I'm not dead, just had a lot on my plate recently and just now found time to be able to finish this up. but now that it is, I shouldn't keep it from you all any longer. Hope you all enjoy it! Hopefully, in the future, I won't be as bogged down as I was now.

Got a review last chapter:
Hyperomegasonic26: I know we chatted a bit Via PMs so I'm just going to refer you back to that.

Enjoy chapter 6 everyone!

"Many times I find myself bound to a group of idiots. People who are wholly incapable of seeing the bigger picture of the world around them. Doing the same things day in and day out, without a care in the world as to the larger picture. They're the sheep I find the easiest to manipulate, as it's easy to change their whole mindset with just a simple series of runes."

~Ailis' journal, dated 1994

(New Fuyuki Church)

The sun had not yet risen over Fuyuki; as a result, the mages were still allowed to fight in this stage of the Holy Grail War. At least it was in theory, the reality of the matter couldn't be more different. It was doubtful that any serious fights would occur that night. Instead, it was highly likely that the master would take the night and skirmish, learn whatever pieces split through about their opponents that might create any sort of an advantage later on in the Grail War. it was similar to what happened in the last war. The serious fights wouldn't occur until about the fourth or fifth night. That's typically when events like this get all the more lethal. Ailis and Scathach, alongside the other Servants of Shadow, did what they could to hide and pick off what servants of light they could during that time. Kirei was currently standing in front of the church's altar. His eyes closed, expecting arrivals. Ailis was due any minute now, and with her return, the rest of the war could be planned out. Almost guaranteeing their victory in the war to come. But in order for their plan to succeed as they intended it to, the other masters had to be kept in the dark about their alliance for as long as possible. For if it was found out that the supposed neutral overseer of the Grail war had allied with one of the participating mages, it would cause an uproar not only on the part of the church but the magus association as well.

"Everything is going exactly as intended." Kirei began, "Soon the Grail will belong to me; and when it does, it shall finish what it started all those years ago." Gilgamesh took a seat amongst the numerous rows of benches. Silently observing Kirei's typical descent into sociopathic madness. It was a quirk that he quickly got used to, and knew how to exploit and control. As the useful idiots were the easiest to take advantage of and dispose of when they weren't necessary any longer.

"Careful Kirei, even you should know that even the most well-laid plans will eventually fall apart." Gilgamesh wasn't wrong. It was a well known saying throughout the modern era, one which held a lot of truth for a situation like this.

"Relax king Gilgamesh, there is absolutely nothing that can go wrong. The other masters are nothing more than children. They can't hope to win against not only you but Lancer of Shadow as well." Gilgamesh didn't respond, only staring deep into Kirei's perhaps soulless eyes.

"You say that now, but we'll see if that actually comes to pass. Ailis is on her way back. Bringing some other masters and Servants with her." This was interesting, was Ailis thinking about breaking their alliance? No, that couldn't be possible, the Geas imposed by the Grail itself made it next to impossible to break it. "I see, then I guess we better start making preparations then. The Grail war is about to be truly underway."

(outside the church)

"The one you're looking for is inside this church here Shirou. They'll tell you more about this Grail War than I possibly could." It was a small church out on a small hill, just outside of Fuyuki proper. It hallowed grounds the sight of much bloodshed during the previous war when the former priest met an unfortunate and rather untimely end about ten years ago. "If you want, you can go with him Rin. Just for added protection." Shirou seemed a little hesitant, but Rin just pushed him into the church, glaring at Ailis as she did. It was all she could do to get away from her as soon as possible. To Rin, Ailis meant nothing but trouble. She knew exactly what that woman was capable of. She experienced it first hand, during the Great Fuyuki Grail War. As the two made their way inside, Ailis stayed out. Although slightly surprised to see that King Arthur himself had not joined his Master inside the church proper. Staying outside and guarding the fence that led into the Church's grounds.

"I'm honestly surprised, do you not trust me, King Arthur? I thought you were aware of how serious a celt takes her word?" The winds began to pick up, something was about to happen.

"I know how seriously you take your word Ailis, a celt's word is their honor after all. But don't take that to mean I trust you in the slightest. After all, you're far more capable than you lead others to believe." The winds died down for just a moment. The two just continued to stare at each other, sizing the other up for the fight they both knew was on the horizon. It might not have been tonight, or the next night. But the two knew it was a matter of time before a rematch of the First Great Fuyuki Grail War would once again take center stage. The last battle that marked the end of the last would take center stage once again. The Saber of Light, against the Lancer of Shadow. A conclusion that they both knew was inevitable.

"Very well then, Saber of Light. I shall take my leave now, make sure your master is ready by the War's end. Lancer and I still have a score to settle with you." With that, Ailis faded into the shadows. Or to put it more precisely, the shadows consumed her form and she vanished alongside them.

