Fire surrounded Kyoko with each step as she rushed forward at Mami with her spear. Bullets cascaded around her in turn in response to her charge. Bullets that would be deflected by her spear or melted down due to the curtain of flames around her.

Against anyone else, fighting against Mami's magic would be intimidating, but Kyoko had faced it countless times in the past. All that training and sparring was something she didn't forget as much as she wanted to. All of those memories had become ingrained into her every move as she fought against her old Mentor. It was probably because she lasted longer than most that chose to fight against her.

Kyoko wasn't coming out unscathed though. It was costly to keep a raging wall of flame surrounding her and many of the bullets landed glancing blows on her body, lightly cutting her skin and tearing off bits of her clothes. It was a small price though compared to what she needed to do. In the end she needed to close the distance as quickly as possible. Up close was the only chance she would have to beat Mami.

Then the Magical Girl did something weird. She didn't retreat like she usually would. Instead, she summoned a rifle and used that as a weapon to meet Kyoko's spear head on, its barrel stopping the spear while the end of it was pointed straight at Kyoko's face.

"Shit." Kyoko barely batted her gun away in time as it fired and then immediately had to contend with another musket that Mami summoned in her other hand.

Back then Mami would occasionally use her guns to bat familiars aside, but this was different. This was some straight gun kung-fu or something and Kyoko wasn't able to focus on her offensive, not with the risk of getting turned into Swiss cheese by a musket if she overstepped slightly. The ribbons that Mami constantly summoned didn't help either as Kyoko had to make sure to cut them as they appeared. They coiled around her ready to strike like snakes. Left alone, she'd just be setting herself up to getting gift wrapped and bound.

This all resulted in a dance of blade, bullet, flame, ribbon, and musket as the two continued to trade blows. Yet no matter how close Kyoko stuck to the Magical Girl and how fiercely she pushed past the barrage of projectiles and explosives being sent her way, she couldn't break the stalemate. If it could even be called a stalemate.

At one point Kyoko tried to brute force it, just cut through the guns with an empowered strike that started pushing her Magical Circuits to their limit, but Mami easily ducked under that easily telegraphed blow before somersaulting away. Kyoko would've followed, but at that point she was winded and needed to catch her breath.

The Magical Girl though had no such physical limitations. In fact, she wasn't even sweating

"You've trained well to replace the techniques you lost," Mami replied as she landed lightly on her feet. That entire time they fought, that unnerving smile still remained on her face.

Kyoko didn't answer once she caught her breath. Instead, she gathered fire and kinetic energy to her feet to Flame Step forward, closing the distance in a near instant. Despite her speed though, Mami simply sidestepped the spear thrust with surprising ease.

The Magus barely had time to duck before she was tripped and was sent tumbling forward due to the remaining momentum of her technique. She was able to convert it into a roll so that it didn't look entirely bad, but Mami would definitely notice how she had stumbled.

"I don't want to hurt you Kyoko, but I will if I have to. The salvation of all Magical Girls takes priority."

"You always were a bleeding heart." Kyoko stood up while trying to account for every musket in the air. Even after they were fired they could just as easily be set to explode, giving the Magical Girl insane control over the battlefield. "Just never realized how messed up you really were."

This wasn't going well. Any initiative that she might've had had quickly gone away at this point. Mami naturally excelled the longer she was allowed to set up the field and as a Magical Girl she would be able to keep fighting so long as she had a Grief Seed. The longer that this fight went on the worse it was going to get. Best to just run away from now and try to get her from another-

"Join me, Kyoko." Mami held out her hand. "It's what Momo would want."

"Don't you dare say her name!" Kyoko shouted as she ignited her Circuits and summoned a roaring stream of flame at the Magical Girl. "You didn't know her. You didn't know what she wanted!" She was forced to dodge and stop her spell as a bullet flew by her face, scratching her cheek.

"She wanted you to be safe. No matter what." The flames faded away to reveal Mami still standing there, with her musket pointed at Kyoko. "That was why she sacrificed herself for you. Do you really want to make it all in vain?"

