Fate/Apocrypha - Volume 1

by Yuichiro Higashide

  By stealing from the Einzberns and other great alchemical houses, they have learned techniques that, to an expert, would be considered child's play - but that is more than enough to create living batteries meant only to act as a prana supply.

  The Yggdmillennia have staked everything on this one Holy Grail War and they, the homunculus, were the key.

  However costly the Noble Phantasm, they are there to replenish the prana instantly. This also leaves the Masters free to use their own thaumaturgies to the fullest without consideration for supplying their Servants.

  For both Masters and Servants, this is the best possible situation... putting aside those behind the black putting down their very lives.

  "That's right... I can't help any of them."

  Saving them is a pipe dream. He can only shrug off their cries. After all, he does not even know what will become of himself.

  * * *

  It was the calm before the storm. The Masters and Servants at the Fortress of Millennia were spending what little free time they had left.

  Ever since his summoning, it became Archer's task to push Fiore's wheelchair. Even compared to the others, the two had a great affinity for one another. Fiore has complete trust in Archer and spends nearly every waking hour with him.

  "Are these what you wanted?"

  "Yes, thank you."

  Fiore took one more look at the medicinal solution Archer handed her, before swallowing it in one gulp. It was a painkiller that helped reduce the ache in her lifeless legs. As a side effect, the drug overwhelms her with drowsiness. It should be all right to rest for a while, she decided.

  As she waited for the medicine to take effect, it suddenly occurred to her that there was one important question she never asked her own Servant.

  "Archer... now that I think about it, I've never asked you what exactly your wish is."

  Fiore has yet to ask him what is likely the most important matter to the Servant - what they wish from the Grail. She tried asking him at the very beginning, but according to Archer: 'it is something small, and will cause none any trouble. Let us speak of it at a later time.'

  At the time, Fiore put the matter on hold, as Archer is possibly the only Servant for whom integrity is a matter of pride, but as the skirmishes will soon begin, she feels it is time to know the answer.

  "You mean that which I would ask of the Holy Grail? It... would be a lie to say that I have none."

  Archer looked somewhat troubled, reluctant to speak. Among the 'Black' camp, it is Lancer's wish which is given the highest priority. While every Servant has their own intentions and will be watching for a chance to make their wish upon the Grail, that ultimately requires the victory of this Great War. They must first focus their attention on the battle with the 'Red' camp.

  Perhaps Archer was concerned that openly speaking of his own wish might lead to friction in the 'Black' camp. Fiore shook her head and assured him otherwise.

  "You don't need to worry. I won't tell anyone. I am your Master... of course I will place your wish above all else."

  "Thank you, Master... and I hope that you will not find my answer laughable."

  "Of course not."

  Archer lowered his face in faint embarrassment.

  "It is naught but my own selfishness... but I wish for the Gods to return that which they had granted me."

  "The Gods...? Do you mean...?"

  "Yes... I wish to have returned the immortality I passed to Prometheus."

  Naturally, Fiore had done some reading on Chiron's legend after summoning him. From his uncommon birth to his tutelage of many a hero, Chiron left behind many legends - but most famous of all is the episode which led to him becoming the constellation of Sagittarius.

  Caught in a conflict between the hero Heracles and his fellow Centaurs, Chiron was mistakenly shot by Heracles with an arrow tipped in the Hydra's poison.

  Being immortal, Chiron could not die and so continued to suffer the agony of the poison. In the end, he passed on his immortality to Zeus to give to Prometheus, and finally died in peace. Lamenting his passing, Zeus gave him a place in the sky as the Archer.

  "I do not miss my immortality - but it is a gift to me from my father and mother. Relinquishing it is a denial of everything I am."

  The man quietly spoke of his own yearning.

  "But, Archer, your parents..."

  Fiore quickly shut up; speaking any more would bring him shame. According to legends, Chiron was born between the patron of harvest and earth, Cronus, in the form of a horse, and the nymph Philyra. Ashamed of her offspring's appearance - half man and half horse - Philyra was transformed into a linden tree.

  Chiron's father and mother never loved him; he himself must know this better than anyone else.

  Archer calmly looked straight into Fiore's eyes, his gaze unwavering.

  "It is true... they never loved me. But it is proof that their blood flows through my veins, and I wish to have it returned."

  He murmured, looking rather apologetic.

  "I cannot deny that it is a selfish wish. It changes nothing for me to become immortal once more. But..."

  It was the leanest of bonds which connected him to them.

  "Archer... my own wish is much the same. I only want to use the Grail to heal my legs."

  Fiore Forvedge Yggdmillennia's disability deeply affects her thaumaturgy. Her Magic Circuits exist in her two legs - but a malformation in the Circuits since birth has led to the two limbs completely ceasing to function, sometimes causing her unbearable pain.

