Chapter 3: The Beginning (3)

The night that was lit only by the moonlight, and the suffocating sense of tension that hung in the air. The streets of Bucharest, right here and now, became a battlefield between two servants.

And yet, in this battle, one side gained a great advantage.

- I'd be extremely glad if you didn't attack me right now. - The black-clad servant's face was reflected in a slight smirk.

- Let go of my mother! - The assassin cried out in anger.

- Mom? - he said in surprise. - So you're her mom?

I turned my gaze to the woman standing beside me. She was seductive, a face that would turn any man's head. And yet now a sweat was rolling down her face, I wondered why that was...

- Y-yes. - She answered nervously.

- You're not a magician, are you?

- Why do you think so? - She asked in a confused voice. The servant's lips in front of her, blurred into a smile.

- You see... If you were a mage. She wouldn't have to feed on people's hearts. But you can't give her the right amount of energy, because you have no magical circuits.

Those corpses in the building were heartless for a reason. Most likely, she needs them to get her own energy. Since her master is not a mage, she cannot provide her servant with energy.

That leaves one option, a servant can feed on the souls and hearts of people... but the problem is how long he can do it. He's not going to say in the middle of a battle, "Wait, I need to feed. ". And the other servants will be waiting for him, so...

- I want you an assassin to make a contract with me.

- We don't want to, we already have a mom.

It's no use... if the master can't provide the energy, then the servant can't reveal his true power. Consequently, such a servant has no chance of winning. So why doesn't she want to make a contract with me?

We stared into each other's eyes, neither of us looking away. I could see that she was ready to attack me at any moment. The only thing holding her back from doing so was the fact that I was holding a sword blade to her master's throat. And yet...

- Don't you understand? You will not win the war for the Grail, you will not be able to fulfill your wish. - The servant's voice became serious, with no hint of amusement in it anymore.

- We? What don't we understand? We're not sure. But, my mother and I will surely get the Grail! - Her words were insane, and at the same time filled with rage.

- Ha-ha-ha, all right, to hell with you. - He burst out laughing and let go of his sword, raising his gaze to the sky.

"Sigh."

It looks like this plan won't work, we'll have to let them go. It's a pity, she's so strong. It would have been nice to have such a strong servant under her.

As soon as the sword blade was removed from her neck, the woman ran toward the assassin. When she reached her, she stopped and embraced her.

- I'm sorry, Mommy, we lost..." the girl said with tears in her eyes.

- That's okay, we'll get it next time. Don't worry. - the woman consoled her.

They behaved as a mother and daughter would behave. At first glance, you wouldn't even know they were master and servant.

- Mommy, we'd like to eat your food again. - With an innocent and pure smile the girl said.

- Sure... as soon as we get home...!

The beautiful and bottomless night sky was instantly covered with the scarlet color of blood. There was a moment of silence that seemed to last for hours. The girl's gaze was fixed on her mother's head, which rose high into the sky and rolled toward her. There was a mixture of shock and sadness in her eyes.

She picked up her mother's head and hugged her, at the same moment tears streamed from her eyes.

- M-mommy... Mommy! Mommy! Don't die, please don't leave me!

The street was filled with cries of pain and loss. And only one man, dressed in all black, stood beside the dead body. The sword in his hands was covered in scarlet blood that dripped down his sword to the ground. Only his cold golden eyes reflected in the moonlight.

- We... WE KILL YOU! - The assassin shouted at the top of his lungs. In an instant, the entire street... no, everything within a 10-meter perimeter was engulfed in fog. The fog was so thick that not even the light from the lampposts could be seen.

- So this is her noble phantasm..." The servant in black lost sight of the assassin. She seemed to fade into the mist, her bloodlust and the energy the servants exuded vanished.

For the first time in their battle, the servant in black began to fear. He was well aware of the need to be wary of noble phantasms.

- Our name, Jack the Ripper. - her childish voice was heard, but it was impossible to trace which side it came from.

The clanking sounds of knives clashing with swords was all that could be heard.

Because of the fog, absolutely nothing could be heard that would reveal Jack's location.

In the fog, a white-haired girl was running around the servant in black. She kept throwing knives at him until she stopped behind him. Slightly crouching, she began...

- Hell begins. We are the flames. We are the rain. We are the power.

"Maria the Ripper! "

Through the fog, covered in black miasmas, the assassin ran toward the servant in black. Both her knives glowed scarlet in the mist.

At great speed she chopped the servant in front of her... Rather, it should have happened that way, if at the last moment. The servant in front of her didn't dodge, suffering a deep cut in the chest area.

- Still managed to hit...-who knew her phantasm reduced your dexterity.

Jack the Ripper's noble phantasm could not manifest itself fully. All the conditions necessary for its full power were not fulfilled. Namely... he was a man.

Jack has fallen to the ground, she has expended too much energy. And soon she will begin to disappear from this world.

- Assassin, make a contract with me, I have no desire to kill you. - Sitting down in front of her spoke, the servant in black.

- You... Killed our mother... for what?

- Yes, I killed her, there was no other way to make a contract with you. She's dead now, that's all. So stop being stubborn.

- Why? I don't understand. Every minute I have less and less time to conclude a contract.

- Why did I kill that woman? It's simple, you see, I have a wish... For the fulfillment of which I would kill anyone and use anything.

The servant's words before her were filled with determination, and her eyes burned with a conviction of her faith that was on the verge of madness.

And yet he seemed somehow wrong, as if he had been different from the beginning. Because there was an aura of calm coming from him, and his eyes, which seemed to be on the verge of madness, exuded purity.

"Sigh."

- Do you want to die? - The servant said in a soothing voice.

- No... We don't want to die.

- So why are you lying down? Why don't you get up? Do you want to die again in this dark and cold place...

The voice of the servant in black sounded quiet, but so that he could be heard.

- I will give you the warmth you seek, I will give you the love you so desire.

Her eyes filled with disbelief... just what she didn't believe, that I would grant her wish or that I knew what she wanted.

- So if you don't want to die in this dank place reeking of blood, make a contract with me.

Every word spoken captivated the assassin's mind. He killed her master, and now he wants to save her? She didn't understand him, not even normal people would.

Could he even be trusted? The pressure that came from him was pure hatred. He created an indescribable sense of contradiction, one that reflected both love and hate. It made one feel a sense of fear in one's heart.

But, fear of death... That cold, agonizing death, in the street, she did not want more than anything else...

- If you agree to be my servant, then...

- "Swear your allegiance to me,

- And my life will become your sword,

- If you follow the call of the Great Grail and its laws,

- Listen to me and obey me,

- Will you trust me with your destiny? "

The spells were filled with magic, and a large amount of energy gathered around the black-haired man. And it didn't take long for the assassin to respond.

- As a servant of the Assassin class, we accept you as our master.

A great deal of energy flowed into Jack's body, and she regained her form. And also her wounds healed, reflecting on her face a clean, childlike smile.

- I'm glad you accepted the contract.

- Yes, Mom, we're happy too.

- Mom? Me?

- That's right, who else could be a mom.

- Hmm...I don't like that, why don't you call me Dad?

- No. No, I do. - Pouting her lips, Jack said. - By the way, what's your mother's name?

- That's right, I didn't even introduce myself. My name is... Ciel.