"She's dead, it doesn't matter what she wants anymore," Kyoko replied.

"Then what about you? Do you really want to keep fighting?"

"What I want doesn't matter either. And after what happened with Momo I'm not leaving Yuma and Archer with you."

Mami looked genuinely hurt. "It was my mistake… one that I can never rectify. And that is why I will make sure that never happens again. The Magius will create a new world. A better world, that we all can live in."

"You're insane! There is no changing how this world works! We just have to accept it!" Kyoko shouted before charging at Mami once more.

It was how she had kept going after Momo died. There was no room for heroes in this world, no worth in trying to change it. All she had to do was keep going. Again and again, until it finally ended.

Coward


What's happening? Ren asked her Servant as an alarm began to ring out throughout the entire complex. It was only seconds before Black Feathers were already streaming throughout the hallways, vigilant and well-armed, and heading toward the closest source of fighting.

I believe Kyoko's gone and picked a fight. Aaaannnd now she's already starting to move away from us, we're getting split up.

Honestly, as much as Ren liked the girl and Archer, it really wasn't all that surprising.

We need to help her. She can't handle that many on her own.

"Already on it!" Ereshkigal shouted as she threw off her robes and stabbed her lance into the ground. A skeletal army would crawl out of the walls and floors, engaging with the crowd of Black Feathers and stopping their progress. "Now we go." The Goddess grabbed Ren's hand and they began running the other way. "Going to have to regroup with Kyoko elsewhere."

"Did… they bury a bunch of bodies here?" Ren asked, slightly confused by the undead army currently fighting the Black Feathers. "Did… Archer bury bodies… under his own house?"

"No… well maybe he did, it's Archer, but the skeletons I summon are coming from my realm that I- Didn't I explain this all to you?"

"It's… kind of hard… to keep up… with so much," Ren admitted. Between the different realms, timelines, the Underworld, magic lessons, and her own eyes, it was a bit overwhelming sometimes.

"I'll give you a refresher later." Ereshkigal let go Ren's hand briefly so that she could swing her spear and cut through Shadow Servants attempting to block their path. When their numbers didn't seem to shrink after a few good swings, the Goddess instead cut open the nearest wall and created an alternate path to go through. "How's your magic?"

"Good so far," Ren replied. Apparently, she had a good number of Magical Circuits, just untapped due to her lack of combat experience. At the very least it meant she could keep Ereshkigal going for a while. If only she could start using that magic for herself apart from dispelling spirits or shooting out small balls of light.

"That's good, because they're really making us work for this." The Goddess slammed her spear into the nearest wall, causing the area around them to shake, and collapsing several walls and floors with the tremors. "Going to take them a while to clean that up."

Sometimes it was hard for Ren to fathom how powerful the Goddess was, even in comparison to Archer. The way she just casually wiped out a small army was something to behold. Definitely worthy of a Queen of the Underworld. "You're… strong."

"I'm a Divine Spirit. A completely different class of Servant. Regular ones can't compare," Ereshkigal replied as they arrived at an intersection.

"Oh. Well, that's haughty coming from another Servant."

"Especially one with a weak human for a Master."

Ren had barely realized that there was a new pair of voices before she had felt herself being shoved. It took a brief moment in the air for her to realize that her Servant had just pushed her. It took another for a gaping hole to suddenly appear in the Goddess's chest.

"Ereshkigal!" Ren shouted desperately as she landed on the floor. She finally noticed the umbrella just a few meters away from her own chest, the same one that Ereshkigal had to stop with her bare hands.

"I'm fine!" the Goddess shouted as she shoved the girl holding the umbrella away. "And you two will pay for going after my branch!" Somehow the Goddess was able to keep fighting despite the gaping hole in her chest. It wasn't going well though. All Ereshkigal could do was block the sudden barrage of bullets coming from one hallway. Any of the dead that she did attempt to summon were quickly blown away before they had a chance to completely emerge from the ground.

"You should know that a Goddess is no match for my Servant," a Magical Girl said smugly from one hallway. She was young, no more than eleven at most, and she held a parasol in her hands.

