Hello! Welcome back to my little story! I hope you have enjoyed the read so far!

Without any further ado, let us get to it!

Disclaimer: All rights go to their respective creators, and even thought some of the new Servants for this story do not exist within the Nasuverse and are my own creative imput, i still reject all rights and grant them to Type-moon.

Assassin of Red let out a small sigh from herself as she relaxed into her throne, finally at ease, now that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were finally in the air. They had to lift off high up to avoid onlookers, given they were operating in by now broad daylight. A very risky move, and it had the high potential threat to cause Ruler to actively call for their elimination as a result. But, from what Semiramis could see on the screens projected before her throne, connecting her eyesight to the outside, no one that didn't belong in this Grail War had seen.

"All functions are Nominal, it appears." Saber of Red commented as she approached the Throne Hall. "We are safe, for now, and the others have all been dispatched. It is just you, me and Kotomine." She added, giving Semiramis a rather suspicious glare as she did.

Assassin did not miss the indication of Saber's words and she leaned forward slightly. "You sound like you have something to say. So speak."

Saber crossed her arms over her chest for a moment before she narrowed her eyebrows. "Kotomine Shirou took the Command Seals from all other servants except Lancers, didn't he?"

Semiramis' eyes narrowed threateningly and she prepared the fingers on her left hand to snap and invoke a spell. "...How did you know?"

Saber's expression got more threatening as she got an answer that wasn't denial. "My master was a member of the Church. She loves to humm to the sound of their Gospel every free minute she could, and I enjoyed listening. She even hummed it in her sleep, it was like the very life force within her, audible, receptible. So when her humming stopped indefinetly, I could only assume one of two things. Either she is dear, or she is no longer connected to me."

"Tch." Assassin cursed while biting the nail on her right thumb. "To think such a miniscule mistake in oversight could lead to a full blown revelation." She commented before she snapped her left hand's fingers, causing a dozen purple spell circles to appear in the air, chains poking out of them, ready to fire at the two.

"Now now, let us not get too hasty." Kotomine suddenly commented as he entered the Throne Room, his smile present as ever. His entrance caused both Semiramis and Roland to lower their hands, retracting the intent to attack one another. "Saber, I knew you would eventually figure it out. I believe I should tell you what our plan really is."

Saber fully sheated her sword, Durindal, back before she crossed her arms against her chest again and took a step forward. "Then go ahead."

Kotomine nodded and gave a more bright, devoted and proud smile, more to himself than anyone else, before he spoke. "I wish for Humanity's Salvation."

Saber of Red was surprised to hear such an idealistic response. She was sceptical, shown by her eyebrows cocked downwards to squint her eyes lightly. "Humanity's Salvation? Why would a little rat in the shadow like you want something so enlightened as his wish?"

"YOU DARE!" Semiramis shouted, her chains immediately firing towards Roland, who effortlessly blocked them all by drawing Durendal once more and cutting them apart.

"Semiramis." Kotomine then said, with just enough firmness in his voice to let her know he was serious. She understood and retracted at once. "Now... you ask why I would want the Salvation of Humanity?"

Kotomine let out a very deep, almost contemptful sigh from his mouth before he stared at Roland with the most intense gaze he ever threw at anyone. "Because I have seen them at their worst. I have been there, part of the Worst, culprit and victim. I have seen the suffering of so many. And I cannot bear to live knowing that such pain and evil has to be endured!"

His words and the conviction in his eyes triggered something within Roland. A memory. The last time she had seen someone so devoted was...

"To the cell with you, maggot!" A soldier proclaimed in French before they tossed a young, adolescent Roland into a cell. "You can rot in here with the others!"

Roland coughed out in pain from the harsh hit her back had to endure and she crawled to the furthest corner of her cell as soon as she could while the guards closed and locked the bars to jail her. Then, they proceeded to laugh as they walked away, celebrating the capture of another criminal.

"Fuck..." young Roland cursed to herself, crouching into a fetal position to try and keep herself warm, her ragged leftovers of what she calls clothes unable to even do that, barely keeping her covered as is.

