi against the Servant and went away quietly, as if nothing had happened.

Archer wanted to make sure his Master was okay and scolded her:
« You never have to leave without saying anything to me! If he killed you it would be the end! »
« I know ... damn it! I didn't know he would find me. »
The girl then remembered Yusuke and rushed to his rescue. She turned him and saw that the boy was not conscious but was still breathing. The girl took out her cell phone to be able to call an ambulance to help the young man.

Chapter 31 : Purpose (part 2)

« Something big is happening. »

These were the first words that Clovis spoke to Caster. The two were in a room that had been made available by some London allies of the Rote Mäntel. Caster asked his Master:
« You say it because you saw that that kid was under the control of a magus? »
« She was not a magus, this is the point. That girl is too powerful to be a simple magus. She could be a magician, a true magician. »
« Interesting … »
« Yes it's very interesting but it's also dangerous. Magician are not like magus. They seek power, that's why they approach the Root. Do you know it? »

« I've heard of it. » 

« There are several theories that revolve around the Root and its nature. A member of the Rote Mäntel and dear friend of Herbert, a certain Werner Lorenz, theorized that the Root is none other than Plato's Hyperuranium. You know the philosopher from Athens, don't you? According to Plato, everything that exists derives from the ideas that originate in Hyperuranium. Everything from people to animals, from nature to things, everything originates first as an idea and then as a subject. The Root is Hyperuranium, it's the basis of existence and when it's reached one can come into contact with magic in its true form. »

« So the Root is a source of power and at the same time the origin of everything? »

« Obviously it's just a theory. It's not easy to determine the true nature of the Root. There are those who suggest that it's more like the One of Plotinus, while others see it as the noumenon of Immanuel Kant, others believe that the Root is the famous Will of Power by Friedrich Nietzsche. Everyone has his own idea of ​​the Root but it is certain that it emanates power and that power can destroy everything. »

« So that girl, do you think, saw the Root? »

« Probably yes. »

« How long should we stay in this old filthy room? »
« This is a hideout, Caster, haven't you figured it out yet? The police saw us, we can't act if we have cops looking for us. The Rote Mäntel are already taking care of this. »
« How? »
« Any law can be folded with the power of money. »
« Okay, after what will we do? What will be our next move? »
« I must prevent the Holy Grail from being destroyed. » Clovis said in a nervous voice.
« Fighting to preserve the Holy Grail so you can use it is a wise move, but trying to kill those who want to destroy it is foolish. There would be another way to deal with the problem. »
« I am open to every suggestion, Caster. »
« God is with us, Master, and opened a door that we have not been able to notice until now. »

« What are you talking about? » 

« The former T6 agent. The Lancer Master. We can use him to attack the Mage's Association, we can use him to eliminate Bradley Jenkins. Just because he's a Master does not mean that it will not yield to the scent of money. Perhaps your organization can corrupt him. »

« Not directly, the Rote Mäntel would never harm the Mage's Association. Technically we are allies, I will get the money to Tetsuya but he won't have to know my identity or he could use it against me. »

« True. We will use the killer to eliminate Bradley Jenkins and so we will ensure that the Mage's Association hunts the murderer instead of the Grail. »

« Sounds like a good plan, you had a great idea, Caster. »

« The pleasure is mine, Master. »

Clovis knew that what he was doing was morally wrong but he didn't care. He wanted to win the Holy Grail War at all costs. To save his daughter's life, Clovis would have burned even the whole of London.

Chapter 30 : Purpose (part 1)

Alessandro Serpi was in the dining room, sitting in front of a sheet on which he had made a series of schemes. The boy was trying to reflect on all that Yukiko told him about his father.

Marco Serpi worked at the Coven and at that time he married and had a son. He left Rome, abandoning his family, seven years later because he was probably hunted by the Coven. 

He traveled a lot and eventually settled in Japan where he met a woman with whom he had a daughter. He had the little girl's surname changed to prevent her from being tracked down by the Coven, probably. There was a time when Marco and Yukiko went to London and there the girl would find out everything. 

Alessandro, after making the scheme, wrote the questions that arose: why did the Coven hunt down Marco Serpi? Why did Marco reveal everything to Yukiko just when they were in London? How did Marco Serpi die?

By tapping the paper with a pencil, Alessandro thought and thought about how to answer those questions. At the bottom of the page he had written that Yukiko was part of an organization that had the purpose of destroying the Holy Grail. Was it true? Was it a lie? It didn't matter, but it was a fact that in the hotel that Alessandro had visited there was a symbol that referred to Yggdrasil.

Alessandro continued to write his reasoning: the Holy Grail would appear in London and therefore it might not be a coincidence that Marco Serpi had decided to reveal everything to Yukiko in London. The Coven has always had an obsession with the Holy Grail, so it is likely that Marco knew something or did something about the Holy Grail that the Coven did not like. 

But how did he die? Had he been killed?

« Fuck off! » Alessandro screamed throwing the papers down.

