Fate/Magus Path

The journey from the capital of Wales to the Blackmore Cemetery wasn't short. It took several hours by long-distance bus, and part of the way involved a rugged mountain path that vehicles couldn't access, meaning they had to walk.

They didn't ask El-Melloi's butler for help with transportation; the two of them set off in the afternoon.

Reines had also wanted to come along, but considering that she was too young and her magecraft was still developing, Roy wasn't interested in dragging along a burden. He left her at home.

He told her, "Next time. When you've grown a bit more and become an independent magus, I'll take you on an adventure."

This made Reines a bit pouty, but she had no choice. Roy dropped her off with Sola to take care of her.

Faced with her future aunt, Reines's mischievous spirit had no chance.

After enduring the long bus ride, by the time Roy and Artoria got off, it was already night.

It was the last bus of the day, and all the other passengers had gotten off earlier, leaving only the two of them at the final stop.

The bus driver, seeing them heading into the mountain path so late, advised them to stay at a nearby rest stop for the night and continue their journey the next day, as coyotes and other wild animals were dangerous at night.

Roy didn't reject the driver's kind suggestion, but only nodded slightly, indicating that he would consider it.

However, after getting off, he led Artoria directly toward the address of the Blackmore Cemetery.

Wild animals weren't a concern for them; even if mythical creatures like chimeras, demon boars, or dragons appeared, they would just provide useful materials for him.

The place, however, was indeed difficult to find, hidden deep within the forest.

The cemetery was built in a very remote location, and even with the correct map, it was hard to find the right path.

The rugged mountain roads, strange trees, and the eerie atmosphere added many challenges to their search. Especially at night, it was hard to see clearly, which could easily make people start walking in circles in the forest.

Black crows blended into the dark sky, letting out piercing cries from the branches, their elongated shadows adding to the eerie atmosphere.

Fortunately, neither Roy nor Artoria were ordinary people. To them, the sinister scene was merely intriguing, not something to fear or worry about. Their only concern was when they would finally reach the cemetery.

Unfolding the map in his hand, Roy sent out a butterfly familiar, which flew into the sky. After a while, it returned to his palm, helping him confirm their position.

Looking at the map, he nodded slightly.

"It should be around here."

Artoria nodded in agreement. Since entering the forest, the strange feeling of mutual attraction had only grown stronger.

She could sense it. Something was nearby, and a connection was pulling them toward each other.

It was very close, almost within reach.

So, she suggested, "Let me lead the way from here."

"Sure."

Roy followed Artoria through the dense forest.

The towering trees supported not-so-thick canopies, blocking the moonlight and leaving only a patchwork of flickering shadows on the ground.

The darkness made it almost impossible to see each other's faces.

But that wasn't a problem.

With a simple raise of his hand, Roy cast a few illumination spells, and bright orbs of light floated around them like lanterns, lighting up the surrounding darkness.

"This is much better."

As they continued moving forward, they soon saw faint lights in the distance.

It was a row of lanterns hanging from posts, illuminating the area.

Not far ahead, the outline of a small, remote village came into view. This was the gravekeeper's village.

Near the cemetery, amidst slightly rolling grasslands, they could see many white tombstones. Most of them were nameless, with no surnames carved on them.

But that wasn't important.

They crossed the distance and stopped in front of a patch of grass.

In front of a newly erected tombstone, a small, hooded figure was crouched.

Even without approaching, Artoria could tell that the strange attraction came from this small figure.

"That's the… vessel?"

She couldn't help but speak, but soon realized her mistake.

"Sorry, that's a living child."

"Yes, her name is Gray. Morgan Le Fay prepared her as a vessel for King Arthur. Roy answered, looking at Artoria's troubled expression.

"Go ahead and meet her. Once you make contact and talk, all the problems will start to resolve."

"Alright."

Receiving the reply, Artoria didn't hesitate and walked toward the small figure with Roy.

They didn't hide their presence, letting their footsteps and auras be felt. The sound of their boots crunching against the earth startled the girl, who had been deeply focused on praying for the deceased.

"Who's there?"

She stood up and turned, facing the two approaching figures.

At that moment, she saw Roy and the golden figure beside him.

Her gaze froze for a moment.

Then, her expression quickly turned to fear.

She had seen Artoria's beautiful face... a face identical to her own.

