From Darkness to a Glint of Light

[Jordan Percival Gallagher]

Time - Way too early in the morning

As the tame for late-night parting wound down Jordan started to walk back to his room. Dressed in one of his best club outfits of black pants and a simple light blue collered short sleeved shirt Jordan had decided to try out the night life. He had enjoyed himself coming from the club known as Lussuria and had taked care not to drink in excess only having a rum and coke. If he hadn't there would be no way for him to remember the nice music. "I must have gotten lucky, they accually played some slow jazz there. It's just a shame that there were no available ladies to spend time with. I mean they were nice but some of them looked a little young to talk to." Jordan sighed to himself as he continued back to his room. "Ah well maybe tomorrow."

As he crossed the street and walked past a dark alley a sudden feeling came across him. A feeling that he'd normally would never unless in a real fight. "What was that? Is someone battling around here?" Jordan thought to himself as he started to walk down the alley. "This is a bad idea Jordan. But I need to know." he thought to himeself as he went through the alley and saw what looked like a warehouse for... not-so-noble uses.

"This place looks like it was used to "ghost the compitition" of "business owners" or at least have business meetings." Jordan said to himself as he carefully entered the building through an open door. Sneaking around the building Jordan noticed that there were some objects around that were not normal. The fact that they gave off enough of a glow to light the inside of the building was proof of that. Carefully touching one of the objects he thought to himself "These things, they have magic in them! But how is that possible? I thought only my family knew about magic."

Shruging his sholders Jordan started to turn around and noticed two things. One, On the ground was a circle of what look like runes of some sort and a spear in the middle of it. The trouble started up when Jordan saw thing two. Some feet away from the spear outside of the circle was the body of some guy. Jordan ran up to it and checked for a pulse that wasn't there. "What happened to him?" He thought as he turned the body over on it's back. The man was of asian desent and on his chest were large slash marks that could not possibly have come from any normal creature. That thought was proven when Jordan heard growling from in front of him.

In front of Jordan was a monster. A real monster, that looked like it was made of rock and crafted to guard something. The monster had blood on it's claws and fangs which suggested to Jordan that it was the reason that he was currently near a dead body. Standing up to run the monster lashed out at him and succeded in tearing through his shirt and leaving scratchs on his chest deep enough to draw some blood. "Damn!" Jordan exclaimed as he stumbled back and fell into the circle his blood getting on the edge of the circle.

Jordan said as he started to get up. "Man I sure could use some help here with this monster thing.Or else I'm a dead man." When that happened, the circle started to glow with a strong light as the spell that had been cast there activated.

[Honda Tadakatsu]

A familiar urge. A call for help facilitated by Lord Tokugawa's blood. He couldn't resist and he didn't want to. On the contrary, he was joyous. He was allowed to serve once again.

Honda landed in a circle of glowing runes. Landed, as in he suddenly felt the weight of his body. And the need to support that weight. It was a nostalgic feeling, being able to feel. What miracle made this possible he didn't know. Yet one thing was obvious: this journey of his could end any moment unless he acted, fast. For his summoner, Tokugawa-sama's apparent descendant, was on the ground, wrestling some creature whose exact nature Honda could not decipher. Apparently, its body was made of solid rock. 'A stone shikigami? Just how much energy would that require?'

His Master... 'what is that word?' ...is in danger, and he has to save him if he wants to remain in this age and place... 'how is it that I know this...?'. These were Honda's thoughts as his spear surged forward, piercing the shikigami(?) and pinning it to the ground. The beast was surprisingly flimsy... but persistent. As it refused to die from a thrust through its heart, Honda promptly finished the job by crushing its head against the concrete. 'It seems the head was its weak point, after all.' ...Wait, what is 'concrete'? Another unfamiliar word resounded in Honda's mind. Yet he instantly realized that he somehow knows its meaning. It was like recalling things long forgotten. But that is of lesser importance at this moment.

Honda turned to face his Lord... no, Master, was it? The man who summoned him was already on his feet and ready to fight at the slightest provocation. He was not of the usual variety of magi Honda expected to see. Tight muscles gave the impression of a honed warrior, and judging from his current stance and the way he defended from that thing a moment ago that impression was not deceptive. His ability to remain relatively calm, or at least to act relatively calm, in face of an attack was worthy of praise. But what shocked Honda the most was the undeniable fact that the man in front of him was... black.

