Night 36

A sort of magical webbing surrounded Illya, the shimmering threads of silver tightening and morphing into shapes. Illya's mental capacity was incredible, the way she manipulated the string with but her mind

'I'll kill you.' Illya hissed, the various threads snapping into multiple blade-like imitations. The swords flew forward at an amazing speed, hurtling down from the balcony that surrounded the main part of the entrance hall to meet Gilgamesh. Predictably, the servant merely shrugged, the golden pool of endless weapons taking form behind him before no less than ten swords countered Illya's attack, snapping her thread into pieces. Explosions erupted where the swords ended up colliding with the interior of the castle, and Berserker's howl reminded everyone of his deadly presence below.

'Really? A master shouldn't even look upon let alone challenge me to any form of combat; especially a master that hardly even counts as human.'

Rin saw how Gilgamesh's words cut deeply into Illya, but the girl had a will of iron, her unwavering determination prominent still.

'What do you want?' She went on.

'No. That is not how you address me. Bow first, and then ask, "What is your command, my lord?".' Gilgamesh seemed to finally notice Saber and Rin for the first time, his venomous eyes taking in Saber longingly. 'Is that you, my queen-to-be? I will admit, I am pleased with your prowess thus far, and that attire is…appealing.' Gilgamesh's gaze focused upon Saber cruelly, slowly shifting to her barely revealed cleavage at the rim of the white piece in her attire.

'She is not yours. She is my servant.' Rin felt her blood boil. Nobody was permitted to lust after Saber while she was right there. It wasn't going to happen, even if Gilgamesh was quickly proving to be more than formidable.

'In due time, child.' The gold-clad man waved Rin off as though she were nothing to him but a nuisance akin to a fly buzzing about.

'The war is entering dangerous territory with the emergence of a Black Grail of some description. We recommend you take heed of the shadow that seeks to disrupt everything.' Saber declared.

'Excuse me?'

'Whatever your reasons for being here, we must not – '

'Silence, woman. You do not tell your king to do anything. Whatever this "shadow" may be, it presents no danger to me. I've come for the little girl's heart. It is past time to cultivate it proper.'

Rin blinked, looking to Illya and seeing that she wasn't fazed by this whatsoever.

'The Grail War isn't even half over. What would be the point?' Rin demanded to know, telling Saber mentally to prepare for a fight.

'After tonight, it may as well be. Summon your monster, little girl. Do so, or die here and now.'

Rin saw the opportunity and hastily decided to seize it.

'No.' She interrupted.

'What…?' Illya turned.

'You'll fight me here and now, Gilgamesh. Saber is your opponent.'

Gilgamesh humoured the notion for a split second, but then flicked his head to the side as though he were cracking his neck.

'I refuse. I prefer my bride-to-be in one piece for the night of consummation.'

'Then I must apologize in advance,' Saber leapt down from the balcony, her armour taking shape over her body as she landed in a brilliant display of grace and beauty. 'I have given myself to Rin Tohsaka already, mind, body, and soul.'

As the words sunk in, Gilgamesh's eyes widened and his mouth scrunched into a twitching scowl.

'You don't mean…!?'

'I do. She is not only my master, but also my lover.' Saber finished the announcement without a hint of regret or shame, which only made Rin's face flush worse and worse. She covered everything but her blue, flickering eyes.

'You…a king…would lower yourself to such filth?' Gilgamesh huffed, fury overtaking his entire demeanor.

'I hardly see it as such.' Saber brandished her invisible blade, preparing for what was to come.

'Then I best put you out of your delusional misery, for you are evidently mad.' Gilgamesh shook his head as his pool of golden power expanded behind him to the extent of covering the entire entrance. 'Survive, and I may reconsider your worth.'

