Fate/Fool Chapter 22 (Patreon)

Scathach's gleaming wine-red eyes took in our forms... Nazica was analyzed rather clinically before Scathach looked away and focused more on me. With much clearer interest. 

Then she finally spoke with a cool amusement clear in her voice. "Thieves invading my kingdom... Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

'Ahh, that's the way she wants to play it.' I thought helplessly before I realized she was speaking English with a casual Irish accent. 

But I wasn't going to ask how she could comfortably speak in the modern version of english. I straightened my back, and I said calmly. "We have no aim to hurt your realm, Lady Scathach. We are merely here to-"

Gae Bolg's crimson point snapped upwards, and I froze as the spear extended forward somehow until it almost hit my chest in the split moment of movement.

But with how Scathach didn't activate it's curse, my Infinity stretched space keeping me safe as no matter how far the spear extended. The space between me and the spear itself was miles away from one in the spatially extended space around me.

Then Scathach spoke with a bit more interest. "Interesting... Using the deamon's of The Land of Skye to create familiars is one thing. But a modern magus using such spatial magecraft on themselves?"

Scathach's eyes narrowed on me before she smiled and continued. "No, such precise magecraft that could capture even my movement. That's got something to do with those beautiful little eye's right?"

'Leave it to one of the best trainers of Heroes beyond Chiron himself to notice that.' I thought helplessly before I said calmly as I flexed my gloved hands to get ready.

Get ready to use three command seals to pull Tamamo into here to be specific...

"My eyes do play a part yes. But I also do have a talent for spatial magecraft." 

Scathach looked between Nazica and I before she hummed, and then she twirled her spear and said. "Interesting... But there still remains the insult of your invasion and theft of my realm's occupants."

I exhaled heavily before I said helplessly. "Then what would you demand in recompense Lady Scathach?" 

As even with Tamamo having the abilities from all of her classes and having strong Noble Phantasms... She wasn't the match of Scathach the God Killer in her own domain.

As Tamamo was still very much limited by my own mana... And she didn't have a Noble Phantasm with the lethality that Gae Bolg had!

"You will fight me. Fight me with everything you have, every spell, every technique, every ability YOU yourself have. And not using your Servant." Scathach finished with a cool smile.

My lips twitched as Tamamo listened from the Human Texture through our shared soul bond of Master and Servant... Vehemently denied this. She wanted me to summon her so that she could bring the solar fire of Amaterasu onto this 'witch'.

But I couldn't help but ask. "I agree... But how do you know of my servant? How do you know so much of the modern world?" 

Scathach gave me a dull look before she shrugged and said lazily... But I could tell the lazy energy was no different from a tiger relaxing just before it pounced!

"The Land of Shadows is stuck between the Human Texture and the Reverse Side of the World, as you well know. So it is far easier to use divination to peer into the human world than if I were properly stuck in the Reverse Side of the World."

"I cannot see much of the modern human world due to Gaia and Alaya's strong influence... But when events like the Grail War happen, which clouds the world in Fate that could overturn it... I can look far more freely." Scathach admitted.

Then Scathach looked over to Nazica and said boredly. "Well, little girl. Continue your little ritual lest the shadows break free of the totems. Even if I kill this boy here, you aren't worth my time in giving a proper burial." 

I couldn't help a bit of snark. "Heh, so I am actually worthy of being buried then?" 

In answer, Scathach strode towards me with purpose. The thorn of death, Gae Bolg glowing as her powerful mana flowed into it as she finally said bluntly.

"More than ninety-nine percent of all humans in history would never be able to block or even dodge one of my blows... Being a modern human who managed to do so, and had the bravery to meet my spear in first place? You are worth the time needed to give you a burial." 

No other words were said as Scathach casually stabbed towards me and I knew that if I summoned Tamamo, Scathach's patience would end, and she would do her best to kill Nazica, and I.

Seeing how much slower her spear thrust was, I knew she was testing me. Testing my limits even without my Limitless. So with my body fully reinforced with the aid of my Six Eye's. I couldn't help but be glad I did get the elixir for the next stage of the Fool Pathway.

