'Shirou Report 2
Further tests have been conducted into the nature of the Heartless and their powers. I have learned that by infecting a corpse with my Reality Marble, My Heart of Darkness, we can grant corpse Familiars weak powers over Darkness. However a note should be made on the uniqueness of Shinji Matou's corpse; due to being heavily infested with Matou Familiars he may in fact be a unique subject. We also used Shinji's own Leftover Thoughts to create the Familiar from his own corpse; it is unknown how this would affect the subject.
None the less; Corpse Familiars have proven key to my experiments; and allow others to access some of my powers. These Familiars, created from their hearts being removed and turned into Heartless, seem to attract all manner of spirits and Leftover Thoughts; which attempt to possess the corpse. Further subjects are required to see if it is specifically the Matou Magecraft, specifically Sakura's Origin, which is causing this attraction.
If these new Familiars manage to attract enough Leftover Thoughts to attain sentience, even independence, then they could be the key to a Mass Summoning or Greater Ritual invoking the Heartless and bringing forth the Realm of Darkness.'
Shirou wrote up his newest report on the school rooftop, at lunchtime; whilst waiting for the rest of the group to get there.
Rider was staying dematerialised; as she only had one more battle in 'overclock' mode; after that her stats would return to normal. They both agreed for her not to waste it and stay dematerialised to conserve her strength.
Blood Fort Andromeda wasn't fully operational yet; and wouldn't be for a couple more days. It did take at least a week to remotely setup; even with a competent Master. But once they pulled it off; Rider's Mana would be Ex easily; and she could go wild as much as she wanted.
It was already beginning to suck up Od; unfortunately Rider had to be there physically to absorb it. They would rather wait and cash it all in at the end.
Interestingly enough, Rin was the next one up the stairs, but refused to speak until Sakura had gotten there. Shirou was intrigued at Rin's almost cheerful visage but agreed to wait.
"I take it your scouting with Caster was successful?" Shirou smiled whilst opening his lunch box; full of gourmet food that could melt even the tsundere heart of Rin.
Still being a somewhat clueless idiot; Shirou thought that the kiss Rin had given him on Saturday was just an expression of gratitude. So he ignored all the self-preservation instincts that boys have when giving a girl who was not your girlfriend food; and offered her some of his lunch.
Damn his bleeding Origin for knowing and sympathising with what people want.
"Oh, would you like some, Tohsaka-san?" Shirou offered up his lunchbox to appease the Tsundere Queen; who accepted her tribute gracefully.
A certain winged insect Familiar witnessed the event; and its Master gritted her teeth as she ascended up the stairs. 'Tohsaka-senpai wants a battle? Then I'll give her a war!'
"So Lancer and Bazett moved up to the temple and appeared to set up a base there? Damn it we should have thought of that. That Bounded Field is going to be a pain." Shirou sighed as he continued to eat his lunch with his friends.
"It's actually much worse than that, Onii-chan," Illya interrupted whilst snagging some of his food.
"Beneath that temple lies the Great Holy Grail; which gathers all the ambient Mana in Fuyuki to summon the Servants. Whilst I doubt Lancer or his Master will feed on souls; they still have access to the best source in the entire city. I don't know what the Fraga is capable of; she may find a way to increase Lancer's Mana or at the very least; fortify the Temple properly if we give her the chance."
When everyone turned to look at the small Loli she blushed.
"What? I'm older then I look! I can speak like a grownup too!" Illya stomped her foot and huffed angrily.
'Grownup? Using grownup instead of adult isn't exactly helping your case Illya.' Shirou smirked before patting Illya on the head.
"Mou…Shirou…" They all noticed that Illya didn't move her head away.
Saber had a small smile at the scene before her expression became serious again. "Master, we should go after Lancer tonight. I still have your previous Command Spell to kill Lancer with my Noble Phantasm. Tonight shall be the night I fulfil your command."
Illya looked up at Saber before slowly nodding. "Remember Saber; Lancer destroyed my Black Ribbons. I can't help you against Bazett and she has Fragarach." Illya huffed and looked down in thought.
"Let's help them Master."
"Caster?!" Rin responded with her thoughts. "Why?"
