L'evocazione della Inutile

Subject: L'evocazione della Inutile Fri Aug 12, 2011 12:15 am

The halls of St. John Lateran's Basilica were more than empty at this time of night. The only person awake was the current Bishop. The blonde man was the first German to hold the position since the Ninth century. The blonde bishop walked around the exit of the monastery towards the Basilica itself. The monastery is where the nuns, priest, and the bishop lived. The dark courtyard was illuminated by a pinkish moon. The man, Tsubine von Zarkonheinz the Twenty-First knew it was similar to the Crimson Moon he saw oh so many years ago. He sighed at the thought that he would never see such a powerful thing again.

He continued to walk through the abandoned garden enclosed by the walls of the Basilica and the city wall. The white stone of the Basilica contrasted to the reddish-orange wall. The trees and grass swayed slightly because of a summer breeze. Clouds slowly moved across and around the moon. He pushed on the massive wooden door that was older than he was by many generations. It was from the fourteenth century, much like the majority of the items at the Basilica. Tsubine stepped onto the stone floor and the circuit was complete.

A bright blue light came from the center of the Basilica. It was as if someone had released antimatter from its container. Tsubine threw his left arm up to shield his eyes from the intense bright burst. A sudden burning sensation on that arm caught his attention and he darted into the storage room to his right and shut the door. He opened a long vertical hatch on the floor. Tsubine then grabbed a saber with a pair of Maltese crosses on the hilt guard. The long sword was glistening in the moonlight coming from a window near the roof. From under the door, he saw the light fade. Tsubine knew this was his time to strike back.

Tsubine calmly walked out with the saber in his right hand. He looked to the center and there was a figure. He could not tell if it was male or female, human or demon. He calmly walked over to the figure and saw something he never would have thought. The floor was undamaged. However, it was not the pristine condition of the floor that shocked him; it was what was in the middle of it. There was a young woman almost sitting there. He placed the blade of the sword to her soft neck, right under her smooth chin. "Voi. Identificarsi e per quali ragioni si è al centro della mia chiesa. Oppure avrò il tuo macchie di sangue in dette muri di pietra." (You. Identify yourself and explain why you are in the middle of my church. Or I will have your blood splatter across these stone walls.) Despite being a Bishop, his cold tone reflected a murderous intent. However, this was because he was not just a Bishop...

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It was... cold, so unspeakably cold, and lonely here. Nothing but a ghost, she was trapped, trapped between worlds, forever to wander. As attonement for her crimes, the girl had long since lost her name, memories... Everything was gone. She was nothing more but an empty shell, a Wraith of someone from a time long forgotten. Once, she had been known as the blood maiden, or simply Muramasa, the sword that killed without hesitation. But right now, it all held no meaning to her anymore, forgotten, thrown away, she was to wander the earth until even it died, only to continue haunting the empty shell, until finally, the universe itself ended. And even then, she would never find salvation. Thus was the curse of the dead sinners.

Understandable was the confusion then, as suddenly light engfulled her. Warm light, but also... It had something dangerous about it, something throughoutly evil. But did it matter to her? No. Nothing was supposed to mingle with the dead, yet this light did - it implanted knowledge, it forced her to change. For the first time in centuries, the spirit of the girl was thinking, aware, awake for the lack of a better word - awake to a cold and dark outside world. Now, she was granted the knowledge she had longed for without knowing - knowledge of how this world worked. A language. And the reason for her existance - to fight other 'Servants', to help her 'Master' become the winner of a war so brutal, normal humans would run away from it if they could. And with this knowledge, came identity.
Now, she was... Demon Blade Muramasa, summoned into reality as Assassin, the weakest Servant in direct combat, but advanced in stealth and killing the enemy Master instead of the Servant, effectively rendering any kind of Servant useless. Had she really been this person? A shrine maiden, drenched in blood, destined to fight forever? Was the sword in her ghostly hand, the blood-red steel, really a katana forged by Muramasa to never dull and always seek battle? She did not know, but also not care. This was her only chance... if she just managed to obtain the Grail with a Master, she could live. No longer would she be a ghost, bound to never find peace... That thought crossed her mind, as the bright but evil light around her vanished. Feeling a kimono against her skin for the first time since centuries, she was kneeling on the cold stone floor. Had she not been in this situation before...?

