Ch10

Caster's form was a horrific abomination as it slowly crawled through the water. Waver watched in a mixture of shock and horror as he watched Saber try her best to attack it with her sword but she was doing little if any damage and only barely holding him off. Waver stood over the edge of Rider's ship as he watched as a group of sphinxes supported Saber firing shots of energy at Caster.

"This abomination dare spoil my night and dare infringe on my territory; Caster will pay for this," Rider said looking at Caster in disgust.

"R-Rider can't you just blast it away with your noble phantasm?" Waver asked as Saber and the sphinxes appeared to be barely holding it off.

"And allow that thing all over my temples? Not in a million years boy," Rider said in disgust. "But don't worry I will not allow this creature to run freely over this world that I intend to rule. As pharaoh and the representative of the Gods of old I will not allow it to do what it wishes freely."

Waver sighed as he looked at Caster. Rider pointed his staff at it and blew a hole through him, Caster just seemed to take the shot but seemed to slowly be recovering from it. Caster attempted to attack the ship with tentacles but Rider easily blasted them away. "Its good to see you again pharaoh," Gilgamesh called out from his ship.

Rider turned to Archer and smiled, "You too golden king, enjoying the night?"

Archer snorted, "Somewhat though I am in a bad mood."

Waver turned and saw Archer's master. The two exchanged a look and Waver couldn't help but gulp and shake at the way he was staring at him. It was a look he had seen so often in his life from mages from distinct families. It was a look of disdain as if he were underdressed at a formal party. Just ignore him he told himself as he forced himself to look away. He knew that Tokiomi Tohsaka was from one of the greatest magical families in the world. Compared to most other mages he met in his life, including his teacher Lord Kayneth they were probably nothing compared to Tokiomi Tohsaka. And if they are nothing I am worse than nothing he thought as he looked at Tokiomi Tohsaka who continued to glare at him as if were an insect that needed to be crushed. But he did his best to ignore the man and the look he was giving him.

Rider and Archer continued their banter until they were interrupted by Berserker. He watched in awe as Berserker and Archer fought each other in the sky before he turned his attention back to Caster. It appeared as if the sphinxes and Saber were at least holding Caster back for a while. Rider shot another blast at Caster causing him great damage. Caster fired a blast of energy at the ship causing him to duck as the shipped was hit.

"Foolish Caster your attacks cannot harm my ship," Rider said as he laughed loudly. He fired another attack at Caster.

Waver looked down at Saber and noticed that her master was waving looking at him with a smile while waving a white flag. "Rider, I think Saber's master wants to ask us something," he said. He saw that she had a small piece of paper in her hand.

"Very well, I will see what she has to say," Rider said. He snapped his fingers and a small sphinx flew out to Saber's master. The sphinx took the piece of paper and brought it back to him and Rider.

Waver took the paper from the sphinx and read it. Saber's noble phantasm is strong enough to get rid of it. Can you and your servant fire your strongest attack on our signal?

Waver conveyed the message to Rider who nodded, "Very well, let us see what Saber can do," he said in an amused tone. Waver looked over the ship and his eyes met with Saber's master. He nodded and gave her a thumbs up and she nodded and smiled at him in return.

He watched as Saber's master gave her a command. He watched as saber gripped her sword and took a battle stance. "Rider are you getting ready?" He asked as he stared in awe at the light from Saber's swords.

"Of course boy," he said, Waver turned and saw that he also was transfixed onto Saber. Rider then gave off a powerful aura. His eyes gave off a bright glare as they stared at Caster.

A bright light then came from Saber's sword as she swung it down at Caster. Rider then let off a powerful blast of energy, stronger than the previous blasts at Caster. Waver had to close his eyes as the two attacks lit up the night with such brightness he feared he would go blind. He crouched down and held his ears as he heard a loud crashing sound. He sat on the ground of the ship until for a bit until he felt Rider poke him with his staff.

"Boy get up it is over," Rider said.

He slowly opened his eyes and slowly stood up and looked over the edge of the ship. "Wow," he said in awe as he looked over the edge. Caster had been defeated but the area where they had been fighting had appeared almost destroyed.

Rider let out a laugh, "Saber was pretty impressive. She is definitely worthy of my praise; the great sword Excalibur is something else."

Waver nodded loss for words at what to say. I sometimes forget how powerful Rider is, he thought as he felt the ship lower down.

