The sky had gears up above, and the horizon seemed so miserable. Fog obscured one's view, where one can see small hills that didn't seem to end. But there was no life to be seen around, trees, plants, nothing that indicated any form of life. Just swords as far as Lancer could see.

"Gruah!" Along with the Grimm, who at the moment were no longer hostile. Just confused.

The hundreds of beasts looking around, sensing no form of life aside from just two. Yet nothing more than just that, as no other humans are around. Not even their unborn God is seen, and the environment had changed so drastically, that even the youngest Grimm knew something was up.

As for Lancer, he could only chuckle while glancing at a certain someone. "Show-off."

With a hole in his chest, and his life slowly dwindling, Archer smirked. "Be lucky Lancer." Swords were traced within Servant Archer: EMIYA's hands. As his eyes gazed upon the army before him. "Because I have bigger fish to fry than you."

The Grimm saw Archer and charged. While they had no idea what just occurred, they decided to at the very least kill the two humans before them. However, little did the Grimm even realize that they had gone from the hunter to the hunted. Where from the ground swords of all types were ripped out and flying into the air. Lancer observing them and had a good idea what was going to happen.

"Hmph. No need for anything fancy." He heard Archer say as more and more swords gathered across the sky. The older Grimm, pausing as they all saw this and realized this couldn't be good. Instantly the Alphas that could attack from a distance attacked the swords and at Archer with fireballs, feathers, enlarged limbs, whatever they had to assault both.

SWUSH!

The swords then fell like a downpour of rain. They then stabbed onto the backs of the Grimm and pelted down onto them. Going through their limbs and severing them or turning them into a pincushion. This wasn't even a battle, for in this world where Archer held domain, this is a one-sided slaughter.

The Grimm fell to this rain of blades. From ordinary to large, to sharp to blunt, too small to cursed. The projections, while fake, were as effective as the real thing. Where even the oldest Grimm, who could handle dozens of these swords, slowly fell as the weapons simply made way through their skulls or shattered their mighty armor. In this Reality Marble, they were the weakest before Archer.

"Oh." One who then faced Lancer, who already knew what was about to happen. "I suppose this is it then. You get your rightful payback and let the others get closer to victory." Not the way Lancer had hoped to die. But he deserved it, after foolishly letting himself betray those runts and signing Archer's death warrant. If this is the way he goes, then Lancer supposed he can accept it.

"Please." Archer stepped forward, as he traced a certain weapon he had seen before. "While killing you would be easy…I have use for you." Archer lunged at Lancer, even through all the pain he was in, and plunged a certain dagger into Lancer's chest.

"!" Where Lancer then felt it, that the contract between him and Kotomine, was gone.

"You…"

Archer grinned, as he coughed up blood and saw parts of his body fading. Time was nearly up. "If you wish to repay me, then do so by helping my Master attain victory. Or…do you not have the honor to do so?"

Lancer laughed. "So, you wanna use me huh. Well then, why not. The lass seems better compared to that cowardly bastard anyway." Granted, the little lass might not like him since he did kill her own Servant, but that was alright. He just had to make certain she won and that was it, reclaiming some of the dignity he lost.

"Good." Archer flickered, while still killing the army like so. "Protect her, and even the other fools. Make sure that monster isn't born."

"You got it Archer. You got it." Lancer still didn't like Archer of course. Bastard spat on honor and fought without an inch of pride while disposing of his weapons. But even so, at the very least his loyalty to the lass was true and just, genuine to the core. As such, Lancer will ensure the lass wins for Archer's sacrifice.

The Reality Marble started to fade out. Archer's time was up. Already he could feel himself vanishing away, so quickly he sent Lancer away from his Reality Marble to meet up with the others.

"To think I'm trusting that guy." Archer chuckled as he then thought back to Rin, and the pendant she had. "And to think…that my mystery savior had been you all along." Beginning all the way back when he first entered the Holy Grail War and nearly got killed. Only to see someone save him, with the only thing they left behind was a red pendant that he kept on him. Silently thanking his unknown savior as he then slowly joined the Holy Grail War, all the way to his meeting of Alaya, and then his death.

"Good luck Rin." Archer said with a smile, as at last he vanished into the dust. "I hope you find your wish."

Then like that, Archer was gone.

"Woah!" With only the Masterless Lancer who entered back into the real world. He would vanish soon enough without a Master, but not unless he got a contract with a new Master.

As such, it was surprising that when Lancer fell, in front of him was the group who could save the day, about to be engulfed inside a massive beam of fire. Yeesh, never a peaceful moment.

