Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon. I also do not own the Megami Tensei franchise, it belongs to Atlus.

Aftermath

Chapter 24

The Grand Master of the Templar Order sank to one knee before Father Raphael, and bowed his head. "Bless me, father," the man said. "For I have sinned."

Raphael crossed both himself and the Grand Master, and then lightly-splashed the latter with Holy Water. "Rise, brother." He said. "Rise, serve the Lord, and in so doing, atone for your sins and earn His mercy and forgiveness."

The Grand Master crossed himself, and rose to his feet. Raphael gestured for the Grand Master to follow, the priest leading the way further into the Tohsaka mansion, and the Grand Master falling into step beside him. "What needs be done, brother?" the Grand Master asked.

"Much," Raphael solemnly said with a resolute glance at the Grand Master. "A lost soul teeters on the brink of final damnation. Worse, damnation will not be for her alone, but for all around her. We must take action to prevent that, all in accordance with the Lord's teachings on justice and mercy."

"Justice and mercy, brother?" the Grand Master echoed.

"Yes," Raphael said with a nod. "As you well know, justice must bow before mercy, and not the other way around. We owe the lost soul one final chance at redemption, even if it likely results in absolution through death. Such are the teachings of our Lord and his apostles."

"As you say, father." The Grand Master conceded with a nod. "But…?"

Raphael nodded again. "If mercy is spurned or undeserving," he said. "Then justice must be done, no matter the cost. Either way though, with what you have brought with you, you should be able to succeed in either role, whether it is to grant benevolent and magnanimous mercy, or to deliver swift and unrelenting justice."

"In the Name of the Lord," the Grand Master firmly said. "It will be done."

Raphael nodded, and fell silent but for the sound of his shoes against the carpeted floor. The Grand Master likewise fell silent, as did his companions, the First Captain of the Templar Order and the Equerry to the Grand Master. A few minutes later and they arrived at their destination, a sitting room where a man and a younger woman were waiting, clearly father and daughter from the similarities in their appearance. Both wore formal attire as was only proper in receiving honored guests, though disturbingly favored black and red.

Colors traditionally favored by the followers of Chaos…

…then again, plenty of priests and monks and nuns and other such individuals blessed through the Sacrament of Holy Orders wore black. Mentally, the Grand Master reminded himself of the need to look beyond mere appearances.

After all, did the Lord not descend from on high to deliver his Gospel in mortal flesh? And did he not do so not as a king as the prophets had foretold, but as a humble carpenter?

It was a simple lesson, and one that ought to be taken to heart.

"Brother and sister," Raphael began while addressing the man and his daughter. "Allow me to introduce His Excellency, the Grand Master of the Templar Order, Jean-Francois Garnier. Also with him is the First Captain of the Templar Order, Emile Allaire, and Wilfrid Tomas, Equerry to the Grand Master."

Raphael paused to turn towards the Templars. "Brothers," he began. "Allow me to introduce His Honor, the Third Viscount of Fuyuki, Tokiomi Tohsaka, and his heiress, the Fourth Viscountess Rin Tohsaka."

"Welcome to our city, Grand Master." Tokiomi said with a bow, one shared by his daughter. "It is an honor to make your acquaintance."

"I too am honored to make your acquaintance, Viscount Tohsaka." The Grand Master said with a bow. "Even more so, when I hear your family is among those who accepted the teachings of our Lord in centuries past, centuries wherein your ancestors endured the fear and persecution of those who refuse to accept the light of the Lord."

"As you say, Grand Master." Tokiomi said with a nod. "Though I am certain my ancestors have since received peace in the world that is to come."

The Grand Master nodded in agreement, and at a gesture from Tokiomi, took a seat. The First Captain and the Equerry retreated to stand against a wall, while both Rin and Raphael joined Tokiomi and the Grand Master at the table. Moments later, and a pair of maids served tea and biscuits.

"To your health, Viscount Tohsaka." The Grand Master said, and toasting Tokiomi with his teacup. Tokiomi smiled, and toasted him back.

"And to yours, Grand Master." He said.

For several moments after that, only the sound of china and silver clinking against each other could be heard, and then Raphael was putting down his teacup. "Now then," he began. "Shall we get down to business?"

The Grand Master nodded, and turned expectantly to the Tohsakas. Rin similarly looked at her father, who drew himself up. "You said you had a plan to set things right, Father Raphael." He said. "Please, share."

