Title: Fate/Desiderantes Affectibus

Author: Rowan Seven

Teaser: A doomed master summons an equally tragic servant in the Fourth Holy Grail War. Together, can they change fate or will their journeys once again end in sorrow? Pre-Rebellion.

Rating: PG-13.

Disclaimer: This story contains spoilers for both series. The Fate franchise belongs to Type-Moon. Puella Magi Madoka Magica belongs to Studio Shaft and Aniplex. This story is a work of fanfiction written for fun. I make no claims to either series.


Chapter Three – King Arthur is a Magical Girl too? Cool.

Assassin knew he'd walked into a trap long before the spear shot down from the sky and painfully nailed his left hand to the pedestal of the stone monument he'd been reaching for in the Tohsaka estate's garden. The command to slay Tokiomi a mere two nights after the last servant had been summoned and his master's words of assurance had both been suspicious, and Assassin was no fool. He was, however, supremely confident in his abilities, and he had assumed that he could easily infiltrate the mansion and skillfully extricate himself from whatever Kirei and Tokiomi had planned without tipping his true hand to the colluding masters.

"You're nothing but a worm. Who gave you permission to come here?"

So much for that, Assassin thought wryly as, with a grunt of agony, he looked up to behold his executioner. There, standing proudly atop the mansion's rooftop, was the golden-haired Archer in his magnificent auric armor with over a dozen circular portals glowing behind him. The end of a legendary weapon protruded from the center of each disc, primed and ready to be fired at their owner's command which, with an imperious scowl on his unblemished face, Archer promptly issued.

Swoosh-Swoosh-Swoosh! Zing-Zing-Zing! Bwoom-Bwoom-Bwoom!

Assassin thought it distinctly unfair how even the legendary-weapons-turned-missiles that missed him caused the ground to erupt in shrapnel from the sheer force of impact, and he silently cursed as the debris further pummeled his wound-riddled body. The shadow-black servant's situation deteriorated further a moment later as, even before he landed, he saw the blade that would kill him come careening down from above.

No need...to fear that, he says...

The blade struck true and tore Assassin's white skull mask from his face. Mask and body both crashed into the ground seconds later, landing in the pockmarked crater formed by the power of Archer's barrage. The golden servant gazed down at his defeated opponent contemptuously.

"You are not worthy to look upon me. A worm should be facing the ground when it dies."

Surprisingly, Assassin's last thoughts were not bitter. He was well aware that those willing to employ the skills of a hired killer were also frequently the type for whom treachery came easily. He also knew that in his day fear of retribution from his fellow Hashshashin had kept betrayals to a minimum, and while much had changed in this modern age the brotherhood of assassins had not.

Beware...the shadows, master. We are...everywhere, and we...never forget.

The eyes of four familiars spying for different masters watched as Assassin's broken form dispersed into a cloud of black smoke and vanished from the world. These were his final moments, and the silent observers would all report on the death of the Servant of the Shadows. A fifth pair of eyes, however, remained unseen by all and watched the watchers from behind a skull mask identical to the one worn by the deceased servant. And unlike the other observers, this watcher knew that reports of Assassin's death were greatly exaggerated.

And thus the war begins with an act of treachery and deception. How very auspicious for us!, the second of the eighty assassins who currently comprised the legendary Old Man of the Mountain thought gleefully as he smiled crookedly beneath his alabaster mask. Archer could shine as gloriously as he wanted in the darkness. Tokiomi and Kirei could plot as much as they desired in the night. They all fought and struggled in his element, and Assassin was the only true master of the shadows.

And when I choose the time to strike, no one will see me coming.


Kariya terminated the visual link to his winged insect familiar and cursed from where he stood leaning against a brick wall in one of Fuyuki's busier nighttime entertainment districts. The nearly half a dozen people nearby—mostly pub crawlers and young couples—gave him a wide berth but otherwise pretended he wasn't there. He'd drawn his hood far over his face, and so long as he didn't step under the artificial light of a street lamp he could pass as disheveled rather than diseased.

You damn lucky bastard, the Matou master thought unhappily as he scowled at Tokiomi's good fortune. Not only did the fire magus have an extremely powerful servant if the recent battle was any indication, but the defenses around his mansion were so secure not even Assassin could sneak in undetected. That boded poorly for any attempts he and Berserker might make later on, and now he was also one servant shorter of potential allies.

Damn it, is a single sign of weakness on Tokiomi's part too much to ask for? The way things look now, he can win simply by staying inside his mansion and waiting for the rest of us to kill each other off before sending out his servant to slaughter the last ones standing. Damn damn da-Gnh!

Kariya gritted his teeth as the crest worms buried in his flesh writhed in response to his anger. His overall health had improved slightly thanks to his servant's magic, but he was still on the same fatal downhill slide and Zouken's accursed parasites were becoming even more insatiable now that he was channeling a constant stream of magical energy to Berserker. It didn't take much to agitate them, and his waking thoughts were regularly interrupted by painful jolts and other unpleasant reminders of his impending mortality.

Gotta keep it together, though, for Sakura's sake. Just for one or two more weeks...maybe three...and then I can rest.