"That Master of yours won't last long either. You could surrender and we'll give you a quick death," a young woman in a black outfit with a red cloak approached them from down the other hallway. Atop her head was a hat with the symbol of a shining sun visible to all. "Or you can fight and we'll give you a more painful death."

"Who are you?" Ereshkigal asked as she held her spear in front of her during the lull between the fighting.

"The Demon King of the Sixth Heaven. Oda Nobunaga," the Servant replied. Perhaps the most frightening thing about the Master Servant duo were the smiles on their faces. A manic bloodlust paired with a sense of superiority; it was clear that they were enjoying this. "And you are an obstacle in the way of our conquest."

There were many questions Ren had in her mind, mostly about how and why Oda Nobunaga was actually a girl that barely looked older than she was, but Ereshkigal's injuries took precedence.

Ereshkigal run.

Do you think she'll let me? That bullet grazed my core, I won't be fighting or moving as well until I recover.

Ren looked at muskets that now completely covered both hallways. If just one of those bullets could do that much damage to Ereshkigal…

"You call yourself a Demon King yet you follow this little brat?" Ereshkigal bit out.

Nobunaga smirked as the Magical Girl pouted and stamped her foot. It would've looked cute if not for the murderous intent she exerted.

"A genius and the leader of the Magius. Certainly much better than that useless human you have there for a Master," Touka replied, annoyed.

"Doesn't mean what they said isn't true Touka," Nobunaga replied, for some reason taking a jab at her own Master.

"Like you weren't small compared to the warlords of your time!" Touka argued with her Servant.

"I know. I just own it," Nobunaga replied casually. She then casually fired a bullet that Ereshkigal had to block from hitting Ren.

"Also, I believe these two might actually suit each other. They'll certainly end up sharing the same fate." The Servant's smirk grew wider at the glare the Goddess sent her.

Touka had a thoughtful look on her face before nodding. "You're right. They suit each other. We'll let them share the same grave once we're done with them."

Remember that cage I gave you? Open it up, it'll bring you someplace safe.

What about you?

It'll take time for it to do its work. I need to cover you.

I won't leave you.

I won't let this Servant lay a finger on my beloved branch. Now run. You have someone to get back to don't you?

Tears had begun to gather in Ren's eyes as she struggled with what her Servant was telling her. What was the point of living if her life would just hurt those that she cared about?

"Just surrender," the Magical Girl said. "Even if you fight to the death to buy that girl time, do you really think she could escape this complex on her own?"

A bang. The sound of a gun being fired. Then a smoking arrow that spun in the air and fell down in front of the Magical Girl much to everyone's shock.

"Enemy Servant approaching!?" Nobunaga shouted before she was suddenly jumped by a familiar figure that shared the same color scheme that she did. His twin blades created sparks as they clashed against the barrel of the guns the Great Uniter used to counter. They traded blows. Swords against muskets, though it was clear that she was getting pushed back.

Touka didn't retreat, instead she tried to jab at Ren once more, only to be quickly parried and knocked away by Ereshkigal's lance.

"Your Servant might have injured me, but I can take out a brat like you," the Goddess said as she swung her lance and released waves of red energy at her opponent.

Touka jumped back once more with wide eyes, barely avoiding injury. Shadow Servants arrived at that moment, backing the Magical Girl up and keeping the Goddess occupied.

Ren occupied with the two battles in front barely heard the footsteps behind before it was too late. She spun around, confronted with a few Black Feathers, all of whom paused due to the scythe in her hands. The scythe she had taken from one of their storerooms. A scythe that she had drawn by sheer panic and instinct.

They stared at each other, sizing each other up, or in her case struggling to keep their gaze.

Archer was busy fighting Nobunaga. Ereshkigal was busy with Touka and the Shadow Servants. All that was left to deal with these enemies was Ren herself.

And that scared her.

Was it funny how often she was scared? Now that she had resolved to live? To live… was to be wracked with doubt. It was to worry because now every single one of her choices mattered. It was to be wracked with guilt as her own indecision led to one of her closest friends being hurt.

