FateZero Paradox

by Praxus84

The Fourth Holy Grail War of Fuyuki City: Seven Masters, Fourteen Servants- wait, what? Someone's been messing around with the rules, for once not you-know-who. But the stakes are still very real, and the Grail can only belong to one Master and two Servants at maximum... Fate/Zero belongs to Type-Moon, and all foreign characters their respective owners, I own nothing but the plot.

7. Chapter 7: Demons vs Demon Hunters

-139:06:23

Metal clanged.

Fires blazed.

Blood splashed through the air.

Screams of agony, despair, death.

He rode on a white stallion, holding a shining sword in front of him. Once others were close enough, he'd cut them down with one swing each.

He was leaping from branch to branch, lightning crackling on his hand. One by one, enemies appeared for him to run through. Chirchirchirchirchir…

"Those who abandon the mission are trash…" a head turned back to show dark eyes glaring at him, "…but those who abandon their comrades are even worse trash!"

A young hateful face snarled at him as their blades locked. "Why won't you acknowledge me?!"

He stood silently in front of a large kunai-shaped memorial, names etched across its surface. His eyes focused on one particular name. "…Obito…" he finally asked, "…what would you have done?"

A man said behind him, "The moment you draw that sword, you'll never be human again."

Dying brown orbs stared at him while bloody lips mouthed his name…

Kiritsugu shot up from his bed with a start, panting heavily from the… sensations he had just experienced. Then before he knew it, he founds his legs swinging automatically to the side of the bed and taking him towards the bathroom. Once there, he turned on the sink and placed both hands under the cold water, rinsing them over and over again. It won't wash off… it won't wash off… it won't- what am I doing?

Kiritsugu's thoughts finally caught up with his body, and he pulled his hands away from the stream, gripping the sides of the sink as he slowly breathed in and out to steady himself. Slowly, he lifted one hand to flick on the light switch of the room, allowing the man to look at the tired, weary face staring back at him from the mirror. Another strange dream, like the ones he'd been having the last few nights. Not the first time he'd reenacted Macbeth lately.

But now, the Master had a clearer idea of where they'd come from. This had to be a side effect of his bond with Assassin X and Saber he'd heard about: previous Masters had namely observed that they would see their Servants' memories at times. Rarely was it ever concise, but sometimes, in one night's sleep, a Master could witness a Heroic Spirit's entire life story. Or, at least, the defining parts. Those moments that had shaped them into what they were.

His lip curled in distaste. Another distraction, Kiritsugu thought bitterly. As though this War hadn't been complicated enough or that his plans had so far failed to yield substantial results, now he had the dreams of two other people rummaging about in his head. And one of them just had to be a classical knight in shining armor and all "his" glorious tales.

Then again… there had been no joy in what he had experienced. No sense of triumph, no pride… the opposite, really. When he had first summoned that self-righteous girl and enigmatic ninja, Kiritsugu Emiya would've never imagined either could begin to understand the trials he had to endure for the sake of his dream.

Now, though, as a young girl with a bob of brown hair, purple rectangles on her cheeks, a forehead protector just like Assassin X's, broken brown eyes, and blood trailing from her mouth flashed in the glass before him… the man began to wonder if he might've been a bit hasty in his assessment.

Kiritsugu sighed and splashed some water on his face before turning the perpetually running faucet off. One way or another, he wasn't getting any more sleep tonight. And he had work to do. Rolling his shoulders, the machine that is Kiritsugu Emiya walked out of the bathroom and dressed himself in economic movements, noting that sunlight was creeping through the drawn curtains. The day had begun, and there was little time before night would take its place again. The Mage Killer slipped his weapon into his holster under his coat and stepped out of the room, carrying an armful of folders with him. He had a few things to review.

Kiritsugu stopped by one room to peer inside and allowed himself a brief moment of bliss as he watched Iri sleep peacefully. It broke his heart to make the rule that he and his wife would have separate beds while here in Fuyuki, but it had to be done. Every moment of having her soft body next to his weakened his resolve, and he couldn't allow himself to falter. He knew what her ultimate fate would be, and that the Mage Killer couldn't permit himself sentiment. Not now. Didn't mean he was happy about his decision, but he was rarely happy about his decisions anyway. He stayed long enough to appreciate her long hair splayed against the pillows, her nostrils flaring ever so slightly to draw in and release air, her lips set in a gentle smile even in slumber, then quietly made himself shut the door and move on.

The next stop was one floor down, where Maiya sat in an impromptu weapons/monitoring room. She spared him a small nod of acknowledgement upon noticing him, which he returned, then went back to checking the various screens inside the room. He moved on.

He went silently down the halls, training allowing him to make as little noise as possible with his steps. His hands perused through the files, allowing him review information compiled on the other Masters, Servants, a few tricks he'd recently learned from-

Kiritsugu's ear perked up. Voices up ahead drew his attention, and he drifted along the carpets until he found himself inside the entry hall. The voices were muffled but clearer now. Quietly opening a window, he peered out to find Saber sitting at a table by the front door and Assassin X leaning against a pillar beside her, telling her some kind of story.

"…So, Sakura being the sensible one, she correctly points out that we have to return home as quickly as possible to remove the poison from his arm," Assassin X was saying, gesturing to his own arm.

"Which would mean postponing the mission, of course." And Saber was listening with interest. "A bit of a hindrance, but certainly better than letting your student perish to poison. And it would allow you to acquire more resources and allies for this mission that has been revealed to be far higher of danger than was agreed." She received a nod as confirmation.

Kiritsugu made to step out and berate them; how could these two be so casual when enemies could appear any moment? But as he stepped closer, he noticed details: Assassin X had positioned himself so his right eye was always trained on the outer yards; Saber kept her right hand loose as though she would make to summon her sword; both bodies appeared relaxed but were in fact ready to move in a millisecond. A crafted illusion of carelessness.

Kiritsugu allowed himself to relax a bit. Saber was of a serious warrior mentality, and Assassin X had repeatedly proven sharp senses and a keen intellect. He could trust that this duo wouldn't let a little exchange of stories distract them from possible danger.

Then Saber smiled slightly. "From the way you've described him, though, I imagine Naruto doesn't agree."

"Oh, he doesn't," Assassin X agreed with a little laugh. "That stubborn kid goes so far as to impale his own hand with a kunai," he mimed a stabbing motion with his own hands, "so that the poisoned blood will leak out of him." Kiritsugu almost palmed his forehead at the stupidity before realizing he'd let himself get drawn in. And to his own surprise, he didn't want them to stop.