Raphael nodded, and smiling, began to explain.


"Do you disapprove?" Tokiomi asked, looking out the window over the grounds, and at the newly-hired help working to bring said grounds back up to standard.

"A part of me does." Rin admitted, still seated at the table where the priest and the Templars had once been sitting at. "But how many times have we tried to resolve this matter peacefully? How many times have we asked only for the chance to explain ourselves? And how many times have we had our good intentions thrown into our faces?"

Tokiomi turned his head to meet his daughter's eyes, Rin continuing to speak a moment later. "Regardless," she said. "We must set things right. Not just for mother's sake, but because it's the right thing to do. Just like how babies sometimes need a knife to be born, so too do people sometimes need to be forced back into the proper path."

"…but should the worst happen…"

Rin briefly closed her eyes at the thought of her sister dying, only to open with iron resolve. "It's better that she rests in peace," she said. "Instead of living on as a monster and a puppet to an even worse monster. I'm sure if she were in her right mind, then she would agree."

Tokiomi nodded and looked back out the window again. "Yes," he said. "I'm sure she would. But it need not come to that. Her dying, that is. Miracles can happen…"

"…and Sakura might just return to us." Rin said with a nod and a hopeful smile. "Yes…I hope so too…"

Tokiomi nodded, also with a ghost of a smile on his face. It faded though, as his thoughts returned to serious matters once more. "Regardless of how this matter ends though," he said. "Your cousin will remain to be dealt with."

"Luvia…?"

"Yes," Tokiomi said with a nod. "To be host to and able to wield the powers of a heathen god from times past…it is…unwise, to allow such a situation to continue."

"I agree." Rin said with a firm nod. "No one should be allowed to possess so much power, or at least without supervision from and responsibility to a higher power which holds them accountable. At the very least, Astraea must be cast from Luvia's body, preferably in a non-lethal fashion."

"Is that sympathy I hear?" Tokiomi asked with just a hint of teasing.

"She's still my cousin." Rin admitted. "And besides…while Marjatta was…rude, to say the least, Luvia means well. Unlike Marjatta…and when Marjatta was here, Luvia stood up for us, always reminding Marjatta of the bonds of blood between us, or at the very least the obligations of proper society. I…I just want to repay my debts, that's all."

"I see."

"Do you…do you disagree?"

"No." Tokiomi said, and giving his daughter a proud smile. "I think it speaks very highly of you, and I'm very proud to see you've become such a proper and admirable young woman."

Rin blushed and looked down, her fingers playing with each other in her lap. "…I…I'm very thankful you feel that way, father." She softly said.

"Hmm…I can feel no other way about you, Rin."


Louis walked down the vast hall, higher than a six-story building and wide enough to allow a hundred men in full armor to march through shoulder to shoulder. He walked past regularly-spaced pillars of reddish stone, their bases decorated with friezes depicting scenes of rest and relaxation in a heavenly landscape. The floor was paneled with polished slabs of black marble, though a carpet of blood-red ran along the center, leading the way to Louis' destination.

Glazed tiles finished the walls on either side, forming mosaics depicting men and women in flowing robes in various poses. They rose up to great vaulted roofs, gold and copper inlay gleaming in the firelight. For there were no windows in the hall, light coming only from flames blazing in great basins of gleaming bronze, held aloft by tripods made from more bronze.

Warriors in cotton shirts and trousers stood watch, two per pillar, standing on either side of the base. The firelight gleamed off the golden finish of their armor, whether their breastplates, arm and leg guards, and masked helms. Golden eyes peered out through the visors with stoic wariness, while steel-tipped spears were held firmly in one hand, while the other held a round shield, each bearing the abstract, geometric crest of the Ashura Kingdom in the center.

Louis stood out like a sore thumb, humming softly to himself as he made his way down the vast hall, easily as long as an international airport's runway, wearing as he still was his modern business ensemble. No one reacted however, whether Louis noticing how out of place he seemed, or the guards noticing him walking past unescorted.

Not that they should, of course.

Louis because he did as he pleased, and he saw no reason to inconvenience himself here and now by casting off his mortal façade, and assuming the forms which best reflected his true nature.

The guards because they knew who Louis was, for all that he was an uncommon visitor, if always a welcome one, an old and natural ally as he was of the Ashura Kingdom.

