June 25th 7:58 AM, Tentative Flashback
The clock ticked away, ever approaching the eighth hour of the day. That would be when Yanzhao's mana would be at its height, all due to his circadian rhythm.
Over the past hour or so, he had meticulously cleared out his living room, and then inscribed the proper summoning circle into the ground. Zhūn, the third hexagram, faced the north, inscribed and inlaid with triangles. Shī, the seventh, was set twice, at the west and at the east to guide the heroic spirit into the circle. And finally the thirty first, Xián, at the south to bind the spirit to his service. Complex circular designs flowed smoothly from each hexagram to various points in the circle, with the center left open and blank. That would be a receptacle for the servant. The circle was made using a liquid similar in nature to his own Bagua, but of a more refined and metal-oriented type. It was a fine magecraft conduit.
Yanzhao Fellini, prospective Master of the Roman Grail War, cleared his throat. He stood in front of the circle at his feet, and cleared a mental checklist. He had called in sick from work, he had eaten a hearty dinner the night before, and the catalyst was currently in the center of the circle, right where the servant should spawn.
This catalyst in question was a glass case containing a shard of wood from some weapon, a few stone shards, and a spearhead etched with a single rune. These were preserved in the glass, and he had acquired it using some rather shady connections. Apparently it was a... repossessed heirloom. The contents apparently belonged to an Irish or Scottish or whatever spirit of some renown. Hopefully a powerful one. Yanzhao didn't really care about the specifics.
It was 8 o'clock sharp. Four motes of light appeared above his hexagram inscriptions. Time to begin. He spoke his prepared lines in Mandarin Chinese, though his pronunciation was a little off.
As he spoke, the silvery liquid he used for the circle flared up brightly with blinding white light. Wind surged through his room (it would have been a mess if he hadn't already cleared it). Smoke soon followed, obscuring his vision.
But he did not stop until he was done. Now, all that was left was to find out what exactly he had summoned.
"Gimme your pants.. and now your other pants"National Roman Museum
"Inscribatur."
In the museum's darkened, octagonal atrium, Samuel C. Paterson stood gingerly before the statue of Aphrodite of Menophantos and rolled his shoulders, brushing some imagined dust off his distinctive beige suit. Putting hand to chin, he considered the aesthetics of his desecration of the once-clean floor with a magic circle. His instant circle was impeccable, as always, and it's faint glow illuminated the Goddess of Love in a rather pleasing shade of red. Sam nodded to himself.
We're all clear, Master! Or rather, all blank, an exceptionally haughty and smug familiar declared via their mental link.
Good work, Superbia, he replied with a smirk, Head on back down soon, though, or you'll miss the show.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out an ordinary red apple, holding it up to the light and considering it for a few moments. If he compared it to the many previous apples he'd encountered in life, this specimen was probably fit to be called the paragon of apples. The round, red orb was flawless and without blemish. Perfect. Like Aphrodite. Like me.
Suddenly feeling a little peckish, he took a bite of the succulent fruit. "Mmm, juicy!" he announced to the room at large. Nobody replied as he set said catalyst down in the center of the circle, though a floating shotgun zoomed down over a nearby balcony and nestled itself in the padded briefcase that was laying open at Sam's side. Ignoring this as though it was a perfectly normal occurrence, he extended his palms toward the summoning circle, shut his eyes, and began to chant:
"Tu princeps, O argentum, O ferrum,
O saxum basis, O Superdux Foederi,
Audite me in nomine nostrum magni magistris Superincantatoris Schweinorg:
Descendere venti tamquam murus sint,
Portas undique cludantur, super diadematem oririntur, trinitarium viam ad regnum rotetur!
Clude! Clude! Clude! Clude! Clude!
Quina perfectiones omni repetitioni."
The circle flared up in response to his chanting, a sourceless wind picking up as the glow intensified. Would the fact that he'd used a normal apple affect anything? Well, hopefully not. He'd chosen an apple specifically because there were so many legends involving them to do with powerful mythological figures. Not so many of them actually would have used apples, of course, but "apple" had long been a stand in for "any foreign fruit" throughout ancient Europe, so the common understanding of humanity would probably be enough to bridge any gaps.