So, the shinobi Servant continued without interruption. "And while blood is dripping from his self-inflicted injury, Naruto proclaims this to be a symbol of his resolve with the fiercest smile he has. Never again will he cower before an enemy, threat or mission like he did now."

The young King of Knights nodded after a moment. "A powerful statement, with conviction I would praise." A cruel of part Kiritsugu would've scoffed, Of course you would, shaking his head at some foolhardy youth stuck up on romanticism.

Then he noticed that her smile had taken on a mischievous note. "…So, when did you tell him about blood loss?"

"Oh, about ten seconds afterwards," Assassin X replied with a wink. "You should've seen his face." Both Servants shared a short but hearty laugh over that, and their Master himself had to turn away lest they hear his snort at the image.

After a moment, they both calmed down, and Assassin X sighed fondly. "Naruto, that hot-headed troublemaker… Have you ever met a loveable knucklehead like that in Camelot?"

She looked away, and even Kiritsugu felt some tinge of sympathy for the pain that radiated off her now. Especially with him still recalling those moments from before. Assassin X to his credit instantly realized his mistake and looked guilty. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"

"No, it's alright, Assas- Kakashi," Saber's smile returned, albeit with a sadder undertone, while saying her partner's True Name. "I hold no anger over you mentioning my home. After all these stories you've told me of your village, the least I can do in return is allow you to speak of Camelot. It's simply a…" She drew in a breath to steady herself. "Difficult subject."

"…I understand. Believe it or not, it hasn't always been sunshine and clear skies with my home either."

"I believe you. You're too calm in battle to not be a veteran." Saber praised him slightly, a hint of melancholy between them. "Ah, but to answer your earlier question, I have indeed met my fair share of stubborn souls," her smile became a smirk, "though 'knucklehead' is not the term I would've used back then." Another laugh shared before the Servant of the Sword continued. "And I've heard similar proclamations before," her gaze drifted to the cloudy sky, "even long before I became who you see today. Young boys, saying they'll be fearless knights when they grow up, fend off invaders, slay dragons, protect every life around them. Of course, there were… relatively older men who'd make hot air the same way."

"Naruto wasn't the first I'd met either," Assassin X shrugged. "Boys will be boys."

"Boys will be boys,"/Boys will be boys, Kiritsugu thought alongside Saber's agreement. Then she continued. "Even among my knights seated at the Round Table, there were times when stubbornness would take hold and have them do slightly foolish things. Remind me to tell you of Lancelot's little adventures later. And he's merely one of the more famous cases. Though even he paled next to…" Her body twitched a bit at her next word. "…another."

"But you couldn't help but be fond of them, couldn't you?" Assassin X was doing his eye-smile again. He had noticed the blend of endearment and sadness emanating from her seated form. "It's always amazing how endearing those kinds of idiots can turn out to be." As they remained in comfortable silence for a little bit, he finally said, "You miss them, don't you?"

"Every last one of them," Saber sighed as she stood up and walked to in front of the table, her head facing opposite of Kiritsugu. "All of my kingdom's citizens, from the humblest shoemaker to the slightly greedy knight. Not a second goes by that I don't regret the destruction of all I had sworn to protect. My kingdom, my home," he thought he heard a slight tremor in her voice, "my people."

Then her back straightened, her head lifted up, and her fists clenched. "And that is why I will do everything to save them."

Assassin X gave a slight nod in understanding. "Your wish for the Holy Grail?" She only nodded to confirm his thoughts. Kiritsugu frowned, though; there was something inside the shinobi's gaze, not malicious or deceitful, but rather inquisitive. The Master had his own thoughts about the wishes of the Servant he had somewhat anticipated summoning. To be blunt, though, he didn't have a real problem with her wish, seeing as it didn't clash with his own in any way he saw. That much, he could be content with about her.

But then, he had yet to know what Assassin X wished for.

Then a hand lifted to scratch silver hair, and a chuckle of self-deprecation hummed in the air. "Well, compared to something as noble as that, I feel rather selfish." Saber turned back to see her partner appear rather sheepish. "My wish is simply to reunite with my team again. I had a fair bit of unfinished business before I died, and Naruto, Sakura and… Sasuke are at the top."

She only smiled at Assassin X. "If the way you've told me about them is any indication, you care for them dearly. Wanting to see them again is not a sin."

"It's not just wanting to see them again, Sa-" She gave him a pointed look, making him laugh and correct himself, "Artoria. I made a lot of mistakes while training those kids, mistakes I hope to correct." Something flickered in his gray eye. "And at least those I can hope for."

Kiritsugu frowned in thought. It's technically a simple wish, but why do I get the feeling there's more he's not telling? And… why do I care? This wish would take him back to his home, so it doesn't interfere with my plans nor does it really concern me in any way. So, why do I want to h-

His phone vibrated in his coat pocket, shaking him free of… whatever was going through his head. The Mage Killer stepped away from the window and pulled out the device, recognizing Maiya's number. He answered it. "Yes?"

"A special meeting is being called at Fuyuki Church," she answered. "You and the others will want to hear this."

---

-138:15:37

Risei Kotomine stood in front of his church's benches with a heavy face. "The Holy Grail War currently faces a deep crisis," he began in a tone loud enough for all to hear, aided by the room's acoustics. However, there seemed to be no one inside the room other than himself. "The Holy Grail is supposed to pass its blessing upon the Master and Servants that have rightfully won it. But there is a traitor in this War."

Oh, but he was indeed not alone. It was simply that instead of joining this meeting in person, the Masters were cautious enough to only send familiars in their place. An amethyst owl, a preening hawk, a little mouse scurrying about among the stone (and tellingly avoiding the hawk), a mutated insectoid that could've only been spawned by the Matou family, and a black bat, barely visible. All confirmations that the five Masters he needed to "speak" with were in attendance. Tokiomi had sent his to continue the illusion that he was a solo Master, Caster's Master shouldn't have known, and Kirei was "officially" out of the game.

There was also a moth fluttering about, and Risei thought he saw a crow outside one of the windows, but whether or not they were familiars was difficult to say. Either way, he had his audience, and though the pragmatic nature irked his romantic side a bit, he appreciated that no one could interrupt him this way.

"I've received confirmation that the one who summoned Caster and Berserker X is not only the perpetrator behind the recent serial murders, but the kidnappings throughout the area. He has allowed his only remaining Servant to abduct multiple children for Lord knows what, all without bothering to keep this out of the public eye." The priest's gaze turned stern. "I trust I do not need to elaborate how much of a heinous violation this is to the rules of the War."

