Fate/Blood Reign

Chapter 5 - Caster

Isaac Aravilar was shocked.

Xiao Jing had just revealed to him that her intention was to destroy the Holy Grail.

Isaac's goal was to use that powerful source of magical energy to achieve his dream, he had no intention of letting that magus from the Spiral Manor destroy it.

However...

"You said that Lord Gaiuslink and Lady Trambelio have allied," he began after almost three minutes of absolute silence, "while Lady Animusphere may have a supporter. And you're looking for someone who can help you destroy the Holy Grail... and you chose me?"

She nodded.

"Hmm..."

Isaac wasn't entirely convinced of her sincerity. From the conversation they had had up to that point, he had the impression that she was a very meticulous, cautious and above all well-informed person. How could such an individual not know about his goal? How could a girl like her not know that he wanted the Holy Grail?

He was very good at reading people's faces, but hers was as impenetrable as a wall. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't see Xiao Jing's true intentions. This irritated him, but also made him curious.

"Are you afraid of allying with me?" she asked calmly.

He shook his head a little. "I don't know you, but I bet that behind your boldness lies a powerful magus. It's just that... I have a lot of doubts about your... um... sincerity."

"How can I prove to you that you can trust me, then?"

"I'll never trust you," he replied coldly. "I don't trust anyone, that's how I survived."

"So you don't even trust your Servant?"

"That's not what I said—"

"Then what you're saying doesn't make sense. If you can trust your Servant, who's virtually a stranger and might betray you for a better Master, you can also trust a foreign magus who, at least from your perspective, might be an equal or lesser threat than said Servant."

Strong or weak, that magus certainly stunned Isaac with her rhetorical skill. He had no idea how to answer her... those quick and sharp words had disarmed him.

"So?" she asked, expecting a definitive answer from him.

He was still unsure.

In the meantime, the two Servants, seated about three meters from each other, were waiting in silence for the end of the Masters' interview. Caster was sitting comfortably on a chair reading a text of Chinese philosophy, Archer was sitting cross-legged on the table waiting anxiously for the moment to leave that place. The two Servants' gazes met for only a few moments and then they both looked away.

Archer would've liked so much to kill that old man and Caster would've liked to eliminate that demonic beast.

Neither of them said a word.

Archer, tired of waiting, left the table and approached, at a slow pace, the room where the two Masters were. Caster closed the book, dropped it on the table, crossed his legs, pulled his back, and watched the girl's actions. She, feeling his eyes, stopped and with her look warned him not to hinder her. He grimaced and ran his fingers through his long white beard. She changed direction and moved a little closer to him, with a challenging look. He rose from his chair and did the same.

They were ready.

At that moment a particular energy in the air caught the attention of both of them. It came from outside.