Saber absorbed everything Rin offered mana-wise, and honed her senses to perfection before the onslaught began. Fortunately, she had witnessed Gilgamesh's attack at least once, so she had an idea as to what was to come, but still, the sheer power behind each and every weapon that blasted into her was immense, her body pushed back with every parry and thrown off balance by the very gusts of wind that followed the swords, axes, spears and all other type of weapon.

'Can your servant win?' Illya asked, the doubt thick in every syllable.

'Saber is incredibly power. I don't see her losing.'

'Hm. I don't know about that…'

Saber saw her path after deflecting a particular large broadsword, side-stepping and then lunging a couple of feet before having to take on a defensive stance once more. The grand entrance hall was littered with glorious weapons in no time, the rate at which Gilgamesh unleashed his projectiles and coordinated their onslaught unbelievable in its sheer destructive power. Small craters and demolished walls formed with every second, and Saber felt herself exhausting Rin's supply of mana simply from embracing an attack and directing its force elsewhere.

'You move well…for a whore.' Gilgamesh uncrossed his arms and drew a particularly ornate sword from behind his left shoulder, his treasury continuing to display an endless reserve.

'I am no whore.' Saber uttered, stepping forward once more, closing the gap between herself and her opponent ever so.

'Your claims say otherwise.' Gilgamesh responded, surprisingly, leaping into the fray himself and making contact with Saber as his dancing blades poured out at such close range that only Saber's S-class abilities could save her from being utterly disfigured instantly.

'Still think she'll be okay? He's not playing anymore. Saber won't last.'

Rin bit at her lower lip and then pushed a hand through her hair, breathing out slowly.

'This opponent is special. Can you summon Berserker?'

Illya simply smiled.

'I thought you'd never ask.' The little girl paused, taking a couple of steps forward, and then closed her eyes before screaming at the top of her lungs, her body glowing red briefly. 'Berserker! Come to me!'

The howl caused Saber and Gilgamesh to break apart and listen, the entire castle shaking as though an earthquake was erupting all around them. The ground itself rose, swelling for a second before breaking apart and revealing the incredible hulking form of Berserker, his crimson, glowing eyes crazed even more so as he arched his back so that every massive muscle on his body augmented and he let out yet another blood curdling yell.

'Come, monster. You are yet another subject that must learn his place.' Gilgamesh's gaze narrowed, and he leapt back, allowing his golden pool to lead the offensive. Berserker's enormous blade easily crushed any of Gilgamesh's weapons that would cause him harm with but a single swing, the beast springing toward the golden king with dexterity belying the servant's size. Contact was made, and Gilgamesh obviously struggled with the brute strength of his assailant prior to spinning out of the lock down and grimacing in frustration.

'Berserker won't lose. He's the strongest there is.' Illya said proudly.

Rin took a look at her own servant, seeing the frustration in Saber's proud, green eyes. She was doing well, but Rin simply couldn't risk her getting mortally wounded. There was still much to do.

'You are forcing my hand. I'll commend you for that, at the very least.'

What Gilgamesh was about to release was never seen though, for the arena soon filled with malice, a dark, purplish mist suddenly leaking through the front doorway and seeping all around.

'The shadow…' Illya gasped.

Sure enough, an intangible presence had somehow made its way into the hall, its mass of transparent darkness crawling every which way without any definitive placement. Its shape varied alongside the very danger it presented.

Berserker screeched in panic, jumping away from where he was fighting and preparing to retreat further until he looked up and huffed at the sight of his master.

'Go…!' Illya urged, but Berserker, despite his insanity, hesitated, the true hero that he was shining through in a split second of uncertainty and affection.

The partial humanity that remained was his ultimate downfall.

The shadow struck without remorse, entering into Berserker and causing the beast of a man immediate agony, the servant collapsing to the floor and wreathing as though millions of bugs infested his body and were borrowing into his internal structure.

'What on earth…?' Gilgamesh grinned mischievously.

'Berserker…!' Saber yelled, going to the fellow servant's side and observing as the once seemingly brown skin became charred and began peeling away, revealing a fiery undercoat that looked anything but natural. Berserker screamed inhumanely, his pain and torment cycling through nothing less than hellish endurance.

