Passing The Torch

[Catherine Trandor]

The early reports have been worrying, and in the early stage of the war no less.

The earlier masters coming to her clinic notwithstanding, Erin had a certain ‘premonition’; or perhaps just a bad feeling about the coming war in this city. Well, alright, maybe the earlier ‘masters’ had something to do with this bad feeling nagging in the back of Erin’s mind. To say the two of them were amateur magi is not that far from the target, though she distinctly remember one of them being decidedly clueless about everything she said, including the warning about not attracting attention. Unlike her, the Church agent in this city won’t be so forgiving, and she also heard about the ‘news’ about Enforcers that’s being stationed in this city, the Association didn’t spare any resources.

Vicky won’t be too thrilled about meeting one of them again, that’s for sure.

Regardless of that, even the atmosphere in the city feels heavy somewhat. It gives the impression that something’s happening in the city, well, that might not be far from the truth. The ‘event’ might be coming, but she’s here to minimize the destruction and prevent another tragedy from being written into the shameful history of the Grail War. Though the accident with the two of the masters already worried her, even the monsters from the story of the…party boy was it, seems like a good possibility. Servants are certainly capable of such things, and there’s no guarantee that all of the masters here had good intention of entering the war. On the contrary, promise of a wish tends to attract the most horrible, or the most desperate people. Who knows what they’ll do for a chance to wish for anything? Though those kinds of questions often enters her mind lately, enough to make her stop and think for a while.

Still, this is supposed to be just a recon job to the section of the city that she hasn’t visited yet. While the early morning event left her a bit drained, she can always spare a few hours on this job. Though part of her motivation was to try the multiple cafés in the old town, she had heard that some of them boast an excellent collection of coffees and other beverages. She briefly wonders about just relaxing to calm her nerves…

Or maybe first see what the crowd over there is gathering upon.

It’s…a wall, or more accurately was a wall. Now it’s shattered because of…something, though the pieces suggested that it came from the direction inside the walls. A prison. Her mind immediately fills itself with possible situations that can arise with this new revelation, mostly bad possibilities. A prison break would be quite problematic at this time, though it could be used as a cover story in case there are unexplainable casualty to the public…No With the way those two masters this morning came about, one of the escapees could easily have been chosen as a master by the grail, then it would become a major problem if it’s not dealt with swiftly. The police have been quite swift at dealing with the situation, so hopefully it won’t come to past...but she doesn’t know when this incident exactly started. The situation is definitely worse than she predicted if it has been quite a long time ago.

This certainly needs more information, hmm…

Glancing at the quiet streets just opposite of the breached walls, she immediately separates herself from the crowd and heads to the nearest street from the commotion. If you’re in a hurry then this is very possible… While she doesn’t expect to be ambushed by escaping convict, nevertheless she remains alert of the possibility. And if there are still some convicts foolish enough or perhaps bold enough to remain near the crime scene, she would be ready.

[Guan Yu]

It was only dawning now on Guan Yu the damn near impossibility of his task.

Sure, it had seemed viable to start with. Find a magus, form a contract, simple.

Of course, there was the matter of asking an ordinary could force him to slay them if they decided to play along and learned too much. That wasn’t something Guan Yu was thrilled about. Then of course if the magus was another Master, he would probably be betrayed.

So, after a short time scouting the surrounding area, he realized he needed a plan, and fast. Pain, whether imagined or real he didn’t know, was beginning to be felt. The idea of being “crushed” by Gaia certainly wasn’t a thrilling concept.

He noticed a lot of what the Grail had deemed “cars”; objects to transport people around in an accelerated fashion similar to horses, were converging on the prison. Clearly what happened there had not gone unheard.

Those people would be mostly non-mages, he surmised. And while one or two might be concealing themselves in the crowd interested in this happening, odds are most would be somewhere close, concealing themselves… Probably a street near, but not within, the commotion. It seemed as good a theory as any, and one street within his sight seemed like the perfect fit.

So there he was, and it appears it was the right move. A single person was coming down the street. Hopefully they were a magus, and considering he didn’t detect another Servant, it was unlikely that they were a Master already.

So, stashing the extra hand in his robes, he stepped out of the shadows with hands raised in surrender, walking towards the potential new Master.

[Catherine Trandor]

Likewise, Erin also just realizes the impulsive stupidity of her current action.

Sure, with her confronting the perpetrator of the jail break, she will be able to get into the root of this problem in no time flat. However, there’s the simple matter of the one single factor called the servant that’s likely to be possessed by the one responsible, who’s likely a master. After all, destroying the outer wall of a prison is not the most common way to escape the, doubly so without signs of charred bricks, common from explosions of homemade bombs.