He took a step closer towards the pews and went on. "Caster and his Master are henceforth official enemies to you and the completion of the Holy Grail. As such, I invoke my emergency powers as overseer to alter the rules temporarily. All Masters are to withhold battling one another until Caster is no more." Risei then rolled up his right sleeve, exposing a broad forearm with trained muscles, the fruit of his many years with bajiquan.

But what would really catch the attention of the Masters were the many intricate symbols covering his arm. "These are the Command Seals Masters of previous Grail Wars did not use before the conclusions. Having collected them, I know how valuable these can be to all of you, especially with more Servants taking part than ever before." He swept his narrowed gaze across his audience. "I am capable of transferring them to any of you at my discretion. Therefore, consider this an incentive: the Master who succeeds in eliminating Caster and his Master shall receive one additional Seal for each Servant contracted to him."

Risei returned his sleeve to its original position and added. "Working together is not taboo. If this task is accomplished alone, only one will be rewarded; if many cooperate, then those that were allied in carrying out this task will be rewarded. Once I have received proof that Caster is gone, the War may continue as usual." Another look around as he said, "If there are any questions, now is the time to voice them." A hint of humor crept into his next words. "Though that of course is a privilege only for those with human tongues."

Slight rustling sounds echoed through the room as the familiars departed, recalled by their Masters. Checking one last time to ensure he was alone, the old man calmly walked through the building's rear quarters. He took a moment to pause by his son's study, but all was peaceful there. Kirei was likely resting after a long night, and he had every right to. Risei was unashamedly proud of how the young man handled so many tasks, managing that infuriating metallic brute being chief among them.

Then he went on, back to the room with the special phonograph, where his master awaited him. "Excellent work, father Risei," Tokiomi praised him through the brass. "Now, all of the Masters will be on Caster's trail."

"Yes, though a few others were also in attendance," Risei reported. "It may be that outside factors could involve themselves."

The Tohsaka family head hummed through the device, then said, "Assassin can keep an eye open for anything unexpected, but I doubt it. The Mage Association will respect the rules, and any other interlopers can be easily dealt with by the Servants." Tokiomi's confidence soothed the slight nervousness in Risei, and he gave no objections. "Either way, with Command Seals as the reward, El-Melloi, who already expended one for each of his Servants, would never pass up the opportunity. Nor would any other Master. Though, why did you add that alliances would be allowed?"

Lancer X's voice came in, answering for the priest, "Forgive me, Master, it was a slight improvisation on my part. We discussed and agreed that the offer of alliances would maintain the illusion that the Church is indeed neutral."

"My, how devious of you, Lancer X." Tokiomi did not sound disapproving, though, merely amused. And a bit curious.

"And it is, in the end, only an offer, sir." Risei chimed in. When it came to the "X" Servants, he had few complaints concerning Lancer X, and mostly about her choice of clothing anyway. Otherwise, the female staff-wielder was calm, loyal, and frankly the most pleasant to have around among the Servants of their alliance. She tended to be sarcastic but never went out of her way to antagonize anyone. And she proved to have a clever mind herself. "Command Seals are such a precious commodity that none would be willing to share them anyway. Any alliance will fall apart before the final blow is struck. With respect, sir, we consider it a calculated risk."

"…As do I," Tokiomi agreed after some thought. "Though I remind you both not to make such decisions without my approval…"

"Apologies."/ "Of course."

"It's true that little changes. The one who wins and acquires the Seal gains an advantage, of course. Which is why once the others have sufficiently softened up Caster…"

---

"…Archer and Lancer X will finish him." Tokiomi leaned back in his workshop's chair with a confident smile. The plan he had devised was coming together quite well. He turned back to the gramophone beside him. "That is all, father Risei. Get some rest. You've earned it."

"Thank you, sir." Thus, the communication ended. Tokiomi rose from his seat, stifling a little yawn with his hand. High time I got some sleep as well. A few hours will suffice.

As he made for the stairs, Lancer X bowed her head to him. "I shall begin with tracking Caster immediately-"

"No need to tax yourself," he interrupted her with a wave of his hand.

The Servant brought up her head with an uncomprehending look in her eyes. "Master?"

"The other Masters will be scouring the entire city for Caster now. Let them and their Servants expend their energy. With Assassin watching, we will know the exact moment to swoop in and claim victory. Until then, you can remain here on standby, just in case some try to blindside us." Tokiomi had nearly reached the door for the stairs now.

But Lancer X wasn't done. "With respect, Master, even if the others are on the lookout for Caster or his Master, there's no guarantee they'll be found. Those two appear to be utterly insane, with no discernable pattern between their kidnappings." She stepped a little closer to where he had paused but kept a respectful distance. "We have a rough idea of where their hideout may be, and every second that passes is a second where another child could be captured for what only the Elder Gods know."

Tokiomi sighed, his exhaustion catching up with him, but humored his Servant all the same by turning around to her. "If you find Caster so quickly after special rules were implemented, Lancer X, it will raise suspicions. And there are still too many other teams out there for us to risk lifting our charade." He held his arm out to the side. "Wanting to save lives is admirable, but a few children disappearing is nothing too terrible."

"They are young and innocent, Master," Lancer X ground out in forced calm, "with no part in what we are doing. They don't deserve to be pulled from their families and suffer at the hands of madmen, certainly not when we have the power to do something about it!"

Tokiomi shook his head; of course, he should've guessed that she was of a more noble mindset. The ways of the magus ingrained into his being helped him compartmentalize such sentimentality, but it seems that Lancer X wasn't quite as resolute as he'd believed. Maybe that's why she wears that mask. Mirth faded quickly, though, as he noted her tense posture. She didn't look like she was going to strike him, but she wasn't happy either.

Clasping his hands behind his back, the Tohsaka patriarch turned back around while answering. "The sacrifice is regrettable, Lancer X, but few in relative comparison to our goal. I take no pleasure in imagining what fate awaits them, you can trust me on that. On the long run, though, those children are all an acceptable loss."

"Even if one of them were your daughter?"

That cold retort made Tokiomi stop dead in his tracks. Clenching his hands behind his back, he drew in a breath before replying as neutral as he could, "Those two hooligans will not so much as lay an eye on her. She is in safe hands with her mother."