'No…! No…! Berserker!' Illya sobbed at the sight of her servant's torture.

'Hmph. Nothing but a rabid dog after all.' Gilgamesh mocked, but the final word had hardly left his mouth before Berserker appeared barely an inch from his face, the impact of the blackened servant sending the golden king flying hundreds of metres out of the castle, his trailing voice of disbelief disappearing alongside him.

Berserker clutched his face within his steaming hands, his grunts and groans quivering in sync with his body.

'The shadow has overtaken him…' Rin decided.

'Master…' Saber thrust her arm outward, a golden vortex of raw power encircling her invisible blade and revealing Excalibur. Its beauty was unparalleled, and the magnitude of holy energy dispelled even the toxic mist that covered the first floor.

'Put him out of his misery…' Rin agreed.

'No…!' Illya screamed once more.

Berserker twitched at her voice, turned to see his master one last time, his being resisting every step of the way, and then forced himself out of the castle, sprinting into the forest ever suddenly.

'He doesn't want to hurt you.' Rin said softly.

'He's…gone, isn't he?'

'From what I could see…it's only a matter of time before the shadow overtakes him completely. It defies all logic and rules. That shadow is an anomaly that shouldn't exist in this war.'

Illya's hands clutched into tiny fists. She seemed to take in the destruction all around her and then wiped her eyes, staying her face and equipping an expression of iron befitting that of a true heir to such a prestigious name.

'Can Saber defeat him?' She asked finally. Rin could see it was taking everything Illya had to imply such a thing.

'If I use my Noble Phantasm…then yes.' Saber was being completely honest. Rin hadn't seen it yet, so it was hard to imagine, but she trusted her servant.

'We'll give you the opening you need.' Rin promised.

'Then we best not dawdle any longer. Let us go, Master.'

'I'm coming too.' Illya committed. There was nothing left for her anyway.

Saber took the lead into the forest, the rain only having gotten stronger and the world darker. The whole area surrounding the Einzbern castle was now covered in a murky mist, and Rin's nostrils flared at the stench of the raw, tainted mana that trailed after the shadow.

'Go on. We will catch up.' Rin told her servant. There was no time to lose. Berserker was distancing himself from Illya out of concern for her safety. He would run to the ends of the earth, if he could. However, Rin knew it was only a matter of time. The shadow was absorbing Berserker's mana and, alongside it, his will. The proud warrior was being infested by a foreign and dangerous beast that promised only agony and the collapse of anything beautiful. Rin feared she was sending Saber to her doom, but she had to trust her servant's abilities.

Saber confirmed the order, bursting from her place in front of the small party and launching off of nearby trees to propel herself forward at a breakneck speed.

'Can you use your mana to enhance your physical abilities for a little bit?' Rin asked between breaths as she ran.

'I-it's something I never thought would be very useful for me, so no.' Illya gasped. She said it with a certain amount of stubbornness, which irked Rin, but now wasn't the time to get hung up on something so trivial.

'I should be able to carry you and speed myself up. We need to close the gap as soon as possible.'

'Is what Saber said about you and her true?' Illya finally asked. Rin would be lying if she claimed to not be expecting such an inquiry, but the timing was a little off. Why now? Why when Berserker was so close to losing himself and wreaking havoc completely?

'That's not important at the moment.'

'Oh! So it's true?'

'Ugh! Are we going or not?' Rin scooped Illya up, facilitating her mana appropriately into her arms and legs. Splitting the distribution of power was always a chore, but knowing Saber's life was at risk otherwise provided enough inspiration to level the task.

'Eep!'

Rin immediately realized she needed to enhance her eyes as well considering the terrain she was attempting to navigate at a faster than normal speed. A triple enhancement wasn't something she preferred to perform, but she managed somehow, weaving through the Einzbern forest with enough success. Rin lost her footing when the ground suddenly shook, however, and Berserker's roar literally made every tree within the area tremble.

