Fate/Atlas

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Necrosis

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The dawn had arrived upon city of Cairo, Magus and Alchemist were getting ready for the upcoming grail war. The church had already sent in it's overseer but they had not told anyone yet who it was. The grail was now getting ready to select it's masters, it had almost gotten enough mana to do so. Yet there was one master and one servant who would be able to make a move before anyone else, Semiramis and her master. Sermiramis had survived the previous war despite not winning. She had waited long for this chance to once again gain the grail war. She could now make her move, plan ahead and scout the area or perhaps do something far more bold.

While Sermiramis was getting ready to make her move, the Atlas institute had already secured the area's with the laylines around the town. They had the best summoning sites and were already in position to capture the grail once it was summoned. The other masters would soon be arriving to town but would not yet be ready to summon their servants. This grail war would be a bloodily one.
 
"Yes... Yes I know. Don't worry so much. Ok, I'll call you as soon as any new development comes through."

She closed her phone and sat back on the chair, enjoying the cool air of the cheap hotel room she was staying in. Samidare Ryou thought it would be all sand and dusty buildings, but Cairo looked to be like any normal city, just in a different location and with different people. Still, it was hotter than what she was used to.

Ryou was here mostly to gather information for her Mentor, though she'd also be up for hire should any of the two sides needed some additional muscle on their side. Granted she was mostly a rune user, but even those can be quite effective depending on usage. She sighed deeply, wondering what will come of this little errand. It didn't seem like something she was suited for but her Mentor insisted she do it and gather experience while doing so.

Still, she did manage to get a hold of some information. Magi were moving in into the city, giving some credence to what her Mentor has heard.

War was coming, and if she played her cards right, she might be walking out wealthier than she started.
 
"Ahhh, nothing compares to enjoying a delicious cup of Earl Grey, while sitting on the comfortable couch of a luxury hotel's Palace Suite, wrapped in the softest bathrobe this world has to offer."

Reines El-Melloi Archisorte had traveled to Cairo, in order to help recover the Grail and bring it back to the Clocktower, before the Alchemists of Atlas could get their hands on it again. Officially, she went because it was her duty, as the head of one of the Clocktower's oldest families, to make sure that an affront like the one during the events of the 4th Grail War would not happen again. Of course, her true reasons were much more selfish.

Not only would the Archibald family rise to even greater highs by achieving victory here, but Reines would also be able to carry on the fight her uncle had not been able to finish, maybe she would even be able to destroy those who were responsible for his death, however the chances for that to happen were quite slim.

"Once this is over, I really need to come here with big brother for an extended vacation and if I have to drag him out of his study by his ear. I just hope the city will still be standing by then. He really should get out of his room more often, don't you think so, too?"

The 'person' she was talking to was, in her opinion, her big brother's second greatest achievement, the Maid Golem developed from the Volumen Hydragyrum mystic code belonging to the late Lord El-Melloi. Not only did he manage to give the blob of mercury a beautiful form, but it was useful for all kinds of things now, like serving tea for example. The only drawback was, that she could not let any normal human see her, as a maid made out of pure quicksilver would draw a lot of unwanted attention. The Maid Golem in turn gave a small nod, in order to answer her mistresses' question and continued to simply stay close to Reines, waiting for new orders, like any proper maid would do.
 
"Oh – I guess…" she said, before blinking, twisting her hand to make sure that she wasn't still asleep. But, no matter how much effort she put into looking at the back of her hand in different ways, the result was the same. An unclear stigmata was now seemingly buried in the back of her hand. This was a "mark of the chosen," a holy mark that signified one's participation in a holy ritual. "- I guess, I am going fight in the Holy Grail War."

Holy Grail War, a competition between seven magi summoning seven Heroic Spirits to obtain the omnipotent vessel, The Holy Grail. It was something Rosalind had no interest half a year and lifetime ago. But just this morning, she had woken up, her bed still scattered with information of the others Masters who had being chosen, and like every other day went to brush her teeth. It was only while brushing her teeth, she discovered her mark while looking in the mirror. For another magi, it was something to celebrated or perhaps mourned over. For Rosalind, there was only relief and in that relief hope, hope for a future.

After brushing her teeth, she left for the dining room. A light breakfast had already been laid out. Considering the day, she decided to forgo the omelet, merely picking at the remaining fava beans and dates. There was also milk, but Rosalind always left the milk untouched. Actually, she was wondering why someone else wasn't at the table this morning, that is until: "Oh, good morning your majesty."