Focusing on Sakura helped, and for good measure Kariya reminded himself that, as much as he wanted Tokiomi dead, he didn't actually want him dead because Aoi loved the insufferable fool and his death would make her sad. That wasn't particularly pleasant to think about either, but Kariya gradually calmed and he directed his thoughts back to recent developments and what his next steps should be. Notifying his servant of the news was the obvious first action, and if the other masters had also watched the same battle perhaps they might be more willing to unite against Tokiomi now? That was something to consider, at least.

Assassin is dead, Kariya communicated telepathically to Berserker who was busy patrolling the city. Ostensibly, she was searching for the hideouts of the remaining three—now two—servants, but Kariya knew she was more focused on finding the demon summoner. Reports of missing children had begun to circulate throughout Fuyuki in the two days since Berserker's discovery, and although there was no evidence linking the disappearances to a renegade magus his servant feared the worst. Based on the glimpses of the grisly scene she'd shown him through her eyes Kariya couldn't blame her, and he'd done what he could to help her search by reporting the incident to the war's overseer and staying in public places where he was safer without her nearby despite how much he disliked being treated like a pariah. Risei had agreed to look into the matter and commented that Caster being summoned on the same night might be more than a coincidence, but there was little the priest could do until something more concrete appeared. And now that the war had finally properly begun...well, everyone's priorities were about to change.

How? And where?, Berserker asked a moment later. I haven't sensed anything near me.

It happened on the other side of Fuyuki, in the foreigner's district. Tohsaka's servant got him.

He filled her in on the details he'd seen and described Tohsaka's servant—presumably Archer—as best he could. Oddly, Berserker sounded amused when he mentioned the enemy servant's power to summon and shoot multiple weapons.

A golden hero conjuring weapons from thin air and firing them all simultaneously? Nothing I haven't seen before. Heck, even I can do something similar, though I'm limited to my own cutlasses. That shouldn't be anything my speed and regeneration can't overcome if that's all Archer's got, but I'll still be careful. It's super stupid to underestimate an opponent I haven't even fought yet.

Be sure you don't, Kariya warned. Archer eliminated Assassin effortlessly, and although Assassin may be the weakest of the servants that's still a disturbing feat. Not taking Archer seriously could be deadly.

Yeah yeah, I hear you loud and clear, Matou. You can count on me!

There was a contemplative pause on Berserker's end before she spoke again.

Speaking of Assassin..., she began slowly, are you certain he's dead? Speaking as a resurrected ghost, I can confidently say that not everyone dies when they are killed and, well, I'm having a hard time believing that any heroic spirit would go down so easily.

Trust me on this, Kariya insisted with a slight hint of irritation at having to repeat himself. I may only be a third-rate magus, but there's no mistaking the death of a servant. You can't fake the destruction of a spiritual core like that. The Assassin I saw is beyond a doubt dead.

Then I'll take your word on it if you're so sure. It's one less thing for me to worry about, the servant replied placatingly before a stubborn note entered her mental voice.

On another topic, I know where you're going with this conversation, but I insist on being allowed to continue hunting for the mastermind behind these kidnappings. Demon summoner or not, I can't stand by while children are vanishing.

Kariya frowned but did not argue. He didn't like Berserker's recalcitrant tone, but he knew he wouldn't win this argument without using a command seal and it wasn't an argument he wanted to win anyway. Even if the disappearances had nothing to do with magic or the Grail War, the thought of children being abducted sickened him, and if there was something he could do to help bring an end to this crime he'd do it. Sakura would always be his first priority, though. Otherwise all of this was pointless.

That's fine, he concurred as he attempted to project a sense of firmness into his voice. I was going to have you keep an eye out for the kidnapper anyway in case he's linked to Caster, and I want to see whoever's behind this brought to justice too. However, the Grail War must take precedence. More battles will follow now that the first servant has fallen, and if we don't go after the other servants and masters they'll come after us instead. Remembering his servant's age, he softened his tone and added another word to his orders.

Please?

Berserker sighed. Fine, fine, but only because you asked nicely, Matou...And truth be told, I'm not having much luck with my search anyway, so maybe a change of focus will help on both ends. And who knows? Meeting the other servants could be fun!


The next night.

"I am Iskandar, the King of Conquerors! In this battle for the Holy Grail, I am of the Rider class of servants!"

Sayaka watched wide-eyed as the red-haired giant of a man rode a lightning-infused war chariot down from the sky and in between the dueling Lancer and Saber. Her eyes widened further when the crimson-caped servant announced himself.

That's Alexander the Great? He's the same servant I sensed the other day in the park! There's no mistaking that aura.

Not for the first time that night, the azure puella magi shivered anxiously. She'd arrived at the west bank docks shortly after Lancer and Saber's battle began and had hidden herself behind a stack of crates in a narrow alley between two warehouses, and what she'd seen of the two knight-class servants had amazed her. The skill both had displayed was incredible, but even more than that was the sheer sense of presence both projected. Saber, a regal blonde woman in a blue dress overlaid with silver armor, practically glowed with inner purpose, majesty, and strength. Heroic spirit or not, this woman would be the center of any crowd and could command obedience through innate charisma and force of personality alone—simply being near her made Sayaka feel inadequate in comparison.

