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birdhouseblog23 · 11 months

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Fate Grand Order/Void Memories Chapter 3

Time to Post Chapter 3 of Void Memories! Currently in the final stages of writer's block, but I'm getting my groove in writing back to finish another blog post I'm working on by the end of the weekend. Here is a link to Chapter 2:

BlueBird on Tumblr

Grab some snacks and lemon water, enjoy the read!

Chapter 3

Existence

February 19th, 2018

Location: Singularity F, Apartment Complex

Outside the entrance to the apartment complex, Vlad, Arturia Alter Santa, and Elizabeth Caster walk up to the opening of the building, leaving destroyed skeleton warrior bones in their wake. One skeleton warrior tries to reach their hand up, but Santa Alter smashes the skeleton with the weight of her Christmas sack. She sits on the sack crossing her legs with a blank expression.

A slight fog appears underneath their feet, with ghostly apparitions circling around their legs. Elizabeth conjures with a wave of her trident a jack-o-lantern to scare away the spirits as they disappear into the trees and bushes.

Elizabeth Caster: Ick~! These ghastly ghosts are everywhere. To think the singularity would have been restored already. We wouldn't see so many spirits around here!

Arturia Alter Santa: The aftereffect of the grail leaves a lingering mana spill in the area. It attracts anything unholy, from phantoms, poltergeists, and the undead. These grunts were drawn to the energy.

Vlad: And wasted our time. We need to get to the eighth floor to help Mashu and Sora.

Vlad said, sticking his lance at the skull of the skeleton warrior twitching. Santa Alter gets up from her sack, whistling from her fingers. A light in the sky twinkles with the summon of a sleigh with five reindeer pulling it along to reach their owner. Santa Alter and Vlad jump on the sleigh, the reindeer riding the sleigh up to the 8th floor. Elizabeth follows along, summoning her own means of transportation with a jack-o-lantern enlarging its size for her to jump on its head, riding up with her team to the 8th floor.

As the heroic spirits ride up the top, a loud rumble shakes the apartment building uncontrollably. Santa Alter peered her eyes as she held the sleigh's leash, seeing the rumbled building. She commands her sleigh to go closer to the 8th-floor outside hallway until a loud explosion destroys a large chunk of the wall where room 809 is located. Santa Alter whips the leashes commanding the reindeer to move away from the blast. Elizabeth Caster holds her hat spiraling around on top of her jack-o-lantern, holding on to dear life not to fall. Finally, the jack-o-lantern steadies itself, floating to the sleigh quickly with a sad expression on its face.

Elizabeth Caster: What in the heck was that explosion?!

Vlad: It came from the room! Do you see master and the others?!

The smoke engulfs the area. Mashu held Sora on her back, holding up her shield defensively. Shiki holds up her knife, glaring at the ghost silhouette as it reaches its giant head, eyes bloody in tears. It screams in agony, shaking the area around it with intense vigor.

Elizabeth Caster: What the f-!!

A few moments ago, inside room 809..

Mashu blocks the attack of the poltergeist with one punch. She takes her shield, dishing the hand away, jumps up on its arm, running to the spine to get to her master. Three giant hands appear to grab her, but a sudden swift of Shiki's knife cuts off its fingers, making Mashu run faster, avoiding the hands. She jumps down, reaching for Sora, taken hostage by the spinal cord holding her. The poltergeist turns its last two hands into blades blocking Mashu's path to block her. Mashu takes her shield, pushing down with its weight, and takes a breakthrough only to get snatched by another hand, throwing her away to the side. Shiki sneaks under the poltergeist to cut the spinal cord, only to be blocked by the bladed limbs, which push her farther away from the entrance.

Mashu: Shiki! Bounce off!!

