Fate/ Dire Paradox (Jeanne Alter X Male Reader)

Chapter 35

"My skin is crawling," Jeanne states as soon as we spot the church's entrance.

"I'd imagine you would burst into flames the moment you step inside."

"I was burned alive-"

"Right... sorry," I sigh - right history... I should be a little bit mindful about it.

Nudging me with her elbow, "Didn't think that one through did you?" she then sighs, "Well, whatever. Let's just hope neither of us gets to experience my dream."

I chuckle, "For one I am not stupid enough to go ahead and dare force a commune with the Grail when there are so many of them around us."

"How do you suppose it will grant me a physical body?"

"Bath in the waters of the Grail and from it you will receive a physical form, that is what we learned at our Church. Though I doubt that water is involved, we will figure it out the moment we are faced with the Grail."

"Hmm," she then steps forward, "Well I doubt they would want to wait for us any longer. Just a few steps away from this all going to shit, you ready?" she smirks at me.

I return the confident smirk, "Now or never, right?"

"I doubt they would wait for us that long."

"Yeah, but I wouldn't mind if they did," with a chuckle I gesture for us to get moving.

We step through the main gate, passing the garden the place feels oddly quiet and dead. As if something was missing but something bad clearly happened here... I can still sense the residual mana and Jeanne's eyes have been surveying the area the moment we stepped foot inside.

We pass through the front to see that the place is pretty normal, nothing has changed from appearances alone. Just outside in the courtyard, there was a splatter of blood but nobody in the area.

"Looks like someone made their move on the Grail."

"I doubt it would be here," Jeanne mutters, "It is way too obvious."

"Maybe the church doesn't know where it is in the first place," I suggest, "Let's keep moving, something about this place is making the hairs on my neck stand up."

"That's just god waiting to smite me out of existence," she then laughs, "Or he would have."

"Well here is hoping he will let us wander for a little bit longer," I then gesture to an entrance leading to the undercroft, "If I wanted to hide something I would hide it there."

"Time to get moving then," she pats my back, heading straight for the entrance.

I glance back at the blood for a few moments longer before I follow her into it. The place was unguarded which just led me to believe we were doing this all for nothing but before I could suggest that we should leave Jeanne shushes me.

"Do you hear that? Someone is fighting below."

I nod, "Then we should join up, no sense in keeping them waiting for us any longer." 

"You say that like they care about us at all."

"Come on, of course, they do. Why would Caster go out of her way to meet us in the first place?" I chuckle.

Getting close to the bottom I can hear Archer's voice, "Wait, Caster. I want to attach one condition to my joining your forces."

"A condition?" I hear her voice ask.

"I offered my freedom without resistance. My price is that you let them leave"

I can hear her scoff, "Huh... for all your words and actions, you're rather soft"

"No, I thought it would be wrong for a heroic spirit to cut down his heartbroken former Master."

"It is strange to hear common decency from a traitor's mouth," we reach a vantage point, the bone warriors surrounding both Rin and Shirou disappear, "Very well, I shall let them go. But if they get in my way again..."

"Of course," Archer says with a smirk, "Fools who would embrace a hopeless fight deserve to be cut down without mercy."

Rin then turns, "Let's go. For now, he is right."

"Any anger that you hold for me is misplaced, Rin. This woman is simply the superior Master. That's all. I side with the most powerful."

The two of them finally leave. Not bothering concealing our presence I sense that those two are practically out already. Archer seems to have been tracking them as well - turning to face us instantly he calls out.

"So? I didn't expect the two of you to cling to the shadows. Are you going to come out any time soon?"

"Guess there is no helping it, huh?" I chuckle, we walk down the stairs to meet them, "Wow, I didn't expect to see such a sight. 

Caster looks at me with an amused expression, "Did you realize how hopeless your resistance is yet?"

I rest my hand on my hips, "Of course. Then again - I like beating those odds."

Archer then says, "My agreement with Caster only applies to those two. You two however I have no control over your fate, so if you wish to die here then so be it."

I look past them to see Saber, her eyes locked onto the two of us. She looks horrible, if it were up to me I would do her the favor and put her out of her misery. As much as I didn't care about her fate... I never wanted to see her end like this.

Though the matter of the fact is, there is a Master, an Archer, Caster, and then most likely Mordred that is hiding somewhere.

Caster interrupts my thoughts, "Why do you even seek the Grail? Did you intend to take it from them the moment you could?"

I chuckle, "My interest in the Grail has nothing to do with you, Caster. Though as thanks for robbing me of my vengeance I should make you aware that no matter what happens... you will play the blood price."

"Oh? How pitiful for you to hold on so tightly to vengeance. All because you led your own people to their death."

I lift my shoulders, "My point still stands."

She then smirks, "You only wish to live peacefully, don't you? I mistook you for a person that would have wanted it all but in reality, you think you already do have what you wanted. I should rob you of it."

Jeanne is growing restless, I can feel her mana surging as if she is ready to level this damned place.

"Then a counteroffer," Caster begins, "You only wish to have a physical form for your companion. I will allow you to touch the Grail and then you can both leave with your lives intact. She will have her body and you will have what you wish for. Correct?"

Don't buy it, (Y/N). She will kill us the moment we get close to it.

Gritting my teeth, it feels like I was about to break my jaw from the anger, "You take me for a fool. The price of your greed, Caster. It will be your blood."

"Foolish," she mutters, "I will strip you from everything you love."

As expected Archer and her Master rush us. Though there was an itch begging to be scratched - it was there and it originated from my anger. Sending ripples through my mind begging to be unleashed and for a moment of consideration.

I realized what it was - I grasped for it, I let it become me.