At that moment Elisa Mancini arrived in the living room, worried, who, after putting on her glasses, asked:

« Something wrong? You look upset. »

« I'm trying to understand different things but I can't. I feel like I'm in a maze. »

« Do you want a hand? »
« No, I can do it alone. » Alessandro replied with a forced smile.
« Okay though ... er … »
« What? »
« See … » Elisa was blushing
« What happens? »
« I think I can help you, after all I was sent here for this. The Coven trusts me and I would like you to do the same. »
« I have no problem with you, believe me, it's just that ... I'm dealing with really delicate matters. I don't think you can understand. »

« Of course, that's fine. »

Elisa returned to the bedroom where Saber was waiting for her to continue a game of chess. Elisa closed the door in an embarrassed and intimidated way. Saber, noticing the girl's stricken look, asked:

« What happens? Has my Master treated you badly? »
« No, no. Don't worry. »
« You have the look of a girl who has been rejected by the man she loves. Is that so? »
« I… » Elisa stood, shaking like a little leaf and her face was as red as a pepper.
« I know you have something to say. Tell me, I'm listening. »
« It's nothing so important. »
« I'll be the one to decide. Tell me. »

« It wasn't the Coven who chose me, I decided to come here. Alessandro doesn't know me, we never talked to each other, I never had the strength to get close to him even when he was alone after class. He had a way of doing that scared me. » 

« Have you a crush on him? »

« I think so. There is something in him that has always caught my attention, but I never had the strength to tell him a "hello" or a "how are you". I don't know why but I've always been displaced by his serious, almost reluctant eyes, the eyes of someone who has better things to do than listen to a girl like me. I know I'm pathetic ... I know! When I arrived here I tried to behave in the most professional way possible but it is complicated ... it is complicated to stifle emotions. »

« Don't repress your emotions. » Said Saber rising from the bed.

« You say I shouldn't? »

« Those who repress their emotions deny themselves. Be proud of your love, whether he can accept it or not, be proud of yourself because you know how to love and who knows how to love your neighbor is a good person. For the woman I loved I fought and sacrificed my men. I made her queen only because I loved her more than my own well-being. I've had other wives, I know this, three more but none of them I've ever stopped loving. One of them lost when she was still twenty, the one after she betrayed me for a lover but I never accused her and divorced her without giving explanations, only the wife who came later stayed with me for life. She tried to avoid my fateful fate and that was the first time in my life that I did not listen to a woman and I was killed. »

Saber had a melancholy look. Elisa, approaching Saber, asked her in a worried voice:
« Are you okay? »
« I thought only about my life ... so beautiful but so tragic. Some jealous god must have cursed me with bad luck or simply my destiny was to become the brightest flame in the world and then go out as sadly as possible ... killed by my son. »

« Killed ... by your son? » 

Elisa understood Saber's true identity and had the instinct to cry. She was not in front of any Heroic Spirit, she was aware of this. She was in front of someone who had no comparison in history. 

Elisa, understanding Saber's true identity, could only kneel immediately, with her head bowed, and said:

« Holy Mary ... this is an immense honor! I knew you could be a powerful Heroic Spirit but I didn't imagine you were that powerful! »
Saber smiled and, resting her hand on Elisa's head, said to her:
« This will be our little secret. Don't tell Alessandro, I don't want to lose the chance to see the look on his face when he finds out. Indeed, I want to see the face of our enemies when they understand my true identity. »

Chapter 29 : The virtuous

Rybakov had just seen the news on the train that had left Paddington station. Not having a home to stay in, Rybakov saw the news at the bar.

The man left the bar and walked towards the nearest bench, on which he sat. He opened his notebook and began to write: 

The song of the desperate soul

The last to live is the fool,
The sun will rise again
When the war ends,
My heart asks for mercy
And my mind runs away,
But an instinct, a wicked voice,
Leads me to continue.
Someone prays,
Someone runs away,
Someone goes on,
Who's the fool?

Rybakov closed his notebook when he saw a man sitting next to him. Turning around, Rybakov immediately recognized the face of Murakawa Tetsuya. Sergei knew perfectly well that Tetsuya would never try to attack him in broad daylight in a public place with the police around, so he was quiet.

Tetsuya lit a cigarette and started smoking, pretending not to notice Sergei Rybakov. Both Masters were silent and waited for one to decide to speak first. Tetsuya said:
« One is dead. »
« I had guessed it. »
« This is a young magus named Sunahara Hiro, an idiot who was Rider's Master. However, Lancer confirmed that Rider is still alive and has a new Master. A girl. I have no idea who she is. »
« Why are you telling me this? »
« I believe there is something under this war. The Holy Grail War? Ah! Bullshit! In this war both powerful organizations and magi who seem to have just emerged from Merlin's ass are involved. There's something big at stake, I know, I feel it. So many things are silenced, Rybakov, surely you guessed it too. »
Sergei Rybakov remembered perfectly when he saw men in black burying a small gold chest in one of the gardens of the City of Westminster. He could not deny to himself that there was something that did not return in the Holy Grail War, but he did not want to have other enemies and so he did not intend to interfere in matters that did not concern him. Sergei said:
« I know what you're talking about, but I don't care. »
« I understand you, I know you don't want to get into trouble. »
« So ...? »
« I worked for an organization that pretended to be something it wasn't. For my colleagues I was too aggressive to be a bounty hunter, a bullshit that anyone would have laughed at. I don't expect you to understand, but know that I'm very familiar with the modus operandi of organizations. I know what's happening, I knew it right away. »
« I still don't understand why you're telling me these things. »
« I was hoping to get your cooperation, but if you don't want to get involved, I understand you. I have to go now, I'll leave you to your poetry. »

Tetsuya got up and left. 