'A teleportation rune? That's a new trick.' With only the silence of the night to accompany him, Saber stood to watch over the church's gate. although knowing who was inside it didn't ease his concerns for Shirou's safety, not in the slightest. It only made him wearier, Kirei Kotomine was an opportunist, always looking for a mistake or misstep to take advantage of. If there was one thing that Saber could remember from the last war, was Kirei's insatiable lust for violence and carnage.

(Fuyuki Streets)

"Even though it's only been ten years, I'm surprised at how quickly this city was able to rebuild itself. It looks far more modern than it did back then." Scathach was walking through the quiet city streets, talking to herself, and taking in more of how the old warzone rebuilt itself. Buildings reaching up to the clouds seemed commonplace in this new Fuyuki. Ailis mentioned something called skyscrapers, and that's what she assumed they were. As a servant during the Great Fuyuki Grail War, she had made a habit out of stalking from the rooftops. Finding servants of light where she could and fight them without fear of defeat. With her own personal set of runes, combined with the Grail's gift to her for the war, she made a near effective assassin despite being a lancer-class servant. The only problem is that the Servants of light she was supposed to fight back then had an equally strong presence detection skill gifted to them as well. Which was her immediate assumption as to why Saber of Light found them out so easily. A congealing yet ever-growing mass of shadows would appear behind her, followed by a series of Runes rising from the ground as Ailis manifested herself. The teleportation runes had worked.

"Humanity is capable of bouncing back from almost anything that gets thrown at it. An entire city could be raised to the ground and it would be rebuilt in what's essentially a blink of an eye." She wasn't wrong. In a way, the human race was similar to cockroaches. Incapable of going down no matter how many times you destroyed their lives.

"I see you've mastered the teleportation runes you've been working on," Scathach responded, keeping her eyes scanning the buildings for a Servant. Her scarlet-red eyes focusing on a particular alleyway, but thinking nothing of it, turned to face her master.

"Not yet, but they're close enough to where I can use them without potential fear of losing a limb or my consciousness." Ailis would then scan the building as well.

"With Gilgamesh and King Arthur back in play, we'll have to readjust our strategy a little. Even though Gilgamesh is an ally at the moment, I have little trust in him that he'll abide by the alliance if or when it's broken." The wind would begin to pick up a little again, a late-night breeze perhaps?

"So do we strike at both of them before the worst comes to pass, or wait for a better opportunity to present itself?" it was clear that both of them didn't like who the Grail forced them to ally with. One more than the other, but still hatred and disdain were present.

"As much as I would like to, we can't do anything until this Geas is taken care of. Besides, I think I know how we can use this to our advantage." This was a part of her end goal, Use Gilgamesh and Scathach to reach the end of the Grail War, claim victory and show the entire world what magic is and what it's capable of.

"You do? And what would that be?" trying to read her master got Scathach nowhere. She could tell that Ailis was up to something, planning maybe. It was something that she did a lot of during the previous war. Thinking of various different scenarios and how they would play out.

"Using the kids would be one thing. It would likely have to be Shirou though, Rin's not too trusting of me, not that I blame her." This was a new one, having others do the work for her was never Ailis's style. As for all Scathach herself knew, Ailis preferred to do things herself, despite being keen on coming up with a strategy beforehand, for better or worse. It was a trait of hers that got more and more pronounced as the last war dragged on, her desperation for victory caused her to think of all sorts of plans. From the downright pointless, to the ones so crazy and absurd that they might actually work.

"I'm still not sure as to why this Rin is not trusting of you. But I have a guess as to why." Scathach responded while keeping the concerns she held to herself. She was aware of what happened, all of the servants of shadow were.

"It was a means of drawing out her father, Tokiomi Tohsaka, and nothing more. However, since that didn't work, I had to use another, more covert method to get to him. But that's irrelevant to our current situation." Ailis would stop, turning around to face someone all too familiar to them. An aura they knew all too well, a certain carelessness and overconfidence that far surpassed anyone else.

"Don't you normally hang around Kirei, Gilgamesh? It's surprising to see you out in the open like this. You weren't meant to be active this early into the war." "Like I would rest around that priest when there is far too much fun and entertainment to be had elsewhere. Especially when my Scathach is around as well." to this, Scathach just sighed. Knowing yet not caring of the King of Heroes' supposed affections. "Be serious for once Gilgamesh, what are you even doing here?" According to their plan, Gilgamesh was only supposed to reveal himself towards the end of the war, when victory was all but assured. The final trump card necessary to seal their victory.

"I'm being more active, it gets rather dull sitting around watching others. So I decided to pay Caster a visit."

I just want to be clear while I don't agree with what Ailis is proposing, it does provide good context for how far she's willing to go to accomplish her goals. To her, like most mages imo, nothing is off the table, anyone and anything is a tool to use to attain your ambitions. Thank you all for reading and I'll see you in the next chapter!