Fate/Fool Chapter 23 (Patreon)

Days passed by in a rush of utter exhaustion as Scathach spent the next few days testing my every iota of physcial form, magical knowledge, skill in combat, and HOW to train me.

Scathach didn't train me to fit some mold of hers as some form of warrior... No, she was breaking me apart to figure out what made me tick, what my element and origin was and how it affected me. Along with my nature as walker of the Fools path.

"I have a solid idea of your baseline now. Your level of magical education is... Lacking with how you are clearly new to the Moonlight world. But you still have more than acceptable potential." She spoke before she waved towards a dozen stands of weapons of all shapes and sizes.

"Now. We shall see what weapon resonates with you." She said simply before nodding her heads towards those damned sparring dolls she had stuffed the stronger shadow demons into.

They were... Very strong to me at least as she had idly said it had taken her the several millenia to find the shadows worthy of even being stuff into those dolls and they were strong enough to allow Scathach herself some amuesment.

Which meant that I got my ass beat as Scathach had forbidden me from using my Infinity to protect myself. As in her words. 'Any decent threat will have a dozen ways to get past some spatial spacing effect.'

Which was complete bullshit as anyone that SHE called a decent threat wasn't something I wanted to remotely tangle with obviously!

So looking at the lines of all types of weaponry, even from cultures I knew for a fucking fact that Scathach had no place even knowing. I glided past the axes, clubs, and halberds. As I went to the more 'normal' spears and sword section.

'Katana, khopesh, maui club sword thingy with obsidian teeth edges... Yup plenty of fucking options here.' I mused.

Then, after a moment of thought, I picked up a khopesh whose curve to it wasn't as pronounced compared to the others.

"A khopesh's advantages are strong slashing, hooking onto shields. And with better forging methods, the end is a strong thicker point still for stabbing through armor and adding to the weight of your slashes." Scathach idly spoke as I carefully weighed the sword with an especially long handle.

The long hand was for when you hooked onto a shield. The person wrenching the shield back could do so without taking your own weapon from you.

Well, this weapon was made when shields were made out of thin planks of wood, tanned hides and reeds. Though with magic, an enchanted Khophesh made by Scathach would likely go through a normal metal shield like a hot knife through better.

Still... I knew this weapon wasn't for me.

 I shook my head as I went straight to the spears before I said thoughtfully. "Scathach... Could you make a spear with an enchantment to let it enhance it's length and width like Son Wukong's staff?" 

There was a pause before Scathach spoke blandly. "You ask me. To just casually make a copy of a divine weapon of a being who if he was even slightly obedient. Would have been made instantly the Grand Lancer for Alaya's Counter Guardians?"

My lips twitched at her words before I shrugged and said shamelessly. "With my spatial element allowing to teleport around, and already compress and stretch space. Such a weapon would fit me well."

Scathach snorted and said flatly. "I am not going to make a divine weapon for you. When for all I know, you have zero skill with weapons and you are just going to be another Beowulf who just beats monsters to death with his bare hands."

'You know... With the whole Gojo thing I got going on. She isn't exactly wrong with my six eyes. I am not a Toji for sure. Or could I be?'

For a brief moment I considered taking a Geass, a 'Heavenly Vow' to not use my magecraft in return for far greater skill with weapons but I quickly pushed the thought down before another thought crossed my mind.

'Wait, with all these shadows here that can take infinite forms, and with how I have to beat them anyway to make them into my Totem. Coudn't I just fucking recreate the Ten-Shadows technique?'

"You are being especially thoughtful. What has come to mind Jake?" Scathach asked rather bluntly.

I explained my thoughts in tying ten undying familiars in the Shadows into magecraft and ritual-enhanced familiars that would fullfill the core of the Ten Shadows Technique.

Then, with a hum Scathach said rather thoughtfullyto herself. "Your idea... It would be far more efficient to simply form a minature Marble Phantasm in which you can project endless such familiars but, that is the path of weakness in relying on such things."

I sighed in agreement, but nodded with Scathach saying. "Now get back to your training. I will see what fits you, and we can go from there." 

Hours passed by as I took very various forms of spears that woudn't be out of place in some MM,O with how odd they were, and we quickly realized that I did have skill and talent with spears.

Though the weirder designs weren't something that fit me at all.

Still, I found a spear I really liked. It was similar to like the Draupnir Spear of God of War in having a longer blade at the end, with the blade having an empty line through it almost splitting the blade in half to make it lighter.

And after getting my ass kicked with it and I found I did like it in particular. Scathach stepped up to help, actually teaching me how to use the spear.

"The spear at its core has one major goal. To impale your enemy. If you can get lethal slashes in all the better for you. But still, your goal is to put your spear through the heart, throat and eye's of your enemy at the end of the day." Scathach spoke.

