It was a small feeling. One that was a potential threat, if allowed to fester. Yet just as easily dealt with, if left by the hands of others.
Gaia. The world itself. While different from other lifeforms, the will of the planet itself is a living being. One that held great power, and could sense a change happening across its body. Particularly, an infestation.
The will of the earth focused a bit, to see what was going on. Where there, it sensed lifeforms that weren't part of it's will. Creatures-if they could be called that-that somehow came here and were slowly spreading.
It was similar to the invaders from the stars truth be told. Beings that weren't born of the earth or people's thoughts, and arrived on earth through another matter. Granted, Gaia could tell these beings weren't as strong as those alien Gods or Sefar, and there were only a few of them at this moment. Nothing threatening at all.
As such, Gaia decided to leave them be.
Let those who lived upon it deal with these vile but insignificant pests. While they might kill, it would be a small number and only in a small area located on the surface. So Gaia resumed on, not giving these creatures another thought.
Fuyuki has been spending the last this small time sensing a tension in their city. Nothing too big of course, and nothing frightful that made people panic. However, the fact is many of its citizens have realized that something unnatural was occurring in the city. From murders caused by unknown people, these so-called gas leaks, to giant men appearing out of nowhere and supposed dark creatures prowling throughout the night.
One elderly man claimed that he saw something like this happen around ten years ago. When many children vanished and the docks were destroyed. Backed by other adults and former teens who admitted to seeing something horrifying at the bridge that decade ago.
Most didn't really believe those claims, but they can at least admit that something strange is occurring, and it wasn't just some pranksters being jerks. Some thought it might be terrorist, but for what purpose? Either way, nobody in the city had a clue of what was going on.
"RUAAHHHHH!" Any other questions then vanished, when a massive explosion came out from Ryuudou Temple. Where from afar, those in the daylight could see a creature as black as night and with massive wings revealing itself. One that let out a screech so great that everybody could only do one thing.
Run.
With screams and panic, many people began to go back to where they thought were safe. Homes, shelters, hospitals, police stations, anywhere that wasn't near the temple. Thankfully for the most part, most of the people would be safe. But those near the temple would find themselves under siege by the Grimm that were near the mountains, and now running toward those close to them.
"Shit!" But not as close as Rin herself who was in Archer's arms. The Servant having picked up his Master as he then began running while Rin felt fear. Though to be fair, most would feel such a thing when faced with a massive creature with teeth bigger than herself. Not to mention the question of, "What the hell is that!?"
"A wyvern from the looks of it." Archer stayed calmed as he began to climb down the mountain. Ignoring the Grimm that tried to come at him and just ran past them. "And one we shouldn't bother fighting." His instincts told him otherwise.
"Yeah, but-Sakura!" Rin then looked back. Where she saw the wyvern still howling but no Sakura in her sights. Was she-!
"Worry about her later." Archer told Rin as he finally got to the bottom of the temple. Thank Servant speed for that. "Right now we need to get away as fast as we can from here. Besides," Archer then thought back to his last attack. The one against Rin. "I'm certain Sakura is fine."
Rin gritted her teeth. Part of her wanting to shout at Archer to turn back and get Sakura. To see just what happened to her and what was going on. Especially her new appearance. However, Rin also knew it would be foolish otherwise, considering the amount of Grimm that were there. Not to mention a massive wyvern may as well be a massive red flag telling her if she tried going back, she'll die.
"Fine." Rin relented with hardened eyes. "Go to the church. While I'm sure Kotomine probably knows this considering the noise that thing is making, best to talk to him still regardless." Archer wasn't sure about that, but nodded and kept moving on.
Where of course Sakura from up above watched as she saw Archer and her sister Rin vanish from her sight. Unable to see them any longer before turning back and sighing. "Always leaving me behind...huh sister."
Sakura then walked forward, stopping before the massive hole where Ryuudou Temple used to be. Where many Grimm were now crawling out of it. Most sensing the negativity Fuyuki was feeling and naturally, decided the time to kill was now. Sakura however decided to kill another person.
"So, you must be the one called Caster, correct?" Being carried by a Beowolf in its grasp, Caster looked at Sakura fearfully. Normally fearing a human would be ridiculous, especially considering just who Caster is and how powerful she was. A witch from the Age of Gods, one who has mastered many spells and could destroy even the most powerful modern day magus with ease. Medea, the Witch of Betrayal.
None of that mattered to this thing before her.
"I have to say, you did a good job controlling these Grimm." Sakura said as she got closer to Caster, who flinched back. "But in the end, your control isn't absolute, and frankly you just lack the connection needed to truly make them bow to you."
