Next Chapter folks! Hope you enjoy and please review!

There will be some fighting scenes in this one! Hope you like it!

NOTE: When a sentence is "italics" that means that the characters are speaking through a mind link or telepathy.

Chapter 5- Encounters and Conflicts

Ariene POV

"Cleo, this is not good." Ariene said as the two masters and their servants ran down the streets towards the source of magic. "This magic doesn't feel like a servants magic and it will definitely draw the attention of any servant nearby."

"Maybe they'll be friendly." Issie said hopefully and Ariene smirked. Issie's optimism was amusing.

"Maybe." Boudica agreed, giving the new master a more obvious smile as they ran.

Cleo sighed from beside her and Ariene turned to look at her Master and friend to see her roll her eyes. "Are you okay Cleo?" Ariene asked quietly.

Cleo nodded, "I'm just trying to focus. This is a big mission and we can't mess up. It also doesn't help that we haven't been able to get in touch with Uncle Roman or Chaldea. He's probably pulling his hair out."

At that Ariene laughed a little, yes,the fact that they couldn't contact Chaldea was frustrating, but the image of Roman freaking out was always great. "You just have- we're here!" The group of stopped in front of what looked like a large mansion. Everything from the yard to the house was black, except for the red light filtering out the windows. Somehow, it made the house and surrounding feel much more ominous.

"Wait a moment," Issie said, she looked at the others in her group nervously as Siegfried and Atalanta came materialized out of their spirit forms. "I thought a servant didn't do this."

"The mana and magic in this area certainly do feel different." Atalanta agreed, her green eyes narrowed as her ears twitched, trying to detect any sounds or presence that wasn't them. "The initial impact of the spell made it feel as if the caster was a powerful entity, not a servant or human. But when you get closer..."

"The feeling of the magic changes and it seems as if this is the work of a Caster or powerful mage." Siegfried finished.

"Is that even possible?" Issie asked, she felt a shot of fear go up her spine. Had they literally just walked into a trap?!

Ariene looked at the Masters, she could practically feel the concern flowing off them in waves. "I've never seen any spell like this. But in all reality, it shouldn't be impossible to trick the senses through magic in such a way. Though you would have to be very skilled."

"Okay." Cleo sighed after a moment. "Siegfried, Ariene, we're going in to investigate." She looked over at Issie and frowned slightly. "Isolde, you, Atalanta and Boudica stay out here and guard the perimeter. We don't know if other servants will come because of this spell." Cleo didn't wait for the other master to respond, she just turned and started towards the manor, Siegfried quickly falling into step with her.

Ariene sighed, giving Issie a friendly smile when she saw the disappointed look on her face. "Stay safe, Issie., Boudica, Atalanta. If something comes up let us know right away." She then hurried after Cleo, silently cursing the fact that they didn't wait for her.

Isolde POV

Issie stared after Ariene's retreating form with a frown on her face. "Cleo's treating me like a child." She complained, looking at the two servants that she had brought with her.

"This is your first full singularity. And on top of that, it's an irregular singularity." Atalanta said calmly. "Perhaps she just wants to keep you safe?"

Issie growled, mentally, she was throwing a very slight tantrum. She could protect herself. "But I'll never learn how to be a full Master if she doesn't let me."

"It'll come with time." Boudica promised, giving the newest Master a reassuring smile. "Anyways. What are your orders Master?"

"What?" Issie asked, completely taken off guard. What orders? She thought that they were just waiting for Cleo to call for help.

"Well, Cleo did say to watch the perimeter of the property, Isolde." Atalanta said, a slight scolding note in her voice as she looked at the orange haired girl. "Would you like me to do rounds around the land the manor is on?"

"Y-yes." Issie let out a nervous laugh. How could she forget something like this? Maybe Cleo did have a good reason to keep her back, but she just knew she was right too; eventually, she'd need to get more involved with the missions. It was the only way to make sure her friends came back as safely as possible.

Atalanta nodded and disappeared a second later, leaving only Boudica and Issie at the entrance of the manor.

Issie sighed once she was sure that Atalanta was away. "Man, I screwed up."

"No, you didn't. You're still new at this Issie. You'll eventually get the hang of this. May I suggest something?" Boudica asked.

"Yes?" Issie asked, she'd take any advice that she could get.

