Chapter 158 : The path (part 3)

 

February 5, 2021 - Day 10

Hisae woke up early that morning, didn't have breakfast and after being in the bathroom she got ready to leave the house and once out she saw Friedrich with Specter, the two were ready to go to London to fight.
« Did you think you were leaving without saying anything? »
« Do you think I'm that crazy? »
« I don't know. What's your plan then? What do you want to do to stop Sheol and Yukiko? »
«I've no idea, but I certainly can't risk taking you with me, Hisae. » Friedrich asserted after closing the hood of the car.
« I knew it. You save my life but you treat me like I'm a burden… very typical of you males. »
« I don't consider you a burden, but you can't deny that ... »
« I don't care. I'm not going to be treated like this. Do you want to be a hero? Just do it. I'm leaving. »
« Hisae, wait! » Friedrich exclaimed trying to stop her.
« Don't touch me! » She splapped him. « I'm not a child and you're nobody to me. I'd rather go home and face my father than stand here like a housewife waiting for her husband. You and I are done. »

« So ... this is a goodbye. »

« It is. Don't try to be sad for me. You don't have to pretend. »

But Friedrich wasn't pretending. He was sincerely sorry for Hisae and wanted to help her but at the same time, in his heart, he knew he couldn't do anything really useful for that girl he knew nothing about. He opened his mouth to say something. He uttered no words.

Hisae turned and walked away from the house. Only then did Friedrich say:

« I just wanted… to wish you good luck. »
« You too. »
Hisae left.
Friedrich returned to take care of the machine and in the meantime his mind was troubled by bad thoughts, he feared Sheol and he was afraid of dying on the battlefield like Archer, or worse he was terrified of seeing Specter die.

« I will face Sheol. » Specter asserted, with a combative look.
« I knew you would say that and I will not object, I will fight by your side until the end. »
« So we will die together? How romantic. »
« We will not die, Glasya-Labolas, I promise you, I'll do everything to make us win. »
Alessandro went out with Saber. The boy's hair had been cut, only a tuft on the left was kept long. He was no longer wearing that priest's suit but a T-shirt. When Friedrich saw him he was slightly shocked, he would never have expected such a look from someone who worked for the Catholic Church and so he commented:
« Do you want to go to a rock concert? »
« Very funny. » He answered sarcastically. « Where is Hisae? »
« She wanted to leave, I can't blame her. Are you two ready to go? »
« Yes. We will fight Yukiko and Berserker. »
« Good. Leave Sheol to us. » 

« Are you sure? »
« Yes, that's Specter's will. She wants to face Sheol and I want to be by her side. »
Hearing those words Saber grieved for Specter and asked her:
« Do you really want to do this, Specter? You don't have to, you know? »
« I know, but I've to do it, I don't do it for glory or for love but for myself, only for myself and for my pride. I want to stop running away. »
« I respect you. » Saber affirmed with a deep look. « What you're doing I respect, regardless of what your fate will be, know that you have my respect and I'm happy to consider you my friend. May the Gods bless you. »
« Well, technically I'm a demon… but I accept every blessing. » Specter joked.
Friedrich took Alessandro aside so as not to disturb the two girls and asked him:
« Were you able to track down Yukiko? »
« Yes, you'll just have to take me to London and I'll take care of the rest. »

« Are you sure? »
« I can easily reach her but I need to have the surprise effect on my side otherwise she will have the advantage. How will you find Sheol? »
« It won't be difficult to find, after all we are talking about a Servant who intends to destroy humanity ... I don't think she's the one who hides. If you're ready we can leave. »
« Yes let's go. »

« One more thing. »

Friedrich hugged Alessandro.

« Be safe, my friend. »

« You too. » 

Friedrich got behind the wheel and Alessandro sat next to him, as soon as the engines were turned on Friedrich maneuvered with the radio:
« I want something that gives us adrenaline, after all we are practically going to die, I need some music. Some real music. »
An electric guitar solo started together with a drums and Friedrich laughed and Alessandro, confused, asked:

« Do you know them? »
« I love this group, it's one of my favorites. Do you know them? »
« No. »
« Motorhead. »
Friedrich turned the volume up to the maximum and started to sing:
« ♫ I don't know what I like; I don’t know what I am, I don’t know where I’m going and I don’t give a damn, I say the world is crazy, know there’s no one to save me, I know a few things baby; I know we're in a jam. Black hole in the sun, I don't like the way we always run. And if your eyes are closed I better stay awake. You sleep like an angel baby, but I know you're truly crazy. And I think that we're grown lazy, waiting for the 

snake. ♫ »*

It was complicated to reach London in a short time due to the presence of the soldiers who checked each car and also because of the endless queues of cars that were leaving the city. Military helicopters and armored vehicles scoured the city, a helicopter was shot down in mid-air by the hand of Sheol who had no problem fighting human soldiers and killing them one by one like ants; she had turned the Holy Grail War into a war against humanity and had to be stopped at any cost.
Friedrich left Alessandro on the street, the two shook hands, probably for the last time and wished each other good luck. The car set off and drove away from Alessandro and Saber who set off for Westminster Abbey.
London had become a hell on earth and the two boys were walking into it knowing they were going to meet certain death.

