Fate/Broken Melody Chapter 13: A Pure and Bloody Fantasy

Waver Velvet, aka Lord El-Melloi II PoV

It had been almost nine days since the concert attack. After which all three of us retired to a small hotel nearby. It was one that had been purchased by the El-Melloi family for the fourth holy grail war. There weren't many of them in the city, but they did exist as back up plans.

It helped that their wards still stood strong. I'd likely have to count on them in the future.

…I was also forced to admit Reines's usefulness due to being largely unable to even get through the wards, due to not being a blood relative.

Since then, we've been hunkering down and awaiting the side effects of the contract that had been forced on us. Yet nothing so far had happened. It also seemed that unlike Melvin Weins, the tuning that had been done was permanent. Or at least it's effects decayed much slower over time.

Any attempt to rid ourselves of our tuned abilities was also met with failure. Thanks in no small part to Reines reluctance to even entertain the idea of ridding herself of it.

Likely due to her having the most substantial and personal boost to magic circuits than either me or Gray. Not only did using her mystic eyes no longer cause her any pain, but she even believed that her family crest had been slightly repaired as a result.

I wasn't sure of how that would even be possible. Then again, that's the kind of power that the greatest heroes in human history had.

The unimaginable kind.

It was also during this time when a mark carved itself upon the back of Reines hand. Signifying that she had been chosen to be a master in the Holy Grail War.

I had assumed the overseer from the church had been lying, but seeing it in person took a weight off my shoulders. Even if it was on Reines of all people…

The mark was in the shape of a hip bone. With a diamond like shape stretching down from it before forming a small crescent at the end.

She had been chosen by the holy grail, as her brother before her had been.

And yet, for some inexplicable reason…there was no mark upon my own hand.

I was against Reines being an official master in the Holy Grail War. This wasn't her battle to fight and die in. Nor did she really care about revenge for the sake of the previous Lord El-Melloi.

She simply wanted to use the holy grail to boost her standing in the Clock Tower.

My mind was eventually changed. Not due to any sort of sound argument, but to an emotional appeal. She was willing to use the mantle as a catalyst.

…That would mean I wouldn't be the master of Iskandar.

That…was fine. I didn't need to be. Serving underneath him as a strategist was more than enough to fulfil my ambition. So I eventually relented. Reminding Reines to be very careful with the mantle as she prepared the ritual to summon the king.

Thankfully the hotel was well stocked on any supplies that we might need. As expected of my old teacher. Even now I felt inadequate compared to him. If he hadn't fallen in the Holy Grail War, I wonder just how much further he would have gotten…

A blinding light shined in the room as Reines chanted. The mantle being safely situated in order to beckon the king.

That larger than life figure.

The man who's shoulders could carry the world on his back.

The king of conquerors.

Isk-

"Katou Danzo, online. Your orders, master."

There was a long silence as we all looked at her. Reines hummed in appreciation as she looked over her servant, while Gray was at my side. Apologizing for Iskandar not being summoned despite that not being her fault.

She also mistook my silence as depression, which wasn't entirely correct. While I was a bit put off by my king being summoned, what was more worrying was the servant that came instead.

Katou Danzo. A 16th century shinobi that was also known as the Black Kite. The fact that she was an assassin went without saying.

But there was something that was even more pressing.

She was a Japanese hero.

Japanese servants couldn't be summoned for a multitude of reasons. One of which being that they had been restricted from being summoned by the creators of the Holy Grail War so they wouldn't have an unfair home field advantage.

There was also the fact that Holy Grail is a predominantly western concept. Which meant while it wasn't impossible for eastern servants to be summoned, it did make it much more unlikely to happen.

I could imagine one of these being wrong, or perhaps being intentionally misconstrued, but both?

…No, even before then. This Holy Grail War came much earlier than expected…

"Don't worry, sir. I'll make sure you see your king again."

Gray stated with full determination written on her face, but I was only half paying attention to her. This Holy Grail War…something was wrong with it.

…What else was that overseer keeping from me?

*~o~*

Orpheus PoV

After a relatively peaceful night, I decided to go all in on fulfilling my promise to Rin Tohsaka and Atalanta. That is, to get rid of the bounded field around the school.

How was I going to do that, you may ask? I definitely didn't have the necessary know-how to do it, nor did I have the intelligence of how to get around that. I also lacked the fundamental understanding in order to even know how they worked!

So how in the world was I going to do it?

I wasn't!

That's why Medea so graciously extended a hand in order to help me. Which meant the two of us were going to tackle the problem together. To which I meant that Medea was going to tackle the problem in record time, and I was going to provide moral support.

And I'll tell you, I'm certain that in terms of being a cheerleader, I was definitely in the top 10 best servants.

"Tell me something, girl. Are you happy in this modern world?"

Medea blushed before looking around. Embarrassment written across her face as she looked around the school and found that indeed, several of the students were now looking at us.

