Flashback: A Memory Clear as Day

[Issunboushi]

// Five Years Ago - Einzbern Castle, Outer Forest; Outskirts, Fuyuki//

As the cacophony of snow-covered branches gently swaying in the cool breeze sounded from above, the hurried sound of footfalls blasting through piled up snow sounded from below. Black loafers, those typically assigned to students of Homurahara Gakuen, found only tentative purchase on the forest floor as each step caused several inches of snow to be displaced. The piled up snow made it noticeably more difficult for him to run through the forest, though perhaps this fact was made more evident by the fact someone - or rather, something - was chasing the young man. The seventeen-year old student didn't offer a single look back into the feral eyes of that... creature. He had no reason to look back... because the first time his eyes had met with those of the chimera, he knew he would die if that thing caught him.

As Satoshi Inoue ran, his breath was visible upon each rough exhale of air, and his light brown eyes frantically searched the forest floor as he ran for his life. He was looking for anything that might help him: a branch, or preferably something metal. But the branches his eyes managed to perceive as he ran were all far too small to do anything to the watchdog chimera behind him. He was surprised he hadn't been caught yet, but undoubtedly it was due only to pure adrenaline and his own impressive physical conditioning that he was alive. Still, either fear or instinct told him that the beast was quickly reducing the distance between predator and prey, and Satoshi didn't expect that he'd ever escape the bizarre-looking lion creature.

He ducked through the lower branches with ease, since most of even the lowest branches were high off the ground. He considered trying to climb one of the nearest trees, but he was sure he'd get his legs ripped off if he so much as tried it. He ducked left and right, zigzagging, focusing on sheer speed as the cold breeze rushed past him, making his nose and ears ache slightly. He could barely see now... it was as if the snowfall had suddenly picked up, in response to his presence. And in the end, it would turn out that was exactly what had happened. He was no longer simply walking through the woods... He was running for his life, and if the lion-lizard behind him caught up... well, Satoshi Inoue would briefly enjoy the short remainder of his life as a chew toy.

I don't...want...to die... Satoshi thought to himself, scorning his own weakness. He was only human, after all... it was natural, then, for him to want to preserve his own life. He hadn't been trespassing on purpose... In fact, the chimera watchdog had been patrolling far beyond its own designated borders, and ironically was now chasing Satoshi directly to the place it was supposed to guard: the Einzbern mansion, hidden by both nature and magic, within the forest surrounding Fuyuki City. Satoshi's teeth were only not chattering because they were forcibly kept against one another with effort. Still, the fluffy snowfall was impeding his progress, and he believed that any minute he would be tackled to the ground and...

At the thought of what fate came after that, his legs ran faster. He felt his heart thump loudly in his chest... on top of that, he could barely catch his breath. He was in fairly good physical condition, but he was no chimera. This thing chasing him was running on all fours, and was clearly a lion of some kind. And boy, did it run like one. It was a miracle Satoshi hadn't been caught yet, and part of him cynically wondered if the thing was playing with him. But then, as the thought crossed his mind, something caught his eye: a break in the shrubbery. With renewed vigor, Satoshi sprinted towards the break in the treeline, emerging in a lovely, snow-covered clearing.

Had his life not been on the line, he would have stopped instantly upon seeing the looming, elegant castle before him. But he was too scared to stop, and he continued to run, headed right for what seemed to be the back door to the castle. He ran through an outdoor courtyard area, with snow-covered flowers and vegetation, and he suddenly tripped. He fell flat on his face in the snow, and waited... He waited for the searing pain of claws and teeth rending his flesh. But the feeling never came... Instead, when Satoshi pushed himself to his hands and knees and regarded the chimera, the lizard-tailed lion was angrily pacing the courtyard parameter, growling at Satoshi as saliva seeped from between the beast's teeth. The message was clear: "If you leave the courtyard, I will tear you limb from limb."

Satoshi didn't need to be told twice, and he calmly - with knees shaking and eyes glancing to the lion almost once every two seconds - stood up, trying to regain his composure. Leaving the courtyard and exiting through the clearing was no longer an option, as even more of those monstrosities had appeared now, and they were circling him like a piece of meat. So, he began to walk towards the castle, down a paved path that led up into a raised door on the castle's backside. Satoshi's legs felt like jelly, but even as they shook whilst he walked, his breathing and heart rate began to stabilize. His eyes began to regard his surroundings now... even covered in several inches of snow, both the looming castle and the courtyard were quite lovely, even serene. They would have been doubly more so, were the chimera watchdogs not so longingly and threateningly eying him. With nowhere to go but straight, he ascended the stone steps and hesitated.

He considered knocking, but the chimera's reactions told him at least one thing: this castle: this old, elegant building was the house of their master. This thought angered him slightly, and his decision to knock was quickly tossed out. He leaned against the large wooden door, and soundlessly it began to open.

"Haah....haaah...."

Even the wind itself didn't make a noise as he slipped from the winter wonderland into one of the warm, back hallways of the Einzbern estate. Only his quiet, labored breathing could be heard. He rested briefly, with his back to the strong, wooden door. But it was doubtful that his trespass onto the castle grounds had gone unnoticed. And as with all magus families, it would be up to the two residents by the name of Einzbern how they would greet the stranger, whom had managed to avoid their chimera watchdogs. Clearly, this young man was a powerful magus, to be able to so easily elude them and enter the castle itself. Well, not really. But others would be blameless for thinking such a thing.

[Enkidu]

// Five Years Ago - Einzbern Castle, Outer Forest; Outskirts, Fuyuki//

"Awaken." It had only known darkness during its entire existence, it was born into darkness and would fade into darkness. But this was different, the darkness was lit up by this young man, by this intruder. It creaked to life, it's joints squeaking with each movement from remaining still after so many years. It stumbled past the mirror in the hall reflecting only a suit of armor carrying an ax, however it didn't care for it's appearance only it's mission. "Kill" Was the only thought process it possessed, stumbling up to the man still remaining unnoticed. Most would've thought about the young man being dense or even deaf however that will change. It's joints creaked and the metal screeched from scraping against each other as it pulled it's arm back. It obviously would have his attention now, like a spring it's arm swung down releasing the ax to go whizzing towards the young man. It took a step forward still preparing to press the offensive with only twelve meters separating them.

[Issunboushi]

// Five Years Ago - Einzbern Castle, Outer Forest; Outskirts, Fuyuki//

The seventeen-year old resident of Fuyuki City had found himself left with no other choice but to enter the great castle. It looked as if the territory surrounding the castle and the structure itself had been hollowed out of some area and simply deposited into an awaiting clearing. It was an unnatural structure, that much had been clear to the young man as soon as he had laid eyes upon it. In fact, a lot of things in his day so far had seemed unnatural: the mutated guard dogs that had chased him here and left him with no choice but to enter, for example. And even his entry into the towering, stone structure had triggered an unseen trap. The guardian knight awakened without Satoshi's knowledge, but he wouldn't stay oblivious for long.

A grating sound of metal chaffing against metal. That was the only real giveaway to the knight's presence. A pair of wary, uncertain eyes turned upon the black knight. The knight's appearance - well, mostly his unnatural position in the middle of the hallway - told him that the suit of the armor had indeed been the source of the irritating noise. But honestly, Satoshi was too stricken with fear to be agitated by the pain the noise caused his ears. The knight's arm was still reeling back, albeit almost uneasily due to a lack of "intended mobility." The armor had not been meant to move, but here it stood, several yards from its original position. And, like some child's action figure, the gauntlet-clad arm sprang forward, iron-fingers releasing the deadly missile.

Satoshi let out a quiet yelp of fear as he sprang backwards, doing so just in time for the thick metal of the handheld battleaxe to smack into wood of the door. The weapon sunk deep within the finished and stained door, and Satoshi's glance shifted from axe to armor. The suit of armor continued to advance, knowing nothing more than a desire to kill this intruder. Satoshi's brown eyes were filled with a mixture of caution and almost animalistic fear. Both of these lost out to an adrenaline fueled "fight" response, however, as both of his hands grasped the axe's shaft firmly. He began to try and pull, but it wouldn't budge from the door. It had been planted within the door through the unnatural strength of the armor golem, and Satoshi would be hard-pressed to remove it.

As the armor drew closer, his attempt to remove the axe became more exaggerated. He planted a loafer-clad foot upon the door and braced himself against the axe, pushing up and the lifting down so that the sunken blade began to turn in almost a pendulum-like seesaw motion. The suit of armor had closed the distance quickly, for one of his speed, now only five meters from Satoshi.