Lancer, meanwhile, incited a very different and far more embarrassing emotion within her, and the puella magi had needed to forcibly restrain herself from rushing out of her hiding spot and throwing herself adoringly at him the first time she'd glimpsed his resolute yet grief-tainted orange eyes. The black-haired servant was certainly handsome, wearing a sleeveless dark teal outfit that hugged his lean, muscled body as he confidently dual-wielded a long crimson spear and a shorter yellow spear, but he wasn't nearly good-looking enough to provoke such a juvenile reaction from her! She'd only caught on that enchantment was involved when she'd seen her soul gem brighten as it cleansed the infatuation from her mind. Mental clarity soon returned, and, while Sayaka found herself admiring Lancer's physique a bit more than was strictly necessary, she was no longer under his spell. Instead, she found herself admiring his prowess and how, even against a peerless opponent of Saber's caliber, he was able to assess and master the battlefield.

The three servants before her were—simply put—superhuman, even by her standards, and while Sayaka did not doubt she could match them in strength and speed she worried she could not do the same in skill and power. And that did not bode well for her and her master's chances in this war...

Madoka wasn't kidding when she said this wouldn't be easy. Still, I can't give up with both Matou and Sakura counting on me, and it's not as though my chances are completely hopeless. Lancer inflicted a serious injury to Saber's left hand, and so long as that wound remains cursed Saber can't possibly fight at full strength. No matter who she is, she's at a serious disadvan—

"And further, I am the rightful King of Britain and not merely a knight of the realm. I could never lower myself to mere retainer, even to a mighty king."

"Oh, you are King of Britain! That is quite a surprise! I would hardly have expected the King of Knights to be a little girl."

Sayaka's thoughts ground to a halt as her mind caught up with Rider's effort to recruit Lancer and Saber into his army and pieced together the latter's identity.

King Arthur is a girl? B-b-but that doesn't make any sense! She had a son with her half-sister, didn't she? And wasn't she married to Guinevere? Argh! This is either Rule 63's revenge or King Arthur is actually a puella magi who made one very bizarre wish!

Sayaka's imagination briefly pictured the swordswoman in front of her as a magical girl, conjuring an image of the blonde knight in a lacy dress and white armor with a large black bow in her hair before she dispelled the ridiculous visualization. Whatever the circumstances were, apparently the stories she'd read as a child had gotten something as simple as King Arthur's gender wrong, and she would have to deal with the reality.

"So you were the one, eh? I'd wondered what madness had compelled you to steal my relic. I never imagined that you yourself planned to enter the Holy Grail War...Waver Velvet."

Sayaka frowned as a new voice—disembodied and seemingly coming from no single direction—chimed in. The tone reeked of arrogance with an undercurrent of cruelty, and the effect it had on the young man standing beside Rider in his war chariot was immediate. The black-haired youth who had previously appeared angry and exasperated at his servant's antics now cowered in fear with a rapidly blossoming look of unadulterated panic on his face as the condescending voice continued to berate and threaten him...at least until Rider stepped in. Placing a reassuring hand on his master's back, the burly servant turned to address the unseen speaker.

"Mage! So you were to be my master, rather than the boy. Absurd...Only one brave enough to ride the battlefield at my side could ever by my master. A coward, lacking sufficient courage to show himself, is not nearly close to being worthy! Gwhahahaha! And there are others, as well...skulking in the darkness!"

Huh, so much for remaining hidden...

As the Servant of Madness debated whether to show herself, her master mentally chimed in with his thoughts on the matter.

Be careful, Berserker, Kariya warned telepathically from his own hiding spot farther away as he watched events through her eyes. Our goal tonight is merely to learn more about the other servants and masters. You don't need to reveal yourself, and with those three already out there there's no telling what'll happen.

Heh, I appreciate the concern for my well-being, Matou, but if Rider interfered to stop Saber—possibly the strongest class, from what you've told me—from being eliminated, I don't think any of us have anything to fear so long as we don't offend him. And as an ally of justice, it would be super rude of me not to show myself after being asked.

As if he'd sensed her thoughts, Rider raised his hands theatrically and looked up at the sky.

"Heroic Spirits, born again through the Holy Grail, gather here and now!" he shouted in his booming voice. "Those too craven to show themselves will draw the scorn of Iskandar, King of Conquerors!"

And that would be my cue, Sayaka thought. She wasn't the only one.

In a descending swirl of golden lights, an armored man of medium height materialized and alighted upon a lamppost that overlooked the gathering of servants. He scowled haughtily as he looked down at the assembled with proud red eyes, and although she was still hidden by the shadows and not included in his imperious, dismissive gaze Sayaka froze at the sight of him. His mere presence triggered virtually every magical sense she had, and where Saber was a radiant light and Rider a charged storm this servant—Archer, she identified, matching his appearance with Matou's description—felt like an overpowering tsunami on par with Walpurgisnacht's calamity. His aura was one of total confidence and possession, of entitlement, as though the entire world rightfully belonged to him and anything that didn't submit to his whims and will would be swept away.

"So, two lesser beings dare to name themselves kings, even in my presence."

The golden servant spoke, his words rich with authority and filled with contempt as his voice—perfectly suited for addressing large crowds even when he spoke quietly—carried far.

"I cannot see where any problem lies," Rider responded calmly as he looked up at the new arrival, but the earlier good cheer had left his voice. "I am Iskandar, the legendary King of Conquerors known to all the lands in the world."

Archer's scowl deepened.

"What nonsense," he retorted disdainfully. "You are deluding yourself. I am the one true king of the world. All others are mongrels, pretenders to the name."