"Tui corpore subter mei dominium iaceatur, mei fatum in te ensi iaceatur!
Si tu prebueris accitui Sacrati Calicis et si tu parueris hunc animum, hanc mentem, responsaveris!
Iuro mei iures hic!"
The fact that he'd bitten it probably didn't matter, either. After all, most of the myths involving apples also involved them being eaten - and why not? What else would you even do with a fruit? The light from the circle grew still brighter, illuminating Aphrodite in full. Her stone-chiseled eyes almost looked as if they were twinkling in mischief, Sam observed as he squinted against the howling wind.
"Sum illud qui decorum omnium caelorum exstiturus esse!
Sum illud qui maleficiis omnium abyssi exstiturus amicitur!
Tu septem caeli, comptus trinitate orsorum,
Veni per tui cohibendi circlum, et es manus ut ponderes servare-!"
With a roar and a rush of exhilarating power, the spell resolved itself...
edited 27th Apr '15 8:13:22 PM by darksidevoid
GM: AGOG S4 & F/WC RP; Co-GM: TABA, SOTR, UUA RP; Sub-GM: TTS RP. I have brought peace, freedom, justice, and security to my new Empire.The light faded from the room, revealing a warrior in skin-tight orange and red leather armor standing where the circle used to be. While he carried no visible weapons his armor was clearly well used, and as he looked around, he moved from a battle-ready stance into a more casual one. His attention moved from the room to the person standing in front of him. As he looked Yanzhao over, a smirk grew on his face.
"Servant Rider, at your service. You're the Master that'll be fighting alongside me?"
National Roman Museum
And thus the magic manifested. In a swirling rush of power and energy the spirit was summoned onto this earth... and before Samuel's eyes a perfect being was being shaped... swirling energy slowly taking humanoid form. A hand made of green and silver twinkles of light reached down... holding the bitten apple before it was brought up... to gaze upon it in some confusion and disapproval this being made of pure energy... before in one last flash of light, around the core of the spirit bones, muscles and flesh were knit together...
Before Samuel's eyes stood a woman... a being which radiated a might unlike anything he had seen in his life. A flawless body, pure and strong... of one who ought to be ancient, of times when the Gods walked on Earth. Her hair, left to hang wild yet unblemished was colored in shades of brown and blond, her skin fair yet touched by the sun. Though her body was lithe, her figure had the definition and fitness of one who dedicated their life to physical pursuits... with long and mighty legs. She was clad in a sort of dress colored in blue and greens, cut for ease of mobility yet flattering her form. However, a very curious addition to her form was... the addition of bestial traits... the tail and ears of a feline and the showing of sharp fangs as her lips parted... and then she bit down on the apple, crushing it as if it was but a grape and then in one bite swallowing it whole.
After that, the Heroic Spirit let out a little sigh of dissatisfaction before her feline ears perked up and her green eyes looked upon her Master. Taking a simple step forward she conjures something upon her hand... a gleaming and distracting apple colored like gold. Taking a bite out of it and letting a soft breath of relief she then says "Servant Archer of the Violet, answering thy summons. Thou offered an apple for me at the altar of my second patron... and to respond thy gift, I give thou this one" Says Archer lobbing the distracting, glorious Golden Apple at Samuel for him to catch "Be careful though of biting on it, though. Thou may fall for me if thou were to try it" warns the lady as she turns around to look at the statue of Aphrodite, nodding her head lightly, hands upon her hips.
Aisha Hassei's Home
This moment.
This night.
It is what she had been created for. What so much had been spent, worked on and improved to accomplish. The dream of the Hassei to be delivered by their greatest creation.
Aisha, homunculus of the family, now stood before the summoning circle... but she wasn't hidden on a dark basement. She was summoning right at noon... at the moment where the sun hung highest on the sky, her senses connected by magic to the flow of the world... partitions within her mind calculating every contingency so that her words will be timed precisely. So that the end of her incantation strikes at the same time as the sun hangs perfectly over her summoning circle.