Mashu yells, placing her shield in a slanted position. Shiki nods quickly, maneuvering her body to land on Mashu's shield. Stomping her foot down, Mashu, with the momentum of her shield, uses its force to push Shiki upward to the ceiling. Spinning her knife, Shiki stabs the roof dashing along, aiming for the poltergeist's top head. The poltergeist notices Shiki souring on the ceiling aiming for its head. The poltergeist looks up, screaming at Shiki's face with a volumetric impact crashing her into the wall. Mashu grabs Shiki to soften her fall as they both land down the shield, bracing effect. Mashu looks up, anger in her eyes, seeing the poltergeist holding Sora close to it, wailing in the room.

The poltergeist sticks both its 3rd and 4th hand in the wall craves, taking out a skeleton of its victims wrapped in wires enveloped with a dark aura. It absorbs the skeletons in its fingers, fixing its fingers in the shape of finger talons.

Shiki: Tch. Figured as much. The wires are keeping me from seeing its actual lifeline. The cables of anything connected that isn't alive renders my mystic eyes unaffected.

Mashu: So, we must destroy the walls to incapacitate the poltergeist! Finding its weakness to gain the upper hand!

Shiki gets up, rubbing her neck, cracking it in place from the tension.

Shiki: We destroy the wires. The deeper we find the lifeline connection attaching the spirit to the room, the easier it is to save Sora.

Mashu gets up, now determined more than ever, looking at Sora. Sora's skin is getting paler, wrapped around the ghost's spinal cord, keeping her away from her allies.

Mashu: Sora-Senpai! If you can still hear me, just wait a little longer! We're coming to save you!

Both Shiki and Mashu run together, yelling at the poltergeist. The poltergeist screams back, readying its arms to attack.

In the dream realm..

The ghost lady caresses Sora's dark hair, gently humming the tune of her melody. The ghost gentleman sat silently, listening to his partner's humming, lying on her shoulder. Sora's eyes open with a glazed look. The pain in her head still numbed her. A lock of hair falls on her face; the ghost lady pushes the lock of hair away, continuing to hum. Sora's hand twitches with some consciousness, and she is starting to regain herself.

Ghost Lady: It'll be okay. You are one of us now. You shall be one with us.

Ghost Gentlemen: Your pain is our pain. Our pain shall give you eternal salvation.

The ghost lady tilts her head, petting Sora's hair more gently, holding her close.

Ghost Lady: Yes. Our Eternal Nirvana. Just for us.

Sora: 'Eternal..Nirvana. Salvation.'

Sora's eyes begin to blur in vision, sinking in and out of her consciousness. Another whisper echoes in the monochrome apartment, startling Sora with her body twitching. Finally, a strange creature appears in her vision at the doorway, looking at her.

Sora: 'What is that?'

Her vision becomes much more apparent when the creature speaks in the distance of the room.

???: Are you giving up?

Sora: 'H-Huh?'

???: They're fighting out there for you. Trying to save you.

Sora: W-who?

???: Your friends. The shield girl and the girl of mystic eyes. They are waiting for you to wake up.

Sora squints her eyes, trying to think. She closes them for a moment to try and remember the shield girl the creature mentions. A vivid image of Mashu pops into her head.

Sora: Mashu!

???: And the girl with mystic eyes, Shiki, is waiting for you. Now get up.

Sora: Tch!

Sora tries moving her body slightly, but the ghost lady grabs the back of her head. It looks down at Sora growing a pair of demonic eyes red as blood, staring at her intensely.

Ghost Lady: What are you doing? You must rest.

Sora struggles to escape the ghost lady's grip from behind her head. The ghost lady holds the back of her head tightly.

The gentlemen's ghost grew a pair of demonic eyes reaching for Sora's face. Sora kicks the gentlemen's ghost. Then, the strange creature jumps on the ghost lady scratching with one slice to her face leaving the ghost lady to yell in agony. Sora pushes the ghost lady off her. She runs to the strange creature figure or creature in front of her. The ghost gentleman catches up only to have his arm sliced, backing it away. Sora turns, seeing the figure. It was a woman in a white kimono holding a sword in her hand. She turns to face Sora with a small smile looking like Ryogi Shiki.

