For Hopes and Dreams

(The thread is open, if you're interested, feel free to hop in. Setting is leaning towards Fate but can be adapted as needed.)


Normally when one performs a Summoning it is to call upon the power of a Familiar. It's pretty difficult to make a mistake that would result in creating an entity other than a Familiar -- even a Servant is still within that category. Merely a much higher class than normal. For most, the sheer magical energy needed to conjure a Servant is far too much. That is why you need a Holy Grail, or a Leyline to perform the deed.

Magi are familiar with all of this. But there are other ways to perform Summoning... Especially with the collection of an excessive amount of power. That was more or less the situation that Chaldea had encountered; namely a Pseudo-Singularity in which Humanity was on it's last legs, and the very concept of "Hope" seemed to be lost.

The Holy Grail that founded such a Singularity had found it's way into unlikely hands, and of that chance encounter came an unusual entity. Like a Servant, and yet very unlike one. It formed into a young girl that had an incredible amount of magical power -- or perhaps she had been drawn from another world?

Either way. As far as the classification of her power, "Alter Ego" was the terminology they went with. A personification of "Emotions, Wishes, and various aspects belonging to others."

She called herself Vaneera, and though she didn't form a contract with the Master of Chaldea, they still gained a valuable ally. One that continued to offer her skills even when the crisis of the Lostbelts was at hand.

But the battle regarding Humanity's History was set aside for at least one day. They were all given a valuable opportunity to rest at Novum Chaldea, or the Wandering Sea, whichever you preferred to call it.

The pale red-haired girl was currently located in the all but vacant mess hall. She takes a sip of freshly brewed tea, and lets out a small sigh.

"Humans are pretty amazing... Especially that Master everyone keeps talking about. I can't imagine the kind of burden they're always having to shoulder, with each Lostbelt we face..."

Her mind began to wander. What was that Master up to now? She was so lost in her thoughts, in fact, that she wasn't really expecting anyone to show up...

”Aaaaah”

”Aaaaah”

The endings of a song were heard, returned as if echo by something deeper in the cavern. A lone observed its effects and wrote them down. It was the same as usual. It was best it stayed dormant, at least until a way to tame it was found. Until then…it was far to dangerous, even for this place. It was lucky her song could placate it but…

”That’s all she can do… it’s not nearly strong enough… hmmm”



”Well  you said theirs another with your same ability right? Seeing as you both share a connection, could you not simply summon a heroic spirit in her body and use it that way, as you did with the girl I inhabit now Master?”

Said Master shook her head in denial. It was not the same, there were two many differences getting in the way. Even if she could she would not want to, it would be an insult to the one she called her rival if she did.

”I was only able to summon you that way due to that girl’s connection to the grail, and your own compatibility with her. I do not know of circumstances that could be the same for her”

”I see… well I guess that makes sense, but then how will we make this work? She’s the key to overtaking the oh so great ruler isn’t’ she? Those boorish angels certainly don’t seem eager to help, besides, the one that looks like me is… annoying”

The Master tapped her chin in thought, then sighed.

”We will simply have to find a way, won’t we Eve? I’ll find the peace were missing… and I will give her what she wanted back then, It’s the only way to save this world”

The one dubbed Eve put a hand to her chin, in deep thought, there was a clear look of guilt to her features as she spoke.

”I cannot help but think… the me of this world was responsible for all of this. This… could have happened in our world as well. I can’t help but feel responsible”

The Master remained silent for a moment, attempting to give Eve a moment to herself, when she did speak she gave a light smile, leaning down to put a hand on her Servant’s shoulder.

”I won’t justify your sin, I know that’s not what you want but…. I do not think it is what you were trying to do ether… you just…. Wanted to grow right?”

In response Eve remained silent, looking to the ground as if thinking on the answer herself.  In response the master simply continued, going on to try and help her Servant focus on something else.

”In the meantime, I want to try talking to those Angel Servant’s again, I believe we can get them to see our way of things. And if not… well, it’s quite entertaining to see your reaction”

What followed was the shorter Servant giving a huff, walking off as her master, the Cryptor called Candence followed.

Yes… they would find a way, they had to…

Yes the mess hall was perfectly quiet and peaceful...Up until a commotion slowly grew in sound outside the door to the room, growing louder and louder until the door burst open, a massive machine of unknown type entering the room before those carrying it. The ones carrying it? Several women in Chinese dresses.






What's stranger is the fact that there were several copies of each of these strange Chinese consorts, as if they had been cloned...Although a more observant eye would see they were merely "familiars" made from a magic construct. However, the one person in this group who wasn't on the same level was currently standing on top of the machine, commanding them with a booming enthusiastic voice.