But the Edenian Heroic Spirit refused to back down. Though it pained her to use that little girl to prove her point, she needed her Master to understand just what might be at stake. "Until those 'hooligans' are dead and gone, no one in Fuyuki City is safe. This is a War, Master. Nothing ever goes truly according to plan in war, I learned that much long ago. And the losses aren't always acceptable." She stormed up to right behind him. "You have me at your disposal, and I am willing to fight. More than willing! So, let me go out and make sure that they can never endanger anyone before negligence might put Rin at-"

The name of his sole (remaining) daughter made him whirl around to glare in silent fury at her. Credit where credit was due, she didn't waver by a millimeter. Turquoise clashed with hazel as Master and Servant stood opposed in their ideals. Finally, Tokiomi closed his eyes and breathed deeply to regain some control of his temper. When he opened them again, the anger was still there, but mixed with exhaustion and something else, Lancer X noticed. Something… tender.

But he simply said, "I am retiring to my room for a few hours. We may finish our discussion when I have rested. Until then, Lancer X, you are to remain on watch here at the manor." He lifted one finger between them. "Do not engage in any other activity without my knowledge and my express approval. Do you understand?" A silent warning crept along his words.

Her knuckles clenched audibly, but she replied, "…Yes, Master," and stiffly bowed her head in acknowledgement.

A lesser man would've grunted at the sign of submission, but a Tohsaka was better than that. Even when tired. So, he simply turned on his heel and opened the door to the stairs. Before he stepped up to them, however, he said in obvious disappointment, "I expected your loyalty when I summoned you," he uttered her True Name as a final displeasure, "Jade."

The Heroic Spirit calmly rose her head to gaze at the back of his head. "And I swore it to you, Tokiomi Tohsaka," she replied, her frustration gone now, replaced by her own weariness. "But my definition of loyalty is not limited to blindly following orders." And with that, she shifted into spirit form.

Tokiomi shook his head; much as he would've ordered her back to explain just what she was talking about, but he didn't trust himself to make that order without accidentally activating a Command Seal. Tired though he was, he wouldn't waste it on a trivial argument. A Tohsaka was better than that. Instead, he let his legs take him up the stairs, into the main part of the manor, up another flight of stairs (Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to have an elevator installed in this place…), then to his room.

But as he dressed into his sleepwear, Tokiomi couldn't help but think about his little girl. Her eager eyes when he taught her something new about magecraft, the way she pouted whenever she did something wrong and stubbornly insisted it was right, just like a Tohsaka, he thought fondly, and how she used to play around with…

Something twisted inside him. He sighed. He found himself thinking often about these little things despite himself, and he knew exactly who was responsible. Lancer X had proven herself not only competent in battle, but also in conversation, and far more sociable than Archer with her Master. And with Kirei and Risei handling the minutia, they had a fair bit of time to chat. Tokiomi came to learn about her True Name and abilities, and he found himself quite interested in this mystical realm, "Edenia," she had described so beautifully. And he in turn had opened up about the Tohsaka family history, his studies, and Aoi and Rin.

Of course, both kept certain details close to their chest. Lancer X masked herself especially whenever the conversation drifted towards her later life, though Tokiomi guessed that it had something to do with that tyrant she mentioned, and much as he liked her, he danced around the topic of… Sakura.

A wise choice, he told himself now while sitting down on his bed. If the recent clash was any indication, she wouldn't begin to understand the finer details of magus families. What I did, I did for her sake. Hers and Rin's. It was for the best.

And so, Tokiomi Tohsaka laid back into his bed and closed his eyes (stifling a single teardrop), allowing himself to fall into a deep slumber…

Filled with random dreams of battle, bloodshed and friendship, love, loyalty… and heartbreak.

---

"U-um… Is… this the… Mackenzie residence?"

"Yes, that is the name of the family that owns this house."

The voice sounded friendly enough, but the delivery man could barely keep the stiff smile on his face as he gazed up at the towering man of dark skin and smile showing too many teeth for his taste. Then honed instincts kicked in, and he asked tentatively, "W-well, then… who would be… Mr. Alexander, King of Conquerors?"

Not for the first time, he asked himself, Is this for real?

Then the big man said, "That is me," his smile somehow getting bigger.

"O-oh!" The poor man hastily returned it (or tried to). "I-I see…" he fiddled with the large package in his hands and the clipboard balanced atop, a nervous laugh escaping him. "In that case…" he held the clipboard and pen, "could you please sign here on the receipt?"

The man looked confused for a moment before brightening. "Ah, you want my signature? But of course!" He swiped the pen and casually scribbled his name (yes, that crazy title) and passed it back. "My thanks."

"T-thank you for your patronage…" the employee stammered out as the package was pulled out of his hands. The door slammed shut, and he stumbled back to his ride, wondering, I so need a raise…

Meanwhile, Iskandar, King of Conquerors, happily tore apart the outer covering to reveal the package's contents in the dining hall. He then swiftly slipped on the white T-shirt with the kanji, "Admirable Tactics" on, flexing his massive muscles with a hearty laugh. "The entire world mapped across my chest…" he said, eyes shut in delight, "…what a treat!"

"Goody gumdrops…" Saber X muttered while leaning back in a chair at the table. A half-full mug of tea was stuck in his hand. He rubbed his head with a grumble. "Keep it down, will ya? Not the worst hangover I've had, but it's still a bitch."

Rider laughed again, not lowering his volume by one octave. "It's to be expected, considering you consumed as much as Berserker X and I together! The eternal battle with alcohol. Even Servants can suffer from the aftereffects, eh?"

"Yeah, if they guzzle down too much…." Qrow took a sip from his tea before tipping his chair back on all four feet. "Looks like I discovered that level. Ugh, I'd have thought it'd be a little bigger." Traveling around for any distraction from the jackhammers inside his skull, his eyes narrowed at the shirt. "Isn't that the design on the strategy game you play all the time?"

"It is indeed." Rider brought up both arms for a pose. "Ah, I simply couldn't resist the advertisement."

"That's kinda the idea behind advertisements, Kandy." The conversation ended, though, when they heard a stumble and a yelp from the stairs. Both heads turned as the door opened to reveal a tired glaring face.

Waver Velvet may've slumped into his bed the moment he came home, but the "party" his Servants had thrown to celebrate Berserker X joining them had hampered his sleep. Sure, they might've agreed not to have their fun at the house itself out of concern for the elderly couple's rest (Oh sure, show restraint around them, but those guys can do all the crap you want with me, their damn Master!), but Waver couldn't help but tremble at them "hitting the town."

With their newest recruit, that expression might've been literal. Thankfully, nothing in the morning news showed any signs of them doing that, so there was hope.