Sora: Shiki? No! Your Void Shiki!!

Void Shiki: Hmp. Glad to see I wasn't too late.

The ghost gentlemen go groans in pain, regrowing his arm slowly. He turns his head hearing the moans of his partner moaning in pain. The gentlemen's ghost rushes to his partner, holding her close and touching her scar. She turns to Sora and void Shiki screaming at them with rage.

The ghost lady raises her hand, and a swarm of iron-clad skeletons appears from the walls and floors. The bones rattled their wake holding weapons of dual knives and arrows, launching their attack. Void Shiki makes quick cuts, mowing them down as the room becomes a white void reality collapsing on itself.

Sora dodges the attack of the skeletons. Keeping her distance away from getting behind Shiki.

Sora: Anyway, for me to get out of this crap fest of a dream?!

Void Shiki: I do. Here take this!

Shiki gives Sora a blue ribbon. The ribbon extends, becoming a straight line showing an endless strip.

Void Shiki: It's your way out and your key to killing this creature! Now hurry before they get you! I'll cover you as you run!

Sora nods.

Sora: Thank you! Be safe!

Sora quickly dashes away with the blue ribbon running down the path leading her to the outside. Void Shiki covers her taking swift ease with her sword-blocking efforts with each position. Each swipe sends the skeletons flying, crumbling from Shiki attacks. Sora keeps running, not looking back; however, the ghost couple catches up, dashing in the air at breakneck speed to get her. A creeping aura runs up her spine, sending Sora's adrenaline to go faster.

At the end of the endless Void, the white light extends to her, the blue ribbon shrinking to the door. She rushes to the door, only to trip a little.

Sora: Damn!

The ghost couple inched closer to Sora, about to grab her from the hoodie.

Sora: No! NO!

The ghost couple reaches and extends about to touch her hoodie. Until Shiki appears, cutting their hands.

Void Shiki: Don't even try it.

Void Shiki uses her sword to swing at the ghost couple with enough force to back them away. Sora regains her stepping running in the white light, blinding her, entering the real world waking up.

Eyes fluttering open, hearing nothing but battle cries and ear-piercing screaming. Sora wakes up shaking her head, seeing Mashu and Shiki fighting off against the poltergeist with everything they must save their friend. Sora shakes her body to get the spinal cord grip off the creature but to no avail as the spinal cord grabs tighter, holding her still to get her from stopping moving. Sora looks down at her hand, noticing she has a blue wire in her hand. She follows the trail to an open crack in the wall. She looks back quickly, shouting to her friends.

Sora: Mashu!! Shiki!!

Mashu blocks a wave attack but notices a familiar voice from the room. She looks up, seeing Sora struggling to release herself from the grip of the poltergeist and yelling at her group.

Mashu: Sora-Senpai! Shiki, she's okay!

Shiki: Good! I'll cover. You sneak and get Sora out there!

Mashu: Right!

Mashu grips the handle of her shield, dashing to the other side of the poltergeist bashing their hands to pieces to get to her senpai in time. Shiki dashes along with the movement of the poltergeist hands, their bladed hands crushing the ground beneath, sending shock waves, but Shiki dodges to block the blades with enough force to run up their arms. Then, she dashes up to the face of the creature, scratching its face with a slice of Shiki blade, dragging it down, creating a long-broken gap in its between its eye.

809 Poltergeist: AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!! AHHHH AHHH!!!!!

The 809 poltergeist screams, swatting frantically. Now distracted from the Shiki offense, Mashu rushes to the spinal cord cutting it with her shield and letting go of Sora as Mashu captures her senpai, landing across the room where the blue wire crevasse is cracked open on the wall. The poltergeist continues to scream savagely, swinging its arms and attacking frantically at Shiki holding her ground, dodging and slicing the enemy's hand.

Mashu pants and breaths before going to Sora, holding her close.

Mashu: Sora, are you okay?!