For the very Sun would be her catalyst. Thus had decided the elders of the Hassei... to summon a Servant whose power derives from the very sun... bright, strong, giver of life, of flames and energy. Such a Servant would bring the Hassei victory.
With those intentions, Aisha began her incantation. Her mind working like a computer... multiple partitions working on different things. One was working on managing her mana perfectly for the ritual. A small part handled the enchantments that kept her alive. The other kept count, managing the spells that indicated the perfect position of the sun. Another start to recite her spell...
"اجازه دهید نقره و فولاد است جوهر . اجازه دهید سنگ و آرشیدوک قرارداد است که پایه و اساس . اجازه دهید سیاه و سفید رنگ من ادای احترام به . اجازه دهید افزایش یک دیوار در برابر باد که سقوط خواهد کرد. اجازه دهید که چهار دروازه اصلی نزدیک است. اجازه دهید جاده سه انشعاب از تاج نزد پادشاهی رسیدن به چرخش .
اجازه دهید آن را در حال حاضر اعلام کرد . گوشت خود را باید در دست من خدمت می کنند، و سرنوشت من باید با شمشیر خود باشد. ارسال به اشاره از جام مقدس . جواب ، اگر شما به این اراده و این حقیقت را ارسال کنید.
سوگند باید در اینجا سوگند یاد می شود . من باید تمام فضائل از تمام آسمان رسیدن . من باید تسلط بر همه شر همه از جهنم را داشته باشد.
از هفتم بهشت ، توسط سه کلمه بزرگ از قدرت به حضور ، چهارم آمده از حلقه از خویشتن داری ، محافظ تعادل مقدس !"
And then... there was another part of her. That which was her true consciousness, on this moment as the ritual was being completed... the one who knew exactly what she needed to do. What had been drilled into her mind and body for 7 years.
"Survive..."
The long road to Rome was eventful, if nothing else. Apollo could scarcely count every little adventure he had on the way here: fording a roaring river, wrestling a bear out of its cave to hide from the rain, hitching a ride with a biker gang, riding atop a train's carriage... The life of a wandering vagabond was an exciting one, indeed. How refreshing it was that this last leg of the trip was simpler by comparison. Apollo slumped against the window, closing his eyes. He'd allow himself this moment to rest.
It was a good thing that another hopeful, a rising star from a modest family within the Association, happened to live in a mansion on the outskirts of the French-German border, not too far from the community he had set himself in. The intersection of daring and chance allowed Apollo to pilfer the rituals, but his luck would not last that long. The slighted magus was hot on his heels, hunting his chance at fame.
The bus screeched to a halt, jolting Apollo awake. Up ahead, the driver yelled something in Italian, and the other riders slowly got off, taking care to give him a wide berth. He stretched, muscles uncharacteristically creaking, and gingerly took his first step into the holy city of Rome.
Apollo squinted as he looked up at the sun shimmering smugly at its peak. Noon already, or close enough. Four hours, and not a single suitable space to conduct the summoning! Rome was far more populated than the border town he resided in - much more. There were eyes almost everywhere. He wiped the sweat off his forehead. He had not washed himself in quite some time. And he somehow doubted that people would appreciate watching a grown man bathe himself in a public fountain. He cast his eyes around, looking for a place to wash himself... this cafe? It looked like one at least, complete with underdressed hipsters nibbling at bread. Apollo strode in, ignoring the others recoiling away from the sight of this unwashed man making his way through the crowd. He called out to a barista, saying in a garbled mess of broken Italian and English. "Where... il bagno? Dove il bagno?"
It took the barista only a single glance at this vagabond of a tourist to realize that he needed him out of sight and mind as soon as possible. "Eeeeh... around. Back!" He curtly jerked a thumb behind him.
"Th... grazzi. Grazie?" Apollo said as he walked away, following the man's instructions. He opened a door to a single bathroom and quietly began to wash his face. Much better. He looked around the bathroom, an idea forming in his mind. Not a dignified idea... but it was still one, nonetheless.
