"Talking"
'Thinking'
"Flashback"
"Attack/Name"
"Narrator"
These white halls were bleak, corporate in every way, and he hated it. It wasn't the architecture itself which he hated, though he could see how an employee here would go mad at the monotony; rather, it was how familiar it was to him, despite the color change. It felt as though he was still on Phobos, right before they invaded.
He's already been here for a few days now, and the environment has already grown boring. At the moment he merely served as a guard, albeit a godly one. He's checked on Marisbury a few times, nearly every time he was trying to summon Solomon. He didn't quite understand how the magic behind summoning a Servant worked, honestly, he wouldn't have believed it was true had he not gone through what he had.
Stopping at one of the many reinforced windows lining the facility, he saw the landscape which surrounded this place. A cold, barren, wasteland, seemingly perpetually surrounded by a blizzard that tore across the facility. He didn't know if the storm was artificial or not, honestly, it might've been knowing what went down here.
In any case, the only somewhat exciting thing to do here was watching Marisbury summon his Servant, or at least attempt to. The poor Mage was still desperately trying to summon his Servant, he said he was trying a new way of summoning a Servant, one superior to the preexisting system, whatever that meant.
Deciding to walk over to the summoning chamber for what felt like another out of many times, he found himself at the center of the facility. The chamber was a massive cylindrical room, the walls of which were completely unlit, only displaying the void of space. In the center was a dish-like platform that sprouted hundreds of fluorescent blue lights arranged in two distinct rings which spun on the same plane as the dish both above and below it respectively. At the center of the dish was a neon blue fractal-like pattern that hovered just above the reflective floor displayed by a single light spouting from the center of the floor.
Opening the door, the Slayer found himself on a platform at the front of the room. At the end of the platform was a staircase leading up to the center dish, the borders of both lined in similar neon lights marking off the edge.
The light from the doorway shadowed his armor, only his silhouette visible to anyone inside the room. As the door shut behind him, the glow of the chamber fully revealed itself, the ominous blue lights shining in the artificial abyss.
His boots echoed throughout the chamber, the only noise outside of a quiet hum emanating from the center console. As he walked up the stairs, the hum grew louder, his footfall being drowned out by the eerie ringing. Once he placed his foot on the final step, everything went silent, only the former mechanical hum, which seemingly quieted down.
On the platform ahead was Marisbury, the lone Mage sitting on his legs, unmoving. His tired breathing didn't go unheard. The man was losing his drive.
"I've been here for what has felt like days now, though it's probably only been a few hours." The Mage stated, his words going unanswered. The Slayer looked on, his expression unchanging, though this didn't deter the man, as he added, "This system I'm trying to create, it should, in theory, be better than the preexisting one."
'You haven't gotten it to work, have you?' It was an obvious answer, the Mage hadn't gotten anything, even with the ring as a Catalyst. The Slayer walked around the summoning circle, standing across from the Mage.
With the silver-haired man's gaze cast down, the Slayer extended his arm outwards, before pouring his essence into the circle. The pattern burst with light, garnering Marisbury's attention. The Mage stood, watching as a faint green fog flowed into the summoning circle, powering it with a mix of both known and unknown energy. Rings of blue light burst from the circle, the room glowing with a thick miasma of blue light as the Slayer continued to power the chamber.
Vast engines twisted and churned, mist puffed from the machines as a mechanical hum cranked to life beneath the chamber, powering both it and the facility. Lights all around the building shone brighter before either receding into the darkness or bursting altogether. Those employed at Chaldea were sent into a mild panic, watching their place of employment crack with energy. Back inside the summoning hall, the Slayer looked at Marisbury, the man knowing exactly what to do.
Holding out his arm, Marisbury rolled up his sleeve, vein-like patterns on his forearms lighting up across his skin. Lightning flashed across the room, the center module launching in a beam of blue light as electricity further crackled around both the Slayer and Marisbury. Sparks boiled further before leeching toward the center of the room. The chamber burst with light as the magic engines underneath the facility churned more than they ever had before.
Marisbury's eyes widened as the light flashed across the room, the Mage having to close his eyes due to the blinding light. The Slayer stood still, watching as the space dimmed back down, the rings around the platform shining down onto the now three figures in the room.
The Slayer only saw its back, its extensive mane of soft white hair dragging on the ground. He didn't need to see its face, he knew just what was in front of them both. A Servant, if he had to guess based on just where both he and Marisbury had been recent, it was the King of Magecraft himself, King Solomon.