Sora: I-I'm fine.. We need to get out of here. And I think this might be our way out. Mind keeping a cover for me? *holds up the blue wire. *

Mashu: *smiles* Right!

Mashu backs away as Sora pulls out her chalk case taking out red chalk. She draws a sigil on the wall as the chalk disintegrates in Sora's hand, leaving red dust on the floor. She backs away, lifting her hand with her glowing command seal.

Sora: Mystic code: Momentary Reinforcement!

A red aura glowed on Mashu boosting her attack power. Mashu bashes in the wall as hard as she can, revealing the wall's interior. The inside of the wall is full of skeletons wrapped in telephone wires with pulsating flesh beating with every rhythm. The flesh oozes out a skeleton as it is wrapped tightly in the wire. Disgusted, Sora grabs the red chalk dust from the floor. She whispers a chant in her hand, her command seal glowing with a pulse; she blows the dust sparking a fire in the wall and setting the flesh ablaze.

The poltergeist screams in agony, turning around and witnessing Sora burning its weak spot.

809 Poltergeist: NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

The 809 poltergeist reaches for Sora, lunging her to the side as she hits the wall knocking her out.

Mashu: SENPAI!!

Distracted by Sora being injured, the ghost smashes its two hands on Mashu, but she blocks it only to be greeted by another hand punching her on the side, making mash fly on the side, separated from her shield. She rushes up to run to her shield, dodging the hand attacking her and quickly escaping to her master. She reaches Sora but is struck by the ghost after defending herself with her shield.

Mashu: Tch..!!

Shiki rushes over to the side, crotching in a cat-like position looking at mashu in the distance defending her and Sora from the attack.

Shiki: Mashu!!

Mashu: Shiki! The wall! Its weakness is in the wall!!

Shiki turns to the side, finding an open wall still on fire from the red chalk dust. In an instant, Shiki eyes death perception sees red lines through the flesh of the wall. The multiple-colored veins enshrouding the layers of the room glow around the Shiki. She smirks, readying herself fast and running to the wall at breakneck speed, activating her noble phantasm.

Shiki: You're all the same. If it's a vessel of evil or an apparition from the depths of darkness. I will kill it!

In a flash, Shiki disappears. A slash of light cuts the red lines breaking all the lines in half. All the glowing lifelines around the room break away, tearing themselves apart.

Shiki: Your time in this world is over. See you in hell.

The poltergeist freezes before enthralling itself in agonizing pain. Its lean body breaks down from incredible pain, phasing in and out of existence. The skeletons forming its body began to cripple down piece by piece, its bladed skeletal hands breaking to pieces. It tries absorbing the skeleton's body only to break down more as it screams in pain.

Mashu: Senpai can you stand?!

Sora: I-It hurts.. I-I think it dislocated my arm.

Mashu picks Sora up on her back, and she runs to Shiki to check on her to see if she needs help.

Suddenly a groan is heard in the distance. Shiki and mashu quickly turned around, seeing the broken poltergeist still trying to reach for Sora. It's six arms now, two. Its skull broke apart, and teeth jiggered, bleeding from its mouth and hollow eyes. It screams at them in retaliation, not going down without a fight.

809 Ghost: GIVVVVVEEE!! HEEEEERRRR!! BBBAAAAAAACCCCKKKKK!!

The poltergeist rushes at them, stumbling as it moves with its two hands as support to run at Mashu and Shiki. Mashu and Shiki wasted no time running to the door, bashing it down. The poltergeist screams, shooting out a blast of phantasmal energy at the two exploding the entire wall and leaving a large explosion outside with smoke everywhere. Shiki looks over to the ledge of the now open broken.

Shiki: We got to jump!!

809 Ghost: AAAUUGHHHH!!! AAGHHH!!!!

The poltergeist plunged at them after them. Mashu blocks again from the poltergeist, trying to bite Sora from mashu back as they fall. This causes Sora to lose her grip as she flies away from the force of gravity-free falling. The apparition screeches into the night, holding on to the ledges of the outside hallway.

