Order 1: Great Holy Grail War

The Holy Grail War, a deadly tournament conducted between seven magi in order to obtain the omnipotent wish-granting device known as the Holy Grail. Started by the three founding families of Tohsaka, Einzbern, and Makiri, the Holy Grail War had been was conducted in Fuyuki where seven Servants and Master pairs would fight and then the last pair to survive would be able to claim the Grail.

Servants are a copy of Heroic Spirits put into seven containers of differing classes. These Heroic Spirits are spirits of humanity's most famous individuals immortalized inside the Throne of Heroes and called forth to participate in this War to have their wish granted by the Grail.

So far, there have been three Holy Grail Wars conducted and the third war ended sixty years ago. It was the night before Nazi Germany invaded Poland, beginning the Second World War. The city of Fuyuki in Japan was holding its third Holy Grail War ritual. Seven Servants and seven Masters, for the sake of their own desires, began a battle royale until only one would be left standing.

But in the course of the war, circumstances occurred which led to the shattering of the Lesser Grail. It was then that that Grail War came to a close, unsettled. The problem was what came after. The Greater Grail, an omnipotent wish-granting device, had been hidden in the caverns of Mount Enzou.

Through a quirk of fate, it was discovered by a magus supporting the Nazis, who then attempted to remove it using military aid. There was hard fighting as the three great families of Einzbern, Makiri, and Tohsaka, as well as the Imperial Army, attempted to thwart this plot, but coming immediately after the end of the Grail War, they were in a weak position and thus defeated. The Greater Grail, forged by the combined labor of all three great families, was plundered by the Nazis.

This battle was written in no texts, recorded on no images, existing not even in the minds of the people. However, it was the indisputable truth that a terrible war between guns and thaumaturgy had taken place. Now, with the Greater Grail in their hands, surely Nazi Germany would be able to rule the world as they saw fit.

Of course, such a future did not arrive. As it was being transported to Germany, the Greater Grail mysteriously disappeared. Perhaps it was stolen back by the Imperial Army, or raided by Soviet forces. In any case, the Greater Grail which could have become the symbol of the Third Reich and realized the dream of world unification, vanished without passing into the hands of any man.

With its caretakers having been dismissed and all individuals related to it being sent onto the fields of battle, even the Nazis did not know the whereabouts of the Greater Grail; to begin with, there was no one left who even knew of its existence. The magus who took part alongside the Nazis, known as 'Yggdmillennia', had disappeared as well.

The Greater Grail disappeared. Like a mist, the dream of the three great families dissolved, and Fuyuki was able to welcome the end of its war in tranquility. And so the years went by.

It is rare for him to be summoned by the Director so early in the morning. Not that he has any complain since he is used to waking up early for his morning exercise but the Director rarely called for anyone before breakfast. That can only mean that he's calling him for something serious.

The blue haired boy wonder what the Director wanted. He walked through the white halls of Chaldea until he reached a wooden door. He knocked on the door and only entered when an answer came from beyond the door.

Inside, seated behind his desk, is the Director of Chaldea and one of the most well-known figure in the world, and it is not a description used lightly. The Director is dressed in an expensive black suit with gloves on his hands. He has tanned skin and white hair tied in a braid.

There is nobody in the Moonlit World that didn't know his name because the Director of Chaldea is none other than Solomon, the King of Magic and the winner of the First Holy Grail War where he obtains a new life.

Standing beside him to his left is a young woman with long white hair and the Vice-Director of Chaldea as well as the descendant of Solomon's Master in the Grail War. Her name is Olga Marie Animusphere. Her family was formerly a Lord in Clock Tower but after her ancestor won the Grail War and used his wish for 'something else' the Animusphere family left Clock Tower and together with Solomon, formed a new organization called Finis Chaldea.

"Director, you called?"

The formally dressed blue haired boy bowed and asked. The Director nodded and projected a comfortable chair using magecraft for the boy to sit on.

The boy's name is Xenovius Alexander Quarta, sixteen years old, and an 'Enforcer' of Chaldea. As a magus, he is quite unusual since although his family history as a magi only goes back to five generations, his magic circuits said otherwise, possessing circuits on par with families who practiced magecraft for more than a thousand years.

Being an 'Enforcer', Alex guessed that the Director has a mission for him involving leaked secrets and hunting some dangerous individuals. It's his usual job after all and while he's not the absolute best Chaldea has to offer, he is one of its top magus in his generation so he's utilized for a lot of difficult missions. He has no idea how wrong his guess is.

"So Alex, I believe you are wondering why I called you here so early in the morning. We just received a news from Clock Tower not long ago. I'm sure that this might be sudden but do you know about the Fuyuki Holy Grail War?"

Alex looked at the Director, a bit confused. That's an easy question. Practically everyone in Chaldea knew about that particular subject considering how their organization have quite a strong tie to it considering their director's involvement in it.

