Chapter forty two- Declaration of War

"It was amazing! I'd meow at the cat and it'd repeat me! 'Meow', it'd say! 'Meow!'"

Scheherazade giggled into the phone she held propped up with her shoulder, "I'm glad you're enjoying yourself, Titus."

"How are you doing, though?" Titus asked as he skipped merrily through the halls of the Mage's Association college, Aladdin and Sphintus following behind.

"I'm doing much better, really," Scheherazade replied. She was still bedridden for the most part, only able to move on her own to go to the bathroom just across the hall and back. Myron was a big help, but Scheherazade wished she could go back to taking care of herself entirely. Steering the subject away from herself, she asked her son, "How are your friends doing? Did you make any new ones?"

"I did, actually! His name is Aladdin, his parents are super strong mages who live in Japan," Titus continued to ramble on about Aladdin then onto Sphintus, making the two teens blush and laugh awkwardly as they listened to his compliments.

"Mages from Japan? What is his last name?"

"Jehoahaz Abraham. Why?"

Scheherazade's eyes widened somewhat. "I've heard of them, they're very popular with the Mage's Association. I didn't know they had a son, though." She paused at the sound of shuffling feet somewhere in the house. Sitting up more, she spoke into the phone, "Titus, I'll be back in a moment..." She placed the phone down on her nightstand then swung her legs carefully over the edge of the bed, using built in supports on the wall to help her stand.

"Wait, what? Where are you going?" Titus asked through the phone, though Scheherazade couldn't hear him anymore.

"Myron? Is that you?" Scheherazade called as she made her way to the bedroom door. "I thought you were going to be out for the next few hours? Myron?"

"Mom?" Titus continued to call through the phone. He'd stopped walking, causing his friends to bump into him.

"What's wrong, Titus-kun?" Aladdin asked over the blonde's shoulder.

"She's not answering... She's bedridden, she shouldn't be walking..." Titus tried calling out to Scheherazade a few more times, to no avail. The line was silent for a few moments before Titus heard a loud bang, an ear-splitting cry ringing through the phone that forced him to pull his phone away from his ear. His heart sank as he called out to Scheherazade several more times, "Mom?!"

The scream had been so loud even Aladdin and Sphintus heard it, the pair also panicking and shouting into the phone, "Miss Scheherazade?!"

A few seconds of heavy, blurred, panic, later -the other students watching the trio with a mix of confusion and concern,- someone hung up the phone on Scheherazade's end, the quiet hum of the dead line filling the teen's shocked silence.

~

"Flight number 784 from Rome to Fuyuki will be departing in ten minutes." A pleasant female voice spoke evenly over the airport intercom while people speed-walked from place to place, rushing to make it to their flights without being late. Chatter filled the air, the sounds of machines and several different conversations all filled with their own emotions blending together and wiggling themselves into Caster's head, only annoying the servant further.

"This disguise is appalling," Semiramis complained under her breath, pulling uncomfortably at the frilly bright yellow blouse she wore paired with a grey pencil skirt and heels.

"Stop fidgeting, it's only for a few more hours," Kouen ordered gruffly, his head in his hands as he tried to drown out the busy-ness of the Italian airport. He wore a grey suit, a briefcase beside his chair serving as his carry-on, completing his disguise as a businessman and his assistant waiting for their flight back to Japan.

The redheaded master was rather lucky Semiramis could understand any language as a servant, as he could only speak Chinese and Japanese and was at a complete loss in an Italian-speaking country.

Besides the communication barriers and slight confusion, the twelve-hour-long flight was also very expensive and risky. A straight flight to and from Japan and Italy didn't come cheap, especially in first class, and they were technically not allowed to leave Japan during the Holy Grail War. Luckily, Kouen figured, the Holy Church was so corrupt and un-official now that there was a very small chance anyone would really care about their leaving.

And besides that, Kouen and Caster found their excuse for leaving rather valid. They were officially declaring war on Rider and his master, Muu Alexius.

~

"I have to go to Rome. Now."