It was the face of King Arthur!

"Who are you? Without Master's permission, outsiders aren't allowed here…" She mustered the courage to say.

Seeing her timid demeanor, Artoria's expression softened.

The girl looked no older than eight or nine. Although she wore a thick cloak, her features couldn't be hidden. Their eyes met, and everything was reflected in her emerald gaze.

"So similar…"

Artoria murmured to herself, wanting to reach out and touch the girl's face as memories flashed before her eyes.

She looked like her younger self.

Like Mordred.

And… Morgan Le Fay.

From the girl's face, Artoria saw the shadows of many people. She opened her mouth to say something, but in the end, she swallowed her words.

"Sorry."

Being stared at by Artoria like that, Gray felt extremely afraid. She tugged at the hood over her head and lowered her gaze, weakly saying, "Please leave, guest. This place is not open to visitors."

She pointed toward a mountain path and urged, "If you follow that path down the mountain, you'll find a nearby rest stop. Please hurry and leave! Ordinary people are not allowed here."

After saying that, she quickly turned away and darted into the depths of the forest, as if fleeing.

Being watched by Artoria had only made her more anxious.

"Wait..."

Watching Gray's fleeing figure, Artoria reached out as if to call the girl back, but hesitated. In the end, she could only watch as the girl disappeared into the distance.

The answer to everything had already become clear.

"Is it really you… sister?"

At this moment, Artoria's emotions were complicated. She stood frozen, deep in thought, wondering how she should face her sister if they were truly to meet again.

Her heart was in turmoil.

Even though Roy could sense her inner turmoil, he neither provided her with answers nor stayed by her side. Instead, he walked in another direction.

After walking for a while, he reached deeper into the forest, where a black chapel stood, its dome covered by trees.

This was the real focus.

He turned his head toward the shadows and raised his hand, summoning several blue butterflies back to him. It was thanks to these butterflies that he had successfully found this place... the secret hidden within the cemetery.

However, the other residents of this place had also discovered him.

Roy glanced slightly to the side, looking toward a direction in the shadows. Shortly after, an elderly figure slowly emerged from the night, crossing the cemetery and walking out of the forest.

His face was hard to discern, shrouded in darkness, with the scent of death hanging over him like a fog. There was no trace of life in him; this was the presence of someone long familiar with death, much like Eulyphis.

"Magus, this is not a place for you to tread."

"Go back. We gravekeepers have our own duty and will, and we don't wish to deal with the Mage's Association."

The old gravekeeper's voice was as cold as the wind, echoing in the night, filled with indifference and finality.

"The girl was right. Please, take your companion and leave this place. Don't disturb the peaceful slumber here."

As his words fell, the magical energy from the ley lines beneath his feet began to flow rapidly, and the magic circuits beneath his black robes activated, faint light emanating from them.

It was a warning.

On this sacred land, if Roy dared to act recklessly, the gravekeeper would immediately intervene to protect its peace.

This was the duty of a gravekeeper.

However...

"Interesting. You've linked the cemetery to the ley lines, connecting yourself with it, turning the entire burial ground into your magical territory. Quite the grand gesture."

"This technique surpasses the modern magical workshops by a hundredfold. Is it an ancient form of magecraft passed down from Morgan le Fay? Impressive indeed."

Roy was neither intimidated nor hurried as he faced the tense old gravekeeper. He calmly remarked,

"You said that you have something you must protect. But what is the true nature of that thing?"

"Is it the body of a king? A sacred tomb? A carefully orchestrated ritual? A return across the ages? Could it be the story of Avalon and King Arthur?"

Hearing Roy casually reveal the hidden truth, the gravekeeper's pupils contracted under his robe, and his confident, stern expression faltered.

"Who are you?! How do you know these secrets?!"

"Why? That's hard to explain. But there's no need to. You only need to answer me, yes or no."

Roy spoke leisurely, as a bounded field suddenly rose around him, trapping him in a cage. His expression remained unchanged.

"I don't know how you came to learn of these things, but please remain here for a while."

Faced with the overwhelming pressure and threat, the gravekeeper decided to strike first, using the magical territory to suppress Roy.

Caught off guard, Roy was easily confined, and the situation progressed smoothly.

