This must have been a Servant of Kayneth, no doubt.
Kiritsugu moved swiftly, aware that Caster and her knight were the only thing shielding both him and Iri from sudden death. Lancer was a formidable opponent, one too powerful for them to defeat head on. Lucatiel was a useful tool, but she made for a poor weapon. Maiya had localized a couple of conspicuous locales on the city's outskirts, but checking all of them would take time. He could only hope that Lancer could be fended off.
This time he and Maiya had to operate independently to save time. Not the first time, but the circumstances usually were more forgiving for them. For starters, they were the ones who could set up the battleground and dictate the terms of the encounter. No such luck here, and with a strict time limit upon them as well.
Kiritsugu felt a sudden tug deep within his mind. The tug turned into a shimmer and became a moment of noise before he felt the familiar presence materialize, another's conscious intertwining with his. Saber was back in action.
"Master? I reappeared at the road where we've met Assassin yesterday." She explained. That was too far to get to the Einzbern castle on foot, even for a Servant. There was no telling how long Caster would be able to hold the line.
"Saber, I'll be sending you to the Einzbern castle. Iri and her Servants are there fighting Lancer."
"Yes, of course! What about you though, Master?"
"Don't worry. I'm on the move. You, meanwhile, by my Command Seal's power, appear at the battle and ward Irisviel from harm." The faint shimmer on his hand informed Kiritsugu that he has just expended one of the three.
That was a second time a Servant died in front of my eyes, Irisviel thought, as the dust left behind Garl finally dissipated and scattered to the winds. Well, a first time, to be technical. Saber was still out there, wasn't she? She could only hope.
Of course, there were more pressing matters to attend to; like Lancer. Caster didn't look just distraught, she looked completely devastated. Irisviel couldn't blame her. Though they weren't very affectionate, she could tell that they were a pair in love. To see one part of such pair depart, in front of the other, that Irisviel couldn't wish upon anyone.
It wasn't however the only reason why Astraea was in such peril. With Garl missing, her options of protecting both her Master and herself were limited. She could not hope to match Lancer, certainly not longer than her knight. "I see that you understand." The elderly man spoke, nodding. There was no mockery in his voice. "You cannot match me."
"...nevertheless..." Astraea slowly stood up from her knees, arms spreading wide in front of Irisviel. It was a symbolic gesture at best; a human shield – even made out of a Servant – could not hope to stop another Servant's weapon. "It is my responsibility to see to my Master's life. I cannot let harm come to her, even if it kills me."
"It just might." For a moment nothing happens. Gehrman was no fool; while Caster was likely a less formidable opponent than her knight, odds are she had some trick up her sleeve. His weapon turned back into a scythe as he assessed Astraea in silence before nodding. "So be it, Caster."
He moved in swiftly, but stopped deliberately just outside of the range of Caster's spell, the Wrath of God not causing him harm. He resumed his charge right after, now that his opponent's bag of tricks has been exhausted. Astraea remained firm and unmoving even in face of certain death. This time there would be no Garl to shield her from harm. It was over.
And then Saber appeared right between Caster and Lancer charging in for a kill. She stood there, carried by the mighty power of the Command Seal, and she knew what to do. Her shield pushed the scythe away and her blade prepared to dig into the enemy, but this time nobody could see her coming; certainly not Lancer himself. That he survived the next couple of seconds was a testament to his celerity.
The blow was an overhead chop, guaranteed to carve out a portion of Gehrman's head if he refused to move. There was no time to raise a weapon to block, but at the same time one couldn't dodge an attack so sudden and so unannounced without inhuman reflexes. Those were what Lancer possessed, but they weren't quite enough. The blade lopped off his ear, causing him to hiss and back down, hand holding onto the wound. Blood was sipping through his fingers as he stared at a dead woman ready to combat him, sword and shield ready.
"S-saber?!" At least the Einzbern woman was as surprised as Gehrman was. Caster was the one who was the least responsive to the idea, but to be fair, she has just lost her weapon.
"That's unbecoming of a knight class, Lancer, attacking a defenseless combatant." Lucatiel sneered at the reaper. "Berserker had more honor than that."
"Don't you patronize me, a once killed Saber." Gehrman chuckled, but it was a thin, forced laugh. He's been hit and while it was nowhere near lethal, there was no telling what else she could do. "Though I suppose that is a matter to resolve next time we cross blades."
"Only now you're leaving, now that the opponent can offer you a challenge?" Irisviel couldn't help but wince and she noticed Astraea do the same too. That was... strange of Lucatiel. She could swear she was more reserved.
"If I'm outmatched, it is only natural. You're welcome to chase me if you so desire, Saber, but I think you have more pressing matters to attend to." The blonde swordswoman nodded tersely. Lancer offered another thin smile. "Then it is settled. Rest assured, Master of Caster. Perhaps now your guardian will be more capable." The whitehaired Master met the Servant's gaze with her own, resolute. He was simply trying to throw a wrench between them.
"That is correct, Lancer. Away with you." Or was he? What was with Lucatiel here? She seemed... more aggressive? Or was it just Irisviel's head playing tricks on her in the middle of all this stress? The reaper meanwhile slowly disappeared, turning into his ethereal form and vanishing from the mansion. For a moment there was nothing but silence; Lucatiel's posture did not relax for a good few more seconds. Finally, she called her weapons away and looked over to Caster. "Forgive me. I've said words of your friend that were less than savory." She spoke, offering Astraea a hand to stand up.