She felt miserable. Utterly humiliated and wanted nothing more than to just die.

She tried to sneak into the King's treasury and steal his sacred sword, Joyeuse, in order to sell it for some food. Probably the single most ballsy attempt at thievery anyone has ever attempted in that age. And of course, given she's nothing but a desperate child, she got caught big time, and now she was here.

She lamented her own stupidity for trying. She cursed her own hunger for despairing her like this. She hated herself and everything about her life.

"How did I... end up like this..." she mumbled weakly to herself while slowly tearing up, burying her face into her arms, feeling weaker by the second. That she was all alone made it only worse to her, she really wished she could at least have one person who didn't look at her like she was a plaguerat.

And so, she closed her eyes, laying herself to rest, hoping that she will starve to death and finally get her peace.

"B-but Sire-"

"I will hear no complaints!"

Roland suddenly perked up as she heard a young voice exercise authority. She knew this voice, she heard it a few times in public speeches given to the Military outpost at the outskirt of her city. The post where the Franks resided. She got up and moved closer to the jail bars to try and peek around, and her suspicion was confirmed.

The newly crowned Charles I. was present, here, in the dungeons. 'Why is he here?' Roland wondered, but her gaze quickly broke and she looked down depressedly. 'No, stupid girl... stop hoping. No way he is here for you...' she thought to herself before she retreated, returning to her little corner and to her fetal crouch. It was all hopeless to her.

Charles stopped before her cell and stroked his chin as he saw the inmate and just how depressed she seemed. "So you are the one who tried to steal MY sword?"

Roland didn't even bother looking, she remained silent, unmoving, as if already dead.

"The King aske-"

Charles immediately shut the guard up by raising his hand. It was a very simple gesture, just the hand going up, not a fist, nothing in it, not pointing anywhere, Charles didn't even bother looking at his Guard, but the power behind its meaning was beyond clearly conveyed. After a few seconds, he let his hand down. "Open the cell."

The Guards obeyed as commanded and unlocked the jail door, opening it to allow Charles to enter. He walked up towards the ragged blonde and knelt down right in front of her.

"If I am in for the axe, then, for mercy's sake, just swing it." Roland spoke with a broken voice, burying her head deeper into her lap.

"Behead you? Blasphemous nonsense! I am here to Adopt you as my Brother's child, my Niece!"

Roland's head shot up so fast from her position that one might worry she broke her neck, her eyes very wide in disbelief as she heard the young King speak. Her expression immediately turned to anger. "What sick game is this? What lies do you torture me with? Does the King truly enjoy giving his victims false hope before slaughtering them!?"

Charles fully understood Roland's despair, evident by the sympathetic expression he had on his face. He may have been very young, barely 20 at the time, but he understood pain. So he reached his hand out to Roland. "I want to save the world. And I want you, who has seen its worst, who has suffered, who has endured, to be part of making it happen. You and I are not so different, we have been both culprit and victim to the evils of mankind. That is why, I wish to unite this world and bring about the salvation and peace all of us deserve!"

Roland tried to crawl away, fruther back, but she already was in her corner as much as she could be so she didn't move, just slid her back up along the wall, sitting straight against it now. "You lie! No King seeks prosperity for any one other than themselves!" As Roland spoke, the images of her dead family flashed in her mind. Her parents, hung by the noose for failing to pay taxation. Her only friends, having either their hands or their necks chopped off for theft. And now, she herself was here, awaiting the same fate. "How could you ever understand what I suffered!?"

"I DON'T! AND THAT IS WHY I WANT YOU TO TELL ME!" Charles roared in full might, his expression deadly serious, his hand extended further to reach for Roland's hand once again. "My and My brother's Father, the previous King, have failed our people! The Franks are all over the place, suffering, dying. They endure sickness, poverty, treachery and a corrupt military! But I desire a different world! One where you and I can cheer each other's krugs and worry not about being spoiled! Where we can throw massive feasts where we can invite an entire town, from peasants to workers, soldiers and nobles and even prisoners, so that ALL may share in joy! I desire... THE SALVATION OF HUMANITY!"