In his present state, he looked even more haggard than Saber X as he staggered over to the table and collapsed into a chair with a moan. The result of exhaustion, providing mana for three different Servants with pitifully average Magic Circuits, and violent dreams of black monsters with white, red-marked skulls for faces and more violence. The scream, "JUST DIE ALREADY, YOU FUCKING CURSE!" rang through his head even now. Where had that even come from?

And, of course, there was his mixed feeling of triumph and defeat from last night. Defeat because, well, he'd been a shivering coward the entire time, hanging on to Rider's cape as his Servants protected him and then fainting like a little girl in front of everyone; and triumph because… his Servants had defended him against Lord El-Melloi. He'd been helpless in the wake of his professor's earnest desire to kill him, and these two before him still defied the man, calling him a coward worse than Waver. For just a brief moment, the pitiful boy of commoner birth had been better than El-Melloi.

But right now, all he could feel was exhaustion. "Where are Grandfa- the Mackenzies?" he corrected himself. No need to keep up the illusion around these two.

"Out together for a walk," Saber X answered while sliding a fresh cup of tea over, which the boy accepted. "I spotted them a few blocks down while heading back here after the meeting."

Waver blew into the ceramic a few times before taking a sip, then sighed as some tension released. "So, you were there too?" A humph that meant "yes" was his answer. Waver wanted to go on about the new situation he'd literally learned right after waking up, but one look at Rider and his next question was, "What are you wearing?"

The large Servant showed his front chest proudly. "Something I ordered and arrived just now."

"You went outside?!" Waver's furious eyes turned to the other one. "And you let him?!"

"He stopped on the threshold of the front door, pipsqueak."

"I told you, Rider, not to leave the second floor! And where's Berserker X?"

"Still in spirit form, I'd wager," Rider answered with a good-humored shrug, "slumbering like a baby, as they say nowadays."

A heavy snore made all of the walls in the house shudder. One or two pictures fell off their nails. "…Yeah, like a baby chainsaw," Saber X muttered. The newest member in their ranks had basically shut down after they came home, sleeping while dematerialized in an attempt to replenish his reserves. Even with Waver steadily supplying him, his Circuits just weren't strong enough to fill up such vast stores of mana. One more day, though, and he'd be back at full strength.

The student then remembered one other crucial detail. "Hold on… how did you even pay for that shirt? Or did you go and knock out the deliveryman and leave him outside?"

"Oh no, I compensated the service fairly." Rider casually held up Waver's wallet and tossed it over. The boy desperately caught it and looked inside, breathing in relief when he saw that most of his money was still there. Not like he could've stopped either of these two from cleaning him out if they wanted to.

Rider was still flexing about in the small room. "I have to say, the other Saber inspired me last night." He admired his new skintight shirt. "If I, too, wear clothing, there shall be no trouble at all for moving about this city in corporeal form!"

Meaning even more mana would be expended for his upkeep, maybe for the others, too, judging by how thoughtful Saber X looked… A tiny dark part of Waver's mind cursed Saber and her Master for planting this idea into the fat lummox's mind.

And Rider continued unabashed. "With Qrow and the residents out, Kenpachi resting, and you tending to your familiar, boy, who else could answer the doorbell?"

"I had to." Waver set down his mug on the rim of the table and leaned back in his chair. "The Church summoning the Masters is a rare occurrence."

"And in this case, they've changed the rules temporarily, Rider." Saber X addressing him by his class drew his attention and their Master's. The Huntsman had pushed his mug and (most of) his hangover aside to get serious. "Caster and his boss have been making a big mess, and we're supposed to hunt them down. All of the Masters and Servants. Until now, the War's technically on hold."

"Technically?" Rider asked with a solemn expression.

Saber X nodded with a knowing look and went on. "Master of the one who puts those mad dogs down gets Command Seals as payment, and I gotta admit, that is enticing." Waver glanced at him in curiosity, making him scoff. "C'mon, kid, don't you remember what he said? The triumphant hero gets one extra Command Seal for each Servant on his payroll. You've got three of us." He shrugged. "Do the math."

Waver did. Three Servants, all of which he'd manage to keep without expending any Seals yet. So, if he were to have Rider, Saber X or Berserker X take down Caster, he'd have twelve Seals in total, twice that of any normal group… he'd be able to rein them in and still win…

"If you wanna look dignified, you shouldn't drool, pipsqueak."

Qrow's snark and Iskandar's laugh snapped Waver out of his daydreaming. He hastily wiped away the liquid from his mouth while glaring at them. Then he noticed that Rider was sauntering off to the front door. "Heyheyheyhey, stop right there!" he bolted after him.

"Oh, what now?" Rider whined as he stopped at least. "I have modern clothes now, and there is a city to explore. Enemies to find! A world to see in daylight!"

"Y-you can't go out there without at least putting trousers on!" Waver called desperately.

That made him glance up in thought, down at his bare legs. He was thankfully wearing gray boxers, but between there and his boots, there was nothing covering him. "Oh, right, those leggings everyone seems to wear nowadays…" he glanced back to his compatriots. "Do I really have to?"

"If you don't wanna scar kids for life…" Saber X muttered behind his Master, tellingly keeping his eyes up, "Yes. Yes, you do."

"And before you even think about it," Waver snapped, "I am not going into town just to buy you XXXL-size pants!"

"Excuse me?!" Rider bellowed. "Are you trying to stop my majestic conquest?!"

THUNK. "Dammit, now I'm starting to see pictures…" Saber X grumbled with his head against the wall. "This is why I hate being sober."

"You, shut up!" Waver snapped his index finger away from the drunk moron and pointed it at the loud moron. "And you, conquest and pants have absolutely nothing to do with each other! Zou, zip, nada!" What the hell was I thinking?! "Go kill a Servant or two first before having a bloody party! Do that, and then maybe I'll buy you trousers!"

"Oh, fine," the King of Conquerors sighed before a sly grin played across his face. Waver felt a new sense of dread, the new THUNK behind him not mitigating it. "If I were to dispatch another Servant… I'll have your word that you'll purchase trousers?"

Waver felt so defeated right now. Maybe it was his exhaustion, maybe it was Rider's Charisma, maybe both, but regardless, but he gave in with a sigh. "You really want to walk these streets dressed in modern clothes?"

"But of course!" Rider laughed. "The King of Knights did it as well, and as another King, I cannot allow myself to fall behind. And besides," he placed a hand over his chest, "I like this design. A fitting shirt for the King of Conquerors!"

Waver slumped. One of history's most famous heroes, ladies and gentlemen… Oh, dammit, Saber X's humor is starting to rub off on me.