"...I... I see." Nevertheless, the white-robed maiden took the offered hand and stood up. "Thank you, Saber. Without you I... I can't tell what would happen." Lucatiel frowned, but did not say anything, instead looking over to Irisviel.
"...welcome back, my knight." The whitehaired woman smiled fondly at the one who promised to return. This time, Saber returned the smile.
The patch of moldy green on her hip remained undiscussed.
By the camper van, three figures sat in thought. Rider had parked the vehicle a little ways from the city to freely move around for a bit. Sitting behind the wheel could grow tiring even for a Servant.
The other two were his liege and Berserker. Kariya was sound asleep inside the van, having exhausted himself after... today's meeting with Tokiomi. At the very least nothing disturbed his slumber; the worms within remained passive to let him get a much-needed rest.
"What happens now, Waver?" Berserker asked, hands on his knees and eyes – so to say – staring off into the night sky. The student's face turned a little sour.
"Now we wait." A moment of silence. "It's frustrating that we have to be dependent on Tohsaka, but that's the best bet we've got."
"The assumption is that he visits the Matou mansion and questions the old devil." Gascoigne did like the phrase Kariya used for his nefarious relative. It was very much fitting. "But what then?"
"He will come in there cautious. If Zouken proves uncooperative, he can at least stand his ground." Waver rubbed his chin in thought. "I'm more worried if he will try to fool Tohsaka with more words."
"But now he is much more aware." Rider chimed in, standing up and idly stretching, the plates of his armor creaking with each move. "Kariya's confession does not get more honest than this, at that."
"Honesty sometimes loses to opportunism." Berserker grumbled, looking down and rubbing his temples.
"Then again... the way Tohsaka worded it, he really had the best intentions in mind." It was rare in a Magus, to put family before Magecraft. The more conservative approaches thought of a potential family as a little more than a way of extending a given Magus' bloodline. Then again, hardly ever do a Magus get two children with such a large potential, if he was to be believed. Trying to discreetly resolve the matter would get him – and the rest of his family, if not the rest of Fuyuki – in trouble with Mages' Association; thus quietly resolving it was most beneficial for everyone.
It certainly helped that the Matou family enjoyed a privilege of being unmonitored by the Association. Still... "Is there anything we can do now, my liege?" Rider asked. Waver's face darkened briefly.
"I'm not too keen on going inside the Matou mansion to fight, to be honest. A Magus' house is his stronghold and fortress; and one so vile might be even more prepared to ward off enemies." He replied after a moment, standing up. "Even with two Servants to back me and Kariya, it doesn't quite feel safe."
"But then again, this War wasn't ever meant to be safe now, was it?" Berserker chuckled dryly. A moment after, Waver joined in the laughter.
"I'll be honest, I would have never expected myself to stick my neck out for another guy, let alone another Master prior to this whole situation." He mused after they went silent again. "I guess it helps that Kariya has no interest in the Grail."
"Sometimes this kind of conflict is just means to an end." Rider hummed quietly. "An excuse to reach a goal not even a wish-fulfilling cup can."
"Something not even a miracle can get, huh..." Was there such a thing? Kariya certainly seemed to think so.
Irisviel woke up in the middle of the night, her breathing shallow. The nightmare was too terrible to bear.
She looked around frantically, but there wasn't anyone in the room with her. No, that wasn't right. There was Saber, remaining on a chair nearby unflinchingly, blade resting against the floor and ready to be used should someone came to wish her harm. She was staring off through the window, but Irisviel knew that she was observing the door at the same time.
Now however the blonde's eyes were upon her. "Mistress? Bad dream?" Iri nodded after a moment, feeling her heart calm down and her breathing come back to normal. "Forgive me. My presence likely doesn't put you at ease."
"N-no, it's fine..." Caster previously volunteered for guard duty, but Lucatiel insisted on doing that herself, suggesting that perhaps the maiden in white needs her own rest after what transpired. Irisviel couldn't help but think that the way Saber worded it was meant to be a put down. Nobody really confirmed that; Astraea conceded the issue without any discussion.
"As you say. Would you like me to get you anything?"
"Oh no, don't worry. I can get myself some water just fine." She smiled sheepishly at the Servant and shuffled out of the bed, her feet touching the floor. Saber stood up slowly and reached for the shawl resting on one of the furnitures.
"Allow me." The white-haired woman turned around, letting the blonde put on the shawl on her. "Do you mind if I escort you to the kitchen, Mistress?"
"Not at all." Some part of Irisviel enjoyed the attention too. She knew thar Kiritsugu was busy winning the War, but sometimes she missed someone to talk to, someone close. Caster was never much of a talker, and she wouldn't be so cruel to bother her now over something so petty. Saber offered her her arm and she gingerly accepted after only a moment of hesitation.
Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald welcomed the morning with a frown.
The revelations Lancer shared with him were something else. He didn't even have a head to admonish him for failing in his mission that he so graciously granted to him. Of course, the informations he brought back from his raid on the Einzbern mansion were invaluable. Their Saber could come back from death. If Kayneth's gut feeling was any indication, it was not a one-time either. That certainly elevated the threat level of the Einzbern faction by a considerable margin.
At the very least Caster's minion had been dealt with. That was one less obstacle to victory. Kayneth tapped the arm of the chair. If his understanding of Caster and her powers was correct then they hadn't have to worry about her as well. She would still have to be killed, of course, but now it was just an afterthought. That is what Kayneth hoped for at the very least.
Apologies for the shortness of this one; I was feeling a little uninspired by the end of writing it. Nevertheless, here you guys go.