Just...a little...more...got it!!! Satoshi had wrenched the metal battleaxe free, but found that it was hard for him to steadily lift. The heavy, dual-sided blade fell to the ground, and almost pulled Satoshi with it. He grimaced, lifting his narrowed eyes from the floor to the approaching suit of armor. With the majority of his strength, Satoshi hefted the metal end of the battleaxe up into the air, stepping so that he performed a circular motion and bringing the end of the dangerous weapon up and back, so that it arced behind himself and now came from the suit of armor's left side, Satoshi swinging the too-heavy weapon with all his might.

[Mariele von Einzbern]

// Five Years Ago - Einzbern Castle, Outer Forest; Outskirts, Fuyuki//

A simple dark room nestled deep below the stone and earth. Below the large mansion that loomed above. It used to be a cube of excavated earth. The walls were smooth stone and the floor was soft dirt. A few wooden tables and shelves were in the room. The one hundred and eight cubic meter room could fit an entire research team though only a few individuals have ever been within this room. It's history has shifted from light to dark, but it was always dimly lit.

In the recent years the entire room has been renovated. What had formerly been stone walls and dirt floors are now plastic and tile. The wooden furniture have been replaced with laboratory equipment. The cauldrons and mixing sticks replaced by refrigerators and others equipment. The candles replaced by fluorescent light fixtures. Only the beakers and tomes remain from the previous room.

The lone figure in the room was a young woman who appeared no older than sixteen. She had long scarlet hair that swayed back and forth as she hummed and mumbled to herself. A quiet tune existed on her hushed breath in between different ingredient combinations.

"Lime...1.5 kilograms...Phosphorous...800 grams...Salt..250 grams..Saltpeter...100 grams...Sulfur...80 grams...Fluorine...7.5...iron...5...silicon...3 grams," Maria rattled off. After completion she took in a breath as she straightened her back. She used her hands as a pivot to bend her back far enough to hear a crack before leaning forward again with a satisfied smile.

She brushed her hair aside with a small gesture, "Okay the water-carbon-ammonia mixture should be complete shortly..." Her words trailed off as her attention was taken elsewhere in the room. Next to an incubator and a microscope sat a small pillow. Upon the pillow sat a crystal ball that was blinking a soft reddish purple. Maria tilted her head to the left with an inquisitive expression on her face.

The crystal ball finally got the attention it so desired. Maria isn't the best at scrying in fact she is unable to do so at all, but the bounded field around the house allowed her to connect a crystal ball to it to see any disturbances within. When she placed her palms near the ball and focused her prana into it the image became clear. A young man was sprinting through the woods as fast as he could. At first Maria wasn't able to make out their location. That changed as he made it into a clearing where he stumbled to the ground. His pursuer stopped approaching at this point.

Maria made a soft cuing sound as she realized where the young man was. He had made it all the way to the Einzbern mansion from the forest. What a rare occurrence. Not a single soul had been able to make it to the mansion since she's been here. Not even a small team of Enforcers from the Mage Association. They were spooked by the chimera used to guard. Apparently they feared what other abominations might be spawned by this young woman. This young man had done what no one else had. Though this was partially caused by the chimera overlooking its objectives to play a little. She took in a short breath before leaning close to the ball.

"Bad Paul!" she called out, "Bad Paul, you're not suppose to play with the prey. Run them off or defend if they fight back!"

The chimera, known as Paul apparently, looked confused at first. He whimpered and laid back after being chastised by his master. The other two chimera looked at him with an almost amused expression on their faces.

"That goes for you two as well. Winston. Padre."

With that Maria focused back on the young man who had already entered her home by now. She watched with curious eyes as the young man stopped to catch his breath. Just how far into her inner sanctum was this boy going to go. Another defense activated. The various chimera and magical traps laid out across the grounds was only a single layer of the defenses Maria had at her disposal. The mansion held many secrets within including various golems and traps. Even a unit of specially trained homunculi can be deployed if necessary. All of which were tuned directly with the bounded field to know if and where someone may be in the case of an intruder. Maria herself was the only one who could only know if she saw the crystal ball react.

The ear-shattering sonic boom of metal on metal screeching alerted Maria of what defense first had been activated. An inanimate suit of armor wielding a large axe. A little cliche, but effective for the surprise factor. Many of these suits of armor existed throughout the mansion along with a few statues and such. There was even an ancient bust that was enchanted so that it would float and seek out targets. She had fun setting that one up. The armor chucked the axe barely missing the man.

Maria turned her attention away from the ball. A mischievous grin spread across her lips and a devil's glean shown in her eyes. She wanted to 'get to know' this boy. Surely someone who could accidentally dig his own grave this far would be a fun specimen to watch. Perhaps he'd be the perfect subject for a few experiments. No matter, Maria's appetite had been piqued and she wouldn't be satisfied with some half ass display. If this boy died before she went through the trouble of exiting her lab to give him a warm welcome, well she wouldn't know what to do with herself. Or should she say the body. 'How does one dispose of a perfectly good deceased human specimen?' She pondered this question as she went up the steps to exit this basement laboratory.

[Enkidu]

// Five Years Ago - Einzbern Castle, Outer Forest; Outskirts, Fuyuki//

"You failed." Echoed through out the armor's conscious, it realized it's mistake however it's body has loosened up. The prana is properly flowing through it now allowing it to become much more agile as it was once intended to be. It saw only the young man grab the ax and dismissed it as an impossible idea for him to draw it from the wood as it kept going forward. Realizing it's mistake it quickly shoved it's left hand in the ax's previous path sacrificing an arm. It grated against the metal as it cut it's hand up to it's elbow in half. Dangling there by what remains of the metal the armor still had use of the top part of it's hand. Wrenching it's arm away along with the ax now stuck inside of it, it pulled out the ax in one swift maneuver. Throwing the ax behind itself causing it to slide down the hall it became a battle of strength.

"Destroy." Echoed throughout it's conscious once more, it charged forward at the young man preparing to crush his skull. It's fighting took up a stance of street fighting swinging it's left hand open handed while it's right would quickly follow up behind the left. It repeated this movement three times before stopping, if it couldn't beat him with normal fighting it would simply throw him around. It reached forward with it's good right hand in an attempt to grab him by his collar. "Throw him out the door." Echoed once more as it's plan was now formulated, it was to grab him by the collar and through him out of the door. However it decided not to open the door, it was going to smash the door open with his body.

[Issunboushi]

// Five Years Ago - Einzbern Castle, Outer Forest; Outskirts, Fuyuki//

To put it simply, seventeen-year old Satoshi Inoue was oblivious to the fact he and his pursuer were being watched by a pair of almost icy blue eyes. There was no way a mundane human being unused to the concept of magus would be able to predict he was being observed so closely. Least of all, though, he was oblivious to the seemingly callous thoughts running through the head of this castle's owner, Mariele von Einzbern. He knew Mariele as "Maria," and specifically regarded her as a classmate whom had shown up a year ago, but would occasionally skip school for a while for whatever reason. She had never seemed the delinquent type to him, though he had admittedly limited interaction with her since her transfer to Fuyuki. She had made herself seem cold and distant, more or less...but whether she had done so on purpose or not, he had wondered.

Still, even as a regular citizen, he knew the Einzbern family had a long history within Fuyuki, and he knew - albeit deep within his mind - that Maria was the only Einzbern he knew of today's generation. He simply had not yet put two and two together, and realized that this structure was the legendary mysterious castle of the Fuyuki woods. The magus of Fuyuki knew that the Einzbern family was rumored to have a castle on the outskirts of town, but the more mundane residents considered the rumors simply myth or urban legend, and made no necessary relation to the Einzbern family. It was understandable, given that a magus family would know just a little more about the esteemed Einzbern group than the mundane residents of Fuyuki. A more seasoned mundane resident might have made the correlation, but as it stood now: Satoshi Inoue did not know his classmate, "Maria Einzbern" was anywhere near this castle.

Still, his mind had managed to catch up with his body by this point, about the time the battleaxe scored a searing hit against the suit of armor. The ease with which the blade bisected the armored man's arm was a testament not to Satoshi's strength, but to the sharpness of the axe itself. The axe managed to smoothly cut from the palm of the hand up to the elbow, before it became stuck. At that point, as the knight in armor pulled his arm and weapon away from the boy, it became apparent that there was no one inside the armor. The left arm had been opened up, but there was no blood...it was hollow inside, the dark shadows staring back at him. And then, the knight tossed the weapon behind him, bringing Satoshi back to his senses.