Caster sighed from her place behind Rin.
"Master, even though I am a Caster; I am still a heroic spirit. I was brought over here to fight for the Holy Grail. We have spent long enough in the shadows on defence. I will deal with Fragarach."
Rin just huffed and spoke up to the group. "Caster says that she will deal with Fragarach. My newly created Mystic Code definitely counts as my 'strongest attack'; making me useless in this situation."
Shirou grinned had Rin and Caster's decision; "A swordsman and a mage. All we need now is a rogue and the party will be complete." Everyone looked blankly at him.
He sighed, "Sorry, I forgot that you all are living in the Stone Age. Forget about it."
Suddenly Shirou felt two soft pillows rest on his shoulders. He smiled; "Hey Sakura, where have you been?"
"Senpai!" Sakura shouted behind him. Too far behind him to rest her breasts on his shoulders.
Shirou slowly turned his head around; to see a materialised Rider resting her breasts on his shoulders.
"You bitch you did that on purpose didn't you?"
"I admit to nothing, Master," came Rider's smug mental reply. Her face may as well have been carved from marble.
"SENPAI!"
"Archer; I have a feeling something is going to happen at the temple tonight. Take advantage of the situation." Kirei gave his order to the red archer whilst looking over at the slip of paper Bazett had sent him.
"Ally with Lancer against other Servants if you must…" Kirei turned away with a smirk and burned the paper.
"After all, she has earned our temporary alliance for killing Zouken."
"Got it Master." Archer dematerialised out of the church.
Kirei kept on walking and around the corner was Gilgamesh; the King of Heroes himself.
"My my Kirei; are you trying to create a War and battle similar to the last one? Plays that repeat have no interest to me." Gilgamesh was totally not lurking around the corner in an attempt to startle Kirei.
Kirei smirked. "This war is like a fine wine and must be savoured. Surly you can appreciate such a thing; King of Heroes." This was about as close as Kirei could come to admonishing Gilgamesh for drinking all his wine.
This master servant pair had one of the oddest relationships in the war…
Afternoon…
Sakura arrived back at the Matou mansion after school had ended and immediately prepared to go back to Shirou's house. Pausing briefly in contemplation; she gave her mental orders to Berserker.
"Dematerialise and wait at the foot of the Temple. A Servant is going to die tonight; and so long as it isn't Saber or Caster I don't care. I'll send some familiars to observe the conflict and give you your target."
Berserker wordlessly growled and his presence vanished. Sakura sighed and got changed.
'No more Magecraft today; I need to conserve myself for Berserker. I wonder what Senpai and that bitch at his house are up to? I should go and check up on them and murder that snake in the grass…'
"No Master you can't go to Shirou's house tonight. What's the point of creating all these advanced Bounded Fields if the Master of Caster just leaves them? No Rin; this is the exact situation we have been preparing for." Medea used a mild Atlas spell to freeze Rin in place whilst she summoned up her cloak and staff.
"Once Fragarach has been taken care of; then you can take the field against enemy Masters. Even then I would never be completely comfortable with that until this war's Archer is taken care of too. I do have a grudge against Greek heroes on principle."
Caster released Rin from the Atlas spell once it looked like she had cooled down a bit. Caster teleported out of the mansion with a Trofa spell before Mount Rin could erupt.
"Oooooh that damn Servant!" Rin stomped her stocking-clad foot on the carpet. "Telling me I can't visit Shirou…*grumble* damn Medea *grumble* should have summoned Saber *grumble* this is all Shirou's fault!"
After wearing herself out, Rin figured it was time to review her Jewel Magecraft and make sure she knew the incantations for her Jewelled Sword.
"All is forgiven Caster; now that I have a Jewelled Sword of my own I have finally proven myself better than that dog Luvia!" Rin became insufferably smug at the thought of one-upping her rival.
"Although it's not just a Jewelled Sword anymore… I'll name it the Jewelled Dragon Sword after the help you put in."
Caster was outside the property on a nearby rooftop; just watching the sunset. She smiled at her Master's sincere gratitude and responded; "Thank you Master. Are you going after the Throne once you have the Second Magic? The Jewelled Dragon Sword would make a wonderful name for a Noble Phantasm."