Said Servant brushed lightly past him. "Okay, you guys can have fun playing dress-up, I'm outta here." He stepped towards the door.

But Rider stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "Now hold on, why do you get to leave while I have to stay?"

Saber X gave him a flat look. "You mean, aside from the fact that I look more appropriate for the city," he gestured to his dress shirt, black pants and shoes, "than you do?" He got an amused huff as his answer but kept going. "Between you, me and Spiky, I'm the most mana-efficient Servant around. Hence, I'm heading out for clues on where our little psycho duo might be, while you stay put to guard the twerp, Kandy Bar."

"Eh?" Waver snapped his head up. "Guard me from what? There's a cease-fire right now-"

"Officially." Saber X cut him off, scratching his stubble. "But there's no guarantee that all of the other Masters and Servants will stick to it. Hell, with Caster in the spotlight, I wouldn't put it past some of them to use the chaos and stab each other in the dark."

Rider rubbed his own beard in thought as a certain rival of his came to mind. "Aye. And seeing as you, boy, currently have both the largest military force in this War and stand to receive the most spoils by crushing Caster," the student's eyes widened in horror as he grasped the logic, "you may be a priority target." He sighed in slight defeat. "Therefore, we really can't leave you alone right now."

"And with Spiky," Saber X paused as another snore rumbled around them, "hibernating for now, I need you to watch the kid's back while I'm out."

Rider breathed through his nose but didn't object. Qrow may've proven to be a quite solitary person, but he had also been reliable and skilled in battle. He had no doubt he could trust this swordsman. And as a king, he could allow splitting up important tasks to make future conquests smoother. I hate it when I agree to logic, he huffed in good nature.

Saber X nodded to him, then looked back at Waver. "I'll try to narrow down where Caster might be, and if I get a bead on him, all the better." He turned back for the door. "The sooner we catch him, the quicker the kids out there are out of danger."

Something snapped in Waver at that, nearly making him fall to his knees. All the while, he'd been focusing on the Command Seals as the prize, on his own inadequacies, but here both Rider and Saber X stood, making plans beyond such narrow margins. Be it something as moral as protecting innocent children or as stupid as trying on new clothes, they were both moving on with determination toward their goals. They had resolve. And what did he have? Wounded pride, a desire to prove himself? Last night had shown him just what kind of opposition he had, and he'd been quaking in his shoes the whole time while his Servants, all three of them, didn't back down by an inch. Am I really this pathetic?

Unaware of his inner despair, the Servants continued to converse. "Do you have any plan where to start looking?" Rider asked.

"I wish," was the grudging answer. "When you're tracking a serial criminal, the basic move is to discern a pattern. There's always some kind of motive why this place is being robbed, or why those three people got shanked. Find the pattern that connects them, and you've got an idea of where the guy could be heading next."

"You seem well acquainted with this sort of thing. I thought you were trained to hunt monsters on Remnant? You called them …Grimm, if I remember correctly."

"That's right, but a professional Huntsman handles other kinds of peacekeeping jobs, too. Including apprehending criminals. Some of the worst monsters I ever ran into looked and thought just like humans." Qrow instinctively patted his right ribs, the spot where he'd been cut and poisoned. The origin of his death.

He shook off the memory and continued. "And that's basically what any hunt is, finding a pattern that leads you to your prey. Problem is, the only commonality we know right now is that all of Caster's abductees have been kids. Doesn't really narrow it down, even in a city this small." He grumbled a bit, leaning against the door with his hands in his pockets. "If I had a way to track him by magic, I'd do it, but I don't know how-"

Those words sparked something, though, in Waver just now. He tilted his head up with a new glint in his eyes. "I think I might," he said, getting the Servants' attention. "Wait here for a moment, Saber X." He quickly sprinted up the stairs to his room, fished through his suitcase's contents, pulled out what he'd been looking for, and headed back down.

Saber X rose an eyebrow at the set of test tubes his young Master was holding in front of him. "While you're out there," Waver explained to him, "try to collect samples of open water from as many different parts of Fuyuki as you can. Remember to label them, too, so I know where they came from. If you can't find Caster today, then what you bring me may help me discern that pattern you mentioned."

Qrow Branwen eyed the beakers in slight curiosity, then the sudden fire in those young green eyes. He kept a smirk from growing but nodded as he accepted the tools. "Alright, I'll see what I can do. If anything comes up," he tapped his temple, "you know how to reach me."

As he opened the door and strode outside into the cold air, Saber X finally allowed himself to smirk. Kid's starting to show some grit now.

Rider, too, beamed down at his Master as he walked back into the kitchen, noting the determination that had seeped into him. Even as the chair he made to sit on broke and he fell to the floor with a yelp, spilling tea over himself, the old conqueror felt pride. This is only the first step for you, boy. Now you're starting to learn true confidence, and just as this War continues to pick up speed. Ah, what a fine conquest awaits us!

His smile shifted to a frown as a sneering mouth of metal and malice accompanied by glowing red eyes appeared in his mind. His right fist clenched till the knuckles cracked. And what enemies I shall face in this world…

---

Caster X lifted his hand away and stood up from where he'd been kneeling with a sigh, bones creaking beneath his robes. "That should suffice," he noted. "Though I would advise you to show a bit more caution and not let this be a regular occurrence."

"Mrr…" Berserker rumbled, bending his regenerated right arm experimentally. Fortunately for Heroic Spirits, they were basically beings of solidified mana. Injuries could be treated by gathering more mana while healing magic accelerated the process, provided they hadn't been inflicted by weapons with certain powers like Lancer's yellow spear. Even entire limbs could be restored. Flexing his fingers inside his gauntlet, the knight gave a slow nod in seeming thanks.

This came naturally at a cost, though. As he sat propped up against the alley wall, Kariya grunted from those blasted worms rummaging about in him, spurring his Circuits. If it had been him alone, he'd have possibly died trying to return what had been lost. The alternative would have been Berserker fighting the rest of the War with just one arm, and that would've been tantamount to conceding defeat. Once again, he thanked whatever forces in existence that were looking out for him that Caster X had become his other Servant, treating his partner with his own vast stores and skill and thereby sparing him from a night of agony.

Not to say he had a completely peaceful night. Kariya rarely slept well as it was these days, thanks to his dear "father's" "gift." But this night, he'd had strange dreams. Dreams of men in what looked like medieval times, of elves and dwarves often fighting against each other, verbally and physically. Dreams of hideous black and pale creatures, of fiery demons… and a darkness that still made him shiver now.