The Wyvern then screeched, as it then bowed before it's mistress. Sakura grinning as she then patted the vile beast's snout and rubbed it. "If anything, you lack the creature's respect and desire for one thing and one thing only." Sakura's eyes gazed back at Fuyuki as she then gave off a sadistic grin. "The absolute destruction of humanity and all it's creations."
Yes. Sakura could sense it. These creatures primal instincts towards the pathetic race known as humans. Their desire to kill humanity and everything they have made. All for the God of Darkness, Salem, and now her.
'...Salem? God of Darkness?' Sakura then blinked in confusion. As images of sorts came into her mind, making her a bit unsure what she was even seeing. Sakura then decided to ignore such thoughts as she focused on the now. Caster.
"Now then," She then spoke as Caster then felt an impending doom. "I think it's time I deal with you." Sakura licked her lips. "And you do look...tasty." Caster didn't know what to do. All she knew was that she's in danger, and she had to get away. Before she could do anything though, someone else did it for her.
With the last of his strength, Kuzuki appeared in front of Sakura to both Caster and the former's surprise. Where he then launched an attack against Sakura. To ensure she died so that Caster would not be harmed from this horrible calamity. Despite the fact Kuzuki knew he would die, with his own instincts roaring at him that he should run, to save his beloved Kuzuki ignored it all and pressed on.
Crunch!
"Souichirou!" Caster then screamed in despair as the Wyvern, who had seen the attack, just simply leaned down and bit onto the human who dared to try and harm it's new mistress. Lifting the body up, where one can see the moving legs, opening it's maw and then an audible crunch can be heard as the Wyvern chewed up Kuzuki's corpse. A bit of blood fell down with some splattering on Caster's face, who could only watch in silence.
"Shame." Sakura said with the expression of one that saw a boring film. "I hoped he would be alive to see you die first." Her eyes then went back to Caster. "Well, I suppose the order doesn't matter. The rest of you, eat her."
From the hole many Grimm came out. Many small Grimm that crawled out and all clicked their mandibles. Their red eyes staring at the despondent Servant who clearly couldn't comprehend what she saw. Nor the danger she was in as the tiny Grimm made their way to Caster.
These Grimm weren't particularly dangerous. Taking the form of a beetle, and frankly, weren't too much of a threat. However, that was only to regular beings. For in fact, these Grimm were considered a vile threat during a certain era within their world. A threat so deadly, that the second generation of humanity had no clue what their true power was.
Sltch!
The power to take magic from others. While Caster wasn't exactly the same type of magic as those humans, she was similar enough. Not to mention she was actually composed of it all. As such, when all those countless beetles squirts their black tar-like substance onto Caster, her very existence begins to fade away. As all those Grimm sucked out the very energy she was made of. Even so, Caster did nothing not just because she wouldn't be able to do anything in the first place. But because after seeing her beloved die, Caster felt there was nothing else left to live for.
As such, in but a mere minute, the Servant known as Caster was gone.
"Mmmm." Sakura then grinned as she then allowed the Beetle Grimm to crawl to her, and then spit out their tar substance at her. Transferring the energy they stole to Sakura who moaned in pleasure. "What fine taste."
Sakura looked down at the small Grimm, clicking away as they then left. To think, these creatures had the ability to take away a person's mana. Their Od. Not even Servants would be immune to them if they got hit by that tar and then drained dry. Including Rin's Servant, Archer.
"Yes. Rin." Sakura then wondered what it would be like if a person got hit by these creatures' draining ability. Due to her...link, to the Grimm, Sakura gained some form of understanding of their abilities. Particularly, the ones with actually supernatural powers. Thanks to this connection, Sakura knew that when the Beetles hit a regular person, nothing would happen. But those with mana like Rin, it would drain them of their mana and potentially more.
Oh. What kind of face would Rin make if she had the beetles drain her dry. Or, should she do something else.
'Get mauled by the Beowolves. Ripped in half by the Beringel. Maybe put to a permanent sleep by the Apathy. Oh, what about getting devoured by those worms. Perhaps even poisoned by the Death Stalkers.' So many Grimm she can now identify, and so many wonderful ways to kill Rin. For abandoning her, for leaving her, for never looking her way and saving her. As such, Sakura had so many thoughts on how to get rid of Rin with her Grimm.
'Or maybe,' Sakura then looked down the hole. Where she saw a massive being down there, but also a black tar liquid where more Grimm came out. 'I should throw her down there.'