"Is it safe to assume that you are my Master?" The man said, his voice was soft and relaxed despite the situation. Turning back at the Slayer, Solomon added, "Or is it you? Perhaps you're another Servant summoned just before I was."
"Ah! No, I am the one who summoned you... Solomon? What should I call you? I don't exactly know what class you are." Marisbury answered, the Servant laughing softly before replying, "My apologies, I am Caster."
"Good to meet you then, now shall we be off?"
Time Skip
Elsewhere
Solomon fit in well enough, though many of Chaldea's employees seemed nervous upon seeing a Servant, however, they quickly calmed down at the sight of Marisbury's Command Spells. The Caster was told to go inside the main testing chamber, one designed specifically to allow Servants to fight in a simulated battle.
Within the summoning chamber, specifically the platform where Servants were summoned, was an elevator that ran through the center of the middle spire. The elevator passed through various engines which looked as though they belonged inside of a mile-long spaceship. Further past the engines was a massive dome-shaped room, the walls were white, sectioned off into 24 different areas, divided by steel lattice beams that held up the enormous weight of the building. Attached to the 25 beams were various camera-like mounts, some resembled projectors, others looked like machine guns, and many were merely spotlights or speakers.
Both Marisbury and the Slayer were observing the chamber, standing in a ring-like room that served as a viewing area around the dome Solomon stood alone in. Panels lined the interior wall, allowing for a full 360-degree view of the testing room. Marisbury had informed the Slayer that the glass was tested completely, plus there were panels that could slide in front of the glass in case a fight should grow too chaotic.
At one end of the room, behind one of the 24 panels was a small speaker box, similar to something you'd see in a baseball stadium. Both the Slayer and Marisbury were within it, the Magus sitting in front of various microphones while the Slayer stood behind the man. Turning around, he saw a door at the back of the room. Quickly deciding he didn't care to watch the test, the Slayer walked through, entering a hollow space in between the test chamber and the cement foundation of the facility.
The space was lined with beams holding the two surfaces apart. Various ladders looking as though they belonged onto a shipping crane sprawled throughout the beams, the Slayer guessed they were fire escapes, haphazardly thrown in after the building was near completion.
Placing an armored boot on a rusty rung, the Slayer began his ascent. As he climbed further upwards, the iron squealed under his weight, showing its age. The slayer frowned, realistically he was the first person to ever even use this ladder after it was built.
Despite the immense weight of both his body and armor, the Slayer made it up the fire escape, reaching the exterior top of the testing chamber. Below his feet, the Slayer heard Solomon's attacks ring throughout the facility, though he paid it little attention. Looking up, he saw a circular platform at the top of the dome where the elevator ran through. Above was a cement ceiling, housing the immense reactors which powered the facility.
Calling up an elevator, the Slayer stepped in, taking an elevator from the top of the testing room, through the central reactor, and into the summoning chamber. The elevator jutted out the top of the central platform where Solomon was summoned, allowing the Slayer to step back into the now-empty abyss.
Walking down the stairs, he reached the door he first entered to help Marisbury with summoning his Servant. As the doors opened, a fluorescent, artificial light flooded the room, the Slayer walking through the corresponding hall.
Various doors lined the hall, all of which acted as storage rooms for god knows what, most likely materials used to summon Servants. At the opposite end of the hall, another elevator awaited him, its surprisingly spacious interior welcoming him to ascend back up into the rest of the facility.
The machine hummed as its doors closed, taking him past the upper reaches of the reactor below and to the main command structure where various employees darted around. A few spared him glances, though by now most were used to his presence.
It was funny, in this white hellhole, he was probably the only thing that gave it color, or perhaps he was merely projecting his feelings about the UAC onto this place. This place didn't seem so bad to the workers at least, most seemed to dutifully fulfill their tasks for whatever wage they earned.
Leaving the wage slaves to their duties, he made his way through the maze-like interior of the building, doing what he could to reach the exterior entrance of the building. Luckily for him, from the command structure to the exit was a metro line that ran through the center of the building, making sure workers could reach their stations faster.
Boarding the train, he was glad to see it empty, he didn't care to watch some intern panic at seeing what they thought was a Servant. Within the minute, the conductorless train stopped at the opposite station, the station jutting out from the rest of the structure, appearing as though a separate building had needed to be added on just to accommodate a growing population.