"Saber, your performance was exceptionally good," Rider called out. Saber and her master stared at Rider not knowing what to say.

"Thank you Rider, your help was very much appreciated," Saber said staring at Rider. "I hope we can meet again under more favorable circumstances," she said her bright blue eyes meeting Rider's eyes.

Rider nodded, "Thank you Saber. I know that the end is approaching soon so if you wish to face me in all my might I will be waiting for you in my pyramid."

Saber nodded and after exchanging final pleasantries they were on their way back to the pyramid. "Wow Rider that was really cool," he said as Rider sat back down and drank some more wine.

"Indeed it was boy, Saber will be another worthy opponent for me. Also, today the world saw once again my greatness," He said with a laugh. Waver smiled at him and that was when he heard Archer's ship pull up to him. He turned and saw Gilgamesh stand up, his master behind him.

"Hello Golden Archer. I take it you took care of Berserker?" Rider asked

"That mongrel managed to get away, but I could care less about a mad dog," Archer said.

Rider nodded, "True, a king mustn't concern himself with trivial matters."

Archer nodded, "Very true pharaoh." He and his master got onto Rider's ship and a sphinx carrying a glass of wine came up to Archer who gladly accepted and drank its contents.

It was then that Waver noticed Archer's master stare at him coldly. He gulped as he tried to avoid eye contact with him. However, he noticed quickly he in just time that he was casting a spell aimed at him. He jumped and managed to avoid a blast of fire that would have incinerated him had he not moved. He fell to the ground and was immediately surrounded by sphinxes who were growling at Tokiomi Tohsaka.

"Archer what is the meaning of this!" Rider said standing up.

Archer turned and glared at his master. "Tokiomi how dare you interrupt a parley between kings," he said in an angry tone.

Waver stood up and glared at Tokiomi. "Archer we are enemies, it is only natural that we fight," Tokiomi said as he fired another blast at him. The blast was intercepted by a large sphinx who did not appear phased by the attack.

"Archer control your subject or he will know my wrath. I will not tolerate disrespect to me or my subject on my ship," Rider said in an angry tone as a group of sphinxes appeared around Tokiomi and Archer.

"Tokiomi if you attack again do not expect me to lift a finger to help you. I will not tolerate your foolish behavior anymore if you do," Gilgamesh said in a cold tone.

"But Archer, we are enemies we should be fighting," Tokiomi said in an exasperated tone. "I will use a command seal if I have to," he threatened.

"Oh you would dare command a king?" Archer said in a cold tone glaring at Tokiomi. Waver had to admit that Tokiomi was pretty brave for staring eye to eye with Archer. The cold air around them became a lot colder at that moment. "I fight when I say I fight and I choose to go and rest."

"No we will fight, I will end this sorry excuse of a mage here," Tokiomi said glaring at him. "Waver Velvet was it? To think that such a lowly mage like you would fight in this war. Your presence is nothing but an eyesore and a disgrace to this war."

"Well I made it here this far haven't I?" he retorted. "I even defeat other opponents."

Tokiomi let out a condescending laugh. "Yes, Lord Kayneth,. Your former teacher was it? That mage was nothing compared to me and you are not even anywhere his level. You are nothing more than a lowly opportunist who stole his way into this war," he said his words hitting him like a bunch of daggers. "I've heard of your little research paper from Kayneth Archabald. How naive are you, mage craft has been built upon centuries of work."

He said raising his hand showing his command seals. "The Tohsaka family has been one of the greatest families for generations while your family is nothing more than a few generations old and nothing more than paupers at that. You can't even support your servant with energy properly can you?" he said in a condescending tone. "If Rider were in proper hands he would be so much better off," he said with a sigh.

Waver glared at Tokiomi, he felt the anger well up inside of him as he clenched his fists and held back tears. He was about to respond when Archer let out a laugh. "Tokiomi you really are a fool, sure you may be stronger than him but compared to me, Rider, or any mage from our eras you are nothing." Tokiomi turned to his servant, shocked that his servant had criticized him.

"That is true," Rider said. "Foolish mortal compared to even the lowliest of my court mages you are about the same level as my servant here. Maybe even less because he has value to me."

Waver was shocked that Archer and Rider were standing up for him. He looked to his servant in disbelief, I can't believe he came to my defense. He felt a sense of relief as he cleaned his face, before meeting Tokiomi in the eyes, "I will show mages like you that lineage isn't everything," he said in the firmest voice he could muster. "I have made it this far and will make it to the end."