"Y-y-you're empty inside!" He accused, his voice shaking slightly with the choice of words. But how!? How is that possible? Is this magic? C.G.I., maybe? He thought inwardly, trying to quickly analyze the situation, before further movement from the armor caught his attention.

He noticed the outstretched hand, and had the knight not grabbed his attention by discarding the weapon, the golem might have succeeded in grabbing the boy by his collar. Well, technically, the golem's iron grip still tightened around Satoshi's collar, but by that point he was already slipping away. Satoshi ducked and turned away from the armor, sliding his arms out of the sleeves and pulling his upper body out of the school uniform. The empty uniform top was now in the knight's grip, but it had been unbuttoned for his hike through the woods. Satoshi now only wore his uniform's brown slacks, as well as black socks and shoes. His torso was only covered by a white t-shirt, and he had no intentions of fighting the one-armed knight for a uniform. He began to run now, still faster than the knight even with prana coursing through its body. But Satoshi was already tired, and the knight knew no fatigue.

So, the chase was on, Satoshi intent on running for his life once again. He had no idea where he was running, but nonetheless he ran with everything he had. His years of playing soccer and track paid off, now more than ever, as he bolted past vases and elegant paintings of fair-skinned, white-haired women smiling back at him, frozen in time. One such woman had been painted in next to someone, but that person had been torn from the painting forcefully. Satoshi could pay such things little mind, though, as he ran and ran, hearing the armor's footfalls behind him. He made it past the kitchen, and finally ended up the guest entry hall. A winding staircase made its way up into the castle's upper levels, and Satoshi noticed another front door, but it was sealed shut with a heavy plank. Besides, there was a chance those bizarre watchdogs were still out there. So, for just a moment, he caught his breath in the entry hall, looking around.

The current situation notwithstanding, it was a lovely interior. Elegant vases rested on marble pedestals, while even larger and more scenic paintings decorated the walls. The stairway opposite the enormous front doors of the nearby entryway split off into two directions as the top, forming a "T"-junction. And, on one side of the staircase - though Satoshi couldn't see it from here - a door into the basement was being opened. He had gotten a good distance on the suit of armor, but it could track him effortlessly within the castle, and would be here soon.

Satoshi could already hear the hulking thing coming, and like a cornered animal his eyes moved about the room. He was looking for a weapon to use against the apparently empty armor. Long ago, this room had been the scene for a fight between two great heroes: one of unknown origin, and one of Greco-Roman fame. Now, though, it had been restored, the threat of a much smaller battle - one that would doubtlessly be over very quickly if the armor seized Satoshi - loomed in the near future. Yet, thanks to his "luck" of ending up here, and his genius idea to stand in the middle of the room indecisively looking about, Mariele von Einzbern would get a closer look at the intruder.

[Mariele von Einzbern]

// Five Years Ago - Einzbern Castle, Outer Forest; Outskirts, Fuyuki//

One step at a time. How many steps were there in this passage? At least a hundred it seemed. The red hair bounced up and down as the young woman rose up the stairs of her secret passage to her secret lair. A small smile pasted on face. After endless steps a landing finally came to be. The young woman stood upon the landing and placed a hand on her hip. A small beam of light went vertically downward as the wall opened. It spread apart at a generous pace, but still required her to wait on it. She could see the back of the front stair case. The staircase that lead to the T-junction from the front door of the mansion. This room was the battlefield for two great servants of the Fifth Holy Grail War. The area was demolished afterward, but now there wasn't even a remnant of such a battle.

Maria brushed her hair aside as she came out from the under-cropping of the staircase. She turned to view the doorway. The stairs blocked her view of the center of the room. She continued walking to get a full view of the door. As she passed columns moved in and out of her line of sight. The door became more visible as she moved forward. When she expected to see the entirety of the large double doors she was gifted with an unexpected sight. The young man she had been watching was already standing in the center of the room. She watched him closely and noticed he was unable to see her under the stairs.

The dimly lit room was only enlightened by a handful of candles perched on a handful of pillars. She stood silently in the shadows hoping to see this boy do something awe inspiring. The sounds of heavy footfalls could be heard getting closer and closer. The suit of armor was getting closer by the second. The young man was frantically scanning the immediate area for anything that he could defend himself with. Maria wondered why the boy wouldn't hide in the shadows similar to herself. Not that it would matter since he remained in the Bounded Field. She smiled as the boy met Death face on with an expression of determination to fight until the very end.

"Give 'em hell boy" she whispered under her breath.

The knightless armor slowed its pace as it trotted into the room. The dark visor of the empty helmet scanned the room. The tassels upon its head waved lightly as it turned. Now that it had completed waking up it would no longer be the clumsy slow adversary, but as dexterous and agile as a normal person. The helmet stopped moving as it caught sight of the young man. A soft metallic whisper echoed out of the suit. It sounded like a voice on the wind in a dark forest in the middle of the night. It even gave Maria the chills as the muffled metallic words echoed out of the suit. One would think that the message was too muffled to understand, but at the same time it was clear as if someone were saying it directly in your ear.

"Found you."

The armor sauntered forward making no extra effort to close the distance between itself and the boy. It's left hand flapped with every movement, but the hand still seemed to be controlled as if it were in one piece. The suit came within about three meters before coming to a stop. It slowly bent its knees as if loosening itself for a strike. A cold silence filled the room. The armor let the pure dread of immanent death settle before moving. Just as it jerked to launch itself forward a sinister yet childish voice calmed the metallic beast.

"Stop it Reginald."

The armor nearly stumbled to the ground at the sudden phrase. It's empty helmet rose to meet the stare of the young girl looking down on it from the staircase. Like a doll cared for by a young girl in simpler days would be the only way to describe this young girl. She appeared no older than ten years old yet spoke with authority and wisdom far beyond her years. Her dress and bonnet were sky blue and white. Frills and ribbons covered the outfit from head to foot. Pure white stockings covered her legs as the dress opened up into an enormous hoop skirt that defied the laws of gravity. Her soft pink eyes look down upon all those below her like a god in their heaven.

The doll-like girl descended the stairs slowly taking each step like it was a great fall. She wobbled a little with every landing. She even hummed a quiet tune to herself as she descended. Her eyes looked down at every step with a small amount of fear of what might occur on the next step. It seemed impossible that this girl could be anything more than the cutest and nicest young girl you could ever come across.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs she looked at the knightless armor once more. "Go away Reginald," she coldly stated, "you need to be fixed." The armor looked at its left hand after this statement. It gave a small bow before heading back through the door it entered through.

The young girl looked upon the young man before her. She couldn't be taller than three to four feet only coming up the young man's waist. She gave a small smile that seemed to make the boy relax as if he were in the presence of someone he could trust. She took a few steps closer entering the friend-zone of communication. Now only a few feet away, barely greater than an arms length, she began to speak.

"I'm so glad that someone came to this musty castle. It's always so boring with no visitors. I hope you don't break easily," the expression on her face remained the sweetest smile one could imagine but her tone shifted so dark that it seemed as though she was even more lethal than the knightless armor. "You're gonna have to last me until the the next one."

She lifted a small delicate hand and extended it toward the young man. A small pinkish red heart stuck to her index and middle finger. It approached ever closer. Little did the boy know that if he were touched by that heart that he would become her plaything. Perhaps the stress of all of this finally got to him or maybe the girl's change of heart struck him with enough fear to paralyze him.

"ALICE!"

Yet another outburst, certainly becoming old to the young man. Maria moved herself out of the darkness. Her red hair seemed to glow in the dim light and her blue-purple eyes pierced the limited visibility like a hawk. Her voice contained no malice or anger, but one of concern. Alice looked over with an expression of curiosity. She allowed her outstretched hand to return to her side. As Maria walked closer to them Alice decided to complete the distance to Maria.

"What is it Big Sis?" she asked as she ran up to Maria's leg and wrapped her arms around it.

Maria looked down with a kind smile and soft eyes. It was really like they were sisters. A completely unreasonable reaction to the traditional Einzbern mindset of homunculi. The same look disappeared to one of inquisition. She looked upon the boy as if she were greedily eating up all she could gain to know about him by just laying eyes on him.

