Chapter 63 - Summoning

A bruised Layton dressed casually in a grey top and black trousers emerged from the hut situated in the middle of the meadow.

For the past few days after reaching the culmination of his physique, Layton had been going through intense combat training battling himself.

Makarov had used some sort of light spell to conjure a mirror image of Layton, an image which contained all the strength and spells of the young wizard, although he had completed his previous void adaptation and linking of his spirit making his physique reach consummation, the peak of his level he was still beaten very badly every time they clashed, his mirror image had no soul and thus had no problem in using the chaotic amount of genetic memory hidden in his genes to improve his combat intuition and Prowers as the hidden danger of having his soul corrupted or twisted due to the massive chaotic amounts of information was non-existent for the mirror image.

Layton walked towards Makarov who was seated casually on a bench staring at the vast expense of void that was the sky of the meadow, he had received a message a few moments ago that Makarov wanted to see him.

"Here," Makarov said suddenly while throwing over a circular metal piece as soon as Layton was close.

"What is this?" Layton inquired curiously while holding up and looking at the obscure writing that filled the surface of the piece of metal.

"Your voucher for the war" Makarov stated calmly as he released a stream of light to cover Layton healing all the bruises and injuries he had acquired during training.

"I thought we were going to go directly to the venue" seeing Makarov was still sitting and had no plans of moving Layton couldn't help but ask.

Makarov didn't answer directly just quietly stated "There are about 300 vouchers scattered around in all parts of the void, all belonging to various forces and some lucky individuals opportune to have them, although for certain forces this voucher is not precious as they are other alternatives but for some small scale powers this is an opportunity they would kill to get." Layton could already understand what he meant, there was no one allowed to go directly to the venue to ensure the safety of the participants.

"You still haven't told me about the war."

"There is not much to say, the holy grail war was a special ritual made by the native magicians of that core world it was basically the crystallization of their whole practice system, this ritual was then embedded into the special rules of their world allowing the world will to preside over it and strengthen their world every time the ritual was created, this ritual was then opened to all major forces present in the void the peculiarity of the ritual the scale of the event and the unique opportunity and rewards to be obtained in the event was the capital in which this core world had retained its independence," Makarov stated while taking a pause allowing Layton time to think about his words and then continued after a few seconds

"The vouchers are summoning coordinates once the ritual starts it would draw you into their world, there are mostly 7 ranks in the war, the knight, archer, lancer, assassin, rider, berserker and mage. When you are summoned you will be assigned one of these ranks according to your characteristics and background, if your power system does not match any of the ranks you will be assigned one at random."

Listening to Makarov's explanation Layton was sure this was an event similar to the literary work Fate stay night, a work which revolved around an event also called the Holy grail war, however considering the number of powerhouses that had visited that world Layton was sure his memories were not going to be of any help as there would most likely not be any familiar characters he knew because he had not really read or watched the Fate series he only knew some fur about the whole animated series. Seeing that he was not going to get any more out of Makarov Layton finally asked a question that was bugging him.

"Did solace ever participate?"

"No, the war happens every century..," suddenly the voucher in Layton's hand started heating up and shining, the fluctuations in space becoming active cutting off the conversation, in a matter of seconds Layton's body started to fade as the teleportation effect started to kick in, before he was totally gone the last words he heard were

"remember try to make sure your summoner does not die only with their help will the power of the ranks assigned emerge."

In an abandoned church a petite red haired figure was seen standing in front of a poorly outlined six-pointed star array drawn with salt. There were six lit candles around the array and a bowl of fresh blood was kept in the middle of it. The petite figure after walking around the array making sure everything was alright took out a colourless crystal from her pocket and with a hint of distress on her face as she broke the crystal.

An obscure circular marking on her wrist lighted up as she quickly chanted "

Let sulphur and flame be the essence.

Let blood and the contracts be the foundation.

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.

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 of Heaven;

I shall have dominion over all evils of all of Hell.

Yet you shall serve with your eyes clouded by chaos.

For you would be one caged in madness and despair.

I shall wield your chains and with thy power we shall seek victory."

With her words the broken crystal turned to a white gas that was quickly attracted to the array laid on the ground, as the gas and the array merged a dim ominous light erupted from it and a dim figure black haired dressed casually started to emerge from the array. 

Before the figure was fully outlined coming into the present space the petite red haired had already rushed over giving the emerging figure a tight hug.