Hailing from the African continent, a race of dark-skinned people who were almost never seen in Japan back when the Warring States still lingered. Honda spent a few seconds contemplating the situation. Something was off. He spent another brief moment searching for oriental features in the man's face and stature. Nevertheless, there were none. A mistake? Was such a thing even possible? In the end, Honda could only ask,
"Are you, by any chance, related to the great unifier, Tokugawa Ieyasu?"

[Jordan Percival Gallagher]

As the circle lit up Jordan was suddenly knocked down by the stone beast. It then jumped onto Jordan and tried to bite his head off. "This is one of my best shirts your stupid thing!" Jordan said as he moved his head as to avoid introducing it to a stone stomach. As the beast rose up to attack again all of a sudden it was impaled by a spear. "What the crap?" Jordan exclaimed as he got up and assumed a basic fighting stance. He saw someone finish off the creature easily and looked at the figure just as he turned to look at him. Or rather looked down at the person who had just saved him.

"Are you, by any chance, related to the great unifier, Tokugawa Ieyasu?"

Jordan relaxed his stance sure that the stone beast was no more and said "First of all, thanks for saving my life from that stone dog thing." Jordan said as he brushed off his clothing and grimaced at the cuts on his chest. "As to your question, I don't believe that I am considering he's been dead for a while and that all my ancestors came from either Africa or North America."

Jordan then took a good look at the man and asked "So, I don't mean to sound rude but who are you, why are there monsters around, and where did you come from. Don't get me wrong I'm happy you showed up when you did and all but a tourist does have to be at least a little wary when in another country."

[Honda Tadakatsu]

Something was really wrong. Was it coincidence? A lucky combination of genes? Why did that call feel familiar? This man cannot be related to Tokugawa-sama. Furthermore, he just denied it himself.

"So, I don't mean to sound rude but who are you, why are there monsters around, and where did you come from. Don't get me wrong I'm happy you showed up when you did and all but a tourist does have to be at least a little wary when in another country."

Honda was stirred from slumber by a call of blood. He was just as clueless as to why and how he has appeared in the mortal realm once more. ...No, wait. Actually, he knew. The moment the man posed his question, Honda started 'remembering' many things. He was a Heroic Spirit summoned as a Servant into a ritual called The Holy Grail War. The person before him was his Master, the one who binds him to this time, the person who, along with the Holy Grail itself, allows for his existence here and now...
But it was all so complicated, so bothersome to explain... Honda was never good at explaining complicated things properly.

"This one came from beyond time and space, from beyond death, even, to answer your summons, Master. You were chosen by the Holy Grail to participate in the ritual of its manifestation. If you search your body you should be able to find the proof of contract, a 'Command Seal'. This one does not know what shape it has taken but it should be a tattoo seemingly drawn with blood. As long as you have the Command Seal this one will be forced to remain by your side. He might also choose to do so out of his own free will if he deems you worthy of this blade. The relationship the two of you will develop and the strength of the bond you will share depends on your decisions, your mindset, your strengths and weaknesses. This whole ritual will become a great test of character if you choose to partake in it... This one brins his sincere apologies for the hasty explanation he provided. Yet he is strongly bothered by this situation as well. Only the blood of his noble Lord should be strong enough to create a connection... What catalyst did you use to summon this one, Master?"

[Jordan Percival Gallagher]

Jordan's mind started to reel under all of the information he was being given by this stranger "Give me a second, I'm still trying process it all." Jordan shook his head to focus and tried to answer. "First off the catalyst, I believe that it was that spear right there." pointing to what was left of the spear that was still in the ground. "Looking at it it looks like this thing is old, really old. If you needed something to bring you here, this spear might have been one that Ieyasu once held at some point in his life or something."

Jordan looked at the body of the Asian man and said "I'd hate to assume this, but I think the person who meant to summon you was him and it looks like those monsters got to him first though, sorry. It looks like what happened was that this guy set up the summoning circle and died before he could use it. Then I came along and got attacked. My blood fell on the circle and summoned you here. So I guess that means that technically I summoned you here."