And thus began the 'real' training as Scathach began idly beating the shit out of me with her own Gae Bolg she was 'kind' enough to tie a leather sock basically on the end.

So she didn't stab me 'as hard' basically.

I learned quickly however. Getting the shit beaten out of you was humanities greatest way of learning hard lessons quickly after all.

Finally, after a long lesson, I was eating more of the fish soup that Scathach was so fond of. As the Shadow Isles was rather aptly surrounded by an ocean filled with horrors even worse then the shadows that filled the island chain she ruled.

"Hmm, I should also teach you how to properly fish, I suppose. Having you prepare your own food would be good for your work ethic." Scathach said, idly making my face twitch at the extra workload she was throwing on me.

'Ah... I want my big titty fox girl wife back.' I thought helplessly as I knew if I was back on earth. Tamamo would happily make me a delightful dinner without this nonsense.

Still, I merely nodded. As refusing Scathach was a good way to earn 'dodging' training and quickly waking up on the floor of my room with a broken jaw that was healing via a potion she stuffed down my throat while I was knocked out.

Great times.

"Then what will I be pulling back on then? I have physical conditioning the moment I wake up, then weapons training. Then a cool-down exercise before I study magecraft and especially runecraft. I also only sleep six hours to keep my mind sharp and allow my body to heal as you yourself put." I asked rather bluntly.

And Scathach paused as she sighed and said idly. "That is a fair point. I am still used to having servants to take care of the little things like that when I take the time to invest into a disciple."

To which I added. "With how you've been training me, you yourself barely have the time to forage for supplies, right?" 

To which Scathach gave me an amused look before she said. "Not so much. My flesh is not so weak as to need to rest every day. After all, sometimes to kill some gods I would need to be tearing them apart for days before their immortal souls finally collapsed."

'Yeah... Casually reminded of you being the god slayer.' I muttered inwardly before I asked idly. "Actually, did all the blood of divines you all but bathed in. Did that make you immortal instead of-"

Scathach cut me off as she said quietly but coolly. "You are not wrong. It did have a part in my current state now. But also, in reality, mastering the eighteen Primordial Runes will also enlighten your soul to the point of being extremely long-lived."

We were silent for a long moment before I asked. "And the Primordial Runes. Will I be learning them?"

It was her turn to be quiet for a long minute. Then she sighed and said with a shake of her head. "No Jake. I cannot teach them to you. No one can 'teach' Primordial Runes to another except for Odin himself, and by his will, his Valkeries can teach them. You have to take runic knowledge and then, with knowledge of the universe itself. Recreate the Primordial Runes within your soul to use them."

That... Actually made sense as to why some Nordic heroes only had access to a single Primordial Rune or two instead of learning all of them.

"Hmm, have you seen any Valkeries or Norse gods before?" I asked curiously. As Scathach was part of the Celtic Pantheon, not the Norse despite them being so interconnected at times.

She snorted and said blandly. "Oh, of course I have. Even back in the day the Norse although heavily faded still had little demigod whelps causing issues. And their souls were ferried back to the Norse afterlife when one or another 'hero' thought I would make a wonderful notch on their legend."

Scathach's lips turned into a cruel smile as she said idly. "I sometimes wonder how many of those legends I cut short of actually making it onto the Throne of Heroes... Maybe that's why Alaya is so wroth with me in part."

Then she took a deep drink of her rich dark wine before she smacked her lips with those gleaming wine-red eyes of hers, giving me a smirk. "I can't help but wonder how you yourself will land in that little collection of Alaya's."

I shrugged and then idly paused before I realized that even now, I was a decent Caster servant with my Six Eyes. And if my mana output was increased as a servant. My Hollow Purple could be a decent Noble Phantasm.

But still with the memory of my sponsor who could with a wave of his hand. Tear his way out of universes and even create new ones. I wasn't going to tie myself to Alaya and be it's dog.

"Yeah, I am not going to end up a dog of Alaya." I said with finality with Scathach humming thoughtfully in reply.

Then, with a clink, she put down the crystal cup and, with a light flex she left her plush throne of a seat and said. "We have afternoon training. You will be sparring with me and not the automatons in the back."

I put down my own drink and followed behind the Queen of Shadows... And as she walked ahead of me. I couldn't help but glance down at her fantastic ass that was covered in a half dozen layers of silk that was tied and bound to her form.

And I knew that Scathach felt my gaze but she didn't care as she reached the arena with myself, taking up my favored spear as she herself summoned Gae Bolg into her own hands with a flourish of the red spear flickering through the spear at high speeds.

Without a word, we began fighting with Scathach, although fighting leisurely, I had become much more physically stronger so I was able to enhance my body even further with Reinforcement.

