A freezing night blew strongly through an Egyptian desert, powerful winds pushed around in the midnight sands. Small critters burrowed themselves continuously in efforts to hide from the chilling winds and the lapping sands as the sound of howling air rung through the ears of the desert. One would describe it as a typical desert night, but not all was the same to everyone in this seemingly simple desert. In the high mountains of the Egyptian land was the place where one of the three major branches of the Mage's Association rested: The Atlas Academy. Also known as the Titan’s Pit, the academy was built into the rocks and soil of the african mountains, a spiralling institute filled with magi workshops and laboratories in a structure similar to a labyrinth, with skilled alchemists conducting their research of alchemy magecraft every day.
“This is absurd.” A deep voice echoed through the dimly lit hallways of the academy. In a spacious shadowy room, a meeting between the council was under way.
One of the alchemists in the room furrowed his face in frustration, impatiently tapping his foot on the marble floor. “It has been over a month since we detected that disturbance, and still none of us has yet to find a single lead?”
Another alchemist adjusted his glasses before replying. “Unfortunately not, the last time we had any readings that were close to this was over a decade ago.”
“Wasn’t that around the time the 5th Holy Grail War of Fuyuki met its conclusion?”
The air became stiffer from the mere mention of that term.
The 5th Holy Grail War.
A battle royale in Fuyuki that took place in 1994, with 7 pairs of masters and servants participating for the Holy Grail, a mystical artifact constructed by three families of magi, Einzbern, Tohsaka, and Makiri as a path to the Akashic Records. Rumors of the 5th war circulate all across the magi society. Some say there was no true victor like all of the previous conflicts. Others speak of a betrayal by the mediator, and his subsequent domination of all competition using his servant, the invincible King of Heroes. A select few speak of an unbelievable turn of events where a novice magus not only managed to summon a Saber class servant, but against all odds, had stayed alive until the very end, and obtained ownership over the grail. But the true conclusion of the war was only known to a select few high ranking magi. To their knowledge the grail had been destroyed, and the Fuyuki Grail War was no more.
“Silence.”
A commanding voice filled the room, and the source of it was a young looking woman that had an air of superiority around her. As she stood up, her light skin shone slightly in the dimly illuminated room, and long purple hair that mostly flowed wavily behind her. The room instantly hushed from her word of command. From her attire and demeanor, any member of the academy would instantly recognise her as the the current head director of Atlas.
“We have theorised the correlations between the Grail War with the unknown disturbance in the past. I have called upon this meeting to inform all of you about a new development.”
Whispers and murmurs quickly filled the room, some of bewilderment on new progress on the topic, others wondered if they finally found the reason for their discovery, but nobody could’ve predicted what the director’s next words were.
“A sixth Holy Grail War is approaching.”
All the voices were instantly halted once when the director’s next words left her mouth. The room was in utter silence, the pressure of the room seemed to have increased far beyond what it was initially.
“Impossible...”
An elder alchemist muttered silently as he recovered from the shock, breaking the icy stillness in the room.
“That can’t be true, one of the few things we managed to confirm about the Fifth War was that the grail was destroyed by the Saber class servant. How would another war be possible if the very grail is no more?”
“Yeah, that’s right!”
In a matter of moments, the room quickly erupted into a chaos, words of disbelief and confusion filled the room in a bout of utter madness.
“Quiet.”
And with a single word, the disorder of the room quickly subsided just as fast it had began. The director cleared her throat and continued her initial statement.
“We have had new developments in the case, mana has been gathering towards Fuyuki once again through it’s leylines, in the pattern not unlike that of the summoning of the grail. Our conclusion is also supported with the location of where this mana is gather, as Fuyuki just so happens to be the location of the two previous Holy Grail Wars.”
Murmurs and whispers spread around the alchemists, this was a highly unexpected turn of events that nobody in the room saw coming. Even the elder alchemists were at a loss of how they should react with it.
“So...what should we do about this director?”
A young alchemist had asked the question that resided in everyone’s minds. The director replied with an assured tone.
The director already had an answer before the alchemist even asked. “We send one of our members to participate in the war, and entrust them the duty of investigating the anomaly.”
More murmurs was exchanged between the audience, but a majority of them nodded their heads in agreement after a small discussion.
More murmurs was exchanged between the audience, but a majority of them nodded their heads in agreement after a small discussion.
“Then...who will we be sending to investigate this case?”
The director pondered for a moment, but not after thinking for long, came to a conclusion.”
“Bring me Rani VIII.”
One of the guards nodded in acknowledgement and walked out of the room. After a few moments of waiting, he returned with a young looking girl following behind. She had dark toned skin with pale purple hair that both spread behind her back wavily, was tied over her shoulder, and a large strand that wildly stuck out and hung in front of her forehead. She wore white clothes with blue interiors, and a pair of unmatched stockings. Her eyes looked dull, but at the same time shone a beautiful shade of royal purple.
“Rani VIII reporting, awaiting your orders ma’am.”
The director smiled, she liked Rani’s formality, it was easy for them to communicate without much hassle. “Rani, do you remember the briefing I gave you earlier about our conclusion of the energy readings?”
She replied in a simple manner. “Yes, of course director.”
“Good. I want you to go to Fuyuki, and once you’re there you are to act as a participant in the assumed grail war by summoning a servant, and monitor the war from the inside. We need you to not only gather information about the other members and get knowledge on what happens in the war this time, but also to study Fuyuki to see what happened in the previous wars and to learn how this anomaly happened in the first place. Are you clear on what you are to do? Will I need to repeat myself?”
Rani already knew the weight of her task, it was an immense burden. After all, the Atlas Academy would be counting on her and her alone for this important mission to be completed successfully, as obtaining inside information from the new grail war could yield invaluable knowledge for the entire institute. Still, she showed no change of tone in her voice, and replied as calm as always. “No ma’am. I understand my mission completely, and will begin the task at once.”
“Excellent.”
The director of the academy handed Rani a small box, roughly wrapped in a ragged cloth, not enough to protect the item, but enough to disguise it from peering eyes. “Here is the catalyst you are to use in the summoning, using it should summon a counter guardian from the Throne of Heroes to act as your servant. We are all counting on you Rani.”
Rani formally took the box from the director's hands.
“Yes ma’am.”
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