That night Sergei managed to infiltrate Regent's Park to analyze the huge chasm that had opened due to the earthquake. He wanted to find out what had caused it. Along with him there was also Assassin who asked him, intrigued:

« What do you think of the Lancer's Master's theory? »
« He is not wrong. There is something weird. Earthquakes are no accident, something big is happening. The first earthquake came when we were in Ibaraki, in Osaka Prefecture, when we were chasing that girl named Harumi. The chasms were bigger though. The Ibaraki disaster was more serious than this but the cause could be the same. »
« The Holy Grail? »
« It could be the Holy Grail. »
« It could also have been that attack that pierced Caster's barrier. »
« That sort of Noble Phantasm? »

« Exactly. » 

« But what kind of Servant would be able to launch such a devastating attack? »

« I have no idea, Master, that's why it's worth investigating. »

Sergei stood on the slope of that deep chasm. He stared at it with wide eyes, frightened but intrigued. Assassin approached Sergei and asked him:
« Do you have any wishes? »
« да. »

« What is it? »

« Being able to earn money with my poems. »

« That's all? I would have expected more from someone like you. »

« Is it trivial for you? For me it's not. My grandmother always told me that my words can communicate to people's hearts, but nobody wants to publish my poems. There are those who consider them childish and there are those who do not consider them at all. Poverty has not broken me but is starving my family. »
« Your family? »

« My father, my mother, my grandmother, and my sister. My family. My father can no longer work after losing an arm in the steel plant; my mother works as a waitress and my sister is a prostitute. I want to have the money to give them the life they deserve. Have they not suffered enough? »

« Are you willing to do anything to give them a good life? »

« I am willing to do anything, Assassin. I want it to be clear: I will stop at nothing to win this war. »

Chapter 28 : Battle on the train

On the train that had just left Paddington station were Clovis Wolff along with Caster who confronted Sunahara Hiro along with Rider.

Clovis immediately fired magic bullets at Hiro but the latter dodged them with immense ease and started running for the wagons. Clovis decided to follow him, exclaiming:

« Caster defeat Rider! »
Caster saw his Master leave the wagon; now the two Servants were alone. Caster opened his book and took out the goose feather. Rider remained motionless for just a moment but then, with impressive speed, set off for the attack. With a blow she tried to hit Caster but was stopped by a being made of ink that blocked the attack using its hands. Rider kicked that creature and beheaded it. Caster, smiling, said:

« I've got others for you, Rider. »

« Perfect! »

Other creatures of black ink attacked Rider together and the girl, with agility, dodged the various enemy attacks then counterattacked with slashes that cut the creatures in half. An ink being attacked Rider from behind but she pierced it with her sword; then ahe killed the one after cutting both its arms and its head; she killed the one after still beheading it directly.

An ink creature suddenly came and pushed Rider with such force that she smashed through the door of the wagon; Rider, to avoid falling, leaped sideways, ran to the side of the train and then climbed to the roof. 

Caster created beings made of ink armed with swords and spears. These creatures reached Rider on the roof of the train and began to clash with her. Rider was alone against six opponents but thanks to her fighting technique she was very capable of keeping up with all of them.

After parrying the blows of two enemies, she leaped back to dodge the lance of a third; she lowered himself to avoid a slash of a fourth and a fifth enemy and got up, turning, to decapitate the sixth who was about to pierce her with a spear.
Three opponents led several blows, one after the other, but Rider was able to dodge them all and with extreme speed tripped all three and while they were still in mid-air she cut them in half with the katana.

Only two enemies remained: one with a sword and one with a spear. Rider took a running start, sheathing her sword, and struck her opponent,the one with the spear, with a flying kick; the enemy with the sword tried to hit her from behind but Rider, with inhuman reflexes, immediately turned and parried the blow using the scabbard of the katana; she drew her weapon and cut off the head of the enemy; finally she killed the last one who was left.

Rider reached Caster, inside the wagon, and, pointing her sword, exclaimed in a combative tone:

« I'm not that easy to deal with, Caster! »

« In fact you are stronger than I imagined. » Caster said, worried. 

Meanwhile Clovis managed to reach Hiro.

« You're weird, boy. » Watched Clovis.

Hiro didn't answer. Clovis sighed and pointed his hand toward the boy. He was ready to eliminate him but at that moment he saw a girl, dressed in white gothic dress, coming: Kumahira Yukiko. The girl, with a sadistic smile, told Clovis Wolff:

« I will not let you kill my puppy, you will die like a dog. »

« Go to hell! »

Clovis fired a magic bullet but Yukiko diverted it using only her hand. Clovis, shocked, stammered:

« How did you do it? Who are you ? »

« Kumahira Yukiko, remember this when you greet the Devil for me. »

Yukiko struck Clovis with a kick so powerful that it sent him flying into another wagon. Stunned, the man tried to get back on his feet but the girl appeared before him in a blink of an eye, as if she had used some sort of teleport. 

