A few days later,
Atrum Galliasta, the Magus from the Clock Tower, entered his lab and found everything burning blue.
A few days ago, he had summoned Medea, the Witch of Colchis, creating a Master-Servant pact for the upcoming Holy Grail War.
He had wanted her ability to summon the Dragon of Colchis through her, gaining an unprecedented advantage in the War.
To his dismay, Caster told him that her Noble Phantasm was a conceptual weapon, not summoning a Dragon. Even if she were to summon the Dragon of Colchis, she wouldn't be able to control it.
Later, Atrum showed the Caster his lab, where he used children as sacrifices to create pure magical energy.
Claiming his methods childish and useless, Medea created even bigger magical crystals with a flick of her hands, shocking and scaring Atrum.
Atrum found Medea to be too cunning, given her nature of betrayal as per the myth, and commanded her to never use her Noble Phantasm on him. He even went to the lengths of using a Command Spell for this.
Still, that didn't seem enough to him.
After thinking it over, Atrum concluded that he couldn't trust the Caster.
So, only today, he had gone to the Grail War's Overseer, asking if he could choose another Servant as the War hadn't technically started yet.
Upon receiving a positive report, he even offered a contract to Lancer's Master to kill the Caster.
From Atrum's perspective, Lancer's Master, Bazette, was another Magus from the Clock Tower. So, it wouldn't be too much of trouble letting her find out what was going on, anyway.
But, as he returned to the lab and found the entire lab burning, he knew he had miscalculated something.
"What is the meaning of this?" Atrum asked, staring at the robed figure.
"I took it upon myself to dismantle this failure of a workshop," Medea replied. "I shall take you to a more suitable place for fortification."
Atrum's mouth flattened into a thin line.
He walked up to her and looked around. "What about my supplies? I still had a few dozen of those children left… Do you know how much money I spent to procure them?"
"They…" Medea replied, "… have been freed."
A vein pulsed on Atrum's head. "So," he asked, taking a deep breath, "where's this suitable place?"
Medea turned around. "The heart of this ritual, where the Greater Grail rests. I can take you there, now, Master."
Sigh! Atrum shook his head within. And I was hoping to save my Command Spells…
Using the Command Spell to force Medea to kill herself was the most direct way to get rid of her. He had already used one Command Spell on her, though. He hadn't wanted to waste the rest of them.
That's why he had hired Bazette and her Servant, Lancer, to do the dirty work.
But as he heard Medea's intentions and sensed the treachery in her words, he knew he had no other option.
"That won't be necessary, Caster," Atrum said, lifting his hand. "Kill yourself."
A bloody light shone on Atrum's hand as another Command Spell was consumed.
Silence.
Atrum's eyes widened.
Under the hood, Medea's face gained a small smile.
Horrified, Atrum hurriedly used the last Command Spell and ordered the Caster to kill herself again.
"Hehe…" Medea laughed as the bloody hue dissipated from the back of Atrum's hand. "Hahaha… What a foolish man you are, Master? Have you forgotten what my Noble Phantasm is?"
Atrum stared at the zigzag dagger Medea was carrying in her hands, and he stumbled back, stuttering, "… Rule… Breaker. I forbade to use it with Command Spell!"
Medea giggled. "Not to use on you… You didn't say I could not use it on… me, Master. I have already severed the pact between us."
Atrum's eyes widened. "Impossible. You cannot exist without a Master…"
Medea shrugged. "What of it? Is that something a man about to die should be concerned about?"
In the next moment, brilliant red flames took over Atrum, burning him alive.
With a thud, Medea's knees struck the floor as she coughed out a mouthful of blood.
Right at that moment, someone else entered the lab. Someone who was supposed to have come a few moments before… as per the contract.
The Lancer!
…
Bleeding all over, dying, her figure blurring in and out of existence, Caster somehow survived Lancer's attack.
But what of it?
The irony of the words that she had said to her master before killing him made her chuckle.
As the rain pelted her, deafening her senses, she slipped and fell, lying deep in a forest surrounded by darkness.
"In the end, is this how I shall die once again?" Medea chuckled, staring at the colorless sky. "Passed around. Exploited. Reviled as a traitor. All I want… was to return to my homeland…"
Taking a last breath, Medea lifted her shaking hand toward the sky, as if the clouds would reach down and hold it.
Somehow, the foolish desire brought another smile to her face.
"Perhaps…" Medea thought aloud, letting her hand fall. "… another time…"
Out of nowhere, as if fate wasn't done with her, someone grabbed her hand.
Medea looked at the blurry figure, feeling his warmth. White hair. Red eyes. Gentle. Loving. Merciful. Calm…
Then, as he lowered his head and touched her face, she passed out.
…
Medea believed herself to be dead.
So, when she opened her eyes and saw a magnificent room, full of rich, ancient decorations, she thought she was summoned as a Caster again… perhaps hundreds of years later…
She couldn't find the wounds on her body left by the Lancer. She couldn't find the feeling that she was about to disappear as well, either.
Suddenly, she recalled the last face she had seen before dying, and shot up, sitting upright.
"Oh… you woke up…"
Medea lifted her head and stared at the man.
He was reading a newspaper. Though she didn't want to, she couldn't help but notice that the images on that newspaper were moving…
No… How am I still here… Medea questioned, disbelieving the fact.
The white-haired, red-eyed, tall man chuckled and walked up to her, bringing a tray of food and tea.
"Hello, I am Black Von Einzbern," the man said, smiling at her. "Don't worry. I will keep you safe…"
Medea didn't know it was possible anymore.
But, when she heard his words, saw his smile, and sensed his sincerity, her heart… skipped a beat.
*******************
AN: Up to 60 more chapters are available in advance across three Tiers. [Use the link in my webnovel profile to access all options]
You can even subscribe Trial Tier for just 1 dollar to have an experience of exclusive chapters for an entire month. I hope a few of you will consider supporting the work.
100 Power Stones: +1 Bonus Chapter