*Three years since Dante left.*
Altrouge Brunestud could be seen lying down, trying to sleep, something she could occasionally manage, but instead of dreaming, she was remembering the past.
She remembered her time with Helena. They had met in the age of the gods and become great friends, until the incident where she fought with her and accidentally killed her, something that haunts her to this day. But this time, she wasn't remembering Helena, but someone else.
*In Altrouge's mind*
"Help you with what?" Dante asked.
"Help me bring Helena back to life," the vampire princess replied.
Upon hearing her request, Dante relaxed slightly from his fighting stance.
"What makes you think I can bring people back to life?" Dante asked.
"She told me she came from the union of both flesh and will and spirit of Kiss-shot and you, so I thought you might have some connection to her that could bring her back," he replied, recalling what Helena had told him about her birth.
"Hmm, if we had been alive, perhaps Kiss-shot could have received Helena's soul, but if we weren't, then the soul must have left a long time ago," Dante answered.
At that, Altrouge clicked her tongue.
"I thought I had some method of reviving; after all, you both did," the princess remarked.
"Hmm, I think you're misunderstanding something. I was revived thanks to the Holy Grail," Dante explained.
"The Holy Grail?" Altrouge questioned.
"Yes, that's how I was able to revive. Perhaps you could participate in it yourself and revive Helena," Dante said mockingly.
Altrouge Brunestud glared at him.
"Are you mocking me?" she demanded menacingly.
"Hmm, a little," he replied, gesturing as if he had caught something small.
At this, Altrouge Brunestud launched himself like a missile at Dante, who dodged the attack.
"I don't care if he's Helena's father; you'll pay dearly for mocking me," the princess roared.
"We'll see about that," she continued, further inflaming Altrouge's anger with that comment as she summoned a red sword.
*Outside Altrouge's mind*
Altrouge opened his eyes to that memory. It wasn't that he had forgotten it, but in the fury of that moment, he hadn't thought things through.
After that, he did exactly as Dante had told him and searched for the Holy Grail, but the chalice Jesus Christ used at the Last Supper was a relic that, even in his hands, wouldn't help him revive Helena, because she had rejected Dante for deceiving her and never approached him again.
But that memory made him focus on a word he had overlooked until now: "Participate."
How could he participate in the Holy Grail? It wasn't as if one could enter the artifact; one couldn't; he had already tried, unless it referred to something else.
With that in mind, he stood up and walked quickly to where one of his great vassals was.
...
"Seven heroes from different eras are summoned to fight, and the winner obtains the Holy Grail, an artifact capable of granting any wish," Altrouge read, then looked at Tatari, who simply shrugged, indicating he didn't know what else to do. "Do you even know where this is happening?"
"I think it's in a place in Japan called Fuyuki, a place run by three families of mages, but only one is the main one," he replied.
"Hmm, let's go there and see if we can get the Holy Grail by force."
...
In Fuyuki, in the dead of night, Altrouge could be seen with his two bodyguards, Tatari and Rizo-Waal Strout.
(Note: I don't remember which ancestor was killed by Helena or the chapter where I wrote it, so from now on, the one killed was Fina Blood Svelten, period.)
After walking for a while, they arrived at the Tohsaka estate.
"I think it's empty, Princess," Rizo said, looking at her.
She simply remained silent and forced her way inside.
After a few minutes, she left, describing how empty it indeed was.
"There were other sorcerer families in Fuyuki, weren't there?" Altrouge questioned.
...
After visiting the Einzbern and Matou mansions, both of which had been abandoned long ago, they arrived at Ryuudou Temple.
"Are you sure this is where the Holy Grail was? There's nothing here anymore," Altrouge scolded Tatari, who had been looking through the documents of the Matou mansion and had obtained some more information.
"That's what the documents said, my princess," Tatari defended himself, somewhat nervously.
Just as he was about to hit him, someone spoke from behind them.
"The Holy Grail was moved from here by the men of the clock tower two years ago." Turning around, they saw a man in his thirties or forties carrying several snacks and diapers.
This man was Souichirou, who had been forced by his wife to buy something to appease her hunger, as she was in her third pregnancy. Dark circles under his eyes and a somewhat lifeless expression were visible on his face, but anyone who knew him would recognize that it was his usual face.
"They took him away, saying it was dangerous to keep him in a place like this. Where? I have no idea, but if you want to know, you'll have to go to the Mage's Association; you could move out of the way now. I need to get back to my wife, who's in a bad mood." At the unknown man's words, the three vampire ancestors stepped aside to let him into the temple.
After Souchirou disappeared from the sight of the three dead apostles, they looked at each other.
"Is what he said true?" Rizo asked.