She didn't look down at Alice as she spoke this, "This young man has piqued my interest. I would like to see what has given him the ability to make it here. Maybe fate or fortune. Maybe a cruel god wishes him to die tonight." Her dialogue held a tone that sounded just like a scientist describing the elements and variables of an experiment. Detached, emotionless. There was no personal connection. Just an experimental curiosity.

"Reginald!" Maria called out, "Come finish the job!" There were brief moments of silence before the loud sound of metal on tile could be heard again. Once again approaching. A scratchy metallic phrase softly traveled on the breeze hitting the ears of those around.

"Time to die"

Maria still retained her inquisitive look. She wanted to see how this boy reacted. Would he attack her knowing that she commanded those within this castle? Would he cry and beg as yet again his life were in danger? Would he explode with the massive fury of a trapped animal as his life was gambled by these arrogant strangers? This was exactly what she wanted to find out.

The metallic footfalls echoed throughout the chamber. It would only be a few seconds before the armor returned. A small smile perked on Maria's face. Eagerness was visible in her eyes. Her soft lips formed the only words that would reach the boys ears before he was forced into another life threatening situation.

"Don't let me down~"

[Issunboushi]

// Five Years Ago - Einzbern Castle, Outer Forest; Outskirts, Fuyuki//

Hah...haah...

Satoshi Inoue continued to take deep, almost labored breaths whilst surveying the area. As his chest rhythmically rose and fell in tandem with his breathing pattern, he briefly ceased his search and allowed his back to slouch slightly; he rested a hand upon each of his knees as he caught his breath. He was used to running, and was even a big shot on the track team and the soccer team at the local high school. Still, the Einzbern mansion was huge, and he had run for a good five minutes straight before arriving in the Guest Hall. Before even being confronted by the mysterious empty armor, he had been chased through the thick, almost labyrinthine woods for thirty minutes straight, over four miles. It was purely a result of his bad luck that the chimera known as Paul - a name, perhaps, unfitting of such a creature - had been feeling adventurous enough to venture well beyond Einzbern territory. So, it was understandable that Satoshi was out of breath now, but he personally doubted that the steel sentinel would give him long to reorient himself.

Whilst he had taken the liberty to catch his breath, he had also mentally flipped through the file in his mind of what options he had now. He assessed the situation, as he often tended to do when confronted with a clear problem. He was tired, and had been running for quite a while now. Because of this, he was out of breath. The suit of armor had started to attack him in an almost clumsy fashion, but then had begun moving with more human-like grace and fluidity. He listened to the iron footfalls, and mentally calculated just how far the irate tinman was. He didn't have long.

He considered hiding as his first option, but dismissed it just as quickly. The knight had attacked him almost instantly upon his entering the castle. Somehow, perhaps mechanically, this knight seemed almost in tune with the castle itself. He had deduced that much, though he still was doubtful that magic was the reason for all of this. In his estimation, hiding was not a viable option: this knight would find him, and kill him. It had come for him as soon as he had set foot upon the shag carpet of the hallway. His instincts told him quite plainly: If I try to hide, then I will surely die. That thing or something worse would come after me.

So, with flight no longer an option, he considered continuing to run. However, to him, that solution seemed either temporary or impractical. Running had gotten him this far, but he was low on energy and needed to rest now. Resting, obviously, was not an option either. So, conserving and conservatively utilizing his remaining energy took priority in his mind. That left one realistic option: he would stand his ground, and fight the empty suit of armor. He knew the being was stronger than him, but he had managed to cleave the suit's arm halfway...so, the armor could be cut. He wished he had the battle axe again, so he could aim to knock off the creatures legs. At least then outrunning the suit of armor would be more feasible.

Still, he saw only one object in the immediate vicinity that qualified as a weapon: further down the wall from the corridor he had just exited was a fireplace. If one were to enter the Guest Hall properly through the nearest set of double doors to Satoshi's left, then the fireplace would be said to be on the right side in the center of the wall. On the marble mantle was a golden ticket to either survival or possible victory: a brass stand, which - with four claw-like arms - brandished four brass instruments. A brush to clear away ashes. A two-handled clamp-style ash scooper. A fireplace poker with a hook to catch logs and a spiked tip to impale and push logs already ablaze. He sprinted towards the fireplace, and as he did so, he heard that ominous whisper which carried so much murderous intent it sent a chill down his spine. Still, besides that involuntary chill, he paid it no attention and was almost instantly upon the mantle. He wasted no time, and turned now - brass poker in hand- to face the damaged armor.

The quiet sentinel was already advancing, though it no longer tried to run after him. Maybe it only ran after me initially because there were possible ways to lose it? No, that contradicts my theory that somehow the knight is connected to this castle. And the timing of this thing is just too perfect. It showed up right when I escaped the lion-lizards. So, it has to be rigged like an alarm system. Still, if that axe was able to damage its arm like that...then even this thing can put a good dent or two into him. Let's see if he needs that "head" of him or not! Satoshi decided inwardly to attack the knightless armor's head if it drew itself into his range. He had already pulled the weapon - brandished rather instinctively but skillfully in his right hand - slightly behind him and to one side in order to take the knight's head off when it made his move. But suddenly, as the sentinel advanced and Satoshi prepared to decapitate the armor, something less threatening but just as surprising as the knight caught his attention.

"Stop it, Reginald." Commanded a childish, quiet voice which caught both attacker and victim off guard. Satoshi's brown-hues swept across the room almost frantically, performing the closest imitation to a computer's "parallel scanning" ability a human could pull off. Then he saw her: a young girl in a blue dress, standing atop the staircase which formed the T-junction to the second floor. The girl focused more on the carpet-covered steps underneath her black, polished shoes as she half-walked, half-wobbled down the steps. The armor had answered her command, and indeed made no attempt to attack him. Satoshi briefly considered making a surprise attack on the armor, but lest "Reginald" defend himself or this girl decide to redact her command, he simply took a few steps away from the hunk of iron while both armor and doll were distracted. No one seemed to notice, which was fine with him, but he stopped retreating by the time the girl's feet alighted upon the level floor at the bottom of the staircase.

Then, the newcomer began to address the armor, calling him by that ridiculous name. It kind of pissed him off that the knightless armor had been given a name in the first place, but even Satoshi - ever the "straight man" in his social group at school - found it hard to be snarky about this situation when his life was still possibly in danger. He'd be sure to comment on the stupidity of the situation later, if he didn't die first. If he had to die, he'd make sure to say something mean to the little girl about the stupid name she chose for such an aggressive being. Obviously, something like "Leeroy Jenkins" or "Gargamel" was more fitting.

No, this isn't the time to be thinking that. Satoshi told himself, as he realized the armor was walking away. He had only half paid attention to the girl, but clearly she had ordered him away. Reginald retreated for now, and the girl advanced upon him like an old acquaintance. His right hand still held the brass poker, and after being chased by a lion-lizard and a knightless suit of murderous armor, he wasn't exactly willing to let his guard down. Still, Alice appeared merely as a little girl to him, and so he watched her with uncertain eyes, letting her get close... almost close enough to touch, if he had wanted to. He didn't. He wasn't "into" little girls.

Well, that's what he said on that charge anyway. His collection of "Mahou Sensei Negima" manga and doujinshi said otherwise. That's beside the point, though. He let his attention drift to this little girl, as she spoke to him. But her words didn't match her appearance. She mentioned him breaking, and he subconsciously felt his right arm discreetly tense, drawing it back only slightly in order to bring it around if he felt the need. He saw the heart upon her fingers, a pink thing reminiscent of a flower petal. She began to reach out towards him, as if to touch him with it. He took a step back, and opened his mouth to speak, before another unexpected guest made their presence known. He looked past the girl, and saw another individual walking out from behind the balustrade of the staircase's left railing. She began walking towards the girl, and the young girl - now known to Satoshi as "Alice" - ran to her and hugged her like she was her big sister.

"This young man has piqued my interest." The red-haired young woman explained, speaking to Alice but looking at Satoshi, and speaking in such a tone that one could easily conclude she was, in fact, talking to both of them. I would like to see what has given him the ability to make it here. Maybe fate or fortune. Maybe a cruel god wishes him to die tonight."

"Alright, enough is...!?" He had started to speak, but the seemingly disinterested woman called out a name he had learned to both hate and fear.

"Reginald! Come finish the job!" The woman commanded. Satoshi felt a wave of cold fear wash over him, and he spoke now to the two women...well, the young girl and the older girl, who looked to be about his age, give or take a year or two.