Suddenly, a voice. And a sword, to top it off. Feeling cold steel against her skin, the woman looked upwards... A blonde, tall man with cruel, murderous eyes. Was he to be the one? He had to be. Muramasa felt the prana radiating from his aura, and also knew that her own would not last for too long. She had to make a contract ASAP, or otherwise, she would disappear, never to resurface in history... This tall man was strange in attire to her. There was no way the Grail could teach her EVERYTHING, but this reminded her of... the catholic Church? Well, she was not one to be able to chose.
However, the woman had one problem. She didn't understand a single word the man with the sword to her neck just spoke, but even he should notice that something was off. While she was just kneeling there, as if waiting for an execution, it was as if she was nowhere to begin with. There was no prana around her - no presence, as if he was looking at an illusion. Yet still, her eyes meeting his, without any fear, and the feeling of his sword having resistance, was quite real and not illusionary. For a spirit, she surely had a strong gaze right now.
"I am very sorry, but I didn't understand anything you said. The Grail failed to give me the language of your preference." She would've bowed down her head in apology, had that not enthrailed beheading herself. Though she questioned if this sword could even penetrate her skin if he tried to - it was not a magical weapon, from what she could tell, and Servants could not be hurt by weapons without any connection to Thaumaturgy or other sources of the supernatural. Still, since he was the only human capable of Magecraft around here, he HAD to be her Master.
"Though, you should be able to understand my words, if only by it's intervention. I am Assassin - It is what I am, not who. I was summoned here by the Holy Grail... To fight for a Master worthy of obtaining the ultimate artifact. To fight for you. So I ask of you, man of god... Are you my Master?" Looking up to him without the slightest fear to his murderous intent, she patiantly awaited the answer. Should he really NOT be it... Then she would have to leave here, and find another person capable of providing her with Prana instantly. She did not have much time until the Grail stopped helping her stay in this world, and she needed a binding point to this plane. A contract partner. And should the blonde, tall man accept, then the Command Seals would burn themselves deep into his soul and body, to ensure Muramasa kept up her end of the bargain - to fight without fail.

Subject: Re: L'evocazione della Inutile Mon Aug 15, 2011 6:38 pm

Tsubine looked at the young girl. At first, there was fear in her eyes. Her beautiful eyes, wanti- Stop thinking of those things, you perverted Bishop. The bishop then noticed her eyes become fierce. Not fierce like Nvrnqsr Chaos's eyes. Instead, like a mother bear defending her cubs. The difference was it seemed like the proverbial cubs were her life. No, her very existence was what she was protecting.

Then something startled the Bishop. Not many things can startle a man of the Church. Most of the mook nuns and priests would be scared out of their own pants if they knew vampires existed. However, Tsubine's second job was the extermination of Vampires and other "heretical" races. However, someone in Europe-no, someone in Rome speaking Japanese of all things would startle anyone. Especially that person is being held hostage by you.

"I am very sorry, but I didn't understand anything you said. The Grail failed to give me the language of your preference."Japanese is sure an odd language for an Italian. Most of the Italian peoples only spoke Italian, with the northern peoples speaking some German too.

Tsubine, on the other hand, was not your normal Italian; he could speak Russian, Italian, German, Latin, and Japanese. Actually, he wasn't even Italian. He was German, one-hundred-and-ten-percent. He moved to Rome from near Bonn when he was five and joined the Church as soon as he could. Tsubine is only the temporary Bishop for the Basilica of Saint John Lateran, as the previous one was killed on a mission trip to Misaki Town in Japan.

"Though, you should be able to understand my words, if only by it's intervention. I am Assassin - It is what I am, not who. I was summoned here by the Holy Grail... To fight for a Master worthy of obtaining the ultimate artifact. To fight for you. So I ask of you, man of god... Are you my Master?"

He coughed slightly and cleared his throat. Then, as if it were his first language, he replied to her in Japanese. "So, you are a heretic? Or are you some kind of sadism and masochism fetishist for calling me 'master'?"