  Of course, it is possible to heal them. However, it would involve removing the Circuits in her legs. In other words, it would mean giving up the life of a magus.

  Studying the arts of human engineering and spiritual evocation, Fiore has learned ways to replace the functions of her legs. Her evocations can take up the tasks of her limbs, and she would be able to fly with a broom. But those are not the same as walking on her own two feet. Yet, as the successor of the Forvedge house, she cannot - and will not - abandon her thaumaturgy.

  That is why she can only depend upon the Grail to keep her Magic Circuits as they are, and take back the full function of her legs. Yes... her wish is simply one of luxury.

  "I see. You wish for a miracle so that you need not sacrifice either."

  "That's right... my own desires are a trifle compared to your earnest wish. It's shameful, isn't it? How low of me."

  "Do you think so? I can understand both the weight of abandoning one's craft, and the joy of standing on your own two feet upon Gaia. You need not feel ashamed."

  But this is exactly why, thought Fiore.

  She knew in her heart that voicing her wish would lead to Archer comforting her like this. She did not lie, of course. That truly was her wish - and she truly did think of it as nothing more than a luxury. However, she had decided as a magus to acquire that omnipotent wish-granter. There was no reason to phrase it in such a feeble way, as though to invite pity.

  But that was how she spoke of her own desires: timidly, without confidence, and with shame. Why would she feel like that about the condition she was born with? She acted modest and graceful to avoid expressing how she truly felt. She never thought she would feel shame in such an act... until now.

  "Thank you, Archer."

  Said Fiore, blushing. She wanted Archer to praise her, more than anyone else. She wanted him to place a hand on her head, and whisper kind words into her ear. But she hated herself for unconsciously attempting to elicit sympathy.

  Yes... how low of me.

  Still, she smiled at Archer's words. Carrying this feeling in her heart - something that is not affection or love, something seemingly pure and yet slightly twisted - Fiore closed her eyes softly.

  "I can feel the medicine working, Archer. You can take your leave."

  "Yes, Master."

  Without a sound, Archer left Fiore's room.

  ---

  Chapter 3-6

  ---

  Caules Forvedge
Yggdmillennia never wanted to join the Holy Grail War in the first place. As a matter of fact, he had not even wanted to be a magus.

  He does like thaumaturgy itself - it isn't everyday one can have the pleasure of holding absurd, scientifically impossible phenomena in one's own hands. But he never wanted to devote his entire life to it.

  Besides, magi are humans who become something less - they become truly inhuman. Frankly, he did not want to be exposed to the world as some monster who would massacre thousands for the sake of research, like magi used to in medieval times.

  A magus is a seeker, removed from sentimentality, compassion and other such kind words. The path was not one that Caules had wanted to walk.

  The reason why Caules began to study thaumaturgy is just as laughable; he exists only as a 'spare' for Fiore. Not that Caules does not want this for himself. The fate of their entire clan is a heavy burden to shoulder, but the only thing required of him is to study his craft, which is simple enough.

  Months passed as Fiore became the head of the Forvedge family and, eventually, approached the highest seat of the entire Yggdmillennia clan. It was then that Caules also decided to explore other avenues. He can either spend the rest of his life as a piddling magus who never accomplished a thing - or he can pursue a different life. That was when the Holy Grail War came out of the blue, bearing down upon him.

  At first, he was to serve as back-up to Fiore. However, when he arrived at Romania, signs of the Command Spells began to manifest. Caules no longer had a say in the matter - he must participate in the Holy Grail War as a Master, no matter how much the begrudging glares of the other, more experienced magi bothered him.

  As luck would have it, they quickly acquired the holy relics needed as a catalysts. Fiore was able to buy Frankenstein's blueprints off a freelance magus she was acquainted with.

  The summoning itself was a success. Even the biggest bottleneck for Servant Berserker - its great expenditure of prana - has a solution in the provision of homunculi, and her own Noble Phantasm being able to assist in the prana supply.

  There is only one problem left now.

  "Is she... really that strong?"

  It is a simple but extremely important question. The Mad Enhancement rank of Berserker - true name Frankenstein - is surprisingly low. While having lost most of her linguistic ability, she can still separate friend and foe, and is able to communicate simple ideas.

  However... he hadn't the faintest idea as to why Frankenstein, a giant of a man who should have stood over two meters tall - appeared in the form of a young girl - and a lovely one, at that. What happened to Boris Karloff or Robert de Niro? At first, he thought he had summoned the bride by accident, but there was no mistaking it; it seems that she truly is Frankenstein - or, more correctly, the homunculus created by Frankenstein.

