Return to the Greater Grail

"It's certainly less crude than the legend, something I'm personally all too familiar with." She nodded her head in introduction.

"Aspadzomai, I am Medea of Colchis, and among our number is Atalanta, the Huntress of Artemis. How interesting that our stories entwine again, no? I don't suppose either of you take kaffe?" She gave a light but kind smile.

"Mmmnnnn..." Berserker growled as it briefly looked at Atalanta and back at Medea. He growled again softly.

"He says no thanks!" Illya happily translated. "And I prefer tea."

Phillipus raised his brows. "Oh, drat! I made tea, I wish I'd thought to bring some." With a flourish, a steaming mug with decals of lace and soft pink hearts appeared in Medea's hands, smugness written across her face. Phillipus snorted quietly and continued.

"At any rate, I must admit I'm impressed and feel lucky to be among such esteemed legends. A minot-" Medea's elbow wedged itself sharply between his ribs and he coughed shortly with a wince. "The, er, son of Minos is a clear choice for a Berserker and an appreciated ally." Astolfo quirked his head to the side in confusion.

"Is 'minotaur' a bad word? Can we not say that? He's the Minotaur of the labyrinth!" The remaining color drained away from Phillipus's face as Medea pressed her hands over her mouth.

As soon as the "M" word left Astolfo's mouth, Berserker's muscles tensed up. He let out a deafening, beastly roar as two massive axes appeared in his hands.

Illya gasped, and she and her fellow homonculus hung on tight as the Servant leapt forward, clearing the distance between him and Astolfo as fast as only a Heroic Spirit could. Fran swept in to help defend Astolfo as Berserker raised one axe over his head.

"ASTERION!"

Berserker froze mid-swing, a wake of wind. Though he certainly wasn't much faster than an average Servant, that swing clearly would have had immense power behind it.

The red in Illya's eyes, staring down at her Servant, was intense, almost glowing. Berserker dutifully lowered his axe, and Illya relaxed.

"Let's avoid using that word, shall we?" she sighed. "It's kind of a sore spot for him."

Atalanta chuckled at Astolfo's gaffe. She leaned down and softly mentioned why being so forthright with his identity might be a bad idea. She also kept her eye on the creature, ready to defend anyone if need be, and rightly so. She slipped in front of Astolfo as well, next to Fran, bow at the ready, but was not forced to release her arrow as Ilya took control of the thing.

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Back at the theater, Avalon was hastily getting dressed. The message had come quite suddenly to them that it was time for the cleansing. She had thought everyone had wanted to sleep in! She felt a little dumb for expecting to sleep in during the grail war, but considering the circumstances...

Scathatch sat waiting for her master and Avalon. She went over her spear, cleaning and sharpening it. Though the weapon was magical, she found a calm in tending to her weapon.

As well as Atalanta jumping before them, a barrier shimmered between Phillipus and Asterion, Astolfo pulled in tight. The mage sighed when the axe halted, and he lightly bopped the top of Astolfo's head.

"Be careful, running your mouth like that gets you in trouble and you know it." He pulled a handkerchief out of his robes and handed it to the small Rider, who wiped his face and messily blew his nose, tears already in his eyes.

"I c-can't help it!" Astolfo peeped at Asterion over the hankie. "I'm s-sorry, I won't do it again, I promise..."
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Saber had been practicing maneuvers with a blade made of tied strips of bamboo against a sturdy mannequin. Their mind had been too distracted, their thoughts too loose. No matter how much... How much they wanted to let go... It was still their birthright, wasn't it?

A hard thrust towards the mannequin knocked it over, hitting the ground with a clatter loud enough to wake them from their melancholy. With a sigh, they sat down on a crate with their forehead cradled in their hand. Cold metal lightly nudged at their arm, Mari at their side with a can of bubbly juice.

"We gotta go to the cleansing thingy. You ready?"

"Yes, thank you." Saber took the can and snapped it open. Mari's lightly closed fist tapped against their arm, and when Saber looked back, the girl gave them a supportive thumbs up. It was enough to make them smile, just a little, before the white armor materialized and snapped around them.

The group gathered and headed out, making their way to the temple. They didn't make any extra stops, so by bus they made it to the temple in a little under an hour. Avalalon waved as she entered with Mordred, "Hey everyone! You ready to get this thing cleansed?"

Berserker nodded slowly to Astolfo's apology, seeming to appreciate it. "Mmmn..."

After the newest pair of Servants arrived, Assassin promptly shimmered into existence not far from the group already waiting there. She smiled. "This should be interesting."

