Fate: Superior Blade Works 12

Orleans V

Fighting a Berserker, in Shiro's experience, was like fighting a force of nature. Even now, as he watched from afar as his Servants fought the Black Armoured Berserker, aptly named Lancelot du Lac and compared him to fighting Heracles. He'd take Heracles any day of the week; because with Heracles despite his own ridiculous Noble Phantasms: Twelve Lives and God Hand, one would know how to defeat the God of Bravery, Patron of Heroes. That strategy was to hit him with multiple and consecutive A-ranked and above Noble Phantasms, something that Shiro had managed to acquire in spades due to his Unlimited Bladeworks, being the living breathing sheathe of Avalon and his connection to Arthurian Legends.

He paled dramatically as he heard the commands of 'Berserk Assassin' and 'Berserk Saber'. He felt Sigurd's hand on the scruff of his mystic code before being unceremoniously hurled away. As this occurred Sigurd levitated four daggers and punched them at the Berserk Assassin; following this Gram appeared in an emerald pillar of energy before that too was punched. Sigurd blurred and then KICKED his sword into the Assassin with a roar of 'BOLVERK GRAM!' the power of the Noble Phantasm caused the Assassin to vanish from view.

"Impressive, Saber, very impressive…but unfortunately not quite enough." Assassin murmured as she reassembled her body from the attack.

"Saber, MOVE!" Sigurd jumped backwards as Cu Chulain rushed forwards, his magical power enhanced by Shiro's rather impressive mana reserves and powered by the Singularity; considering there was a Demon Pillar behind the first, it was logical that a Demon Pillar would be behind this one and as a Student of the Lady of Dunscatach, He could smell it. "Oh Great Timber Giant wreathed in flames, behold! WICKER MAN!"

Shiro couldn't help but grin at the save as the Assassin was incinerated. He jumped backwards as he forgot about the Berserk Saber, and managed to send Artoria flying. He may be slightly stunted emotionally, but, Artoria was working on that. Then like clockwork, he drew and fired his sword-arrows with pinpoint accuracy; nowhere near as fast as his Archer-Self but still fast enough to give himself some room to manoeuvre. As he landed, three fiery spears erupted from the ground. One he managed to dodge, however, another spike punctured through his Tibia and Fibula with the third narrowly missing his eye; although no major damage was done it still disorientated him.

Jeanne Alter rapidly closed the distance, as fast as she was, Shiro was prepared. Binding himself to his ancestors sword, meeting his Archer-self and coupled with a few surgeries of himself to himself, had done more than allow him to support several high-end mana taxing Servants, it had allowed him some skills. He hooked his untrapped foot underneath him and with the use of Reinforcement, he launched himself free and skywards. "TRACE ON!" Shiro announced as he pulled a sword that formed into a familiar sword. Jalter went grey, Shiro grinned as he detonated the Caladbolg II Broken Phantasm right into her.

The scream of anger, rage and surprise of a mere mortal managing to hit her, sent Jalter further down her path of rage. She held out her right hand and a torrent of black and red flames rushed at the red-haired Master. "My sweet, Jeanne, I know he's injured you…he will suffer most profusely for that; but you need him alive! Your Gilles would like him alive. If I can bring him to our side, his servants…yes my dear multiple Servants they'll turn against Chaldea regardless of their temporary contracts."

A gleam appeared in Jalter's yellow draconic eyes; she scooped up the prone and dazed Shiro and with Gilles help, created a draconic construct and took off. Cu, Arturia and Sigurd were paralysed, they couldn't do anything without injuring or killing their Master.

(Ritsuka)

He winced as he watched Mash get kicked back by the Berserk Lancelot. "Lily! Use your Noble Phantasm!" He ordered as Mash rolled out of the way of a black and red sword that would have taken her head off. "CLEAVE THE WICKED! CALIBURN!" The golden beam impacted solidly with Berserker before several minuscule explosions rippled around and across the Berserker doing significant damage.