Yukiko grabbed Clovis by the throat and pulled him up, that girl's strength was unheard of. The girl, with that sadistic grin on her face, threw Clovis against a wall of the train and then, approaching him, pressed her foot against his face; the heel of her boot was injuring Clovis, who felt like a helpless child against Yukiko; it seemed that the girl wanted to crush his head:

« You're a worm! You're a creepy lousy worm! And I will kill you! I will kill you! »

Hiro threw himself at Yukiko and pushed her to the ground. The girl, surprised and annoyed, got up immediately and exclaimed:

« Apparently the mental grip on you is not as strong as I expected! I'll have to get you back in line! »

Clovis realized that Hiro was under Yukiko's control and saw that the boy had a dull look, yes, but his eyes were watering; it was like he was trying to get rid of the girl's control. Hiro clenched his fists and tried to hit Yukiko but she was too fast and immediately dodged the blow then counterattacked with a kick that overturned Hiro. 

Yukiko, smiling, said:

«You're nothing, Sunahara Hiro! You are not good either as a servant or as a Master. It is useless to waste time with you, a wretched slave who is nothing else! »

The train suddenly stopped in the middle of the tracks. Yukiko had fallen to the ground and Clovis took the opportunity to try to kill her but the girl was very fast moving and disappeared before she could hurt herself.

Clovis, still stunned, left the train and saw that they were in the middle of the railway. Police helicopters were coming and he knew immediately that he had to leave before it was too late. He used a Command Seal to order Caster:
« Caster, cease your battle and come back to me! »

Caster returned to Clovis and the two fled the train together. 

Hiro, still confused, tried to escape but found himself in front of Yukiko who with the foot raised the face of that boy with the empty expression. Yukiko, smiling, said:

« You have no idea how useless you are. Because of you Caster's Master has fled and the police will look for us, but perhaps the fact of being hunted by the police is not a problem as it might seem, after all I have my means to get rid of them. But as for you, Sunahara Hiro, I'm going to make you pay. »
Rider, behind Yukiko, prepared to hit the girl with a determined attack; Yukiko turned and stopped Rider saying:
« Do you really think you are so fast that you can stop me from killing this fool? Please! We both know that this match has already been lost by you two, now you can no longer win the Holy Grail. »

« What is your goal, damn you ?! Why are you fighting this war ?! » Screamed Rider, furious. 

« You wouldn't even understand if I explained it in Japanese. But don't worry, I'm not going to get rid of you. You are a powerful Heroic Spirit. However, Sunahara Hiro is not a magus of the same level. You don't need him. »

Yukiko knelt down and, touching Hiro's right hand, murmured:
« Ge Det Till Mig. »
The Command Seal brightened and disappeared from Hiro's hand, but reappeared on the back of Yukiko's right hand. The girl got up and when Rider realized she was in Yukiko's hands, she resigned herself to the idea that she couldn't do anything to stop her.
Yukiko then said:
« Mitt Vapen. »
A pistol magically appeared in her right hand. She pointed the weapon at the boy's head. Yukiko had a cold expression, devoid of any emotion; Hiro had an empty face, with his head raised towards his executioner, the boy didn't realize what was happening … or so it seemed. Rider turned away and then left not to see the scene. She wasn't strong enough to see her former Master die like that.
Yukiko, keeping her eyes focused on Hiro's eyes, said:
« You were born to be just a pawn. You thought you were special, you thought you had a great destiny in front of you, but you were always just a pawn: a mediocre magus without talent. Some may improve over time, others may get worse, but you were not destined to improve or to get worse. You were always just a pawn. I will not even grant you the privilege of saying your last words, because a no one like you would have nothing interesting to say. Goodbye. »
Yukiko pulled the trigger. A shot went off.

Chapter 27 : Choices (part 3)

« Don't you think this day is beautiful, Hiro? »
Yukiko turned to Sunahara Hiro, who was sitting on the sofa with a dull look aimed at nothing. The girl, smiling, added:
« Oh, sorry, dear. I completely forgot that you are now my personal slave. »
« What is your purpose? » Rider asked.
The Servant was on the other side of the room, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed and with a look full of contained anger. Yukiko answered immediately:
« Have a world without imitations. »
« What? »
« You cannot understand, Rider, since you are only a Servant, limited by the experience of your time. You would never be able to understand my purpose, my reason
for being. »
« Why do you want the help of that Master? »
« Because I need him. »
« Why? » Rider asked, insistent.
« You're worrying too much about the Saber Master, instead you should be concerned about the safety of your Master. »
« Sooner or later I'll be able to cut your throat, then I'll be happy to have eliminated a plague from this war. »
« You're very good at talking, Rider. Let's see how you manage on the battlefield. I want you to go to Paddington train station with your beloved Master. A battle awaits you there. »