Tsubine removed the sword from her neck and sheathed the elegant blade and set it aside. He looked carefully and saw absolutely no damage to the floor, pews, ceiling, or anything for that matter. In a gesture of faith and good will, the blonde man extended his right hand." If you are lost, as a man of God I will take you in to explain your situation in detail because I truly don't understand what is going on here, young one. So take my hand and you may stay here as long as you like. I am no cruel or evil man. I am a simple Bishop and I shall help you on your path to salvation, my beautiful guest."

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This was... Not good, to put it lightly. The man who radiated prana around himself did not seem to understand - while he answered her in japanese, the only language she could speak, none of the meaning behind her words reached just what she wanted to tell him. If Muramasa couldn't take this man as her Master... No, she could not think about that. Her chances of finding another possible candidate before her connection to this plane tore apart was miniscular, no, non-existant. She was already growing weaker with every single breath she took. This would have to suffice.
//Please... do not hate me for this. For better or worse... This contract, forged on the ground holy to his people, shall keep me in this world... With or without his acceptance.//
Slowly, as if unsure as to what to expect, Muramasa gripped the offered hand of the bishop, slowly raising from her kneeling position. Her legs were still weak, but as a Servant, she was not allowed to ever show weakness. Otherwise, he would surely abandon her, nobody had a use for a weakened fighter.
"I do not know the word 'heretic'. But I fear I have to explain everything... After I do this." Closing her eyes only for a short moment, as Muramasa opened them, it happened. The bindings closed. The seal was established. And with that, and a incredibly burning pain, the Command Seals burned themselves into not only the hand, but the very being of the bishop who had helped her up. This pain was not unlike the pain felt by Servants during the summoning, when a legend was pressed into form. Not that Muramasa could remember it, since it already turned hazy.

"Salvation... Does not exist for my kind. The Holy Grail, the greatest artifact of Magecraft, is the reason why I am here. Thus, I shall reveal my true name to you. I am Demon Blade Muramasa. Please forgive my sudden intrusion, normally the Grail does not randomly summon my kind to the side of someone just because he or she can use Magecraft." Bowing her head down and trying to let go of the hand that had helped her up, she expected him to be angry, agressive, or outright rejective. She knew nothing about his church, or their view on Magecraft - she only knew why she was here, how to fight, and how to survive.

Subject: Re: L'evocazione della Inutile Fri Aug 19, 2011 9:43 pm

Tsubine cringed at the burning sensation. It seemed as if someone was branding his arm with molten lava. However, he barely showed any sense of pain at the "burning." The pain was different from what he was conditioned to. However, pain is pain to an Executor. Whether it be a gunshot, a stabbing, a spell, or even a blunt object to the ribs, pain was pain, and pain to them was miniscule.

"Salvation... Does not exist for my kind. The Holy Grail, the greatest artifact of Magecraft, is the reason why I am here. Thus, I shall reveal my true name to you. I am Demon Blade Muramasa. Please forgive my sudden intrusion, normally the Grail does not randomly summon my kind to the side of someone just because he or she can use Magecraft."

Tsubine then looked at the young girl and bent down to eye-level with her. Someone of his stature dwarfed the frail brown-haired maiden. He gracefully raised his left arm and swung it towards her face. The wind was almost sliced by the momentum of his hand. However, before it struck her frail-looking face, he stopped and caressed her cheek. It was as if he were in a blind rage and a glass doll he was about to smash into smithereens had snapped the beast out of the tantrum. The bishop smiled.
"Child, every one who repents can have Salvation. Even some heretic like you. However, this 'Holy Grail' you speak of, it would not happen to be the Chalice of Christ, would it? Or is it just a name for some unspeakable evil? Also, please don't refer to yourself as a 'Demon' around the Church. You might be killed, Child."

Tsubine stood back up and walked back to the store room and brought out an old robe of his. It was not a Nun's outfit, as that wouldn't be appropriate at these times. The black coat was larger than her small torso, but it would conceal her in the darkness. He strolled back into the main hall at the young maiden. "Put this on. It will let you be inconspicuous as we return to my quarters."