Roland was awed. She never had thought that a nobleman could truly possess an ideal for the sake of someone other than themselves. She started to shake and tear up once again, but this time because she was feeling something new, something she never would have ever believed her heart could possess.

Hope.

She had begun to hope.

And so, she reached her hand out to him, slowly, hesitantly, but eventually she reached Charles' hand, holding onto it. Charles gripped her hand very gently and placed his second onto the back of hers, closing his eyes and letting out a deep breath.

"Tell me your name." He ordered her in a soft tone, his eyes closing as he gave her hand warmth and comfort via his hold.

"Roland... I am Roland..."

A few years later, a slightly older Roland entered the throne room, boasting her blue Armor with the proud symbol on her shoulder, her King's Coat of Arms. The Royal Guards kneeling besides the walkway towards the throne one after the other as Roland advanced towards the Throne until she stood right before the steps leading up to it. She pulled her sword, Durendal, and placed the tip against the ground while the hilt was raised up, falling to one knee and keeping her head low.

"Today, we have all gathered to bestow a special blessing upon this Knight." Roland began before he drew his own sword, Joyeuse, which changes colours franically from yellow, to blue, to red, to green, to purple, to white, to orange, to magenta, to black and to grey. He slowly rose it up, blade pointing upwards, the hilt placed right at the height of his own Solarplexus. He stepped down from the throne until he stood right in front of Roland and placed the blade on the Paladin's left shoulder. "By my Authority as King, by the power bestowed upon me by god as the Emperor, I Knight thee, Roland of Charlemagne." As he spoke, he lifted the blade right above the Blonde's head and placed it on her right shoulder. "You shall be appointed Knight-captain of the 12 Paladins, to lead them into battle against the enemies, and to bring them as protectors unto our allies. To reward the virtuous and punish the evil. Now rise, Roland, Grand-Paladin of the royal Court."

Roland smirked slightly to herself and slowly got up on her feet, sheating her sword before she placed her right hand against her heart and bowed her head. "I, Roland, shall vow upon my heart, my blade, and my very life, to serve our King and our People, to unite them all and bring upon the Salvation of Humanity."

"Congratulations, my old friend." Charles then spoke, having an elevated and happy smile on his face as he sheated Joyeuse back and placed his right hand on Roland's left shoulder. "And be proud of yourself. This was all your own earning. You fought harder than the others and have shown a love and loyalty to our people that makes even me jealous."

Being showered with such compliments made Roland feel a little embarrassed and she blushed slightly, looking away from her King with her eyes closed and her lips quivering.

"With you..." Charles continued, making Roland look at him once again. "With you, we can save the world and unite it all. I believe in you, Roland."

"Charles... Charles, old friend!"

Sometime after Roland's corronation as Captain of the Paladins, Charlemagne's rearguard, Charles was found on his throne, having taken a slight nap while Roland suddenly barged in like a wild boar, screaming for his friend's name.

"Nmm... just five more minutes..." Charles mumbled in the most stereotypical way possible.

"Charles, you gotta hear this! She said yes!"

"PFFFFFFF!" Charles burst through his lips, stumbling out of his seat forward and down the steps leading up to the throne, landing on his face comically. But he was completely unphased by it, getting up on his feet with a big grin on his face.

"Oliver's Sister, Aude! I proposed to her and she said yes! And Oliver has given me his Blessings, too!"

"Ha... hahaha...HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Charles began to laugh out of happiness, bursting into tears, once again, in a comical fashion and reaching out for Roland. The two hugged themselves tightly, rotating counter-clockwise for a moment before they broke apart.

Roland had the happiest, most shiteating smile she ever wore in her entire life, her cheeks red from slight strain due to how hard she was smiling. "I am getting married, Charles! And I want you as my best man, to hold the Ring that I will put on her finger!"

"This needs the biggest feast in all of the Kingdom!" Charles exclaimed, feeling so cheerful that he could blow like a popped balloon. "Call everyone! The Knights, the Servants, the Peasants. Hell, even the Prisoners! Everyone! WE SHALL FEAST FROM SUNRISE TO SUNFALL!"