The red-haired giant appeared unfazed at Archer's tone as those around him tensed, preparing for a fight.

"If you're that insistent of your claim, then why not name yourself? No true king should be troubled by something as simple as giving his name to those he wishes to challenge."

A flash of cold anger crossed Archer's face, and he slammed a foot down hard on the lamp post beneath him, cracking the glass.

"So, you would question me, pretender? Me, the one true king? If even in the presence of my magnificent glory you cannot discern my identity, then your ignorant blindness will seal your doom!"

Two golden portals appeared above Archer's head, and the end of a legendary weapon poked out of each, ready to be aimed and launched at their master's command.

Whoa, what a jerk, Sayaka thought with a grimace, battling her own instincts which were screaming at her to run and get as far away from Archer as possible. She didn't want to catch his notice...but if she didn't step out now this whole mess would deteriorate into a battle and possibly eliminate one if not more servants who might be willing to work together with her. And after what she'd seen tonight, she couldn't deny any longer that she would need help to win.

Okay, Sayaka. Time to play peacemaker...and since you're going out anyway, you might as well make your grand entrance super impressive!


Maiya was not having a good night. Although safely hidden on the nearby rooftop of a warehouse, the dark-haired woman knew she was effectively at ground zero should a free-for-all break out between the four servants assembled below her. Factor in the not-dead Assassin watching events from the crane overhead and the whole scenario was a disastrous recipe for chaos, and Maiya did not like chaos. She acted with precision and efficiency, seeking the maximum effect with minimum effort, and being unable to predict the battlefield interfered with her preferred modus operandi.

Saber's poor performance also exacerbated matters. The swordswoman had held back during her duel with Lancer to maintain the secret of her identity and received a crippling wound for her efforts, and then she'd gone and revealed her name to the world at large anyway. The only upshots to Saber's debacle of a first battle were the identities of the other servants who had named themselves and the opportunity she and Kiritsugu now had to eliminate two of the war's masters, but with the situation below as tense as it was neither she nor her partner dared take the first shot and ignite the powder keg.

What a mess, she thought privately as she kept her sniper rifle trained on the potential targets below and observed the battlefield through its telescopic sight. Her brown eyes narrowed a few seconds later as Archer threw what could ungraciously be called a tantrum, and she centered her aim on Waver Velvet. If Archer's attack distracted Rider she might have a clear shot—

A brilliant burst of blue light interrupted the mercenary's calculations, and she shifted her attention to take in the new development. Three concentric azure circles, each comprised of five lines interspersed with cryptic runic symbols, had materialized on the ground to the far side of Archer and spun rapidly around each other. The solemn notes of a ghostly violin solo emerged from the arcane emblem, with the music swelling to a crescendo as a wave of pellucid water gushed up and crashed down from the outermost circle, rising to a second crescendo as another wave of water similarly rose and fell from the middle circle, and reaching a third and final crescendo as the innermost circle erupted in a thick column of water. The glowing figure of a girl rose up from within the liquid pillar and took on definite form as the water plunged back to its source. Blue hair, blue eyes, Asian skin and features, blue and white cloth armor—

"That's the same servant who was in the Mount Miyami shopping district three days ago," Maiya informed her partner in a whisper, speaking through her earbud headset. Kiritsugu was too professional to curse out loud, but she knew him well enough to read his increasing frustration into the silence on his end. Frustration, and an unprofessional concern for his wife that he wouldn't have entertained ten years ago, but Irisviel had changed him more than Kiritsugu liked to admit.

Releasing a muted sigh, Maiya focused her attention on the new arrival as the seemingly young girl reached for her chest and pulled out a blue shaft of light that coalesced into a cutlass. The enemy servant then brandished the weapon with a theatrical flourish before stabbing it into the pavement beneath her, the spell circles continuing to pulse as she bowed politely, smiled broadly, and rose to address her fellow servants.

"Unlike a certain Archer who apparently has too little pride in his own name to share it, I am Miki Sayaka, ally of justice, defender of the city, and, for a limited time only, Berserker of the Fourth Holy Grail War! I'm pleased to meet all of you!"

She's Berserker?, Maiya thought incredulously as she saw her reaction mirrored on the faces of Saber, Lancer, Irisviel, and Waver. In contrast, Rider looked amused at the introduction, his lips curling upward in a jovial grin, and Archer...Maiya couldn't read the expression on his face, but he did not appear pleased.

"A child," the golden servant muttered scornfully as his crimson eyes narrowed in anger. "A child with no manners, two pretenders too blind to recognize their better, and a filthy mongrel." He stamped his foot again, this time with enough force that the lamppost beneath him bent under the blow. "The Grail has insulted me by summoning ignorant plebeians to be my competition and attaching my name to this farcical war."

Archer waved a hand dismissively and the two glowing portals behind him disappeared along with the sword and spear that had been poking out of them.

"Thin your ranks before we meet again," he commanded contemptuously as his body dissolved back into golden lights. "I doubt any of you will prove yourselves worthy of facing me, but the less I'm reminded of how disappointing you are the more merciful I'll be when deciding your fates."