"Possibly. I don't feel anything here anymore," Altrouge confirmed, sounding annoyed.
"Is there any way to know if what they're saying is true?" Tatari asked, referring to the clock tower.
Altrouge frowned.
"I think we have to find him."
...
A woman of about 21 could be seen walking down a blood-soaked corridor, dragging an old man with gold and red tubs, the red of which was stained with blood. His face was contorted with panic.
In the woman's hand was an iconic pistol, the Ebony, alongside its twin, the Ivory, a gift from her father before he left.
The woman had crimson brown hair and red eyes and stood about 1.9 meters tall. This was Kaori's, Dante's, and Touko's daughter.
Kaori picked up the old man's body like a rag doll and slammed him against the wall, assaulting him and causing him to vomit blood onto his ceremonial robes.
"She's dragging you into something that's beyond your control, girl," the old man threatened.
"Sacrificing children to gain power from a true demon is something that can affect everyone, and even if they don't manage to summon a real one, what they're doing is repugnant, which is enough to destroy their entire sect," Kaori said, pointing the gun at the man's forehead.
"My master will find you."
Bang
The gunshot rang out, killing the old man instantly.
"Yes, I've heard that one a few times, in various Chinese and Korean dramas," Kaori remarked, holstering her pistol.
With her task complete, Kaori was ready to leave.
Just as she was about to cast the spell to set the place ablaze, she stopped abruptly.
She quickly drew her pistol from its holster and aimed at the being that had appeared behind her, but with a single blow to her hand, it knocked the gun to the ground.
"What a temper. She reminds me a bit of your father," Altrouge said, smiling at Kaori.
Kaori glared at the true ancestor and looked around, seeing that she was being flanked by Rizo and Tatari.
She knew who these people were; after all, she knew her older sister, Helena. She knew about the situation, and Helena herself had described them. These three, not to mention what her father had told her.
"What brings the Black Vampire Princess to me?" Kaori asked.
"Straight to the point, I like it," Altouge commented. "It turns out I've been searching for your father for months, but there's no trace of him for three years; that includes the women who were following him."
"Have you asked at the clock tower yet?" Kaori asked mockingly, causing Altouge to look at her with an intensity that made her freeze.
Kaori was strong; she could be considered one of the strongest sorcerers in existence, but she didn't feel capable of defeating a true ancestor, much less three at the same time.
"Three years ago, my father opened a portal and left this dimension along with Aoko and the others, disappearing forever." "If I'm not mistaken, they went to another universe or something like that, so you'll never find him even if you kill every human on Earth," Kaori confessed.
This revelation caused Altrouge's expression to darken.
"But there's something I don't understand. Your father was revived before; "How is that possible?" Riz asked, puzzled by her ignorance.
"If I'm not mistaken, he was once a Servant, and by fulfilling his wish, he was revived," Kaori explained.
Upon hearing these words, Altrouge looked at Kaori, specifically at a necklace covered in runes and seals.
It was clear that this necklace had been made by Dante to repel curses or similar afflictions against its wearer. This was because the vampire princess knew the areas of specialization; Dante was in charge of that.
With a swift movement, she removed the necklace from Kaori's neck.
"There's nothing left to do but speak with him," Altrouge said, knowing that if she wanted to summon a Servant, she needed a catalyst, and if she wanted to bring Dante back from wherever he was, she needed something that belonged to him or was created by him, and only by him, to avoid summoning another Servant.
With that said, she walked past Kaori, followed by her bodyguards, disappearing from the scene.
Once they were gone, Kaoir could breathe again, letting out a sigh.
Taking a phone from her pocket, she dialed a number.
"Hello, I have bad news."
...
*Clock Tower*
Lord El-Melloi II, better known as Waver Velvet, could be seen looking somewhat impatient.
"Is something troubling you, Master?" Gray asked from his side.
Waver didn't answer; he simply lit a pipe and began smoking while staring at the ceiling.
A week ago, Kaori had called him, mentioning that some true ancestors were searching for Dante and that they might eventually arrive at the clock tower.
Given this situation, he had informed the marshal that he knew more about these matters but assured him that the black vampire princess couldn't do anything here, though that didn't reassure him.
"I feel that something bad is going to happen sooner or later," he finally voiced.
At the same time, in an area where almost no one could enter, a sorcerer was seen walking toward a door covered in seals.
"We're here," the man said, his voice trembling with fear.
"Very well," came another voice behind him. From the sorcerer's shadow emerged two men and a woman—or, more specifically, true ancestors.
"So this is the entrance where he hides the Holy Grail," Rizo remarked, eyeing the doors.
Rizo glanced at the woman beside him.