"Roland, don't go!"

Charles sprinted down from his throne and reached out, catching Roland's left hand with his right one as she was trying to storm out of the Throne Hall.

"I have to, Charles! Oliver is going to die otherwise! The Saracens have him surrounded at Roncesvaux!"

Charles' grip tightened around Roland's wrist and he shook his head. "Please, I cannot lose you. You are my longest, best friend! If you go, you will die!"

Roland's stance relaxed itself for a moment and she turned her head around just enough so that Charles I. could see her eyes. They were full of devotion, conviction and faith. The eyes of someone who truly believes in themselves. In this moment, Charles saw the very expression he had given her when they first met, back in that jail cell. "I won't die, old friend..." Was all she could say before she shook her hand free and resumed storming out of the Throne Hall.

Charles balled his fist together and hit his chest where the heart lied with it, losing a tear while squinting his eyes closed tightly. "YOU BETTER COME BACK ALIVE! THAT IS AN ORDER!"

"YOU GOT IT!" Roland roared in full force before she went from storming to sprinting, running towards the stalls for her Horse.

"Your forces are broken! Surrender, Paladin!"

Roland's eyes were closed, her hands holding the corpse of Oliver in her arms, pushing his head against her chest while she was silently crying. Her left hand stroked his hair gently while her right hand held his back for a moment before she then lowered him to the ground again. Then, she got up on her feet and glanced around once more. Surrounded by the Saracens, most of her men were dead, and those who weren't dead yet were dying.

She saw only one way that this could end.

She reached behind her, taking the Olifant that had been tied to the hemm of her rear plate, placing it at her lips, ready to blow. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and offered a single, last thought. "I'm sorry, Charles..."

Then, she blew the Olifant with all of her might. The tune of the mighty warhorn quickly engulfing the entire battlefield, and even blew beyond it, being heard cities apart from Roncesvaux.

The Saracens screamed out in pain, shutting their ears closed due to the sheer force and volume of the Olifant's tune. Roland herself was suffering the most damage, the temples above her ear violently rupturing, blood squirting out of her head from all corners, her skull literally blowing up from the inside from the sheer force her temples felt by how hard she blew the Olifant. The blowing continued until Roland saw no Saracen soldier left standing, the Olifant dropping out of her hand before she fell to the ground, dying.

As she did, she slowly closed her eyes and prayed to the angels to forgive her sins, prayed to her friends to forgive her failure, and prayed to Charles to forgive her for not following his order.

As her eyes closed, she saw one of her Paladins, Oliver, back on his feet, alive, kneeling over her and picking her up. That was the last scene that Roland the Paladin witnessed before her demise.

Roland had been shaken by the memories being re-awakened, falling to her knees, her hands both against her mouth, covering it and hiding her sobs as she was in heavy tears, looking down at the ground. She remembered her promise to Charles, to save the world wit him, to bring Salvation to Humanity just like Kotomine Shirou wanted it.

"Is this... divine intervention? Is this the Lord's way of giving me a second chance?" She thought to herself while she was trying her hardest to supress her tears, but to no avail. The floodgates were fully opened. Being reminded of everything in such a manner, seeing it happen before her all over again after she failed it for the first time. She couldn't but think that this was a second chance at fulfilling the wish of Charles I.

Kotomine knelt down before her and reached his hand out, looking exactly the same as Charles I. did back then, when he entered her cell. As she glanced up, for a moment she even saw Charles, and not Kotomine kneeling before her. Her faith re-awakened, she reached out for his hand with her own.

"I swear... I shall see your wish fulfilled, Kotomine Shirou... To bring Salvation to Humanity was the dream of someone I held most dear since I can think back... if you will it with those same eyes as he does, then I will devote myself to you. Every cell, every thought of mine, the very concept of my existence as a Heroic Spirit is as your weapon." She spoke, lowering her head again, squinting her eyes shut to force out any last tears, showing fidelity to the man before her.

"Raise your head, Paladin." Kotomine asked, to which Roland hesitantly responded, nodding afterwards. "And rise, my friend. We will save Humanity together."

