Fate, but Identity V

"I am Nightmare, your guardian in this Nightingale War. The victor will have one wish granted. What is your wish?"

Frederick dreamed of a tall crow-man who said this.

It hurts... My head... I feel awful...

An impromptu A-minor storm etude began to play.

In the dream, his weak, struggling self picked up the phone:

"Manor owner, my wish is..."

"Frederick!"

Frederick opened his eyes.

It was the novelist Orpheus.

It was rare to see him so flustered, when he was usually so gentlemanly and elegant.

He felt Frederick's forehead and scolded him, "Your fever's this bad, and you didn't come to me or answer my calls!"

Frederick took Orpheus's cool hand and pressed it against his cheek.

"What's wrong? Are you feeling awful? Or did you have a nightmare?"

"I can't remember... I think I dreamed about... my Nightmare..."

But when Frederick opened his eyes in the dream again, the person he saw was a woman in bloodstained clothes.

"Hello, little Kraber! I'm your guardian, Mary."

"No..."

His guardian wasn't supposed to be her...

"Oh, don't worry."

Mary stroked his face and whispered in his ear:

"As long as you win, any wish can come true."

"Sweetheart, what is your wish?"

*Main couple: Wu Chang and Qu. Many side couples (Jack and Naib, Photographer and Embalmer, Luchino and Kurt, Hastur and Eli, Alva and Luca, Geisha and Blind Girl, Psychologist and Patient, Doctor and Gardener, Mechanic and Spider, and Joseph and Aesop). A mountain of headcanons, so beware!

*Only the Fate mechanics are referenced. The plot has nothing to do with the original story.

*Only Orpheus has a dual personality: Nightmare is his monstrous personality. Everyone else has only one personality.

Theme: Love is mutual sacrifice and salvation.