Chapter 22: From Heart to Heel

The group landed safely in a clearing, surrounded by trees. Achilles called off his chariot as Ruler laid the still unconscious master next to a tree, her wounds mostly healed from her slumber. Archer kept his distance with crossed arms, refusing to look at the women who betrayed his trust.

Ruler could read the tension, and rose from the ground. "What is it, Archer of Black?"

He stared at the ground, clenching his biceps. "My master believed in her. And she only wanted revenge."

"Is that so terrible?" Achilles spoke.

Chiron smirked, knowing his student had fallen prey in a similar way. "Wrath can blind the smartest warrior." His student only smirked.

"But if she has been your ally so far, why fire before hearing her speak? Only thing worse than a traitor is a hypocrite. Someone taught me that long ago."

Chiron uncrossed his arms. "So, you did listen." They shared a faint smile, as if their sides meant nothing.

"The Black Faction has fallen. Now that Shirou has revealed his plan, we will need to band against him..."

A scream came from Hazel, holding her hand which felt like it was burning.

"Miss Master, what's wrong?"

"The seals." Hazel said, watching the remaining command spells begin to strip away from the back of her hand.

"What the hell?" Achilles said, kneeling to the ground, his body now in a yellow glow that began to fade like fireflies.

Ruler looked to the two of them, realizing the situation. It appeared the priest feared losing this servant enough that he would let him vanish.

"Shirou must have given up his seals." There was a brief pause, but Ruler knew there was only one way to keep the hero alive. "Hazel. You can help." Ruler said, looking to the both of them facing each other.

Hazel looked at the remains of her seals, knowing that without a servant she could not continue in this war. It had already been a night of unexpected turns, what was one more? But would this be a similar trap, where they would follow because of force not want?

"Rider, you have a choice." she said, trying to be considerate. But there was no time for discussion.

"Well, it's clear to me." Achilles held out his hand. His eyes bore a resemblance to the servant who had abandoned her. The kindness made her feel safe. And, if she were to continue, she needed to remain a master.

Ruler was concerned by her pause, "Master of Black?" Hazel nodded in agreement and latched onto Achilles forearm as he did to hers. Ruler proceeded with the transfer. Hazel knew that warrior would drain the same amount of energy if not more than Berserker. But, maybe she had to continue the fight, even if her purpose had vanished.

Achilles stood, seeing he was no longer fading out of existence. The others began to discuss the action going forward, on how to deal with Shirou and his plan for salvation. Hazel remained on the ground. Now she had time to process her emotion. Think of how this could have been handled better.

"Can you stand?" Rider asked her, she nodded and rose slowly as he guided her up to plant her feet.

"I'll be fine by morning. If it ever comes." Hazel said. Achilles looked concerned as her eyes fixated on Ruler.

"Why didn't you kill the priest?" she asked, Ruler turned away from Chiron and Hazel continued. "What point do you have here if all you do is watch?"

"I had to find him. You're in pain, you should rest."

"He has 6 masters under his control. Greedy bastard couldn't let this war play out on it's own. He wanted the army and you didn't bother to attack him first?"

"I've done all I can." Ruler said sharply, she knew she had failed but that meant she only needed to work harder to fix the mistake. But all Hazel saw was a woman who did nothing. "At least now you can still fight." This was the only response she could give Hazel.

The master began to laugh, after a night of constant fighting it was clear her value was not the same as the demi god she had just taken on as a servant.

"You mean the servants? All I am is an anchor, right? I'm not supposed to do what I trained for my whole life because you're the warriors. I knew my servant, and he understood that."

"Your Berserker sided with power, Master Hazel." Ruler approached, resting a hand on her shoulder. "To him, you were just his gate into this world."

A swing turned Ruler's face. Hazel punched her with as much force as she could.

"What the hell do you know?" She said, her golden eyes burned brightly against her face of rage. Ruler had only made Berserker suffer. And now she was the reason that he was no longer by her side. Because she did not kill the problem, only danced around it until there were only remains. For once in her life, Hazel felt powerless. And, it sickened her to the core.

"Nothing I do matters because all anyone cares about is damn history. Winning this war because they failed in their last life."

"You need rest, Master."

"Don't call me that!" She began to break, words falling out of her mouth only displayed her fears.

"I'm no one's master or teacher. I don't even know who the hell I'm fighting for. I've lived my life thinking I can accomplish anything, and have been able to. But now I just keep losing people over and over. I thought I knew Cú, but maybe I read him all wrong. I made a charitable hero mad for power. I'm not proud of that!" Hazel stomped across the clearing, wanting to run and think. She wanted to be alone.

"She'll need guidance, Hazel." Chiron spoke and she smirked, shaking her head.

