*Somewhere in the desert.*
Sand ahead, sand behind. Sand everywhere—just one kind of sand, not even a bush or cactus for variety? And it's hot. Where am I, and what am I doing here has bugged me for a minute already. And in my head, "Arabian Nights" blares. Well, anyway, something new—at least if I'm dead, it's not void in nowhere. And a desert must end sometime? So something beyond the horizon.
Plus, in my body, I feel all the sensations of a living person—so I'm probably alive, and thirsty. But where I am is still open. Weighing options, narrowed to two equally likely—first, I'm still knocked out and dreaming the Servant's memories; I recall something like that in anime. But doesn't fit that I should see from the Servant's eyes, and it should feel like a dream—blurry and such. But I'm in my body, and everything's too realistic.
Second theory closer to truth—heart. Or rather the soul; where it resides is debatable—heart or brain. Logically brain, I wanna believe that. But heard heart too. And again, they do heart transplants on people—no personality change.
Ahem, digressed—so they transplanted her heart, Illusionist died. But where'd her soul go? To wherever they shuffle un-summoned other Hundred-Faced personas? Or hitched to the heart? Seems hitched, so two souls in my body, classic—possession, body struggle, schizophrenia, etc. Maybe all that? Yes. Then I'm in my inner world? Consciousness? Or whatever?
Mulling it more, conclude wherever I am, probably in an illusion. Reason simple—what else illusion could she cast but a desert? Her look screams near-desert origin. Egypt? Israel?
Hm, and where's the action? Body struggle or what? Though... recalling her look and their human-level strength—a 17-year-old girl head-on won't do much. But she's got a knife probably, better than nothing! I don't even have a knife!
Check myself—sneakers and Jeans, just as I lay on the "operating table." Hm, inner world, so... spend a minute straining to imagine a knife in hand—fails, pity. So back to why hasn't she attacked yet?
On the other hand, why fight me directly? I'll croak in this heat soon, no water won't last long—body becomes hers. Fight in her specialization style. Hm, check my hand—Command Seals still there. Heh, way to solve, but first test theory.
"Auuu. Illusionist, you here?" Silence, okay. "Wanna talk?"
Yell a bit more, nothing. Could I be wrong? Yes. Hoped for some taunt, insults, villain monologue, anime tropes. But no. No reaction bugs me, makes me doubt.
Fine, risk it. "By Command Spell, I order—Hassan-Illusionist, give me all your power and knowledge, then vanish forever!"
*The world cracks.*
Oh sh—
*Frames flash like bad movie.*
Moments of some slum girl's life mix with a fanatic sect boy's. Not sequential—one sec girl's 15 learning tricks from some granny to earn, next boy's first kill. Suddenly shoe-stitching memory. Girl's 5 stealing food. Boy learning knife throws. Way more boy memories; girl's just scraps of magic and highlights. Sometimes unrelated frames.
This crap drags on till two streams slow. Boy proves ready for new Hassan by slicing off his face; clichéd ninjas kidnap girl. Now alternating views show giant Cave with ritual circle. Boy eyes throne with previous Hassan.
Looking at him, one thought: what's a Lich King doing here? This 3-meter plate-armored mountain with two-hander and periodic blue fire puffs barely looks assassin! And he's got magic?!
Girl in horror scans dozens of bound people around. Seems I get it, even recognize a couple Hassan personas. Cloaked folks wail dully around. Just pain and nonstop chorus of voices. Gives me headache, keep watching—no choice.
No more split memories, one line—coherent, sequential. Nothing special: whispers in head giving orders, kills, thefts, illusion ambushes, self-illusions for frames.
Notice: alone, head whisper's the "main." In team, torture—dozens talking in head. Handy for teamwork, but can't endure long.
But it ends. Voices cut for a sec, then wild roar—she dies. Next, all in foggy hall, knowledge they're chosen for 5th Holy Grail War, heads fill with new abilities based on deeds.
Listening, realize they omitted much! Not just Intangibility, but can damage other intangible Servants—that's their trait. So attacks deal, um, spiritual damage? Trivial but key—big diff between physical and "magical" damage.
Also, for faith-strength and face-slice, Hassan—and all them—got "Independence," usually Archer-only. Lets them stay post-master-death not 2 hours, but 2 days. Extend by eating magic-full hearts. Regular human heart works—but tiny magic, barely helps.
And trifle like "Shadow Meld"—can't sink/manip shadows, but in shadow no mana drain for existence, even regens some.
These knowledge enough to see—I ain't vital to him; he can exist without me, with hassle but can! Mostly master's a walking Battery for Servant—not news. Didn't know post-master lifespan, but guessed not simple. Understand why he didn't tell—would paranoia me. But as they say—residue remains.
***
Read the story months ahead of the public release — early chapters are available on my Patreon: Granulan