Fuyuki Central Park, Night 3

At the same time the Servants of White joined Saber and Rider in the Einzbern Castle, Titus led Sakura to the plaza of the Fuyuki park.

The little girl was still in a daze. She still remember when Zouken had adopted her into the Matou family in order to raise her as the next heir.

Around 200 years ago, the Matou began to decline and their offspring started to lose their capacity to manifest Magic Circuits. Matou Shinji, the latest heir of the Matou family, was born with no Magic Circuits. While Matou Kariya was the last known member of the family to be naturally born with Magic Circuits.

Tohsaka Tokiomi, like most Magi, chose only one daughter to carry on his family's tradition as he believed raising an additional child would introduce competition. He offered Sakura to Zouken since the Matou Family were ancient allies of the Tohsakas.

The Magecraft of the Matou worked around the concept of absorbing, or from another perspective, to bind something to oneself. Their method of teaching is not by letting the mind absorb the knowledge through study, but by literally carving it into the body through the use of Crest Worms.

As the successor of the Matou's Magecraft, she had to suffer from the forceful implantation of Zouken's Crest Worms. The hopelessness she felt from the torturous sessions done by her grandfather had cemented him as an invincible figure in her mind, yet she witnessed that unbeatable grandfather killed by the man beside her just moments ago.

"Sakura!"

The little girl snapped out of stupor when she heard a familiar voice.

Looking ahead, she spotted the silhouette of her uncle Kariya running towards her.

Kariya took Sakura into a hug the moment he reached her.

"Y-You're fine now, Sakura. Uncle Kariya won't let you get hurt ever again." The man kept crying and apologizing to her.

Titus came up and patted the man's back. "Matou Zouken is dead, you both are safe now."

Kariya sobbed and looked at the man who saved both him and Sakura. "Thank you... really, really thank you, Ruler."

"You should take Sakura out of town. The Holy Grail is still going on and there is a high chance that a former Master would be targeted." Titus smiled.

"The worms in your body should have stopped moving. I disabled and cut off their connection to Zouken the last time we met, they should have all died from lost of nutrients and prana by now. But remember, you have less than a week left."

Titus whispered into Kariya's ear. "So please spend your remaining time together with this child. I'll help take care of the inheritance when this war is over."

Kariya wiped his tears and nodded at Titus. "Come, Sakura, say thank you to Titus. He is the Ruler-class Servant and the person who promised to rescue you from grandfather." Kariya turned Sakura around.

Sakura looked at Titus absentmindedly and bowed. "Thank... T-Thank you, Titus-san."

The fake Ruler nodded at the pair. "I have received your thanks. Please be on your way, looks like a clash between the two Factions will soon happen."

The two followed the gaze of Titus. He was looking at the direction of Shinto, or to be more exact, the Fuyuki Civic Center.


Saber stared at the space where the Servants of White disappeared, the looks they gave her before they left was one full of disapproval.

'Was I wrong the whole time...?'

She remembered when several reputable knights left Camelot because they felt that a human without emotion cannot rule over others. She simply accepted this to be a natural event that is part of the process of government, further isolating herself from her knights.

'...No. I can still fix my mistakes...!' The waves in her eyes stopped and she looked up in determination. 'I can still fix it by using the Holy Grail...!"

If she could reverse history, she could find someone to replace her as king. With a better king, Britain would be saved!

Rider look at the stubborn young girl and sighed. He wanted to admonish her, but it was not the time to do that. Semiramis' last words gave him a sense of foreboding, and his instinct tempered through countless life and death situations was rarely wrong.

Just as he was about to notify Saber, Assassin popped out from the shadows. The Assassin-class Servant of their faction had been doing covert missions, such as intelligence gathering and surveillance, since the start of the war.

The Master of Assassin, Kotomine Kirei, had told them that Assassin was known as Hassan of the Hundred, one of the Hassan-i-Sabbah. His Noble Phantasm permitted him to divide himself into 80 separate existences. It was quite obvious with their dark skin and black clothing. Not to mention that they wore the standard skull mask associated with the known Hassan of the other Grail Wars.

Hassan-i-Sabbah, also known as the "Old Man of the Mountain", is the pseudonym shared by the nineteen leaders of the Hashshashin, a medieval Islamic sect based in Persia. They are always the Assassin class, and sometimes the only possible candidates for the class entirely.