"YES! KOTOMINE SHIROU!" Roland announced in a full and booming voice, her composure restored and her might renewed, sticking her chest out in pride and strength, gazing up to his eyes with a newfound purpose. A Second Chance. "Give me your Orders, my Liege!"

ROOOAAAAARRRR!

Heracles let out a mighty warcry as he stormed into his opponent once more, Mordred giving support from the back by firing concentrated Mana Bursts at her opponent.

Bersker of Black had proven to be beyond formidable, capable of keeping up with both Heracles and Mordred at once, and while she no longer was able to deal lethal blows to the Greek Hero, she was still able to defend accordingly, pushing back against her attackers.

"Fucking hell, how the fuck are you so tough!?" Mordred complained as Berserker of Black got up seemingly uninjured from the latest hit she suffered at the hands of the Knight of Treachery, being a full blown Clarent Blood Arthur to her exposed chest. And yet, she got up as if she received a simple kick into it.

"HAaahahaha!" Berserker of Black laughed maniacly before she dashed forward once again, her sword and Mordred's Clarent clashing against each others for a second before she had to step back from Heracles swinging his stonemace-sword at her position from above. Right after stepping back, she stompkicked his hands in to keep the blade buried before she backwards kicked him in his shoulder to send him back. After that, she used the momentum of her rotation to kick Mordred's face and send her flying as well. "The two of you may keep me at bay for now, but you can't hold out forever!" Berserker of Black roared tauntingly before she exhaled a deep, lengthy breath, exhaling steam out of her mouth.

"Fucking shit! You viking fucks are something else!" Mordred cursed as she recovered from the hit, wiping her cheek and spitting some blood out of it. "The hell's up with that sword, too? It can cut into Berserker of Red's skin without any effort. What type of Noble Phantasm is it?"

"Ya wanna know so badly? Fine, I will tell you if you can scratch me!" Berserker of Black responded with before she took an aggressive stance, her upper body leaned back, her left arm stuck out forward to block while her right arm, holding her Sword, pointed to the backside, signaling that she was going to do a very wide-ranged swing.

Mordred took a standart dual-wielded pose, her left foot forward, both hands holding Clarent, which was held upright at the right side of her, next to her face.

Then, the two women-fighters dashed towards one another, swords clashing violently. Berserker of Black had an absolutely ecstatic expression while Mordred was gritting her teeth and the two of them began a lengthy trade of attacks, with Mordred on the defensive, parrying, evading and blocking. It was clear to Mordred that she could not fight this enemy head on, and it frustrated her to no end.

"Fuck's sake!" She cursed before she released an up-close Mana Burst to gain distance, using the force of the ability to propel herself backwards and away from Berserker of Black. "I need something else... I need-"

"HALT!"

Mordred, Heracles and Berserker of Black all turned their heads to the direction of the voice and saw Ruler standing before them, clad in her blue armor and holding her flagpole upright while she stood.

"I am Ruler, here to oversee this Grail War. What is the reason behind clash in open daylight, where innocent, non-magus witnesses could be dragged into the Holy Grail War? By my Authority as Ruler, I hereby command you to retreat until Night!"

As Jeanne spoke, her whole body blinked in a red color for a second, using a Command Spell on all Servants that were within immediate earshot, being pretty much everyone on the field at this moment. Berserker of Black growled, but obeyed reluctantly, her Noble Phantasm deactivating by the chain letting her arm go and wrapping around her sword again, enclosing it. Following this gesture, she de-materialized.

Mordred sheated her sword and de-materialized her armor and Clarent, returning to her daytime clothes, consisting of a crop top and some hotpants. Heracles on the other hand de-materialized completely.

"Now... what is the meaning of this? You know the Rules of the Grail War!" Jeanne spoke, audibly scolding Mordred, who was the only one that remained there, thus would be the primary victim of the ordeal.

"Holup, now it's my fault? The fuck you only screaming at me!? I was just following orders!"

Jeanne let out a sigh as she heard Mordred. "Then who ordered this?"