Ritsuka cursed, unlike other servants that he'd fought, the images of Fuyuki intruded into his thoughts; he'd been able to work out just how badly damaged the enemy had been. Unfortunately, this berserker, or any berserk, Ritsuka would need to ask Shiro, he couldn't tell if he was doing any sufficient damage to it. Lily dived out of the way just missing being struck by a massive broadsword; Diamuid pulled him out of the way "You die lad, we're all fooked. GAE DEARG! GAE BUIDHE!"

The twin-wielding spearman rushed forwards, Ritsuka could barely stand from the sudden drainage on his prana. "You're beaten, Berserker…" Diamuid declared as his twin spears unleashed their curses. One bypassed the armour and the other caused unhealable wounds, Diamuid grimly remembered fighting Lancelot the last time. The memories of the fourth war washed over the link back to Ritsuka. "Diamuid, you're going to need to talk to me about this after."

"Yes, Master, sorry." The Green-clad Lancer

The growling persisted as Lancelot found himself slowly healing at a much more reduced speed. As the wounds slowly regenerated fighting the Gaelic Lancers wounds he found himself strangely collected, he turned his attention on Artoria Lily "You're, My King and Liege Lord before you take up the Sword?"

"I am. I am not well versed in statesmanship, at this point in time I prefer honing my skills as a Knight." Lily replied to the sedated Berserker, eyes flickering as she watched for any chance he might attack again. Berserker twitched and Medusa pounced, the deity moved like a fast-flowing river and struck like the strength of a waterfall; she ploughed into Berserker on a manifesting white horse and the Rider connected full on with the battle cry of "BELLEROPHON!"

The final Noble Phantasm slammed into the Berserker, with enough force that Mash could tell the Berserkers Spiritual Origin was cracking "Arthur…Little…Arthur." Rasped the Berserker Knight of the Lake.

"Yes?" Lily straightened as the Berserker addressed her.

"Whatever…your path…know…this…I will desire judgement…at your hands…and You…are or will be…the Greatest of all Kings. I…"

Lily nodded and in a moment, Fujimaru saw spectral outlines of both older Artoria's; the ones that Emiya-senpai had summoned "Cleave the wicked! CALIBURN!" The final stroke from the sword of selection detonated the kneeling Berserker in miniature golden suns of explosive energy as the sword purged the evils of the Berserker from him. As the Berserker faded, his black and red warping armour was replaced in resplendent purple and gold, the face one twisted in madness was now one of peace and content.

"Master, is this what happens to Lancelot? Is Lancelot one of the best of my knights or future knights?"

"He is…whatever and whoever you'll need him to be." Ritsuka replied "I'm not so sharp on my myths, histories and legends but I will need to improve if I'm going to be having more Servants to work with."

"With, Master? Not for you?" Medusa asked, cocking her head in an almost serpent-like manner.

"No, Medusa, never for. I understand that Mages summoned you as Servants as means to do battle; but that is between mages, I…have greater and larger things to fight for, greater games with even higher stakes; and I can't have multitudes of Servants fighting for me, I need Servants willing and wanting to fight WITH me."

Diarmuid looked at the dark-haired last minute master with a look, that could be described as sheer awe "Master, my spears and swords are at your command."

Ritsuka stared "You can be a Saber!"

"I am rarely summoned as a Saber, the requirements are more strenuous, based on the power of my swords Moralltach and Beagalltach, they correspond with my life as a child of a Divine Entity." The Lancer explained.

Medusa nodded "I have a Lancer form, freshly cursed." She grudgingly admitted.

Lily smiled sweetly "I have…a lot, apparently, if my other selves are any indication."

(Gudako)

Emiya casually dropped three french soldiers with swords in barely the time it took her to realise they were under attack. "Master…"

"Gomen, Archer…"

The grim-faced Archer snorted "You remind me of my first master. Impatient, impulsive with a heart of gold. Then there's the…"

"Fact that you don't like Shiro-senpai is a potential point of contention." Archer replied thinly "Simply, he is me. The man who raised us imparted his ideals on us and…it didn't and doesn't end well…although this version is worth observing." Archer stopped and placed his hands on his temple, Gudako looked at the Archer in concern before feeling a sudden drain on her mana as a black, red and purple aura sprouted from Saber Alter.