Fran bristled again at the Servant's uninvited presence, but Yui calmed her with a hand on her shoulder. Once again, everyone was here. Ten Heroic Spirits in one place. Currently, Saber, Lancer, and Assassin were the only ones whose identities she didn't know. She wondered who they could be. Saber was clearly a knight, as Sabers usually were, but that didn't narrow it down much.

Alexander had been prepared to defend his fellow Rider if need be, but it had proved not to be necessary. He crossed his arms and stood attentively in the background while everyone else chit-chatted and settled in. Even Assassin's sudden appearance didn't rattle him... much.

Daichi's eyes lingered on Alexander, though, since both men wound up pretty much doing the same thing, up until Yui's calming gesture drew their attention. At that point, Daichi strode forward. "Just to confirm, the plan is to draw the Grail's presence out and into this homunculus? I suggest putting up some protective wards, at the very least." He turns his head and gives Atalanta and Kirei a pointed look.

Atalanta responded to DAICHI with a confident smirk.

"Well...it seems everyone is in attendence! Let's get started!" Lazarus motioned for Medea and Daichi to lead them down to the greater grail. As soon as he arrived, he indeed began placing several wards, including one on the doorway that could be activated by the last person through. Carlotta and Avalon assisted and Atalanta took up watch in the place most conducive to shooting lots of arrows.

Daichi assists with the wards in any way Lazarus requires, asking questions about any spell he's not familiar with. Once that's done, he has no more objections.

Illya stepped to the front of the group, putting Phillipus' homonculus into position in front of her. She took a deep breath.

“I’m only able to do this once. Let’s make it count.”

Yui held her breath, and held onto Lazarus’ hand. This was the moment of truth. Not only that, but they were about to witness something bordering on True Magic, something most mages on earth could ever dream of accomplishing.

Illya’s maid stepped up beside her, and they faced each other. Illya smiled and took her hands.

“Thanks for all your service, Leysritt.”

The maid smiled in response. “It’s been an honor, Miss Einzbern.”

Illya wrapped her arms around Leysritt’s waist, and the maid put her arms on Illya’s shoulders. The maid then began to glow with a heavenly light, which grew and grew in intensity until it was nearly blinding. Leysritt’s shoulders sagged, then her whole body seemed to melt as it transformed into pure, white energy. The homunculus’ body was gone, leaving only a swirling column of pure mana, which then focused on Illya and condensed around her. For a few seconds, Illya was hidden from view within the vortex of magic.

Then it solidified, revealing Illya’s new garb.



A shimmering, brilliant white dress with gold rings. The mages present recognized it as something like a Mystic Code, but on a level far above what they were familiar with.

Yui squeezed Lazarus’ hand. “The Third Magic. Heaven’s Feel.”

Illya floated a few inches off the ground, the edges of the Dress brushing the floor of the cavern. A somewhat vacant expression was on her face as she turned back toward the Greater Grail. The light shimmering around her flared to life, and the smoke surrounding the pillar was swept away at once. A whiteness similar to the one surrounding Illya appeared around the base of the Grail, and it became partially transparent, revealing some sort of embryonic form stewing within it.



Illya smiled and raised her hands, and the cavern filled with a glorious golden light. Everyone present felt their skin tingle as the Third Magic was activated.

Pure mana materialized around the base of the Greater Grail and swirled around it, faster and faster, tighter and tighter. Finally, it shifted and formed a vortex that faced Illya, pulling on the darkness inside the Grail. A thin, black stream of energy burst from the Grail, swirling through the vortex of mana toward Illyasviel. She flourished her hands, and it wound in on itself, tightening and forming a small, black ball. It was a soul--freed from the Greater Grail and hanging in the air, pulsating like a heart.

Illya lowered her hand, and the black soul hovered down and sank into the top of the homonculus' head.

The swirling mana and golden light filling the cavern dissipated, and the Dress of Heaven dissolved into tiny particles of light. Back in her normal dress, Illya sank to her knees exhausted.

The homonculus did nothing for a brief moment, then began to shiver. Its eyes rolled up in its head, and let out a groan. To the onlooker's horror, its flesh seemed to turn fluid for a moment, reshaping itself to match the soul that now inhabited it.

It gasped, staring blankly up at the ceiling, as black markings appeared on its skin--odd tattoos of incomprehensible design and meaning. As its form changed, everyone present began to feel power welling up inside it. Its aura changed into the unmistakable aura of a Servant.

Finally, the transformation was complete.



The new Servant blinked and looked around, looking confused at both his locations and the large group of people watching him.

"...Where am I?" he said finally. "Who are you people?"

Behind him, the Greater Grail grew opaque again, but still looked as black as it did before.