"Hell if I know, maybe ask the others? We came out here because the Red Faction was gonna attack Trifas. So ya maybe wanna find the Red Faction Masters? One of 'em is right there." Mordred said while pointing towards the direction where Shirou would be.

"Alright... but you and your master shall accompany me. You and I are not done yet." Jeanne spoke, scolding Mordred anyway before she began to run towards the target destination.

When they arrived, the sight was shocking to say the least.

Lancer of Black, Leonidas, lay at the ground, knocked out and completely beaten in.

Emiya Shirou laid right next to him, his head on Artoria's lap, a sorrowful expression on her face as she gently pat his head to try and give him comfort.

Mordred was surprised at the way Artoria was treating Shirou, while Jeanne was shocked to see that both of Shirou's hands had 3 Command Seals each, both being the seals of Lancer-class. Her expression darkened significantly at the sight and she stepped forward.

Artoria, unsure of Ruler's motive, drew Rhongomyniad almost immediately and pointed it at her, a very angry expression on her face. She spoke no words, but the threat was clear as day. She would protect Shirou if any harm was intended to go his way.

Mordred made a mental note to explore this to the deepest she could and milk every detail out of it. To see her Father acting so passionate and humane was... new, even thought she got to see it a bit ago when Artoria apologized from the depth of her soul. "She really... did change..." Mordred noted to herself.

"I mean no harm." Ruler exclaimed while she slowly approached Shirou and even dropped her flagpole as proof, causing Artoria to reluctantly lower Rhongomyniad. "I just have a few questions for the Red Faction Masters. As such, I have to accompany you to your base of operations. Rest assured, he will be safe."

Artoria's gaze dropped lightly and she let out a deep breath before she nodded. "Mordred. Pick up Lancer of Black, he will live, but we need to get him to safety. Shirou assumed Command of him, so he will be an ally from now on."

"This is the first thing I'd like to ask about." Jeanne interjected as she got up and picked up her flagpole again. "A single Master is not allowed to control multiple servants within the laws of the Grail War. And while there are ways to perform the act, they are all barred from practice. And yet... I can feel that his connection to the Servant, his Command Seals, were not transfered... they were made naturally. How?"

While Mordred lifted Lancer of Black up over her shoulder with an annoyed sigh, Artoria picked Shirou up in a bridal hold and spoke. "He used his Projection Magic to re-create a Noble Phantasm he has seen before that can do this. Rule Breaker, a ceremonial dagger used by the Witch of Colchis, Medea."

Due to her role as Ruler within this Grail War, Jeanne immediately received full knowledge about the Noble Phantasm in question and her eyes perked up. "I see... so he used its Anti-Thaumaturgic ability to sever the Master-Servant contract with Lancer of Black, then forged a new contract all on his own."

"Indeed. It is something that can only be done using a weapon like Rule Breaker, which seems fitting given that it is literally named a Rule Breaker, a tool to defy the rules of the Grail Wars."

"Ha, what a nice Irony!" Mordred chimed in, stating the obvious, much to Artoria's slight annoyance.

"Now, why did this Fight happen in broad daylight? You knew the rules, you can only fight at night to assure no witnesses. If anyone from the city would have seen it..."

"We would have had to kill em all." Mordred finished, sighing out herself. Despite her history with Arthur, she was actually not a big fan of pointless slaughter. After all, she wanted to be King, and there is not a single King who does not care for his people. This would have definetly rubbed her the worst way. "So let us be glad no one saw. We were far enough away from the City to be safe."

"However, we do have a bit of a problem..." Artoria then chimed in, causing Jeanne to glance at her once again.

"Being?"

"The Red Faction has likely already mounted the Hanging Gardens, and with Achilles defeated, only my Llamrei can ascend into the skies, and he can only carry 3 people at most. I will have to ride back and forth at least two times to get us all up."

"I am alright with this." Jeanne responded with, giving a slight smile at the King of Knights.

Mordred however was embarrassed. "What!? So you are saying I will have to ride on horseback with you!? Hell nah!"

...

...

... She ended up riding up on Horseback.

The Yggdmillennia had retreated as well after Jeanne had given the command, collecting their servants and re-counting. They may have defeated 2 enemies, but they lost 2 on their side, so it was still 7-5 in Red Faction's advantage.