The back of my gloved rune rune-covered hand hit Gae Bolg's shaft just past the bladed portion.

The knock back was all but instantly turned into Scathach, turning her spear's casual stab into a slash that came back towards me, and she tittered with a smile as she said. "Even with all my skill and strength. I prefer not to fight others who are armed. It's a simple logic boy." 

Especially when I myself wasn't like Heracles or Achilles who had Chiron's training in hand-to-hand combat.

"I am only a first-generation Magus, introduced to the moonlight world for a month," I spoke as I side-stepped a slash from her spear as Scathach began speeding up. "I have only had my servant for a few days as well." I continued I rolling across the ground as between spear twirls.

Scathach, within the span of not even a quarter of a second, she drew the same rune three times.

And that magical glowing rune in the air was all to clearly the rune of fire as from each of the three runes came five fireballs each, which exploded with the force of a hand grenade as they slammed into the ground around me.

Past the smoke, I could see through with my Six Eye's my face twitched as Scathach drew another series of runes, and I instantly held up a hand with a large red orb forming. Pure rejecting spatial energy in compressed form bloomed to life.

And the 'Reds' twisting repulsion effect saved me as a pillar of flames blasted at me with a deafening roar of destruction.

I pushed the Red forward, and with a roar of the displaced flames that began flying towards me as the large red orb of destruction shot through the flames towards Scathach.

I heard her laugh with amusement as she summoned another Gae Bolg and threw it through the orb of twisting, hungry spatial energy.

"Not bad, little modern mage! If this were the old days, just for that spatial talent, I would have taken you as one of my students... I am surprised Zeltrech hasn't picked you up to be one of his doomed apprentices, though, haha." She said with a tinge of appreciation.

I couldn't answer as Scathach was done talking. Done playing games and testing me as she fell upon me as a storm of violence.

And as her spear pierced through my limitless to score a burning gash across my shoulder as I twisted my upper body from a thrust that would have went through my neck.

My time was running out. And so was Scathach's patience in playing with me.

Finally, I decided that... I needed to get something in, as I clearly wasn't going to even land a glancing blow on Scathach if I relied on my non-existent skill to match the god killers.

She sent another thrust after a twisting slash with Gae Bolg, and I saw her eye's widen in interest as I 'caught' Gae Bolg.

And by that, I caught the spear going through my hand with my split-open palm resting on the shaft of the spear, covered in my blood now.

I gritted my teeth at the horrible agony running through my body, all to clear due to my enhanced senses from my Reinforcement.

And with my other, unmultiated hand I made a flicking motion towards her with most of my remaining mana with a powerful flickering purple orb of destruction forming on the tip of my finger and then shooting at her.

In a split moment, Gae Bolg disappeared out of my hand with Scathach using her reconjured spear as a pole vaulting tool to throw herself into the air. And with a loud rumble, her spear was knocked out of the ground, and Scathach herself got knocked back through the air before she put the spear away to lose the momentum.

I hissed as I saw Scathach land casually in a crouch a couple of dozen meters as away. And unbidden, I covered and tied up my fucked up hand with a chunk of torn-up sleeve to slow the bleeding.

With Scathach snorting at the sight before she said rather disapprovingly. "Tsk, you modern humans are so fragile... I commend you for having the bravery to trade a wound for actually making contact with me, however."

Then her face became a scowl as she said flatly. "But such methods of combat are foolish and for only those destined to die in a ditch. Unremembered, unremarkable, and nothing to mourn due to their foolishness."

My lips twitched, and I said tiredly as my magic circuits were heating up at this point. "Once again... Only been part of the world of magic for a bit more than a month. And you are the first 'person' I have actually fought since entering the moonlit world."

Scathach blinked at that and gave me a searching look before she leaned on her spear a bit before she hummed. "That is a fair point. You are a first-generation magus, and with how soft the modern world is. It is rather surprising I didn't skewer you even if I was holding back more than eighty percent of my strength and speed.

Tamamo's magical energy was all but leaking from me, with Scathach sniffing in amusement before she said teasingly. "Look at that little Servant. All but threatening mutual destruction if I lay another hand on you. It's rather adorable."

