In The Core of the Jewel
Chapter 11: The Conflicts
Author's Note: Based on the Unlimited Blade Works Route
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Original Game: Fate/Stay Night
Original Concept: Type-moon
Written by: wrathie
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Watching Shirou leave for a bath, Saber looked at his retreating back and sighed, wiping the sweat of her brow. Taiga had left early, she said she has work to do and Rin has retreated back to her room as well. This meant that she was alone and Saber paused for a moment before deciding on her choice of action, jumping up to the roof to meet with the other servant on duty, Lancer.
She does not dislike the spearman; she has very high regards for her as he is an expert in surviving. As a Heroic Spirit, she knows of each other's history and past and she knows of his skills and experience.
By her reckoning, if Lancer kept to defense and made use of his speed and experience in the battle field, which is highlighted in today's Battle.
She had came to the scene to see Rider unable to resist the attacks by Rin and she was forced to flee when she approached, ready to kill her.
If Lancer had not hesitated and killed her then, perhaps this situation might not have happened.
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That is what Saber wanted to ask him about, why did he not kill Rider then and there? He had the opportunity and she does not believe that Rider would stance a chance with Lancer.
Even when he was holding back, like the time where she faced him, Lancer was strong enough to overwhelm her…
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"Lancer."
She called out to him and he materialized in front of him, holding his lance in his shoulder as he turned to her.
"Yo Saber, what do I owe the pleasure for you to join me in this rendezvous?"
He grinned but that faded when Saber just stood there stoically, looking at him with her eyes determined and shining with questions and he fell silent, turned his back at her and just shrugged.
"Yes, Saber?"
"Lancer."
"Just shoot, I don't like making women to wait for a man."
He answered coolly and that suited Saber who nodded and got straight to the point.
"Lancer, why did you not kill Rider? You could have done that easily, I am sure of it. But you waited for me and Rin. Did Rin order you to stop?"
"It's not like that, Saber."
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Lancer replied almost as if he was bored and he raised his lance in the air and stabbed in on the roof before replying.
"I didn't want to kill Rider as I'm not sure if Ojou-chan can stand any more loss."
Saber started, she didn't expect that and as Lancer turned to look at her in the eye, he said something impossible.
"That boy, he is not Rider's master. Well, he is, but Rider's real master is a girl called Matou Sakura."
He said that as if it was a fact and Saber stopped him.
"How do you know that, Lancer, you have no evidence-"
"I was a Servant under that fake priest and the supervisor of the Church, Kotomine, remember? I scouted all the Servants, I know who their Masters are…"
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Saber fell silent again, that was true and she could see that made Lancer pissed and she kept her mouth shut as he continued.
"And that Matou Sakura, she is linked to Ojou-chan. She got all defensive when I mentioned I met her the night before so she must treasure her very much. I know what you mean, Saber, that a War is a War… but I do not want Ojou-chan to face that so soon."
He fell silent, a sentiment that was shared with Saber as she waited, she knew he has more to say and she wasn't disappointed.
"It might take her out of the Grail War, but without a Servant to guard her, she is like getting a Death Sentence. I have no qualms killing that kid, he's worth dying anyway, spineless worm… I give no quarters to cowards… But I don't want to see Ojou-chan cry again… She looks strong, but she is just acting… she is killing herself by acting strong"
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A pause again and then Lancer started laughing to himself.
"Ah, Ah, I really have Bad luck with woman. First I piss off Morrigan and then I get this Master… and then, another hot chick is my enemy and you too Saber…"
He flashed a knowing grin that made her uncomfortable but she responded in turn.
"I am gratified to hear your reasoning, Lancer. I would have expected nothing less than the Light of the Irish."
She smiled, something that made Lancer gap at her and he scratched his head.
"Ah, if you'd smiled like that more often, even that Kid…"
But he didn't finish as Saber pressured him further.
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"Lancer, are you loyal to Rin?"
"Eh?"
He paused, thinking about the question before he replied calmly.
"Do you mean if I'm loyal even without the Command Seal?"
He was not like Archer, that bastard can rot in hell, of course he was loyal! His word meant more than his life.
"I swore on my name that I am her Shield and Sword, I won't betray him like Archer… I dislike that man, I feel, he has a hidden motive somewhere but I don't know what. I just dislike him."
Lancer growled while Saber pressed him further.
"Lancer, you have not answered me. I know of your geas… and your past, I want to know your thoughts as not a Servant or a Warrior but for yourself. For me, I vowed to protect Shirou as a Knight but, I would protect him even if I am not a Servant or a Knight. That is my resolve and my promise."
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Saber nodded to herself as Lancer pondered, wondering about his own resolve as he looked at Saber, her determination and will making him more certain of his opinion on her and he sighed.
"Ah, right… I won't betray Rin. I serve her willingly as a Servant and I want to see her smile again."
Saber stopped and looked at Lancer who was looking absentmindedly down at the house where his Master no doubt was resting as well.
"Lancer…"
"I was betrayed once as well, Saber and I don't want it to see it happen to anyone else… when I saw her being stabbed like that, I wanted to protect her. That's why, I won't betray my Master, I already swore it when I made the oath to be her sword."
He grabbed the lance and it gleamed red in the moon light, swinging it in front of him as he got up, resting it on his shoulder and looking back at Saber, the Moon against his back.