There. Apollo exhaled as he completed the last circle. He stood up, swiftly double checking the figures and proportions. All according to the diagrams. And in the center of the circle... an ancient, preserved laurel, won by some ancestor some centuries ago. A hint of sadness twinged through Apollo's heart - it was a gift from his mother as she saw him off on his coming-of-age journey. A charm for the trials ahead, not knowing that Apollo had no intention of returning.
This was supposed to be the ritual to summon a Servant. A catalyst to draw it, and a circle to bind it. After completing it, Apollo would, for better or worse, be confirmed as a combatant in this Grail War. Everything had to be perfect. Hopefully that other guy's sources were good...
Apollo stepped back, trying to give the circle as wide a berth as possible - which was not all that much. It was a bathroom. These places tended to be tiny. But it would suffice. The heavy door would ensure their privacy. Closing his eyes, Apollo let prana flow through his circuits.
Now was the time for the chant. Apollo had whispered these fated words to himself many times, memorizing each and every line.
edited 27th Apr '15 11:17:50 PM by HazzyHaz
Yanzhao - Rider of Violet
A success, but the time for celebration would come later.
Yanzhao put his hand, the one with the command seals, over his heart, then made a short bow. "That would be correct, Rider. I am Yanzhao Fellini, your master for this Grail War." A partial reiteration, but it helped cement the relationship in both their minds.
It looked like the heirloom was actually legitimate. And he paid good money for it too, which just meant that the supplier was actually trustworthy for once.
A Rider Servant? Now, it wasn't Saber, but with a master such as himself summoning a weak Servant would be unthinkable. "It will be an honor working with someone of your qualifications." he said in a business-oriented tone.
"Today is the day of the war, so we will have to begin making preparations."
Aisha Hassei - Shielder of Violet
The sun was a good catalyst, but it was too general. What really called to her from the Throne of Heroes was the drive for survival. The harshness of the jungle required that same desire, as did ruling and protecting a war-prone kingdom. The Sun, giver of life, and the Survival Instinct, sustainer of life. The weapons of the gods, gifted to great men and scoundrels alike.
And of course, Aisha would be summoning only the greatest of men.
The bright light of the Sun seemed to solidify, golden motes swirled into limbs and hair, a body made mid-breath exhaled a warm tropical breeze. A headress of feathers, brightly colored, adorned the head of the Servant. Her body was covered, only as ultimately necessary, in equally brightly colored plates of armor. Gold hung from her body liberally, accessorizing whatever it could.
And in her right hand, a large wooden weapon with iridescent blades of obsidian.
"Servant Shielder, Heir of the Sun and God among Men. Your spirit called and I answered."
She placed her weapon into the ground, sinking it into the surface to hold it there.
"Gimme your pants.. and now your other pants"Theseus arose from the summoning circle, clad in bronze and making quite a commotion as the ancient king was pulled into the realm of modern Rome. He opened his eyes slowly.
"...Fuck," he muttered as he looked at Apollo. His nose wrinkled. "Fuck," he said as he smelled Apollo and the surrounding bathroom.
Then the Grail link fed him information of his surroundings.
"Fucking Rome?!" Thesauriseus facepalmed. "Ooooh my gods. Really?" He sighed. "Theseus of Athens, Assassin of Violet. Are you really a Magus? Or did a bum blindside whatever squishy bookworm that was trying to summon me and I'm doomed?"
Hey look!. Yu-Gi-Oh meets wrasslin'!Yanzhao Fellini - Master of Rider
"Preparations? Yes of course you will need to know.. I'll give you a rundo-"
Yanzhao was about to go into a lengthy explanation when his servant's words truly hit him.
"Allies? Isn't this a 7 way free-for-all? That's how it should be, right?"
Was something wrong? Was this a variant war of some sort?
edited 28th Apr '15 11:01:05 AM by amporiusrex
"Gimme your pants.. and now your other pants"Aisha's Home
Aisha wasn't a mortal. Wasn't a creature that had been born naturally into the world... even though the pieces of her spirit were made of such beings. She was a creature, created of high magic born and nurtured for this moment.