"First of all, that name is stupid." He stated, no longer able to keep his thoughts on that matter to himself. "It doesn't suit him at all! Secondly, there is no reason to call him back! Whatever you're interested in finding out, I'm sure---"

"Time to die." Stated the metallic, ominous voice. As it spoke, Satoshi visibly shut his eyes as he winced, his shoulders raising slightly as he slowly turned to face the source of the sound. His eyes lingered on the corridor he had been chased down initially. His gaze - now seeming sharper than before - briefly focused on the pair of girls about five meters away. He seemed to be thinking... the gears in his head were turning slowly. Perhaps predictably, he considered engaging them before the knightless armor arrived. Even so, he didn't make a move. He spoke to the two, however, in response to the woman's words to him as Reginald entered the room.

"I don't know what you expect me to be able to do against that thing. But I refuse to attack unarmed enemies like you and the little girl. Still, don't you think sending a fully-armored enemy after me is a bit much? One of those...chimeras...they'd be easier to manage than this." He said aloud, clearly enough for all three of these strange people to hear him. He had correctly identified her creatures, simply by observing that they were a blend of more than one type of creature.

He took his attention off the pair and brought the poker in front of him now, brandishing it as one might wield a club or a shortsword. It lay diagonally across and in front of his body, prepared for a backswing. He had checked the position of the hook before positioning the weapon thus, but had done so discreetly. He had already gotten a good look at the creature's armor, and - without its battle-axe - he stood enough of a chance of decapitating the knightless armor... though, he remained unsure if that would even help. The knight's shadow became visible upon the floor within the Guest Hall, and Satoshi stood firm, knowing he'd probably only have one shot to behead the most likely mechanical golem.

Time for those years of kendo to pay off. He thought to himself, his eyes glued upon the corridor as the silhouette of the knight once more appeared.

[Enkidu]

// Five Years Ago - Einzbern Castle, Outer Forest; Outskirts, Fuyuki//

"Finish the job. Echoed through out the armor as it began it's frontal assault, the young man looked as if he was prepared to defend himself however he wouldn't last long against an experienced guardian like Reggie. The suit of armor known as Reginald quickly ducked down at the first swing of the fire poker.

I'm not that stupid." Reginald stated firmly as he grabbed the young man's right leg with its one good hand. He stood up, twisting his body around and releasing his grip which threw him across the room. Intending to keep up the assault Reginald kept going towards him; by the time the young man stood back up Reginald was already upon him. Beginning to punch at him with precision and destructive force the young man could only hope to block. The sound of metal clashing echoed throughout the mansion as Reginald's raw power was barely being blocked by the sturdy brass fire poker.

One final punch broke the fire poker in half, likely to the young man's displeasure and surprise. Reginald however kept attacking, punching down low it managed to hit him once in the gut. Twisting its body with the punch it once more threw him across the room, Reginald appeared to be playing with him. Despite the young man's condition Reginald found that he had a hard time hitting him, either he would block or dodge just in time to avoid a fracture or a concussion.

Realizing that he was failing Reginald prepared to end it all at once, stopping and grabbing the young man with both arms Reginald prepared to kill him. The German suplex would fracture his skull at the very least with how much power Reginald had. As Reginald began to arch his back to smash the young man, it noticed something: a feeling of coldness... something he hadn't felt in a long time. The boy, in his tenacity, had maintained a firm hold on the splintered, brass fire poker. And when Reginald had lifted the boy's feet from the ground, Satoshi had driven the now sharpened instrument into the small crack of the armor's neck with great force, despite the awkward angle of the thrust. Satoshi was released, and wasted no time scrambling away, the fire poker now impaling the back of the armor's neck area.

Falling to the ground, Reginald let out an agonizing roar as he felt a creeping, yet burning coldness engulf him, though visibly nothing happened. Against all hope, the end of the fire poker had impacted against the alchemic sigil which gave him life. A moan of pain, and the knight collapsed in a head, its helmet rolling off; a seal could be seen on the inside of the armor. It was broken in half and Reginald was no more. His final words could be heard all through out the Guest Hall.

"Finally, peace at last... thank you... boy."

[Mariele von Einzbern]

// Five Years Ago - Einzbern Castle, Outer Forest; Outskirts, Fuyuki//

Maria grinned smugly in the final moments before the final battle. The boy who had caught her interest was taking his final moments to prepare himself and to voice his opinion which had been silent this whole time. Perhaps greeted by a human audience the boy felt need to speak up to what may appear as his oppressors. Either way it was wasted effort. He spent his last seconds insulting and reasoning.

However, the insult did confuse her somewhat. She turned her head to the side and an inquisitive finger rose to her chin. Her eyes had widened with surprise at his exclamation. "Why is Reginald stupid? Surely you should apologize, he may take offense to you brashly insulting his given name." Surely the boy didn't think Maria herself named the armor. The spirit who possessed it had his own name, though the chimera's were her ideas with the help of Alice.

Regardless the armor walked in cutting off his last statement of talking things out. Maria eagerly watched as the boy fought back as he could, attempting to behead the knight with his brandished fire poker. She had said that it was luck or fortune that had allowed him to survive this long, but her scientific intuition denied such things like fate. She had a feeling this guy was hiding some kind of secret as to how he could have so far. This boy had to know some kind of magic, even though she couldn't sense any from him. If he wasn't magic surely he had some kind of knowledge of the mage's world and had some special skills. There's no such thing as chance.

Somewhere in her mind she had noted that his voice sounded familiar. While she was racking her mind to figure out how he could possible get so far into her defenses another part of her processing power was recalling where she had heard that voice before. She remembered him from that high school she goes to. She couldn't recall if he was in her class or not, but he had come to her class on occasion. Enough to recall his voice.

By the time she had concluded his identity he had managed to slay Reginald after having a fierce battle. Reginald fell to his knees and roared before falling down into a lifeless suit of armor. His last words were those of thanks to the boy for finally allowing his spirit to rest. She placed a hand over her heart and closed her eyes. After a small prayer she reopened her eyes and approached the boy with Alice in tow.

Once she was within ten feet she came to a stop. "Congratulations boy, that was most impressive," she said with a bold smile and triumphant tone, "I cannot discern how you have managed to best all of my defenses and parade through the inner sanctums of the Einzbern Mansion like it was your sandbox, but you should be proud of your accomplishment. Many have tried and all have failed."

Maria reached down and placed a hand on Alice's head. She looked up to be greeted by a soft smile by Maria. Alice slowly let go before walking over to the staircase and seating herself on the bottom step. She knew that Maria may need her mobility if this intruder proved to be after her. Alice would be able to help Maria from the staircase if the events turned for the worse.

The scarlet haired girl walked slowly around the room making a wide shape around the intruder. Her red hair bounced forward and backward with every step. Her lab coat swayed side to side. One arm reached behind her back and latched onto the other arm that rested by her side. She looked as though she were considering her next words carefully. After deciding upon her next course of action she stopped her movement and faced the boy.

"Before we inevitably test our honor I must ask, what force brings you here? Are you some kind of covert agent sent by the Mage's Association to once again attempt to apprehend me for my Sealing Designation? Or maybe something smaller like another magus family after the Einzbern secrets. Perhaps attempting to sabotage the upcoming Holy Grail War in your favor, thinking that capturing the representative of the family who started it all would give you some kind of advantage in the war."Maria rattled off a few theories that she had to the boy's presence. Her tone dropped as she came across her final conclusion. "There's the possibility that you just wanted to test your abilities by sneaking into the bounded field around the Einzbern estate as if that wouldn't be the most insulting. No matter, you have made it this far without using your magecraft or anything beyond mundane abilities. It's about time you reveal your true power."

Maria brought hand to her face sighing before falling into a stance, "You will quickly find that you cannot defeat the alchemical philosopher of the Einzbern family, Mariele Clarisviel von Einzbern, with a simple firepoker!"

After she uttered the last word several pieces of jewelry she wore all over her body began to glow as she called upon the stored magical power within. They each had a different aura based on both the material it was composed of and the type of spell stored within. A small stream of orange-red fire came from an earring on her left ear. The stream was clearly fired, but moved with the grace, fluidity, and consistency of liquid. Her left hand shrouded in an aura of cold mist while her right was covered with electricity. The ring on her left hand glowed a clear soft while the bracelet on her right shined blue and rattled with electrical energy. Her eyes pierced with an incredible killing intent as she was defending her home and honor, but her patience allowed the boy to prepare himself for assault, brandishing any secrets he may have hidden away.

