The night air was chilled and the sounds of crickets filled the air as a group of men made their way up the road towards the great stone steps of the temple ahead.
With a snap of a finger the man furthest ahead signalled for five of them to stand guard near the stony walkway, the rest of them followed the main figurehead then turned off the main path and into the bush.
His research into the area was vast having spent years looking into each and every possibility. After receiving confirmation just last month he immediately set forth planning the trip and gathering a posse of magi ready to follow his every order.
Past rows of trees and through the bushes he made his way while also using his outstretched to clear any troublesome plants that dare stood in his path. The rest of them followed directly behind in a single file line so as to not get lost.
They came in the dead of the night so as not to attract any unwanted attention, they would finish their mission swiftly before anyone else caught onto their plan. This was the path he had chosen, and he would see it through till the end.
After a few minutes had passed the small sound of a trickling stream began to emerge, holding his hand up the lead one stopped in his tracks and began to look around.
“Here, it should be here somewhere…”
Though it had been over fifteen years since his last visit he remembered each and every leyline though the memories had faded a great deal since then. While there was one that led up the great stone path towards the temple he knew of a second hidden route. One that would lead him to the source of this city’s strength.
“Ah there it is.”
Near the small stream was a tiny entrance barely large enough for one man to fit through at a time. Signalling for the group to move once more he made his way through and into the darkness.
With a snap of his finger a bright silver light flickered forth from the man’s finger, a few of the mean behind him followed suit their hands lighting up to reveal the dank and dark entrance that laid before them.
Slowly they began to make their way through, the sounds of the insects had long faded away, replaced by the occasional trickle of water that flowed beneath their boots.
No one was sure how much time had passed as they made their way through the small tunnel before them. Eventually however, it slowly began to open up until they finally made their way onto the grand opening directly beneath the mountain.
Compared to the place they had just left the cavern was enormous stretching for miles and miles before them. The place was ripe with magical energy and every breath of the air invigorated the entire group, but that was not what interested them.
At the very back of the huge cave lay a shape that glowed an eerie purple, just judging from the distance between the group and the object it must have been huge. But before they could move another step a voice interrupted them.
“Well if it isn’t the esteemed Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald, by what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?”
It was a voice Kayneth knew all too well, one he remembered even after fifteen years of absence and one he almost regretted betraying.
“Zouken Matou! Or should I say Makiri Zolgen? You were one of the few I’ve found most difficult to slip by. If you are here then I assume you know exactly why we are here.”
“Fervor, mei sanguis.”“Indeed, but I must warn you, what you attempting to claim is not within your jurisdiction. This land belongs to the Tohsaka, and you dare to involve yourself without notifying them first? I believed you to be a closer follower of protocol.”
“пробуждать.”“You know as well as I do, that protocol means far less here than it does near the Clocktower. And besides, would it have made a difference?”
“Perhaps… But having received such a rude awakening I feel that I should follow with my own.”
“рой.”
Out of darkness came the wall of worms, they surrounded both Kayneth and crew from all sides. Though the group remained calm for the moment they were beginning to worry as the worms began to inch closer and closer to them, but Kayneth would not succumb to such a simple trick, he was ready for such.
“Inflari!”
From his jacket emerged the silver liquid, it came forth quickly oozing to the ground where it then began to expand, first past the others who stared at it in amazement and then towards the walls of worms where it met them head on.
And thus the fight began, a battle of will and pure magical capacity. Kayneth’s newly refined Volumen Hydrargyrum Recognitum against Zouken’s nearly infinite horde of worms.
Against the mercury the worms attempted to absorb it’s magical energy but it had been reinforced over and over again with an insane amount of enchantments. All their attempts to consume were reflected.
But the Volumen was not having any easier of a time, it held them back but their numbers were too large, it could do no more than that.
“So tell me Kayneth, do you remember that night? The night your life changed? I was watching you know. I was always watching, I saw as your Servant betrayed both you and your so called ‘fiance’ when he ignited taking both her and you with him I almost pitied you. Oh wait, I believe that was laughter, not pity. The sight was so enjoyable I was even generous enough to alert the oncoming group of magi to your location, how nice of me, kekekekeke.”
“Ah, so that’s how they found me so quickly, I never knew.”
“Exactly, but allow me to enlighten you some more, when you asked for your wish you used a substitute for the vessel. Do you know what this meant?”
“I believe I do not, but I have a feeling where this is going, so please continue onwards.”