'Still,' Lancer then initiated one of his many runes onto him. 'No time like the present.' Where he then slammed his spear down on the ground and threw many small stones with runes inscribed on them onto the ground. He was a warrior first and always, but his old teacher taught him other stuff that even Lancer found useful. Like, say, a protection from even great Noble Phantasms. Granted, this attack wasn't one, but the barrier set appeared, and Lancer even added invisibility to the mix much to the four's surprise as the attack slammed into the barrier.

It cracked, and the air felt hot. Yet it held, and soon the fore vanished away leaving behind what this woman would see only as a burn mark. Where once she left the barrier went down with Lancer revealing himself.

Lancer smirked. "What's the problem?" He twirled his spear. "Thought I was dead?"

"You've gotta be kidding me." Was all Rin could say as she saw Lancer acting all big and tough. One second, she could feel the immense heat slowly burning the area up, and then this guy jumps in to supposedly save them. Just after he killed her Servant Archer. Just the thought made her snarl.

Shing!

With both Kojiro and Musashi also feeling the same, as their blades were drawn and directed at Lancer's neck. The Servant didn't even flinch though, at best, liking how fast they were in their actions. Good reflexes.

"Not really feeling the love. Not that I can blame you of course." Lancer winked.

"You." Shirou growled as he got up. While Lancer had just saved them from whatever Servant launched that powerful sneak attack, it didn't change the fact that Lancer tried to kill him and succeeded with Archer. "You come back here…Just to mock us or something? To finish the job." Maybe he only protected them because he wanted to be the only one to kill them.

I mean, he literally just betrayed them. Sure, Shirou didn't care much for Archer, but the man did save them, and Rin seemed more than angry at his death. No way would Shirou let this jerk have his way.

"Now, now, no need to jump to conclusions." Lancer spoke before sighing a little. "Listen, I get it. I did you guys wrong, and you have every right to be upset. But know this, what happened back there wasn't by my will."

"Explain then." Kojiro cut himself in, his blade shining at Lancer's throat. To slice off that head if he tried anything funny.

"It was my Master." Lancer had a cross look on his face. "Look, I'll accept responsibility for what I did. While it was by my Master's command I killed Archer, at the end I acknowledge some of the fault is on me." While Rin and Shirou didn't look convinced, the two Servants on the other hand gave each other a look as if understanding. Their blades still hovered near his neck, yet the distance went backward by a few centimeters.

"Your Master you say." Kojiro says with Musashi in on the interrogation.

"That doesn't even make any sense." She couldn't get a good grasp on this. "I mean, for the first part, are you in contact with your Master?"

"Not much. He just has me do his crap before he leaves." Lancer told her honestly.

"Then why would he have you backstab us?" Musashi pointed at the corrupt Greater Grail. 'I mean, he must know leaving this thing in the open is a bad idea."

"And he wouldn't care." Lancer growled. "I noticed the bastard, while not outright causing them when he can, doesn't seem to mind when drama and problems come onto other people."

"Problems?" Shirou didn't get it with Rin especially. Sure, she never liked that jerk, as he's always heckling her, but she's never seen him do much harm. Other than when he beat her up for training, bastard.

"Basically, that dude seems to like it when people suffer and get hurt." Lancer spat the words out.

"And you listened to him?" Rin sniped.

"Not my proudest moment, I'll admit that much." Lancer admitted. "Look, even if he was a crummy Master, I still had to obey him. But yeah, killing him definitely would have been the better choice now at this moment."

"Then what?" Shirou questioned Lancer's current motives. "You just plan on joining us?"

"It was Archer's last request." Hearing those words, Archer in particular, Rin froze. Biting her lip, it was clear Rin missed her Servant, and felt regret over his death. For a second, she thought Lancer was just lying, to get one over them. Seeing his eyes though showed he wasn't some liar and meant what he said.

"You wish to join us?" Kojiro wasn't so certain. "Are you not still contracted to this man?"

"Not anymore." Lancer grinned. "Archer did something to me, and now I have no Master." Suddenly his body began to fade in and out. "Which means I'm running out of time. So then lass," Lancer held his hand towards Rin. "It's your choice. While I'd like to honor Archer's last request, if you don't want to, I won't stop you."

Rin hesitated. She didn't really want to, despite the pragmatic side telling her to do so. She just couldn't forget that even if Lancer had been forced to kill Archer, he still killed her Servant. But didn't Archer want her to be with Lancer, if only so she has better protection. Would she really deny Archer's last words? After settling her conflicting emotions, Rin made her decision.