Mashu: Sora-Senpai!

Shiki: Damn it!

In quick haste, Santa alter appears, catching Sora with her sleigh. Vlad catches her from her fall. Elizabeth soars with her flying pumpkin summoning two more jack-o-lanterns to see Shiki and Mashu successfully in time from their fall. The poltergeist roars in anger dashing to the sleigh after being pierced by a barrage of bloody lances appearing in the walls, stringing it down from moving.

The poltergeist moves out from the bloody lances, but Vlad throws his lance at its hands to reach near the sleigh. At the sleigh, Sora is laid on the sleigh with Vlad as salter rides off to avoid the howling phantasmal blast from the poltergeist.

Sora: You came.. I thought it didn't work.

Arturia Alter Santa: Hmp. Do you doubt your mage craft? How thoughtless you are, master. You are lucky we came in the nick of time.

Arturia Alter Santa gets up, swinging her Excalibur on her shoulder and staring down at the poltergeist, setting itself free and rushing to Mashu, Shiki, and Elizabeth. Elizabeth Caster looks at the dashing poltergeist lunging at them. The three jack-o-lanterns dodge.

Elizabeth Caster: You got some nerve! Take this!!

Elizabeth summons a giant jack-o-lantern as it lands on the poltergeist screaming at it. The fire engulfs the ground around it setting the spirit ablaze. Mashu and Shiki jump off the pumpkins staring at the apparition, a blaze by the fire.

Setting her sleigh at the top of the building, Arturia Alter Santa stands on the sleigh in a familiar sword stance, yelling out to Elizabeth.

Arturia Alter Santa: Caster! Now!

Elizabeth winks.

Elizabeth Caster: Time for the big finale! *Swings her trident around in a cutesy fashion* Pumpkin buster spice!

Arturia Alter breathes in as she dives off the sleigh holding her Excalibur as it glows crimson red, buffed by Elizabeth's magic ability. Vlad shouts, warning Mashu and Shiki from below.

Vlad: You two move out of the way now!!

Mashu: Huh?!

Mashu looks up, warned by Vlad to see Santa alter activating her noble phantasm.

Heeding Vlad's warning, both servants moved out of the way of the crash zone. The burned apparition weakly looks up to see Santa alter, activating her noble phantasm. Shots of crimson light shine on the sword as she turns with a great-force swing.

Arturia Alter Santa: Excalibur… MORRGGGAAANNN!!

A beam of crimson light shoots at the poltergeist, engulfing the creature in flames of energy. The creature's bones disintegrated in the beam of light, finally vanquishing the apparition from this world.

Santa Alter lands on her feet, sticking her holy sword on the ground, taking a deep sigh of relief. She wipes her head, now relaxed from the threat being terminated. Elizabeth lays on her floating jack-o-lantern smiling at Santa alter.

Elizabeth Caster: Nice job. I will admit. Your finale was a firework show for the ages.

Arturia Santa Alter: *smirks, crossing her arms* You weren't wrong yourself. Your support for a drama queen with high standards helps me enough for the final blow. So, thanks, I guess.

Elizabeth blushes from the compliment giggling to herself. Santa alters looks at Mashu, helping shiki up from the force of the attack.

Santa Salter: Quite the skirmish you guys got here. Did we miss a party or something?

Elizabeth Caster: What?! A party?! You guys never told me it would be a mission and a party!

Arturia alters Elizabeth's cheeks from her comment leaving a red mark on her face.

The sleigh lands on the ground. Vlad gets out of the sleigh, looking at Elizabeth and Arturia alter arguing again. He groans, helping Sora out of the sleigh carefully.

Vlad: I swear those two will never change.

Sora nervously laughs at the commotion of the two servants arguing about probably nothing.

Sora: Heh. You could say that.. ugh.

Sora holds her arm from the pain still dislocated.

Sora: Ughh.. my arm is killing me.