Ren reached toward her face and grabbed onto the frame of her glasses. She pulled them off and tossed them aside, having no room to put them anywhere else. Her eyes now bared she gazed at the Black Feathers in front of her, who began to step back hesitantly. The lines of death were borne to her once more. Lines that could be found throughout the world, in their clothes, and the weapons they held. She didn't need a mirror to know the change in her eyes. To know of the iridescent color that her irises took on.

Living hurt. Especially when it wasn't just her own life that she had to worry about.

A Black Feather moved first, the chains of their weapon extending as they swung their weapon at Ren from a distance.

Ren focused, tracked the trajectory of the weapon, and the lines found throughout it. Just as it reached her, she took a step forward and swung her scythe. It was like there was nothing there, almost no resistance. Just like that the chains shattered into pieces and turned into dust. Its death was realized.

She wouldn't kill them, wouldn't aim for the Soul Gems where they were their most vulnerable, but everything else they held and even their bodies were free game.

Another enemy swung. Ren sidestepped, broke the shaft in half, and then blasted them with her own energy while she was still in the middle of her swing. The Black Feather seized, dropped to the floor, and was suddenly spasming on the ground. Apparently Magical Girls were just as susceptible to her spells as spirits were.

As the girl spasmed, Ren stepped past her and held up her scythe cautiously. By then the other girls were cautious. Wary of how her scythe had cut through everything without any resistance.

"What are you?" one girl asked.

"A person… like you," Ren replied with certainty.

"You aren't like us. You aren't a Magical Girl. You're just… a freak."

It hurt to be called that. But to acknowledge that pain and move past it, that was what she had learned from those she had loved. So much that she had gained from them. Now it was time to pay some of it back.

Ren lifted her scythe, ready to fight once more.

"Retreat!" Touka shouted, her Shadow Servants down and her outfit considerably worn. She then glanced back at where the two Servants were fighting before looking back at the Goddess. "Tch. We'll deal with you soon."

With that said, the Magical Girl made a quick retreat though her Servant seemed to be sticking around. Not that the fight seemed to go any better for her.

Ren watched as the Servants began to finish their clash.

"Why? You can't be any stronger than that Goddess," Nobunaga said between grit teeth as she tried to get some distance away from Archer. She tried to block his blade with a musket only for the sword to cut through it cleanly.

"The stronger the legend of your opponent then the stronger your attacks become," Archer stated as he continued to swing his blades and push his advantage. "But what about a Servant that doesn't have divinity or mystery?" He landed a strong kick to her face and sent her flying away. "One who is unknown to those of this world? Who could be Nameless in others?"

Nobunaga spit out blood from her mouth before summoning another line of muskets. She fired another barrage though that was quickly deflected by the swords Archer created in the air above him. "I didn't expect to run into a Heroic Spirit like you. A rarity… but you certainly have the advantage over me because of that." She summoned another set of muskets, pointed them at the ground and fired. The resulting shots would create an effective smokescreen with rubble.

Archer summoned his bow and fired, but by that time the Servant had already disappeared.

"We'll have to make a strategic retreat," Nobunaga's voice called out before she left the area completely. "Also, Kudos. I like your clothes."

"Tch… Actually, her clothes were pretty badass too," Archer admitted once the Servant was gone. Apparently, they both really appreciated the use of Red and Black in their outfits.

He didn't chase after the Servant. Instead, he simply turned back to Ereshkigal who Ren was now helping to keep standing. "How's your injury?"

"I'll live," Ereshkigal told him. "It just hurts… a lot."

"Considering you're a Goddess who took a shot against a Servant that specializes in taking out Servants of a Divine nature, you're lucky it wasn't worse." He scratched the back of his head. "She also has high parameters for a Servant, several A's and nothing going below a B if I remember correctly. Even with the matchup in my favor I don't like my odds against her if she's the one that happens to get the jump on me."

"We'll have to worry about it later," Ereshkigal replied.

Ren gulped. They were only alive because Archer had saved them. If Nobunaga showed up to fight them again, it was easy to imagine how well that would go. Especially if she remained as weak and helpless as she currently was.