"Alright then," She grabbed Lancer's arm, and from it a contract was born. "Know this, this isn't for you but Archer. So, get in our way, and I'll terminate you myself." Lancer could only chuckle.

"You have bite, I like that." Lancer felt himself no longer fading, and even feel his body getting the mana he deserved. Meaning he wouldn't have to kill people to get by, much better than Kotomine. "As a reward, I'll tell you who my ex-Master was. Kotomine."

"Wait-what!?" Rin shouted.

"Perhaps we should deal with this later." Kojiro, while he could tell Rin was distressed, needed to interrupt them for another matter. He took his sword away from Lancer, same with Musashi, where once he sheathed the blade, he then tilted his head towards the Greater Grail's direction. "It seems our problem just got more complicated."

Everyone turned with Shirou once again lamenting how the odds always felt stacked against them. Also, some fear, as the hole in the sky suddenly began spilling out more of the liquid in a rapid succession. It appears that this was occurring as if in response to Musashi's attack, with the unborn being itself using this as a self-defense mechanism to save itself from anymore attacks.

This wouldn't really be a problem though in hindsight. Sure, more of this Grimm liquid was spilling, but all Musashi and even Lancer had to do was unleash their Noble Phantasms at things would be fine. Which is why the liquid decided not to summon quantity this time around, but utter quality.

For once the liquid had enough, from it a certain creature burst forth with a still developing maw.

"Mwaragahhh!" All eight maws to be precise. The group of heroes then watching with slack jaws as this Grimm made itself known. While it had no relationship to a certain legend that entered Rin's mind, she said one thing that matched this creature's description.

"Orochi." All eight snake heads finished forming, all which were the size of a bus, and had impressive armor. Being the height and width of a mid-sized building, with all red eyes looking down at their new prey.

"Now that looks like a challenge." Lancer gave a savage grin as he then got into battle position. "Should we resume? Master?" Rin rolled her eyes but nodded.

"We still have time to kill this damn thing." Whatever has occurred to the Greater Grail, made it malicious. Not to mention some degree of sentience, as this isn't a coincidence that some massive knock-off of the great snake is here. This thing was desperate and was calling on whatever it had left to finish them off. From the Grimm liquid however, more Grimm they were incorporeal and appeared different.

"Hra!" Not that it stopped Lancer and Kojiro running towards the great eight-headed snake as it hissed and slithered toward them. For Musashi, she stayed behind and began to charge up her Noble Phantasm again in hopes this attack will work while Shirou and Rin were with her.

"Let's do this." Faster than a bullet, Lancer was in front of the Grimm and plunged his spear down into the creature. However, while the spear did leave a mark and broke through, Lancer noticed how the hide was rather tough. Hios weapon only going in a few inches deep.

"Hssssss!" Not that it didn't stop the Grimm from feeling the pain. Two heads plunged down to gobble the hero up. Lancer scoffed as he leaped away as the heads just slammed into the ground while cracking it apart.

For Kojiro, he began his attack by first jumping onto the creature. Where he then swung his blade down to try and lob a head off. Only for his weapon, which in truth was just an ordinary sword, did nothing at all. "Hm." Kojiro said as he saw an open maw coming at him. "Sturdy. High quality indeed."

He then vanished from the Orochi's perspective, only to feel a nasty sting at the top of its head where Kojiro was. It hissed while Kojiro nodded to himself. "Slicing won't work, but it seems stabbing does." He then jumped away before he could be bitten in two. Calling out to Lancer, saying, "Do you have that?"

"I do." Lancer said as he jumped sideways where the head missed. The Servant then stabbing his weapon through, this time with extra strength. While it did hurt the damn thing, like before it only went in by just a bit. Maybe a foot or two this time around.

Lancer saw three heads circling him and all lunged at the same time. Smirking, Lancer timed it well and jumped up, letting all three heads smack into one another. Then he felt a chill as he saw a head coming from above. He had been tricked. "Well played." Lancer said as the mouth then swallowed him hole, the snake believing it had won.

Instead, it heard a voice from inside its mouth. "Just not good enough."

Teeth were then wrecked, and the snake's fleshy tongue stabbed and ripped apart. The maw opened as the creature screeched in agony. It's assaulter Lancer hopping off while giving the Grimm a mocking look. Lancer then turned his head as he saw Kojiro running on the beast's own body.

Kojiro dodges the heads trying to swallow him. Using his sword to swipe at them whenever he could. Sadly, his blade didn't have any unique properties like other Heroic Spirits would have. No anti-regeneration aspect, bane killer, or even capability of being indestructible. Just an ordinary blade.

"Hsss!" A head came right at him.