Paddington station

Clovis Wolff was coming down the stairs to reach his train. He intended to reach the hotel where Sir Bradley Jenkins was staying. His intent was to have a face-to-face conversation with him on the question of the destruction of the Holy Grail. If the Holy Grail had been destroyed, Clovis would never have been able to save his daughter from tuberculosis. Clovis needed the miracles of the Holy Grail to save his child and he would stop at nothing to win the Holy Grail War.
He went down the stairs, Clovis, received a call from his wife. He replied:
« What's up, honey? »
« Fuck you, Clovis, you know what's happening! It's happening that you are not here when you should be! What kind of father is away at a time like this ?! »
« I've already told you, it's something I absolutely have to do. You can't understand, but I promise you everything will work out. »
« What the fuck are you talking about, Clovis ?! Don't you realize that our little girl could … »
« I know! Fuck, I know! But that's why I'm here! I want to find a way to help her! Indeed, I promise you that I will save her! I will save her at all costs! »
« Clovis ... come home ... please … »
« I'll come back, honey, I promise. But until then, bitte, have faith in me.
Ich liebe dich. »
Clovis ended the call and headed for the train but at that moment he felt the presence of a Master who was approaching him. He turned and muttered:
« Holy shit! »
He saw Sunahara Hiro arrive with Rider. Clovis immediately noticed that the two did not mind the other people, who were confused; the man entered the train and when he saw all the passengers he realized that he couldn't fight with them in there so he decided to shoot a magic bullet to unleash an explosion outside the train.
People, seized with terror, escaped from the wagons and started running out of the station. Caster appeared behind Clovis and asked, curious:
« Tell me, Master, what is the purpose of this? »
« I don't want to involve innocent victims, even if they are inferior, it's not worth killing them. Use one of your ink men. »
« Why? »
« Because I need someone to take the train away from here. »
« As you wish, Master. » Said Caster, lowering his head.
Hiro went in the wagon along with Rider. Clovis was waiting for them both, together with Caster. Clovis immediately noticed that the boy's eyes had something strange, they were as absent as that of a corpse. He understood immediately that there was something that was not going the right way.
Rider stepped forward and, pointing the blade, exclaimed:
« I'm here to take your life! »
« Okay, if you want to fight I'll settle for you. But we'll fight my way. »
At that moment the doors of the wagons closed. The train jolted slightly and, after a mechanical noise, left.

Chapter 26 : Choices (part 2)

Alessandro was in the bathtub. Yukiko had told him that their father was thrown out from the Coven, the same one for which Alessandro worked. But was it true? And if it had been true what would Alexander have done about it? He didn't know. He didn't know what to do. The Holy Grail War would have been easier to fight if he hadn't known all these things.
He left the tub, dried himself and dressed again. Once out of the bathroom he saw that Saber was dozing on the bed. Alessandro, in order not to disturb her, went into the dining room and sat on the sofa; he didn't have time to turn on the television that he heard a knock at his door.
Alessandro opened up to a girl of his age. She was a magus just like him and wore a black robe. This girl had glasses, blue eyes and red straight hair, styled to have two long braids. Alessandro, seeing her, asked:
« Have you been sent by the Coven? »
« Yes, that's right! I'm Elisa Mancini. You must be Alessandro Serpi, right? »
« Right. You want to get comfortable? »
« Yes, thank you. »
Elisa entered the lobby and stood still waiting for Alessandro to tell her where she could go. He, realizing that she would be able to make the statue in the lobby for half an hour, told her:

« Come, put your luggage next to the sofa. » 

« Ok, that's fine. »

« You can unpack your luggage tomorrow, if there is no problem for you. There must be enough space in the closet. Has the Coven already paid for your accommodation? »
« Yes, yes. »
« Good. »
« Where is your Servant? »
« She's sleeping. »
« Do you and her sleep together? »

« Yes. » 

« Ah. » She exclaimed, blushing.

« Don't misunderstand, nothing happened. We simply share the bed. » He replied, slightly agitated.
« No, of course, I understand. Um ... where can I sleep? »
« There's the couch. Is it okay to sleep on the couch? »
« Of course, no problem. »
« Great, then we're good. »
Alessandro went into the kitchen and asked Elisa:
« Are you hungry? »
« What is there to eat? »
« I bought some pasta. Do you want some? »

« No, no, that's okay. » 

Elisa started to open a bag and took out some magic books. Alessandro noticed that the girl had alchemy, enchantment and even evocation texts. Alessandro had no intention of talking to her about what he had discovered about the Coven and his father.

« Don't you find it weird? » She asked.
« What? »
« The Regent's Park earthquake is strange. One of the elders, my mentor, thinks it was caused by the Holy Grail. But don't you find it strange? »
« Who is your mentor? »
« Marco Lombardo. »
« I know him, he's the one who studies Norse culture. So he also believes that the Holy Grail is the cause of these earthquakes, but why should it be strange? » Alessandro asked curiously.