It seemed that the Master of Assassin had already gave up on victory when he told them his Servant's identity and Noble Phantasm.

'Though I never liked the feeling the priest gave me.'

The Servant of Shadows walked up to him and bowed. "King Alexander, my Master has something he wishes to inform you and the others."

"Hmm? What is it?"

"We have information on the White Faction." Assassin took out a sealed envelope and handed it to Rider. "The details are written here."

'I knew my senses weren't wrong...' Rider rubbed his chin.

"Well then." Assassin bowed again and then went into Spirit Form.

Rider looked around and found no trace of Assassin. Saber was still in a daydream and Waver had fainted from shock at seeing so many Servants.

'The boy is still far from being a man.' Rider shook his head and opened the envelope.

The contents were pictures and a map of the Fuyuki Civic Center, there was also a note inside it.

The Lesser Grail was placed in the Fuyuki Civic Center, I beg for your assistance in recovering the Lesser Grail.

The Master of Saber had agreed to cooperate and is on his way, I am also going after it alongside Kirei and Assassin.

...

-Tohsaka Tokiomi

'The Lesser Grail... isn't it too soon? What is the White Faction doing?' Rider sobered.


"The others have received your message." Kirei, who was running alongside Tokiomi suddenly spoke up.

Despite being normal humans, they were able to run at many times the speed of an average man due to a spell.

The spell was called Reinforcement, it allowed a Magus to push a basis to the utmost limit. In the current case, they reinforced their body to reach the realm of a superhuman.

A squad of Assassins were protecting them, and the remaining ones have went ahead to surround their target.

Tokiomi nodded at his student and hurried his steps. It would be best for them if they could retrieve the Lesser Grail, he wasn't so optimistic to think that they would be able to defeat the enemy Servants who have numerical advantage.


Rider and Waver were currently riding on a powerful black horse to the fourth evocation site of the Holy Grail.

The Divine Bulls were heavily wounded by Nobunaga so he had to summon his partner, legendary horse Bucephalus, even if it might divulge his second Noble Phantasm.

The plan was for them to directly storm the front, gaining the attention of the White Faction. If he had to, he would use his Noble Phantasm to trap them inside, gaining time for the others so they could retrieve the Lesser Grail.

The Masters were going to sneak into the building through the backdoor, they were responsible for recovering the Lesser Grail while the Servants distract them.

Saber, the Servant best at close combat, was to enter the building from the underground parking area. Her task was to defeat as many enemy as she can while slowly working her way up to the inner section and meet up with the Masters.

A squad of ten Assassins would move along with the Masters, while the remaining Assassins guard the surroundings and kill any escaping enemy Master. They would also act as reinforcements in case of emergency.

The plan wasn't perfect, but it acceptable considering the hurriedness they were in. Though he and his Master would be the ones in most danger...

Rider came out of his musings when he spotted the silhouettes of enemy Servants.

"Boy... I think we drew the short straw on this one."

"I know we will be facing multiple Servants, but didn't you say you were confident?" Waver looked at Rider with doubt. "Let me see... huh?"

Nine. That was the number of foes they were about to face.

"Are they... The Masters of White...?" Waver glanced at Rider hopefully.

The young Magus had a bad premonition since none of the figures in front of him looked normal. In fact, he felt serious danger from all of them. He recognized eight of them from the banquet Rider held earlier.

Five of them were definitely Servants since they joined Rider in drinking. The other three sat away the five, chatting and drinking among themselves. He didn't know whether they were Masters or Servants since he fain-... ehem. Since he felt lightheaded and went to rest halfway into the conversation.

The ninth was a beautiful woman white long purple-black hair and blue eyes, she was dressed in an unusually provocative clerical clothing. He had never seen her since the start of the Holy Grail War, making her a complete unknown.

...He didn't want to acknowledge it. No, He didn't want to even think about it. What if, just what if. Everyone that are blocking them were-

"They are Servants." Waver flinched at the grave voice that came from Rider. "Every single one of them... are Servants."


Emiya Kiritsugu, the Magus Killer, silently moved to the back entrance of the Civic Center. Kirei and Tokiomi were already waiting for him there. He turned to the two and nodded at them, which they both responded. Words were not needed when they all understood the plan and how important their task was.

The group slowly navigated through the building. Sounds of fighting were heard from beneath them, implying that Saber had engaged the enemy Servants. But what concerned them the most was how quiet it was at the entrance, it was supposed to be where the most fighting happened. Yet right now it was utterly silent, not a single sound could be heard from there.