"I'm Lazarus Quinlan," the mage stepped forward and bowed, but didn't cross his wards. " You are in Japan. May I ask who you are?" He suspected it might be Angra Mainyu, but why was he a servant? And why was the grail still corrupted. He had many things to ask this person, and possibly Miss Ilyasviel.

Carlotta almost didn't hear the new servant speak,being so struck by what she just saw. Her brother's voice snapped her out of it however. Leave it to him to bounce back from such an amazing event as if it were nothing. She moved closer to Alexander. She did not trust the way this situation was shaping up.

Avalon stood absolutely awed at the sights she had seen. When she regained her presence of mind, she kept an ear on the questions being asked while casually moving over to Ilyasviel to see if she was alright. She knelt down next to her and handed her a bottle of water, "Are you okay?" she kept her voice quiet, so any conversation wasn't interrupted.

Atalanta knocked an arrow, and kept it trained intently on their new arrival. Scathatch began to move towards the edge of the room, ready to launch her spear if need be.

Alexander moved forward, in front of Carlotta, while Daichi moved back, behind Medea.

The new Servant put a hand on his hip and looked him up and down. "You can call me Avenger. The weakest Servant in the world, at your service. You, though..." He inspected him carefully. "You look familiar. Not sure from where though. You definitely weren't in the last War."

Illya smiled at Avalon. "I'm okay. I just need a moment to get my energy back."

Lazarus chuckled, "Lovely to meet you! Tell me, when do you believe the last war took place? There was one about ten years ago...twelve maybe? I was definitely in that one."

"Uhh... what year is it?" Avenger scratched his head. "My war was in like... 1940-something?"

Daichi looks at the mana flows through his glasses, searching especially for any link between Avenger and the Greater Grail. So puzzling that the Grail remained black. Was it permanently changed?

"Ah! Well the last war took place in 1995. You just weren't there for it I suppose. Do you know what you were doing in the greater grail?" he motioned to the large structure behind the servant.

Phillipus stood with his hands clasped in front of his chest, eyes wide. Here was his homunculus - his creation, the one he had made, the homunculus for the cleansing - with a soul inside!! If he had a heart, it would be thrumming with joy. He knew he should be more guarded, but the glow of success dims not on command. Once he could pry his hands apart, a notebook with chickens marching across the cover and a pen were fished from his robes. With a flourish, he clicked the nib ready.

"Ilya, when you're feeling all right, would it be possible for me to ask you some questions about the magic you used? If you like, I can give them to you afterwards to keep it a family secret, I'm perfectly happy just organizing the technique and thaumaturgic physics for the posterity of your line." Medea rolled her eyes and smacked his arm.

"Please, Phillipus, I know you're positively priapic with curiosity, but rein it in for the child's sake, yes? Besides," she continued with a wave at Avenger, "we've other matters to attend to." The other Caster's face went red as he cut a glare at Medea, but the notebook was put away nonetheless.

Illya giggled. "I might not be able to tell you much, but I guess we'll see."

Avenger turned around looked up at the Greater Grail. "Wow." He scratched his head again. "Alright, it's starting to come back to me." He looked back at Lazarus. "I was summoned in the Third War as a Servant. They wanted a god, but got someone weak and useless instead. I ended up against Saber in my first battle, and he cut me down pretty damn fast. Then I ended up in the Grail."

"All the Servants go into the Grail when they're defeated, but that usually doesn't affect the Grail itself. It would have been fine if they hadn't broken the rules. Or rather, it would have been fine if they'd summoned anyone but me. Because of my nature, the Grail was corrupted. I've been trapped in there ever since."

Avalon glared at Phillipus. Before Ilya spoke, she added to Medea's admonitions, "No kidding! She might be a mage but she's still just a kid. Get your damn chicken notebook out of here!" she turned to the girl and blew gently, but it caused a gentle breeze to come out of nowhere. As it blew across Ilya's skin she began to recover more quickly, physically and magically.

"Oh! How intriguing!" Lazarus grinned, trying to push down his excitement. "Well, do you know if there's anything we can do to help you? And perhaps cleanse the grail? That was our intention, but if color is to be any indicator it seems it didn't work."

He shrugged. "Well, you helped by pulling me out of that thing at least. I dunno about anything else." He looked back at the Grail again. "And yeah. Sorry. The Grail can't be cleansed."

"How do I put it... They wanted the Grail to be impartial, so alignment-wise, it was sort of... 'colorless.' When I got put in it, it got 'colored in,' and its alignment was blackened. It's a part of the Grail permanently now."

"Well...there must be a way...in any case, what should we do with you?"