Darnic was the most pissed of them all because he is the one who lost his servant, whereas Gordes and Mordred willingly deserted, so he is the first one on the Yggdmillennia Family who lost. This rubbed his pride the wrong way considering he was the one who wanted revenge on the Mage's Association. But he had a Plan B.

As he walked into the Throne Room, about an hour after the fighting, when they arrived back in their cars, he saw that Assassin of Black had assumed the Throne once again. But this time, since Lancer of Black was gone, she would be 'reigning'.

"I take it you have a battle report?" The woman spoke, crossing her left leg over her right one in the process to lean back and relax a bit. From the look of Darnic's expression, she knew it wasn't going to be bright news.

"Good and bad ones." Darnic started, bowing slightly in respect. "The good news are that we successfully defeated 2 enemy Servants, Archer of Red and Rider of Red. Rider's defeat was crutial, as we have identified him to be Achilles of Troy."

Assassin's eyes perked up a bit as she heard that. The Achilles? If the legends speak true, it really is good news that he is gone so early. His speed alone would have been beyond catastrophic to deal with. A man who can literally assume the speed of a comet entering the atmosphere, and with his high ranking Divinity, regular weapons and wall wouldn't hurt and thus stop him any more than a wall of cotton candy could.

"However..." Darnic continued, much to Assassin's dismay. "While we defeated two enemy servants, we also lost two, both deserted..."

"THEY WHAT!?" Assassin roared out in full might of her rage, her hands gripping the armrest so tightly that the wood splintered from the force.

"Saber and her Master willingly deserted, while Lancer of Black has somehow cut himself off from the Contract... I have tried using a Command Seal to order him to return, but he has not responded. I cannot feel the link between Master and Servant anymore either. Whatever the Red Faction did, or whatever he did, he is no longer part of the Black Faction, and unless a new contract has bound him, he is likely defeated as well."

Assassin of Black was Angry. No, scrap that, she was furious. She wanted nothing more than to go on a whole killing spree to the town bordering the Castle Walls and kill a couple hundred people to relieve her wrath. Her breath started to become labored and she couldn't sit still, getting up and walking franically around the Throne, chewing on her nail. No matter how one looked at it, she was on the verge of a breakdown from the looks of it. But, suddenly, something clicked in her brain and she turned towards Darnic. "I know what to do." She said, suddenly being cheery. Creepily cheery.

Darnic could only bow again and offer his humility. "I wish to hear what you have planned."

Assassin slowed her breath down and sat on the throne once more before she nodded. "Remember how I told everyone we got a Spy in the enemy Ranks? We can use that. Sow discord amongst their Ranks. We expose him to the Red Faction, maybe even inform Ruler of his Transgression. Ruler will have no choice but to actively participate in defeating that Master and their Servant to abide the laws of the Grail War. Send out Rider and the Homunculus, I suspect Ruler will be questioning the Masters so she should be at their headquarters right now. Have the Duo meet them all head on, disguise it as a delegacy of the Black Faction to answer Ruler's inspection to gain her trust."

"Splendit plan! I shall prepare Rider and the Homunculus at once!" Darnic responded, having a slight, newfound cheer in himself. He thanked Celenike for summoning this Assassin instead of the one they had originally intended to, Jack the Ripper. She was a genius who played both sides so she always came out ontop. This was exactly what Darnic needed, so he made a mental note to reward Celenike with a new and exotic slave for her fucked up fetishes.

"Good. Now get lost, I need to do some more thinking. This is only a short-term solution to break the Red Faction, we ultimatedly still have to beat them."

"Yes Ma'am!" Darnic responded before he exited the Throne Hall, leaving Assassin of Black by herself.

"Nero..." She then spoke to herself, glancing towards one of the walls with a painting of Fiore, eyeing it in the meantime. "What would you do if you were here?"

Phew! And this makes chapter 6 so far. I feel really on a roll with my writing! :D

I hope you enjoyed this read, please do R&R so I can continue improving on my works to keep you satisfied. Cheers!