"But Titus-kun, what about your classes?"

"I need to know if she's okay," Titus spoke, blinding rushing around his shared dorm room with Aladdin and Sphintus. He was shoving his belongings into a large suitcase on his bed, barely thinking as he ran around.

"How do you plan on paying for the flight? Or even getting to the airport?" Sphintus grabbed Titus' shaking hands as he rushed by for the umpteenth time, looking the blond in the eye. "Calm down, Titus. We can't just up and leave."

Titus opened his mouth to argue, tears welling in his pale blue eyes. But before he could speak, Aladdin stepped forward, saying, "I could ask Ugo-kun to take us." He tried offering Titus a smile, "After classes today, of course. I know my parents gave him some money for me just in case of an emergency."

"Could he?!" Titus' eyes widened in newfound hope. "Oh, thank you Aladdin!"

"What about Muu? Do you have a way to contact him?" Sphintus asked, letting Titus' hands go.

Titus thought for a moment, finally relaxing some. "I don't think so... He didn't really like me leaving to come here and hasn't spoken to me since before the Holy Grail War began."

"Shouldn't he know, though? In case..." Sphintus trailed off.

"I don't think he can leave Japan," Aladdin said. "I heard that was a rule of the War, at least."

"We'll deal with that after we're in Rome," Titus decided, wiping his eyes and straightening his posture. "Let's go."

~

Titus Alexius felt like he was wading through life, barely aware of his existence nor his need to breathe occasionally. All he could see was fire. All he could smell was ash and smoke. It filled his lungs and burnt his throat. All he could hear was the crackling of the flaming wood and the sounds of his screams for Scheherazade mixed with the calls of his friends.

Even several hours after they'd left his house, several hours after the fire department arrived and the police told Titus he needed to go to Japan where his only legal guardian was, he couldn't take his mind off the event. He couldn't focus on his steps, relying on Aladdin's hand holding his to guide the way.

The regulated temperature of the airport felt foreign against his skin, which couldn't shake the feeling of the flames lapping at it. The noises surrounding him were blurred and distant, that is until Aladdin stopped walking suddenly, Titus running face-first into someone much taller than him.

"Sorry," The blond managed to mumble. The man smelled of cedar and cigars, yet a nauseatingly sweet scent was also carried with it, making Titus pulled away.

Upon further inspection, Titus realized the sweet scent belonged to a female that stood beside the man. The woman had dark skin and hair, while the man had light skin and red hair. Both carried an air of dominance around them. Beside Titus, Aladdin gasped, grabbing Titus' hand and pulling him away without a word.

"What was that about, Aladdin?" Sphintus asked the younger magician, hoisting his carry-on higher onto his shoulder.

"That was Kouen Ren and his servant," Aladdin hissed quietly. "They're a part of the Holy Grail War!"

"Seriously?!" Sphintus exclaimed. Aladdin scolded him, telling him to keep quiet.

Titus shook the exhaustion from his head and limbs, asking, "Why are they here?"

"I don't know," Aladdin admitted. "But look, they're on the same flight as us!" He pointed to the pair who were in line to board their flight, handing their tickets to the ticketmaster before entering the gate.

"Geez, they're even in first class... How important are these guys?!" Sphintus asked as the next group of passengers were called.

Aladdin shrugged, "I went to a party at his mansion in Fuyuki, I think he owns a big company there."

"Isn't his family one of the Founding Families as well?" Titus reminded. The trio moved to get in line as their class -economy class- was called. "Like the Alexius'."

"Oh, yeah!" Aladdin happily gave the ticketmaster his ticket. "His cousin's in the war as well. I think his name is Hakuryuu."

"Hopefully we don't run into them again," Sphintus spoke. "Who knows what they'll do if they realize you two have connections to the war."

Titus nodded lazily in agreement, climbing into is seat by the window after squeezing his backpack into the overhead carry-on storage space. He thought over Sphintus' words, suddenly growing worried. Why were they in Rome? Why now? It must be a coincidence...right?

~