There was a long measured pause as Scathach looked at me... Then my Command Seals before she looked back to Nazica in a quick glance.

All the while, as I was fighting for my life. Nazica was busy sealing the shadows into the totems we had created and was now just waiting with the Dream Lantern held against her petite chest.

Clearly, waiting to see if I would survive this. As I realized that she knew that if she abandoned me to Scathach and ran off. Tamamo would obviously kill her and her sister.

Or worse... In killing her mortal body back on Earth/the Human Texture. She would be condemned to her soul, being stuck here in the Land of Shadows itself.

"You are done with the ritual, aren't you girl?" Scathach stated rather than asked.

Nazica swallowed before nodding with the reflected three totems of Nazica, Radia, and my own totems were fully colored and filled with the twisting shadows we then needed to integrate within ourselves when we got back to our bodies.

Scathach hummed before she looked back to me, and then even with the agony of my fucked up hand. I couldn't help but pause as she asked calmly. "What is your name?"

I swallowed and said quietly as I moved towards Nazica, as it was clear that Scathach was done testing me. "Jake Bariss." 

The queen of shadows gave another thoughtful hum before she asked clearly but with weight in her voice. "A good name then. Now... Jake Bariss, will you take me as your teacher? I offer you the chance to study here in the Land of Shadows as my disciple." 

I couldn't help but freeze at the offer before Tamamo all but screamed at me mentally. "Don't do it, darling! She will eat you alive!"

Still, I wasn't 'actually' here. Only my astral body, similar to a servant, was here so any improvements to my body woudn't carry over.

And most importantly... I really, really didn't want to leave my body unattended back in the Human Texture with only Tamamo to watch over it.

To say nothing of my body being taken by the Mages Association and my eyes being plucked out. There was always the worry that the love-sick Tamamo might try to 'wake me up' with a kiss... Or worse.

So I was frank when I denied her. "I can't, my body is back in the Human Texture. And I can't leave it behind. Most importantly, any training woudn't improve my body inherently due to my being only a part of my soul and mental form."

Scathach merely raised an eyebrow before she said blandly. "So you would agree if such issues weren't present then?" 

Still dealing the fact, I had a fucking hole in my hand. I absently mindlessly nodded with Scathach smiling for the first time, truly.

"Good, that makes things simple then. And tell the Magi of the Association to stay away from his Servant lest they face my wrath and curses." And then in that span of five seconds, Scathach drew like three dozen runes in the air that glowed powerfully, and then before I could react the Runes I realized were actually Primordial Runes activated.

They formed a gate of swirling light that formed ahead of Nazica, and the,n with another Rune she was blasted through the gate via a blast of wind.

And as I whirled around on Scathach, my mind blanked as she was... Right in front of me, and then more pain hit me as Scathach, casually using her fingernails, ripped the skin off the back of my hand and tore off my fucking command seals.

I flared my mana with the command seals, flaring with power as I spoke. "Tamamo come-"

But by the time I spoke, Scathach used three more Primordial Runes, and my heart sank into my gut as I felt my connection with Tamamo smothered and all but closed besides the mana that she needed to exist with.

With both my hands screaming at me now to say least, I coudn't help a sigh as I said. "You... You didn't need to do that."

And Scathach raised an eyebrow before she said flatly. "I didn't? No, with a Caster servant tied to you with such divinity. I would rather you not have escape be on your mind during your time training under me."

I held in my confusion at Scathach calling Tamamo a Caster class servant before I realized all to quickly that even she was both mistaken and correct as Tamamo was much more then just a Caster class Servant.

"And what about my body then?" I asked flatly.

To which Scathach enigmatically smiled and said. "When the soul and mind go, the body is not far."

Then she looked down to the flap of my skin in her hand and she said calmly. "In giving your self a sort of servant-like container for your mind and souls to pilot through the dream world and into the Land of Shadow's you already gave me a core example of your true body."

And it didn't take me long to realize what she meant... "You mean... You are going to stuff me into a homunclus body or something?" 