Rin froze in place; contemplating the idea. "No, probably not, Caster. Modern Magecraft gets weaker the more people use it; and although the Five True Magic's are an exception; I would rather not become famous in the modern age, that's just asking for a Sealing Designation."
Rin heard an audible sigh over the connection, "Very well Master. The sun has set; it is time."
"Caster! Be careful…" Rin chewed her bottom lip in worry. She should be out there; fighting with her Servant.
Quite laugher across the link from Caster. "What a ridiculous Master I have…"
Sakura arrived at the Emiya household and was greeted by a smiling Shirou. Pulling her stupid boyfriend into a kiss; Sakura smirked as she felt the smallest flash of killing intent.
'He is my boyfriend snake!'
"Welcome home Sakura. Rider is here to protect us whilst all the other Servants sans ours are going mobile. No offense but I'd rather not have Berserker rampage around my house." Shirou chuckled in makeshift despair at the thought.
"Of course Rider is currently staying dematerialised to conserve my reserves; since Saber is also tapping into mine. It took some time; since I am not Saber's proper Master; but I can now see through her eyes and report what is going on. Illya was a big help with her Transferal of Consciousness lessons."
'Loli bitch!' "That's great news Senpai. I have also sent my Blade Wing Worms to observe from a distance. However I haven't made enough yet to observe our neighbourhood to protect us. We'll have to rely on your Father's Bounded Field for now."
"And Rider." Shirou corrected her.
"Oh yes. And her…"
That night Saber and Caster were moving towards the temple. It was a far from comfortable silence between the servant of the sword and the magus from the Age of Gods. Saber was warily watching Caster for the first sign of betrayal and Caster was still worried about leaving her Master behind without her personal protection.
Bounded Fields could only accomplish so much; and she was a Wind Element; not a binding Water nor a sturdy Earth. Rubbing the air molecules together to create lightning was well within her abilities; creating anything other than obscenely sensitive alert Bounded Fields were not. Her Territory Creation skill helped somewhat; allowing her to lay down mystic landmines and rune traps around the property; but such a thing wouldn't pose much effort to an Assassin or a Saber with high Magic Resistance.
That was half the reason she was out here anyway; because if Saber was here then she wasn't by her Master. And like hell she was going to take someone else's word that Assassin was dead; even if it was dreamy Shirou.
"Caster I will go on ahead. Please occupy Bazett for our victory; as I will use my Noble Phantasm to wipe out Lancer."
Caster chuckled. "Sure thing Saber. I'll watch your back…"
Saber shivered. 'Now why does that make me uncomfortable?'
Up in the sky; a dematerialised Archer observed the pair.
"Orders Master? Do you want me to save Lancer at the cost of finding out about Saber's identity and Noble Phantasm?"
"No Archer. Our goal is to win the war and Bazett is the only one we owe a debt to. Kill Caster once Saber is occupied with Lancer."
"Got it Master."
"Well well Saber. You have come back for a rematch? And you brought a Witch with you? Bitch; you would die against my teacher."
Medea didn't lose her smirk as she called up her Dragon Tooth Warriors. The skeletal creatures took on the rough form of human skeletons with only the jaws instead of an entire skull. They were created by throwing dragon teeth onto the ground; which Medea had done about halfway up the steps.
"Oh so you think numbers are your ally? DON'T MOCK US HEROIC SPIRITS, CASTER!"
Lancer jumped straight up and summoned his crimson lance.
"GAE –"
Both Saber and Caster smirked. Saber summoned up a smoky shield of black Prana; whilst holding Excalibur Morgan vertically to shield her face and chest. Caster just kept on waking.
BOLG!"
This wasn't the spear that pierces hearts; this was the spear that slew armies. With its runes shining brightly, Gae Bolg spat out crimson thorns that flew into that army of Dragon Tooth Warriors and two Servants. These thorns detonated into a carpet bombing that were visible all the way from the church.
Bazett ran out of Temple proper; and attempted to cross the courtyard to the entrance where Lancer was fighting.
'Caster is probably injured and Saber is about to use her Noble Phantasm. Now is the perfect time to use Fragarach.'