Boudica smiled, "Try to be less stiff. You're always so loud and outgoing, you're always laughing at Chaldea. But since you've gotten to this singularity, you've been quiet and haven't really talked to any of us, it's kinda sad. Master or not, Isolde, we're all still your friends. You don't have to change your personality just because you've become a Master, none of us see you differently."

At that Issie felt a weight lift off her shoulders and a full bright smile came to her face. "Thank you Boudica!"

"Issie!" Atalanta's voice suddenly ringed through her head and Issie jumped about a foot in the air before remembering the mind link that all Masters and servants had to each other. "I've picked up movement from the left. Three servants all together and two humans, probably Masters. Shall I attack?"

Issie paused for a moment, trying to consider the situation, but she could already feel the pressure building inside of her. Since these were servants, that meant that they'd reach her sooner rather than later. "Hold off on firing for now. She decided, I want to see if these servants could be potential allies."

"Yes, Master." Atalanta's voice ringed in her head before fading and Issie sighed. "Boudica, be ready. I want to see if we can talk to them, but I don't think we should let them enter the manor."

"Yes Master." Boudica said, drawing her sword just as two male servants burst into view with three quickly following behind them.

At the sight, Issie literally had to force her jaw to stay shut; if she didn't she was sure she'd be a drooling mess. Both of the male servants had blonde hair and gleaming silver armor that was over blue tunics. The only real difference was that one blonde had green eyes while the other had blue.

"What the hell did you two do?!" A girl with black hair and aqua eyes demanded, looking pass them and at the manor. "What kind of boundary is that?!"

"It does reek of malevolence." A blonde female servant with amethyst eyes said, moving to join the two male servants. "Let us pass." She said, meeting Issie's eyes.

"Wait! That's Jeanne!" Issie said through the link between her two servants, at least she remembered that they had a mind link and didn't speak out loud. "Thank-"

"That's not our Jeanne. She would have greeted you two. But from I can tell she's not corrupted or darkened." Atalanta's voice cut off Issie's good mood.

"Hey! What are you planning?" The black haired girl said again, clearly she realized that they were talking through a link and wasn't planning to take any chances by the look in her eyes. "Saber!"

"Understood Master!" The blonde with blue eyes nodded and charged before Issie could blink, an intense fire in his eyes.

"Watch out!" Boudica stepped in front of her as Issie stumbled back, watching with a mix of shock and fear as Boudica was barely able to hold back the Saber's blow.

She watched dazed for a moment as Boudica struggled, against the Saber, barely parrying his blows and and from what she could see, Boudica was barely landing a hit on him. That's when she saw it, the other Servant and Jeanne were slowly making their way towards her; intent on getting into the manor. Not going to happen.

"Atalanta! Give Boudica cover fire, as much as you can! Don't let any of them get pass the gates!" Issie commanded through the link. She watched as a second later, a volley of two or three dozen arrows fell from the sky, forcing the two other servants back.

Issie chanced a glance back at the manor, anxiety racing through her, You had better get back here soon Cleo. I don't think we can hold them off for long.

Cleo POV

"Just as I thought." Cleo muttered as soon as they stepped inside the manor. "There's a bounded field all over this property and the intent is not good at all." Just being in the boundary made her skin feel sticky and sick and what she saw next, definitely made her sick.

They had roamed through the manor, hazy red light somehow illuminating their path to something horrible. The hallways, kitchen and living rooms were littered with people on the ground; as if they had just suddenly collapsed without reason. What was even worse was the fact that they were dead.

"How could this happen...?" Cleo asked, feeling sick to her stomach when she saw the motionless body of a child not too far from what looked like her Mother.

Siegfried frowned, "A boundary that sucks the souls out of humans. There's literally nothing left in them. Their od, soul and even the little mana they might have had is gone."

"What a horrible way to die." Ariene agreed, anger filling her voice. "Whoever did this is despicable. And it's clear now, that all the other incidents of humans being drained of energy are linked to this. The only difference is that the people who did this have upped their game. They never killed the humans caught in their bounded field before."

Cleo made sure to not look at the bodies anymore. It was clear to her and probably Siegfried and Ariene that no matter where they went, they'd find the same thing. "Could it be a different pair of servant and Master?"

"Unlikely." Siegfried said, "However, this pair are likely to be unstable. That's the only reason I can think of why they would do something so open and multiple times as well."

Cleo nodded, "We have to find who did this. The hard part will be discerning whether it was a servant already in this Grail War or if the singularity brought them over."