 

Alessandro Serpi by Bikowolf

 

 * Waiting for the snake, Motorhead

 

Chapter 157 : The path (part 2)

 

Alessandro was in the dining room looking for something to eat but there were only foods that had expired for a couple of years, nothing edible, then he saw a can of tuna that had not yet expired, prepared a dish, opened the can and began to to eat; Saber appeared and commented in an ironic tone:
« Do you eat so as not to think about Sheol? »
« I just failed. »
«I'm sorry. » she said, smiling.
Saber sat next to Alessandro, she was happy to finally be able to treat her Master as a friend but she still had a weight to take off her stomach and so she said, regretfully:
« Days ago I peeked through your things, I was curious to know more about you, I wanted to apologize to you, I'm not the kind of woman who loves to spy it's just that ... »
« Don't worry, it's a thing of the past now, but I think you have some questions for me, don't you? »
« That photo. »
« It has no value, not anymore. It's the memory of a happy family that will never 

return. »
« Are you looking for your father? » she asked, saddened for Alessandro.
« My father died two years ago, at least that's what I was told by the Coven, but that's what I know. The writing behind the photo dates back to when I was still living with my mother, I stopped looking for him … now I just want to forget everything. »
« Your mother too? »
« I've never had a mother. That woman simply gave birth to me, she did nothing else. I've never had a real family and have never been sincerely loved, being a Serpi is like having blood poisoned. »
« Is there one thing I still don't understand, why did your mother leave you to the Coven? »
« Because it was my destiny. » he replied in a flash.
« What does it mean? »

Alessandro cut the tuna in two with the edge of his fork, then separated the two parts.
« There is the Coven and the Church of the Vatican. The Coven is not like the other secret institutions that work for the Vatican, it's a practically independent body which, unlike fanatical Catholics, considers Magecraft a valid tool to fight heretics, but not only that, the Coven has always had its own rules and its own way to manage the members of the organization. » Then, pointing one at a time to the teeth of his fork, he explained: « There are the disciples, the Elders, the Heretic Hunters and finally the Grand Master. The Grand Master is elected by the Elders and to become Elders one must be a member of the Coven for thirty years, while the Heretic Hunters are those particular disciples who have been trained directly by the Grand Master to drive out heretics, demons, pagans and any other enemy of the church. »
« You're not a disciple, right? »
« I was excommunicated, I'm no longer part of the Coven. » Alessandro pointed out.
« Right, sorry ... »
« However, I was technically a disciple, but this sash indicated that I was a little more experienced than a disciple and therefore had some privileges. But this is not the only thing that distinguishes the Coven from the Vatican Church ... there is also the sexual aspect. In fact, members of the Coven can marry and have children but their children must necessarily become members of the Coven themselves. My mother could have, however, not left me in their hands because she wasn't a member of the Coven and therefore had the right to keep me but she didn't and abandoned me. »
« So your father was a member of the organization? »
« Yes. That's why I was destined to join the Coven. »
« But now that's no longer the case. »
« And now my fate is dark. »
« No, you can start over! You are twenty years old! You can do whatever you want! » Saber exclaimed in joy.
« All I want? »

« Yup! You're free, Alessandro! Grab that freedom and become what you wanted to be. »
Alessandro's eyes lit up, it seemed that he had just begun to breathe, he opened his arms, spread them out, as if he were coming out of a shell and like a butterfly he showed his colors in a smile that moved Saber to the point of making her almost cry; the boy ran up the stairs, Saber followed him curiously and saw him take off his clothes and wear a sweatshirt with pants taken from the closet.
« What do you want to do, Master? »
« I'm free, Saber ... and I've just realized it. I'm free. This word ... this feeling ... it's indescribable, it's like air in the lungs, I feel alive, for the first time ... I'm alive. »
He took his old clothes and went back to the dining room where there was a stove, opened it and threw inside the black dress of the Coven.
« Life is mine. »
He took a box of matches, struck a match and threw it on the dress; the flames flared up in a short time and the dress was burned before Alessandro's eyes filled with joy. Saber hugged him and said:
« I'm proud of you. »
« Thanks, Saber, thanks for opening my eyes. »
« This is what friends are for, Master, I will always be by your side. »
« Thanks, but ... now I would like to do something else that may be a little crazy. » Alessandro said, running his hand through his hair.
« What do you want to do? »
« I always hated this anonymous haircut. I want my style, I want something that suits me more, can you help me? »
« Count on me. » she answered giving him a pat on the back. 

 

Alessandro and Saber by Bikowolf