Well, they were mostly looking at me and my guitar, but that would soon change.

"W-when I said I'd sing with you, I didn't think you meant right now."

Medea whispered and hissed underneath her breath. Something that only caused me to chuckle in response. Continuing to loop the same few notes until I was ready to continue.

"There's no time like the present."

"There's enemy servants in the area, we're trying to be as quiet as possible, and I haven't even fully memorized the lyrics yet!"

Hahaha, my master could be pretty cute when she wanted to be. That being said, I could still see the beat of music within her soul. A melody that was rising to the surface.

She wasn't too far from cracking.

"Or do you need more? Is there something else you're searching for?"

Medea coughed in her hands before looking around. Her eyes intently scanning the surrounding area with a serious expression on her face.

She was correct of course. Enemies were everywhere, and secrecy was of vital importance.

However, there was one thing that was more important.

And that was…teaching these kids the power of music!

Well, and getting Medea to relax a bit. She didn't need to be so constantly stressed all the time. It would be good for her to just take a breath and enjoy the sights. Let down her hair, as it were.

But something like this…maybe it only fans the flames of her stress. Music had a way of carrying me away, and perhaps this was one such situation.

Hmm…

What was the right call here…

"I'm falling. In all the good times, I find myself longing."

I turned my back as I sidled up next to Medea. her eyes fixated on me as I not only strummed the guitar, but swayed my body to the rhythm. It was something that came oh so naturally to me.

The music of the world that no one else could see. It was as if everyone else was blind. Unable to open their eyes and see the world for what it truly was. The maddening beauty that laid in each and everyone.

It was the essence of everything, but they couldn't see it. They felt it all around them but didn't truly believe in it. How was that even possible?

Did they not laugh when they were happy? Did they not cry when they were sad? Did they not scream when they were angry?

It was everywhere, everything, and everyone.

They couldn't understand it…

But I could.

Did that make me human? Or…

"For change. And in the bad times, I fear myself…"

The show just started, but I was already feeling it. That constant gnawing weight forever sitting on my shoulders. The reminder that always keeps me in check.

A hero who fails to save even one person wasn't really a hero.

They were a joke at best.

"Tell me something, boy."

My eyes that had temporarily dulled suddenly found themselves alight with fire once more. Medea's melodic voice sang next to me, her face reddened with shame as she did so, with her shoulder pressing into my own.

The biggest hurdle in getting over embarrassment was the first step. A self-evident fact as Medea gradually grew accustomed to it. No, even more than that, there was excitement in her eyes.

She was enjoying this.

"Aren't you tired of trying to fill that void?"

I smiled back at her. My face brightening up with a comically large smile in order to encourage her. Something that seemed to work as she pressed her back to mine.

The two of us continuing the song back to back, as my hands danced across the guitar. My body swaying to the music until I no longer could take it anymore, and threw my instrument into the air.

I didn't need an instrument.

I was the instrument.

Medea looked at the guitar in surprise as it floated in the air, and seemed to play itself. But her stunned look only lasted until I took her in my arms. Guiding her quickly into an impromptu dance.

There was no training for such things. Dancing was never something that needed practice. To look good for aesthetic reasons, sure. But true dancing was something that came from the heart. From the beat you felt from the melody.

Letting your body flow naturally with the melody of the world. That's what real dancing was.

Any shame that Medea had been feeling had been completely washed away as she let herself be taken by my momentum. The two of us danced across the front of the school, no longer speaking words on a piece of paper, but the language of the soul.

When Medea matched my smile, I felt truly happy. My heart swelling up as if to greet her.

…She's gone through so much, and there's even more waiting for her. Even on the Argonaut I looked up to her as one of the greatest heroes of our time. No, even that was just a disservice to her.

She was one of the greatest heroes that has ever, and will ever, exist.

Like a shooting star in the night sky.

A beautiful but fleeting thing. Often lasting only a few seconds before completely disappearing from sight. Either crashing down to reality, or drifting in the endless sea.

I've always known the truth. That I could never find happiness in myself. That I could only find it in others. Siphoning off of it like a leech.

My hand drifted up unbidden to the side of Medea's face at the end of the song. She flinched lightly, but didn't pull away. Instead meeting my gaze in turn.

My thumb brushed against her face. Her alluring lilac eyes held a fire within.

Self control…was never my forte…

My lips connected with Medea's own. The faint taste of grapes greeted me as I held her close. As if to limit her ability to escape from this one fleeting moment.

Yet it proved unnecessary, as Medea's arms tightened and pulled me in ever so closer. The slight hesitation and embarrassment she had shown before having scattered like dust in the wind. My passion was only matched by her own, if not surpassed.

I was lightly surprised to feel Medea prod the inside of my mouth with her tongue so quickly, but I wasn't one to turn down such unabashed fervor. Admittedly my experience with such things was exceedingly small, but I did my best to reciprocate her affections.