"Well, my part continues," said Rita Rozay-en, taking out some artifacts given to him by Caubac Alcatraz, who hadn't wanted to come.
While Rita worked, Rizo looked at the Vlov Arkhangel.
This week, they had been preparing to unveil the Holy Grail here, but for that, they needed allies. Presenting the idea of the Holy Grail, some of the 21 true ancestors agreed to join their crusade, including this vampire.
Altrouge had convinced him to join them with the idea of finally killing Roa, whom he hated deeply. With the Holy Grail, he could rid himself of his rival, Michael Roa Valdamjong, from the face of the earth—something Vlov was keen to try.
The moment the seals were broken, Rita stopped abruptly, glancing nervously at the two ancestors behind her.
"What's going on?" Vlov asked.
"The security system was activated," Rita replied, looking at the two men and ignoring the sorcerer who was still standing in a corner, trying to blend into his surroundings.
...
Lord El-Melloi II surveyed the chaos and destruction surrounding the clock tower; he saw ice, blood, and cuts, including several dead sorcerers.
"This is bad," said Marshal Zelrecht, appearing beside Waver. "Those three managed to infiltrate and steal the Holy Grail; who knows what they'll do with that artifact."
Waver glared at the marshal, somewhat annoyed.
"Where were you that you didn't help prevent the theft?" he demanded, ignoring the difference in status between them.
Zelrecht stared at him, pulling out an alchemical artifact shaped like a magical girl's wand.
"Doing this," he said gravely.
Waver could only stare in disbelief, considering the marshal's priorities in the clock tower.
At that moment, a sick woman who had been there before walked by, being attended to by Waver.
"How is Gray?" he inquired.
"Miss Gray is out of danger; however, she will need to rest for quite some time, as her injuries are quite serious," the nurse reported.
Waver simply nodded and let the nurse go. When the alarm sounded, Gray was among the first to act to defend the clock tower and one of the very few who survived the brief confrontation between three true ancestors.
"I think I'll make a call to schedule a meeting to see what we can do about this situation," Zelrecht said, walking back to his office, leaving Waver deep in thought.
Lord El-Melloi II looked at his cell phone and, scrolling through his contacts, found Kaori's.
...
In a somewhat makeshift office, several lords and important people from the Clock Tower were present, but there was also another person who wasn't formally part of this circle.
"This is bad," Waver declared, listening to Kaori's words. Kaori didn't actually belong to either the Clock Tower or the Mage's Association; rather, she worked with some of them.
"I don't understand, why is this bad?" asked Reinnes, who was there undercover, mainly to listen and accompany Waver.
"I imagine she doesn't know much about the history of the twenty-one true ancestors," Lerelei stated, sitting with a cup of coffee. "As you know, Helena is Dante's daughter and an anomalous-class vampire, outside of the existing classification."
"Kiss-shot is known for her legend as the Oddity Killer, something that was never proven; the closest thing to it was Dante himself using her signature weapon to kill gods, and according to what he told me, that sword was made from her essence and flesh," Zelrecht commented.
"Now imagine the scene of those two united, being closer to that of a vampire; that's Helena Manmayer," Waver declared. "Unlike her parents, she went further; hence her nickname, the Oddity Devourer."
"At some point in her life, she met Fina-Blood Svelten, defeating and devouring him, obtaining all his essence and power, making her the eighth true ancestor," Mcdonell explained. "From there, things went from bad to worse, as she would meet Altrouge Brunested, becoming an ally in destroying entire countries and terrorizing sorcerers, wizards, and gods for several centuries."
"At some point, they would both fight for some reason, and Altrouge would kill Helena; no one knows how it happened, but it did," Zelrecht said. "But if he manages to revive her, there's no telling what might happen; they could start fighting, creating chaos in the world, or rise again, bringing another dark age to this era."
At that moment, the room fell silent.
"Something to help us figure out where they're hiding?" Reinnes asked after the explosion.
At that moment, Kaori pulled a compass from her pocket, which pointed in a certain direction.
"My father, among the many things he gave me before he left, gave me this, a compass that points to what one most desires," she said, lunging at Lorelei. "When I find the Holy Grail, give it back to me."
At that moment, everyone's gaze shifted from Kaori to the compass, which didn't point north but southwest.
...
Altrouge stared at the Holy Grail as the place descended into chaos.
"Report," she announced as Rizo appeared beside her.
"The clock tower and the church aligned, and they managed to find our hiding place," he replied.
"I knew doing this in England was a bad idea," Caubac Alcatraz remarked as he attempted to activate the Holy Grail.
"Shut up and get back to what you were doing. We need a ley line to connect the Holy Grail," Altrouge roared. "Just tell us how much longer it will take."