'He's in pain…' Illya admitted, gripping at her chest. 'I can feel it. He's losing himself…'

Rin nodded, chancing a glance at the smaller master.

'You have to be there for him. I know you two share a special bond. Berserker is a class that cannot be tamed without incredible talent and trust. You and Berserker share both.'

'He is the strongest…' Illya smiled sadly.

Rin took the girl's hand, Illya's piercing red eyes looking up at her with surprise.

'Come on. We'll see this through.'

Illya didn't respond. She knew what the conclusion to this fight would have to be.

It didn't take long for Rin and Illya to see Saber and Berserker's clash. The beast of a man was oozing black, tangible mana from every pore in his body as though his skin was burning. His breath was visible, and his eyes shone a twisted yellow and orange. His movements were unrefined, compared to his previous state, but his speed and power had easily been doubled. Saber was sent flying with every connection the two servants' swords made, and Rin could feel the exhaustion flooding her servant's mind.

'Berserker becoming even more formidable? That's ridiculous…' Rin rolled up her sleeve, revealing the markings of a condensed and ancient form of magic prepared ahead of time for advanced spell casting without the time slot required to perform such feats.

'That's not Berserker anymore.' Illya said wisely.

She was right. Berserker was being driven mad, and Saber would suffer because of the ruthless shadow. Rin prepared her most advanced spell, her arm glowing and her other hand reaching into her pouch of gems. She uttered a couple of words under her breath and then tossed the coloured jewels into the air, stopping them mid-flight by thrusting her hand against them and pumping her magic into each one until they exploded and reformed into a myriad beam of luminescence. The technique travelled faster than light, making contact with Berserker and downing him.

'Now, Saber!' Rin screamed, knowing her attack was as good as a shove to the massive, raging being that was Illya's servant now.

Saber shouldered her sword, a collection of golden mist and raw, earthly energy swirling about its blade. The glow of Excalibur reached heavenly heights, the simple act of looking upon the ancient weapon proving to be impossible without temporary blindness.

Berserker pushed himself up from the ground, hacking away until it sounded as though he spat up a pile of wet, mucus-filled vomit. His agony was apparent, and Rin heard Illya sniff back what were surely tears.

'We'll save him.' Rin assured her.

'I need more time!' Saber's voice cut into Rin and Illya, revealing the sudden moment of panic. Berserker was up, and he had little issue with whatever Saber now urged her everything to prepare.

Rin knew she couldn't initiate another blast that would be effective enough without her own allotted amount of preparation, and panic set into her soul, the idea of Saber being downed by this rampaging servant becoming more and more of a reality with every second that passed.

'J-just…!' Rin began. She would command a retreat. She would apologize later. She couldn't lose her. She wouldn't let Saber die just yet. Not just yet, but never. She never wanted to see her servant leave her.

Illya rushed past Rin suddenly, and before the older master could say anything, the little girl was standing in between Berserker and Saber, her arms outstretched and her bravery on display for all to witness. This was the courage of a single, lonely, little girl. Rin's chest tightened, and she almost went straight to Illya as well until she saw Berserker stumble, his reason rising up one final time to stop his crazed form from harming the little girl who had tamed his raging heart.

'You are the greatest servant there ever will be!' Illya screamed, tears streaming down her pale face. 'You are mine and mine alone, Berserker! You…are…you are…!'

Berserker howled, a sad, gurgling scream.

Saber clutched Excalibur tightly and took a couple of steps back with the utmost of elegance, her blade held high over her head.

'EX…' She breathed, the king's commandment in her tone.

'G-goodbye…Berserker…' Illya was pulled by Rin away from what would likely be an extreme amount of power. Berserker's flickering eyes followed his master, and her own line of sight never left his no matter how clouded it became.

'…CALIBUR!'