Her hands started to rub my back, thus I matched her efforts. Making small circles with my fingers as I held her within my arms.

It was only when Medea's hands dipped into the bottom of my shirt, and started to rise upwards that I had finally snapped out of it. Not because I was some sort of prude, but due to us still being in front of the school.

That is, still in front of several students.

Medea gave me a questioning look as I pulled away from her. One that seemed all too alluring by just how seductively pure it seemed. A sad yet aroused questioning look was something that would break most men.

Thankfully, I was able to dig deep enough to refrain.

"While your advances are…uh, welcomed, I'm not sure here is the best place for it…"

Medea blinked for a moment, before looking around. Noticing the students around her before regarding them with a glare. She hummed to herself before standing. Her hand raised up and making several symbols in the air with her finger.

With but a snap of her fingers, the students suddenly seemed to lose interest and continue on towards the school. Medea then nodded to herself before coughing into her arm. Giving an almost strained nod towards me before putting up her hood.

I got the feeling the hood was less to hide her identity this time around, and more to hide her slight embarrassment. It was rather cute…

"You are…quite right. The Bounded Field is down. We should start heading back."

I nodded along. Happily following with a smile on my face. One that only grew when Medea offered me her hand without saying anything.

Our fingers interlocked with each other as we made our way back home.

*~o~*

???? ??? ?????? PoV

Stab.

Stab. Stab. Stab. Stab. Stab.

…Hmm?

Oh!

He was already dead.

The ground was steeped in blood as it pooled on top of the bridge. It even started to drip and fall over the edge onto the nearby road. We barely even noticed how much of it was now soaking through to our fingers.

"Hey, hey, hey, are you alive?"

We asked the dead man, but he didn't say anything in response. Probably because we had killed him.

Huh.

We had expected another servant to be a bit stronger than other people, but he hadn't been very tough. Actually, he was pretty easy to kill. Unlike the others, he didn't even seem to really fight back.

We wonder why? Was he scared? He had been trying to say something before he died…

Hmm. Mmm…mmm!

Alright, we've decided! The next time someone tries to to talk to us, we'll let them before we finish cutting them up. Now that it was quiet again, it was a bit sad. The strange song he had been humming had been nice to listen to. Almost as nice as the sound a knife makes when it cuts people.

"Well thank you, that's very nice of you to say."

But that was fine, because there was more than enough flesh to still cut.

"Ah."

And his limbs were the best to dismember! We don't know why, but his corpse was really pretty. Especially when it was covered in cuts. If only he had been a woman, then it might have been possible to return home. Unfortunately we'd have to make do with just cutting open his chest.

"…Thanks? I…think?"

Stab. Stab. Stab. Stab. Stab.

Playing around with his body was really fun. So much so that we spent a long time just playing on the bridge. Bringing the body parts from one place to the other. But eventually we started to get hungry…

Our stomach gurgled, causing us to frown and grab our belly. Frowning at it before sighing and pulling out a knife. It wasn't hard to take out his heart due to everything already being pulled out.

Hmm…it didn't look any different from the others?

"S-should it!?"

Oh well. We shrugged our shoulders before swallowing it all in one bite. We waited a few seconds, but there didn't seem to make us any less hungry. What the heck? Was that because he was a servant?

But we didn't even get to taste anything…

We looked up at the night sky with a pout, before sighing and heading home. It was too late to continue to try to find some food before the sun finished rising. It didn't help that we were already feeling tired…

While we trailed back, our mind went back to the strange tune the man had been humming. It had been pretty catchy, so it was easy to remember. The hard part was trying to mimic it.

We tried to whistle it, but that was hard to do. It seemed pretty easy when we watched others doing it, but in reality it was really really difficult!

"That was your first try? …Not bad. Not bad at all."

Instead we focused on just humming it. Eventually though, we returned to our home. The door creaked open at an angle. Forcing us to bend down in order to get inside.

Broken boards had to be side stepped in order to get to the living room. There was one board that had to be walked across in order to do so, and it was pretty fun to do it with our arms out.

The east side was where we liked to sleep. It was the comfiest part of the floor compared to the other parts of the abandoned house. Our stomach growled once again as we bent down to sleep.

"…"

Using our cloak for warmth helped a bit. It was still a bit chilly though. Thankfully we were strong and used to it. So something like this couldn't bother us.

"…"

…Hmm?

It was strange but…suddenly the room felt pretty warm. Not just bearable, but nice and toasty! Like we had turned into a piece of breakfast. The thought was enough to make our mouth water…

Except we didn't really feel very hungry anymore. That's strange…ah, maybe the heart took some time to kick in! So that's what it was!

Thanks strange man.

Our stomach felt full, and the room was warm and cozy. Squirming around only made things feel much better…but we were also getting pretty sleepy…

It was really nice…

We hope…that when we go back to our mommy…

That she's this warm.

"…What a pure and beautiful dream. I guess I no longer have any other option, do I?"