Maiya felt some of the tension leave her at Archer's departure, but she did not relax and kept her attention centered on the gathering below. One less servant didn't make this situation any less a recipe for disaster, and Saber was still wounded and vastly outnumbered. With all the players willing to show themselves now flushed out, though, it might be better if she and Kiritsugu took the risk and attacked Archibald—

"Maiya, I'm going to take the shot," Kiritsugu's hardened voice rang in her right ear, echoing her own thoughts. "Remain vigilant, but do not reveal your presence unless it becomes necessary to protect Irisviel."

"Affirmative," she replied, adjusting her position on the rooftop and readying a few smoke grenades. It was next to impossible to harm a servant with mundane weapons, but their senses could still be tricked, and with Saber protecting Irisviel the white-haired woman would only need a second or two to escape. Maiya could give them that much even if it meant putting her own life at risk, because those were her orders and she would carry them out. Just like she always did, and she—no, it didn't matter.

From her viewpoint, Maiya tracked her targets with emotionless eyes and waited.


Sayaka's left eye twitched in annoyance. She wasn't upset that Archer had left—the jerk!—but she did not appreciate being treated as so beneath his notice that he took her mere presence as an insult. She was already feeling inferior sharing the same space as King Arthur and Alexander the Great, and Archer's dismissal didn't help her self-esteem at all.

"What a disagreeable fellow," Rider remarked disappointedly, seemingly sharing Sayaka's irritation. "To so quickly disparage those he just met...Archer is either incredibly foolish or incredibly perceptive, or perhaps both. Still, that's something for a future meeting to decide, and there are more important matters to attend to at the moment."

Sayaka tensed as Rider's heterochromatic eyes turned to her, and she instinctively reached for the cutlass she'd planted in the ground. The weapon wasn't necessary, though, for where Archer had been disdainful Rider was appreciative and appraising, and he further surprised her a moment later by giving her a thumbs up.

"Splendid entrance, Berserker! And congratulations on routing Archer, even if that was not your intention. The first victory of the Fourth Grail War's second battle is yours!" the red-haired king proclaimed without mockery. "A warrior of your caliber would be heartily welcomed in my army, so what say you? Will you yield the Grail to me, join me as a treasured comrade, and share in the joys of world conquest?"

At this, Lancer chuckled and shook his head disbelievingly from where he stood a few yards to the side and slightly ahead of Rider. Saber stood silently several yards across from him on Rider's other side and had assumed a defensive stance in front of the white-haired woman who appeared to be her master. Waver, still in Rider's chariot, wore the shell-shocked look of someone who had resigned himself to the world not making sense and decided he was so far in over his head that it didn't matter anymore.

"Truly, Rider, you do not know when to quit," the Irish knight spoke, sounding both amused and impressed. "To be rebuffed thrice yet continue to make your offer." Lancer shrugged and smiled slightly. "I do not presume to speak for Berserker, but if she's truly an ally of justice then her answer should already be obvious to you."

Rider guffawed loudly, amused by the rebuke and its implied insult. "True, true, but it doesn't hurt to ask. And if nothing else, it will establish where we all stand next to each other. So, your answer, Berserker?"

"Pass," Sayaka announced, moving closer so that she faced Rider and was roughly equidistant from both Lancer and Saber, forming a diamond shape between them. She held up her left hand in a conciliatory gesture.

"Don't get me wrong, Rider. I'm super flattered by the offer—" And she definitely was. After Archer's insulting dismissal, it felt good to know that at least one of her fellow servants seemed to hold some respect for her. "—but I can't. I promised to fight for the Grail for the sake of my master's wish, and, while my own wish is something I'd be willing to yield, I cannot and will not forsake his. It is far too important."

"How lamentable," Rider said regretfully with a shake of his head before the earnest smile returned a moment later. "But I'm glad to hear you have something you deem truly valuable to fight for. Dedicate yourself to your cause with all your heart and soul, and there will be no shame in your battles regardless of whether you win or lose. And speaking of battles, I do believe that Saber and Lancer—"

Zing!

The whoosh of a bullet traveling through the night air and the subsequent dull thud as it collided with something hard and impenetrable were heard clearly by all the servants, and Sayaka instinctively turned her head to look up at the source of the noise with her servant-augmented eyes. There was a mirage-like shimmering above the warehouse where the bullet—now lying bent and useless on the rooftop—had struck, and then the translucent ripples faded and were replaced by a sheet of what looked like liquid metal facing the direction the attack had come from. Behind the gray wall was a tall, middle-aged man with angular features, a receding blonde hairline, and an irate expression on his face.

"Using a gun to attack a Lord of the Mage's Association? Disgraceful!" the man boomed, sounding both disgusted and incredulous as magic carried his words throughout the wharf. Sayaka recognized his voice as the voice of Lancer's hitherto invisible master, and he glared down at them all balefully before his gaze fixated on the white-haired woman standing behind Saber.

"Einzbern, I can only lament how far your once illustrious family has fallen," he spoke, traces of genuine pity in his words. "I had heard the rumor that you'd hired the prideless Magus Killer as your private hound for this war, but I didn't want to believe Jubstacheit would do something so shameful. It appears the respect I held for your bloodline was misplaced."

The man's green eyes briefly turned to the where the bullet had come from as he muttered a short incantation, and a gust of wind formed in front of his silver barrier and retraced the path of the projectile. Whoever had fired upon him was long gone, though, and the breeze dissipated into empty space at the end of its journey. The man sighed unhappily at the result and folded his hands behind his blue overcoat before he looked down at the white-haired woman again.