Everyone walks over to Sora and Vlad at the sleigh to check on them while Arturia alters and Elizabeth are arguing while walking to meet with their master.

Shiki: Glad you're okay. How's the arm?

Sora: Still dislocated.

Shiki: Oh, I can help with that.

Shiki walks over to Sora, holding her dislocated arm carefully.

Shiki: What's your favorite animal.

Sora: Shiki, you don't have to use that tactic. I'm a big girl; I can take it.

Shiki: Oh. Okay. *Rejoints Sora's arm back in place*

Sora: Ouch, ahh!!

Sora whines in pain, holding her left arm, moving it enough for it to shake a bit of the pain away. She whimpers under her breath, knowing she can't take the pain.

Shiki: You good?

Sora: *whimpers* Would I be lying saying yes?

Vlad: *shakes his head* At least it wasn't cut off. That right there is a worst-case scenario.

Sora: Why would that be the case??!

Mashu: Senpai!

Mashu jumps in joy, hugging Sora tightly, not wanting to let go. Sora patting on mashu back to leave some breathing room.

Sora: M-Mash! M-My arm! Arm!

Mashu: O-Oh! Sorry about that! *Let's go of Sora* It's.. I'm relieved you are okay.

Sora: *Smiles weakly* I-It's okay. Thank you. You and Shiki both risked it all to get me out.

Sora turns to Vlad, Arturia Alter, and Elizabeth, smiling weakly.

Sora: You three deserve praise too. I thought that damn ghost blocked my reception to summon one of you.

Arturia Alter Santa: Your thanks will be rewarded in this year's Christmas gift-giving. The Doctor was the one freaking out when you guys disappeared from the monitors. He was like a chicken with no head.

Vlad: More like a cat trying to swim out of the water with his constant screeching. It wasn't long before we heard the explosion from the 8th floor. We had to rush into action to find the whole monster chasing you three.

Arturia Alter Santa: Excalibur Morgan did its job. The power of Christmas prevails yet again.

Arturia alters said with a fist of gusto, happy to know she prevailed in the battle. Elizabeth floats over, fluttering her eyes at her master, also wanting praise for hard work.

Elizabeth Caster: My power of sheer willpower boosted your Christmas with some Halloween magic~! I would like some praise, deerlet, if you don't mind~?

Sora: Cool, Elizabeth, thanks.

Elizabeth pokes Sora's cheeks, then turns around, huffing angrily.

Elizabeth Caster: That sounds so half-baked! Say it like you mean it, deerlet!

Everyone smirks at Elizabeth's response with tiny giggles on the side. Things look normal for now.

Until Shiki eyes of death perception activate again. She turns around, catching the attention of the group. They all look in awe to see the two ghosts of the gentlemen and the lady holding each other, sitting on the ground.

Shiki: This thing is still alive?!

All the servants band together, ready to fight. Sora looking at the couple, her face warned out from the action tonight, takes a long deep sigh of disbelief. She walks toward the couple, slowly pushing her hair back behind her ear. Vlad walks up, stopping Sora with his hand on her shoulder, halting her in her tracks.

Vlad: Master, what are you doing?!

Sora: Relax. Just stand behind me for backup. If they do anything weird, you know what to do.

Vlad leaves a sign of worry staring at Sora. Vlad does not want her to get hurt again. However, Sora knows something that he doesn't. He takes his hand off his master's shoulder, trusting her words.

Vlad: …Very Well.

Sora nods to Vlad as she walks to the ghost couple, looking at the couple with a somber look.

Ghost Lady: We… we want your pain.. we want to heal.

Ghost Gentlemen: We can't live… without salvation.. we want.. to live.

Sora: Is that what you tell those entering the room? I doubt that. Is that why you choose me?

Ghost Lady: We.. sensed your pain. A pain.. unhealed by tragedy.

Sora winced. She grips her hand.

Sora: My tragedy is not to be used for you indulgent. You only needed me to feed that sick joke on your part.

Ghost Gentlemen: We.. needed you. We needed to heal you.

