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CHP 06: Dragon Rider? No
🕑 Added 2023-07-13 18:40:45 +0000 UTCStaring at the Rider, no, Lucas pushing his Master's wheelchair as they both left the hall, Siegfried let out a small sigh, removing his hand from the hilt of his sword, Balmung, "Master, was that wise?" He couldn't help but ask.
His hair had stood on edge when the servant's gaze passed him and he was reminded of a presence he could never forget.
The presence of the Evil Dragon he was famous for slaying, the Dragon whose blood he'd bathed in to gain the nigh-invulnerability that he was famed for, the dragon Fafnir.
Member of a species that stood at the apex, bound by none, stopped by none, free to do as they pleased.
How could a human have such presence?
Siegfried gazed around, at his fellow servants and at their Masters, did they not know?
No, that couldn't be right.
Frankenstein had almost attacked him.
"Ha? What was that third rate going to do?" His Master, Gordes, waved off the question with a snort, running a hand through his golden hair as his belly jiggled from the movement, "I checked his parameters." The servant could even be called useless.
*
Fiore glanced at her servant from the corner of her eye, opening her mouth to say something but stopped when he put a finger over his lips, gesturing her to stay silent, "Why?" She instead spoke through their mental connection.
"I don't trust your companions," Lucas took in their surroundings, looking over the homunculi passing them by as well as the intricately designed white hallways, the expensive carpets covering furnished wooden floors and old paintings that fully displayed the massive amounts of wealth the Yggdmillennia Clan had, "Who would trust someone who can't control their temper in a battle?"
Fiore sighed, "He may be like that but, he is exceptional as a magus." She smiled gently, defending her comrade. She'd spent a significant amount of time by his side and while his attitude was a problem, there was no denying his merits, "It is his research that will allow for you to continually deploy your noble phantasm without even trying my own reserves."
Lucas's silence was enough for Fiore to understand he was curious so she continued, "Using specially constructed homunculi, he's made sure that none of the Yggdmillennia will have their magical energy used to maintain servants at their full potentials."
Yggdmillennia Homunculus weren't particularly long lived but as with all homunculi, had excellent magical circuits and consequently, great amounts of magical energy.
By connecting them to the pathways that provided servants with magical energy via alchemical means, the servants would use their magical energy instead of their Masters allowing the whole Black Faction to fight at their fullest, at all times.
"What happens to the homunculi?" Lucas asked curiously, staring at the stoic pale haired girl walking past them.
"I guess it could cause death?" Fiore poked her cheek with her index finger, not at all bothered by what she'd said, "You can use all the magical energy you want..." She pursed her lips, remembering his parameters but then shaking her head, it wasn't good to be like that.
Lucas grinned, "Once the Red Faction is defeated, the Yggdmillennia will fight amongst themselves, yes?" He stopped pushing her wheelchair, "You think it wise to reveal everything?"
A surprise could easily turn the course of a war, "Appear weak when met with unknown circumstances." It was a lesson that had helped him win more battles than he could count, "Of course, the Saint had many problems with my methods. Do you?"
"It appears I've been fooled." Fiore spoke with a gentle voice, smiling as they made their way out the Yggdmillennia Castle, away from prying eyes though she questioned how much privacy they could actually get with how the entire city of Trifas was under surveillance, "Do you think we can win?"
"Will you be able to fight your brother when the time comes?" Lucas referred to Caules Fiore Forvedge, the boy who'd stopped Frankenstein from charging him, "I can't imagine a situation where that does not happen."
When they finally exited the castle, Fiore felt the feeling from before return, except it was much closer this time.
She wrapped herself in her arms, ducking her head as her lips quivered and her head spun, making her dizzy, "W-What is this?" It had been him, she'd known that but, it had gotten much worse now that he was closer.
Using the Master's perspective, she checked her servant's parameters once more, finding herself utterly shocked with what she saw.
"The Grail summons servants in their prime, yes?" Lucas' pupils turned reptilian under his cap, glowing golden as all emotion faded from his visage, his prime had been moments before his death, "You summoned me for my 'companion' right?"
