Author's Notes: This chapter has been a rather interesting one. Years back, this inspiration came to me in the form of a dream. I written this section from memory of that dream. I hope you enjoy the read. Thanks.

Chapter 36: Deceiving Eyes

Tick…

Tick….

Tick…

Rin tapped her fingers against her wrapped arm as the clock hands tick by. She is getting restless as time goes. "What's taking Shirou so long?" He had set out to gather necessary medicine and food for them. It has been an hour already but the necessary place is only ten minutes away at best.

Saber agreed with her observation. "He is taking beyond considered time." It is unnatural for Shirou to be late. Even if he did, he would have the courtesy to inform them at least.

Mike stated his assumption. "He's dead." He got himself a punch in the face from Ilya.

"He isn't dead you nut!" Shirou to die again in the morning after being declared dead isn't such a nice thing to go on.

Mark concluded dead being out of the question and moved on with the progress of deduction. "If he isn't dead, then he's somewhere else."

Saber volunteered herself to the task. "I'll look for him." She leapt off the balcony and into the search.

Rin noted. "Speaking of Saber…it's time we settle it."

"Settle what?" Mike asked bluntly.

Rin explained their predicament at hand. "We have two Sabers right now. It can be difficult to differentiate between the two in the fast pace of combat."

Mike suggested his idea. "How about He-Saber and She-Saber?"

"That is very idiotic as usual." Ilya quirked.

"Fine, just call my Saber by his real name." Mike took a dangerous path to resolve it. It can be reckoned as close to insane. A servant's name is not just a name. It explains every single detail of their strength, abilities and weaknesses. That can be exploited very dangerously.

"You're kidding me." Rin said blankly. For a master to be that daring is certainly a fool in her eyes.

Mike apparently wasn't fooling around. "No joke, get your butt here Saber." His Saber emerged in full physical form. His servant didn't look too pleased. "Now then, say hi to Cratos."

Ilya face palmed. "Boys are idiots as usual." Rin agreed with a nod.

Cratos agreed as well. "I have a fool for a partner."

Mike gave his servant the look."You never wanted the Grail so it doesn't matter whether you live or die."

His servant rebutted. "I never wanted to come to this crazy world in the first place!"

Mike shot back. "That's your fault for accepting the summoning."

"I never did accept it! Especially to an idiot like you!"

Mike shrugged. "Oh well, I guess it runs in the Greek blood." Rin felt her head is about to explode. She mulled her thoughts on her newly discovered information. Cratos…the demigod of strength. He's also similar to Hercules, the son of Zeus with super strength. The further details about Cratos deviate too much for anything else to remain concrete. The others must be thinking similarly as well. How on earth did such an idiot get such a servant?

Outside on the rooftop of a high rise condominium, Saber stretched out her senses to feel for Shirou. The bond between them should be strong enough for her to find him."Ugh!" What she got instead is a sudden splitting headache. It hurt hard enough that she lost her balance and fell off. She grabbed the edge on time and held on as the sudden wave of pain faded.

Feeling better now, she slowly climbed back up effortlessly. What on earth was that? She massaged her temples a bit. The pain's gone for now. What she noticed now surprised her. Aren't the trees supposed to be green? Something's wrong with her again, something she don't know. What sorcery is this? Nevertheless, she'll continue searching for Shirou.

She tried again when she felt another wave of unbearable dizziness. She kept her ground this time. This is bad...What should she do? Press on or find Rin for help? Now she felt her sense of direction completely gone. Now which way should I go? Finding Rin now seems to be another challenge itself. She chose to continue searching for Shirou. Whatever this problem is, she'll overcome it one way or the other.

She reached out for Shirou. She felt a wave of nausea that nearly threw her stomach upside down. She got her reward from it, a direction. She began her way in her unsteady state.

"What's taking so long?" Ilya grumbled. "It's been hours already." The other Masters and Servants were patiently waiting for Shirou and Saber's return. That patience is wearing out very thin.

Mike presented the same potentials. "It's either they're somewhere or they're dead."

"Bull." Ilya retorted.

Mark gave his opinion. "It doesn't matter whether they're dead or alive. They'll be back or we'll find them as bones and nothingness. Now the issue at hand is are we going to look for them or wait?"

"Look for them of course." Ilya stated the obvious.

Mike was equally enthusiastic. "Let's go!" He paused for a second. "Where do we look first?"

Mark shrugged. "Enjoy your hunt, I'm staying here." Jessica was still out cold. Someone must watch over her. No one else to that role is better than her servant. Rin gave a sigh as she followed the two in search of the missing two. They have a lot of ground to cover.

Saber leaned her arm against a wall. She never felt so sick in her life. She gagged back the discomfort from breakfast. Her sight is becoming crazy, the colours turning blue and green. Her heart rate is skyrocketing. They swirled around like a mixture of fluids in her mind. She went forward, step by step. How much time has passed? Her senses are completely whacked out.

She dropped to her knees, trying to bear this illness. Just a bit more. Her gut contracted its sickness again like no tomorrow. She started hearing voices, little children laughing at her sorry state. She looked around to see no one. Still, the laughter continued. The source of the laughter was everywhere. Is she turning insane?

Her vision became worse. Her sight began flickering on and off like a light bulb. Everything is way beyond bad. She could feel death creeping towards her. A voice assured. "It's not over yet."

She blinked her eyes several times. A hazy form of a man was before her. He was in modern clothes, wearing a brown jacket atop his blue checkered shirt to match the gray silk like pants. He has red hair, neatly kept for a mature intelligent man. His blue eyes made contrast, softening the fiery red. He was much older than her in approximately his forties. He said. "Get up, your duty isn't done."