Tokiomi laughed, "You've just made it here by luck boy. Do you honestly think you can win? Eventually, your servant will run out of mana which you can't provide him with and you will be left with nothing."

Waver glared at Tokiomi, "There is more to being a mage than just lineage. I will prove that to the world," he declared.

Tokiomi laughed, "So be it. If you want to be a mage then die like one," he said as he turned around and returned to his ship. "Only one man can win this war and it will be the one who is most prepared.

"Tokiomi you fool," Gilgamesh sighed. "See you around pharaoh," he said as he turned around and walked back to his ship.

Rider nodded, "Good luck keeping that foolish man in line."

Archer laughed, "I will try pharaoh."

Waver looked to the ground of the ship as he felt the anger in his body slowly leave him. "Boy," Rider said snapping him out of his thoughts.

He only turned to face Rider who was eyeing him with his golden eyes, "Do not forget all are equal in the eyes of a pharaoh who governs them. Humanity will be governed through my greatness. Great and weak rich and powerful all are the same in the eyes of a pharaoh who shall judge them equally."

Waver nodded, "Thanks Rider." He wasn't really phased by Tokiomi's words, he had heard them thrown at him his entire life but he was glad that Rider and even Archer stood up for him.

Rider smiled at him and laughed, "Do not forget you are my subject boy. To me, you are more valuable than that man or any other mage of this era. I could not stand to have such a subject as that man."

Waver felt a smile on his face. "Thanks," he didn't know to respond, he felt honored that Rider saw potential in him. He knew that despite being a crappy magus Rider still saw him as important and for once he felt as if he was wanted by someone.

"Then let us go I wish to rest now," Rider said and with that they returned home.

Kiritsugu had been planning for such a situation. He had to act quickly and decisively with Risei Kotomine. Since he is working with Kirei and Tokiomi he is fair game he thought as he approached the church carefully. He had previously sent a familiar to let Risei Kotomine know that they will meet outside. Next to him Saber was walked silently, her face covered by a hood. He looked quickly around, he chose a place with the least amount of familiars and disturbances to conduct this transaction.

The two said nothing as they approached the church and saw Risei Kotomine outside. "Hello Master of Saber," the church overseer said with a grin on his face. "Thank you for taking out Caster. You help was very much appreciated," he said with a smile.

Kiritsugu nodded as he felt the cold air around him. He couldn't explain it but as he looked at the church he felt a shiver down his spine, "No problem," he said as he looked at the man in front of him. He knew how to read people and he could tell that this man was doing his best to keep himself composed.

Risei nodded and cleared his throat, "Anyway here is your-" Risei's words were cut short as his eyes widened as he fell to the ground bleeding. Two more bullets hit the man as he fell to the ground. He looked around to make sure no one was watching before dragging the body to the nearby bushes.

"Kiritsugu what is the meaning of this," Saber asked as he inspected the body. "He is the overseer," she said in a shocked tone.

Nothing he must not have them on him he swore as he let out a sigh. "He works with the enemy that's why," he said not even looking at his servant. He noticed that Risei had a few command seals on one hand, he took out a knife and a bag and in one motion severed it and placed it in the bag.

"Do you no have any sense of honor of chivalry?" Saber asked with disgust.

He just gave his servant a dark look, "What is chivalry but an excuse for people to butcher one another. " He ignored the anger on Saber's face as he placed his hand on Risei's pulse and after making sure that he was dead he got up and turned to his servant. "Lets go we should leave as soon as possible," he said as he took a bottle from his coat and poured it on Risei's body before lighting it up with a match.

After he made sure that the body was on fire he and Saber left, he had no time to argue and he did not want to speak to her. He needed to win this war and he just eliminated one target. He got into their getaway vehicle and ignored the glare Saber was giving him as they rode away.

AN: Thank you all for your support.

I've been thinking of other canon divergences but in general I have planned for this story to flow with the Fate stay night timeline as much as possible. Though with Kiritsugu killing off Risei Kotomine, Kirei may not find the other command seals.

To king of powers. I though of having Saber visit bluebeard's layer but I decided to have some of Rider's beasts destroy it instead, i figure that Kiritsugu would be cautious about acting on information from others.

I don't know what counts as a humane for of execution in ancient egypt. Beheading i guess?

Yeah so this story will more or less follow the FSN timeline from here on out.