Fate/Heroes - Chapter 61 Morality

Leading the Justice League towards the largest room in his penthouse, the first thing that all the members of the League and Team saw, was the copious amounts of money, jewelry and gold sitting in the corner of the room. Even some copies of Noble Phantasms that lay behind a barrier that Dr Fate missed.

He looked at the Lord of Order and shook his finger at him.

“Don’t even think about touching those. That barrier took me over a 24 hours to make. No-one, without using at least the same amount of time would be able to break it. Not even you”.

Giovanni Zatara raised an eyebrow behind the mask but the Lord of Order just peered at the barrier while Gray went over to his piles of money moving and shifting things as if looking for something.

Batman, noticing his fellow League members actions stood beside him, and communicated through the psychic link.

“Is there something wrong?”.

Dr Fate made no outward changes in demeanor or expression, but just turned to Gray and asked,

“You come from another universe correct? “.

“Yes”, Gray’s voice came from the other side of the room. He didn’t stop looking for what he was looking for, but Dr Fate just asked another question as his gaze moved all over the barrier.

“This is a Bounded Field…. how did you create such a Bounded Field that would only let the dead pass through?”.

All eyes moved towards the skeleton and Gray spoke as their expressions drastically changed into one of disgust.

“Oh him? That’s Billy. He was a serial rapist and murderer in Mexico. His age preference was from 6 to 16 and forced himself onto a total of 77 young men and women before I found him. Their was no proof of his actions but I caught him in the act. I brought him back here and tried to turn him into a Dead Apostle, a Vampire…. but it didn’t exactly go as planned…..”.

The response from Gray caused many to frown and an internal conflict ran through the minds of many. This man, no, this monster in front of them had done so many horrific things to children but looking at him right now, he truly had become the monster that they thought he was.

Batman looked at Gray with a frown as he watched the Pseudo-Servant take out a book, sword and a piece of red robe from a ċhėst he had hidden underneath a pile of money. He saw Gray nod slightly before the caped crusader placed a hand on his shoulder and prevented him from walking away.

“You didn’t have the right to do that Gray. This, is a life much worse than death. Who are you to decide-“.

“Batman, not even 77 conversations could convince me that my actions weren’t unwarranted. Try telling to the families of those 77 that this”, Gray pointed towards Billy before continuing, “Was something that wasn’t coming to him. You, and the rest of the Justice League arrest criminals and people call you Heroes. Granted, that bank robbers and petty thieves are the majority of what you deal with, how many lives could’ve been saved if who killed them. Joker, Lex Luthor, Ares, Captain Cold, Malcolm Merlyn and the rest of the Injustice League”.

A familiar sounding voice echoed inside Gray’s head, he didn’t know where it came from, but it fit the situation perfectly.

“Kill one to save ten. Kill ten to save a hundred. Kill a hundred to save a thousand…. In this world there is no such thing as a happy ending. Believe me, I’ve experienced death more times than everybody in this room combined…..”.

Gray left the room and gestured towards the roof as all the so-called superheroes stood in silence in Gray’s treasure room.

As Rider he was a fierce warrior capable of going head to head against even the strongest members of the League. Superman, without his arm wouldn’t last anywhere near as long against Gray with the disadvantage of his missing arm.

His variety of skills and abilities were unknown to the Justice League, although he claimed to the Team that he could not be killed. The didn’t test his weakness in the form of his Achilles Heel, but they sad that something about his words felt as though he had tried before.

But as Gray…..

Batman narrowed his eyes at the vanishing figure of Gray as he walked up the steps at the end of the hallway towards his roof.

As Gray he was charismatic. He was influential. He was a strange mixture of egoism and altruism. Serving himself while serving others. His mysterious nature was more than attractive to the opposite sėx, as seen by Diana and Kara if Batman heard it correct from Robin.

He wasn’t a billionaire like Bruce Wayne or Oliver Queen, but his ability to get money was far more superior to both billionaire playboys. All he needed to do, was the one thing that they refused to do. Steal.

He gestured to Hawkgirl who nodded back at the Dark Knight, and the pair followed Gray towards the roof, noting his crouching figure as he drew a strange runic circle on the helicopter pad above his penthouse.

The ċhėst filled with the 19th century looking book, the rusted yet still unreasonably sharp Japanese katana and the remnant of an ancient piece of Chinese clothing, yet it was still tattered and covered in dust and spiderwebs.

“All I can tell you is that this circle connects this place to another. Think of it as a doorway to let something come through”.

Diana, trying to smooth the situation over stood next to Gray as he started the second summoning circle, looking down at the crouching Pseudo-Servant as he drew the exact same picture a few feet away from the first one.

“Is this how you summon a Servant Gray?”.

He nodded and continued to answer her question. Not caring if the other League members heard them.

“Yes. This is a Great Holy Grail War. Seven Servants against Seven more Servants. The other team has already summoned their seven, while you only have two Masters on your side”.

“What about you Gray? Wouldn’t you be a Master on our side as well?”.

The Pseudo-Servant stopped his drawing and looked up at the confused face of Diana, looking away from her gaze as he continued drawing.

“I’m not fighting on your side. There is no rule in a Holy Grail War that says that Masters have to fight along side each other. In fact its frowned upon”.

“Why?”.

“The purpose of the Holy Grail War is to kill other Servants. The magical power within each Servant then fills the Holy Grail. Once all other Servants are dead and only one remains, the winning Master can wish upon the Holy Grail for their one true wish”.

Diana stopped moving for a second, but then looked at Batman and Hawkgirl with wide eyes. Gray just nodded as the train of thought Diana came to was correct.

“Yes. The easiest way to defeat a Servant is to kill their Master. If either Hawkgirl or Batman dies, unless their Servant can make a contract with another Master bearing Command Seals, they will also die”.

Gray’s mind turned to the battles from the last Great Holy Grail War he remembered. One of the few things he could remember.

He sighed.

“In every Holy Grail War to date, no-one has ever successfully won. Their was technically one, but there was something that had infected the Grail that caused it to go out of control”.

Batman and Hawkgirl shared a look, but turned to Gray and asked,

“So we have to find the other four Masters before the other Seven Servants do correct?”.

Gray nodded before gesturing to the ċhėst containing the three catalysts. His gaze was completely serious, and absolutely no emotion was shown in the eyes of the Pseudo-Servant.

“Pick your catalyst. It will narrow down the Servant you will summon. If not, the Grail will select the Servant with the greatest affinity you possess towards”.