"This blade is all I need." Kojiro then jumped over the head, landed on it, then stabbed at the creature. But not at the nigh-indestructible hide his sword could barely penetrate. Instead, aiming for something much softer.

"Hrrsssss!" The eyes. Kojiro stabbing right through them very quickly with the head thrashing in agony. Kojiro leapt away as the beast was now blind in one eye while 'bleeding' black smoke.

Lancer, not wanting to be outdone, ran towards the beast's 'belly', or one of them anyway, and decided to see if he could cause more damage. "Eat this!" Lancer then planted his feet down and his spear seemed to glow. "Hra!" Suddenly Lancer thrusted his spear so fast, it was like his spear becoming a blur.

The tip of his weapon smacking into the tough hide of the belly. While it didn't seem to do anything at first, Lancer thrusted at such a rapid speed, that the damage piled on. It made sense as normally his thrusts could be called a final blow to strike the opponent down. As such, this part of the false Orochi screeched as many tiny, yet painful, holes were now being formed across its belly.

Two heads came to help out and tried to rip Lancer apart. He saw them coming though and chuckled at how stupid they were. He quickly stopped his attack and placed the spear by his side. He then grabbed from nowhere four rocks while remembering what Assassin did. "Here," He then placed some runes on the stones. "Have at it!"

Those stones flew at a speed equaling a bullet. With great precision as the rocks slammed into and through the eyes the King Taijutu's had where the snakes were both blinded and hurt. But if they thought their eyes being gone was the worst, then they better think twice. For the runes on those stones were the Ansuz runes. Meaning they were capable of bringing fire that can reduce a room to ashes. In other words, the ruined eyes and the heads of the two snakes burst into flames while their wails are loudly heard.

"Hahaha!" Lancer then jumped up while swinging his spear on the snake he had thrusted at. The beast then trying to wrap him up with its long length only for Lancer to easily escape it while landing on the body. Where he then jumped higher, making him above the creature where he held his spear into a launch position. Then with a toothy grin, he threw his spear that it broke the sound barrier.

He could have used his Noble Phantasm, but chances were the raw power unleashed would harm his allies. So better to stick with throwing, not that it wasn't any less effective as it not only hit one of the heads but managed to go through its ugly head where it ripped out from the right side to the lower left. Killing that head instantly.

"Such power." Kojiro compliments as he cleanly stabs another of the Orochi's eyes off. "I must admit, you are quite effective at it."

"You aren't a chump either." Lancer complimented. "Just a shame you're incapable of handling monsters." Assassin felt no offense from that, and even believed in it. After all, he's used to fighting humanoid beings, humans and Servants. Not large monsters.

Still, the two did well against this fake Orochi. While it may have been a step above most Grimm, the beast couldn't even handle the duo as it had assumed. Sure, it might still be alive, but not for long as the two then felt a great surge of energy from behind.

"About time." Kojiro said as after just one minute of fighting, Saber is ready.

"Best to leave then, hahaha." Lancer then ran off with Kojiro following suit. They did a good amount of damage, and the beast was in too much pain to realize the danger it was even in. Meaning Saber could go all out with the power she had.

"Take this you bag of worms!" Musashi insulted as she then released her incomplete Noble Phantasm a second time. Her sword released the beam and she swung it down. The attack like before, vaporizing the Grimm only more painfully, as it was much tougher much to its pain as it died off while the beam then slammed into the unborn curses.

Unlike before, it used up most of the liquid to call upon the multi-headed Grimm. Meaning no geyser attack to help it this time. The attack landed true and caused damage that the entire cavern seemed to shake.

Rin and Shirou, watching closely while also in awe at how Assassin and Lancer helped in their part. Shirou grinning as he shouted, "Yes! We did it!" Believing fully that this time, they stopped the Greater Grail.

"..." Rin thought otherwise, as instead she wanted to see for herself if the job was even done. Before the smoke and dust could settle so she could see if the Greater Grail was gone, her eyes widened as she grabbed Shirou while shouting, "Watch out!"

From the ground and leaving the shadow that had been next to Shirou, a ghost-like Grimm came out. It wasn't a Geist however and seemed much more different. Giving a deathly aura where Shirou froze as he looked at it, feeling a very big chill coming out of his spine.

"The hell." Lancer shouted as Rin turned and felt fear. Because from the shadows more of the same ghost-like Grimm burst from the shadows and all began flying towards Shirou and Rin.

'Those things,' Rin thought back to when the false Orochi was summoned. 'Weren't they also summoned with it?'

