[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/nAqRqrZ.png[/img][/center] [center][h3][i][url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kgsagybm2xM]End of a Youth - 2[/url][/i][/h3][/center] He thought of a conversation between him and his master. Perhaps the only real time they truly conversed. How pointless, how meaningless. When all the world was at stake. Before they left for their own fates, at the DDD, in the wild fields of Miyama. [i]His master had admired the tree. That was certain, but he wondered why. It was not something that quite led to the truth he sought as a magus, at least it was not one related to his path as a magus. If he was focused on his magecraft then it was likely that he was wanting the grail for some other sort of wish. Truth be told he did not know his master too well. He suffered quietly the rambunctious unfettered desires of his servant, and yet flew into a rage when he saw what was beautiful as being despoiled. Was his ire simply hard to raise, with only something he truly admired being defaced able to move him to action? So undriven and yet participating in this war... Did he hate the modern world? Did he hate cities and people? Well, it seemed more that he simply liked trees. But he didn't know, so he asked. “Master. Why’d you come to this war anyway?” “Hmm? What sort of stupid question is that? To get the grail of course.” “That’s usually the case. But why get the grail?” He asked while draping his legs across a chair, while lying down on the ground with his upper half of the body down against the floor. The image of Percival was like a dog in that moment. It was impossible to ignore the weight on his shoulders, but in his mannerisms and how he took to things, there was still a spark of that strange innocent youth. To that question Hamel furrowed his brows and pursed his lips, deep in thought for a moment. Then, his face softened, as if remembering a particularly fond memory. Then, for once during this war, he let out a soft smile. “Well, it may sound a bit silly… but it was for the sake of my greed I suppose. The wish it offered was a bit intriguing, but I would rather work for my desires you must understand. Winning the grail would be more of a passing flight of fancy to be honest.” He considered the words of his master. Perhaps that was why he ended up with his immature self. One who did not crave a wish but wanted it anyway. One who wished to work for his accomplishments and yet held the greed to simply ask for the results as all humans wished in their weakness.. What a light reason to join the war. Was that then why he accepted the nature of his servant? Was that really it? Was a magus so simple?[/i] The morningstar blocked out the sun, and he felt his body not listening to him even more. Ah, so this was as far as he went. Many dreams and nightmares descended upon Fuyuki, but this end to mankind would be met without him. This was perhaps the price for his sins and his own naivety. A boy who left home ignorant of the world, deciding that it simply held adventure and goodness. In his own lack of acknowledgement of evil he commited evil and visited upon others atrocities. It was always the same. He had certainly failed many people. The people who he had to save as a hero, the people who did not wish for this, the people whose lives would be trampled by that which descended. But there was one person who would know he failed them. His master. [i]It was a bit awkward, or so Percival felt, time passing in silence after such an admission. The passing of precious seconds rung out from a clock as they simply did nothing. It wasn't to his taste, so he asked another question before looking over to Hamel again. “You said that tree was beautiful.” Raising a brow, Hamel spoke almost incredulously. “Of course it was! You would say otherwise?” Sighing, he rubbed the bridge of his nose, his peaceful facade broken, and his scowling face returned once more. “Well, it was like watching a falling star you know, something so far away coming within reach. It was a dream coming true." Letting out a long cheerful "Aah!", the sound of understanding brought a slight casual smile to Percival's face, brightening up his expression that was busy hiding the melancholy he'd been struck by as of late. "There was something that I felt was like that in my life as well. I speak of course of the king." Hamel's scowl disappeared and he leaned forward. His interest drawn by such a statement, and the the lure of the topic. The legendary Arthur. A book that had been in his hands slipped out of his lap. With a dull thud it closed upon the carpet as his ears were drawn. "He was beautiful, he was wondrous. He was inhuman, too pure. Even I knew he was something special that I could not quite become when I was a kid. When I saw him I fell in love all over again. Not with him as a person, but rather with the idea of a knight. My understanding of what a knight was when I was a fool wasn’t complete. But I knew I loved it all the same. The king was a fantasy, one who brought utopia to humans. He was a star for sure. We fought to reject the past while trying to keep the fantasy for ourselves. Our search for the grail is like that tree of fantasy actually.” he admitted sheepishly. “The tales differ of course, but I have the memories of attaining the grail, or rather becoming the king who holds it. I did not save Camelot, not that it could truly be saved.” [/i] - He realized his mistake. He should have seen it when he spoke with his master. They talked about trivial things perhaps, but there was something he said himself that he should’ve remembered and taken notice of. He was not a hero saved the land, or the world. Nor should he be. I did not save the kingdom, I did not save Camelot with the grail. Why was that? He'd forgotten about such a thing. Caught up in what the voices were warning him of, of the problems that arose in the city. How silly. But perhaps that was why he was a fool. A lily who could not see the full picture, who lost sight of the meaning of his end point. He saw Ither move in a vision most blurry. Ah, he was still around somehow. Was this the dilation of time one met upon their death? Perhaps he had such a thing in his own life, but if he did he could not remember. At the least he was certain it was not like this. He saw the morningstar fall, then something come towards him. Yes. To save the world was wrong. Wasn’t that what this foe was trying to do in the first place? Even if he did not know its true nature, or even the true identity that much was known to him. The words from his master that he’d been ignoring of the situation at the DDD that began moments ago came to him. Or rather there was no room in Percival to hear them in the few moments of that clash. Ah, the voices returned to tell them of what had to be done. But he couldn’t do it anymore. Then finally they said goodbye.. Yeah, this was the end. [i]“Hah. To think we’ve both done foolish things chasing after a wishgranter. Perhaps we’re more alike than I thought?” Hamel had certainly seemed more cheerful with the notion. “A pair of fools, aren’t we? If only if we deigned to converse earlier.” That soft expression once more flit upon his face, looking out of place on a man so often seen in an unhappy visage. But at the same time, there was a feeling that there was no other expression would be appropriate upon his own face. “It looks that way.” Percival responded with a frankness that did not hide his thoughts. “Still, to chase after a fancy like that. Is your greed really worth risking your life? It doesn’t seem that strong. Sorry for saying this master, but it feels a bit half-assed in a way.” Hamel droned out a understanding ah before pouring a cup of tea for himself. One more local to his land, rather than the foreign brews of Japan. “But there’s nothing wrong with chasing after dreams. Or childishly going after one's selfish fickle desires. At least I think so. My time in this war is a big risk, a terrible mistake. From the perspective of an outsider I am a terrible magus to the utmost degree. To risk my family line for something that is not even for the culmination of a dream. But that’s fine. But in the first place, I never came to love magic because of my family or the obligation that was passed down to me, I came to love it for what it was to me and me alone. I chase after pleasures that are as concrete as phantoms, and butterflies in a storm without regard to anything else. Perhaps it is time to stop. They say that a proper magus can only devote 50 years to research before he must dedicate himself to the raising of an heir. But knowing me, that time will most likely come for me much earlier.” Eyes turned downward, voice having gone much softer, and a melancholic light entering his eyes. Hamel once more turned up a sad smile before continuing on. “This may be the last great adventure I may ever have Percival. So I shall jealously guard this childhood of mine, at least for just a while. So I ask of you as my servant. If my fate is indeed in your hands… Show me the most precious of adolescent dreams that burns bright enough to fuel a hundred lives.”[/i] Percival closed his eyes.