And yet despite it, or perhaps specially due to it, she couldn't help but to feel awe at the creature before her... a Divine being, bright like the unreachable sun giver of all life. Her vision as a Magus clearly looked upon the basic capacities of the Servant... top notch strength and endurance with good speed and luck, though surprisingly low mana capacity. However, that was what Aisha was there for.
For a few moments she forgot to breathe as she felt the light compulsion to bow before this powerful Divine existence... however, she held back as a part of her mind warned her of something.
A particular word stuck at Aisha... and sudden dread filled her entire artificial body "Shiel... der...?" She says, realizing her misstep "I-I... I failed..." she says softly to herself, feeling overwhelmed as she falls to her hands and knees.
All the work... all the preparations. They had waited for this moment for so many hard years... and now Aisha had failed at the crucial moment.
This great, powerful Servant was of the wrong class.
"...Thank you, Archer," Sam replied as he caught the apple and rolled it thoughtfully in his fingers, "I shall accept your gift gratefully." As he decided to keep it for later and stowed it away, the impassive look he'd kept up just after the summoning broke into a wide smile.
A Servant who was both cooperative and respectful - even considerate, if her warning was anything to go by - was an excellent outcome, especially for a member of the Archer class. She was also easy on the eyes (Bo~nus!, he cheered silently) even if the ears wiggling on her head and the tail sticking out of her rear end might eventually prove to be a bit of a problem. The redheaded magus was very pleased indeed, particularly with himself, for having called forth such a splendid ally, and the information she'd just provided narrowed her identity down to just one individual...
"Although, I doubt any man would need such a thing to become enchanted with yourself, Atalanta," he continued, beaming her a pearly white grin as he flicked his hair with a hand, the prana-charged air in the atrium reacting with a trail of ruby sparkles.
Oh, please! You use a variant of that line on everyone!
Shhh! Sam mentally chided the protesting familiar.
edited 28th Apr '15 4:39:45 PM by darksidevoid
GM: AGOG S4 & F/WC RP; Co-GM: TABA, SOTR, UUA RP; Sub-GM: TTS RP. I have brought peace, freedom, justice, and security to my new Empire.Aisha Hassei - Shielder of Violet
In an instant, Aisha was held up in a warm embrace before she could fully collapse. Shielder carried around herself the feeling of a maternal figure, or some sort of mother goddess. She held Aisha up in her arms, and set her carefully back on the ground.
"You have done no such thing, Master. I am your shield and your protector, there is nothing for you to fear, not even failure." Her voice was soft and sweet, and warm like a summer day.
That probably only made things worse.
Yanzhao Fellini - Rider of Violet
Yanzhao frowned again. "What kind of war? A normal one!"
He tapped his foot rapidly on the ground in irritation, then sighed with resignation. "Besides you, I suppose I do not know my allies. I will learn of them eventually. But let us talk of preparations first."
The magus reached into his suitcoat's pocket and took out an opaque canister. "I have this, and then the bounded field in the immediate are of this house. In addition, I have a defensive failsafe in my body. That is the extent of my preparations."
"Gimme your pants.. and now your other pants"3:10 PM, Some Date Before
“Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill. Let each be turned over five times, simply breaking asunder the fulfilled time.”
The time? Three in the afternoon, when Adrian’s od was at its peak. Honestly, the man couldn’t care less for that little detail, but for a process like this it wouldn’t hurt to take extra precautions.
“Let silver and steel be the essence. Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the foundation. Let the five great masters be the ancestors.”
The place? A dingy motel room, with an analog TV, a horrid paint job, and a small springy bed. Not the best the Harker fortunes could buy, but pretty close. Besides, the motel has so little traffic that almost certainly nobody would be there if he were to, say, draw a summoning circle or set up a small alarm-type Bounded Field.
“Raise a wall, against the wind that shall fall. Close the four cardinal gates. Come out from the crown. Rotate the three-branched road reaching the Kingdom.”
