Fate/Incursio

Ch.5 || Kill The Wait

Tatsumi glanced over at Atalanta, her words echoing in his mind. He could see the tension in her posture, the subtle clench of her fists, and the sharpness in her usually composed gaze. His surprise was evident, but so was his concern.

"What... how did they die?" Tatsumi asked, his voice lowering as the weight of the situation sunk in. There was no room for half-measures here; this was serious.

Atalanta's lips tightened, her green eyes flashing with frustration as she looked down at the forest floor. "I-I don't know," she muttered, shaking her head. "One second, the connection was there, and the next... it was gone. Just cut off. I didn't feel pain, but that severance... it's unmistakable." Her voice trembled ever so slightly, a rare crack in her stoic facade.

Tatsumi's brow furrowed. "So, that's it? You're on your own now," he said, his tone laden with concern. The gravity of the situation became clearer by the second. A Servant without a Master in this war was vulnerable.

"I have Independent Action, so I can last a week without a Master," Atalanta explained, though her tone lacked its usual confidence. "But the truth is, that's only if I remain passive. If I keep fighting, that time will shorten drastically." She leaned back against a tree, the moonlight casting a pale glow over her furrowed features.

Tatsumi stood still, processing her words, before a sudden thought crossed his mind, an idea that made him stand a little straighter. "What was your wish?" he asked, his voice soft but filled with curiosity. He wasn't just asking to make conversation-he needed to understand her. "What would you have asked from the Holy Grail?"

Atalanta's eyes shifted, her gaze settling on the silver moon as it hung high in the sky. The glow reflected in her eyes, giving her an ethereal appearance, almost like a goddess of old. "My wish..." she whispered, her voice softening, "...is simple. I want happiness for all children. I want a world where they never suffer. Where they never know cruelty or despair. I want them to feel loved."

Tatsumi was taken aback by the purity of her wish, a goal that seemed almost too noble for the blood-soaked battlefield they found themselves in. He leaned against a nearby tree, his arms crossing as he processed her answer. "That's... a beautiful wish," he said after a long pause.

Atalanta's lips twitched into a small, bitter smile. "It's what I've always fought for, long before this war," she replied. Her voice carried a depth of sorrow, as if she had fought for that wish in lifetimes before and failed every time.

"Then..." Tatsumi hesitated for a moment, but the words came to him quickly. "What if I became your Master?"

Atalanta's eyes widened, surprise breaking through her calm exterior. She looked at him as if trying to decipher his true intentions. "What?" she asked, her voice wavering slightly.

"You're a capable fighter, and I have more than enough mana to spare. I don't know how my own Master is keeping up with me, but I'm practically overflowing with power." He uncrossed his arms and looked her directly in the eyes. "If we work together, I can supply you with the mana you need. You can continue to fight without worrying about running out of time."

Atalanta stared at him, still processing his offer. "But... what about your wish? What if only one Servant can win the Grail War?" Her voice was measured, but her gaze was filled with genuine curiosity.

Tatsumi let out a deep sigh, his expression softening as if some heavy burden weighed on him. "My wish... isn't something the Grail can grant. Not really."

Atalanta frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I told you before that I'm not sure if the Grail can give me what I want. The truth is..." Tatsumi paused, searching for the right words. "I just want to be happy. But happiness... that's not something you can ask for and just receive. It's not something that can be granted like a prize."