[Issunboushi]

// Five Years Ago - Einzbern Castle, Outer Forest; Outskirts, Fuyuki//

When Alice spoke up, Satoshi's attention had briefly been drawn towards the lab coat-clad young woman in order to better hear her words. Of course, they had been spoken before the suit of armor engaged him, so clearly he was a wee bit distracted by Reginald, whom - at the time - had been entering the Guest Hall. Maria's words were lost upon him when he realized that she was simply addressing his statement regarding Reginald's name. And coincidentally, Satoshi had assumed that Maria or Alice had named the suit of armor themselves. He had no idea that the chimeras outside even had names, let alone how terribly inappropriate each of those names was.

Finally, after the clash between armor and man, Satoshi prevailed. It had once more been luck that had allowed him to triumph over the suit of armor. In his prime condition, Satoshi could easily outrun the suit of armor with his hands tied behind his back... but the golem was undeniably stronger than a mere mortal and did not know things like pain, fatigue, or hunger. Satoshi - after running several miles through the snowy woods, being chased by a lion with a lizard tail - knew all of those things. Had the knight not broken the fire poker in half earlier, it could be argued that the elegant brass weapon might not have been able to pierce the iron of Reginald's armor. It had also been luck which had enabled Satoshi to strike the one weak spot on the armor's interior, though honestly he had just been trying to behead the servant.

"Thank you...boy." The suit of armor managed, as its last words for him. He was understandably perplexed, and stared at the empty, headless suit of armor as Maria offered a consolatory prayer for her loyal Servant. He had been in the family for a while, probably since before Maria herself was the head of the Einzbern family. Now, Satoshi stood alert and dressed for school, minus his jacket. The broken fire poker was no longer in his grasp, since it had been left in Reginald's neck and collar area. The young man's gentle, brown-eyed gaze fell upon the deceased knight, as his mind worked to catch up with the situation: he had just killed someone, right? Had Reginald been a person? His words had certainly sounded sincere and heartfelt.

"Congratulations boy, that was most impressive," With these words, Mariele once more had Satoshi's rapt attention. He had already figured out how exactly he knew her... that she was his classmate, though she didn't exactly have a perfect attendance record. But nonetheless, they had seen each other multiple times at the school, both in class and outside of class. The redhead continued speaking, still maintaining an objective tone to her voice. "I cannot discern how you have managed to best all of my defenses and parade through the inner sanctums of the Einzbern Mansion like it was your sandbox, but you should be proud of your accomplishment. Many have tried and all have failed."

Many have tried...and failed? He thought inwardly, to himself, paying only half of his attention to Maria as she gave what looked to be a nonverbal signal to the little girl. In response, the girl took a seat upon the staircase, while Satoshi's mind searched for answers. So, she's killed before, then? If so, how many others has she killed? Were they accidental trespassers too? And what does she mean, "defenses?" Those wretched things, and that knight were all deliberate, then. That confirms it.

And for Satoshi Inoue, enough was enough. He could barely keep his head about him as she walked a circle about him, keeping a respectable distance. Noticing this, Satoshi took a subtle step to the side, and he crouched slightly, beside Reginald's abandoned armor. All the while, the young woman watched him, continuing to assess the situation. And finally, she began to speak to him once more. Satoshi's teeth were now sliding against one another. This woman talked too lightly about killing others. There was no implication to be drawn from her statements, she had said it quite plainly: "You've made it this far. Others did not. They tried. They failed." That was how Satoshi Inoue took her words, and there was no doubt he had understood them correctly.

"Before we inevitably test our honor I must ask, what force brings you here? Are you some kind of covert agent sent by the Mage's Association to once again attempt to apprehend me for my Sealing Designation? Or maybe something smaller like another magus family after the Einzbern secrets. Perhaps attempting to sabotage the upcoming Holy Grail War in your favor, thinking that capturing the representative of the family who started it all would give you some kind of advantage in the war."

Mage's...Association? That was the first time Satoshi had heard of the group, whom he would come to hold in high regard. Maria seemed to be filling in the blanks, whether she meant to or not. No, it was clear she actually believed these scenarios she listed off as realistic possibilities. A sealing designation...from a group called the Mage's Association? So, what, is she wanted or something, like a criminal? Did I stumble into a magical thief's castle or some other mystery novel? He couldn't contain himself any longer... this was a lot of information to take in at one time, though to his credit he did a good job of processing all of the information.

"There's the possibility that you just wanted to test your abilities by sneaking into the bounded field around the Einzbern estate as if that wouldn't be the most insulting. No matter, you have made it this far without using your magecraft or anything beyond mundane abilities. It's about time you reveal your true power." Maria explained to him, causing him further frustration. He could tell that she was changing her tone of voice, now seeming more assured in her convictions. He, on the other hand, was more confused and curious than ever. She made a statement as perplexing as the "Holy Grail War" one: she accused him of knowing "magecraft." A ludicrous accusation; Satoshi barely knew kendo.

"What "power" are you talking about, idiot!? I don't know magecraft!" Satoshi inquired, still crouched beside Reginald. Still, Maria's body language was not lost on him, and he quickly worked a hand into the suit of armor, and pulled the fire poker free, using his other hand to lift the armor so he could do so. He was again armed with the splintered, brass fire poker and nothing else.

"You will quickly find that you cannot defeat the alchemical philosopher of the Einzbern family, Mariele Clarisviel von Einzbern, with a simple firepoker!"

His brow furrowed slightly.

"And you will find that I am willing to try doing so before accepting death. You probably trained those chimeras to attack people, and your suit of armor clearly acted under your influence. I don't know what's going on, but enough-is-enough." Satoshi stated, simply, carefully enunciating each of the last three words. "I've been chased, hunted, almost eaten, nearly cut in half, and come within a hair's breadth of having my neck broken like a twig!" Satoshi's voice elevated for the first time since he had entered the castle. He was willing to fight, if nothing else, against the unfair powers that be. "I don't need magecraft to kick your ass, Einzbern-san! I don't know the first thing about magic or wars or whatever, but since you insist on fighting...then fine, come at me!" He declared, clearly upset at the recent events in his day.

He clearly did not consider Maria "unarmed" anymore, and for good reason: he watched as she channeled the magical energy about her jewels, the lovely glow they gave off illuminating her even lovelier body for just a moment. Mariele was both beautiful and deadly, and Satoshi was able to perceive both of these elements within her. His analytical gaze was scared, but no longer like a deer in the headlights. Instead, he was a prey ready to fight back now, against all odds. He kicked off the ground and charged towards her now, arcing in a circle away from Alice and coming from Maria's front-right side. He was about five meters from her, and seemed determined to rush her if nothing else, though his experience in kendo would ensure that no fatal tricks caught him off guard too easily.

[Mariele von Einzbern]

// Five Years Ago - Einzbern Castle, Outer Forest; Outskirts, Fuyuki//

In the flurry of movement and talking even Maria's genius mind couldn't keep with everything updated by the second. There was some banter back and forth while the two discussed, or should I say Maria monologued and the boy simply responded to her accusations. She became confused and conflicted once again. The boy had stated in an excited manner that he was not trained in magecraft. Surely then this boy has some kind of artifact or technique to make up for such a lack in battle potential. She began to reconsider her previous accusations, but was had her thought process interrupted by an insulting retort.

"I don't need magecraft to kick your ass, Einzbern-san! I don't know the first thing about magic or wars or whatever, but since you insist on fighting...then fine, come at me!"

Again Maria was conflicted by the boy's words and she couldn't discern what his motives were. She couldn't sense a bit of magic on the boy and he spoke like a mundane. However, as a scientist there was no such thing as lucky chance, but there seemed to be no other explanation. He was as mundane as they came only getting by due to his ingenuity and his will to survive. She began to feel something akin to compassion for the boy, but that was suppressed by the first part of what he said. She was no easy opponent by any means.

Her brow furrowed, "You'll regret that first comment." Another ring began to glow with an eerie white and green glow. The light built up as the boy bull charged her. When the boy got within about a meter of her the ring released some of its charged energy sending a large projectile composed of wind into the boy's midsection. The blast was elliptical in shape and rather large reaching about a foot in length. Not much could be observed as the blast made it to its mark in barely a second given the two's close proximity. His mindless charge made him an easy target. The magic attack wasn't powered up enough to cause more than a bruise though. He might have a hard time catching his breath for a minute or so. In the meantime Maria walked up to him, and with a flick of her wrist the liquid fire moved down by the boy's head. Ever so slowly wrapping around him.

