Shiro looked over his shoulder as he saw El Maloi hang up his cell phone. "Guess you showed up just in time. How'd you even know where to find us?"
The older mage looked over as all eyes fell on him. He glanced over and saw the young student with the homunculus clutching onto him. "When I learned who it was that Andrew summoned I've had familiars following you all ever since." He said closing his eyes and looking away. "You can't get mad, it just saved your lives."
"Young Waver." Rider said putting his massive hand on the boy's shoulder. "If you've done something, stand tall and announce it to the world."
The mage turned to look at the others before his eyes settled on Gilgamesh. "I didn't trust you. I didn't want to see a student killed because of you."
Gilgamesh scoffed at the idea before Andrew chuckled. "Aww I didn't know you cared so much El Melloi."
"Don't get a big head." The mage said looking over at Rin. "That was the others at the clock tower. Some of the upper classman have agreed to summon servants to deal with the randoms."
"We still don't know what Angra Mainyu wants." Tohsaka said as she looked at the ground in thought.
"When we were all trapped, did some guy come and visit any of you?" Andrew asked looking around. He looked down but Alia was avoiding his gaze. She knew who he was, but didn't want to talk about it.
"No." Shiro said shaking his head. "Me and Tohsaka were in the same cell where El Melloi found us."
Andrew took a deep breath before he walked them all through his interaction with Avenger's master. "So we need to be able to beat that guy." He finished.
Alia wanted to hide her face in shame. She knew all of this, but the mental block that Acht had put on her mind prevented her from consciously knowing it. "It's fine." Andrew whispered to her when he noticed the others were all in thought. "But if you have any other information that could help, please tell us."
She turned to look up at him. She saw the kindness in his eyes, and the genuine care behind them. "I don't want you to go." She whispered back.
"I've dealt with much worse than that Titus asshole." Andrew said with a smirk. "And besides if things really go south I always have Gil."
"Don't get overconfident Andrew." The king said rubbing his face. "Remember, he knew too much about us. He probably knows more."
"Well that was because of Alia right?" He whispered to the king. None of the others needed to know that she was unknowingly a traitor.
"Maybe." Gilgamesh whispered back earning a raised eyebrow from Rider. "It would be safest to proceed as if he already knows our next move."
"King of Heroes, what are you and your master whispering about?" The massive servant asked.
"Just about potential plans big guy." Andrew said as he released Alia for the first time since he found her again. "We're going to need a serious battle plan if we're going to win this."
"Agreed." Assassin said nodding his head. "Does anyone have any ideas?"
"We charge." Alia said getting everyone to turn and look at her. Her right hand placed carefully over her left. "If he does want to fight us, and we want to end this. Our only chance would be to face them."
"She's right." El Melloi agreed. "Stopping Avenger is our top priority." He looked around the group before turning to look at Rider. "Could your chariot carry Emiya and Assassin to the battlefield?"
"What did you have in mind?" Assassin asked.
"Assassins don't specialize in battling other servants. They may be extraordinary in combat, but they aren't on the same level as most servants. They're goal is to eliminate the masters and get out before the servant is even aware. So you kill this Titus guy, while Emiya attacks Avenger as a diversion." El Melloi replied taking a breath after speaking.
"What about me?" Andrew asked.
"You'll join the rest of the students in London and go and stop the random servants from there." The teacher replied. "You've been of great service so far Andrew, but sadly that ends now." He turned to Alia. "Einzbern, where would they need to have enough mana to continue summoning servants?"
"Is it Fuyuki?" Rin asked starting to worry for the people she'd left behind.
"No." The homunculus said shaking her head. "That leyline has been overused. It wouldn't have the ability to summon this many servants without a grail."
"Where would there be enough magical energy than?" Shiro asked.
The girl looked around as all eyes waited for her response. She looked over her shoulder and saw the angry look on Andrew's face. If this was the plan, then that meant he wasn't going to fight Avenger and Titus. "It's in Italy." She said much to the shock of the other mages there. "Titus figured out that the Mount Vesuvius wasn't what destroyed Pompeii."
A light bulb went off in Shiro and Assassin's minds as they looked at one another. "The fire." They said to one another.
"Exactly." The young girl replied. "It's the only place in the world with the pure, unused mana to perform the ritual."