"You do not deny it. Then be warned, Einzbern. For us, this is no longer a battle between magi. You no longer deserve that honor. Instead, it is an extermination, and when we meet next you will pay the full price for your appalling conduct. You, and the honorless assassin you employ."

The male magus gestured with his right hand and chanted a verse quietly to himself. The air around him and his metallic guardian shimmered again, and then he was gone. Lancer, with some reluctance, followed suit, staying only long enough to bow politely in farewell and pierce Saber with a glance that promised things weren't over between them. Then he, too, disappeared, and Sayaka was left alone with Rider, Saber, and their masters. To her, neither servant looked eager for a fight, but there was tension in the air and she felt her hands reach for her cutlass again. If Saber or the assassin tried anything funny—

"I must apologize for the conduct of my master," Saber spoke at last, surprising Sayaka by lowering her weapon, an invisible sword surrounded by a sheath of wind. "I knew him to be a man of mercenary means but had assumed he would exercise proper decorum during these engagements. It appears I misjudged him."

"Saber, wait," the white-haired and red-eyed woman behind her spoke, raising a hand in protest. "You shouldn't—"

"Irisviel, your safety is my highest priority," the blonde knight said tersely, clearly upset but just as clearly not at the woman she was protecting. "Emiya endangered your life by violating the rules of honorable combat, and if revealing his secret will help safeguard you then I will gladly do so."

"Then your true master is—" Rider began meaningfully as Sayaka's own eyes widened in understanding.

"—not the woman behind me," Saber finished, nodding her head. "Lancer's master was only partially correct. The Einzbern did hire Emiya Kiritsugu the Magus Killer to fight for them in the Fourth Grail War, but they are employing him as both an assassin—" The knight's lips twisted unhappily at the word. "—and as my master." Her grimace became even deeper at that acknowledgement, but the blonde king quickly collected herself and continued speaking.

"Attacking Irisviel will do nothing to further your causes and will make me a sworn enemy," she vowed, green eyes intent as she stared down Rider and Berserker. "I have vowed to protect her with my life and will not break my oath."

Sayaka tensed again as Saber's gaze lingered specifically on her for a long moment before moving on to Rider.

"King of Conquerors, I acknowledge that I am in no position to make requests after my master's disreputable conduct, but, as recompense for your own interruption of my duel with Lancer, I ask that you allow the woman and me to excuse ourselves from the battlefield. There is nothing more to be gained honorably here."

The red-haired servant laughed good-naturedly at the entreaty. "Consider it done, King of Knights. I don't want our first meeting to be our last, so I guarantee you safe passage. I'm confident Berserker is of the same mind on the matter too, eh?"

It took Sayaka a second to realize she'd been invited back into the conversation, and she raised her right hand to the back of her head nervously. Being in the presence of two legendary kings was truly something else.

"Um, yeah, sure," she said, hesitantly at first but with growing confidence. "I mean, it would be super cheap of me to attack you before you've had a chance to recover from your earlier duel, and attacking...Irisviel, right?...is downright out of the question. This is a war between servants and masters, and I won't raise my blade to third parties unless they give me reason to first."

Saber nodded her head appreciatively, and Irisviel quietly released a breath she'd been holding. Beside Rider, though, Waver Velvet looked incredulous.

"Are you two out of your minds?! With Saber weakened, this is possibly our best opportunity to eliminate one of the strongest servants in the—"

Without looking in his master's direction, Rider brought two fingers to the Englishman's forehead as if to flick him. Waver immediately shut up and clutched his head fearfully.

"Forgive the boy's poor manners, Saber, Berserker, Miss Irisviel. He's young and still has much to learn about the importance of magnanimity in battle." The red-haired giant gestured expansively at both of them, smiled broadly, and then clutched the reins of his chariot.

"Saber, Berserker, it has been a pleasure meeting both of you tonight. I hope you will reconsider my offer and agree to join my army, but that is a decision for another time. Until then, live your new lives to the utmost and revel in the glories to come! Hiyah!"

Sayaka and Saber both took a step back as the wheels of Rider's chariot and the hoofs of the bulls that pulled it became infused with lightning and he took to the sky with his master clutching onto the chariot's railing for dear life. The two servants then turned to each other, and Saber nodded her head gratefully.

"I won't forget your chivalry, Berserker. Should we ever cross blades, I promise you a battle on honorable terms."

"Heheh, right back at you. One reaps what one sows, and I'd be a totally lame hero if I cheated in a battle against the legendary King Arthur. Until we meet again, King of Knights!" Sayaka replied as she watched Saber and her charge back away. A minute later she was standing alone in the center of the docks, and then she turned incorporeal and faded out of sight.

Did you get all that, Matou?, she asked as she returned to her master's hiding spot.

Yes, Kariya answered quickly but with a note of begrudging reluctance in his mental voice, as if he were unhappy with what he was about to say.

And I have a plan.


Emiya Kiritsugu frowned as he walked down the street through the crowd of people evacuated from the Hyatt Hotel. He was a Japanese man of medium height and a lean build with shaggy black hair clothed in a casual black suit and matching dark trench coat. He could have easily passed as a typical Japanese salaryman were it not for his nearly lifeless black eyes, empty of every emotion except for an unsettling, despair-fueled determination. He was, it was clear to anyone who saw those eyes, a man on a mission, and tonight that mission was assassinating Lord Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald.