Which meant that she actually had to engage with me and couldn't just look away to take a drink and all but ignore me anymore.

Crashes of metal rang out in the back of her empty castle. The hardened reinforced stone arena cracked and shattered in places as our spears stabbed and slashed through it as we diverted each of our blows.

My six eyes were pushed to their limits as when she brought my spear upwards. I let go and kicked the shaft of the spear towards her. She blocked the spear and sent it flying to the side. But I already knew she was going to slash it to one side or the other.

And in the tiny window of movement before she slashed, I knew which one she was going to send it. So, grabbing the spear, I met her returning stab with myself, spinning my spear around to send the blunt end of it towards her.

She hopped into the air and kicked the blunt end of my spear hard. Sending me sliding back with the force, even as I used the force to spin the spear around launch a quick series of stabs with the longer blade on my own spear.

Scathach ducked under the first few stabs and with a spin she swung her Gae Bolg in a way that would have the cursed blade to our my ankles, making me stop and back step.

But as her spear sliced across the ground, I had to raise an arm as razor-sharp shrapnel from the stone ground was shot at my face.

'Cheating!' I mentally cursed as Scathach gave me no mercy even as I blocked her next thrust so that her to use our clashing spears to get close to kick me in the chest like a fucking mule which sent me flying out of the arena and rolling across the ground.

"Get up and get back over here." She said calmly before she also began telling me where I went wrong, and then it was back to the violence as she continued no-holds-barred 'sparring' with me.

-

After a good spear twirl that knocked me completely out, I awoke... Not on the floor of the room she had assigned me, but on something even softer than my bed.

I opened up my eyes quickly as Scathach's voice rang out, even as I couldn't see her expression past her large breasts that were above my head.

'The legendary friendship of the thighs!' I yelled mentally, and I could feel Tamamo perking up on the other side of our connection, even as she sent a feeling of confusion at me.

But I just sent a feeling of contentment that she returned... Even as I woke up more fully.

"You are awake then. So are you ready for your runes lesson?" 

And I had to say it... "I don't suppose you could give the lesson orally, and I don't need to move?" 

There was a pause, and I could feel Scathach's lungs expand as she huffed in amusement before she spoke. "Sure... But if you fail the practical test afterwards. I will be very irritated." 

And I knew that Scathach, being very irritated, was code for I was going to be beaten even harder in the next training session.

All in the name of sticking lessons into my head even firmer.

So with an exaggerated sigh, I sat up with her, letting out a still less amused but indulgent huff as I moved to sit across from her.

From there, she pulled out a couple of special slates she used with some activated chalk that was made from the ground-up bones of magical sea monsters.

And my magical runes lessons continued without much fanfare for the rest of the day as per usual.

After my lessons and training, however. In the scant 'free time' that was just in reality deliberate relaxation time so I didn't burn out. She came over to my room as I was relaxing and nursing a large jug of ale.

"You have a week, maybe two; you may remain here at most. Then you must return to the Human Order." Scathach said as she stood at the foot of my bed.

I looked from my jug of ale to her... And then I said in some confusion, "Uhhh, alright? Is there some specific thing you mean by that?" 

To which Scathach gave me a long look before it turned to pity before she said. "Jake... Let me put it this way. Already in the Human Order, fate itself is breaking. The Mages Association and its three branches have locked themselves down."

"The Dead Apostle Ancestors have retreated from the world to hide in the deepest recesses. And the church? The Holy Church has all but cut off the Vatican from the Human Order. It is going to happen all to soon."

A moment of silence rang out... Before I said flatly. "Well, that's lovely to hear. Is there any good news?"

Scathach nodded and said rather bluntly. "I won't be bored at least."

Yeah totally great news there.

Still I just took a drink as what. What could I do about... Whatever the fuck was happening outside in the real world right now.

For all I knew it was an Ultimate One from another world here to fuck humanity up at the request of Gaia.

So I shrugged as I came to a realization. "So our time is coming to a close huh."

To which Scathach nodded as she said. "Correct. You do not desire to hide here do you?"

A chuckle escaped me as I said frankly. "Nah, if anything I would rather hide with the rest of the mages and such."

She gave me a look of amuesment but she didn't correct me as we both knew I would want to see what was going on and get involved.

Still she cleared her throat and said. "I wanted to make sure you understood how things stood now... I will see you in the morning for sparring which we will focus on. And I will make a primer to help you learn Runes and other magecraft even after you leave."

"Alright." I said simply as Scathach gave me a long look before she huffed in with a bit of annoyance.

"For all that you admire my beauty. I am dissapointed you haven't flirted with me at all beyond glances and flat words. Is that fox woman keeping you on a leash then?" She finished with a hint of a dissapointment in my character.