"Will you and Ren be able to get out?" Archer asked.

"We can. What are you going to do?" Ereshkigal asked.

"Saving my hopeless Master before she gets herself killed."


"Is anyone out there!? What's going on!?" Iroha shouted as she grabbed the bars of her cell and shook them to no avail.

Something was happening and she could even hear it from her cell, but she had no idea what was happening and there wasn't anyone to tell her either.

Was it her friends coming to save her or was it something else? She almost hoped it was the latter. She couldn't stand to imagine her friends getting hurt because of her.

"Iroha!"

Iroha gasped, immediately recognizing that voice. "Sana!"

"We're so glad you're safe!" Sana appeared in front of her as if out of thin air. She tended to do that. Iroha was used to it… mostly. "Step back."

Iroha did so and watched as a green blade enveloped Sana's arm. The Uwasa girl carefully cut through the bars of the cell until there was a hole large enough for a person to fit through. Once that was done Sana held out her hand, something that Iroha was eager to grab.

"How did you find me?" Iroha asked as she was pulled up.

"It's a bit complicated. I think Archer could explain it better," Sana replied.

"Is he here? Is everyone else?"

Sana nodded. "Yes"

"We need to get to them now," Iroha said before running ahead.

"Do you know where to go?" Sana asked as she followed.

"No, but Nemu said that my Soul Gem is in here." Iroha went to the nearby door and pushed against it. It wouldn't budge. "It's locked. How we are we going to-"

Sana raised her arm and turned it into an energy sword once more.

"Right." Iroha stepped aside and let Sana do her thing. The second she cut down the door though the area around them began to rumble.

"Earthquake!?" Sana shouted.

"No I think-" Iroha was interrupted by a large fluffy arm suddenly rocketing forward and punching Sana in the chest. "Sana!" As the Magical Girl was sent through a nearby wall, Iroha could only turn and step back as the newly appeared Uwasa loomed above.

It must've been some sort of defense mechanism if any part of this building was damaged, and they had just activated it.

Iroha was barely able to jump away in time as the Uwasa, in the shape of a large teddy bear, punched the ground where she had just been. Its fist went clean through the concrete, leaving a large hole in the ground. Thankfully before it could follow up Sana had already leaped back into the fray, bashing the Uwasa from behind with her shield. As it stumbled she mounted it and stabbed her blade straight into its throat.

It was an incredibly intimidating and awe-inducing sight only slightly marred by the fact that the girl's opponent was what was essentially a large walking teddy bear.

"Are you ok?" Sana gasped.

"I should be asking you that!" Iroha quickly ran to the girl and fretted over her in worry. She didn't look very good. Lots of cuts from going through that wall and probably a nasty bruise under that armor.

"I'm fine," Sana replied frantically as she suddenly grabbed Iroha's hand and pulled her away from the room "Ai said that was probably a defense mechanism they set up and it probably isn't the only-"

The door they had come through suddenly sealed itself, barring their way. Sana barely had time to start sawing through the metal with her sword before a roar shook their surroundings. From a nearby wall another Uwasa would emerge. This one was several times larger than the one before it and from its limbs even more desiccated minions dropped.

Their way was blocked. And they weren't getting out. Not while that Uwasa was still there.

"Iroha," Sana stepped forward, her blade and shield at the ready. "I'll protect you."

Sana leaped into the fray, slicing through the minions, and taking the Uwasa's blow with her shield. They clashed repeatedly. Shockwaves reverberated through the air as Sana took the force of each blow that the surprisingly fast Uwasa sent at her. It was almost like watching two titans clash, one an unstoppable object, the other an immovable force.

Unfortunately, where Sana's shield wasn't was where the Uwasa's minions were. Even as Sana continued to weather through the storm, she was getting cut up, battered, and struck at her back and flanks. Anytime she tried to swing her blade they retreated and she couldn't chase after them while she was busy defending herself from the Uwasa's monstrous blows.

Sana. Strong, quiet, steadfast, Sana was going to fall. And there was nothing that Iroha could do to help.