But even though the gravekeeper had confirmed that Roy was indeed trapped, his expression showed no sign of relief. The unease in his heart continued to stir.

Something felt like it was about to happen.

"Sorry if I startled you, old man."

"I didn't expect that such a simple conversation would make you so nervous. That was my fault."

The old gravekeeper did not respond, and Roy didn't mind.

Next, he turned his gaze toward the bounded field surrounding him, the blue light flickering slightly in his eyes.

He stepped up to the bounded field and casually reached out to touch it.

"Fool! Don't touch it recklessly!"

The old gravekeeper was startled by Roy's reckless action and quickly warned him. The power of the bounded field wasn't a joke, and he had no intention of killing Roy.

However, Roy ignored the warning, continuing to reach out and gently touch the bounded field.

*Buzz*

A strange sound echoed.

The moment he touched the bounded field, its calm surface rippled, and blue flames ignited from the protective wall. The flames clung to Roy's hand like they were alive, trying to burn through him.

Roy recognized these flames. They were ghost fire, often seen in cemeteries or places overrun by the undead, commonly used by necromancers and summoners.

"A graveyard and ghost fire... a perfect combination." 

These flames could cause damage to the soul, and for an ordinary magus, the pain would be unbearable.

But for him, flames that ignited souls seemed laughable.

The true fire of the soul was buried deep within his spirit.

And his soul was not so easily burned.

Soon, powerful magical energy erupted from him, suppressing and dispelling the eerie flames. Roy withdrew his hand, his smile unchanged as he looked at the old gravekeeper.

"Don't worry. Flames of decay cannot ignite a reborn soul."

Witnessing this frightening display, the old gravekeeper took a few steps back, unable to calm the turmoil in his heart.

With just a simple touch, Roy had already seen through the nature of the bounded field.

He murmured, "I see… so that's how it works. By using a special connection method, the bounded field is linked to the entire ley line of the Blackmore Cemetery. This bounded field is deeply embedded within the ley line itself."

"To break this bounded field head-on, you would need to destroy the entire magical structure in an instant, or even surpass the full power of the ley line's magical energy below. It's an extraordinarily intricate bounded field design. Compared to this, the Clock Tower's famed defensive bounded fields are as fragile as paper."

"Should I say, as expected of the ancient witch Morgan le Fay's handiwork? Truly impressive. I'd love to have a deep conversation with her if I ever had the chance."

Having completed his analysis, Roy remained as cheerful as ever, seemingly unbothered by the bounded field's difficulty.

Overcoming the ley line's magical energy seemed like something he could do with ease, even in casual conversation.

"While I can't set up such a sophisticated bounded field as she did by harnessing the ley lines, destruction is much simpler than creation."

"So, please watch carefully, old man. I'll show you... and that ancient witch... what overwhelming power really looks like."

Roy paid no attention to the drastic change in the old gravekeeper's expression. He simply raised his hand and summoned Volumen Hydrargyrum hidden in his sleeve. He condensed it into a silver sword, which he held as a vessel for his magical energy.

He then raised the sword high and gently brought it down.

The swing wasn't particularly fast, nor did it carry any terrifying force. It was so ordinary, it was hard to believe.

Even a child could have performed that swing.

But in the old gravekeeper's eyes, the descent of the blade was suffocating. He couldn't help but widen his eyes, staring at the silver sword's edge as it neared the bounded field.

*Hum*

The tip of the silver sword pierced the bounded field effortlessly, and then, in an instant, it accelerated, slicing through the bounded field.

The entire hill on which Blackmore Cemetery stood shook violently at that moment.

*Bang!*

And with a bang, like the sound of shattering glass, the intricate bounded field, along with the silver sword, exploded into fragments.

"Impossible?!"

The old gravekeeper was startled by the sudden rupture, and the flying shards of the bounded field were so fast that he didn't have time to avoid them. In an instant, blood spurted from several parts of his body.

As the fragments flew toward him, the terrifying magical energy surrounding Roy obliterated them, turning them into dust, which then dissipated into the air.

"See? Once you know the method, breaking a bounded field is as easy as drinking a cup of water."

He spread his hands and spoke calmly, then smiled at the now-terrified old gravekeeper.

"So, can we sit down and have a proper conversation now, old man?"

"…Do I have a choice?"

"What do you think?"

Roy smiled.

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