Maria's eyes were cold, but her tone was inquisitive. "Do you speak the truth, boy? You really don't know anything about magecraft or magic. You just happened upon my castle and slipped through defenses even elite Enforcers couldn't penetrate? You can surely understand how I may find that hard to believe. That would be like accidentally walking into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Maria wasn't sure if this boy was educated on classic fiction of the late twentieth century, but hopefully the point would come across.

"If you can present a good enough argument I may be inclined to believe you. I would gladly make up for the hostile behavior all members of the Einzbern house presented you tonight," Maria said with a soft smile as the liquid fire still coiled around the boy keeping no less than three inches away from his form at all times, "Let's begin with your name. It would be increasingly rude for me to continue addressing you as boy."

[Issunboushi]

// Five Years Ago - Einzbern Castle, Outer Forest; Outskirts, Fuyuki//

"You'll regret that first comment." Mariele declared, before another ring upon her slender fingers began to brilliantly glow. The aura released by this ring was a sickly mixture of white and green, certainly not an appealing mixture of energy for any potential target, including Satoshi. The attack seemed to charge as Satoshi made his way closer and closer to Maria, closing the distance that had existed between them with athletic ease. Then, as the broken fire poker was being positioned to swing itself on a collision course with the side of Maria's head, a blast of magically augmented air pressure shot forward and rammed into the unsuspecting high-school boy. The attack took the wind out of him and sent the broken fire poker clattering along the floor until it rolled to a stop at Alice's feet.

Satoshi, meanwhile, had taken a direct hit from the conservatively used blast of wind from Maria's ring. As a result of the force behind the blow, Satoshi took the blow right in his stomach, though right before the attack hit, he remembered a useful bit of advice from Fujimura-sensei. He exhaled subtly enough that Maria wouldn't notice, but certainly enough to take the air out of his system. Had he not taken this precaution, the blast of air would have hurt a lot more and left him winded. By exhaling before taking the brunt of the air arc, Satoshi ensured he couldn't be winded by the impact...after all, there was no air inside of him when the attack hit.

But even this precaution wouldn't do anything to change the fact he had taken a direct hit, and it would only marginally reduce the damage. The attack was still practically guaranteed to leave a bruise later on, but he had managed to avoid the detrimental "stun" effect of the attack that otherwise would have ensued. So, disarmed, Satoshi was lifted off his feet and thrown back by the translucent wind blast. He landed about a meter away from where he had stood when the attack hit, and he quickly shifted so that he was balanced on his knees. He brought a hand to his stomach and began taking purposefully exaggerated breaths. He was clever enough to feign having the wind knocked out of him.

Tmp, tmp, tmp. Maria's footsteps told him just how close she was getting. He managed to surpress a smirk; she was drawing herself closer and closer, well within attacking range. He kept his eyes glued to the floor and began to steady his breathing, though the impact site on his stomach genuinely ached from the sheer concussive force of the attack. Finally, he could see her shadow as she came to a stop, standing over him now. He wished he had the fire poker, now, but he could always launch a barrage of fast low attacks if the situation proved to be hopeless. He looked up to see the gently flowing stream of fire floating down towards him, gracefully arcing around him while keeping a distance. To him, it felt like a trained serpent of flame was watching him; preparing to close in upon him should he make a wrong move.

"Do you speak the truth, boy? You really don't know anything about magecraft or magic. You just happened upon my castle and slipped through defenses even elite Enforcers couldn't penetrate? You can surely understand how I may find that hard to believe. That would be like accidentally walking into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"What a bizarre comparison." Satoshi muttered, loud enough to be heard. "Though I'm fairly sure the magicians of Hogwarts are at least trained to not harm hapless muggles, unlike some lesser mages." He continued to speak with that cynical snark to his voice, not in a disrespectful tone but his words barbed and carefully spoken with clarity: he resented her for attacking him and trying to kill him for something beyond his control, and that was made clear to the Einzbern girl.

"If you can present a good enough argument I may be inclined to believe you. I would gladly make up for the hostile behavior all members of the Einzbern house presented you tonight," Maria offered, calming the boy down for a moment. His muscles grew less tense, and perhaps then it would become obvious to Maria: he had actually been prepared to move and engage her point blank, and the way in which he shifted suggested he wasn't all that stunned. He rose to his full height now, staring at her from under a semi-neat mop of brown hair. For now, his gaze held no hostility within their stare, but instead betrayed a fire which was slowly being doused. He didn't even look to the narrow whip-like cord of fire as it danced in the air around him; his eyes were firmly fixated on Maria's eyes as she finished speaking. "Let's begin with your name. It would be increasingly rude for me to continue addressing you as boy.".

Satoshi was losing his desire to fight, a testament to the fact that he was calming down. This fact, in turn, reinforced that his attempted attack on her with the fire poker had been in self-defense. His shoulders relaxed and he took a breath, apparently realizing that though his life was in Maria's hands, that fighting wasn't the best solution right now. His gaze had returned to a more gentle state, but he still was clearly wary of the young woman, and for good reason: he could feel the warmth emenating from the serpentine cord of fire suspended in midair.

"My name is Satoshi," He began, the previous snark in his words absent, replaced by tact-induced cooperation. "Inoue, Satoshi. I am a student at Homurahara Gakuen. I believe I'm in the class next to yours, now...though when you initally enrolled, we were in the same class, together. I was walking through the forest, hiking. Lots of people do it." He added the last bit warily, as if trying to make a case to a judge...which, in a sense, he was actually doing. "You know, it's a lot easier for normal humans to cooperate when they aren't afraid of getting singed should their captor sneeze and twitch her hand." He stated, making two points. First, he was suggesting he'd more freely cooperate if a metaphorical gun wasn't pointed to his temple. Second, he demonstrated a misunderstanding of how precise her magic was, typical of a mundane whom had just today encountered magic for the first time.

[Mariele von Einzbern]

// Five Years Ago - Einzbern Castle, Outer Forest; Outskirts, Fuyuki//

She had been watching him closely. At first he was still tense as if he were ready to fight, but that slowly faded until he relaxed to the point of just being on edge. He cooperated with Maria's requests for the moment informing her that he had gone to her school and was in the class next to her's. Now that he mentioned it she did recall seeing him from time to time now that she knew where to look. She was surprised that she hadn't realized this sooner. Perhaps she would have come to a different conclusion if she had. However the small amounts of empathy she had gained were quickly dissolved when he began to complain about the fire.

Maria gave a very displeased look with one eyebrow slightly raised. She flicked her wrist causing the fire to constrict momentarily before unwrapping around Satoshi until he was free. It pulled back toward Maria residing back into the earring from whence it came. The other glowing effects of her jewelry dulled down to the point of being barely visible. They were still powered so she could perform a quick counterattack if he betrayed her trust.

"Well Satoshi," she said with as much class as she could produce, "I am certainly sorry to have caused you so much trouble." She lifted her hand and brushed her hair aside with a swift flick of her wrist. "Tonight must have been very fearsome for someone who knows nothing of the magical world, yet exciting as if a whole new world were opened up before you where aspects thought only to be fiction became reality."

Maria walked around slowly as if thinking to herself, "Unfortunately code says that the world of magic must be kept secret. One must avoid exposure at all costs. I could ask you to keep this all a secret," Maria looked over to him with a sly smile, "but how can one keep a secret their whole lives. The most efficient way would be to cover this up. Silence all witnesses." Maria made sure to have her voice drip with sadistic tone as she worded the last part.

"Or~ I can take you under my wing and introduce you to the world of magus~" It took only a moment to have a complete change of personality from this sadistic killer to a sweet teacher. "It'll be a rough process if you have absolutely no magus lineage, but everyone is said to have magic circuits. The problem is getting them to function. I'm sure I can make something for that."

Maria walked up to Satoshi with only a few feet of distance between one another. "What do you think Satoshi? Wanna become a magician?" Maria asked sweetly. She extended a hand offering a shake to seal this union of two souls. The bracelet and ring on the hand still glowed dully with prana ready to strike him if he declined. Of course she neglected to tell him that she would just have to wipe his memory if he chose to go back to living his normal mundane life.