Tsubine laid the open jacket around her small body. He then motioned for her to follow him. He grabbed the saber that was lying next to the pew. Tsubine put the saber under his own robe. He motioned for the girl to exit in front of him and he closed the wooden door and walked to the courtyard and looked out onto the trees. Tsubine noticed that the wind was blowing slightly more and the moon was covered by the clouds. "So, Muramasa was it? Can you explain why you came here? Or do you even know? Also, is this happening everywhere or just here in Roma?"

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There was... an unexpected kindness emitting from this man. She girl had already been prepared to recieve a slap on the face - but instead, it was a soft, gentle touch. In fact, she had not experienced such a thing since... Since the beginning of her descent into absolute darkness. But he didn't understand, not one bit... Her chances of winning the Holy Grail War reduced every waking second like this. She didn't know where here was just yet, as he was throwing the way too wide jacket over her shoulders. She didn't know how much her kimono would stand out, or why she shouldn't call herself by her true name arround her Master... in a way, both of them had no idea about the world of the other.

Breathing the fresh air of the outside, the Servant suddenly realized she could've just turned into Spirit Form instead of having to walk. But maybe... this had been the reason she didn't even say she could. Even if it was a fake... even if it was only for a short time... Right now, Muramasa was alive. She was no longer trapped in darkness, coldness, she no longer had to fear for how much longer her pain had to continue... It was over. She was a Servant now.
"If I am to speak the truth, I am sadly unable to provide all the answers, Master." Speaking up again, her quiet voice was hard to be heard even over the sound of moving leaves - a true Assassin. "My knowledge of christ is... miniscule, at the very best. I lived in a time long before your religion grew to what it is today. But I can safely say that the Holy Grail I speak of is not a... Holy artifact, but I don't know if it is evil, either. I only know that, should a Master and a Servant slay enough other Servants to fill the energy of the grail up, it will grant the Master a wish, while giving the Servant a second, true new life in this world." The concept of the Holy Grail War, older than Tsubine and Muramasa during her lifetime put together. A brutal and unforgiving conflict, only to reach Heaven's Feel...

But something was strange while she was speaking during their small walk. It was almost as if on her cheek, one single tear was seen running down - but not a tear of sadness, and she didn't even notice it herself at all. This tear was shed simply for being 'alive' like she was now...
"The origins of the artifact are unknown to me, as well as the source of the unlimited power inside of it. Servants like me are summoned by Magi, or by chance, everywhere around the world, but most are in the place the actual war will be, in Fuyuki City." Stopping for a moment, her face shifted from nearly expressionless to actually curious and slightly lost.
"...Roma... We're... quite far from Nippon, right?" Her voice was actually a bit worried. "Back when I was a human... At least I think I was once human... I never left it."

Subject: Re: L'evocazione della Inutile Thu Sep 01, 2011 6:04 pm

Tsubine turned around gracefully, his robes slightly being blown by a gentle breeze. In his hand was something clouded by the darkness of night. A vague shape could be made out, and it looks like a wadded piece of paper on a pencil. However, the breeze that caused the beautiful hand-sewn robes to dance also nudged the clouds in the autumn sky above away from the moon. As the white puffs chugged away, the moonlight shone on Tsubine and what he was holding.

"Muramasa, whether you know of Christ or not matters in the least. I knew something was different about you from the moment I first saw you. However, to know that you are not truly among us is not what I expected. So, I shall stand by your side and protect you so a belladonna like yourself can live with us."

In his hand was a white rose, freshly plucked from its slumber among its brethren on a solemn bush. Tsubine gracefully glided to his new-found ally's side and placed the rare flower onto her robes, just about her left breast. With a gentle pat on the head following, Tsubine stood up and moved his hand from her forehead to slightly above her navel, followed by moving to her breasts, yet not making contact. In essence, he made an invisible cross.

"Upon placing this Holy Rose upon you and by the power invested in me by His Holiness the Pope, I hereby cleanse you of your sins and place God's protection over you. E Nomine Padris, Et Filli, Et Spiritu Sancti."