The prize? Glory. Riches. Restoration of the family name. The proud dynasty of vampire hunters known the Harkers – Ewan, Deidre, Liam, and so many other heroes – would become greats again. It was all Adrian ever wanted. What he was led to want.
“I shall declare here. Your body shall serve under me. My fate shall be with your sword. Submit to the beckoning of the Holy Grail. If you will submit to this will and this reason… then answer!”
The investment? A golden crown. A relic from a hit, a bandit raid turned excavation collapse. Probably the most expensive possession he had. If a hero’s worth came from their fame, he reasoned, then a king would be a very valuable hero.
“An oath shall be sworn here! I shall attain all virtues of all of Heaven. I shall have dominion over all evils of all of Hell!”
And the Servant?
“From the Seventh Heaven, attended to by three great words of power, come forth from the ring of restraint, Protector of the Balance!”
That is what Adrian Harker is about to find out.
edited 28th Apr '15 5:43:22 PM by foxmccloud4387
Atalanta, Museum
If Sam's words of flattery had any effect on Atalanta it didn't really show in her expression as she inspected the statue of Aphrodite, holding her hands together to leave a short prayer... then holding her hands behind herself, ears perked down and tail swaying as she looks back at Samuel and says "Thy words are most kind, Master... Say... do thou know if there is shrine or statue of mine Goddess Artemis nearby?" she says, tilting her head slightly at the ruby sparkles in confusion.
Aisha - Aisha's House
Aisha's eyes opened up wide as she was embraced by her Servant... feeling the warmth of the sun, the touch of a Divine being... comforting, humbling... even to a being such as herself it brought reassurance and a very weakening desire to just meld into it and accept her magnanimous care.
However, Aisha couldn't fall into it... and indeed, her words only reminded her more of her failure "No... I was created and trained specifically so I wouldn't need a protector... so I could support a mighty one, so they could fight with not a care or worry. That I summoned you in such a class... one meant for protection instead of allowing your full might to be bore against our enemies... that is my greatest failure"
Arsene Gallois - Master of Berserker of Violet
Arsene looked once more over the intricate circle he had drawn in the ritual chamber deep within the mansion, then, raising a hand and closing his eyes, he began concentrating on the Circuits in his soul, slowly circulating prana faster and faster before beginning his incantation.
"Argent et de Fer de l'Origine. Le Joyau de l'Archiduc de contrats que témoin. Mon ancêtre est le Grand Maître."
He had prepared for this moment since he knew he'd be participating in this War. Collecting this relic, branding himself with runes to enhance his capabilities, setting up personal touches to the defenses around the property.
"Laissez le Vent hurlant chute contre un Mur. Portes des quatre façons fermées, sortant de la Couronne, une route de trois fourchue à travers le Royaume. Laisser circuler."
At his toughts of the relic, Arsene grinned darkly. Truly, here at the heart of the Church's power would a heroic spirit summoned via the femur of a Pope hold power. He knew not which of the myriad Popes the old bone had belonged to, one of the Johns, perhaps, but in any circumstance, he would have no weak Servant with this catalyst.
"Remplir, Arrêter. Remplir, Arrêter. Remplir, Arrêter. Remplir, Arrêter. Remplir, Arrêter. Répétez l'opération pour cinq tours. Une fois que chacun est rempli, briser tout simplement."
Pouring ever more prana into the ritual, Arsene speculated as to the Servant he'd receive. A Saber, the Church had always had those knights who fought in its name. A Caster, perhaps, or maybe even a Lancer.
"Je annonce! Votre être est sous moi. Mon destin est avec votre épée. Par la venue du Saint-Graal, vous devez respecter avec ce sentiment, puis répondez-moi. Je le jure, je vais incarner le bien du monde, comme je assumer ses péchés. Vous, les sept cieux, vêtu dans les Mots de Pouvoir, arrivez dans mon cercle de liaison, O Gardien de l'Équilibre!"