"I agree-" Ariene cut of when the ground started to shake and the windows of the manner cracked. "Servants?!"

"Master, it's no longer safe here!" Siegfried said, catching the presence of multiple servants as well.

Cleo on the other hand looked completely annoyed. "That girl. I told her to contact us if servants appeared! Let's go!" Cleo snapped rushing out of the manor before either Siegfried or Ariene could stop her.

She was not in the mood to be messed with; especially not after what she had seen. Why couldn't Issie had gone with Kakeru instead?! No matter, she was going to put a stop to this fight no matter what.

Issie gritted her teeth as Gawain started to take a more active role in the fight. Boudica was still going head to head with the blue-eyed blonde but the problem was the blonde with green eyes; he was proving to be troublesome.

Atalanta had even come back to back Boudica up in closer combat than firing her arrows at long distance. She could still fire them well enough to keep both servants at bay, but it was clear that she was at a disadvantage.

Boudica charged at Gawain, slashing out with strong swipes only for him to block and attack her in return. The two of them were at a stand-still and it looked like neither of them would give.

Atalanta launched three arrows from her bow at Arthur, letting out a frustrated growl when they flew pass him, destroying the ground instead; though one was able to graze his arm. She barely had time to block with her bow as his invisible blade swung down. He really was strong.

A yell of pain caused her to look away from Arthur and she saw Boudica sprawled on the ground, with Gawain standing above her.

"Hey!" Issie yelled out in alarm.

"You shouldn't get distracted." Arthur said and before she knew it Atalanta found herself sprawled on the ground next to Boudica, her breathing coming out in pained gasp.

"Yeah!" Rin cheered as she watched from the sidelines with Jeanne and Ayaka, who was slightly shaking. "Finish them off!"

Gawain raised his sword and swung it down on the immobile redhead, expecting to take her out of the fight. What happened instead completely threw him off. Another servant was suddenly there, blocking his blade with a curved orange blade that seemed to reflect fire itself. Her dark hair was pulled up into a bun and her purplish-blue seemed to stare into his very soul.

"Like I'd let you!" She snapped. She used her moment and surprise and lunged forwards while swiping out, forcing Gawain back towards Rin and Jeanne.

"Saber!" Arthur cried out alarmed, using Gawain's class instead of his name. He was about to rush to his Knight's aid when he saw a large sword swing down at him.

"Fall!" A deep voice cried as a new servant with long silvery-white hair, teal eyes black clothes attacked and now Arthur found that he was the one that was being pushed back.

Arthur and Gawain both gaped at the new arrivals, Were these new servants that much better than them or had they gotten the element of surprise.

Gawain growled, readying his sword to charge in once again, "You'll pay for that." He promised, he would have lunged forward to attack when Jeanne was suddenly between them and their enemies.

"Wait!" Jeanne cried out, throwing her hands up between the two feuding forces, shocking everyone present.

Ariene and Siegfried exchanged confused glances, but both did not relax their stances.

"I do not believe that we must fight." Jeanne said, looking at the Chaldean servants and Masters. At this point Cleo had joined Issie and both were checking on the condition of Boudica and Atalanta.

"Really?" Issie snapped, hating the fact that two of her friends were now unconscious. "Then why didn't you stop your friends earlier?!"

Jeanne at least looked regretful. "I was hesitant and I still am. But I must be honest with myself. I don't believe that you are the source of this bounded field."

"We aren't." Ariene spoke up, her eyes meeting Jeanne's. "We felt the energy from the spell and decided to investigate."

"Us as well." Arthur said.

Rin walked up next to Jeanne, her eyes cautious and shining with distrust. "How can we trust you?"

"My name is Siegfried." Siegfried spoke up, surprising the other faction, but not his friends. "I am a servant of Chaldea and once before I was known as the Saber of Black. We've met before, Jeanne d'Arc."

"True." Jeanne said, a gentle smile forming on her face. "Siegfried, do you mind telling me what and how you got here?"

Siegfried looked back at Cleo and Issie, he got a nod from the former and he also noted that Ariene had relaxed her stance a bit.

"It's a long story, Jeanne." He said.

Jeanne nodded, "Ours is too, tell me anyways and I'll reveal what we know about this war."

Siegfried nodded, "It all started with an organization named Chaldea..."

Hoped you like it! I know, my fighting scenes were bad, next time I'll try to add more and give it more detail. Thank you for reading

NEXT CHAPTER... CHALDEA

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