Finally, Louis came to a halt, whistling to silence in one long moment, as he stared at a pair of great wooden doors finished with red varnish, golden inlay forming the crest of the Ashura Kingdom in symmetric halves over the doors. He stood silent and anticipative, waiting to be acknowledged, and not for long.

"Hohoho…" a deep and rumbling laugh echoed from the left.

"…hohoho…" a higher but no less rumbling laugh echoed after from the right.

"…well, well…" the male voice which laughed first came.

"…well, well…" the female voice which laughed second followed.

"…Lord Lucifer…" a towering Ashura began as he emerged from the left, easily as high as a four-story building, dressed in a sleeveless shirt of dark cloth over matching trousers, floating cross-legged in the air. Two of his four arms were held high above his head in a gesture of welcome, while the second pair clasped the Ashura's hands together as though in prayer.

"…this is…" another towering Ashura carried on as she emerged from the right, as big as her fellow but wearing a white dress with green edges from which trailed golden tassels, the skirt elegantly bunched up around her legs as she too floated cross-legged in the air. Like her fellow, two of her four arms were held aloft in welcome, while the others clasped their hands together as though in prayer.

"…an unexpected honor…" the male Ashura alternated.

"…we are pleased…" the female Ashura picked up the baton.

"…to welcome you."

"What business…"

"…do you have here…"

"…that we might…"

"…oblige your time?"

"I would speak with King Virochana." Louis answered with a smile.

"Our apologies…" the male Ashura began.

"…but His Majesty…" the female Ashura followed.

"…is currently…"

"…indisposed."

Louis nodded in acceptance. "Then I will await His Majesty's convenience." He said.

"But of course." The male Ashura said.

"In the meantime…" The female Ashura began.

"…we would be honored…" the male Ashura followed.

"…if you would accept…"

"…our offer of hospitality…"

"…while you await…"

"…His Majesty's convenience."

Louise smiled. "Let it not be said that the Ashura Kingdom knows not how to treat their guests." He said.

The Ashuras gestured, and another Ashura approached, this one with only two arms and a stature matching that of a Human. Unlike the guards, his armor was more elaborate, sporting abstract designs along the edges. The man saluted, and then bowed curtly to Louis.

"If you would follow me, my lord," he began. "I'd be honored to show you to a comfortable room, where wine and a hot meal has been prepared for you."

"Lead the way, good man." Louis said with a prompting gesture. The Ashura bowed again, and then turning sharply, walked off, Louis coolly following in his wake.


"Oh yeah, this is really great stuff! Mmm~mmm~mmm~mmm~"

Dante cheerfully stuffed himself as he sat at a table in a four-star steakhouse, having dinner with Lilith, albeit in her Human persona of Yuriko. A one-kilogram steak cooked medium rare, served with double servings of mashed potato and mixed corn, carrots, and peas…well, he could do without the peas, but picking them out took too much trouble, and their flavor only made the steak taste better, so he stomached on.

"Mmm~" Dante hummed in delight as he shoved another bleeding slice of meat into his mouth. "Oh yeah, this is really great!"

"I'm glad to see you enjoying your meal, Dante." Yuriko observed. Like Dante, she was having steak for dinner – what else would anyone have in a steakhouse – only hers was just around 500 grams or so, and with only one serving each of mashed potato and mixed corn, carrots and peas.

There was also a basket of freshly-baked cornbread between them, and right now Yuriko was nibbling on one to help pace herself.

Dante washed down his mouthful of steak and potatoes with a long drink of California Red. "Like I said," he began while refilling his wineglass. "This is great stuff. How can I not enjoy myself?"

"That is fair."

Dante laughed. "I don't completely agree with what you people plan to do much less how you do things," he said. "But you've got quite the style on getting people to talk business."

"Really?" Yuriko asked.

"Oh yeah," Dante said while forking steak slices into his mouth. "Too many assholes try and get leverage on me – hostages or blackmail or whatnot – before trying to negotiate a contract."

"Yes, I've heard about that." Yuriko said with a nod, and tearing a strip off the cornbread she was holding, put it into her mouth. "I also hear you tend to shoot those idiots in a knee once the contract ends."

"So what if I do?" Dante flippantly asked. "And it's not like you'd do different, would you?"

"…guess I don't." Yuriko admitted, and Dante chuckled at getting one on her.

"Anyway," he said. "What I mean to say is that you people have got the right idea on how to get a good deal from me. No bullshit, just treat me to dinner and drinks, and not only will I hear you out, I might just get a little bit more willing to work for you people."