So one of the masters now is an escaped convict, and he’s loose with a servant, the new realization makes the earlier two inexperience masters looks like a walk in the park.

But types like Erin are the ones who can’t help but walk towards a solution when it’s likely right in front of her, so she kept on going.

…Well, now at least she can rest easy now that there’s at least one other servants around here that won’t kill her at the first sign of life. Though it’s possible that the servant approaching her is doing so because of the command of his master, the hands up pose is either a very clever ruse or a deliberate effort because of an urgent situation. It’s not often for a warrior to abandon his pride and come in what amount to a position of surrender like that. Though it’s not like she is a credible threat without a servant…

This means there’s another reason why the servant is approaching her.

Looking towards the unarmed servant, Erin mouthed a sentence to the big man,“…Let’s just talk in the alleyway, that way there’s less open space for other people to see.”

After making her way towards the dim alley, Erin can’t help but notice that there’s no master in sight. Unless this servant is an Archer, his master needs to be nearby somewhere, and he doesn’t look the part of an Archer.

Course; don’t judge a book by its cover and all, but first impression matters.

“Then, what do you need me for?”

[Guan Yu]

They hadn't fled, a good start. Moving closer, he noted it was a she,

If she knew what he was, she had kept a level head and knew that fleeing would have been futile. She had mouthed... something, Guan Yu wasn't the best lip-reader. But he got the gist of it. Follow her to somewhere more secluded in case someone decided to come here.

He wasn't a lip reader, but he was good at deduction sometimes.

He followed her without hesitation. Yes, maybe it was a trap, but it was unlikely. He couldn't detect any Servants in the immediate area. And on the off chance it was an Assassin... Well, he was running out of time, and it didn't seem like the brightest move of an Assassin to use their Master as bait for a Servant.

...Well, she had stopped. They were in an alley, about as secluded as it gets in an urban area.

“Then, what do you need me for?”

Straight to business, good.

'...I failed to save my Master.' Blunt, to the point. 'I am a Servant, in case you didn't know, a being created by the Holy Grail...' Her face didn't suggest surprise, so Guan Yu took that as a sign she knew what was going on. 'Not being able to save my Master was a horrific mistake. However, I feel that I still have some good I can do here. Whatever Servant killed my Master was vicious, and from what I understand, may have killed prisoners to supplement it's prana... Perhaps I do not deserve victory, but I feel I must go on to make sure such a thing doesn't happen again.'

He reached into his robes. 'What I am asking you, as I feel you are aware, is incredibly dangerous. And yet, here I am, to beg of you.'

He revealed the hand of his previous Master, the one he had failed, a reminder to not fail again.

'...Will you be my Master? I swear, I will protect you with my life. I will not fail you.'

[Catherine Trandor]

Erin considers the servant’s words for a few moments. On one hand, it’s true that her job requires the utmost neutrality on her part, and becoming a master would certainly violate the neutral part of that job. However, the servant’s words about the incident in the prison intrigued her. If the story is true, then there’s certainly a murderer pair on the loose, and leaving it as it is would eventually snowball the trouble into an avalanche that could attract unwanted attention from ordinary citizens…not to mention the Church. Indeed, if the Church got wind of the incident who knows what they will do. The Association would certainly shoulder much of the blame, as usual.

She looks at the severed hand of the previous master. On the stubs, there’s a faint trace of a high-degree burnt mark, evidence that there was at least some fire involved, perhaps enough to sear his flesh from his bone. It’s certainly a painful way to go.

Looking around the near-empty alleyway to make sure that no one else observes their little exchange, Erin receives the severed arm from the servant’s grip. The bone structure would suggest that the master was a male, no more than average height and was certainly young enough not to have any abnormalities in his bone. He was perhaps a brand new successor looking to prove his prowess in this war. A pity that things had to turn this way, but such is war.

Perhaps she will regret this decision later, but in the meantime the servant would be much better use of her maintained rather than fade away. A pity he doesn’t seem to be an Assassin. Or at least he doesn’t act like one.

“…Very well. I think having a failsafe plan in order to engage this murderer would be better in this case. Keep in mind that I have no plan to win this Grail War.” Erin once again looks at the severed arm, with the command seals still attached to it. “...As for the command seal, that could be arranged. Can you please watch out for any eyewitnesses for me?”

She had never tried an operation as delicate as this in an impromptu situation, but there’s always a first time for everything isn’t it? Focusing her prana towards her hands, Erin’s right hand went first into the depth of the severed arm, trying to locate the nerve where the command seals are situated.