Ghost wife: We.. are lost without your pain.

Sora: …

Sora stands in silence. The ghost couple reaches out to her handing her the photo from the bedroom. Sora snatched the picture looking at the couple in the image. It was a woman with curly brown short hair wearing a long sun dress. Standing beside her is a man with black hair slick back with shaved edges on the side, wearing a dark red buttoned-up shirt. Both are smiling warmly, radiating a sense of peace.

Ghost Couple: We'll free you from pain. Save us. Save each other, and we shall all enter eternal peace.

The ghost couple said in unison, reaching their hands out to Sora, trying to latch on to her. Their ghostly smile is shown on their faces.

A sad expression formed on Sora's face but now formed in anger. The words of both apparitions only make her more upset. More tired of hearing their voices. For that, she rips the picture in front of them. The ghost couple is shocked by Sora's action, leaving them speechless. Sora tosses the torn picture in the wind.

Sora: I bet you say that to everyone once they believe your lies, huh? I'm sorry to tell you this, but; you will have to suffer. With or without me, you will only hurt my friends. You will hurt anyone to feed your indulgence for false salvation.

Ghost couple: …

The ghost couple shed small tears. The words of a soul who denies their so-called 'salvation' has brought them great shame. Their wails of sorrow howls in the night, fading from existence, disintegrated in the wind, leaving planted yellow flowers sprouting from the ground.

As their talk ends, the heroic spirits see their master standing where the flowers bloom.

Mashu: They're gone.

Shiki: Their salvation is neighed inconclusive either in heaven or hell, or the wandering Void of purgatory.

Elizabeth Caster: Ahh.. what a depressing ending. At least, like all encore performances, they left us a parting gift for the other side.

Vlad: Roses alone won't change anything. They are curse being only wanting chaos. If we left them to go any further, they would've consumed the apartment or, worse, this singularity.

Arturia Alter Santa: What done is done. They are gone now. The less trouble, the better.

Sora: …

Sora walks to the ray shift point, taking out her communication device with her scowl, walking past her allies, not looking at them.

Mashu: Master Sora?

Sora: We're leaving. Romani, start the ray shifting, please.

Romani: Of course! Glad to see everyone is safe! Everyone get on standby!

Two Days Later..

On top of the apartment building rooftop, Sora opens the door and enters the rooftop looking at the view of the city's lights, holding a bouquet of chamomile flowers. She stands a few feet from the ledge in silence, looking at the lights flickering in the distance beyond the unknown city.

Behind her, Void Shiki appears silently, stepping in, holding her unsheathed sword in hand, gazing at Sora.

Void Shiki: Good to see you again. Master of Chaldea.

Sora turns to see Void Shiki holding the flowers close to her. Void Shiki walks up to her by her side.

Sora: Oh, I'm sorry. Am I intruding on your space?

Void Shiki: Not at all. It's nice to see someone enjoying the view of the city. It gives me a sense of calmness with a tad bit of nostalgia.

Sora: I see. I just wanted to look at the city lights again before the singularity disappeared. As you said, it brings forth some nostalgia for me. I missed the modern city lights.

Void Shiki looks down at the flowers.

Sora: Hm. The flowers. Are they to say farewell to the singularity?

Sora: …Something like that.

Sora places the chamomile flowers near the edge of the roof gently. Then, she closed her eyes and prayed to mumble to herself.

Void Shiki: … Oh, I see now. After all, you've been through. You pity the spirits trying to kill you. It seems this pity is accounted for a more personal vendetta.

Sora: I am not pitying a monster. I merely pray to those who need rest in the next world.

Void Shiki: Does that include spirits who are close to you?

Images flash to Sora's mind with the picture of the couple smiling. Another photo, a mere memory, shows the couple standing near a lake as the sun sets, staring at it with peaceful bliss. Finally, the woman turns around, smiling brightly and waving at someone. The man turns, also smiling, with a cheeky smile beckoning the person to come over.