"That's the idea." Yuriko admitted, and Dante laughed.

"If so, then it works." He said. "Still…let's finish with dinner and dessert first. Then we can have a few drinks between us, and I'll hear out your offer over them."

"Sounds like a good idea to me." Yuriko said.

"That's what I thought." Dante said, and forking more steak into his mouth.


"So let me get this straight," Dante began, sitting with Yuriko in an out of the way booth in the steakhouse's bar, the air hazy with the smoke of other patrons' cigars and cigarettes. A bucket of ice and a half-empty bottle of Johnnie Walker was sitting on the table between them, both Dante and Yuriko alike with shot glasses at hand.

Well, Yuriko was nursing her second glass, while Dante was already on his fifth.

"You," Dante continued, referring to Yuriko with the way he emphasized the word. "Want me to join your master on a piece of business that involves kicking the asses of a bunch of assholes beyond time and space. Oh, and those assholes just happen to want to burn Humanity and everything it's built to the ground, just so the mean little son of a bitch of a motherfucker in charge of those assholes can get a shot at becoming a god. Since somehow, burning down the Human race and civilization or some shit like that will give it at that shot. Did I get it right?"

"Pretty much, yes." Yuriko said with a nod.

"FUCK!" Dante swore, and then emptied his glass in one drink before refilling it. "Where do I sign up?"

Yuriko responded by picking up her suitcase, and opening it, pulled out a file folder with a contract on it. "I'm charging you for this." Dante said while taking the folder and running an experienced eye over the details. "You and your boss should be more than rich enough to handle my fee…ten million? Is that all you're offering?"

"Well then," Yuriko said while firmly taking the contract back. "How much do you want?"

"Fifty million."

"Out of the question."

"Forty million then."

"Twenty million."

"Thirty million."

"Twenty-five million."

"…make it an up-front payment, and you've got a deal." Dante conceded in part.

"I don't exactly carry around twenty-five million dollars in cash, you know." Yuriko crossly said. "Do you accept checks?"

"…it better be good."

Yuriko gave him a glare that had even the veteran demon hunter giving a weak smile and raising both hands in a placating fashion. "I am offended at the mere suggestion that my checks are no good." She said, while pulling out a checkbook from her suitcase, as well as a pen.

"Make it out for Anthony Redgrave," Dante said while taking a drink, and raising an eyebrow at the curious expression on Yuriko's face. "What? You think you people are the only ones to use aliases? Come on, get real, lady."

"Fine, fine." Yuriko grumbled, while filling out the check. Then pulling it free off the checkbook, she handed it to Dante, who took it with a grin.

"B-B-B-B-B-Bingo!" he said as he ran a quick eye over the check. "And that's twenty-five million in the bag!"

Yuriko coughed, and as Dante looked back to her, she slid the contract and the pen over the table towards Dante. "Alright, alright," Dante said, picking up the pen and giving the contract another look. "Don't get your panties in a twist, I'll do what I'm paid to do. Now, let's see…"

Dante trailed off, and then began signing at the indicated places. Once that was done, he slid the contract and pen back to Yuriko, who put it back in its folder while giving Dante his copy, and putting away hers. Then giving him a smile, she picked up her shot glass, and raised it in a toast.

"To a successful partnership." She said.

"And good hunting to us all." Dante returned with a grin.


Sakura hummed softly to herself as she walked down the road towards the Emiya property, her hands full with plastic bags carrying groceries for dinner. Now that things were starting to go back to normal, choices were also starting to become varied again (if still not as much as they used to be), and so she was looking forward to trying some new recipes tonight.

And then she blinked, as her instincts prickled, warning of danger up ahead. Turning a corner, Sakura narrowed her eyes at a truck parked down the road, hazard signs placed in front and back. The hood was up, a man in a nondescript jumpsuit working on the engine inside, while another man was working on something inside the truck.

Keeping up a façade of seeming not to notice, Sakura continued on her way, humming softly to herself as she walked down the road and past the truck. She continued for a few more steps…

…and then whirling, lashed out with a hand, groceries falling to spill against the ground. Fire trailed from her fingertips through the air, which filled with the stink of boiling blood as Sakura all but bisected the men moving to attack her from behind. Long-bladed daggers fell from lifeless hands to clatter against the ground, but Sakura was already turning away.