The Magus Killer sighed unhappily as he continued along his way and saw the worried faces of men, women, and children all around him. Each and every one of them was an accusatory reminder of his own weakness. Lancer needed to be eliminated to remove Saber's handicap, and the surest way of doing that was to end Archibald's life. He'd tried and failed a little over an hour ago with a sniper rifle, so now he was using C-4 explosives planted in the basement of the hotel his target was staying at. There was no magic barrier that could save a man from a collapsing building and a 150 meter fall, but Archibald was not a mage Kiritsugu could afford to underestimate and the Association lord might well have other defenses that could keep him alive. Consequently, the pragmatic thing to do would have been to detonate the explosives without warning, taking Archibald completely by surprise and sacrificing the hundreds inside the hotel for the greater good of winning the Grail War. That was what his cold logic and bitter experience told him, and his inability to follow through on it now seemed to him a terrible affront to the many other times he had made the painful choice of sacrificing the few for the many.

I've grown soft. Natalia wouldn't approve at all, he thought acidly. Every time he'd considered detonating the explosives with innocents still inside he'd pictured his wife and young daughter among the mothers and children who'd be his victims, and that had stayed his hand and caused him to trigger the fire alarms instead. Now the hotel's tenants were safe outside and Archibald had had time to prepare. It was stupid and diminished his chances for success, and this hesitation could easily get him killed if he didn't excise it from himself soon. He had seen enough wars to know how little mercy on the battlefield counted.

"Lord Archibald!"

At the sound of his target's name, Kiritsugu fixed his face into a neutral expression and approached the hotel employee who was crossing off the names of guests on a list.

"Lord Kayneth Archibald! Are you present?" the employee repeated again, scanning the crowd for the foreigner's face. Kiritsugu stepped into the man's view and activated his magic circuits.

"That's me. Don't worry," he assured the employee in a level voice. The younger man looked at him dubiously for a long moment, but then his eyes assumed a semi-vacant look and the Magus Killer knew that his hypnotism had taken hold. "Both Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald and his fiancée, Sola-Ui, have evacuated."

The hotel employee nodded his head mechanically and crossed Archibald's name off the list. "I see. Yes, that's fine."

Kiritsugu watched him go and confer with a slightly older man, presumably a manager. He used magic to briefly eavesdrop on the conversation but stopped when he heard what he wanted to know. Everyone was accounted for, and it was therefore time for him to spring his trap. With feigned nonchalance, he walked over to a parking lot, leaned against a car, and took out his cell-phone. All he needed to do now was send the signal to detonate the explosives and—

His thoughts came to a screeching halt as his mystic senses flared in warning at the rapid approach of a heavy, otherworldly aura that could only belong to a servant. For a brief second Kiritsugu considered going ahead with detonating the bombs, but he dismissed the idea in the very next second. If he did and the approaching servant was Lancer he'd be dead in under a minute, murdered by an avenging Diarmuid Ua Duibhne before Gaia purged the heroic spirit from the world. The threat of explosives could be used as a bargaining chip instead. And then in the third second the servant emerged from the nearby crowd and approached him, a young blue-haired girl in a tan school uniform that was completely at odds with her true nature and the power she wielded.

"You know, if you're going to pretend to be someone else you should at least try to look the part," Berserker spoke in a distinctly unimpressed tone of voice. "Dye your hair blond or something. As is, I'm not buying for an instant that you're a European noble. In fact, judging by the command seals on your right hand, I would say that you are...Emiya Kiritsugu?"

Kiritsugu neither confirmed nor denied the allegation. Instead, he gazed down at the enemy servant and assessed her with a disinterested look as his mind raced with the implications of her presence here. "You are Miki Sayaka and Berserker, the Grail War's Servant of Madness, with Matou Kariya as your master."

The last assertion was speculation on Kiritsugu's part, but the astonished look that crossed Berserker's face confirmed it for him.

"How did you—no, never mind," the servant muttered, shaking her head slightly. "What matters is that my master sent me here to speak to Lancer and his master, and you are clearly up to something that'll interfere with that. I'm guessing you set off the alarms so that all these people wouldn't be caught in the crossfire, but if you're here to eliminate Lancer's master why are you outside with everyone else rather than inside with him? That doesn't make sense, not unless—"

Berserker's blue eyes widened in realization, and her gaze hardened.

"You," she accused, the single word laced with anger and incredulity. "You were going to destroy the entire building, killing any hotel staff and rescue workers still inside doing their jobs, just to take out a single servant and master, weren't you? What, do you have bombs in the basement or something?"

Berserker's words were spoken quietly enough that they didn't carry beyond the parking lot, for which Kiritsugu was glad. He didn't need the extra attention.

"You know a lot about explosives for an ancient heroic spirit," he remarked succinctly as a plan formed in his mind. He'd taken the servant's measure and believed he didn't have anything to fear from her. Like Saber, Berserker clearly viewed herself as a passionate defender of justice and thus wouldn't kill him so long as he appeared unarmed and didn't attack her. Such hypocritical honor angered him, but he had no qualms about using it to his advantage and the important thing to do now was escape before Berserker made it impossible to do so.