Turning back to the stranger Jordan asked "Now about this Holy Grail ritual, what exactly is it? You mentioned strengths and weaknesses, are you saying I have to be stronger than somebody else? If I do then I'd guess they would have someone like you of their side as well. Another person from the past I'd guess. I wonder what's supposed to happen after all the battles are over anyway." Jordan moved his shirt to the side and exposed his right arm. "Anyway, as for a Command Seal I don't have one, all I have is this... tattoo..." Jordan trailed as his tattoo was glowing at three points. "Oh you have got to be kidding me! When did this happen!?"

Jordan after muttering angrily at himself due to being upset about his tat being messed with said "Fine, since these... dots... are on my arm, I guess I have no choice but to be part of this ritual battle thing." Jordan threw his arms up and put his shirt back on and reached out his hand. "And, since we're stuck together I guess we should shake on it."

[Honda Tadakatsu]

"First off the catalyst, I believe that it was that spear right there."

Certainly, there was a spear in the middle of the circle. He felt its faint presence behind his back as he appeared. As there was no intent... as it had no wielder, he chose to ignore it for the moment. Now, he could examine it closer. It was certainly a fine weapon. Its shape greatly resembled his Tonbo-Giri but he could not feel the surge of prideful power from its blade. This was, at most, a 'token' that might have had some relation to his Lord. However, the call he received was too strong and too direct. Honda was perplexed. How much power did the magus pour into his summons to amplify the effect of an indirect connection to such an extent? He lowered his eyes to examine the circle, feeling obliged to decipher this puzzle.

...

Everything stopped. His Master's words stopped registering in his mind. Realization came suddenly. Honda was so used to this sensation that it simply slipped past him at first. A faint smell... Having spent a major part of his life on the battlefield Honda took it for granted but the air here was heavily stained with the scent of blood. A slightly sweet fragrance of death filled the whole place. And there, beyond the edge of the magic circle, lied a figure. Supposedly, it was human at some point... The circle was carved on the concrete floor. And its every line was now accentuated with a deep red, the trail of which went all the way to the dead body. Honda took a few steps toward the corpse to examine it up close. The figure's torso was almost torn apart but its head retained its original shape, at least. The man's face was almost painfully familiar. Or at least seemed as such. He did not resemble Tokugawa-sama much. Yet Honda's mind instantly recognized him as someone of His noble lineage.

"This... certainly explains many things." Honda murmured this in a bitter tone. Certainly, the life of a person so important to him was indeed a suitable catalyst. Of course, the man behind him did not realize the fact that the ritual he just completed involved human sacrifice. It is probably best to keep that detail to himself. Honda turned his attention to his Master who was too confused to notice the change in the mood.

"And, since we're stuck together I guess we should shake on it."

An unfamiliar gesture. What was this 'shake' his Master spoke of? The information has been recalled from the depths of his memory... or maybe not exactly 'his'... Yet, it was convenient so Honda paid no heed. Handshake. A greeting. An agreement. The man simply accepted this turn of events. Was he still confused? Or did he not understand how serious of a predicament he has gotten himself into?

Honda raised his free hand, silently asking for a moment of peaceful contemplation. First of all, the poor soul needed to be sent off properly. Honda chanted a Buddhist prayer. It seems his Master understood his gesture as he gave a slight nod and took a step back, remaining silent for the whole duration of the ritual. It gave Honda time to put his thoughts in order. He was summoned into this time and place to protect the noble lineage of his Lord. And now the one he was supposed to serve, the one he was supposed to protect, the descendant of Lord Tokugawa, lied before him in a pool of blood. Moreover, that precious blood was then used as a catalyst to summon him. What a cruel twist of fate this was. 'After a fulfilled life of serving my dear Lord, 400 years after my death, I made my first irredeemable blunder.' Never before, not once in his whole life had he allowed something of this magnitude to happen. 'There is no atonement for such a failure except death. I should end my existence with my own hands in sign of repentance. That is the only path before me. But... would it be the correct choice in this situation?'

He glanced at his Master who stood a short distance away with a vacant look on his face. The black man looked somewhat pale... Honda rushed to his side. It seems he had made another blunder just now. His Master certainly had a strong will. Yet it seems that will was too strong for his body to handle. He had a fever and was on the verge of collapsing. Was it because of the wound? Honda checked. Of course, the blood continued to seep out. The cuts themselves weren't deep but they refused to close up for some reason. Were that creature's claws poisoned? He hoped that was not the case.