More men appeared from the alleys, charging at her with polearms in their hands. Wearing ring mail and with great helms of all things, Sakura's eyes were drawn to the red crosses on the white surcoats they wore, and hissed.

"Templars…" she thought, even as she raised her hands and said a single word. "Megidolaon."

The Templars didn't even get the chance to scream as they were wiped from reality. Footsteps behind her caused Sakura to turn, only to blink and hesitate at the sight of two boys, probably not even fifteen, and dressed in smocks of bleached wool. "Children…?" she said softly.

"Lux Sancta!" the acolytes shouted, and from their outstretched hands erupted blinding light.

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Sakura screamed as she was literally blinded, the holy property damaging her in a way that physical or elemental attacks couldn't. Even then though, her body was already repairing the damage, and once she regained her sight, there'd be hell to pay.

The Templars would not give her chance. More of them ran up, and threw containers trailing clouds of aluminum oxide and long lines of unsheathed copper. The clouds of oxide shrouded Sakura, and then current ran through the lines. "…this won't stop me!" Sakura shouted from inside the cloud, already starting to blink her eyes clear, and flexing her knees, prepared to jump up and out of the cloud.

Then a golden light shone through the cloud, and Sakura reeled. "…what…is this?" she gasped, as she felt her strength leave her. Her eyes grew heavy, and through the fog clouding her mind, heard the chanting of priests and acolytes. "…an…exorcism…?"

Fire burned through her veins and over her skin at the words, and for a moment, she rallied, but her body…it was so heavy…like lead…

"…my Humanity…" she thought in realization. "…they're targeting my Human half…using it to restrain…cripple…weaken my demonic half…and weigh the whole of me down…how…?"

And then she realized that crystal was growing over and around her, cocooning her in sapphire glass…and it was sealing her demonic power within. "This…" she thought with rage and frustration as the darkness drowned her thoughts. "…can't be happening…I…!"


"Blessed be the Lord our God," the Grand Master began, holding in his hands a gift from the Church hierarchy before his departure from Europe, one of the infamous Apples of Eden. "For He has granted us the means with which to overcome great evil."

"The nascent Anti-Christ is born of a mortal woman and a Fallen Angel." The cardinal said. "This grants her great power, as she is born of both this world and the world which lies beyond. But that is also her weakness: suppress her Humanity, and her alien nature will turn against her, not belonging as it does in this world. This is only temporary though, and her demonic half will recover quickly. And so you must act even more quickly, and seal it and her away as soon as her Humanity has been suppressed."

"And that is the key point, is it not, Your Excellency?" the Grand Master asked. "Sealing her demonic powers along with herself is easily doable, but suppressing her Humanity? How is that even possible?"

"It is Human nature to reject that which is evil." The cardinal replied. "It is simply how we are all made, that is, in the image of the Lord God Almighty."

"And…?"

"But that part of our being is twisted, because of the Original Sin." the cardinal said. "Adam and Eve consumed an Apple of Eden, and in so doing gained knowledge of good and evil. And that is how you will suppress her Humanity."

The cardinal gestured, and an acolyte stepped forward with a box. The cardinal took it, and opened it to expose the unreal globe within, shining with golden light.

"Behold," the cardinal said. "An Apple of Eden, of the same kind with which Adam and Eve cursed our kind to be cast out of the Garden of Eden. But just as it gave knowledge of good and evil to choose between, so can it also take that knowledge away, and restore good and good alone."

The cardinal now offered the apple to the Grand Master. "Take and receive, Grand Master." He said. "This gift granted us by a miracle of the Lord God Almighty, and with it, avert the damnation of the world."

"I take and receive," the Grand Master said with a bow, and accepting the offered Apple of Eden. "Blessed be the Lord our God, that He grants us the means to serve Him."

The Grand Master put the Apple of Eden away, and nodded in satisfaction at the sight of the Anti-Christ encased in a block of sapphire crystal. Her free will suppressed, and her powers sealed, she was of no further threat to Humanity…for now.

"Prepare the prisoner for transport." He ordered. "There is much to be done."


A/N

Update time! Lucifer is calling on his connections, while Lilith hires Dante for another job.

Meanwhile the Templars make their move with the Tohsakas' blessing, and even succeed in winning round one, by focusing on her weaknesses. One, her vulnerability to the holy property (she voids physical and elemental properties and reflects the darkness property). And two, her Human side. So how is she going to be able to get out of this?

Find out in the next update (whenever that comes out). See you around…