"I can't and won't forgive Archer for doing that to Ojou-chan, no matter the reason; one cannot treat a woman like this… Breaking her heart, crushing it to dust and tossing her aside… even if he has a reason to do so"
Saber would feel insulted if she did not appreciate such loyalty and she nodded, her questions answered… except for one.
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"Lancer… do you… to Rin?"
"Ah… who knows, really? I guess I'm in the same situation as you are in"
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Deep at night, someone stirred. It was Shirou and as he got out of bed, his eyes were half-open as if he was sleep-walking and as he slowly walked from his room, one can see a single, almost invisible thread touching his forehead, linking it to him as he slowly walked out of the room, the house and to the streets.
Deep in sleep, or just hypnotized, he kept on walking, walking till he reached the Ryoudou temple and slowly made his way to the top.
Unconscious to what he was doing, he even ignored the man who let him pass, sniffing in disappointment as he reached the Temple grounds where a dark form waited for him, covered in a black cloak that masked her features.
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"Welcome, boy."
She spoke in welcome as Shirou stepped on a magical circle that activated immediately when he stepped on, paralyzing his body and causing him to wake up from the fog within his own mind.
"U-Ugh! You!"
He cried out in frustration and shock, surprised he was caught so easily. He had heard from Rin that Magus are normally strong against mind control or attacks on their mind as they can naturally resist them with their own magic or their magical crest.
Each person who has a magical circuit is able to resist magical attacks on them as their body naturally resists any foreign magic sources on them
The effects are doubled when one has a magical crest or has sufficient magical training, thus magus are normally safe from mental assaults or mind control.
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However, as Shirou is not a magus and is a poorly trained magical user he was easily captured like this.
"You, Caster!"
He called out the most obvious culprit who simply smiled back in reply.
"Yes Boy, I am surprised you fell for such a simple trick. Even if you are the Master of the Strongest Servant, Saber, it is useless if the Master is captured."
She smiled dangerously as she approached Shirou, his body imprisoned when she stopped and instead showed Shirou what situation he is by ordering him to come to her.
"Now give me your Command Seal boy, I will take Saber and with the right Master, I will defeat Berserker with her. She is wasted on you."
"L-like hell I would do that!"
Shirou managed to retort as he struggled against the magical energy inside him, trying to force it out by using his own Magical Circuit to force Caster's Magical influence from his body.
"Hmm? Boy, it's futile…"
She sensed what he was doing and amused herself by letting him do what he liked, even smiling and lifting his chin up to face her.
"I like those eyes, you are determined not to let me succeed, yes?"
Caster smiled while Shirou finally managed to activate his magical circuit, intending to flush out the magical energy when he felt something was wrong.
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"N-no way!"
it is no wonder he is surprised, Caster is not influencing his body to control Shirou, if that is the case, Shirou's plan to flush that magical power out would be successful.
However, Caster is just using a simple spell on him directly, a magical spell designed to control his limbs and affect his body without influencing his Magical Circuit.
That is magic nearing the Sorcery Class, a magic that is impossible without a miracle and cannot be achieved by hard work.
Caster must be someone who lives near the ages of the Gods, where miracles appear daily or at least frequently enough for her brand of Magic to be near miracles.
"… ugh!"
"Now do you understand, boy? No matter how you resist, you cannot escape. Now I will take your command seal from you. If you do not resist, I would make it painless."
Even he knew it was a lie, he had asked Rin about how it would take for him to lose a Command Seal.
It would have to be surgically removed and if not done properly, it would likely damage some magical circuits at least or in the worst case scenario, him losing the entire arm.
As Caster brought out an evil looking dagger, he was sure it was the latter and he struggled more, unwilling to lose so easily to a woman like her. If only he could create a weapon, any weapon to help him!
"Ugh!"
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As all seems lost, there was the sound of something being hurled through the air and Caster separated from him immediately.
"Aahhh!"
Shirou gave a cry as he jumped back in reflex, after being controlled for so long, being able to move made him relieved and he glared at Caster, not noticing what had severed the bond between him and Caster when he sensed the impending feeling of death and he dived to the side.
"Ughh!"
Grunting as he hit the dirt, he looked up and saw the familiar and irritating form. The image of a Red knight was visible to him, his coat flowing in the wind as he crouched on the roof of the Temple, glaring down at Caster and him. No, only at him as he cocked his bow again when Caster shouted.
"Who is there? A-Archer? What is a good of a gate guard if he lets a worm get's through!"
She seemed furious, her best chance gone but if Shirou has to remark, it was she who wasted that chance and as Archer replied coolly, he fired another arrow at him, which he dodged by diving to the side again.
"Caster I'd assume, your guard is good, but there is someone else engaging him right now."
"? I see…"
Caster looked behind Shirou and if he focused, he can hear the sounds of swords clashing. That meant that Saber is here, Saber is here to save him! But if he hadn't got captured this way, she wouldn't need to in the first place.
"Caster, answer me this…"
But since he was here, he might as well get more information and as he staggered to his feet, he noticed Caster covering him. It was odd, but it seems that Caster needed him to be alive to capture Saber, he should make use of this opportunity.
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"Are you the one responsible for stealing all the Life Energy from the People in Shinto?"
He asked slowly, masking his rage and as Caster turned to look at him again, amused at his outburst.
"What if I am? What will you do, boy?"
Author's Notes: I might slow down with updates very soon. Due to IRL factors and well, Translation work~