Story 15 The One Above The Heavens Chapter 4

Sella had sat me down at the head of a large table and bowed to me with her down as she asked me to patiently wait while she retrieved her mistress from her bedroom.

But even as I waited for Illya to be retrieved from her bedroom I could feel Herakles's presence hanging over my form like a guillotine aimed to decapitate me as quick as possible to save his beloved daughter figure Illya.

And I carefully ignored his presence and attitude as I knew his state of madness was a result of his form summoned into his Berserker class. So I just sat at the end of the table for a moment before getting bored and I reached into my spatial bag and took out the smaller furnace I created along with the low/mortal grade materials I gathered up as I explored the surrounding city.

"You know Herakles." I spoke softly. "I wish I could talk to you honestly. You are such a hero to young men around the world, even to myself when I grew up... Hell you are known as the god of strength for a reason in a lot of Greek Cults." I mused aloud and the presence thickened before a slight shimmering noise rang out.

A heavy steaming breathing form stood out from behind me with their form coming out of their spiritual cloak of taking on their spirit form rather than a physical one. I didn't bother to look at Herakles beyond taking a glance out of my eye as the massive ten foot tall man took loud padding steps to the side of me and bent down to stare at the cauldron I took out.

"Herakles, I am not your enemy," I said bluntly. And I finally looked at him as I ignited the spiritual flames under the cauldron atop the massive dining room table.

His glowing red eyes filled with the bloodlust of his madness met mine. And in the depths of his eyes beyond the madness, I saw the protective rage in his eyes. The rage of a father protecting their child and going above and beyond their very existence to provide and protect that child of theirs.

The paternal love in his eyes... Was beautiful to me.

I continued with my voice calm and slow. "I ask that you entrust Illya to my care." 

A powerful snort was my answer as he glared down at me with steam gushing out from his nose as he instantly denied my statement and request and to that I simply said. "Illya is supposed to die after this war Herakles. She will be turned into the Grail as is her purpose as a homunculus... I offer to take her in as my subject instead allowing her to live a full life." 

My words were simple, they were blunt, and even in Herakles's madness, he could understand my words and their meaning.

The giant of a man stared at me and I saw the red glow of madness in his eyes dim ever so slightly as he slowly nodded before his head violently twitched as the madness clouded his mind again and his form disappeared as he took on his spiritual form leading the room to silence as I continued my work.

I took some materials, first taking out some Cinnabar, along with some lava rocks which were put into the covered fires that turned the mundane flames a golden tone with yang flames as I heard the door to the room carefully open up. 

Silently three forms walk in. And I knew there were Illyasviel von Einzbern, Sella, and the last maid in Leysritt but I continued working my alchemy as I put some small strips of lead and mercury into the slurry I was making.

"Illyasviel von Einzbern." I spoke naming the fairy-like little munchkin who came closer to inspect what I was doing.

"Whatcha doing? Is this... Alchemy?" She asked curiously and I smiled as I knew this was the right move.

As Illya looked closer I spoke about what I was doing. "Gold is the element of the heavens, it is the concrete element of human desire, ambition, and the sign of reaching the heavens. In order to truly create gold with alchemy you need what Illya?" I asked gently.

I could feel Illya's eyes stare at me with confusion as she spoke more carefully. "Uhhh, Lord Yuhuang Yudi... I cannot answer that, no one without a Philosopher Stone can turn lesser elements into gold?" 

I smiled as I looked at Illya to the side and said gently. "And you are wrong Illyasviel. Without a divine authority being invoked as well as being bereft of a philosopher stone, what you must do is combine all five of the main elements together and form them harmonically with Earth being refined into Heaven leaving the gold behind." 

And I waved my hands as I poured a great deal of magical power into the cauldron making it glow with a golden light as well as making the three girls stagger at the weight of my power pushing them down like being under augmented gravity even though I wasn't trying to pressure them at all.

It was just the natural fact that leaking enough magical might to rip someone's soul from the underworld was what was needed to combine all the lesser Elements of Earth to form the core material of the five Heavenly materials in natural if not spiritually enhanced gold that would be beyond valuable.

With a flex of my will I cojured some water making some steam as the gold bar I forced into forming slowly floated into the air before I gently laid it on the table between me and Illya. And as Illya looked between me and the gold bar I spoke as to the purpose I was here.

"Illyasviel von Einzbern, I want you to become my disciple in alchemy, I want you to join my imperial court as I begin my rule of Japan! In accepting my proposal I will remove the grail from your body, enhance your body allowing you to live beyond a mortal lifespan, and of course I will help you either support Berserker or we can work to incarnate him in a living body with his madness enhancement removed." 

