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@demonofmontecristo

All around her was covered in red, but not in blood for once -- but the elegance of curtains and red dresses. 

'Would red suit me, I wonder? Or would I be too flashy?’  

Notes from a string melody played in the air, ever so gentle and welcoming, much like the beginning of a party. Selvaria was no alien to such events, especially as the general to a Prince. 

The lavish lives that royalties lived was often underplayed, in her opinion.

“Often I’ll be on-duty for Him, but it’s strange that tonight I am tasked to be an attendant...”

Taking slow steps, she had realised that she was not walking in her usual boots, but a beautiful pair of slippers. 

Although she personally chooses to wear slightly impractical items of clothing at war, she often wanted to remain stylish, so that He would see her... Perhaps even give her a chance to feel his fingers on her...

She walked towards the nearest table with desserts and high-tea snacks, noting her reflection -- with her hair done up and a flower to her right, she even wore a dress that was meant to seduce. 

... After all, it was His orders.

But most of the men she has walked past ogled her. In her attempts to ignore them, to recall the intentions of her being there at the ballroom -- she sought for something else to look at that wasn’t... any of the men.

Moving her gaze past her reflection, she noticed that the moon was a bright white, in a sea of darkness.

She walked upon the thin thread, lightly on the tip of her toes. 

Such need for balance was no stranger to her, as she knew how to glide in the skies, when she was alive. 

“Nothing to my name.”

She whispered to herself as she made her steps, carrying the burden of a thousand soldiers on her shoulders. 

That was no exaggeration, after all, she killed them, and that was where she assumed the position of carrying not only their sins but also hers. 

Her body felt heavy as she walked upon the lands, for what seemed tranquil as the wind blew softly. 

Oh, so soft. 

Although around her was nothing but the Limbo, she felt no sense of peace, for tears threatened to roll down her cheeks with a tinge of regret and sadness. That she has done all that she did, only to end up in a world so strange. 

Only to end up in-between. 

“What can I do to fix this? What is there to fix? Ah. I had thought that doing it all for Him was enough...”

Often, the thought of carrying all the burden she knew to carry seemed so weightless, yet in this moment she was close to landing to her knees.

Growing up, there was no such thing as truly Selvaria, truly her. She was born to be the soldier to Prince Maximilian, and she carried the honour with such pride in her heart like a badge. 

@demonofmontecristo

“I'm late!”, said the rabbit.

It chased thin air as it attempted to race for the 6pm teatime with the Hatter.

Little did the rabbit know, a curious girl followed its bobbing round tail, seeking new sights and a land to explore.

The land quickly became more strange than full of wonders, fear-inducing, more than it was supposed to be welcoming for the adventurous.

But in the midst of it all, only upon the sight of food would one realise that they have been walking for so long and that they had forgotten the primal instinct of men – hunger.

Before her was a hallway of eatery, lined up with restaurants serving their specialties and what-nots.

A stomach grumbled, but not only that, there was an apparent want in eating the food served by the crowds of Hell. Something that screamed more than the human's mere hunger, but also the desire to indulge in more and more of luxury.

She covered her tummy with an arm, hoping that the sound earlier was not too audible.

“I... hadn't realised that hunger was possible in Hell,” she said, concern having washed over her expression of eagerness as she turned to her guide.

When juxtaposed to the tale of a curious girl, Avenger and Selvaria resembled two characters, though their roles did not quite match the characters they resembled.

@queenregiina

Arduous as it was being in such a place, Selvaria had hoped for a moment of peace. Of course, one such as her could only search for tranquillity in the Lovers’ Grove. 

The keyword being search.

Love dolls were all that crowded the area, and although they intended to crowd like trees would, there was no way she could arrive at a complete peace in such a place. 

Truly, it did not feel like she was completely alone. 

How could you be truly alone, lest if you were to stay in the Limbo?

She glanced at the dolls, and pondered upon their similarities to a kind that lived in life. 

Were they like prostitutes, who lived to please, and wanted to please? Then she pondered upon the existence of cravings and desire among these dolls, for they were dolls, and not humans. 

She sighed, the headache that was already present seemed to grow just a little more. 

“This isn’t going well, perhaps I should head elsewhere,” she said, if only just a whisper as she pursued for the exit of the spot. 

Until she heard steps which seemed to follow her. 

As she pressed on to further she knew that at this point, it was not the love dolls seeking to embrace her. Irritated at the need to remain silent, Selvaria spoke, to greet whoever it was. 

“What is it?”

@mageofswords​

As though orchestrated, he walked into her room ever so gallantly -- with the gold armour he wore almost effortlessly. His presence remains grand, regardless of the expression he wears upon his features, and he turned to her, with no hesitation.

Selvaria felt his eyes bear weight upon her -- like expectations, and objectives she would try her hardest to achieve for his goals.

May the Emperor reign forever. 

“I have found you a role, and this is something only you can achieve, for our goals,” he spoke, cold, but even the slightest of inclusion he showed she would easily accept. “I need you, to use your powers, to summon a Heroic Spirit who will aid us in this battle.”

“... Your Majesty, I hardly would deny that you know everything, but are our forces inadequate?”

“It isn’t that they are, but it would be safer to use a trump card that the other side does not have.”

Self-assured. He never had the need to return the question to her, so she merely nodded. They weren’t unheard of, Heroic Spirits -- they existed, like the Valkyrurs, and they awaken when summoned. In that sense, they were different than her, a Valkyrur herself. She was a living body, born to live within the current times. Heroic Spirits, however, come from the future, the past, and sometimes the present time, in order to win a Holy Grail that would grant its winner a wish.

Which would mean that should she be capable of summoning one, a Holy Grail War was to take place, alongside this war to conquer Europa.

===

The education that the Prince had granted her was no less than high quality, Selvaria had to admit. She learned about the possibility of magic being used in wars, she learned about Heroic Spirits, and the Holy Grail itself. Similarly, her training allowed her to channel her ragnite energy into mana. Although she lacked pure magic, she had the potential energy, which was that of her Valkyrur powers.

Which would be why His Majesty trusted her with the summoning.

“――――I announce. Your self is under me, my fate is in your sword...“

Blue light emanated from the circle she had drawn, and she bathed in the blue fire, the azure. Ah, such sickening sight, but she had to get accustomed to it. It was her nature. Her raw strength.

“In accordance with the approach of the Holy Grail, if you abide by this feeling, this reason, then answer.“

Her voice grew determined.

This was all for Prince Maximilian’s goals.

This was all for him.

“Here is my oath. I am the one who becomes all the good of the world of the dead, I am the one who lays out all the evil of the world of the dead.“

She held an arm out, atop the light that surrounded the summoning circle, as though expecting for a being to appear beneath her palm.

“You, seven heavens clad in three words of power, arrive from the ring of deterrence, O keeper of the balance―――!“ 

Her eyes shut, and she focused upon the flow of energy. Without a catalyst, it was said that the Heroic Spirit to be summoned was that one that would be compatible with her in terms of personality. However, that would be rather strange, Prince Maximilian would have tried his best to ensure a perfect Servant.

... Or was she not supposed to summon the Servant that night?