Her energy signature marked her as clearly being a servant, allowing one to assume that the mob of strange consorts were her familiars. Why she was riding on top of a machine looking down on her familiars? Well that was a little less obvious...

"Go go go! C'mon ladies, put your backs into it!"

She shouted with glee before...Hitting her head on the door frame, dropping down onto her stomach as she rode atop the strange construction, rubbing her head and rolling around in pain.

"Ouchichichi...! We've gotta raise the height of these doors next..My poor head!"

Ignoring the fact that as a servant such a minor bump on the head shouldn't have even left a scratch...A small captain in a strange white cap came running in behind them, clearly quite displeased. He made his displeasure clear on a verbal level.

"What do you think you're doing?! I worked hard on building this base, you can't just go around making changes as you please. This is mutiny!"

The surely servant riding atop the machine that was being hefted by the army of concubines lounged on its surface, giving a dismissive hand wave to him.

"Relax I'm not messing anything up! I'm just adding my own upgrades! Like this baby! THE SUPER CONDUCTOR OVEN!!! It can hold feasts fit for kings, and cook those feasts in the span of 10 minutes! I made it myself!"

The captain tapped his foot impatiently.

"You mean you made it by stripping the director's office of parts."

The servant in red rolled over onto her stomach, looking down at him with a hand lazily holding up her head.

"Oh, that? He won't miss it probably. I left the office chair. Besides, I had my consorts paint the office for him as a replacement for all the parts I took!"

... Goredolf's office currently looked like a modern art exhibit with all the creative flair of one. Meanwhile the army of similar-looking concubines were struggling to heft the "oven" any further...Thankfully they had finally made it past the open seating of the mess hall and into the kitchen.

"Okay, okay careful! Set it down...There!"

Despite being familiars they were quite capable of expressing free opinions...And did so openly.

"General, why did you have to make it so big?! We've been carrying it all day now!"

The general smiled, hopping off of the oven and patting it's side, a smug grin forming in the place of that smile as she rubbed her chin with a free hand in thought.

"You see my most loyal soldiers...You can't fight a war if you can't feed an army! And an army demands efficient food production! All of my calculations pointed to needing an oven EXACTLY this size! As long as it doesn't explode we'll be A-OK!"

All of the women gathered under her command gasped in surprise and understanding, each of them conversing among one another...And somehow this simple statement completely placated them...Even worse they glossed over the "exploding" comment as if it didn't even register to them. Although it certainly might have to others.

"General, your brilliance knows no bounds!"

Their ego stroking was so pleasing to her that she failed to notice the just-installed oven catching on fire.

"Yes I AM quite brilliant aren't I? This was all within my calculations!"

The group of consorts all watched the oven setting ablaze as their "brilliant" leader stood completely unaware...Up until they gasped in shock, prompting her to wake up from her daydreaming stupor and do a double-take to the quickly failing project.

"...UUAAAAHHH!!! OVERHEAAAATTTT!!!"

There was a brief flash of white light outside the cave. Candice and Eve would be able to hear two familiar voices talking. "I'll pick you back up when you're done. Supporting your scandalous affair comes with risks, so I'm expecting you to make good on your payment, Kadmon."

“Rest easy Koysankaya, I keep my promises.”

“I certainly hope so. I wouldn't want to be you if you went back on your word." There was another flash of light. The teen voice spoke up again.

“You can wait out here for me, we didn’t come here to fight.”

“Do you have a death wish? I’m not letting you do that. Coming here alone is tempting the gods of fate. If you die outside of your lostbelt, there's no coming back.”

“All the more reason you need to keep watch. If you come in to defend me, we’ll be open to attacks from behind. The lostbelts themselves are more dangerous than us crypters. Besides, you can defend me easily if it comes down to a fight.”

“Hmph. Very well. But don’t make a habit of being reckless. If you die then everything is for naught.”

The sound of footsteps made its way towards Candice and Eve. A teen with messy black hair walked into view. He stopped, studying the two girls.



“Hello, Candice. I know this is sudden, but we need to talk. I went through grave lengths to come here, so the least you can do is hear me out. Don’t worry, I didn’t come here to fight. I just brought my servant with me to protect me from your lostbelt. Look, see, I don’t want to fight.”

Kadmon snapped his sword from his hip, bent over, and placed it on the ground. He then stood up straight, raising his hands in a gesture of good will. Kadmon was seemingly one of the more level headed members of the group. He brought forth logical discussion points during their meetings, and had taken Chaldea seriously from the beginning when most of the others thought they were done for after their initial assault. He didn’t seem the type to be malicious, but like Akuha, he kept things close to his chest. He could have come here for anything. Since crossing lostbelts was difficult for Cryptors to do, it must have been something worth risking coming out here for.