Fate: Edmund

Edmund left the city with Rin, without a clear plan of what to do next.

The Holy Grail War had not yet concluded, and he couldn't leave Japan until he was certain everything had been decided. With that uncertainty in mind, he made the simplest decision: to return to the hotel where he was staying.

The journey back was quiet. Rin, exhausted from the excitement and tension of the night, fell asleep in the seat beside him. Edmund watched her for a moment, wondering if he had truly done the right thing by taking her with him. But those doubts were irrelevant now.

What was done, was done.

When they arrived at the hotel, Edmund carefully carried her in his arms and took her to his room. Gently, he laid her on the bed, making sure she was well tucked in. The girl barely stirred, lost in a deep sleep.

Edmund let out a sigh. "Rest well, Rin. A long road awaits you."

He stepped away from the bed and, with a casual gesture, walked over to his desk. He turned on the screen connected to the various cameras he had placed in strategic locations around Fuyuki.

He watched for a few minutes, analyzing what was happening in the city.

Not much had occurred in his absence. However, two events caught his attention.

The first was at the Einzbern castle. Thanks to a familiar he had left near the castle as a precaution, Edmund could see what was happening inside the fortress. A large number of Assassins had invaded the castle, attacking from the shadows with a coordinated strategy.

Saber fought fiercely, defending Irisviel with her sword shrouded in Invisible Air. The bodies of the Assassins fell one after another, but their overwhelming numbers made the defense an exhausting task.

Edmund watched with interest, wondering how long Saber could hold out against an enemy that could simply keep sending copies of itself.

The second event, however, was far more intriguing.

"Oh... this is definitely worth watching."

In another part of the city, Rider and his master Waver Velvet were locked in a fierce battle against Lancer and Kayneth Archibald.

Edmund clicked his tongue with a smile as he saw Kayneth adopt a haughty stance, his arms behind his back and his gaze filled with arrogance. His mystic code, Volumen Hydrargyrum, was already in full use.

"So you brought out your mystic code right from the start, Kayneth..."

He adjusted his seat and crossed his legs as he watched the battle on the screen.

Waver and Kayneth stood face to face, the tension palpable in the air. The young mage stood frozen, feeling the overwhelming presence of his former professor. Kayneth, on the other hand, wore an expression of absolute disdain. His mystic code, Volumen Hydrargyrum, floated beside him in its base form: a silver sphere that reflected the moonlight.

"Waver Velvet..." Kayneth spoke his name with a scornful tone, raising an eyebrow.

"I can't believe you dared to join the Holy Grail War. A rat like you doesn't deserve this honor."

Waver swallowed hard, his hands trembling slightly, but he tried to maintain his composure.

"I'm not the same student you ignored at the Clock Tower. I'm here to prove my worth."

Kayneth let out a dry laugh. "Worth? Don't make me laugh. A mage doesn't become great through mere wishes. You're either born with talent or you're not."

Waver clenched his fists, but before he could respond, Kayneth snapped his fingers, and his silver sphere expanded, transforming into a metallic fluid that began to dance around him with elegant yet threatening movements.

"I'm going to show you what the true power of a mage means."

Meanwhile, farther away from the Masters, Rider and Lancer were also locked in their own battle. Hector twirled his spear with impressive ease, his movements relaxed but lethal.

"Ah, boy, I must admit I like your spirit. You're not one to give up easily."

Perseus smiled, wiping a scratch on his cheek. "I could say the same about you. Though, to be honest, I expected a bit more strength."

Hector let out a hearty laugh. "Don't be so impatient. I'm still warming up."

The two Servants clashed once more, their weapons gleaming under the moonlight, while in another part of the forest, Kayneth began his "lesson" on superiority to Waver.

The echoes of the battle reverberated through the forest, the clash of magic against magic illuminating the surroundings with flashes of silver and blue. Waver breathed heavily, feeling his prana flow at a speed he had never experienced before. His body vibrated with energy, his magic circuits reinforced by the ampoule he had injected.

In front of him, Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi stood tall, his expression one of absolute confidence. Volumen Hydrargyrum danced around him like a living being, ready to defend and attack at any moment.

"Well, well..." Kayneth murmured, watching him with a critical eye.

"This is unexpected."

Waver, sweat dripping down his forehead, didn't respond. Instead, he raised a hand and conjured a compressed gust of wind that sliced through the air toward his former professor.

Unfazed, Kayneth raised a finger, and his liquid mercury rose to form a shield, dispersing the attack as if it were nothing more than a gentle breeze.

"Do you have more to offer, Velvet?" he asked with an arrogant smile.

"I admit, I'm surprised. Your magic circuits shouldn't be this efficient. Something has changed in you..."

Waver couldn't afford to hesitate. He clenched his teeth and cast another spell, channeling his prana with precision. A series of lightning bolts crackled in the air before surging forcefully toward Kayneth.