« Because the Holy Grail of Yggdrasil is not corrupt. The blood it contains is that of a Norse god. Only a corrupt Holy Grail would be able to destroy everything, but this is not corrupt, I am sure. » 

« What if it was? »

« I don't want to think about it. » Elisa replied with a slightly worried expression.
« Then we have nothing else to tell us. »

The following morning Alessandro woke up because of the noise he heard coming from the bathroom. With a constant headache, the boy approached the closed bathroom door and, knocking on the door, exclaimed:
« Girls, what are you doing? »
« Nothing, don't worry! » Elisa answered.

« I just wanted to play with this young lady! » Saber answered, laughing.

Alessandro left the bathroom, calmed by the fact that his Servant had managed to easily accept the presence of Elisa Mancini. The two girls giggled and joked in the bathroom and meanwhile Alessandro made himself a bowl of cereal and sat down to have breakfast.

In the meantime, he was thinking about the offer Yukiko had made to him: a part of him would have quietly chosen to destroy the Holy Grail to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, but another part of him told him that he should not destroy the Grail, after all Saber's desire was also at stake. Alessandro had promised Saber that he would fulfill her wish and could certainly not betray her.

Saber came out of the bathroom, in a towel, and then Elisa, in a bathrobe. The two entered the bedroom and began to dress. Elisa, seeing Saber, could not help but notice her very accentuated curves with a practically perfect breast; Elisa got a little jealous because she realized she was in front of a very seductive girl.

Saber, noticed to be observed by Elisa and asked her with a vain grimace:
« Do you like what you see? »

« What ...? No! No! I wasn't looking at you, I swear! » She replied, embarrassed. 

« Don't worry, I don't mind being admired as a Roman goddess. My family is descended from the goddess of beauty Venus, did you know? I am related to Venus and this technically makes me a goddess! Ah, ah, ah! » Exclaimed Saber with a laugh full of pride.

« I wanted to ask you a question, Saber: what kind of relationship do you have with 

Alessandro Serpi? »

« With my Master? Well ... I don't know exactly. He has a pure heart but he must 

grow. »

« In what sense? » 

« In the sense that he must learn to take risks. My Master is a good person, I feel it, he can be a bit rude but he has a good heart, but he wants at all costs to have a quiet life, without problems and without risks. Such a life is not life, it's just an illusion. We would all like to live in total peace, without problems, without danger, without sacrifices and without suffering. But life is not like that. To live we must face problems and dangers; we have to make sacrifices and suffer. It's a harsh reality, I know, but it's reality. »

« I think you're right, Saber. » Said Elisa.
« I know I'm right, but I don't know if my Master will ever be able to accept it and change. »

Chapter 25 : Choices (part 1)

The Regent's Park had been surrounded by barricades and yellow ribbons. The earthquake that split the park in two scared the Londoners so much that made some of them go crazy.
Fukano Harumi wandered the streets of the City of Westminster and saw men announcing the arrival of the end of the world, policemen and soldiers who scoured the streets with their armed vehicles and geologists camped outside Regent's Park to try to understand the origin of the abnormal earthquake.
The girl was traumatized by the Ibaraki Disaster and seeing the same thing happen at Regent's Park made her worry further. Harumi saw that there was a boy who was more or less her age; this young boy was taking pictures with his cell phone at the pits of Regent's Park. She recognized him immediately. She approached him and, touching his shoulder, caught his attention. 
« Oh! » He exclaimed turning to the girl.
« Hi, Yusuke, it's a long time since we've seen each other! » She said, smiling.

« Fukano Harumi? I'm ... I'm sorry, I didn't recognize you. But what are 

you doing here? »

« What are you doing in London? »
« I'm here on vacation with my family. »
« Me too. » She lied.
« Damn ... it's been so long since we've seen each other, you've changed a lot.
How long has it been? »
« I believe two years. »
« Right, right. Two years ... do you want me to offer you something to eat? »
« Er… okay, why not. » She answered, blushing.
The two went to eat in a pub. After ordering something to eat quickly, the two started talking about their stories. For the first time since the war began, Harumi felt really happy.
« ... and then I said to him: "If you really want to fight then let's do it!" And he really wanted to beat me. So as soon as we left school I immediately took the bike and cycled home, and he chased me for almost half the way! Unbelievable! » Exclaimed Yusuke laughing.

« So you really like Fuyuki, don't you? »
« Compared to Ibaraki? Yes. I met so many funny friends and many beautiful girls ... with beautiful shapes, I don't know if I can explain myself. » Said Yusuke with a malicious voice.
« Come on, stop it, pervert! » Exclaimed Harumi laughing.
« Why didn't you come with me? Your dream had always been to leave Ibaraki and get to know new places and new people. Why didn't you come to Fuyuki with me? »
« My uncle didn't agree. » She answered in a grayer tone.
« I just don't understand. My parents like you very much and they would have been willing to have you at home, especially since you are practically part of our family. We've known each other since we are little, remember? »
« Yes, I remember … »
« Is everything okay? » Yusuke asked, worried.
« Yes, I'm fine … »
Yusuke immediately realized that Harumi's hand was shaking. She was like a cooled puppy. He took her hand and she looked at him with eyes wide and almost amazed. He, embarrassed, withdrew his hand and said:
« Sorry, I didn't want to embarrass you. »
« No, don't worry, it's not you ... it's just that … »
« Since the incident occurred you have changed. Before you were more lively, more joyful and you were also very ... I don't know how to say, you had something that always made people around you smile. But after that day something in you has completely changed, I don't want to judge but ... I'm sorry I can't help you in any way. »
Yusuke heard his cell phone vibrate and when he opened it he saw that his father had written to him. The boy closed the phone and, getting up from the table, he told Harumi:
« I have to go. You know my phone number, don't you? »
« Yes. »
« Good. Call me if you want to talk a little. I had a great time with you. »
« Hi, Yusuke. » She said, smiling.