I met the young adult woman's eyes that were stuck in a child's body as she met mine solemnly as she didn't play at being childish or anything. She eventually took a long breath and spoke with clear hesitation. "I... Am honestly lost truth be told. I don't know how to answer." 

I remained silent allowing her to think as she was obviously was going through some stuff while I looked over at her maids. "You two, Sella and Leysritt. Tell your little mistress to say yes, I want a cute little disciple... Until I fix her anyway haha!" I joked slightly making the maids look at one another unaware of what to say for a moment.

Finally, Sella responded slowly and with obvious 'confusion' as she responded woodenly. "Lady Illyasviel... You should agree perhaps?" 

I couldn't help a chuckle at how utterly awkward she sounded but Leysritt had the real point of things as her voice came out in her typical tired bored drawl. "You want to protect Illya and have her work for you?" She asked simply and I nodded.

In turn, she hummed looking at me with her red eyes that all three homunculus shared before she said bluntly. "Lady Illyasviel, you should agree... I don't want you to die." She finished simply but there was a hint of deeper emotion in her voice that made the smaller Illya flinch at her voice.

'Ah the love of an older sister figure.' So I looked to Illya who took a breath as she stood up and then she bowed her head to me. "Lord Yuhuang Yudi, please treat me well then." Illya spoke as she stood up and bowed her head to me slightly and I smiled and her whole body froze.

As my hand gently landed on her hand now Illya's head her silver hair threaded through my hands as she looked up at me in confusion as I patted her head. "Just call me Jake if you want. My given name is Yuhuang Yudi and if we are in a super formal event... Just call me master as you are my disciple and are above everyone else besides myself." I spoke gently and dotingly.

There was a shy smile that crossed her face that was barely hidden by her trying to look serious. And that cute expression of trying to hide her smile... 'Too precious... Must protect!' I then stood up with a hum as I spoke. "Normally there would be a great ceremony for a Campione and an Emperor like myself to take you as my own Disciple. To say nothing of the gift you would receive as my disciple... But I will instead have your gift be, future great power, a beyond human lifespan, and lastly the protection of a man who has slain a god." I finished as I stood over Illyasviel.

I made a humming noise before shrugging and saying. "Alright, pack up. You all are following me, I took over the Matou mansion and made my workshop there, and that's where Illya will have the grail removed from her." I spoke looking away from Illya to her maids who nodded in acquiescence.

The two maids in Sella and Leysritt bowed their heads regally and in perfect unison they lifted their long skirts with their hands in a salute as they stepped away from behind their mistress with Sella speaking. "Very well. Mistress, while you keep Lord Yuhuang Yudi occupied we will collect your belongings and put them in the van." 

Both of the maids quickly made their way away leaving me in the room with Illya and she twitched a bit a being left alone in the room with me and I hummed as a thought struck me. "Hmm, has the main Einzbern family heard of my declaration of the state of the Grail War yet?" I asked.

Illya's face went still and then a wry smile crossed her face as she spoke in a truly amused tone. "Yes... They are not at all happy, and they even were inquiring as to having Lord Sasha Vobann come and deal with you, as they are under his yoke in the eastern fringes of Europe." 

I snorted at the thought of Vobann actually listening to the Einzberns. It was far more likely for him to simply kill the Einzberns themselves and turn them all into his undead army rather than leave his haunt when I hadn't truly proven myself to be worthy of his hunt yet.

Either way... I dislike the thought of some magus family so fallen as to having lost their True Magic think they could attempt to play me to death.

"One second Illya." I said as I pulled out my cellphone and dialed the number for Amakusa the man who was my connection to the Japanese version of the Mages Association.

-

Amakasu Touma was sitting in yet another meeting in front of the emissaries of the four main families of Japan who were trying to get an understanding of the Campione who had landed upon their shores and had decided to take over it. And truth be told, he was rather exhausted as all the factions and families had kept him up throughout the night without any sleep as they demanded to know what the new Campione was like

"Amakusa you said the Campione was rather young. Is it possible that he decided to take over Japan rather than going back to America... Because he is a foreign Otaku and is obsessed with anime or something?" The Sayanomiya emissary asked and Touma gave the supposedly intelligent man a deep glare as he was about to kick them out of his office so he could curl up under his desk for a nap.

But then his phone blared out in alarm making his sleepy form jolt awake! As he had set that fog horn-like alarm to be the alarm for the Campione's phone alarm!