To which Scathach looked at me flatly and said. "No... I am using the flesh of mind and soul to pull your actual body through the Gate of Skye. Now come with me Jake Bariss. I would rather the curses of Gae Bolg not take you through the wounds you have."

And thus I knew I was fucking stuck here. But it seemed that Scathach was willing to take me as a disciple at least.

Though... Calling Scathach willing wasn't exactly the right word, as it was clearly determination at this point.

So with that, Scathach merely turned on her high heels and began striding deeper into the island. Where her castle of Dun Scaith obviously lay.

And I myself... Clearly wanting my wounds to heal followed.

As even though I was able to emulate Gojo's bullshit. I didn't actually have cursed energy, so it's not like I could make Reverse Cursed Energy to heal myself.

'Actually... Having a spell to heal myself sounds really good right now.' I mused to myself as my hands unsuprisingly. Really fucking hurt and I could feel Tamamo trying to reestablish our connection to no avail.

Finally, after walking through the dark forests of the Island of Skye and Scathach's presence clearly kept the shadows from attacking me. We reached her castle.

And honestly, I expected more of a fantastical castle. But while it was bleached with age and clearly worn by wind and rain. It was whole and of a medieval design.

We reached the front of the castle, and Scathach awakened some runes engraved into the thick stone and metal door. And with a loud groan, the castle door swung open and seeing the large and empty hall in front of us.

I couldn't help but ask quietly. "How long will I be here?" 

To which Scathach, without looking at me replied. "Until I deem you trained to a level I am satisfied with. You kill me, or I get bored with you... You had best hope I do not get bored with you. As I will not help you get back to the Human Texture in that case." 

I held in some snark as I wanted to curse at her for the pain I was in... But I kept my mouth shut as I took in Scathach's castle as she led me across the main feasting hall and into the side hallways that had several rooms.

She led me into another room, and I realized it was supposed to be a healer's room of some sort as the wall was lined with herbs in sealed jars with runes on the jars that kept it fresh.

"Sit over on the bed over there." Scathach said calmly, and I went over and did that as she grabbed some things to put on a tray that she brought over to me.

And that tray contained several thing,s including a cup of what smelled like wine?

"Drink this, it will numb the pain. As I will need to stuff herbs into your wound to make sure you won't have nerve damage from getting a cursed spear shoved through your palm." Scathach said.

Without any more words needed, then 'dulling' the very fucking sharp pain I was feeling currently. I slammed the wine back. Then as I put down the cup after shaking my head at how terrible the fucking wine tasted.

I realized that it wasn't wine at all... Unless it was Nordic ass wine and Scathach after millennia never fucking learned how to brew anything.

"What wa-"

My words slurred along with my vision, and I didn't even need to realize that wine wasn't JUST wine as my vision darkened.

I managed to curse out as whatever herb was in that wine actually influenced the elixer for the Eighth Sequence of Clown to be digested noticeably faster.

-

Scathach looked down on the young man who was knocked out on the bed of her infirmary... Back when her kingdom still had living souls and not endless immortal abominations, only she could actually slay if she was in a poor enough mood.

Her gloved hand then gently took his own wounded hand, and she hummed thoughtfully as she carefully laid several magical herbs that would drive magi families into ruin to get their hands on such long extinct treasures on his hand before binding it.

"Spatial... No, his element isn't so boring. And his Origin-." Scathach drew off as her hand lay over Jake's chest.

Feeling his heartbeat that throbbed as his body breathed the thick Age of God's mana greedily, as the Dragon's Greed herb that was in his gut went to work.

The dragon's greed herb was a magical herb that Scathach herself found and then raised out of interest after finding out the herb only grew where dragons had been felled and had to be fed with magically rich blood instead of water to keep it alive.

To say the least, in the almost magical dying world of Humanity. The herb had LONG gone extinct before the Mages Association even existed. Even before the 'savior,' Christ was impaled on several blocks of wood.

"Now... While I summon your body fully. This is a perfect chance for you, boy. That herb will transform your soul, including your magic circuits, and mind to reflect that of a hero blessed with dragon's blood from the Age of the Gods. Someone worthy of being my final disciple."