"Master, it seems you are exhausted and it is to be expected. Even the best of magi cannot handle such a summoning without side-effects. It is dangerous to remain here as more of these stone creatures may appear. Moreover, your state seems to be worsening. That creature's claws might have been poisoned. It is best to treat the wound as soon as possible. Do you have a workshop close to this location? If not, maybe you know a safe place nearby?"

It was not a good time to be contemplating suicide. Unless he wanted to shame himself any further he had to make sure the man leaning on his shoulder survives this night. He can disembowel himself anytime but that will not improve the current situation in the slightest.

[Jordan Percival Gallagher]

Jordan had raised his hand to shake on the agreement but after seeing the stranger lift his hand and start to pray Jordan knew that it was something that needed to be done. "I should have done that earlier myself. I dunno what religion either of these men are or were, but nobody deserved to die like that."Jordan thought to himself as he stepped back and closed his eyes in silent prayer.

When Jordan opened his eyes he saw that the stranger had a look on his face that suggested that he was still thinking to himself about something very important. Jordan kept quiet as to let him think. While he did that, Jordan looked at the deceased man on the ground and thought "I guess that this guy was the one who wanted to pull off the magic circle thing on the ground here." Jordan looked down at his shirt and noticed that he wasn't doing so well. The blood coming from his supposedly small cuts was proving that fact very well.

When Jordan noticed the blood coming from him he also noticed just how tired he really was due to the shock of all the events happening finally starting to wear off. He placed a hand on his head to try and focus but failed at it. Trying to take a step forward he instead stumbled and almost fell but was caught by the man with the spear. "Thank you." Jordan said as he leaned on the man's shoulder.

"Master, it seems you are exhausted and it is to be expected. Even the best of magi cannot handle such a summoning without side-effects. "Heh, that would explain it. Either that or the rum and coke I had earlier." Jordan thought as the man continued. That creature's claws might have been poisoned. It is best to treat the wound as soon as possible. Do you have a workshop close to this location? If not, maybe you know a safe place nearby?"

"I saw a hospital when I was going to the club. It looked pretty safe and clean. As for a workshop, I'm not from around here so all I have to offer is a room at a rather nice looking hotel after the hospital trip." Jordan got off of the man's shoulder and grabbed his right hand. Shaking it twice he said "For now, this can be our agreement to this ritual thing. But you're gonna have to explain it fully later. And don't call me master, it demeans us both." Shakily walking out the door, the two men started on the way to the hospital.

[Honda Tadakatsu]

A hospital. That was probably the best solution. Honda could provide general first aid but with no means to sterilize the wound it would be more prudent to leave the treatment to a specialist. Even if there was no poison involved, infection could cause mortification of flesh... he witnessed that too many times in his lifetime to underestimate the dangers associated with such a 'scratch'.

"For now, this can be our agreement to this ritual thing. But you're gonna have to explain it fully later. And don't call me master, it demeans us both."

With those words, Honda felt a sudden surge of power. As the initial wave subsided, he noticed that a channel had been opened between him and his Master, supplying him with a steady flow of prana. And a major part of that energy didn't come from the young man who just shook his hand. Honda couldn't clearly identify its source. His Master acted as a buffer for the foreign element, obscuring it, making recognition impossible. But judging from the sheer volume of the channeled prana it could only be the Holy Grail. The information he had been receiving up to now also became clearer and more orderly. And according to these 'whispers', as he decided to call them, there was still a chance to set things right and reclaim his lost honor...

Yet... how could this man agree to this so quickly? On one hand, Honda realized he would probably do the same thing in such a situation. If you are attacked once you will be weary of a second encounter. Having allies by your side is reassuring in such situations but... this man did not looks like someone left without a choice, driven into a corner. Just now, he chose by his own will to participate in this cruel game called the Holy Grail War. And instead of being wary he appeared excited. Even though he complained there was a tinge of anxiety in his voice. Was his Master one of those "adventurers" who longed for adrenalin and were happy to risk their lives... No. This was a tad surprising but it seemed logical. 'It is always better for something to happen than nothing happening at all. Is that it, boy? Such youthful levity really makes me feel my age...'

Honda gave the man whose life he was going to protect one more glance. The circle and the spear in its center came into his view "That spear is not my Tonbo-Giri... That is why the summoning failed." With those words he followed his Master into the night. Yet... why did the thought of another spear make him so anxious just now...?