[Guan Yu]

‘Then it is decided.’

For a moment, Guan Yu wondered if he deserved this second chance. The answer came quickly enough. Of course not, but he will have to force himself to deserve it. He would have to follow his Master with his entire being, protect them and serve them. Never let them leave his sight unless absolutely necessary, if his previous failure told him anything. Oh, how he had fallen, forced to drag this poor woman into the war. If only…

Well, there was no point in such thoughts. What’s done is done. If he did somehow, despite his Master’s indifference towards it, obtain the grail, perhaps he could correct a mistake, but there was no point thinking about it now. So Guan Yu kept telling himself, but he also knew the thoughts would plague him regardless. He would not betray his Master, short of them turning into some sort of psychopath. But there was always the chance his Master would change her mind about the Grail, however small.

So he concentrated, concentrated hard on the simple task his soon-to-be Master had given him. His gaze swept the area like a lighthouse, taking in every image. His ears were alert for any approaching noise. His nose… Well, it could perhaps be more alert for scents, but nobody’s perfect.

His thoroughness was not exactly rewarded. It seems the mess that had been made was still garnering a lot of attention, and they had chosen their spot well. Some people went past an adjacent footpath, but none were in any position to see what would certainly look like a suspicious situation.

Still, he would remain vigilant. He gave his Master the occasional warning when people were on the adjacent footpath, but nobody turned into the street.

It was going well, really. ’Too well’ An annoying little voice droned in his head. Sometimes good things happened, perhaps nothing would go wrong this time.

[Catherine Trandor]

The first thing a field medic is expected to do under distress is to stay calm. It’s perhaps the most important factor in order to determine how well the rest of the operation will be. Doubly so with spiritual surgery, as the surgeon is expected to know the precise cutting positions and concentrate just the right amount of prana in order to not damage the tissues more than necessary. It’s difficult to do so without the proper precaution and environment, which is why what Erin’s doing right now isn’t exactly the best idea in the world. To her credit, she knows how to keep her cool even in a situation like this, and this time the process seems to be going without a hitch much to her delight.

Truthfully, it won’t be this much of a smooth sailing if the surrounding isn’t as quiet as this one. Despite the crime scene not far from here, the alleyway is as quiet as the equivalent scene at later hours. Even with the only sound she’s making being her own breathing Erin can’t hardly hear anything else except the distant meowing of a cat. Decided to count her blessings, she put all concentration towards finishing the impromptu operation, tracing her hands at every nerve and tissue with a precise motion that rivals even modern day medical equipments. With a finishing touch, she managed to remove the parts that house the unfortunate master’s command seal and carefully but surely transferring it towards her exposed right hand.

Eyeing her new command seal, she begins to feel her circuits giving power to what has been a dormant spell thanks to the dead circuit of the previous owner. She’s beginning to feel the way her prana empowers her new servant, anchoring him to this world for an extended period of time. Looking at the ever-vigilant servant keeping guard at the entrance of the alley, she can’t help but wonder why exactly his previous master met his fate. Certainly doesn’t seem like carelessness.

Standing from her previous position, quickly wrapping the severed hand with a cloth, she turned once again at the direction of the alley’s entrance, where Rider is. “It is done. I am your master.” Displaying the command seal now engrafted into her hands, she continues, “Now can you tell me what exactly happened in the prison earlier? More information is critical to how we will approach this situation.”

[Guan Yu]

'I made a mistake.' Blunt, to the point.

For a moment silence. 'She probably wants more information.' Indeed, she still seemed to be listening intently.

'I wished to move with more caution, my Master decided to be more rash without telling me... He sprinted past me. I was surprised, too intent on the enemy Servant i detected. By the time I reacted, it was too late, he must have run right around the corner into an enemy Servant, and they killed him.'

His tone was coolly even, but there was a brief shudder, a chink in the armor. 'I'm afraid I never saw the other Servant or Master, I don't even know why they were at the prison, although I doubt they were waiting for us.' Not that he even knew that, he hadn't exactly heard his Master's life story.

He stared at the command seals on his new Master's hand. Less a symbol of his Master then a monument to his failure.

He hadn't even considered telling lies about the circumstances as he spoke, but in hindsight, he wondered if it would have been better to. He had failed spectacularly, he hadn't even seen his opponent. They had killed his Master without him being involved at all. No attempts to protect him, no heroic sacrifices. It all came down to him not considering his Master making one careless decision, not being prepared for such an occurrence.