How could she tell him? How could she talk about such a horrible thing with her best friend? It was humiliating, it was like being covered in dirt. Harumi felt impure, she felt ugly, she felt dirty with mud and her mood, so dark and heavy, was caused by her uncle: a violent man, without mercy, guided only by the animalistic instinct to do harm.
Harumi was fragile and, closing her eyes, she could remember with her body the pain in her wrists, strangled by a furious grip of a strong man; she remembered the smell of cigarettes coming out of the mouth of that man who breathed in her face like a dog; she remembered the excruciating pain, between her legs, of a forced sexual relationship, without pity and without forgiveness; a wild beast that rages on her every night without asking her anything and paying no attention to her suffering; after each relationship she found herself alone, with her body rich only in trembling and a feeling of weakness and humiliation pouring over her entire being.
How many times had she vomited after a sexual intercourse because of a sour taste that she still had in her mouth?
How many times had she avoided the eyes of her peers for fear that they could read her mind?
How many times had she been about to commit suicide but then hesitated for fear of dying?
How many times have she cried and asked her uncle to stop?
How many times have she had to skip school due to some bruising or some visible injury?
How many times?
Harumi was on the roof of a building with Archer behind her. It was night. The girl was still locked in the cage of her dark memories but then, clenching her fists and gritting her teeth, she remembered why she had chosen to fight the Holy Grail War.
« I want my life back. » She stated.
« Do you want your life? What do you mean? »
« I want my family. This is my desire for the Holy Grail and that is why I chose to fight for it. I want to change things, I want to change my destiny. I don't accept being a victim, I want to win this war! I will succeed or die trying! But I'll never go back to that slimy worm! »
Archer did not know the story of his Master and so he told her:
« So your desire is to change your life, my princess? »
« I'm not a princess, Archer. I am dirty, I was humiliated by a merciless man who abused my body, taking advantage of my weakness. That's why I want to start over. I want to bring my family back to life and eliminate my uncle from my life forever! »
« Master … » Archer was shocked to learn that Harumi had been raped.
« I'm sorry you have to know this about me, I know perfectly well that women like me were unworthy in your time. So … »
« Ah! Master, this is not the way to behave! » Archer exclaimed with a smile.
« Archer? »
« When you summoned me I had already realized that you had a darkened soul, but I have not stopped believing in you and certainly I will not stop now! »
Archer took Harumi's hand, bowed to one knee in front of her and said:
« I'm not interested in the dirt you wear. You will always be my princess. »
Harumi didn't know what to say. Archer kissed her hand and the girl started to cry. Archer looked into her eyes and said:
« I am your weapon, princess, use me to change your destiny. »
« Archer ... thanks … »
Harumi hugged Archer and he returned.

Chapter 24 : A help

Paddington district

In the vicinity of the Victoria pub, Clovis Wolff met a man in his forties who dressed as a Victorian nobleman. This English man shook hands with Clovis and introduced himself:
« I am Sir Bradley Jenkins, I am a member of the Mage's Association. You must be Mr. Wolff,
right? »
« Exactly. I'm glad you agreed to meet me, I have questions to discuss. Follow me. »
The two walked along the streets of the neighborhood. Clovis told Bradley:
« I have had the chance to fight against the other Masters who participate in the Holy Grail War and I admit that I have never felt so alive. I noticed, however, that the Coven also took part in the war. Did you know about it? Do you know what the Coven is? »
« Certainly. »
« Perfect, then I don't think I have to give explanations for the proposal I made on the phone, just before. »
« You want the help of the Mage's Association to ban the Coven member from the war, am I right? Do you think it's a wise move? »
« The Coven is an organization of fanatical assassins, I thought the Mage's Association was against these people. »
« From what I understand also the Rote Mäntel have extremist ideologies. »
« It's not the same thing. »
« It is instead. »
« Damn! Do you realize that the Coven is a danger ?! »
« Mr. Wolff, two years ago I had the opportunity to speak with Grand Master Giovanni Monteverdi X. I had a pleasant discussion and he assured me that the Coven has changed, it doesn't overflow with fanatics like it used to. Now the only ones with too many fanatics among their ranks are the Rote Mäntel. »
« One moment! Are you telling me that the Mage's Association approves the presence of
the Coven?! »
« Obviously we do not have total confidence in the Catholic Church, but every improvement is always welcome. »
« All the Mage's Association agrees? » Clovis asked, unnerved.
« What are you trying to do, Mr. Wolff? Do you want to find a way to easily win
the Holy Grail War? »
« I … »
Clovis didn't know how to answer, Bradley was right. He was only looking for a way to quickly get rid of his rival. He had no intention of clashing with a member of the Coven, because he knew that those magi were really powerful, Alessandro Serpi was proof of this.
Bradley approached Clovis and gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder, then said:
« The Mage's Association already has too many things to think about. The disaster at Regent's Park has alerted us and we will most likely vote for the total destruction of the Holy Grail of London. Forget about cheating and deception, fight this war honestly. Now I have to go, good day. »
« You too. »