"It's almost set up for us to participate, but my magic isn't very good at this sort of thing. If we had some kind of Third Magic, it might have been easier."
"And what else is needed?" Altrouge asked, growing impatient, as the enemies were already at the base and they didn't have much fodder to distract them.
"More magical energy is needed to accelerate its activation, something we're lacking," Caubac Alcatraz explained.
Altouge glanced at a sleeping murder primate; sensing the gaze of its current mistress, it awoke. Understanding what she was saying, it got up and went upstairs to survey the chaos unfolding.
"Step aside," Altouge told Caubac.
...
The sorcerers, many wounded, others dead, watched the First One himself die, attacking it left and right.
Only the most skilled sorceresses and high-ranking members of the church had come to this place.
It was already complicated enough, since they hadn't been able to bring any members of the burial agency due to time constraints.
"Tell me, why isn't Marshal Zelrecth here fighting this beast?" a member of the church asked.
"He said he went to look for his adopted granddaughter or something," a member of the clock tower replied.
"What kind of excuse is that?" the priest snapped, but he couldn't continue arguing, as a fireball struck the person he was speaking to and killed them instantly.
Out of nowhere, the primate murder stopped dead, reverting to its "cat" form and leaving the area; at that same moment, they realized that all the true ancestors had also vanished.
The sorcerers and church members stood staring, unsure what to do.
...
A slightly wounded Barthomeloi Lorelei, accompanied by Rufleus Nuada-Re Eulyphis and Lord El-Melloi, who were equally or even more injured than she was.
Lorelei approached the active device and looked at Lord El-Melloi.
"Do you know of any way to deactivate the ritual?" she asked, to which Waver simply shook his head.
"The ritual has already begun; all that remains is to await the consequences, or better yet, find a way to participate," a new voice was heard, one that was not part of the gathering.
Entering the crypt, a tall man with a calm demeanor and long white hair in a braid could be seen.
"You dare to appear now that all the chaos is over, Marisbury?" Lorelei retorted angrily.
"There was no point in participating in something that was going to fail," the man declared in a neutral tone.
"So you knew we would fail," said Rufleos, somewhat annoyed, having lost an arm and an eye in the battle.
"You know my department, so predicting the outcome isn't difficult," said Marisbury. "This may have failed, but we still have another option."
"And what would that be?" asked El-Melloi II.
"We ourselves are participating in this Holy Grail War, which seeks to seize the true ancestors," Marisbury explained.
...
*Two months before the war begins*
Altrouge looked at her wrist, which bore three Command Seals, proving she was one of the masters chosen to participate in the war.
Besides her, Vlov Arkhangel and Nrvnqsr Chaos, who had fought with two lords when they infiltrated her base, had also received Command Seals, but Rizo-Waal Strout, Stanrobe Calhin, TATARI, and Rita Rozay had not.
The plan was to summon the servants and force them to commit suicide to end the war quickly and fulfill the wishes, but the fact that the others hadn't received the seals was worrying.
"Maybe something went wrong," suggested Rita, who was sitting in a corner painting.
"Really? That gives me an excuse to punch Caubac," said Stanrobe, who had left his religious group to join Altrouge with the idea of fulfilling one of her wishes.
Altrouge looked at her Command Seal and then at the necklace she had stolen from Kaori.
"As I understand it, once you have the Command Seals, you can summon a Servant; I think it's time to speak with him, since he's already participated in two Holy Grail Wars," the vampire princess said, rising from the armchair. "I'll be right back; don't disturb me while I summon Dante."
With that, she left, leaving the other True Ancestors waiting to see what would happen with her summoning.
*Present Day*
Dante looked at his daughter's former friend after saying that he had stolen the Holy Grail System to create his own.
"I never thought you'd do something like that; I thought you'd only participate in one or something," Dante said, sounding somewhat tired even though he hadn't done anything yet.
"If you had been here to explain that to me, then I wouldn't have had to do this," Altrouge retorted to Dante, who just stared at her with dead eyes.
"I'm here now, can I kill myself?" Dante asked his master.
"What's wrong with you?" Altrouge responded hysterically. "I'm doing this to revive your daughter, and this is how you act?"
Dante just stared with a strange expression that the vampire princess didn't understand.
"Well, whatever, I just need you to help me with a few things, and then you can kill yourself," Altrouge explained, to which Dante nodded.
At that moment, Altrouge looked to the other side to see the servant who had remained still throughout the exchange.
"And who are you?"
The servant bowed his head in respect.
"My name is Carmilla, Assassin class; I imagine you are my master," said the now-recognized Assassin.
"Do you know why this happened?" Altroge asked Dante, who just shook his head. "Good, both of you, follow me; I'll introduce you to the others."