One glance to the side, at the wizard picking up his staff but leaving his hat on a nearby crate and clapping a hand on the black knight's shoulder with a jest about him hopefully having enough sense despite his madness to watch himself (which earned a clattering noise that almost sounded like a chuckle), gave Kariya Matou an idea of where these dreams had come from.

But ultimately, it didn't really matter what kind of scary-ass skeletons Caster X had in his closet. What mattered was that he was on Kariya's side, that Berserker had all of his limbs again, and that there was still a War to finish and a little girl to save. "Now then," the Master looked up to see both Servants eyeing him, Caster X speaking. "I believe we can return to the matters at hand."

Right. The War had changed its rules now thanks to that crazy other Caster running about from what his Crest Worm familiar had learned. "Yes," Kariya nodded, "the hunt for Caster and his Master is now official. The other Masters are bound to go after those two for the sake of more Command Seals." Good news for us, he thought with a little malicious smile.

Caster X nodded, not yet noticing the expression. "It may not hurt for us to consider allying with another Master for this part." He mused aloud. "Negotiations ought to be possible, seeing as the overseer mentioned gifting all parties involved in stopping them with the Seals."

Kariya perked up at that. "Wait, he did?" The following nod further stirred his confusion. "How do you know that, Caster X? You were busy treating me and Berserker, and this is the first I've mentioned of the meeting."

"Oh, that was due to my little friend here." A small brown moth fluttered from above their heads to a finger Caster X had lifted. "After you told me there was a meeting scheduled, I asked her to go have a look for me." He furrowed his brow as the moth stretched her wings lightly. "Did I not inform you of this?"

"…You didn't." On the one hand, Kariya was slightly peeved that he used his family's wretched Thaumaturgy for something his Servant could've easily handled. But on the other, he could plainly see Animal Dialogue among Caster X's Skills, so he should've figured that he had this kind of trick up his sleeve. Besides, the moth didn't appear to be an actual familiar but more like a messenger, limiting somewhat the information that could be gleaned from the "connection." In the end, he shrugged. "We know enough either way. But an alliance isn't necessary for what I have in mind."

One gray eyebrow rose. "Oh? Though I have faith in my partner's prowess," he glanced at a slowly rattling Berserker; something was agitating him. Caster X continued warily. "Caster's abilities are still unknown to us, Master. Even if we face him together, we could well be walking into a trap. Besides, if we do not speak with the other Servants about working together, we may very well tear each other apart over the chance to stop Caster." He whispered something to the little moth with him and then gently sent her on her way. She would inform her brethren to be on the lookout for any sighting of Caster and report it to him immediately.

Kariya just shook his scarred head. "Caster's something the others can waste their time with. Our target hasn't changed." He bared his teeth into a vicious grin.

Caster X frowned as he picked up on his Master's meaning. "You are still focusing on Tokiomi Tohsaka?" Berserker was trembling more, as though something was rousing his anger again. One look between him and the crippled man before them told the wizard all he needed to know: Kariya's hatred was feeding Berserker's.

And Kariya had yet to realize it. Or if he did, he didn't care. Even with the Crest Worms twitching inside, his thoughts and malice turned to him. "The Church has given us a prime opportunity…" Always him. "Tokiomi will likely send his Servants on the hunt as well." The one who had taken and ruined everything dear to him. "Meanwhile, he'll be snug in his precious mansion." The one he'd make pay.

"The Church has ordered a ceasefire, Master," Caster X reminded him. "If we were to attack Tohsaka now, it may be interpreted as a violation and risk consequences in the future." He fingered his staff warily as Berserker's movements grew further erratic. "Consequences that may hamper our quest and cost us our objective."

The Matou Master laughed coldly. "I'm not afraid of the Church any more than I am of Tokiomi. Berserker sent his golden Servant running with his tail between his legs. And with you backing him, Caster X, there's no Servant that can stop us." He relished in the memories of last night, Berserker deflecting a rain of weapons and nothing but sheer skill. And the dreams he'd witnessed as well as the sword hanging by his hip spoke tales of Caster X being no slouch in battle himself. He'd been given an unbeatable duo! Berserker was growling at the sky now, eager for bloodshed again. Good. One Worm bit into his lower jaw, drawing a wince from him, but he absorbed the pain as fuel. "And Tokiomi will die."

"And all the while, Caster continues to wander about, abducting children and slaughtering people?"

Kariay frowned and glared up at the disapproving face of his Servant, frustrated at his excitement being hampered. "That Servant can get torn to shreds by the rest, I don't care! Let the rest of the idiots tear each other apart just to get some Seals-"

"I have no interest in Seals, Kariya," Caster X interrupted him. "Caster's a credible threat to this city and all of its children. And we should not assume that others will stop him simply because of a prize dangled in front of them. There is more at stake here than a chance for petty revenge."

Petty? PETTY?! Doesn't he understand what that bastard's done?! Kariya made to snap something, angry that his Servant, the one he'd trusted and liked all this time, wouldn't back his plans-

"Would you be so relaxed about Caster running about if Sakura were in his clutches?"

Those words made Kariya choke up on his own. That sweet little girl appeared in his mind again, her once ebony hair and beautiful turquoise eyes twisted purple from the "magic" of the Matou. Her empty gaze bore though him, making him slump back against the wall.

Above him, Caster X shook his head in slight disappointment. "I pledged my loyalty to you, Kariya Matou, because I saw a broken man in need of aid. And because you said you acted out of a desire to save a little girl from a cruel fate. I trusted your word, then."

"Y-you still can," the man muttered, rubbing his left arm. "S-she's innocent, Gandalf. She's the whole reason I chose this. I have to save her-"

"And I shall continue to help you with that task." Caster X knelt down to squeeze his shoulder. Kariya needed only one look in his eyes to know he was telling the complete truth. "But right now, somewhere in this city, there may be another little girl, or a boy, that is falling into the clutches of Caster and the cretin that brought him into this world. That young soul may be suffering now as Sakura has. My heart tells me I cannot abandon them any more than I can abandon your… niece." His lips pursed in distaste. "And certainly not to settle a grudge."

Kariya's single functioning eye blazed for a second, drawing a howl from Berserker, then it faded as he turned his head to the side in frustrated shame. Caster X sighed in compassion; he could tell the battered soul before him was fighting for love, but his actions and thoughts were muddied by hatred for Tohsaka.

And that hatred was blinding him not just to the pain of others, but tactically as well. Caster X was not as optimistic about their chances in the War as his Master. Lancer X's abilities were mostly unknown to them, aside from her trouncing Assassin. Archer had been forced leave by Command Seal, but he could've very well continued to fight. Perhaps on a level beyond his initial skirmish with Berserker, if that colossal array of golden portals was any indication.