She had gotten up and curtsyed.
 
"You don't mind me smoking do you? Caught this nasty addiction a while back"
"I don't care, it's your taxi. Just, roll down the windows. Please."

Eiji looked around the city he had just arrived in, then at his hand. "it's starting soon..." To be honest he hadn't expected there to be so many people here, that would make an attack during daytime implausible. He relaxed in taxi he was arriving in. He'd seem like a typical business man, so hopefully he wouldn't get noticed right off the bat, plus he had suppressed his mana, though that wasn't something he was particularly used to doing. Eiji figured he could atleast last until he summoned his servant.

"Here we are, Cairo"
"Thanks"

Eiji quickly got out, he wasn't really a fan of cigarettes. He headed toward the nearest hotel. "Wait. I doubt every other is from here..." They would stay at a hotel too, wouldn't they? Damn. He should've asked to be dropped off at the place he was renting instead. Eiji sighed. He could walk there, in this scorching sun... However he was hungry, and that came first.

Good thing he transferred some of his money.

Eiji headed toward a restaurant while checking out the scenery of the city.

He couldn't help but think about the grail. Why he was there to get it, what its purpose was, it stung at him. He just hoped nobody malicious got a hold of it.
 
"Egypt... Bloody Egypt... Could have been America, Japan, Norway... Hell, even Russia. But nope, bloody Egypt..."
David was not best pleased by where he had been forced to go in order to participate in the battle for the Holy Grail. Sure, there were worse places to be, and the exchange rates weren't terrible, but David just couldn't tolerate the weather. He was constantly fanning himself with a leaflet for some tourist trap and sipping from a bottle of lukewarm water, but nothing seemed to be remedying the heat's effect on him - and his searing hatred of it.

He took some small solace in the fact that he had reached the hotel, however. It was by no means the height of luxury, but it was affordable and his friend that had stayed there said that the conditions weren't terrible. As long as the cleaners were left a tip. All David wanted out of it at that point in time was a bed, running water - cold, preferably - and air conditioning. Wearily, he checked himself in, and got into the elevator. He had a feeling that the heat would get him before another master could even think to.
 
After the cold shower, she left small stones in the corners of her room, each one etched with a rune. Individually, the stones were merely pebbles with some scratchings on them, but when gathered together and arranged, she made a bounded field that defended her against magecraft, as well as from prying eyes. Drying her hair, she looked out the window, gazing upon the city.

If what she knew of the magus and the church still holds true, they both would be securing leylines for their own uses, whether for large scale rituals, or simply denying their opponents those places, so those areas would be very highly guarded and warded. If not, there would be hired guns on site instead. Both were equally troublesome, but she had her ways. All she had to do was identify which site uses what, gather what information she could on both sides, and see which side her Mentor would.... negotiate with, and then she would deliver the information and serve them as some extra muscle if need be.

Ryou sighed. Being a rogue magi wasn't as easy and glamorous as she had thought it would be.

Putting on her usual suit and cap, she exited the hotel.

***
​
Carefully cutting out a small piece of the cake with her spoon, she looked at her watch as she put the piece in her mouth.

As of now, she had only scouted out the immediate surrounding areas by the hotel, and nothing more. Ryou initially planned to do a sweep of the city by grid, but decided against it. It would be noticed much faster than if she was wandering aimlessly. Plus, she found this great cafe that serves good drinks.

She flinched suddenly, surprised by the sharp pain on her hand. It was a good thing she had already put down her coffee, else it would have been all over her clothes from the way her hand was shaking. Keeping her face neutral, she wondered briefly whether she had been hit with some sort of curse as she took off her left glove.

Ryou stared at the red mark on the back of her hand.

"Eh?"​
 
After sipping the last drops of tea out of her cup, she put it back on the table for the maid to take it away, while Reines made her way to the bedroom to get dressed. She slipped out of her bathroom robe, threw it on her bed and started to slowly put on her black panties and bra, followed by her stockings and the rest of her outfit. She thought about putting on her coat as well, but quickly decided against the one with the fur parts, as it would, even though it looked more noble, most likely cause unladylike amounts of sweat to pour from her skin and instead put on the short sleeved one and her beret. Meanwhile the Maid Golem had finished cleaning the tea cup and returned to Reines side, where it promptly started to fold up the bathrobe into a neat little package.