Scathach's hand tensed all but slightly before she added. "And as your body is pulled here, and into yourself. It will also be blessed so you can actually live here for more then but a few days."

The violet-haired beauty leaned in with a quieter voice. She whispered softly and almost with pity. "I just hope... That you can survive this transformation. After all, not even the Human Order will be safe for long."

In the distance, Scathach looked. She looked beyond with the wisdom of Primordial Runes, and she snorted as she felt the gaze of HIM. The All Knowing, and the origin of Primordial Runes themself, gazing down with his single eye at her disciple.

"You can play your games old man. But if they bore me... We shall see whose spear is sharper in the end." Scathach said coldly, with the single glowing eye moving from Jake to meet her own gaze.

And even as she felt twin streams of blood leak from her eyes at meeting the Eldritch Gaze of the god with arguably the strongest foresight. She held strong as not even the King of the Nordic Pantheon would make her blink.

Finally, HIS form faded from sight and Scathach closed her eyes for a long moment to let them heal before she looked down at Jake with actual pity.

"A boy born in the modern era... Being pulled into the fire caused by the ancients and their foolish movements. I truly pity you, Jake Bariss."

But then she looked away before she stood up, and looking away from the boy, she was going to break into a weapon to save the world in some way or another. 

"And yet. Despite your trials to come. I can't help but envy you. For you have the chance to feel such excitement in your short but eventful life while I will remain here... Forever banished by the world I outgrew."

-

I awoke to a wash of more sensory feelings than I was used to, even with my Six Eyes open and active.

I opened my eye's and while it was 'normal' for my Six Eye's I realized that it was the rest of my senses that had been tuned up greatly. It was like moving my baseline up to my superhuman state when I reinforced my body with Reinforcement Magecraft.

But that superhuman state was just now my baseline.

"What the hell?" I muttered as I flexed my also healed hands.

But then my face twitched, and I looked on with some surprise as my command seals had regrown and changed in shape on the back of my hand.

So I focused on my connection with Tamamo, and I realized the connection, although still smothered by whatever Scathach had done.

The Master/Servant bond transcended dimensions and bound our very souls together to the point we could share dreams and whatnot.

Combined with Tamamo, who was a top-tier caster, and having such potent Divinity/Authority with said divinity. It wasn't surprising that Tamamo wasn't able to do something on her own.

'Tamamo?' I mentally whispered towards her.

No words reached me in turn... But I could feel Tamamo's raw emotions reach me in turn. 

Relief, burning love, and then, after the all-consuming burning love, she sent. I felt a feeling of security she sent to me next. Like a smothering blanket you would wear while your room was extremely cold after opening the window during a winter night.

I myself relaxed in relief at the foreign feeling that I didn't think that Tamamo could fake. So while she was fine I mentally spoke while also trying to send the equilvalent of emotions towards her.

But let's be honest. Tamamo qualified as a Berserker for a reason so her emotions ran 'A LOT' hotter than I did, even at my most emotional moments.

"Scathach decided to take me as her student... I am fine but I am unsure how long I will be gone." I spoke to her mentally while unsure if she could even hear me at this point.

Even as Tamamo sent a feeling of assurance towards me. I got up with a sigh dragging a hand across my face as I muttered.

"Waver is going to have my ass for missing more of his classes."

Then, from out of nowhere, Scathach pushed open the infirmary door, with her saying rather blandly. "You call your teacher at the Mages Association by his first name?"

That almost taunting question made my lips twitch at the implied. 'You would dare to give me a pet name or not speak to me with respect?'

Still, I answered honestly. "If it's just me referencing my teacher. I see no reason to use his full title of Lord El-Melloi- The Second."

To which Scathach gave me a long look before she shrugged and said with a smirk of amusement. "Such a long-winded name and title is a bit cumbersome, admittedly."

Then the Queen of Shadows leaned on a cabinet across from me, her arms folding under and pushing up her large breasts that were cupped by the tight-fitting fitting almost spandex-like, many silk layers she wore.