Once he left the train, he moved towards the very front wall, a massive airlock standing in between him and the outside world. Pressing a small scanner towards the side, the Slayer expected the door to open, though instead of that happening, the monitor briefly flashed red, signaling that he didn't have the proper clearance to leave.
Inwardly groaning, he walked over to the sliding metal door, forcing it open with his immense strength. Carefully, he held open the doors, sliding into the airlock before allowing the doors to slam shut behind him. Looking towards the front of the room, the Slayer saw a small panel near the front airlock. Walking over, he pressed the panel, resulting in a blaring alarm and a flashing red light. Three distinct alarms went off, warning the Slayer that the airlock door was about to open.
Standing up straight, he watched as the seal opened, the harsh blizzard tearing into the facility as snow began to enter the room. Any lesser man would've had to cover their face due to the sheer winds, luckily he wasn't a lesser man.
The Slayer quickly hopped on his feet, bouncing as though he were a boxer before dashing towards the door. As the metal doors began to close, he dove through, freefalling out of the building before landing as though he were a comic book hero.
Standing up, he already felt his mood improve as he overlooked the winter storm ahead of him. Taking a deep breath, the Slayer marched forwards, his solemn footsteps quickly filling with snow as he faded into the storm.
Despite his inward protests about the facility, there was an actual reason for him having to leave. It wasn't strong to begin with, in fact it was so faint that he mistook it as a figment of his imagination, however, as he stayed in the facility, it grew more, to the point where he couldn't just ignore it.
The fog blocked his vision, though he didn't care, he knew any obstacle he found wouldn't be able to harm him, regardless of what it was, whether it was a dragon or a sheer cliff. Nothing was able to harm him, nothing was able to reach him, no one. He was content with this reality though, it's why he vowed to remain silent all those years ago, for he knew that should he speak, his words would turn into a connection, and that connection would inevitably be broken, the Demons proved that.
Shaking those thoughts out of his head, the Slayer blasted into the sky, a trail of green following him as he cleaved through the fog. The fog, much like everything else, wasn't able to reach him.
Time Skip
Elsewhere
Touching down in an empty field of snow, he saw vast mountains sparsely scattered in the distance. The mountain range where Chaldea sat was long out of view, only the clouds looming over the horizon telling him that there was anything in that direction.
The sky above was blue, the sun shining above him, the white snow reflecting the blinding light. Trudging through the snowy desert, he sensed for potential Hell Energy which would suggest a Gore Nest underground, though he wasn't able to find any. It was as though something was blocking it out, that or he simply went the wrong direction, though that couldn't be the cause, the nest's signature only kept growing, so something had to be masking it.
From behind him, the wind began to pick up, clouds forming unnaturally quickly above him, something was coming. Without even turning around, he stood up straight, activating his red blade as a presence made from the exact opposite, Heavenly Energy as he dubbed it, energy began to grow.
Jerking his body around, he spun on one foot, deflecting a golden lance just in time. The Slayer widened his eyes, that attack wasn't something he could limit himself for, it felt just as fast as he was. He smiled, knowing that whatever the hell it was, was about to put up a good fight for once.
The clouds above darkened, bolts of lightning cracking throughout their blackened depths, momentarily lighting up the sky. From the clouds, drops of orange dripped down onto the ground, burning through the layers of ice before cooling down. The Slayer looked up in confusion, as a part of the sky began to faintly glow orange, a strange orange rain trickling down from it, forcing the Slayer to hop backward as the snow where he once boiled over.
Suddenly the clouds parted, revealing a burning sphere emanating a blinding orange light. For a brief moment, he thought the sun had lowered in the sky, however, he knew that couldn't be the answer. The light was so intense to the point that he had to cover his eyes, only catching minute glimpses of the light lowering down to the white floor.
The Slayer lurched down, one hand balled up in a fist and the other clutching his sword. Winds pushed against his body, the snow rippling as though it were the epicenter of a tsunami. Luckily the light began to die down, the winds receding with the light. From the light, a figure emerged, a young man with long, white, unkempt hair that appeared nearly transparent. His gaze was like a sharpened steel blade, a red stone buried in his chest projecting a similar enthralling lustrousness. He wore a set of gold armor, looking as though he had become fused with it, giving him a divine radiance. Weaved into his armor was a bushy red cloak, billowing in the wind, making the cloth look even further torn up than it already was. In his hand was an anoint golden spear, one end forged into a gratuitous yet resplendent sun-like pattern with a ragged cloth undulating in the wind tied to the rear end of the spear. Every part of the man could be considered beautiful in its own right, however, something about him gave off an aura of ferocity rather than attractiveness.