Spartacus and Kojiro jumped to defend their master "Master…"

"No, she is not about to oppress us…something has gone horribly wrong." Olga stated, the increase of power from the Alter Saber was just immense.

Saber Alter then let out a primal scream of rage, tinged with sorrow and regret. Gudaku and Olga needed no link to the Saber to know what she wanted to do, for her stance was that of a woman on a mission. "Temporary Master, that Slattern has taken my master. I will go to Orleans to bring him back, and chastise him for being so foolhardy."

"Saber, that's all well and good but Shiro-senpai might not have gone quietly, you must remember that."

Saber Alter paused "I shall take that into consideration, should I find evidence of him suffering injuries the chastisement will not be so grievous. Although, I am perplexed."

"How so, your Majesty?" Kojiro asked in a voice akin to a whisper.

"I am perplexed, Assassin, my Master he chose to save me; when he already has my other self, admittedly, my weaker self. But why did he choose to save me? I am not Artoria Pendragon."

Archer's hands cracked "I can guess, Saber, my reckless and naive self has always sometimes of my manipulation or his own always saved Tohsaka Rin or Matou Sakura but has never been able to save you…Yes, you are not the King from the Legends that everyone knows you; but you are still that King with a greater evil whispering in your ear."

Saber Alter looked apprehensive as she stared Archer down "You would know, Archer." With that she turned and left in the direction of Lyons.

"Fujimaru, that was…" Olga began.

"Absolutely necessary, Director, my Alter Ego has struck a blow against Emiya and I believe Saber Alter was…primarily contracted with Emiya?" Jeanne questioned.

"She was…Ah, she's the repressed anger, rage and violence that King Arthur or rather, Queen Artoria never acknowledge, in her desire to become…oh, oh dear."

Cu coughed "Er not to detract you from your ability to connect the dots on the Bozo's lovelife that'd give Fergus a run for his money and a brilliant story, I can smell a Servant…only holding on by the rawest fragments of his willpower."

Following the Irish Heracles's nose, he led them to a home where a wall was blown out, and another collapsed. Cu jumped in, before assisting in lifting Jeanne into the House before pulling Gudaku and Olga into the house leaving the Assassin and Berserker to scramble in themselves.

In the corner of the kitchen, slumped against the wall was a Servant. "Oi, Servant, Identify yourself!" Cu Chulainn drawled levelling his spear.

"Saber, Siegfried." Siegfried stated "Even in my dire state, Lancer, I could still take you."

Cu chuckled "Do you have any idea of whom I am?"

"Even I, know the tales of Eire's Childer, the Son of the Lugh, Student of the Lady of Dun Scaith; the Protector of the Boundary, wielder of the Ruby Spear of Piercing Barbed Death, the Spear that rewrites what is known as 'cause and effect' to destroy the heart. So, Cu Chulainn of Eire, I know of you." Siegfried retorted. He turned as he felt tendrils of power reaching out towards him.

"Master, I, Siegfried refuse the pact, I am crumbling away as my Spirit Origin is beyond your current strength to repair. Rest assured, allow no evil to tarnish you, stay true to yourself and our paths will cross again; great challenges await you Masters of Chaldea and your sagas will be recorded throughout history." His eyes fixed onto Jeanne "I recognise you from somewhere."

Between them a connection was made with one word Triphas, Jeanne's eyes widened "You're the one who…"

"I am…rest assured Ruler, someone will be arriving. They're here!" Olga paused, a detection spell tumbling from her mouth "A massive amount of mana! It looks like a dragon! And another Ser…no…two S…THREE SERVANTS!"

Siegfried pulled himself to his feet, shuffled out of the house to face the oncoming threat "Awaken from the golden dream…Release yourself from its cradle. The evil dragon must be destroyed! BALMUNG!"