Tsubine then began walking towards the door, but stopped right in front of the door to the monastery. The blonde bishop turned around and faced the young female who he has placed much faith in. With a smile, yet a serious look, he spoke words of astonishment to her.

"Do you want to go back to your homeland? I can take you, my belladonna."

The bishop extended his hand. His kind words and appearance where almost like night and day compared to the darkness of night. It was as if his kind ultramarine eyes could light up the entire sky as he stared at his beautiful acquaintance.

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This man was different from everyone Muramasa knew off in her hazy memory. Or... Maybe he wasn't? At the edge of her memory, she seemed to remember a similliar man, but it could also be just her imagination. After all, an Assassin was never too sure about memories. Again, she did not falter when he nearly touched her weak-looking body, or when he stitched the rose into her outfit.
"B-But Master... A Servant's purpose is not to be protected." It didn't seem like he was going to accept the fact that she was very much able to fight and willing to do so the moment another Servant appeared before them. Her Muramasa-blade was a bloodthirsty monster of a sword, and while she had not inherited the bloodlust of it, she did have the ruthlessness ten times over. A slight shiver went through her body, though, as he 'blessed' her... The Assassin had no idea why. Maybe her very core 'rejected' the blessing of a god? It wouldn't be too far off... How could a murderer like herself find forgiveness? She just wanted to live. To be forgiven, was secondary.
In fact, she girl felt a sudden urge to rip the rose off of her clothing and throw it to the ground. It was so pure, so... weak. Weakness... Just thinking about weakness made her nearly throw up. The feeling of a blade cutting through her neck, blood spilling everywhere. The cold embrace of death. Out of sheer instinct, her left hand shot up to her neck, as if to make sure it were only memories, not actual events. The world was cruel, to embed the memory of her death to deeply into her soul, while making her forget even her true name...

Her eyes did not tell of what she had just felt, but they clearly didn't look all that bright or happy. Muramasa SHOULD feel that way, she knew it, but it was simply asking too much of a girl without a name. With slight hesitation, she took the steps forward to catch up to her taller Master. Looking up to him, the shrine maiden did truely look lost... Lost in both time and place.
"What... What I wan't shouldn't be of any importance... But..." It was hard for a being like her to go against her natural instinct of being devoted to the Masters goal and simply follow orders. In fact, the right hand she was now raising was slightly shaking. This was... wrong, but at the same time, the Servant felt undeniably glad.
"I want to go... Back to Nippon... I want to... live." Her frail looking right hand finally took hold of his extended hand, a symbolic accepting of the bright light emitting from his entire presence over the cold night. But even though her hand looked so frail, the priest would surely be able to notice how strong it still was - a stronger grip than any normal human could have. She was definiatly non-human, but a monster? It really didn't look like it.
"As your Servant, I will do anything you ask of me... But please, bring me back to my homeland. Even if I have to fight for the rest of my existance, I want to see it with my own eyes once more." A strong demand for such an obediant and kind woman, that was for sure.

Subject: Re: L'evocazione della Inutile Mon Sep 12, 2011 4:25 pm

Tsubine smiled widely at the young woman. He was truly pleased that she was taking him up on the offer. To return to Japan. That was her one wish. Tsubine had the ability to take one of his students with him for the duration of his visit. To say this was a visit was like calling retirement a sick day. Tsubine would be the replacement for the priest who perished nearly a decade ago. Of course, Tsubine was a bit overqualified for the position, but it was the only way to get a Bishop out of his home town without raising suspicions.

Tsubine's actual purpose was to be the support for another Burial Agency member, Number 7. She had been stationed at that post for nearly a decade, but showed little signs of aging. Tsubine had fought alongside this female in the past, and the two had a special bond--not to mention both of them had an oversized Scripture they used.
"We leave tomorrow, Sister Muramasa. Come on, let us rest for the night. I believe that this trip will take more out of you than you think."

Like a groom carrying his bride to the honeymoon suite, Tsubine grasped her legs and back and lifted her into his arms. With her back slightly curved to match the elevation of his arms, Tsubine began waltzing towards the wooden door that entered into the Bishop's quarters. There were three beds in the entire room which were all for his students. None of them were at their secondary beds, as they were all preparing for the trip they thought they would get.