Standing up straight, both figures eyed the other, both clutching their weapons, both knowing that a battle was about to begin. The man faced the Slayer, before stating, "So you are the Servant I felt while I made my way over here. You seem powerful enough, perhaps you'll put up a good fight for me."
The Slayer remained wordless, keeping his stance. The lance-wielded man tilted his head in confusion before sighing, realizing the Slayer wouldn't speak as he said, "Very well then, I suppose I should introduce myself before we fight, it would be the polite thing to do, am I correct?"
Sarcasm poured from his tone, the Slayer glaring through his helmet. Though, despite the man's demeanor, he did abide by his word.
"I am the Son of the Sun God, Surya, the Heroic Spirit, Karna." Karna announced, before adding, "There is no need for a quarrel between us, I am here per my Master's orders, and thus I act."
The Slayer tightened his grip on his sword, enhancing his stance as Karna did the same. The Servant lowered down, widening his stance and extending his lance. The cold wind howled beneath the black clouds, both men remained silent, both on guard for the other's attack.
Suddenly Karna burst towards the Slayer, slicing towards his chest. The Slayer raised his sword, narrowly blocking the golden lance. Sparks cascaded from the collision, underneath his helmet, the Slayer gritted his teeth, feeling himself moving across the snow as Karna forced him back.
Stabbing his blade into the snow, the Slayer quickly recuperated himself, taking a low stance with his sword near the side of his head, pointing at Karna. Dashing towards him, the Slayer swung down, Karna hopping back as both weapons collided in a brilliant show of fiery colors.
Flying upwards, Karna launched flaming bolts down where the Slayer was, the man burst into a green aura before chasing after the Servant. The lancer widened his eyes slightly, slashing down towards the Slayer, blocking his attack.
The Slayer pushed his blade through the lock, sending Karna's spear upwards before spinning around, kicking Karna in the stomach, and launching him down towards the Earth. The mighty chain attached to the end of his sword spiraled around the Slayer as he dashed after Karna.
The snow boomed upwards, Karna flying backward as the Slayer chased after him, a trail of fiery energy undulating behind his movements. Both raced across the snowy desert, occasionally slashing and hacking at the others, sparks rained across the plains, lighting up the dark continent.
Suddenly Karna jabbed the Slayer in the chest with his spear, launching a beam into the man, sending him across the plains. The armored man tumbled across the snowbank before digging his hands into the snow to stop himself. Kicking himself upright, the man flung his sword, holding onto the handle attached to the opposite end of the chain.
Karna deflected the blade, running his spear against the extended length of the Slayer's chain as he zipped towards him. Both came nearly face-to-face as Karna swung his spear at the Slayer's neck. A red wave of crimson flames roared toward the man, the inferno reflecting off his black visor.
The Slayer craned his neck, gritting his teeth as he grabbed onto the burning spear with his left gauntlet. Karna's flames warped around his gauntlet, singing his fingers as he held the man still. Karna pushed further, the Slayer nearly buckling under the immense pressure the Servant put down on him.
Deciding to break the hold, the Slayer spun around, swinging his fully extended chain into the Servant's right side. Karna groaned in pain as the chain tore into his flesh, his body tumbling away from the Slayer with blood gushing from the wound, painting the snow red.
Inspecting the man's spear, the Slayer threw it back at the Servant, deciding it wasn't useful to him. Without even needing to look, Karna caught the weapon as he stood back up, his former injuries already having been repaired.
Both warriors inspected the other across the plain, now having gauged each other's abilities. Karna smiled, before saying, "So you really are similar to me, in terms of strength at least."
The self-proclaimed god lunged downwards, sliding his feet across the snow while extending his spear forwards, continuing with, "Then this will really be a good fight, whoever you may be."
The Slayer focused his stare, reeling in his sword before taking it into both of his hands. Slowly, he lowered his sword, standing guard as though he were a samurai waiting for a duel. A brief flash of light rolled across his helmet, both men ready for each other's next move.
'Then bring it.'
A/N: And it's finally here! Chapter 13! As promised, I am writing a brief side arc involving both the Slayer and the Fate side of things before season 2 really starts. Unfortunately, (or fortunately depending on how you view things) this won't be too long of an arc, at the very most, two and a half chapters, though that remains to be seen, after all, I originally expected the Phenex God arc to be only 4 chapters, and now look how long it is.
Art Page - @gzyyzartist
Word Count - 3,791