"So now you want help from a traitor?" Hazel said, but the one servant she trusted in the Black Faction would have killed her without explanation. Trust was something she gave to few, and he had lost hers tonight.

"You're her teacher."

"It's just a title. Words. Your arrow said it all, Chiron. Farewell." She continued to walk deep into the woods, dragging the sword with her. Rider was confused where to follow.

"Where are you going?" Rider asked but she only spoke with her back turned as she walked away.

"I'm taking a walk. Do what you want, I don't care." Hazel disappeared into the woods, as the others remained.

"Thank you Ruler, for your support." Chiron said, trying to break the silence.

Ruler nodded. "I'll be seeing your faction soon. First, I must assess the damage."

Achilles stood frozen, confused what to do. Should he follow her though she wanted to be left alone, or stay? A familiar hand laid on his shoulder as he thought of what to do next.

"You chose wisely, Achilles," his mentor spoke. "She has more in common with you than me. Please, get to know her." He went to walk away, but his student had one more question before they would have to play enemies.

"Are you upset, that I betrayed my side?" Chiron smiled at the question.

"You've always had a soft heart for those in trouble. Especially women."

Rider chuckled. "I was taught to protect those in need. She fought well and still got taken advantage of. It's not right." He began to walk, deciding to find his new master in the green maze.

"Thank you teacher. I'm sure we will clash soon."

"I look forward to it, Achilles." Chiron said to himself as he began to spring back to the fortress.

The part of the forest seemed endless, but Hazel didn't care. She kept walking with her head down occasionally stopping to breathe or scream at the world. Even if Rider were following, her mind had blocked out the surrounding noises. She was lost in her mind, thinking of the failures. How Lord El Melloi II was right.

In her thought wandering she tripped over something, a stick perhaps. Hazel fell to the ground and dropped the sword. She looked at where she was, and the horrible sight made all of her nonsense self talking stop.

The field of corpses was all she could see. Bodies that had decomposed to a point were they had fallen down the stakes and been devoured by wildlife. This was where Darnic and Lancer had made their stand for the grail. Hazel looked on in horror. But when she turned to what caused her fall, it was the remains of the catalyst, her reason for being here.

"Baz." She whispered, seeing her friend now a withering skeleton, with only her clothes to identify her. For a moment she had to ease her panic, punching her chest and screaming. The Mages Association couldn't even bother to retrieve their fallen associates. The coffin she had buried had nothing but air, which in this moment she gasped for.

"I don't know what to do anymore." Hazel said, slowly finding her breathe. She faced the remains, sitting in front of them. This was a time to speak what she had felt, try to sort out this anger which had forced a terrible thing onto a hero. Made him mad and full of rage. Now staring at the moment that caused it, she had to find peace with this past.

She was immersed in her emotion, and did not register a silent bystander listening through the trees.

"You always had a way of looking through the bloodshed." She said, feeling her tears start to dry. "I corrupted your dear hero. I wish this never happened, but I can't rewrite this day. Even if salvation is tempting, I think you would only hate me then, for not letting you die in battle." She paused, letting out a big sigh.

"I have a new servant now. My grandpa's favorite hero." She took another chance to breathe finally feeling the panic evaporate. She would have to continue, so that their lives were not lost. With the grail destroyed, their families could live on, not have to be consumed by revenge as she had been.

Hazel held one of the gloved hands. She remembered how they grew up together. These hands shook on many promises. Ones they would never see. She eyed the sword and had an idea. Crazy, but something that could help later.

"I can't back away from this. I need to see it with my own eyes. Forgive me, please, because I can't forgive myself for abandoning you. That's selfish to ask but I promise with his blade, we will fight again." She let go of the hand and grabbed the sword, the blood still lodged in the blade. Hazel went to the center of the field and drew an incantation circle. She spoke her desire, and drove the sword into the center. The ground glowed with red lines, leading to each fallen mage. The glow stopped, but Hazel still felt a pulse in the ground. The spell had started, and if Darnic spoke true, the priest would not be able to defend himself from this.

"So I'm not your favorite?" Hazel turned to find Rider, standing by Bazett's body. "What are you doing in this graveyard?" He asked, his lance swung over his shoulders.

Hazel began to walk away from the center of the field, towards her new servant. "Sorry. Just needed to talk."

"Your friend?" He looked at the skeleton. Imagining what he had felt losing his dear brother at Troy.

"We said we'd be heroes like the ones we read about. She always kept me level in battle. But I have to say goodbye for now." Hazel began to walk away, but now hearing her pain. He only wanted one thing.

"I want to take him down. For hurting you."

"Let's not talk about revenge now." Hazel said, tonight had drained all the care she could give. Rest would be the only thing she desired.

"You're forgetting the sword?" Rider asked.

"Leave it. I fight with my fists anyway." Hazel said, and they began to walk away together.