"Having you by my side is really a big help, it's almost sad that I'll have to give you back once we're done here. Maybe I should make my own Maid Golem at some point in the future. Anyways, would you be so kind and get back into the test tube for now? I want to go sightseeing a bit, before the big thing goes down and I'd rather not go out without my bodyguard, while we don't know what kind of traps Atlas might have prepared for us."

With a nod the Marrow of the Moon Spirit carried out its mistresses' order and let itself flow into the test tube, which was able to contain all of the silver liquid, even though it seemed much too small for it. Reines was also able to easily carry it, thanks to a weigh reducing enchantment that had been casted on the tube and stored it away safely in a pocket on the inside of her coat. Now ready to face any danger that the world could throw at her, she walked out of her suite and took the elevator down to the ground floor, taking a taxi to reach her destination afterwards.


Al Azahr Park definitely was the right choice if you wanted to enjoy a peaceful walk with a beautiful view over Cairo. After climbing a set of stairs, Reines decided to rest on a bench near a small pond. While she was watching two birds fight over a worm, a sudden stinging pain drew her attention to her right hand, where a set of red sigils she knew all too well had appeared.

'Ha! So it is finally time to show the world that my family is still one of the mightiest in the world. The Grail really took its time with the selection this time around....maybe that's because none of the three families seem to be around. Well, time to start with the preparations.'

With a grin on her face, Reines proceeded to break the two, still fighting, birds' necks with a spell when she was sure that nobody was looking. After the double murder had taken place, she picked the dead birds up and started to search for a remote place, where she could carry out the ritual without being disturbed.[/hr]
 
The meal filled Eiji up beyond belief. Did everywhere else aside from Japan and Sino have such large meals? He chuckled, maybe coming here could help replenish his to be servant's mana. Outside he noticed that the number of people out had diminished a bit and began to hoof it to the place he rented.

. . .

Once inside he looked around, it was already furnished. Perfectly normal, but frankly Eiji was a bit creeped out. Atleast the place smelled exotic... He set his belongings down and took his jacket off, he started to relax, then received a stinging pain on his right hand.
"What the hell?" He examined his had to find a sigil. "Oh... I'll begin then." Eiji searched his bag before getting up. "Great, its still there..." He needed to find somewhere in the house for him to summon his servant... Perhaps the basement could suffice. Things were less likely to get smashed to bits that way.

It was rather clean aside from a few decorative decisions they decided to put in. Eiji moved them out of the way and proceeded to put down his bag, now open for when he decided to place his relic.
"Alright"
Eiji took a deep breath...
It was time to begin the summoning.
 
She paced around her room, speaking worriedly into her phone. "Yes! Yes, I'm very serious!"

Her Mentor didn't seem to take the news of the mark on her hand very well. Ryou didn't either. She'd had been prepared for some skirmishes perhaps, perhaps guarding an area once she sold some information to either side, and perhaps the occasional supporting role in battle, but not actually being in the middle of a war, much less this Grail War she had just learned about.

"Alright. Yes, thank you. If there is anything you can do to help, please do. I really didn't expect to be thrusted into this role myself."

Finally exchanging goodbyes, she closed her phone and started drawing the last bits of the magical circle for the ritual. It was mostly made out of a mixture she made out of her blood and quicksilver. From what her master told her, the incantation wasn't really necessary as the actual Grail would handle the summoning. Her room was sufficiently proofed against most mundane spying and magical scrying methods, so there should be no risk of anyone finding out what she was doing.

Taking in a deep breath, she started chanting regardless of whether it was needed or not; the circle glowing with a reddish hue that grew in intensity the longer she chanted.

Hopefully she could get a someone competent.
 
"Nobody ever wants to lend me supplies... Have to find everything yourself these days... Tossers."
The stream of mumbled complaints coming from David were varied, to say the least. Some were about the weather, some about the supplies he was having to use in order to summon his servant, some were even about the fact that he had decided to enter in the first place - despite him doing so of his own volition. Nevertheless, he worked diligently, making the summoning circle as accurately as he could. He briefly considered how lucky it was that one of his old work associates had agreed to let him use one of their warehouses, but he had more important things to worry about at that point in time.

David took a swig out of his bottle, and waited. His magic wouldn't be at its peak for a while, and there were still other preparations to take care of. He wondered who he would be stuck with this time around - he only hoped that they would actually bother to cooperate with him. If there was one thing he hated, it was somebody that didn't understand what being on a team meant. Not that he would be able to stop them doing whatever they pleased - he could only command them to do something so many times, and that was for an emergency.

He coughed - the water was lukewarm.
 
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