"Well obviously. Everyone in Chaldea knew. It is basic knowledge for us. But what about it?"

A Holy Grail War is any battle that revolves around an omnipotent Holy Grail which is said to be capable of granting any wish. However, when preceded by 'Fuyuki', any magus knows that it refers to an exceedingly unique conflict in which Heroic Spirits are summoned as Servants to fight each other to the death.

Perhaps due to Association supervision being rather light in this small nation of the East, this Holy Grail War had repeated three times without drawing much attention. It was a poor joke to even suggest that an omnipotent wish-granting device could manifest in some Far East farmland—that was all the recognition the Magus Association gave it… that is until its power was proven in the very first War with the resurrection of Solomon, the King of Magic, and he build up an organization that would equal the Clock Tower in power with him, a resurrected Servant, at its head.

After that, two more Grail War happened with the last one in Fuyuki being the Third Grail War that happened during the Second World War. Due to the intervention of various nations in the midst of that chaotic age, the Holy Grail War of Fuyuki ended in unusual circumstances. At the same time, information on the system behind this Grail War propagated throughout the magi of the world. It was proof of how superior the Holy Grail War ritual constructed by the three great families of Einzbern, Makiri, and Tohsaka was.

Today, variations of the Holy Grail War ritual had been attempted across every continent. Of course, the majority of them are small in scale, with most only capable of summoning five Servants; even were the ritual itself established, it could not proceed to the point where it could grant any wish, let alone pierce a hole to the 'Swirl of Origin' or Akasha, the final destination all Magi aimed to reach.

But why would Solomon mention that Holy Grail War? The Greater Grail of Fuyuki had been lost since the conclusion of the Third Grail War and all subsequent Grail Wars that existed are all inferior to the original in scale and utility.

"The Greater Grail was lost sixty years ago and no one had been able to find it. The only reason why you would bring it up is if it has been found but that's impossible, right?"

Alex lightly chuckled. But Solomon and Olga Marie did not look amused. He stared at them for three full seconds until Solomon confirmed for him.

"Funny you should say that. Three months ago, the Association finally found out where it was hidden."

Knowing that the Director is being serious, Alex knew that he will not like where this conversation is going but he straightened his posture and finally got serious.

"So... where is it?"

Alex questioned. Director Solomon then turn to the Vice-Director who answered his Alex's question in his place.

"Romania, in the city of Trifas on the outskirts of Transylvania. We believe it has been installed in the oldest building of the city, the fortress of Millennia."

"And you want me to secure it?"

Both the Director and the Vice-Director nodded.

"Something like that, I suppose—but before that, there is more troubling news. The one who brought this information to us was the elder of the Yggdmillennia clan, Darnic."

" Darnic?"

Olga Marie tapped her tablet PC and showed it to Alex who found himself staring at the face of a middle-aged man with… seaweed hair in his opinion. He looks relatively young for someone called an elder but considering that it's a magus they're talking about, appearance can be deceiving.

"Darnic Prestone Yggdmillennia, the elder of the clan of Yggdmillennia, supposedly having lived for over a century. He attained the rank of 'Grand', the highest within the Association, and was a second-class instructor in elemental conversion, but his students had a rather low opinion of him. Rather than education, he exercised his true worth in politics. Factional infighting, power struggles, competitions for budget. He is not really a pleasant magus."

Which says a lot about this man since magus are not pleasant people in general. Well, the Clocktower bunch at least. To have another magus calling this Darnic unpleasant says a lot about his character.

"So Darnic is the problem?"

Knowing him, he likely wanted to involve some sort of transaction regarding the Holy Grail. However, Olga Marie shook her head.

"The problem is not with Darnic, but the entire Yggdmillennia clan."

"What do you mean?"

"The clan owns the fortress of Millennia... and they have elected to secede from the Clock Tower."

"…what?"

Alex asked incredulously.

"It is not known to us how much anguish it had meant for them, but one day, they came forward saying that they would secede from the Association—that they would form a new Association of Magi around their own clan."

Alex is speechless. Clearly stating your defection from the Association is essentially a declaration of war. They might as have thrown their gloves and spat on their faces. In other words, Yggdmillennia had essentially committed suicide by stupidity.

At least, it would be unless they had something exceptional on their hands. Then again... speaking from another perspective, if they did possess something significant, it could be more than enough of an incentive to begin a secession. And considering the topic of their discussion before, Alex have an idea what this incentive is.

"Yes, the Greater Grail of Fuyuki is to be the symbol of their new 'association'. The surviving magus brought this message to us."

"...The surviving magus?"

Marie took her tablet and tapped it again several times. When she gave it to Alex this time, it is now showing him a video recording of a magus. Alex's eyes narrowed, taking note of the signs of torture seen on the man's body.