[Issunboushi]

// Five Years Ago - Einzbern Castle, Outer Forest; Outskirts, Fuyuki//

Satoshi caught sight of Maria's displeased look, and he could only watch as she twisted her hand, dismissively. Of course, he believed that she was going to use the fire to attack him, and he shut his eyes tightly and waited for the horrible burning sensation to entangle him in the patten of the whip-like cord which had so elegantly arced in the air around him. However, after a brief increase in the feeling of heat in the air - akin to when one rides certain amusement park rides and oil-fueled fire erupts in perfectly safe displays of power - the heat and light subsided. He opened his eyes in response, tentatively, as if afraid to look upon Maria. He had returned from the adrenaline-fueled, snarky young man to the shy and scared snarky young man, whom said nothing to scold Maria at her actions...she had clearly done that just to scare him, and even he could see that. In short, Satoshi Inoue knew if the magus Mariele von Einzbern had wanted to burn him just now, she would have done so with ease.

So, he remained standing straight up, only slightly more relaxed. The implications of her gesture were clear: she was still a young woman with a temper, and apparently had no problem intimidating him if it allowed her to show her power over him. She wanted him to realize that his life had been in her hands, and that if she desired he would have a snake-like burn searing into his skin, likely catching fire in a brutal display of magecraft. That lesson she desired to teach him sunk in like a rock into a pond, and he kept his mouth shut as she appraised him, this time. His eyes conveyed only respect and fear, awe and attentiveness. These were likely the only emotions she wanted him to display for her almost trollish manipulation of him that would follow.

"Well Satoshi, I am certainly sorry to have caused you so much trouble. Maria told him, her voice sounding sincere and apologetic, if only for an instant. She egotistically swept a lock of her hair to one side, as if to allow herself to focus more on him. She seemed to have a habit of playing with her hair, or at least brushing it put of her way. "Tonight must have been very fearsome for someone who knows nothing of the magical world, yet exciting as if a whole new world were opened up before you where aspects thought only to be fiction became reality."

"Yeah, I feel like a regular Harry Potter, mixed with a little bit of Hunger Games with some Jurassic Park thrown in, honestly."

No.

He didn't reply like that, just now. He was too scared to do so. But, he thought it if nothing else. His mind was the only place he could clearly express himself without fear of that fire returning, and he was not blind; he could almost clearly see the magical aura still resonating within her previously subtle pieces of personal jewelry. He knew if he did say something akin to what he was thinking, about how he felt victimized by this woman, she might try and scare him again. Actually, Satoshi knew such a remark wouldn't get him killed. It was slowly sinking in: the idolized, quiet genius of his class who would sometimes skip school...She's nothing more than a magical bully. He concluded, correctly.

"Unfortunately code says that the world of magic must be kept secret. One must avoid exposure at all costs. I could ask you to keep this all a secret..." Maria trailed off briefly, and this time, Satoshi realized she was watching him for some sort of reaction. He didn't tense up, and he didn't brace himself to flee or tackle her, like he had done earlier. Now, he just listened, refusing to offer this scientist the pointless feeling of satisfaction she apparently desired, his gentle, brown-eyed gaze upon her as she continued. "But, how can one keep a secret their whole lives? The most efficient way would be to cover this up. Silence all witnesses."

She stated such a thing too simply for him to accept. He had realized she was being serious earlier, when she had spoken of "Many trying, many failing" in regards to entering her castle. He had no doubt that Maria Einzbern had killed magus before, that much was clear. But being a human whom had been so effortlessly subdued by her, he was in no position to lecture her just now. He had assessed one thing from her, from experience: Mariele von Einzbern rarely spoke without a purpose, and even her words now were laced with intent. As for what kind of intent they were laced with...well, Satoshi decided hearing her out was the best way to find out.

"Or~," Maria continued, her voice playfully upscaling and lowering. He didn't know why. He really didn't. But for some reason, that playful voice coming from her in this situation made him want to deck her. She looked like she could take a punch. I can take you under my wing and introduce you to the world of magus~ It'll be a rough process if you have absolutely no magus lineage, but everyone is said to have magic circuits. The problem is getting them to function. I'm sure I can make something for that."

She began talking about magic as if it were an art that any human could learn. Is [i]that why she believed he could have been a skilled magus despite his refusal to demonstrate magic? He didn't grasp the "concept," yet, but reminiscent of the metro in Kyoto, he could see the light of a subway train making the turn along a distant, dark tunnel. Because of the length of the turns in a subway train designed to allow for traversing across a city, the bright, front light of the train could often be seen from the platform before the train pulled alongside the platform and came to a stop. In a sense, he was already grasping the concept of magic to this degree: he understood the very basics of "magic circuits" just by hearing the words. What he did not realize was that his family knew of magic...just, long ago...but that was another story.

"What do you think Satoshi? Wanna become a magician?"

A simple question. A simple question that required a simple answer. He wasn't blind; truly he was unaware of how easy it would be for her to erase his memories and send him back to the town somewhere to be discovered...but her implication was clear, whether she was telling the truth or not: his primary decision potential was twofold. He could agree to become a magus and learn the ways of magic. Or, he could refuse and perhaps "be silenced" as she had said earlier. So, though he didn't realize that she was cruelly hiding information from him and essentially was blackmailing him out of either personal or professional interest in him, he had two decisions.

Is...she serious? He thought to himself, briefly. Satoshi wasn't a genius, even in a mundane sense comparitive to how Maria was a genius in both magic and science. However, he was quick on his mental feet and very analytical; he was piecing together his situation in his head relatively quickly for a human with no relationship to magus. So...I can become her apprentice, and agree to learn magic...or I can die? I'm not sure if she's serious, but...I don't know...she doesn't seem intent on harming me. She's being practical. She wants me to say yes, that much is clear. I can always escape later, and see the consequences of refusal then. For now, though...with no visible harm in it...

"I accept your offer." Satoshi concluded, aloud, not an ounce of doubt clear in his voice. "I will give being a magician my best shot. If you truly have used magic to create all of these enchantments...to perform the miracles I've seen here today...then I want to know more." He told her, truthfully. He reached out tentatively, not realizing that Alice's eyes were still upon them. He slipped his hand into Maria's own, and shook her hand now, looking up into her admittedly lovely eyes. "Please take care of me, then...sensei." He said, his voice solemn and serious, despite the small smile on his lips...a smile of kindness and shy sincerity.

[Mariele von Einzbern]

// Five Years Ago - Einzbern Castle, Outer Forest; Outskirts, Fuyuki//

While her eyes and mouth played the part perfectly her mind slumped with a disappointed demeanor. She could easily tell that aside from the lethal magecraft this boy feared her no more than a common shrubbery. He allowed no realizations to appear on his face or any sneaky plans began to take form. He simply listened to her every word as if absorbing it for the sake of gaining information. Satoshi was strong-willed for a mundane.

However, that didn't stop him from bringing himself to his feet. A few seconds of silence told her he was considering the decision. Either to decline it or accept it. She feared that he might call her on her bluff or maybe he would boldly decline. He seemed the type to fight until his last breath not surrender or back down. Her nervousness even began to manifest as sweat as she awaited his decision. Her face never changed from that sweet yet sinister smile.

"I accept your offer. I will give being a magician my best shot. If you truly have used magic to create all of these enchantments...to perform the miracles I've seen here today...then I want to know more." Her heart leaped. Her point to the offering was three-fold. The first being sheer convenience. She didn't approve of killing any random person off the streets for any purpose. Memory altering magecraft would have worked, but she would be required to keep tabs on him. It was easier to induct him into her world and keep a close eye on him. If he showed any aptitude then he would be surely welcomed. The second was she had always wanted to have an assistant or apprentice. Alice learned far too quickly and chose to focus on magecraft that she had no interest in. Someone who could work in the same field as her could bring her efforts to fruition when he reached her heights. The last reason was he didn't seem like a bad guy. His mental fortitude would be an asset, and his physical fitness was something often lacked in the world of magecraft. Plus he wasn't exactly ugly.

"Please take care of me, then...sensei." Her heart fluttered to hear someone call her sensei. A bright smile appeared on her face as she pulled him in close while their hands were still united and gave him a swift hug. It lasted only a second as she released him and gave a few bounds toward Alice. She could see a small sour expression on her face.

"Wonderful wonderful wonderful" Maria said in English, breaking away from the Japanese that was spoken thus far tonight. She turned to Satoshi with another playful grin. "Let us celebrate this accomplishment with a beverage in the cafe. Think about what kind of tea or coffee you would like Assistant. We shall go over the details to your internship there~" With that she ushered Satoshi over as she walked him through the house to the cafe. Perhaps the boy wondered what he may have gotten himself into from that moment forward.

[End]

[Sponsored content]