Fate/Brothers in Destiny

Chapter 13: Established Rivalries

FATE/BROTHERS IN DESTINY

Chapter 13: Established Rivalries

The ominous halls of Copenhagen's dungeons fell into absolute silence. The indigo pentagram that shone beneath Gilles' feet vanished, returning the area to darkness. He stood there in a perplexed daze, unsure of why his strongest creature was dead.

"I do not understand..." he moaned in confusion. "What sort of power could eliminate my mightiest creation with but one mere stroke...?"

He heard a pair of footsteps fervently striding toward him, and he saw Agravain approaching from the darkness of the dimly-lit chamber. His eye twitched as he scowled, "What happened?"

"My finest summoning, the absolute worst that Hell itself has to offer, has been vanquished."

"Pah. You put too much stock into those feeble monstrosities. I was right to not have too many expectations from you, seeing as how you're such a pathetic Servant."

"Oh hoh? Does this mean you will be the one to mete the judgment upon me that God failed to do so? Oooooh, how delightful! By all means, show me the depths of your anger, Sir Agravain! I would very much love to see how you'll make me repent! If not, then spare me such hollow threats – I lend my ears to no one but my beloved Jeanne!"

"Tch," the knight growled, growing frustrated with the dually masochistic and sadistic madman. He would have gladly shoved his sword through the man's wicked heart, but he still needed the powers of Prelati's Spellbook to help him with gathering mana.

"She's coming..." Gilles moaned incoherently. "Yes, she is coming... Soon, our fated reunion will be upon us! My blood boils with excitement! I cannot wait to see the look of despair upon her face when she sees me once again!"

"'She'? Are you talking about Jeanne?"

"COOOOOnnla!" the Caster bellowed, stretching the first syllable so that it resembled the word 'cool'. "How fortunate for me! I got to witness a hero just like Jeanne! She left me with words that I have pondered over for years afterward! I felt that I was not deserving of such kindness, yet I wanted to hear more of it! I searched, searched, and searched for so long, kidnapping as many children as I could to see if she would be among them! Yet she vanished into the ether, never to be seen again... UNTIL NOW!"

"Y-You know the Son of Cuchulainn?" This was the first time Agravain heard of such a thing.

"I met her once, yes... Just once... But that once was enough to change me... The death of my Jeanne, and the disappearance of the benevolent little knight... I wanted to see them again! I want to pull them from the light that forsakes and drag them into the abyss where I dwell, never to let them leave me behind again! I'll drown them in the love that God does not give to anyone!"

"So you're not really interested in changing your history, are you?"

"No, my good sir knight. I am a foul existence that should be punished. I am not fool enough to believe that I can change that. All I seek is for a saint who will accomplish what God could not – to deliver me from my sins and lead me to everlasting light! Jeanne was taken away from me, but I was able to meet another who shone like her! If it is not Jeanne that I shall face, then I will make due with a substitute!"

"I see... Well then, you should be pleased to know that Sigurd and Connla are fast approaching us. It seems they realize what our objective is and are moving in to stop it. Summon all of your Horrors to capture them before they can make it this far."

"Of course, of course. Sigurd will make a most excellent offering for the Grail. As for Connla... Mwuh heh heh..."

Agravain sighed and turned on his heel to walk away from Gilles as he descended into a bout of insane laughter.