  Can this girl fight? That is what troubles Caules at the moment.

  Paying no heed to the burden of the Master, the girl preferred to remain in material form, wandering the castle. Of course, Caules had the authority to order her into either form, but he would prefer not to force the issue and spoil her mood (after which her sullen moans would begin to echo in his head).

  As a result, the Master is letting his own Servant be.

  ...Not that there is any chance of her running wild. She spent most of her time in the garden, picking at flowers or looking at the sky. Sometimes, Rider would try to talk to her, though she rarely responded - and even when she did deal with him, it was out of annoyance.

  caules took some pride to being a Master. If they could communicate, they ought to have a proper talk. If possible, he wanted her to understand the hierarchy of Master and Servant.

  And so, Caules resolved to speak with the Berserker of the Black.

  Moving to the courtyard, he found Berserker picking flowers in the garden. It would be a lie to say he didn't find the scene somewhat ominous, but Caules made a small sound of encouragement to himself before stepping forward.

  "H-Hey, there."

  Caules started with a wave of his hand and a light greeting. Berserker gave her Master a fleeting glance before turning her back on him. She clearly decided to ignore him, which annoyed him somewhat, but nothing would be served by him leaving now. He should take a firm stance and speak with her properly.

  He took a deep breath... and said his first words to her.

  "Uh, I just wanted to say... sorry."

  He bowed his head in apology, his intentions of authority betraying him. Berserker looked at Caules once again.

  "I mean, for back when I just sort of blurted out your true name."

  "Uuuu..."

  She gave a sudden moan of displeasure. So that is what's bothering her, Caules realized. It seemed Berserker felt some frustration towards herself.

  "We won't know if they come back as enemies next time. So, I'm sorry."

  "Uu..."

  Berserker nodded. Her mutters did not sound as annoyed as they did before. Perhaps she felt assured after finding out that Caules understood what followed the Holy Grail War.

  "Anyway, that's why I think we should just focus on surviving this Holy Grail War. What about you?"

  Berserker, grasping the flower in her hand tightly, nodded wordlessly to show her agreement.

  "Well, let's start by getting to know ourselves, then."

  "...?"

  Berserker tilted her to one side. Caules explained.

  "I looked up some details on you before the summoning. But legends aren't always correct, and a single difference can lead to a critical situation. So, that's why I am going to tell you what I know about you, and you are going to correct me."

  Berserker bowed her head, surprisingly earnest.

  Victor Frankenstein was a student of the science of nature. Obsessed with the delusion of creating the 'ideal human', he spent two years on a patchwork of lifeless flesh, and succeeded in giving life to it.

  His ideal was to give birth to a wise and beautiful human being, perfect in every way. However, what he created was an repulsive monster. In terror, Frankenstein disassembled her again and left it all behind...

  But even in pieces, the monster still lived. Reconnecting and repairing itself, the monster doggedly pursued the escaping Frankenstein to Geneva, Switzerland - a great chase built on hatred and admiration.

  She appealed to Frankenstein, whom she looked up to as a father.

  I never wanted to trouble you... but when you created me, you made me as only me.

  I am all alone, and it's painful... it's agonizing... it hurts. So, please, just one more. Please, create one more of me. If anyone can, it is you.

  Please... give me a mate.

  Frankenstein flatly refused. It was not a matter of can or cannot. He had placed his entire focus on creating the homunculus before his eyes - and the result was the birth of a hideous creature. It was unthinkable to even consider creating a second.

  Stopping for a moment, Caules glanced at Berserker. He did not understand whether Victor Frankenstein had possessed a twisted sense of beauty - or the girl possessed within her a foulness inconcealable despite her external beauty.

  As the doctor denied it again and again, the monster grew to realize the truth, and fell into deep despair.

  But, no matter what, it must have him create another.

  So the monster killed: those acquainted with Frankenstein, those who had no relation whatsoever, and, in the end, even Frankenstein's beloved fiancee. And yet, Frankenstein continued to flee from the monster, denying it to the end.

  The young man overflowing with livelihood and brilliance was long gone. With the frailty of an old man, Frankenstein died in madness, bitterly regretting it all until his last breath.

  The monster no longer had anyone to hate. The man whom the monster looked up to no longer existed.

  She parted with Walton, the man who watched over Frankenstein's final moment, and traveled to the uttermost north. Then, she built herself a pyre and was consumed by the flames.

 
May my ashes be scattered across the seas...

  So ended the monster born from the delusions of Frankenstein.

  Caules concluded his tale of Berserker's previous life. She had not interrupted him once. Was it all correct, or did she simply not care?

  "So... your wish, Berserker, is a mate that is the same kind of being as you, right?"