Tsubine pushed open the unlocked door with his foot and stepped inside. It was beautiful. On one side was a hand-carved table and chair set with red leather seating. To the left was the bathroom, which consisted of both a stone bath and toilet with a silver-lined mirror. The beds were also exquisite. The soft beds whose matresses were changed monthly were color-coded. Tsubine's bed had black covering and white pillowcases and a solid wood frame. The others were red-on-blue, green-on-black, or purple-on-grey.

The bishop laid the maiden upon the red bed, which was neatly tucked and ironed. He looked at the young woman with eyes of sorrow and joy. His eyes were showing how much about his sister she reminded him of. The bishop then did something unexpected. Not unexpected of him, but unexpected to her. Tsubine leaned over her and pressed his lips against hers. While only for a brief moment of time, it felt like ages. Tsubine stood back up.
"Sogni d'oro, mia dea, sei sempre nel mio cuore."
The blonde bishop smiled as he walked towards his massive bed and pulled the covering out and sank beneath the warm blankets and sheets. His head rest against the white pillows as he said his prayers for the night. He made the cross of the body and fell into a slumber.

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"E-eh? Master, you shouldn't..." The complaint about being suddenly picked up disappeared and was muttered into the unhearable. This was... not what a Master should do. A Servant was a tool, a weapon, not a person. Muramasa would've been just fine with a Master that treated her as such, so she was quite surprised at everything this kind man of god did. He was truely not a Magus as she knew about them from the information the grail implanted her... Then again, he never introduced himself as one. A human using Prana, but not being a Magus... a Master that was kind instead of harsh... And being in a far-away land. This all did tire out Muramasas spirit, even if her body was unable to feel tired as long as she got her dosis of magical energy from the contract.

The room itself was... unexpected. After all, she had never been in a western-styled building to begin with, let alone a bedroom. She still felt slightly uncomfortable being carried - the feeling of being weaker than someone was not a nice one for someone who only knew how to bring death in the former life. But what really pushed her mind into forgetting the beauty of the room around her, was that single kiss, that was more of an awkward pressing together of lips.
"...!"
The eyes of the Assassin widened in surprise and shock. Why... Why was he doing something like this? Even as a Servant, Muramasa could not help it but blush furiously at such a sudden attack. Well, this was surely a change of pace, but it did not make matters any easier that he also continued to use a language she could not speak at all.
"Sogni d'oro, mia dea, sei sempre nel mio cuore."
For a few moments that felt like an eternity, the girl didn't say anything or move. Her presence once again hidden, she could've just as well never have existed to begin with... A mirage. But slowly, she sat herself up in the bed again, not even worrying about the bedsheats. After all, she was a Servant... and finally alive again, which was a way greater reason why the slightly cool air was such a great thing for her. With careful fingers, the blood-stained maiden removed the rose from her clothing, placing it besides her on the bed without making so much as a sound. Normally a sign of her being a silent killer, it was now much more her fingers simply being extremely gentle. The other, free hand slowly touched her lips. The girl could still feel the touch of the more rough lips, as if it had been engraved into her - but more than that, his eyes burned their way into his memory.
//Was that... a bit of sadness, as well? Why can't I understand any of it... emotions are so... strange...//
Curling together on the bed, Muramasa stayed in a sitting position. Drawing her knees closely unde her chin, she would guard her Masters sleep, for she did not know how deep his slumber was. As someone not requiring any, it was only natural for her to stay awake, right? But even so, she could not help but ponder her thoughts. Would she ever be able to understand her Master, not as a Servant bound by a contract - but as a human being? Hopefully, that day would come in due time...
"It's... soft." Her quiet voice commented on the bed she was now sitting on, slightly distachted from reality, it seemed. Never having experienced something like it, she wondered how a human could even sleep on this... It felt like she was sinking in just by sitting on it. Her Kimono made nearly no sounds, even when she moved slightly. Looking towards the bed of her Master, she was pretty sure that he was asleep, but Muramasa still muttered a few more words.
"Thank you... for everything."