The Pools of Grimm. Even with Sakura's unique connection to the Grimm, that didn't mean she knew everything about them. Especially on what would occur if a person was dumped their in that vile liquid. Would her 'dear sister' just be a bit wet, or would she die a horrible death. Her, and all those Sakura hated. Red eyes looking back at Fuyuki, the city that ignored her pain all those years.
She would kill them all. Especially those she held a personal grudge against.
Rin.
That false priest.
Zouken.
Her brother Shinji.
The Servants and Masters.
Illya.
Shirou Emiya.
And of course, Ozpin.
Yes, they will all die by her hands. Not the Grimm, her own. She just needed to find them all and deal with them. With a mental message, Sakura then sent an image of her targets to the Grimm. To find them and bring them back to her alive. Just alive. If they were missing a few limbs, then so be it. With that done Sakura then walked down to where the Greater Grail was while the Wyvern followed her. She can wait down there until the Grimm finds them, not noticing a spector nearby.
One who kept his calm so greatly, the Grimm couldn't even sense him.
'This is...problematic.' Kojiro thought as he saw what just occurred while in spiritual form. Also feeling his stay on this earth to be weakening. He won't vanish just yet, but he's on a time limit now and sooner or later, he'll vanish away. Naturally, Kojiro would stay to fight him, but even that feeling faltered a bit at what he just saw.
He hoped that whoever was around, could handle this problem. Preferably sooner than later.
Kirei had seen many things in his life.
Magus who went too far. Corruption. And of course the Fourth Holy Grail War. That last one being his greatest amusement, as he learned his true nature then and there. Especially with Gilgamesh to guide him to that discovery, with the revealer being Angra Mainyu. His sole purpose being to view that being once again.
Now however, that would have to wait. As his desires were now being held hostage by a situation that blocked his goals. Grimm.
Stepping outside, Kieri walked calmly, without any hesitation. Moving aside the running crowd who had clearly noticed the danger around. Particularly with the mass Grimm that were now entering the city. Not to many, but when one sees a giant Wyvern up on the temple that would naturally make many flee in fright. However, while most didn't bother questioning where these things came from, Kieri did as he began pondering something.
'Are these things being produced by Angra Mainyu?' Years ago, during the Fourth War, Kieri had been blessed. Blessed to see the entity known as Avenger, the hidden Servant. One that introduced him to the world he realized what his pleasure and joy. Now, he was seeing creatures coming out of the location where the Greater Grail is at. As such, Kirei naturally thought that maybe the Grimm were some sort of production of Angra.
He then shakes his head, recalling the King's words. How these creatures, while coming from the Greater Grail, didn't originate from it at all. Instead, coming from another place as the King told him. Not that Kirei entirely understood those words, but he knew enough that these things weren't the spawn of Angra Mainyu. Just invaders from elsewhere.
"Gra!" Invaders that also wished to kill, as a massive Grimm the size of a bear stomped toward Kirei. Without fear, Kirei took out his Black Keys and threw them at the bear. The Black Keys hitting the Grimm, and interestingly, starts dissipating them into black smoke. Though for a moment, Kieri could have sword the afflicted parts that were hit by the keys temporarily turned to stone.
"Hm." Kirei looks at his weapon of choice. "They're not Dead Apostles, yet they can be killed off by the keys like so." Perhaps they had some weakness that the Black Keys just happened to exploit? Either way, it was good to know that he did indeed have the weapon necessary to kill these Grimm off. Not that it would be easy, seeing as he could tell that there would likely be many Grimm that outnumbered him and perhaps the few defenders here in Fuyuki.
Well, defenders was an understatement. They were just hired magus that would leave as soon as they realized the danger of these Grimm and would run off like cowards to stay alive. Still, this was going to be a massive mess that could not be hidden by simple memory erasure spells. Collateral damage by Servants is one thing, but this attack is another matter entirely. The Church will likely come here in due time, but whether they'll come before Fuyuki and countless people are killed is the big question.
However, Kirei was more concerned about another matter. Particularly, if this attack could stop Angra from being born? A question with no answer, and as such Kirei must make his move if he wants to ensure that entity is born upon this world. Though it did make him question where Gilgamesh was at this moment, seeing as the King, while for different reasons than Kirei, also wanted Angra Mainyu unleashed.
Either way, Kirei had a job to do. Thankfully, it was only a few Grimm around at the moment. Most were at the temple, and while Kirei could understand many would probably leave the mountain-top, it'd take a while for them to actually reach the city and start the massacre. As Kirei was about to make his move, a person fell in front of him. It was Rin, with what he knew was her Servant Archer.
"Kirei!" Rin then spoke aloud. "We have a problem."