They were, and it had been a good thing Rin pulled Shirou away. As these Grimm were considered to be one of the most fearsome Grimm from their world. They had no strength, no speed, almost nothing to them. Except for two unique abilities, similar to the Geists. The power to possess the living…then kill them near instantly when they ditch the body.

Normally, this wouldn't be too much a problem as these Grimm were usually found in the shadows and never really traveled in groups. But in the cavern where the Greater Grail lies, where shadows are everywhere and there is more than one Grimm, well, it was safe to say about one thing.

"Run!" Rin grabbed Shirou and ran off with Shirou following suit. Neither knew what these Grimm could do, yet their instincts told them to run as fast as they could. Not letting these things touch them.

Musashi instantly came upon one of the chills and slashed at it.

"Hhhahhhhh!" To an incorporeal Grimm, it did little, and Musashi may as well have slashed at air. The Grimm lunged to try and possess Musashi who quickly backed off. Lancer and Kojiro also realized their attacks did nothing either and it's likely that unless their weapons were enhanced, then ordinary physical attacks would do nothing.

"Uhhh." Lancer then felt a chill enter his body. Due to Lancer being technically 'dead', he was safe. But considering how his own body mimicked human anatomy to a degree like a pumping heart and flowing blood, Lancer felt the Chill doing damage to his inside. Nothing that would cause lasting damage, let aside kill him, but he understood why Rin and Shirou ran. Hearing a voice in his head while this thing tried to control him.

Were he alive and had no resistance or runes to protect him, Lancer would have been a goner.

"Don't touch these things!" Lancer told Rin through their mental link while running after the two. "They'll kill you with one touch!" Rin and Shiruo shivered, along with Musashi strangely. Lancer then placed a rune on himself and the chill in him screeched as it was killed off by the ward, he placed on himself. He then easily caught up to the duo and picked them up and started running faster from the horde of Chills.

"Wait!" Shirou shouted as Musashi is close behind him. "The Greater Grail!"

"Leave it." Lancer told him. "You two need to be out of here." Soon Lancer carried them off to safety with a trailing Musashi. But only one didn't leave with them.

'Best to stay here. And keep an eye out.' Kojiro transformed to spiritual form. While the Chills knew he was there, they couldn't do much against him while the Assassin turned to the Greater Grail. Sighing as he saw how the Grail, while definitely damaged, is far from destroyed with the hole in the sky still operating properly.

'This won't be good. Likely more preparations will be made.' While Kojiro didn't know much about this Grimm liquid, he could at least tell it had some form of symbiosis with the corrupt Grail, and a bit of sentience to it. One that used whatever tactic it could to defend the Grail. No doubt the Chills were called upon because they were most efficient with dealing with unprepared humans. Their ability to instantly kill whom they possess is no joke.

The only good thing is that Assassin noticed how the liquid falling from the hole is now slower. Meaning less Grimm can be summoned and a possible chance to give one final strike. At the very least, when the young heroes return, they'll be more than ready to give the final blow.

"?" Kojiro, in his spiritual form, then blinked confusingly. For just a moment, he thought he saw…the hole flicker and show what appeared to be a city of sorts with Grimm all over. But it then changed back to showing what may as well be. How strange.

Rider gasped as she landed on the ground. Breathing heavily as she looked at her body, which started to fade and flicker. "Did something…happen to Zouken?"

On one hand that would be great. Maybe it meant someone killed the bastard, which got Rider's praise. Yet this was also bad, as it meant she would fade away and return to the Throne. Rider normally wouldn't care, as that was just how the war turned out. Sakura came to her mind though, reminding Rider why she wanted to stay. She's powerless though, and Masterless.

'I suppose this means I can only hope the others save Sakura.' The girl that Rider felt was so much like her. A tragic woman who ended up becoming a monster because of the ploys and cruelty of man. Falling on her knees, Rider could only hope that Shirou and the rest can somehow save Sakura from what she's becoming.

"You. You're a…Servant?" Then she looked up, seeing two people. Magus in fact. A man and a young girl, the former having long black hair and the latter in gray clothing. Rider then realized she now had a chance.

With her remaining strength, she then asked, "Will one of you become my Master?"

Alright, we're just about nearing the endgame here. The final bosses being Salem and Sakura, where the heroes must band together for one final assault. While they failed in destroying the Greater Grail they did weaken it meaning Grimm production will be slower meaning even less enemies.

Not to mention Lancer and Rider are spared, the former honoring Archer's last will and the latter finding a familiar duo. Plus, we still have Shinji and Illya with a revived Berserker. All of them will be meeting up soon, as they decide to end this war once and for all.