Chapter 23 : Sister

It was nine o'clock in the morning. Alessandro Serpi was on the staircase of the art museum known as Tate Britain. He was at the mercy of various emotions: on one hand he was shocked to know he had a half-sister, but on the other hand he was anxious to learn about his father's story.
Kumahira Yukiko reached the foot of the staircase and when she saw Akessandro she raised her hand and greeted him with a smile that seemed sincere. He remained still. He did not return the greeting and,keeping his arms crossed, he approached her with a brusque walk and asked her:
« Why now? »
« I don't understand. » She answered, perplexed.
« It's not a coincidence, is it? You decided to talk to me right now because you want something from me, right? Otherwise all this would make no sense. Do you want to blackmail me somehow? »
« Do you think I'm so wicked, Alessandro? »

« I've already told you: I don't trust you. » 

« Okay, okay, I'll be honest with you but first I need you to know some things, otherwise you won't be able to make a choice. »

« A choice? Which choice are you talking about? » Asked Alessandro, confused.

« Do you want to take a walk? »

« Okay. »

The two set off and in the meantime Yukiko began to explain:

« I belong to an organization known as the New Order of Nidhoggr. Our goal is to destroy the Holy Grail so that no one can use his dark powers. The Grail is corrupt and anyone who tries to use it will destroy the world involuntarily. My bosses believe you are a threat to us, but I don't think so. I see you as a jewel, a Master who can really make a difference in this war. I need your help to succeed in destroying the Holy Grail. »

« I take orders from the Coven. Even if I wanted to help you, I couldn't do it anyway. » 

« I know, in fact I'm not asking you to betray the Coven, but to help me. Neither the Coven nor my leaders will know. Both see us as problems, but we can help each other to reach a common goal: the total destruction of the Holy Grail. »

Alessandro had no intention of destroying the Grail, but at the same time the idea that such an object could bring the apocalypse was not so absurd. He knew, thanks to his studies and his research, that Fuyuki's Holy Grail was very dangerous, so much so that more than once he would have been able to condemn the whole of humanity.

He could not conclude that the Holy Grail of London was as dangerous as that of Fuyuki, but certainly the possibility could not be excluded. Intrigued by Yukiko's speech, he decided to ask, moving on to another topic: 

« Do you hope to get my alliance using our blood bond as a pretext? »

« At least do you believe that I'm your sister? »

« It's hard to believe. »

« See for yourself, then. »

Yukiko took a picture of her as a child together with Alessandro's father from her purse. As soon as the boy recognized his father he was upset, he never expected to really have a half-sister. He returned the photo to Yukiko and asked her, then:

« How did it happen? »

« Our father, after leaving Italy, decided to marry my mother, Kumahira Yumiko. It was he who decided that I should take my mother's surname instead of his, because he didn't want the Coven to know about me. »

« Why? »

« Because the Coven is the reason why our father left Italy. »

« No. »

« Yes. »

« No, you're lying. » 

« No, I'm not lying. He himself told me right here, in London. He told me that the Coven had a problem with him, I don't know which one, but I know he was forced to leave. He traveled for a long time before he lived in Japan. »

« This is too much ... for me, this is too much … » Alessandro said, shocked.

« Alessandro, please try to understand, I don't want to confuse you but I need your help to destroy the Holy Grail. »

« I don't know. I don't know, damn it ... I DON'T KNOW! » Alessandro exclaimed, agitated.

« Please calm down … »

« How? How can I calm down? You're filling me with doubts at once! This is too much for me! You are going to pull me into a vortex that will ruin me ... I ... I need to think about it. »

« Okay, I understand you. Do you want to come to me? »

« No, leave me alone. I need to be alone. »

Alessandro left, tormented by questions and fears.

Summer with Fate / Yggdrasil

After writing twenty-two chapters, we have finally reached the hottest month of the year. I like writing Fate / Yggdrasil a lot and I hope you like it. Sometimes I review the statistics and I see that readers are gradually increasing, which makes me smile. Seriously, to think that in July I started with less than 20 readings and now I'm already over 100 it's really spectacular for me.
I hope readers continue to increase but for now let's stop talking about numbers! We are in August and in the day I will publish chapter twenty-three. So far I'm quite happy with the story but I understand that I have to find a way to make certain characters slightly more interesting. My weaknesses are Harumi and Rybakov for now. But I'll see how to handle them. 😓😓