"I can see that Rin." Kirei mused as he saw the Wyvern was gone, but likely still around. "And safe to say things have gotten, well, Grimm." Rin gritted her teeth while Archer looked less than amused. So much for his pun, not that he minded as he liked their expression.
"This isn't the time for jokes!" Rin shouted. "As of this moment, a bunch of demonic beasts copies are free and are about to launch an attack across all of Fuyuki. Potentially all of Japan if continued to linger."
"True." Kirei nodded. "And I am aware of such a thing. However, what do you expect me to do?" Kirei asked. "After all, I am but a lone man against who knows how many Grimm. With the church unable to come for at least a few hours."
"I want you to get the other Masters to help out." Rin then demanded. "Like Lancer and Assassin for example. Get their Masters to start killing these things. They might be tough, but against Servants they should be easily dealt with aside from the Wyvern and maybe a few elites here and there."
Shirou's Saber should be willing to aid them, and with some force Shinji's Rider. Rin has Archer and Illya does have Berserker still technically, with Caster probably dead give or take at this point. Assassin...might be alive though, since Archer didn't target him. Either way, that's six Servants against all these Grimm. Should be more than enough against those freaks.
"Yes. I suppose I should do that." Or maybe use Lancer in another way. Currently the Servant was actually already being sent to attack the advancing Grimm. Being rather excited to fight mythical beasts, even copies of one with his spear. Though perhaps he can use Lancer to his advantage. "Very well, I will contact the other Masters to help out."
"Good." Rin replied. Now she could find Shirou and have him help out. Granted, they did kinda leave on rather bad terms. Er, after she refused Saber's request. But he should be willing to put it aside to help everybody else in this city. If they were all lucky, then maybe this mess could be cleaned up before the Association made any big moves once they found this out. Not to mention give her time to think about...Sakura.
'Just what happened to you?' Last she saw her, she was in the Matou home. Normal as she ever looked. Now she became...whatever she became, and could apparently control Grimm. If Shirou and the others saved Ozpin, then maybe she could get some answers off of him. Either way, she finished speaking to Kirei and like so she had Archer take her away. Leaving the priest alone.
"I can assume you'll do anything but 'help' I imagine." At least, that's what Rin thought anyway. Once she and Archer left, Gilgamesh came from seemingly nowhere, with an all familiar on his face.
Kirei chuckling. "I once told her father I'd help him when he was about to leave Fuyuki." A memory of that day came to mind. "Maybe I can do so again." Kirei then turned to face Gilgamesh. "Though I have to admit, I'm surprised at how calm you are right now. I would have assumed you'd be upset at these invaders trampling all over your garden."
"Would one be mad when insects infest a garden-aside from gardeners of course." Gilgamesh then said without any ire. "Even back then, I faced unruly invaders of sorts, but I couldn't just kill them all the time, otherwise I'd be wasting my days constantly killing. When I could be doing other things. Like ringing my bell."
Ah, right. It was stated that Gilgamesh did ring the city bell many times in his youth.
"So then, you will leave them be?"
"Just like with Angra, I will allow these spawn to kill off the unworthy. Perhaps their barbaric methods can allow the destruction of those who have made unworthy creations, while they wipe out the scourge on my garden." Not to mention the Counter Force wouldn't get involved as this wasn't an extinction event. Gilgamesh had no doubt that as deadly as these Grimm were, they would not be able to wipe out humanity, even if some of them were augmented. After all, humans always found a way to survive.
"Then you may as well enjoy yourself." Kirei bowed before smirking. "I know I will."
I suppose we'll be returning to Shirou after this, who will be feeling damn useless when he realizes what's going on. Why wouldn't he? Grimm are attacking, he failed to save Illya and Ozpin, and has so far sucked in accomplishing anything. Let's face it, without Archer helping him with the whole memory/experience/arm thing, chances are he'd have died or lost badly in the war. But hey, when a hero is at their lowest, they either continue moping...or rise to challenge again.
Another matter to point out is that I'm certain the Counter Force won't get involved with this because, let's face it, if Sakura killing countless in Heaven's Feel didn't accomplish anything, I'm certain Grimm doing the same thing isn't as big of a deal. In fact, I'll tell you this much.
It's only in the 'Bad End' where Angra is unleashed like Heaven's Feel does the Counter Force really get involved, but because the Grimm outnumber humanity by the time Angra's dead, the Age of Man is forced into the Age of Grimm, making the earth's environment more suitable for Grimm. But in other 'routes', the Grimm and Angra are killed off and as such, Gaia and Alaya had no need to get involved.