And her voice was on the softer end as she spoke. "I understand that you are... Probably confused and probably worrying about much now. But empty your mind and just follow my training. It will be for the best for you and your future."

I frowned at that as I wasn't dumb. There was something really fucky going on here beyond just Scathach trying to take me as a disciple and make sure I couldn't run away.

Not only did she give me some crazy herb that accelerated my elixir's digestion to the point I could take the next one if I had the materials to begin brewing it. But... She had already fused my spirit form and physical body together.

So I WAS here fully now as it was all to clear to my Six Eyes that she had done some weird shit to upgrade my body to be able to handle and thrive within the dense mana of the Age of God's mana.

Finally, I decided to be frank as I knew Scathach wasn't the type to fuck about with others and play mind games.

"What do you want from me, Scathach. Do you want me to kill you to set you free, or do you have some other goal?" I couldn't help but just ask frankly.

The Queen of Shadows gave a light huff of amusement at my frank question with her saying slowly and thoughtfully. "You are thoughtful. That's good, but unfortunately... You are ignorant of the issues the Human Order faces. The vast majority are all deaf to what is coming."

My face turned cold as I wondered what the hell she meant.... Couldn't it have been the events of FGO? I already read the records of the Grail War, and it was the events of Fate Stay Night sorta.

Marisbury DID participate in the fourth Grail War. But rather than summoning Solomon or some other bullshit servant, he summoned... David, the father of Solomon himself. He was then swiftly beaten to death without much fanfare by Berzerker Lancelot via a telephone pole.

And with David taking the place of the Archer class. That meant that Gilgamesh himself wasn't summoned, so even with the Grail corrupted in this timeline. Whelp I just needed to push Artoria to nuke it.

Or hell, if I linked my mana up to Sakura and Rin. I would be able to nuke it myself with a massive Hollow Purple that would shred the area with a spatial storm.

So, besides the events of actual FSN and FGO itself... What the hell was the issue then?

"What is coming then?" I asked bluntly.

And Scathach gave me a thin smile and then a helpless shake of the head before she said calmly. "You will find out... All too soon, when you leave, if you are unlucky."

I exhaled and then said flatly. "Come on... What is it? A Beast? A god escaping the Reverse Side of the World. An Aristotle or Ultimate One coming to Earth? Hell is it the Dead Apostles or-"

Scathach cleared her throat, making me go silent as her eyes gleamed in warning before she said coolly. "I do not know... Specifically, what is to come. Only that it is coming and that knows to hide its own approach from my own and others' divination." 

She took a breath before saying with some amusement. "Now. Jake, it is time for me to show you around, and then I will test you. In order to see where your talents lie and what needs refinement." 

If there was one thing I knew about Scathach, beyond her being scary as fuck and capable of killing gods and probably even a Beast on her own. I knew she woudn't lie to me as it was far beneath her.

And so I got a quick tour of Dun Scaithe the castle in which Scathach lived. She showed me to my room, which was surprisingly clean, as many of the rooms she showed me clearly hadn't seen life in years, if not more.

Though it wasn't like the other rooms were actually dirty, as there were bounded fields that kept things clean, but still. It was all too clear that many rooms hadn't had someone walk into them for years, if not far longer.

And then she showed me to what would become my 'Workshop' in a room filled with bounded fields that would lessen any backlash from misused magic. 

Finally, she brought me into the walled-in back lot of the castle. And as I saw the large arena and training field that had several standing weird mannequins. I could feel it down to my soul that this was one area that was going to give me PTSD without a doubt.

"See those puppet's over there. They are enchanted with Primordial Runes to fix themselves no matter how damaged they are via being locked in place in the time stream. No matter how damaged they are. They will restore themselves to their previous condition a half an hour late."

Then Scathach's face curled into a smile and she added. "They are also animated by several of the more... Vicious shadows that have inhabited the Land of Shadows over the years. So they will provide you a challenge beyond my own training."

Scathach's smile then faded, and she ordered. "Now get to running, Jake. No reinforcement, I need to see at what level of stamina you are at!"