A minion struck at Sana's heel, cutting through her armor, and causing her to fall backwards. She fell onto the ground but still held her shield up as the Uwasa continued smashing down on her. The minions joined and soon the girl was being continuously pounded into the ground.

The shield held strong. But her body was becoming worn. The ground cracked and cratered as Sana was constantly smashed against it. Even then though, despite the blood coming from her wounds the girl still held her shield up.

"No…" Iroha whispered. This couldn't be it. This couldn't be how this brave steadfast girl died. There was still so much that she needed to do, that they needed to do.

Sana needed her. Yuma needed her. Ui needed her.

And so she ran. Ran as hard as she could even as Sana shouted at her. A rush through the minions and toward the direction of the Uwasa.

Was it a mad dash toward where her Soul Gem might be? Or was it simply acting as a distraction, to give Sana that chance to recover. Iroha didn't know. What she did know as she ran was that she wouldn't give up. That she would find a way to save the people that needed her.

The Uwasa roared at Iroha, pausing its assault.

A minion was able to knock her down to the ground. Iroha forced herself up and found that Sana had already moved in front of her in the brief moment that she had been given.

This wasn't it. They would get through this. She had to get through this.

A light suddenly shined around Iroha. Her body grew hot, her hoodie became itchy, and her hand burned most of all. It was an almost comforting pain though and she embraced it. And with her embrace came a blast.

The blast knocked aside all the minions, left Sana and Iroha unharmed, and even caused the Uwasa to pause.

Then as the smoke cleared a man emerged. A man garbed in white and blue. His armor on top of the same hoodie that Iroha herself wore, his face and hair hidden by the hood. His very presence screamed authority, like that of a king. Yet, despite the majesty and overwhelming presence before her, there was also something somber about him.

Like a deep regret. A wish for something better.

The Uwasa froze at the man's appearance. Was it fear or instinct that stopped it from attacking? It was hard to say, but that gave the man the time to observe his surroundings while the beast hesitated.

Eventually he turned back, his blue eyes seemed to shine under the shade of his hood at the sight of them. His eyes focused on Iroha first before drifting toward Sana and then back to Iroha once more.

"What is your name? My Master?" the man asked, looking at the red marks that now appeared on the back of Iroha's hand.

"Iroha Tamaki," Iroha replied, barely processing what was happening. If it wasn't for her experiences with Archer so would've been completely unprepared. "Are you my Servant?"

The man nodded, before looking back at Sana. "Did you protect Miss Iroha, my Master from this monster?"

Sana nodded, standing once again despite the grievous wounds on her body. "Yes."

"Why?"

"Because she saved me. And I'd do whatever it takes to protect her."

The man continued to point his gaze at Sana, his lips twitching up slightly. "What is your name?"

"Sana… Futaba."

"Miss Futaba… no Sana. You are a true knight. I would be proud to fight alongside you."

"I… am?"

"Yes."

The Uwasa finally began to move, lifting its mouth into the air and gathering energy once more. It was prepared to fire its beam again, to destroy them where they stood.

It never had the chance.

The man drew a weapon invisible to the eye and took his stance. Energy gathered to the unseen weapon, infusing it in a strange blue light. Then he swung.

A crescent beam of light emerged from his blade

With what looked like to be a single step the man closed the distance between him and the Uwasa. Then, grabbing onto a weapon invisible to the eye, he swung.

A crescent beam of yellow light emerged from the blade, piercing the Uwasa's neck, and beheading it where it stood. With its creator dead, the labyrinth that surrounded them soon began to fall apart, returning them back into the Magius's Base.

His enemy defeated, the man turned toward them once more and lowered his hood. His hair shined gold, his face kind. He looked like a knight. A true knight, like those from a fairytale.

"I am Saber, and I shall be your sword. My Master."


A/N

Hey guys. Sorry about the long absence for this chapter. Work, returning to college, writing my other fics and original works, and a lot of other things has taken up most of my time. I can only hope that you enjoy this chapter and can be a bit more patient with me for future updates.

Also attached below is my newly made Kofi account. Any tip is appreciated though I will still do my best to keep writing nevertheless.

/soul249134