"What?" The Seishuuin spoke with her voice carrying some surprise as Touma held up a hand to silence them making all three of the emissaries of three of the four noble families glare at him for being so rude, but Amakusa had only one thing to say to shut them up.

"He is calling."

All three paled and went silent not daring to even to encourage him to answer quicker as Amakusa carefully waited for the third ringing before answering with a respectable. "Lord Yuhuang Yudi how may I be of service?" 

And silently Amakusa put a finger to his lips as he put the Campione on the speakerphone. [Good day to you as well Amakusa Touma... In any case, I called due to an unfortunate event.]

Unbidden Amakusa swallowed as he shivered in place as he thought. 'Oh dear gods... Did someone attempt to steal something of his? Did someone attack a loved one? Did we lose all of Fuyuki to his rampage???'

But the new Campione continued with his voice taking on a flat cold edge to it. ["The Einzbern Mages family that participates in the Grail War here in Fuyuki. They are considering taking steps to force me and my sibling Vobann into conflict due to my interference with the grail war... I kinda like Fuyuki and it would be terrible if it got wiped off the face of the earth should two Campione be forced to fight for a European mage family wouldn't you agree?"] 

Amakusa carefully opened his mouth as he spoke with deference in his voice. "Lord Yuhuang Yudi, what do you advise? Or what have you called me for if I may ask?"

While internally he was screaming and hoping that this Campione wasn't calling to ask him to evacuate the city or something. Or worse just to give him the warning that Vobann would be there within a couple of minutes.

But instead, Yuhuang Yudi's voice retained that cold edge as he spoke in an imperial tone to the room. ["The Einzbern family is to be censored immediately from Japan, remove their people and assets in any way you see fit besides my new disciple Illyasviel Von Einzbern along with her castle here in Fuyuki. And then I want a notice put out. For anyone who breaks into the Einzbern family and makes off with their library and the Das Rheingold which is to be provided to me through you guys in the committee. I will supply a couple of special pills with each pill giving the person who takes an additional natural lifespan of twenty-five years as a reward to the person who does it and your organization gets one for handling this."]

The long message was thankfully being recorded as Amakusa was well aware that everyone in the History Compilation Committee was going to want to review this phone call for literal weeks to try to sus out personality traits from the Campione before they dared to approach the obviously more imperial and regal Campione. Who for some odd reason had some kind of fetish for actually being some kind of king or emperor, rather than being a murder hobo like his other siblings.

Amakusa after a moment to absorb the information responded. "If that is your wish, then the History Compilation Committee will put out the information as you have ordered. Is there anything else you desire my lord?" He asked with respect.

There was a pause before Amakusa heard a younger feminine voice in the background though he couldn't really understand the voice. But regardless Jake continued with his voice lightening much to his appreciation. ["No. That will be all Amakusa."]

A loud click rang out as the Campione hung up the phone and Amakusa shuddered with relief as did the other emissaries as this Campione wasn't like the others at all!

Almost all the other Campiones, should the Einzberns try to play them off one another would just wipe out the family directly with other mage families and organizations going out of their way to capture and deliver any surviving members of the offending family to the Campione to get into their good graces. Would this less direct method of such action actually pan out well in this Campione's favor? 

They didn't know.

But they certainly weren't going to tell the person who slayed the god who defeated China's Luo Hao no to his very reasonable order.

But then the last emissary who belonged to the Kuhoutsuka family broke the silence. "Who will get that divine pill that will extend their lifespan within the History Compilation Committee? The old elders will push to have it snatched for themselves to say nothing of our families wanting to try to study it." 

The room went silent as they realized something. Just because the Campione seemed fair and regal... The casual gifts of a true king were something mortals like them wouldn't be able to easily hold and manage.

-

Erica Blandelli was sitting with a fake smile but it was colored by the teasingly almost sadistic joy that someone else was in an even worse position. As sitting across from her was the previous 'Second Owner' or previous ruler of this city in the Tohsaka heir who was a couple of years younger than her just squirming in place.

As one of the premier figures of myth in Medusa stood above them with her arms folded under her prodigious chest that didn't at all make her feel insecure. "Uhm is there any word as to when Lord Yudi will be back?" Erica asked to break the tense silence as she threw one leg over the other.

Medusa looked over at her and Erica couldn't help but wonder how she could see with that face plate covering up her cursed eyes of petrification. But regardless the beautiful woman spoke with her voice coming out in a husky whisper. "The Emperor is busy settling accounts with the Einzberns. And will likely be dealing with the issues with the Holy Grail for the rest of the day." 