Volumen Hydrargyrum reacted immediately, rising as a barrier that absorbed the electrical energy. The impact made the surface of the mercury vibrate, but it failed to penetrate.

Kayneth narrowed his eyes.

"Interesting... Not only are you casting spells faster, but the amount of prana you're handling has increased exponentially. That's impossible. The number of magic circuits one is born with is immutable... and you were nothing more than a third-rate mage."

Waver didn't respond. His body burned from the intense use of magic, but he couldn't stop.

"If you won't tell me what you did, then I'll find out on my own," Kayneth declared.

With a wave of his hand, Volumen Hydrargyrum expanded and launched several hardened mercury spears toward Waver. The young man reacted on instinct, leaping to the side and conjuring a burst of wind to deflect them.

One of the spears tore through his coat but didn't manage to pierce his skin.

Waver gasped and extended both hands, focusing his prana into a series of magical circles around him. If he wanted a chance, he had to keep attacking relentlessly.

"Hah!" he exclaimed as he unleashed a barrage of compressed air projectiles.

Kayneth raised his defense once more, but for the first time, his expression turned serious.

"Hmph… so you've truly improved. But you're still no match for me."

With a snap of his fingers, Volumen Hydrargyrum changed shape, transforming into a dome that completely surrounded Waver. The young mage felt a chill as he realized he was trapped.

"And now…" Kayneth smiled with superiority.

"It's time you learned your place."

The liquid mercury closed in on him like a deadly trap.

The air inside the mercury dome grew denser by the second. Waver felt the pressure closing in on him, his breathing becoming labored, and cold sweat running down his back.

Kayneth watched from outside with a condescending smile, enjoying the panic reflected in his former student's eyes.

"Did you really think you could stand against me, Velvet?" Kayneth mocked.

"How disappointing. It hasn't even been a minute since you were trapped. This just proves you're still a mediocre mage."

Waver clenched his teeth, trying to find a solution. Volumen Hydrargyrum was impenetrable, its structure adapting to any attack, breaking it down before it could cause harm. But he couldn't give up. Not after coming this far. Not after everything Rider had told him.

It was then, amidst the pressure and fear, that Waver heard a sound. Heavy breathing. Unsteady footsteps.

Kayneth turned first, and his smile vanished completely. Rider had arrived.

Perseus, with the Kibisis sack in one hand and multiple wounds across his body, walked slowly until he stopped near a tree. His armor was torn in several places, his face marked with cuts. And yet, his expression remained the same: calm, confident, as if none of this truly mattered.

Kayneth felt a shiver run through his body. For a moment, he thought his Servant, Lancer, had been defeated, but he dismissed the idea immediately. His contract with Hector hadn't been broken. So, where was he?

Before he could formulate a strategy, Rider spoke in a firm voice.

"I won't interfere in this battle. This is my Master's trial. If he can't escape that prison on his own..." He paused, leaning against the tree trunk with a faint smile.

"Then it means he never had the courage to move forward."

Waver felt his heart sink. He wanted to open his mouth, to ask for help, to scream his Servant's name. But the words died in his throat. Because he understood.

If he couldn't overcome this on his own, then he never should have made the decision to enter the Holy Grail War.

He clenched his fists, feeling the flow of prana within him. His body was still functioning thanks to the ampoule he had used before the fight. His magic circuits, temporarily reinforced, allowed him to access spells that had once been completely out of his reach. And it was in that moment that he knew exactly what he had to do.

He closed his eyes and visualized the structure of Volumen Hydrargyrum. He knew the mercury reacted with absolute precision to direct attacks, but what if he attacked it in a way Kayneth couldn't anticipate? He smiled with a confidence he had never felt before.

"I'm not giving up..." Waver murmured.

Kayneth frowned as he noticed something inside the dome beginning to change. A vortex of wind emerged out of nowhere, spiraling around Waver. A high-speed spell that increased the air pressure around him, causing a drastic shift in the internal temperature.

Volumen Hydrargyrum reacted immediately, adjusting its structure to adapt to the new pressure. However, that was exactly Waver's trap.

Taking advantage of the slight opening created by the mercury's oscillation, Waver channeled his prana into a single point and released a burst of compressed fire. The combination of the pressure change and extreme temperature altered the mercury's structure for a fraction of a second—just long enough for Waver to slip out of the trap.

By the time Kayneth realized it, it was too late.

Waver, breathing heavily, shot out of the dome and rolled across the ground, catching his breath. He pushed himself up onto one knee and looked up at his former professor. Kayneth stared at him with disdain, though for the first time, there was also a spark of surprise in his eyes.

"How...?" Kayneth began to say, but his voice trailed off as he saw the determination on his former student's face.

Waver said nothing. He simply stood up and raised his hand, ready to counterattack.

Kayneth clicked his tongue in frustration. He had no intention of letting a mere student humiliate him like this. With a wave of his hand, Volumen Hydrargyrum shifted shape, rising once more to attack.

The battle between teacher and student was far from over.