"You are Rider?"
Fiore stared at the servant who'd been less impressive than Caster moments ago with a newfound respect in her calm gaze.
His parameters were A++ across the board, surpassing even the unnamed Saber servant in terms of raw power and his presence inspired an instinctual fear she'd never before felt.
She saw with her own eyes as they changed back to the disappointing numbers they'd been before.
"How is this possible?" Fiore asked curiously, pushing back her surprise in favour of a logical explanation, "You yourself are the dragon thought to be your companion?"
"To be precise, there was never a companion. Midnight was my other self, separated at birth, and in death he chose to join me instead of living free," Lucas explained calmly, hoping to build a relationship of trust with this Master that had no problems with his underhanded methods, "My summoning is not something I expected."
In his life, he was a human dragon rider.
As a servant, he himself was Midnight.
What he was originally meant to be.
Dragonkind.
Except his legend gave him perks that a dragon rider had too.
"I ask this of you, my Master.." Lucas inhaled deeply, appearing in front of her with a hand over his chest, "What is your wish?"
Stumped by the sudden question, Fiore slightly stammered, looking around nervously, "Er.." She took in a deep breath as well, steeling herself, "I want to use the Grail to fix my legs." She giggled slightly, twirling her wavy hair in her finger as she avoided what she assumed to be a judging gaze.
She failed to see the pleased smile crossing her servant's face at her words, "W-What's your wish?" Fiore felt heat rush to her face as she met Lucas' gaze.
"I lived my life as I wanted." Lucas hummed, staring at the morning Sun peeking at the world from beyond the horizon.
Knowing that the world would remove him if he messed with it's course, Lucas chose to live his life as he wanted while keeping that in mind but finally betrayed that notion when he chose his heart over his mind.
Even then, when he tried to go against it, he forgot he was a human facing the combined subconscious of man with emotionless killing machines and got removed as he knew he would.
Lucas was, however, a man of little desire.
He was satisfied with his end.
But, he was a human and now a dragon, it was natural to want to wrong those who wronged you.
"My wish is payback so don't worry, I couldn't judge you even if I wanted to." Lucas ruffled her hair with a small grin, would the Grail be able to grant his wish?
No, it was unlikely.
But,
Lucas scratched the black fabric of his uniform, looking away from his smiling Master.
His current vessel was inferior, it restricted the power he possessed as a dragon.
The Grail could give him a suitable vessel right?
Lucas pulled down his cap, masking his eyes.
"Ah Jeanne... I hope you can move this heart still otherwise.."
The people she'd saved would cease.
The collective subconscious of humanity killing him meant everyone had a hand in it right?
“Sir, can you please stop acting like a 15 year old who thinks he’s special and take your sword so I can leave?”
“I’m sorry.”
Lucas felt ashamed of himself.
* * *
Explanation for those confused,
The Grail summons servants in their primes.
Lucas and his dragon Midnight were always the same being which is why when his heart was destroyed, Midnight's got destroyed too and while it could have survived, it chose to join with him, something it couldn't do before cause of the powers that be, maybe foreseeing his summoning.
It's also the explanation for when it said Midnight's body was scarred when dragons were supposed to be invulnerable. The dragon is invulnerable while Lucas is not so the wounds the latter suffers hurt them both while the former is never wounded conventionally.
That then was his prime, as a dragon.
Lucas as a servant is a dragon, like Vritra etc.
Jeanne is what serves as a limiter to Lucas' vindictiveness and he listens to her.
If she's not there, he's the cold hearted vindictive son of a bitch the British describe him as.
Does he seem even remotely similar to Aston?
I'll update Disturbance tomorrow.
Comments
Deathknight134
I have to ask, since Jeanne possessed Laeticia's body (probably a descendant of one of her brothers), what will happen with Laetica (since she's still watching from the recesses of her mind)? Tho I also wonder if Lucas will make fun of the French Holy Maiden's vessel being a British descendant. :v
Lefi
Thanks for the chapter.