“I’m sure you’ve felt it as of late, you are far too much tied to his place now, the slight burning sensation on your hand. That could only mean one thing.”
“The Grail has received enough magical energy? But it hasn’t even been close enough to the sixty years required.”
“Who said it always needed sixty? With no true wish granted only a small amount of energy was lost, enough so that only fifteen years was needed. So do you know what this means?”
“Set set...”
It was a light shined in Kayneth’s head, he immediately realized what was about to happen, he wouldn’t stand a chance like this no matter how many of these ordinary men he had, he had to act quickly. Retrieving a second small vial of silver liquid from his coat he began pouring it on the ground signaling for the men to pour magical energy into the circle as he drew.”
“...Set set.”
“Let thy body rest under my dominion, let my fate rest in thy blade.”
Thanks to his expertise in the field the circle was quickly drawn, yet he wasted no time in beginning a chant of his own, but he had to focus if he allowed anything to distract him for even a moment both his defenses and the ritual would crumble.
"If thou submitteth to the call of the Holy Grail, and if thou wilt obey this mind, this reason, then thou shalt respond.”
“Set set set set.”
He almost regretted conceiving such a complex ritual here and now, but the burning in his hand and the echoes of his foe casting the same ritual left him with few other options.
“I make my oath here. I am that person who is to become the virtue of all Heaven. I am that person who is covered with the evil of all Hades.”
“Let thy body rest under my dominion, let my fate rest in thy blade.”
In the distance past the two magical fields the ground began to rumble as the casting neared its completion for one of them.
“Thou seven heavens, clad in a trinity of words, come past they restraining rings, and be thou the hands that protect the balance!”
"If thou submitteth to the call of the Holy Grail, and if thou wilt obey this mind, this reason, then thou shalt respond.”
The empty circle in front of him began to glow in a calm silver lighting the entire mercury dome that covered them. Carefully, Kayneth began to retrieve the tightly wrapped package inside his jacket. He never left anywhere without it, after all who knows what could happen? Ripping it open he threw the well kept glove into the shining circle, just as a roar echoed at the far of the cavern.
“Rider, kill them all.”
“AaaaaRRRRRR!”
“I make my oath here. I am that person who is to become the virtue of all Heaven. I am that person who is covered with the evil of all Hades.”
Just a few seconds left until the ritual was completed, he only needed to hold out for a few seconds more, luckily for Kayneth the worms had ceased their attack but the ground began to shake even harder and it wasn’t from his circle alone. With a wave of his hand the mercury withdrew itself and focused into a wall directly in front of both him and his group.
“Thou seven heavens, clad in a trinity of words, come past they restraining rings, and be thou the hands that protect the balance!”
His wall fell immediately to the charging boar, yet before it could meet Kayneth head on they were both consumed in the bright flash of light.
A Lesson in Magical Theory - Second Chances (A Retelling of the Fifth Holy Grail War)
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My hero is:
Bram Archibald - The Upstart Magus
Sakura Emiya - The Wandering Child
Shirou Nosuke - The Immature Bandit
My servant is:
Caster - The Servant of Tactics, Hatred, or Revenge
Berserker - The Servant of Combat, Hatred, or God
Assassin - The Servant of Magic, Judgement, or Wishes
Hello everyone! After taking a bit of a break from my work I come to you yet again with the sequel to my long awaited Kayneth story!
This particular story takes place fifteen years after the events of Kayneth Quest where events begin to spiral out of control for our poor nobleman. You guys take on the role of one of three characters as listed above while summoning one of the three choices, with the story continuing from their perspective.
One thing to note is that the servants are different for them all so no Assassin is the same, no Berserker is the same and the same for Caster. Whichever one you guys pick the other two will receive the last two Servants, simple enough right?
Oh also, your choice will also determine the results of everyone else’s Servants so pick wisely! There will be canon Servants as well as non-canon Servant so don’t think you know everything from the start.
Finally this is actually going to be a simultaneous story hosted on both Beasts Lair and Mike’s Dark Side of the Moon forum. For a link to that thread you can find it here:
http://forums.nrvnqsr.com/showthread.php/5358-A-Lesson-in-Magical-Theory-Second-Chances-%28A-Retelling-of-the-Fifth-Holy-Grail-War%29I’m not one to talk much more than this so I’ll end it here, but if you have any questions at all feel free to ask and I’ll do what I can to answer, so let the choices begin!