Morgan le Fay - Caster of Violet
From the circle before the Harker scion stepped a slight woman holding an intricately carved staff nearly a foot longer than she was tall and dressed in an elegant black dress. Looking about the room with unconcealed distaste for her surroundings, she greeted the man before her, "Hello. I am Caster of Violet. In Accordance with this Summoning I ask, are you my Master?" Then, spying something on the ground, she snatched up the crown, inspecting it for a moment, before delicately placing it atop her head, somehow looking near twice as imperious as before.
/人◕ ‿‿ ◕人\ Will you make a contract with me?Aisha Hassei - Shielder of Violet
Shielder brought Aisha in closer than before, now gently resting her own head against her Master's.
"There, there. No failure or harm has been done. I am at my fullest potential as a guardian, this I swear to you. Shielder is the class that best suits a Heroic Spirit of my qualifications." she said these words in an educational tone, but also a familial one.
Shielder let go of Aisha, and allowed her to stand on her own two feet. "You managed to summon a God, my dear Master. I assume that is reason enough for your labors to not be seen as failure?"
"Gimme your pants.. and now your other pants""...Yeah, I'm your Master," he speaks, holding up the Command Spells that had just been engraved on his (still stinging, and therefore open) hand. When he sees Caster pick up that crown and just plop it on her head, he moves to ask a question about it but chooses to bite it down.
"Hope you won't mind the place. It's not too regal, but - I think it'll work." Untrue to his word, the dingy motel room is dingy.
Russus Manor, Basement July, 24 12:00
Today was it. Today was the day Aeliana was going to summon her Servant and join the Holy Grail War. It had taken her months but she finally tracked down the shards of an ancient sword. One belonging to a particularly famous hero. One she was certain would win the war for her. Hopefully if it all went well she'd be able to summon them.
She didn't waste any time either. It was midday, and Aeliana felt as though she was over flowing with mana. To be perfectly honest she hated that she was most powerful at the hottest part of the day. It was a little useless sometimes, but couldn't be helped.
With the snap of her fingers she activated her Mystic Code, Mars. Glowing golden lines ran across her body, vessels filling with Prana and connecting to her own circuts.She looked down at the circle before her and began her chant.
edited 28th Apr '15 8:29:05 PM by Azure
PM box is Closed, Indefinitely Friend Code: 3368-4181-6850Aisha Hassei - Aisha's House
Aisha looked down for a moment... having been comforted that way by her Servant almost drew her to actually shed tears. Beyond just whatever emotions had been fluttering within her being, having a comforting shoulder to console you... specially one as motherly as that of Shielder may coax out tears, even when there is nothing to cry about. Such was the overwhelming influence of this Divine being before Aisha... Her emotions and actions, so great and magnificent, drew the hearts of those around her.
"Indeed... I misspoke, Shielder" says Aisha, standing still and trying to bring herself under control "Though it goes against my strategy... there is now way that summoning you could be counted as a failure. And if I can protect myself then, this being a team endeavor, it just means you'll be further free to prevent all harm from our allies"
Beowulf - Saber of Violet
The summoning-circle glows, crackling with prana. Slowly, slowly, a brilliant light develops in the basement of the Russus Manor. At the moment its zenith is reached, the light disappears in one final flash, leaving behind the acrid scent of metal and blood. Standing there in the center of the summoning circle is a girl, clad in a chain hauberk. Though short in stature she may be, there can be only one estimation as to this Servant's class.
The mighty blade, strapped to the Heroic Spirit's back.
The steel gaze she gives to her Master, resolute and unfaltering in its depth - promising glory to those who hold the strength to attain it.
As if to remove all doubt in Aeliana's mind, the Servant speaks - her voice as strong as the gaze she brings to bear —
"You have chosen wisely. I am Beowulf, King of the Geats, and Servant of the class Saber. Together, we shall make our enemies know hell."
UN JOUR JE SERAI DE RETOUR PRÈS DE TOIAisha Hassei - Shielder of Violet
Shielder nodded curtly, walked back to her weapon, and gingerly tore it out of the ground. She swung it around skillfully, then set it onto her back. She could dematerialize it at any time, so keeping the weapon around seemed to be mostly out of habit.
