Atrum's arm fell to the ground, accompanied by a spray of blood that splattered across the floor, filling the space with a pungent, metallic stench.
"Sorry, I still need those Command Spells. I can't let you waste them, my former Master."
Magical energy coalesced into ropes, binding the severed hand and bringing it before Medea. She glanced at Atrum's subordinates, who now looked at her with dread, and her smile widened.
Ignoring them for the moment, she turned her attention to the blond man writhing and wailing on the ground.
"You can stay alive for now. I won't let you die yet... I still need you to supply the magical energy for my daily activities."
She spoke, her gaze drifting to the glass containers around them. That single glance made Atrum forget the pain of his severed arm, replaced by an even greater fear.
If he were thrown into one of those, he'd be dead for sure!
"I said I won't let you die. If you did, refining magical energy would be far more troublesome. As a Servant, I'm still quite restricted."
Her gentle smile only amplified Atrum's terror. He screamed, "Witch! Betraying witch! I never should've summoned you!
"You lot, attack her! Kill her!"
He frantically urged his subordinates, but none dared move. Under the crushing weight of her terrifying magical energy, they felt as if something heavy pinned them down, making even a single step nearly impossible!
"Witch? Betrayal?! The only thing you got right is 'witch.'"
Medea looked down at Atrum, her eyes radiating regal authority, like a king standing above all.
"Before you stands a princess who fought in the Gigantomachy, slayed several of Typhon's offspring, befriended the gods, and became the ageless witch of Colchis. Did a mere Command Spell give you the audacity to speak to me this way?!"
Fear, confusion, and regret overwhelmed Atrum, who couldn't comprehend why he'd failed or why the Command Spell had suddenly lost its effect. Trembling, he felt his life draining with the blood from his arm. If it continued, he'd die from blood loss!
But Medea merely raised her hand, and instantly, excruciating pain surged from his severed arm.
He looked at it in horror, only to see flames ignite at the wound. Under the fire's searing touch, his injury was cauterized, the blood vessels sealed, stopping the bleeding instantly!
This woman was a devil... absolutely a devil!
Atrum wailed inwardly but didn't dare speak. Shaking, he refrained from asking questions, fearing she might devise some new way to torment him!
Then, Medea issued her command.
She addressed Atrum's former subordinates.
"Release these children. You could try holding them hostage, but I'm only freeing them to feel better myself. If I'm in a bad mood, I won't hesitate to kill you all."
Her simple words instantly quashed any thoughts of using the children as leverage to force Medea to spare Atrum.
The witch of legend, who supposedly killed her own children, likely meant what she said... freeing them was just for her own satisfaction. If they defied her, this place would likely be bathed in blood.
Everyone would die!
No one wanted to test that theory, because no one wanted to die!
After handling the situation, Medea used magical ropes to bind Atrum in place, then turned and left, returning to the comfortable lounge. She sat on the sofa, as if she were the master of the place.
"With the power of the Holy Grail, I should be able to find him, right?"
Medea's lips curved into a smile, her eyes glinting with determination.
"This Holy Grail War, I will win!"
She glanced at the strange dagger in her hand, twirling it carefully.
"Rule Breaker, a Noble Phantasm that nullifies all magecraft of those it pierces, severing contracts and more... a symbol of betrayal, born from my own divinity. Yet I know nothing about it… how peculiar!
"Maybe when I find Morpheus, he can explain it to me."
The thought filled her with anticipation.
…
In Fuyuki City's new downtown, an area rebuilt after a massive fire ten years ago, the old-fashioned charm had been replaced by a jungle of steel and concrete.
Here stood a bookstore, now closed, its staff long gone.
Descending a staircase into the basement, one would find a gathering of people.
Candles, strategically placed to correspond with specific directions, illuminated the surroundings.
At the center of the room was a complex magical array, inscribed with intricate symbols and words.
A group clad in black cloaks surrounded the array, seemingly in prayer.
Finally, as the prayer concluded, the figure seated at the forefront spoke in a low voice. "The Holy Grail War has begun. To destroy this dull, destructive ritual, we must take action!"
The others knelt, showing reverence to the figure.
"We obey your will, Saintess. May God bless us and eradicate this sinful existence!"
The figure, called the Saintess, nodded lightly and spoke again.
"Though we walk the path of magic, we are unlike them. Driven by righteousness, we act to prevent the tragedy of ten years ago from recurring. We will uproot this evil's source, destroy it all, and spare the world from such sorrow!"
Her voice was rousing, and the group responded with voices of agreement, rising into a unified chant.
"We follow your will, Saintess. Under the gaze of the great God, we enact justice, spreading His gospel to bring righteousness to this tainted world!"
Finally, the group dispersed, leaving the basement empty except for the Saintess.
She stood, shedding her cloak to reveal a petite figure beneath.
Long purple hair, purple eyes, and the uniform of Homurahara Academy... all hinting at her identity.
She was just a high school girl, someone who wouldn't draw attention.
A voice emerged from the void, resonating in her mind.
"Why show me this?" The female voice carried confusion, as if puzzled by what had just transpired.
Such secrets should've been kept from her.
"Because you're my Servant, Rider." The girl smiled... a beautiful smile. Rider, hidden in the shadows, froze. In the Matou household, she had never seen her Master smile like this.
The girl, Matou Sakura, was her Master and a participant in the Holy Grail War, representing the prestigious Matou family.
But surprisingly, Sakura planned to destroy the Holy Grail War, and it seemed she had been preparing for years!
She could wish upon the Grail for her own happiness, so why choose to destroy it? Rider couldn't understand.
"I'm already happy, Rider."
Sakura smiled, gently touching her chest. Through her clothes, she felt the necklace... the treasure that had changed her tragic circumstances.
"I've always been acting, and no one could see through it. But soon, I won't need to anymore. Did you know, Rider?"
As Sakura spoke, her steps grew lighter, like a bird about to take flight.
"Because of your arrival, I can show a bit of my true self!"
"Is that so?" Rider said, a smile forming.
Sakura's heart was full of secrets, impenetrable to others. Yet, through their contract, Rider had earned her trust.
Recalling the people she'd just seen, Rider noted they all possessed magical energy. Though they hid it, appearing ordinary at first, their magical energy surged during the prayer!
Curious, Rider wondered how her Master had gathered so many magi with such power.
"It's simple!" Sakura laughed, giving an answer that stunned Rider. "I once saw the birth of the world, so I learned some special magic!"
"The birth of the world?" Rider struggled to grasp the meaning. The concept of "world" could have multiple interpretations.
But in terms of magecraft, Rider considered a possibility.
"You mean you witnessed the planet's creation, the moment the heavens and earth were formed?" Rider asked. If true, Sakura had encountered an immense opportunity.
Witnessing such a mystical event even once could grant tremendous power!
Some of the mightiest Heroic Spirits in human history possessed Noble Phantasms born from the concept of "witnessing the planet's birth"!
But Sakura shook her head.
"No, I saw the birth of the entire world. Scientifically speaking, I saw the universe's creation... the divine power descending, the process of something from nothing!"
Incomprehensible, even impossible to verify, yet Rider sensed no deceit in Sakura's words.
The statement seemed absurd, yet somehow believable.
Unable to judge its truth, Rider gave up and asked another question.
"This group you've formed... what god do they worship?"
Sakura shook her head, a playful expression on her face. "That's a secret... a secret I can't tell!"
***
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