But as though in contrast to Medusa's words the door to the drawing room the three women were sitting in were opened as two more entered.

One with her hood up over her head and the younger Matou heir who was already being noted as having... Some entanglement with the new Campione.

"Ah, who is the new guest?" The hooded one asked and Erica elegantly stood up to introduce herself.

"My name is Erica Blandellie, the Great Knight and Vice Leader of the Copper Black Cross, one of the premier European mage organizations!" She announced while wondering who the hooded figure was.

And as though to answer her, the hooded figure actually giggled and said. "Hoh... So you have come to throw yourself at the new Campione's feet to gain his support?"

Erica's elegant smile became slightly brittle as she coughed and said somewhat awkwardly. "I don't think such a meeting should be described in such a crass way. But in the end yes, my organization desires his support and protection as our heritage as the heirs of a previous Campione is leading our rivals to target us."

Sakura who took a seat across from Tohsaka and Erica made a noise of thought before saying aloud. "And how will you form such a partnership?" But before Sakura and Medea could continue they stilled as a weighty presence fell upon their forms as they realized that their very Campione had already arrived back home.

"Trouble is afoot in the city, I can already feel it." They heard him speaking as he came into the room and as the Campione Jake Barriss, or Yuhuang Yudi strode in with... A little albino girl following him while holding onto his arm?

-

Illya being the little scamp she was. Had decided to hold my arm against herself as we walked into the room holding everyone else and seeing my throne obviously unoccupied I made my way over there while giving everyone a cursory look.

Although my eyes rested on the new face. A new face I very much recognized... I didn't let it distract me as I sat down in my throne and gave Illya a gentle push and a soft but stern look to for her to go sit down. "Now," I spoke out looking at the assembled people. "I have collected that which I desire and spent the day toiling around to make sure there aren't any issues but I can feel in my very bones something is inside the city that should not be here... So, guest." I spoke looking at Erica Blandellie

Who I easily recognized with her shocking blond hair, and beautiful features that matched her from the anime I saw her within so many years ago. "Now tell me what you brought into my city." I spoke slowly and darkly as I could feel it.

I could feel my Campione blood stirring at the feeling of divinity staring me in the face and all but spitting in my direction.

Erica went pale and I could see her mind whirling to understand before her face went even paler as she spoke carefully. "My lord... May I give you my suitcase?" She asked while looking over to an ornate suitcase that was beside her.

Wordlessly I sent a flying sword that gently pulled it towards me making Erica flinch as the blade zipped past her but I paid her no mind as the feeling of divinity came closer and after a moment in which I pulled open the bag I froze at the sight before me.

"Well well well... Fate works in mysterious ways." I spoke softly as I put on a glove that would isolate myself from the stone plaque that I picked up. "The Prometheus Grimoire... With the ability to temporarily steal a divine authority, it can even be used by a human at the expense of their own lives to use the authority to possibly kill a Heretic God allowing them to be reborn as a Campione..."

I looked at the pale Erica and snorted. "No, I don't think you meant to give this to me. I highly doubt your mages association would give this to me as there is already an authority within it."

I gently placed the Grimoire to my side on a side table as I rested my fist on my chin as I was well aware of what really happened. "This is a challenge from who truly gave it to you... I can't decide if they are just foolish or just prideful to think that even if I am a newborn Campione that they needed actually to give me a handicap." 

Medea threw in helpfully. "Never assume a god is anything alike to a human in their sanity... And who is to say this Heretic God wasn't driven even further insane by his ascent to the mortal world?" 

I could only nod to her wise words before I looked back to Erica Blandelli and I spoke fairly. "You were used as a tool my guest, I will not blame you for that. Now besides this... Notice of challenge, officially what do you desire of me, and what do I get in return?" 

Erica visibly took a breath to soothe her nerves and she stood up from her chair to walk over to stand in front of me as I stood in my raised throne and she began her speech as she laid a hand over her breast. "Lord Yuhuang Yudi, I Erica Blandelli, the heiress of the Copper Black Cross have come to see if the Copper Black Cross can be become your mages association." 

There was a moment as I stared into Erica's eyes to see her determination and seeing the iron will inside those eyes I instead said my counterpoint. "No. I will not be beholden to a mages association." I started as I leaned back and then continued with my voice stern. "I am becoming the Emperor of Japan... In the end, I am going to be a true ruler, if the Copper Black Cross wishes to fall under my aegis and join my holdings they are more than welcome to do so. But I will not see your group as an equal in a partnership." I finished.