As the vision ends, Sora bites her lip, frowning. Then, finally, she can only stretch her arms.

Sora: Speaking of spirits, you said you had some information on the apparition, as promised.

Void Shiki: Hmp. Very impatient with the details. After some interviews with the local ghost and servants, your suspicions were correct.

It wasn't just a ghost, but a poltergeist posing as the room itself. It uses its power to trap its victims in the room, digging into their darkest memories to mentally damage them. I have encountered these spirits multiple times, surveying my territory, but the one you discussed is the more dangerous.

Sora: Quite dangerous indeed. If what you said is true, it was a miracle for my group to eliminate it before it harmed anyone else in the apartment.

Void Shiki: The room is an entity that feeds on the residence. It was only making a last-ditch effort to stop you from purifying the complex, choosing you as an easy target.

Sora: Well, damn, that doesn't help me at all. It makes me sound dead in the water from the start.

Void Shiki: Hey could be worst. At least you are alive.

Sora: You could say that. Even if.. never mind.

Void Shiki stares at Sora, wondering what she is about to say. Sora yawns, covering her mouth and putting her hands in her coat pocket.

Sora: *yawns* We should get going. It's almost midnight.

Void Shiki: I shall assist you back to the ray shift exit.

Sora: Thank you….Hey, Ms. Void Shiki?

Void Shiki: Yes, Master of Chaldea?

Sora: You know you can call me Sora, right?

Void Shiki: Is that so?

Sora: Yeah.

Void Shiki: I would, but it wouldn't feel right.

Sora: What do you mean by that?

Void Shiki: Well, is Sora truly the name you wish me to call you?

Sora pauses for a moment looking at her bewildered. Void Shiki stands there with a soft smile that makes Sora uneasy. She scratched her head.

Void Shiki: When the time is right, you will have the courage to tell me your True Name. Yet, you willing to not bloom

Sora: Wh..What? Why?

Void Shiki: Why what?

Sora: Why would you want the name of someone who doesn't exist anymore?

Void Shiki places her finger on her cheek, thinking. Then, she looks at Sora with another of her calming smiles.

Void Shiki: Because unlike your demi-servant friend Mashu, she is blooming more than ever. She is growing and understanding the world and humans. She is beginning to change. You, on the other hand, have yet to awaken. You saw the truth of your pain inside room 809. That alone is part of your journey to understand yourself.

Sora: …

Sora stays silent. Void Shiki pets her head.

Void Shiki: You'll figure it out one day. Chaldea and Mashu. They are your key to helping you. So don't give up.

Sora: … Will we ever meet again.

Void Shiki walks past Sora gracefully. The moonlight beaming on the rooftop radiates Shiki's posture with her figure.

Void Shiki: Maybe. Maybe not. I am but a phantom wandering the city. An agent from beyond the veil of life and death. If we should ever meet again, I assure you our fate will intertwine at a crossroads. Until then, when you are ready to tell me your proper name, fulfill your duty for the future of humanity.

Void Shiki and Sora walked together. An anxious sora walks a few feet away, thinking from Void Shiki's word of advice. As they leave, a shadowy figure stands near the flowers on the rooftop's ledge, looking at Sora and void Shiki walking to the exit.

You

You have woken up.

But yet.. you still refuse.

To remember.

Sora quickly turns around, seeing nothing there. A shiver went down her spine. So she has heard the voice thoroughly while not still knowing who the voice is; she is all too familiar with the voice of darkness quaking at her feet.

Void Shiki: Did the ghost give you a final farewell?

Void Shiki said, staring at the flower petals blown off the chamomile flowers. Sora nods her head no.

Sora: No. Probably the wind.

Shaken by the voice, Sora walks to the door with Void Shiki. The chamomile flower petals fly in the wind into the dead of night.

#fategrand order #fate series #gacha salt #mashu kyrielight #Vlad apocrypha #Void Shiki #elizabeth bathory #saber alter #ryougi shiki #kara no kyoukai

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