"So we have come to an understanding, my dear Master. All I ask is that you provide me with some prana for my continued existence. As a God, it only makes sense that the Earth respects my wish to return, even if reluctantly. You'll find the draw much less than you expected."
There was something off about her Master, now that she thought about it. She didn't seem entirely human, or at all human for that matter. Regardless, Shielder was not about to let those thoughts be known lest they be insulting, so she kept them to herself.
"Do you have a plan for the war, Master? We will undoubtedly need to consult our allies as well."
"Gimme your pants.. and now your other pants"Aisha Hassei - Aisha's House
"Currently the time is prior to the official start of the War. It is unknown who will become our allies, though via links and rumors by the Mage's Association, we may have some leads. Still, whenever they will end up as friend or foe, none can tell until each does their summoning. Violet Team... those whose Servants declare themselves of such a faction ought to be our allies" says Aisha, nodding her head at the information Shield provides and then moving towards the opening in the roof, the stairs that would lead her down into the house... resisting a sudden impulse to await for Shielder to make her way first down, standing by her need. It didn't help that Aisha was a homunculus, raised as a servant to her creators... one of the spirits of her Origin being a canine familiar at that. Authority, while she studied it, didn't come so easily to her.
Still, she knew her place and had to play along for it "Most of the team's strategy won't be able to be formulated, for there are too many variables at play at the moment. We don't know the composition of the teams, which mage is on which team and more importantly, what is the capacity of the Servants summoned until the moment of the Summoning. Until all Servants are summoned and teams can gather to meet, concrete plans won't be able to be prepared"
Aisha then walked down another flight of stairs moving to a study... nodding her head to two females, one homunculus and the other human, who moved upstairs to clean up the summoning circle and close the door "Still, the Hassei family of the which I am their Master representative has done some things to prepare. We have three secure bases at present. One is a heavily fortified and staffed villa on the outskirts of town, where so far as our enemies know, the Hassei Master resides. A few days ago we let emanate a magical aura from within... not strong enough to draw new eyes, but those who were already watching may believe the summoning took part that day and I haven't left since. Still, besides a decoy, the place should serve as one last fortress to retreat to. Right now we are in a house whose wards are as undetectable as we managed to make them, capable of trapping magical emanations to keep the location hidden and secure. It has a proper escape route into the old city tunnels... and should serve as our main base of operations. Finally, there is another locale in the heart of the city... hidden in plain sight which should serve as a place to hide in as a last resource"
"Beyond the preparations for your summoning, as well as my creation, those are the preparations and plans of the Hassei family, Shielder" says Aisha sitting down on a comfortable chair on the study. Yes... Aisha definitely was not human, Shielder could detect and those words confirmed it.

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Rome, Italy - June 25th, 2015
Rome - once the capital of the Ancient World, now a popular tourist destination. Famous not only for its own history, but as the center of the Catholic Church, and home to the Vatican City and Holy See. Or at least, that is what the majority of the world's inhabitants know.
Unknown to all but a select few, the Grail has been held under the lock and key of the Church for seventy years, contained ever since the disastrous Third Holy Grail War. But now, once again, its mana spilleth over. No longer able to contain it alone, the Church has secured the city of Rome in preparation for the next Grail War. Unlike the Grail Wars of the past, held in the obscure reaches of Japan, this will be a proper war. A war properly contained by its participants and the church, to avoid further corruption.
However, nobody could foresee the effects the grail's alterations would have on future wars. Masters have been summoned from around the world to participate in the Great Holy Grail War. Not seven, as in previous wars. But sixteen, divided into two halves both vying for the same prize.
Eight of these individuals comprise the Violet Team, and their story is just beginning.
Later that evening, well after sundown, the masters would feel a tug from their command seals leading them to one of the many churches in the city. Until that time, there were rituals to perform, and they would have time to acquaint themselves with their summoned heroes.
edited 27th Apr '15 8:54:40 PM by nman