Perhaps his new master regretted taking him now. He could almost imagine her using the new command seals to force him to commit suicide, to immediately find sanctuary rather then risk her life with a Servant who had already failed once. He could hardly blame her, he should probably have mentioned the circumstances of his previous Master's demise first.

Still, he would take whatever reaction she had without complaint.

[Catherine Trandor]

As Rider told the condensed version of what happened at the prison, Erin listened intently, occasionally stole glances towards the main road for someone or something that may eavesdrop at this conversation. As far as her limited precognition skill would tell you, there’s nothing that indicates that this conversation’s jeopardized, but you can never be too careful in these kinds of situation.

Rider finished his story with a cool tone, almost indifferent. There’s a bit of regret attached there somewhere in the words, but he’s done well to conceal the intent with the façade of a professional soldier. Deep down Erin can respect that. He’s a no-nonsense warrior that can keep his head calm even during distress, and she can use that sort of partner, even if the circumstances of their meeting isn’t what anyone would call ideal.

“It’s not entirely your fault,” she finally speaks after a moment of silence, “Your former master failed to consider the possibility that the enemy servant is an Assassin, which was probably correct by the circumstances of your story.” Assumptions aren’t the best possible way to proceed, but given the lack of information available it’s the best that she can do right now.

Now that you’ve fulfilled your end, let me fill you with the information on my end. As she broadcast those thoughts to her newfound servant, Erin rises from her earlier position, getting ready to leave such an inconspicuous place. There are early disturbing reports about ‘monsters’ from other participants of this war. Whether it’s simply the byproduct of a Caster or something more sinister remains to be seen. Of course, perhaps these ‘monsters’ have something to do with your mysterious assailants as well.

Ah, and before I forgot, perhaps you could tell me who are you? I have a general idea about your identity, but hearing it from your own words is the best reassurance I can currently ask.

[Guan Yu]

Reports of monsters...

'I have also fought some monsters in the war. They were rotting corpses with sharp teeth and claws, not likely connected to the Servant that killed my Master, as they were not around at that time. Their remains faded soon after death as well, which proves some sort of mystical origin.' Not that rotting corpses could be from anything else. That would be silly. 'That's about all I can tell you about them, unfortunately, I know not of who or what summoned them.' He was all too happy to please, she hadn’t discarded him, even tried to console him, even if it rang hollow in his ears. He had detected the Servant, he had known they were somewhere nearby. Nothing could erase that mark on his soul, so it was best to move on.

Guan Yu paused, giving the surroundings a quick scan. They were speaking mentally, so they wouldn’t be overheard. But he had for a brief moment stop paying attention, not a smart thing to do in any situation. It would have been an abysmal failure to gain a second chance, only to lose it so quickly.

Nothing had changed, save for a gentle breeze.

’Of course, Master. My Identity is Guan Yu, you may know me as the Chinese God of Righteousness, although I am far from a deity. I hope that is satisfactory.’

With that, he moved on. ‘Now, what about you? I do not mean to pry, but if there is anything else I should know about you, now would be a good time to say it, would it not?’

[Catherine Trandor]

Erin processed the information on the back of her head. It’s true that the youth earlier didn’t specifically mention just what the monsters really are, but the possibility that these ‘walking dead’ being one and the same from the story is there. It could’ve been familiars, and the fact that they dissolve soon after their time is up further reinforces the theory.

There are one too many Casters who can supposedly throw cadavers at their opponents. It’s not going to narrow the fields here if she just speculates here. Then again with the information as scarce as it is she’s grateful if there are any leads at all. If Rider can be trusted to gather information it would be precisely what she needs right now. As a former military commander he should know just how important information is in order to proceed.

’That is quite expected yes, no servant would be as careless as to reveal their identity on an advance force.’ She glanced at the commotion on the end of the road, now seemingly attracting more attention as more people crowds to it.

’It’s more than I can ask for. The situation will not change whether or not you’re a deity won’t matter in the case of our current condition, as long as you can be relied on.’ Concealing the severed hand under her coat, Erin takes a deep breath and tries to act natural should one spot her as she exits the alley. ‘My name is Catherine Trandor, an instructor of Clock Tower and the supervisor of this Grail War. I’m…quite proficient in medicine, nothing that would be extremely useful in a war of magi unfortunately.’

As more police arrived at the crime scene, the crowd disperses slowly but surely, making their way towards the streets. Tucking her hand in her coat pocket, Erin walks towards the approaching quasi-crowd. ’We should avoid scrutiny for now. My clinic is in another part of the city, but it should do well as our shelter.’