"I know someone who's into stuff like that," Berserker answered without missing a beat, still glaring at him. "This is a war between masters and servants, Emiya, and I won't let you drag innocent people into this conflict."

"Innocents have already been dragged into this conflict," Kiritsugu retorted coldly. "Or have you not watched the news recently?"

The servant winced, and Kiritsugu crossed her off his list of suspects for the child abductions. Nobody involved in that crime would look so regretful.

"And if you want to spare innocent people, you should know that my cell-phone is the detonator and it's rigged to automatically trigger the bombs if it is damaged," he half-lied, raising the electronic device up for the servant's inspection...and then throwing it with all of his might to the side. "Catch!"

Berserker's blue eyes widened in alarm as she drew the false conclusion he wanted her to, and she dashed after the thrown phone with superhuman speed. At the same time, Kiritsugu turned to flee and spoke the words to activate his family's specialized magic skill-set.

"Time Alter, Double Accel."

He became a blur of motion, moving at inhuman speeds of his own as he manipulated time with an innate bounded field set within his body. Berserker receded behind him as she lunged to catch the phone before it crashed into the ground. By the time she landed on the pavement with the cell-phone clutched in her hands, Kiritsugu had already raced back into the crowd of evacuees and lost himself in the sea of unsettled, worried people. Agony flooded his entire body as blood vessels ruptured and bones fractured from time forcibly rebounding back on him, and he staggered into the person nearest him. The older man looked at him with a mixture of irritation and concern, and Kiritsugu muttered a quiet apology as he regained his balance, ignored the pain through experience and hard-earned stoicism, and walked off.

That could have gone better, the Magus Killer thought with understated irony, stretching his awareness to detect Berserker if she followed. It seemed unlikely that the servant, having lost sight of him, would try to find him again in this crowd since the last thing she wanted was to involve civilians in the war, but right now he had every reason to be cautious. Fortunately, Berserker's heroic words were more than just talk, and he felt her race towards the hotel—presumably to warn those still inside—before her aura became too weak for him to sense without active magecraft.

Predictable.

Kiritsugu felt no satisfaction as he lowered his head, pulled the edges of his collar up to hide his mouth, and reached inside his trench coat for the walkie-talkie stored there. Surreptitiously, he raised the device's transmitter to his lips and whispered his instructions.

"Maiya, this is Kiritsugu. Use the back-up to detonate now."

Only static answered him, and the Magus Killer couldn't suppress the concern he felt at the silence.

"Maiya?"


Ring-ring!

Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri glanced at her fiancé as he frowned and set down the glass of wine in his hand. Kayneth didn't appear happy at the interruption, and Sola-Ui smiled slightly. She didn't care for her betrothed at all, and anything that annoyed him normally pleased her.

Ring-ring!

"Do you want to answer it?" the young, red-haired woman asked with false sweetness. "Or is plotting the death of Saber's master demanding too much of your concentration?"

Ring-ring!

Kayneth waved a hand dismissively and rose from his chair in the hotel suite's sitting room. "It's probably someone calling to see if we're still in our rooms. I'll hypnotize the caller into believing we're outside and that'll be that."

Ring-ring!

"Hello?"

Sola-Ui watched with interest as her fiancé's face first filled with surprise and then anger at whatever the person on the other end of the phone was saying, and for once she didn't mind when he used magic to communicate with her telepathically.

Sola-Ui, take command of the scouting familiars immediately and send them down to the basement to look for explosives! Also, prepare a mass levitation spell!

The Irishwoman felt her face pale at Kayneth's frantic words, and she rushed to obey with uncharacteristic acquiescence. As she did so, her fiancé lowered the phone's handset and pressed the button for the speaker so she could listen to the conversation.

"Berserker, I am sending scouts to investigate your claims," he spoke with forced calm, looking down at the phone and stroking his chin as he considered his options. "However, assuming they do find explosives, how do I know this isn't a trap designed to force me from my sanctuary so you and the Einzbern can take me down together?"

The young girl's voice on the other end of the phone call sounded upset as she answered. "Because Emiya is a threat not just to us but to any bystanders who happen to get in his way. I could never ally with—let alone condone!—such a ruthless killer! Besides, use your head and think about it tactically for a moment. King Arthur is one of the strongest servants in this war. As long as Lancer's curse weakens her I might be able to defeat her, but if I help her defeat you instead? It's in my master's best interests to help you! That's why he sent me here—to make an alliance to defeat the Einzbern."

Kayneth nodded his head slightly and turned to face Sola-Ui. The worry in her light brown eyes made it clear what she'd found, but she mouthed a confirmation anyway. Having verified the situation, Kayneth returned to the conversation.

"I see. I've confirmed your warning about the bombs, so you and your master appear to be somewhat trustworthy. However, I won't evacuate. Now that I've located the threat, I have ways to render such devices impotent. As for an alliance...you said you're in the hotel lobby?"

"Yes. I'm calling you from the front desk. That's how I found this number."

"Good. Head outside, and I'll send Lancer to meet you in ten minutes. Your master and I can discuss specifics through the two of you, but for now I am in agreement with him."

The blond Association lord glowered down at the phone, and there was no mistaking the fury in his next words.

"The Einzbern and Emiya Kiritsugu have made a mockery of this competition for long enough, and on my pride as a mage I vow they will pay dearly for it."