"We should go now." El Meloi said as he looked at Shiro and Assassin.
Shiro nodded his head as he turned to Rin. "Just what are yo…" She was cut off as the magus put his lips on hers.
"If I don't come back…"
"Don't say that." Rin said quickly. She put her hand on his chest. "Remember, you're a hero of justice. I know it, now it's time for you to show everyone else." He nodded his head as he walked towards the chariot and stepped onto it beside the massive Rider.
Assassin turned around and made brief eye contact with a disgruntled Andrew. It was brief but it said everything that needed to be said. "I'm ready." He said turning away and looking up at Rider before he dematerialized.
"Tohsaka, I expect you will get the two of them back to London. There's a plane waiting for you all at the airport." El Melloi said as he got onto the chariot with the others.
"Gah!" Rider screamed as he snapped his reins and the bulls started to pull the chariot away.
"I thought that would be harder." El Melloi shouted over the winds to Shiro.
The younger mage said nothing as he prepared his mind for the battle to come.
XXXX
Back on the ground Rin turned to the others in their group. "We should get going."
"She's right." Gilgamesh agreed turning to look at Andrew with a big smirk on his face.
"No, no, no." Rin said shaking her head. "I was told to get you back to London. We've put you in enough danger as it is."
"Wait, you're going?" Alia asked looking up at Andrew.
"Of course we are." Gilgamesh sneered. "What did you think that the King of Heroes would sit out the grand finale?"
"Andrew?" The girl asked looking up at the magus.
"With Robin and Gilgamesh they won't be able to stand a chance against us. Especially if they only see those guys coming." He said with a grin.
Alia winced at the name of her servant as she remembered the first moment she met him.
XXXX
"I pull on the deep verdant legend!" The Einzbern shouted as a dozen others pushed their own mana into the summoning. "Show yourself before me, Archer of the Green!" She screamed as she pushed all of the mana she had into her hand and out of her body towards the circle in front of her.
"You of noble birth, who would call upon the likes of me, what is your name?" Came the silky smooth voice of a young man. His face hidden by a green hood pulled over his head. He pulled the hood off of his head with a laugh. "I'm just kidding!" He shouted before his eyes fell on Aliasviel. Her beauty caused him to stop dead in his tracks. "My god." He said as he looked around the room.
"What?" The new master asked.
"You're beautiful." Archer said holding his bow out to her. "I would gladly fight alongside you."
"Why?"
Archer smiled as he took a knee, still holding his bow out to the girl. "In life I lost a lot, but I always had one desire."
"And that was?"
"To save the maiden." Archer said looking up at the girl. With a righteous passion burning behind his eyes. "I swear upon my aim, I will fight by your side, and should the day come when I have to, I will be there to save you!"
XXXX
"Robin's gone." Alia said holding her hand out. The hand that once had held her command seals, now just as pale colored as the rest of her body. "He broke his pact with me to break me free." She said as she held her hand tightly.
Andrew stood in shock. He didn't know what to say. He saw Robin as some asshole that was only going to cause problems for him. Now however, he realized he was going to owe that hooded jerk for the rest of his life. "He lived up to his title as Hero." Andrew said quietly. "You don't have to come. You can go to the Clock Tower with Rin."
"If you're not going, then neither am I." Alia replied.
"Well I'm not going alone." Rin said putting her hands on her hips. "It won't take Rider long to get to Italy from here." She added. "How are we supposed to get there in time?"
Gilgamesh smirked. "It's about time you all asked. Bask in the glow of one of my mightiest treasures!" He said as he snapped his fingers and a massive green and golden plane sprouted out of a golden disk.
"Vimana!" Andrew shouted. "I thought you said it was destroyed!"
"It was." Gilgamesh smiled before he jumped on top of the vehicle. Rin silently followed after and Andrew swept Alia off her feet.
"Times Two." He whispered before he leapt as high as he could. He saw the top of the ship pass by him before he landed on top with the Einzbern still in his arms. "There's only one seat." He said looking to where Gilgamesh was heading. "We won't fall off will we?"
Gilgamesh said nothing as he sat down with a smirk and rested his head on his hand. "To war!" He screamed before the vehicle seemed to come to life before it screeched through the sky.