Suddenly there was a surge of cloth; carrying with it the electric charge of pure Prana. The white Caster reappeared in front of her; smirking from underneath her hood.
'What the?!'
Bazett froze; and Caster grinned before raising her staff…
"It's over; Saber!" Lancer grinned as he activated Ath nGabla; preventing a presumably injured Saber from retreating. Whilst the dust cleared he could sense a colossal build-up of Prana.
"Oh crap." Suddenly Lancer sensed that his Master was in danger; yet he couldn't retreat due to the cursed Bounded Field.
"Fuck my E-rank Luck."
The dust cleared to reveal an almost unharmed Saber with a fully charged Excalibur. Her grin was positively demonic in the night; her body lit up with the black light streaming out of Excalibur.
Suddenly Lancer realised the lengths his opponents had played him. 'A Thought Projection, eh Caster?'
"Ex–"
'Followed by teleporting right past us; using my Gae Bolg to disguise your presence. Not bad for a witch…'
"CALIBUR!" An avalanche of black prana was fired straight at Lancer.
'I guess this is it Master. We had a good run…Heh I even got the girl –'
Lancer was utterly erased by Excalibur, which ploughed straight through the open gates and up into the sky.
Caster simply used the Atlas spell to hold Bazett in place. Afterward she leisurely turned around to watch the inevitable fireworks. They did not disappoint.
"LANCER!" Bazett sobbed as she felt her command seals fade away; her motivation to fight in this war utterly gone.
The advantages of Lancer taking the high ground and using Ath nGabla were numerous. Lancer didn't have to have a running start to use his Anti-Army Noble Phantasm anymore due to having natural elevation. Any enemy caught in it couldn't flank him; nor attack from a distance. However since Excalibur was now an attack from a lower angle; it could be used without erasing the Temple whilst still have 100% accuracy.
Saber's Instinct had calculated all this in an instant; and she finally allowed her Master's Command Spell to take hold. Because even with all this; there was a chance that Lancer could use the Anti-Unit Gae Bolg to kill her before Excalibur could fully charge.
With a Command Spell similar to 'attack with all your strength in the next blow" Excalibur charged and fired in an instant.
Of course Saber's arms would have been cut to ribbons without Caster's help. Whilst not necessary; the moment Lancer used Gae Bolg every Dragon Tooth Warrior jumped in front of Saber; leaving the Thought Projection unprotected. A perfect sequence of events that led to a flawless victory…
Lancer's Luck truly sucked…
With the courtyard not even singed and Bazett trapped by the real Caster; Fragarach was never used once.
"Trace, On."
A pair of black and white swords impaled Caster from behind; causing a distraught Bazett to be released from the spell.
The pain was excruciating; but even then Caster was analysing the swords.
'Projection Magecraft. This isn't… Odysseus.'
The red archer jumped down from a roof of the Temple and wrapped his arm around Bazett. Jumping away; Archer quickly started dodging Caster's Rain of Light spells.
He quickly fired more swords at Caster; only for them to be deflected by a rushing Saber.
"Now we are even; Witch." Saber had her sword fully unveiled and gripped in both hands; as she watched the Archer of this war.
"Orders Master. I can fight these Servants and abandon Bazett; or retreat whilst taking injuries." Archer tightened his grip on Bazett, who seemed to either have fainted or gone into shock.
"Rescue Bazett Archer; HE is coming."
Archer kept a keen eye on Saber; whose monstrous Prana reserves allowed her to completely recover already. Caster had already begun healing herself and she was NOT amused.
"Hello Saber."
Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes, had arrived at the scene. A rain of golden light was fired at Caster; only for an explosion of black to protect her.
"You again, Mad Dog?" Gilgamesh looked irritated at the appearance of the Black Knight. Archer was somewhat amused to see that the weapons he had fired at Caster were been used by Berserker; only now both were black.
'If only I could remember what they were…Anyway; now is the perfect time to retreat with Bazett. Its getting too dangerous here.'
"Archer, I have confirmed that I have acquired three more Command Spells. It seems that Bazett truly lost her motivation compete. It is now my duty as a Judge to protect her for the rest of the War."
"Got it Master." Archer vanished from this soon-to-be cluster fuck.