"This is the magus who delivered the message. As you can see, he was not in the best condition."

"What's he saying?"

"We of the Yggdmillennia have freed ourselves from the petty political bickering of the Magus Association and aim to establish a new association here in Romania, a true place of inquiry for the pursuits of thaumaturgy. For we possess the 726th Holy Grail, and when it is brought to life with the souls of seven Heroic Spirits, we shall be one step closer on the path to brilliant glory... just that, over and over again."

"You said he's the surviving magus. So there were deaths?"

The Vice-Director did not answer and her expression took a darker turn, so does the Director's.

"How many died?"

"Forty nine. Fifty magi were sent by the Association, only one returned alive."

Alex's eyes widened in disbelief. Fifty magi in the Moonlit World is already a veritable army for the sole purpose of extermination. Yet all of them were killed with only one survivor? Yggdmillennia is not powerful enough to survive, let alone win that battle against fifty magi. But then Alex remembered what they have been talking about.

"Don't tell me…"

Solomon nodded.

"They have managed to summon a Servant."

So that's it. They didn't stand a chance. It would have made no difference whether there had been fifty magi or a hundred. Whoever it was, it had become an existence known as a Heroic Spirit. To someone like that, all modern magi might as well be infants. Solomon had proven it himself.

When he first declared he would establish Chaldea along with Olga Marie's ancestor, of course they were met with opposition by the Association much like Yggdmillennia. And similarly, the Association sent magi, seventy of them, against the duo. Solomon send them all back alive but severely injured without them being able to touch him as well as declaring his name. Such is the power of a Servant that he managed to establish Chaldea with the Association forced to acknowledge him.

"So Director, if the Yggdmillennia have summoned a Servant, doesn't that mean we can just join in as Masters?"

If the Greater Grail has been activated, other magi should be qualified to become Masters as well. The Association can send magi there to summon Servants which can oppose the Yggdmillennia and since the Director is speaking to him about this, so will Chaldea.

"It's too late. They have already assembled seven Masters. The summoning might not have taken place just yet, but the Grail will never brand Command Spells onto any magi we send."

"...So are they planning on killing each other?"

"Perhaps. Or perhaps one of the clan will lead the rest and command the other Servants to commit suicide. Whichever it may be, I have no intention of leaving the Greater Grail in Darninc's hands."

There was a slight pause and Alex sighed.

"So you want me to go out there and stop them? Fine. I'll join you guys. When will we depart?"

Alex questioned. Although he's a bit reluctant, he knew where this conversation is headed. Luckily for them, Chaldea is not like any other organization. Where other organizations will have problem dealing with opponents on the level of Servants, they do not.

They have two active reincarnated Servants in their rank, both are of the highest caliber with one of them being the King of Magic himself, a Grand Servant that stood above other Servants.

Normally, according to the Director himself, such existence couldn't have been summoned for something insignificant such as the First Fuyuki Grail War. Grand Servants are different on a fundamental level from normal Servants. But there are situations that coincidentally made his summoning possible, and that situation was what eventually made him start Chaldea.

As a Grand Servant, his spiritual foundation, his Saint Graph, is fundamentally different and in a level of its own compared to normal Servants. Even if it is facing multiple Servants at once, the Director simply won't lose.

The Director grinned and suddenly Alex got a sinking feeling.

"Who said I will go? Or Saber for that matter. You're on your own for this mission."

"…eh?"

"There is a reserve system in the Grail. Depending on the situation, the Greater Grail could support the Holy Grail War by once again distributing Command Spells. It was an auxiliary prepared as a countermeasure for the highly unlikely situation of all seven Servants joining forces. So basically, the Grail allows the summoning another seven Servants to oppose the original seven Servants. The land of Trifas is positioned on the best leylines of Romania to begin with. Quite likely, it has been stockpiling prana at a higher speed than Fuyuki, to the point that it now possesses an inexhaustible amount of prana with which it can summon even fourteen Servants."

In other words…

"So your mission, Xenovius Alexander Quarta, is to join the alliance of seven other Masters to defeat the Yggdmillennia Masters and claim the Holy Grail in order to finish the FATE system."

"Participate in the Romania Holy Grail War to steal the original Greater Grail? That is a big mission. Are you sure you don't need any help?"

A well-dressed woman with long, straight brown hair wearing an eyepatch over her right eye spoke over a cup of tea in Chaldea's lounge. The blue haired young man had just finished his meeting with the director minutes ago and had come to meet his friends in the lounge. To his disappointment, most of them are away on a task. But at least there is one familiar face around who is willing to kill some time with him. Perfect timing since he did want to speak with her after all.

"I'm sure. Besides, it would be too dangerous for anyone who is not a Master with a Servant to accompany me. Other than the director and master, the only ones that could accompany me are just Hinako-senpai, Mashu, Gray, and our resident Apostle. Three of them are away while Mashu is not combat-ready until at least next month if I heard it right from the guys in R&D."