She knew he was right. Her duty to Shirou, to this new world is not complete. She had fought on the King of Heroes. A mere sickness shouldn't be able to kill her! It'd be embarrassing for her entire history for it to end that way. She grunted against the nausea and forced herself up. She almost lost her breakfast again.

The man seemed satisfied. "Good, I will guide your way. Follow me." He walked slowly enough for Saber to follow.

She asked slowly. "Who are you?" The nausea seems to be weaker now. The man's presence was clearly fighting against this mysterious illness. She didn't know how but she was glad that it is.

"I am no one important. Not anymore." That was his answer.

Saber wanted more details. "Do you know what this sickness is?"

The man clarified. "It's not a sickness. It's a side effect."

"A side effect?" She was surprised. Side effect of what?

The man never looked back. "Shirou is in an unstable phase. What he's feeling right now is being channeled to you. It will be controlled in time. Please, no more questions." She obliged as she regained bit by bit of her health. The voices have faded and so is most of the nausea. Her steps become steadier as sunset arrived. Still, a chill went down her spine. If this is what I'm feeling then the effects Shirou's feeling is a lot worse. She hope there's still enough time.

The mysterious man led her to an abandoned complex in the industrial sector of Fuyuki. It was big. It could be measured up to two hundred metres long and hundred fifty wide. It looked like to be a workshop during her days, just much much bigger.

The man stopped. He then stepped aside of the main door. "This is the furthest I can guide you. You have to hurry now."

She thanked him as she summoned her sword and battle fatigues. The man was gone as she lashed the air. I'm coming for you Shirou. She opened the large unlocked doors and entered.

Moonlight lit the large interior through the large windows by the sides. The place felt vast for it was entirely empty. At the end was a stairway down. The way to Shirou must be that stairway. She stepped forward when she was hit by a train sized headache. She staggered a second before she was greeted by two different entities. They came in a flying fashion. The two beasts smashed against the wall to her left, deeply engrossed in a brawl to the death.

She identified the one with the silver scales, large wings and large jaw to be a dragon. The legendary dragon…Bahamut. Its opponent was a half human half serpent. It was a female, simply dressed with gold jewelry and bracelets that cover its human upper chest. It fought using a sharp spear, her name is Echidna. Two legends clashing in an abandoned complex! What kind of magic is this?

She stepped back as she watched the mystical beasts battle. She was confused to this change of events. Who are the Masters of these two mythical beasts? Rider was the only class she knew who could summon such a beast. Both are dead now. There wasn't anyone else around as Bahamut clubbed Echidna into the opposing wall. Her senses reveal nothing around her. The serpent lady lunged with a spring of her tail. She slashed with the gold plated spear. Bahamut recoiled back but it took a cut at the arm.

Saber felt the cut as Bahamut struck back into a parry. She touched her arm. She felt the moistness of blood at the centre of her arm, an equal position to where the dragon was cut. That answered the question. These two do not have Masters! The two are part of this crazy sickness! These illusions are hurting her for real and she has no idea on how to stop it. With the man now gone, she's taking the full might of this secretive weapon. She must join the fight to end it quickly.

She took a step forward before being struck by headache, nausea and moments of blindness all at once. She held her throat tight to prevent her stomach juices from escaping. Bahamut gauged a ball of fire. It blasted a boom which shrouded Echidna with black smoke. It cleared quickly to show the Serpent lady barely singed. Saber could feel the heat from the illusion that shouldn't be real. Nevertheless, her objective is to ensure Bahamut beats Echidna. That should be it.

What she can't fight in reality, she can probably try to fight with her mind. She called her mental strength and commanded the dragon to fight. Bahamut obeyed without question, moving limb and body to her desires. Echinda slithered forward slowly in a cautious defensive. She swung her polearm axe at range. The dragon pulled back, just enough to avoid the sharp edge before countering with a lunge. The serpent lad barely blocked in tune. Bahamut pushed with his claws and brute force. The serpent tail was weak on grip, forcing Echidna backwards. She slithered quickly to the left while releasing resistance against the pushing behemoth.

The larger heavier beast staggered forward as Echina slashed the right behind before another across the back of the shoulders. Saber grit her teeth at the cuts as Bahamut turned around to meet a slap in the jaw by the tail. The dragon took a step back as it recovered from the hit.

Saber had enough games. She'll take Echidna down with one strike. Bahamut surged forward in a charge. Echidna countered with a sideslip and slash for the neck. The dragon caught the blade with a paw. As blood trickled down its trio fingers, the other paw hit the womanlike face hard, separating user and weapon.

As the Serpent woman went down, the dragon snapped the pole arm into a useless half. Echidna got up and received a tight grip at the neck. Bahamut lifted the Mother of Monsters up into the air. Saber channeled her strength. Finish her.

The silver dragon obeyed, casting a ball of blue from its jaws. It hit Echidna in the chest. Echidna shrieked as dragon magic took its effect. She began to shrink and transform in shape until the final stage of a candle holder. The battle is now over. Bahamut let off a fading roar as it disappeared. The holder also disappeared. Saber took a breath of fresh air as she felt renewed life within her. She looked around. There are no marks of the battle, not even her wounds are present. The disease is gone, completely.

Now with her inner demons defeated, she now has to continue her mission. Hold on Shirou, I'm coming for you. She entered the stairwell and began her descent into the heart of the complex.