All of a sudden, the floor collapsed and the group fell down. Kiritsugu landed unharmed by reinforcing his body. He looked around, the place they landed was a particularly spacious room. Looking above, the hole they fell down from was nowhere to be seen. Instead of the hole, there were countless ceiling lights.

"We are... under the music hall?" Kiritsugu was right.

The group have landed in the storage space for large props located below the music hall. They are right beneath their target, where the Lesser Grail was placed. But why would their opponents set up a trap that transport them there? Were they trying to confine them? And why haven't he heard anything from the others...

Kiritsugu abruptly rolled to the right, narrowly dodging a blade. His head would have been skewered by it if he were to be slower by even a millisecond.

He turned around and furrowed his eyebrows at the gruesome sight. Kirei stood there with blood all over his priest garment and Tokiomi lied on the ground lifelessly. Looking at the situation, it was quite obvious what happened. There were no wounds to be seen on the Executor's body while a dagger was lodged inside Tokiomi's back.

'But why...?' Kiritsugu didn't have time to ponder. He understood from the look his opponent gave him. The steely gaze filled with desire and tenacity, it could only meant one thing, which is that combat couldn't be avoided between the two of them.

"Let me ask you, Emiya Kiritsugu." Kirei drew out six Black Keys from within his frock and stared at the opposite man. "What do you seek from the Holy Grail?"

...

Flashback

"Greetings, Kotomine Kirei." Kirei looked at the white-haired man who sat across him. It was Ruler, the Servant of Order and a fellow man of god.

"I have a proposal for you." Ruler crossed his legs.

"A proposal? Aren't you here to-"

"Now, now. Father Kotomine." Ruler chuckled. "I am here to help you. To assist you in your plight."

He didn't know why, but the smile Ruler always had on, irritated him greatly. The Servant's virtuous and benevolent smile made him very uncomfortable, he wished that he could just crush that face-

'What am I thinking...?' Kirei slightly lost focus.

"I can see it, Father Kotomine. You are an empty man, someone who can only find happiness in others' pain."

"What foolishness are you spouting, Ruler. I am a devout follower of god." Kirei glared at Ruler.

"You know it yourself, don't you? You can't understand and appreciate the beauty common people do, but instead you found pleasure in misery and despair. Oh how spectacular the sight would have been if a child were to die horrendously after witnessing their parents tortured and murdered."

Kirei imagined the scene described by Ruler. An innocent little girl, face filled with tears and hopelessness, staring at the dead bodies of her parents... how amusing-

He snapped out of his thoughts and glanced at Ruler. "How sinful! You are a saint yet you have the audacity to mouth such foul acts, have you no shame?!"

"The first step is acceptance, Father Kotomine." Ruler shook his head. "Just look at your own face."

"...What are you saying?" He saw.

In the metal's reflection, a depraved smile formed on his face. The smile was so twisted, it should belong to a madman, not of a priest's.

"This... This is me?" Fluctuations appeared in Kirei's eyes.

"This is you, Kotomine Kirei. You are a man so wicked that such a small vision can incite your innermost demon."

"But fear not, my child. God is always with us. He will never abandon a pious follower like you." Ruler rise and spread his arms in a gesture of benevolence. "I will help you rid of your heart's evil and make you normal. Normal like how every life granted by god are supposed to be."

Kirei stood up and stared at Ruler. "Tell me, Ruler. How do I become normal? How do I feel human like everyone...?!"

Ruler smiled and extended his hand.


Saber drove a motorcycle down a sloping path that extended below the Fuyuki Civic Center and entered the underground parking lot.

All around her was darkness, the only part visible was her front which was lighten up by the headlights of the motorcycle. Support pillars surrounded her, this place was certainly a prime location for an ambush.

At that moment, a resentful roar sounded out from the shadows of a pillar. Her instinct kicked in and she leaped off the bike immediately. A rain of fire covered her previous position and in an instant, the bike she was riding turned into a pile of scraps.

"This weapon-" She recognized the type of weapon her opponent was using, because the man who was also her Master used this kind of weaponry. It was a gun, the mainstream weapon of the modern world.

Another round of bullet headed her way. She took cover behind the pillars and sprinted to the assailant, coming face to face with a black knight.

"You are..."


Author's Note:

I've been playing The Forest.

You should try it too if you can find a group of friends to play with.