"That is true. But still…"

"Don't worry Ophelia. I know how to take care of myself. Besides, I'm trained personally by Arthur Pendragon. I don't know if I can actually win against a Servant but I should be able to survive long enough to call my Servant."

Alex assured his friend, Ophelia Phamrsolone. The girl nodded but still look worried. She herself knew how dangerous a Holy Grail could be. After all, she had participated in one of the pseudo Grail War that occurred around the globe. But Alex is not participating in one of those. He is participating in a true Grail War with fourteen Servants. She can only imagine how much more dangerous it could be.

"About the matter of my Servant though. Since you have participated in one of those fake Grail War before, do you have any catalyst I can use to summon a strong Servant? Though hopefully one that I can easily work with."

Alex asked. Ophelia considered his request for a moment. It is true that she has some catalyst left in her room from her time participating in a pseudo Grail War but she doesn't know what would be suitable for her friend. Most of her catalyst are Norse but not all of them are specific.

"Wait, what about your sword? Can't you use it as a catalyst? There are two heroes that would likely answer your summon if you use it and both of them will no doubt be a powerful Saber-class Servant."

Ophelia replied while mentioning about Alex's most prized possession. Alex blinked. Indeed, what Ophelia said is true. If he use his sword as a catalyst, then he would definitely get a powerful Saber-class Servant considering the heroes associated with it. But…

"No. I will need it for 'the other thing' so I can't use it. Same with Mashu's shield and Gray's lance."

Ophelia realized what he meant and let out a sigh.

"That is true. There's a chance that summoning the Servant won't have any effect on 'the other thing' but since we're at this stage, we better not take any chances. Alright, I'll think of something. I'll drop by your room later to give you the catalyst."

"Thanks, Ophelia. You're a lifesaver."

Alex thanked Ophelia with a bright smile, not noticing the blush on the girl's cheek that she quickly try to hide by drinking her tea.

…

-Near midnight-

It is a few minutes near midnight and Alex is inside the director's office together with Ophelia, Solomon, and Olga Marie. The table and sofas in the middle of the room had been moved and a summoning circle had been drawn by Solomon for the ritual. With Ophelia's catalyst now placed on an altar right beside the summoning circle, the ritual is ready.

"Before we start, I just want to mention that I had done some modification for the ritual. It's nothing much. I just added some extra parts to enhance the power of your Servant. They will likely be summoned under an extra class but I've made sure to keep the changes manageable."

Alex nodded. What Solomon did could be considered as cheating in a normal grail war but considering what their aim is and the risk Chaldea, or he, will be taking, any extra help would be good. While he can handle it, Alex is not too keen on summoning a Berserker. So summoning an extra class Servant would be another good option. And there are three kinds of extra class to his knowledge that he can choose from. Shielder, Ruler, and Avenger.

He'd prefer to get a Ruler as they have the best stats, sharing their stats parameter with Saber, but Shielder would be good too as Shielders, to his knowledge, consists of heroes whose personality is easy to work with for someone like him who is more of a knight than a magus, though they don't have much in terms of attack power. Avenger would be the hardest to work with though despite being generally powerful. Hopefully he won't get an Avenger.

"Let's get this started."

Alex breathe out as he extend his hand over the magic circle drawn on the floor. Once the clock struck twelve, Alex began chanting the Servant summoning spell that Solomon taught him earlier, particularly because there is some minor change due to the special nature of this Grail War.

"Let silver and steel be the essence

Let Stone and the Archduke of contracts be the foundation

Let red be the color I pay tribute to

Let rise a wall against the wind that shall fall

Let the four cardinal gates close

Let the three-forked road from the crown reaching unto the Kingdom rotate"

He chanted with his magic circuits fully activated and the summoning circle began to glow brightly, letting out an incredible amount of power.

"Let it be filled. Again. Again. Again. Again.

Let it be filled fivefold for every turn, simply breaking asunder with every filling.

Let it be declared now; your flesh shall serve under me, and my fate shall be with your sword

Submit to the beckoning of the Holy Grail

Answer, if you would submit to this will and this truth.

An oath shall be sworn here

I shall attain all virtues of all Heaven

I shall have dominion over all evils of all Hell

From the Seventh Heaven attended to by three great words of power

Come forth from the ring of restraint, protector of the holy balance!"

As he finished his chant, the whole room was engulfed in blinding light. Solomon and Olga Marie watch in satisfaction as the light died down and a woman appear in the middle of the magic circle. She has long and silky silver hair and she wore what appear to be a black sailor uniform with pieces of blue armors covering some part of her body. She also wields a large blue spear in her hand.

"In accordance to your summon, I have arrived. I ask of you, are you my Master?"