Which was a reminder that the men of Scathach's era treated women for the most part like shit. And the heroes of celtic and norse myth? Yeah they were used to slave wives they took along with women just falling into their beds for their accomplishments.

"I prefer-"

Scathach cut me off with a roll of her eyes. "You prefer a soft woman who woudn't look at another man. I am not a fool. Still its a dissapointment your masculinity is so easily threatened."

It was my turn to give her a dull look before I shrugged and said with a smile. "Well I admit you are an intimidating woman to be sure. But also I do not do casual intimacy anyway."

Scathach blinked at the final bit before she said with a hum. "That is fair I suppose. Many a hero lost their lives and died horribly due to following the whims of a woman so I cannot blame you for being particular with whom legs you part open."

Then with a shrug Scathach turned away and opened the door and as she stepped out. She paused and said quietly. "It is a shame however. I have been alone for more than a thousand years at this point."

And with a thunk she closed the door leaving me alone as I idly mused to myself. 'Who is more virginal... A woman coming out of a another woman twenty to thirty years ago. Or a woman who hasn't been touched for more than a thousand years?'

Either way Scathach clearly said all that to distract me from the upcoming... Whatever the fuck was coming. As the thought of clapping Scathach's perfectly toned and shaped ass was a far better line of thoughts to muse on.

Compared to the upcoming end of the Human Order or whatever the fuck was happening.

-

The next few days were likewise business as usual. Scathach beat me into the dirt via martial training. Then my mind was made into mashed potatoes with the amount of magecraft and runic knowledge she was stuffing into me.

The clown Potion/elixer was also being quickly digested and when I explained my potion system to Scathach as I was growing more agile and dexterious then she expected. She also helped me get the ingredients for the next three elixers from her stores that she sealed up for me to take back.

Beyond that it was still just a cycle of training for the next what felt like week until while we ate a light dinner together she said idly. "You have been training hard even by my own standards. Come with me, I have a little treat for you."

"Uhhh alrighty." I said with a shrug.

And with that I followed Scathach who brought me to her side of the castle which she personally lived in.

"I don't use this so much. But after my own hard work I enjoy a good long rest in here." 

Hot steamy air hit my air and I could smell soft herbs in the steaming air and I looked into what was clearly a steam room with a small smile growing. "Yeah this is nice. Thank you."

Scathach walked to what seemed like her own room from the brief glance I had into the room before I checked the next bedroom which thankfully wasn't cursed and I found a towel of sorts to use to cover myself as I went into the steam room.

Once I was in the steam room... I was in heaven as the herbs that were filling the steam with their essence, I could tell were magical in nature.

'I can feel my magic circuits expanding ever so slightly. The herbs she prepared truly are wonderful.' I mused though I had no doubt that should I try to drink an extraction of those magical herbs.

I would be... Terribly sick no matter how much a drank. 

As merely absorbing it with my breathing was noticably increasing the strength of my Magic Circuits so they could channel more mana at once.

Which meant that I could innately cast more powerful spells and make my existing spells more powerful.

"Now this is great." I whispered softly as I set out another towel for padding across the long wooden bend and laid out across it.

And in the end of the room, a loud hiss rang out as a drop of water landed on the hot stones that were smoldering with heat as drops of water continued to fall onto the hot stones.

I could feel my body relaxing in the cloying humid heat with my pores opening as they helped absorb the herbal power in the steamy air.

And with a sigh I relaxed for a good long while with my mind emptying besides sending my feeling of contentment to Tamamo and I realized that the enhancement to my magic circuits wasn't the only thing as her feelings came all to clearer to me.

So with that I just used our Master/Servant bond to play a game of matched emotion rings to speak with Tamamo across reality.

Then with a soft clatter the sealed door opened and my eye's widened as Scathach walked into the steam room as well... Sans any clothes at all.

She strode in with total confidence and she sighed with relief as she said. "Haa it's been a good ten years since I was bored enough to use this sauna. I hope you appreciate the effort I put into getting it back in order."

Her large very perky pale breasts were capped with light pink nipples that bounced with the motion of her sitting down casually on the stone bench that was against the wall. 

And her toned perfectly shaped ass was a sight even from the side as she sat casually and leaned against the sauna's wall with her resting her hands on her lap.

I cleared my throat and said sheepishly even as I gave her tits a good look of appreciation much to her amusement. "Yeah. I definitely appreciate the effort and especially the herbs you used. What herbs did you use actually?" 

Scathach gave a light hum before she said. "Blood from some divine spirits I had stored along with some herbs from a certain witch I bullied back in the day when she tried to get me to get involved with the nonsense in the lands of Albion."