And speaking of Berserker, his abilities were impressive, his skill with weaponry baffling beyond belief; Caster X had known seasoned Elves that would've turned green with envy at the black knight's prowess. But that didn't mean he was invincible. Assassin X had managed fight on near par with him, even dealing a mortal blow. And Gandalf suspected that there were others that may be close to that level as well, such as Lancer or Saber.

Saber… that young girl with the posture of a knight, the sword of concealment and the eyes of a king. Just what was it about her that had set Berserker off like that? Had they known each other in life? Thinking back, his partner kept snarling something around her. A name…?

The old wizard sighed quietly. As always, his task was more difficult at first appearance. And darkness continued to gather, in particular around certain individuals that had answered the Grail's call. Another aspect that troubled him. The light seemed to be mere glimmers in this city.

But, the Gray Wizard reminded himself as determination flashed in his eyes, that does not make them any less worth fighting for. He had stood for it in Middle-Earth, he would again here.

And it started with his comrades. He then glanced over at the twitching, snarling armored beast of a man next to him. Darkness rippled over him like a violent waterfall as the visor glowed crimson with rising fury. "Ar… Ur…" Caster X stepped closer to him without fear and lifted the tip of his staff towards him. A little light shone from the wood, pushing back the dark and noticeably calming the beast down again, showing some glimmer of the man buried within.

Once Berserker had fully stilled, his partner began to speak. "I know not why your grievance lies with her," a black gauntlet clenched, but Caster X didn't waver, "nor do I know what suffering in life drove you to this madness. But I believe that there is a light beneath your darkness." The black man gave no sound, took no action other than lowering his head so that the visor peered at the ground. Like a chastised dog… or a man deep in thought.

Gandalf nodded to himself. In truth, the spell he cast wasn't all that powerful alone, but regularly using it on Berserker was helping to temper his outbursts, keep him calm and capable of reason. But the biggest factor, the wizard believed, was that deep inside the maddened Servant, a tiny part of the man he once was fought to regain his sanity. The spells served as a foothold, but it would ultimately be his own will that determined whether or not the knight within would reach the surface.

In a way, Master and Servant had that in common, the "X" Servant mused with some humor.

He donned his hat and began to march out of the alley, staff thunking on the asphalt with each step his right foot took. But he then turned around to look at the chastened pair before him, sternness gone. "I hope with all my heart the both of you prove me right."

Those were Caster X's last words before he shimmered away into spirit form.

---

-134:52:18

Kayneth withdrew one more piece from its casing and laid it delicately on the table, then stepped away with a pleased smile. Clasping his arms behind his back, he took a moment to bask in the collection of magical artistry before him, the culminations of other pioneers in the thaumaturgical arts… all at his disposal. "Please," he called to the left, "join me."

Sola-Ui sauntered over to his side, fresh off a little stroll through Shinto. Her (beautiful) eyes immediately narrowed at the array of objects laid before her. "Are these all…" she asked tentatively, "Mystic Codes?"

Kayneth answered, "Every single one of them," with delight. Lancer materialized from behind him and Sola-Ui, quickly drawing the latter's attention. The Master's fingers curled a bit at the tiny smile she gave the Servant; he may need to do something about that blasted Love Spot after all. A magus of Sola-Ui's caliber shouldn't be so easily affected, so he had originally little concern, but now…?

Archer X came last, stepping out of spirit form to the other side of his fiancée. Lancer turned his head from Sola-Ui to her (failing to notice the hurt that flickered on her face) and asked his partner, "Any sign of trouble?"

"Nothing." Archer X shook her head. Kayneth scoffed at their paranoia; both had been particularly vigilant ever since that fire last night. He himself had been slightly disappointed that no one had actually attacked (it would've been fun to watch them flail about in the security he'd laid out over the hotel), but no matter. Either the Einzbern magus had lost her nerve, or it had been a simple prank some brat from below had caused. Not that it stopped his Servants from keeping a close eye on the Hyatt and its surroundings. Oh well, as long as they were ready when needed and didn't go overboard with their abilities, necessitating more mana on, well, Sola-Ui's part, he didn't care about what they did in their spare time.

Besides, both he and his wife-to-be had enjoyed an extravagant brunch, compliments of the Hyatt's staff. Their little way of ensuring he wouldn't choose a rival hotel as his new residence. Not that Kayneth would've in this ridiculous district. He had standards, after all.

The Servant of the Bow leaned over the table, her visor trailing over the many different objects on its surface. "So, these are Mystic Codes, huh?" She at least had the decency not to touch anything, Kayneth noted in some approval. "What the heck does that even mean, that all this stuff," she glanced to the others and waved her arm at the table, "is like a bunch of magic wands?"

Sola-Ui let out a sound of amusement while Kayneth just rolled his eyes. Right, that brute said she was from a science-dominant world. Hopefully, she doesn't do anything that might trap us all in another dimension. "In a sense, yes," he answered aloud. "Mystic Codes are tools we magi use to expedite our magecraft. They generally fall into two categories of use: supplementing their user's Magical Energy or fulfilling a predetermined function."

Sola-Ui peered at the various objects, noting how magic seemed to emanate from some of them. "And if I am correct," she tapped her lip with her index finger, "most of these are of the latter variety." She didn't react to her future husband's swelling, instead curious about something else. "How exactly did you acquire them, Kayneth? These don't all look like your handiwork."

"Some I received as gifts from colleagues, others I had brought to me from various expeditions." His gloved hand held up an amethyst crystal with multiple little symbols inscribed on all of its sides. "This here is a preserved experiment from Solomon ibn Gabirol."

Sola-Ui hummed in thought before snapping her fingers. "Ah, the Spanish philosopher who developed the Kabbalah System. Credited as a pioneer in Golemancy, yes?" Beside her, Diarmuid tilted his head as he pondered. Could he be in the Throne of Heroes?

"Indeed. This gem," he gently tapped his index finger against the polished surface, "is a fruit of his studies. It has been inscribed with a special code and tinted in magic so that by placing it into a sufficiently large solid surface and uttering a command phrase, one can quickly summon forth a golem that serves the one that said the phrase." Kayneth gently set it back on the cloth. "One of the good poet's many attempts to reproduce Adam, from what I've heard."

He then picked up a crude dagger of obsidian, the edges stained an eternal red. "This is the tecpatl of a Mayan priest, having been supposedly saturated in the blood of a hundred Spanish invaders' hearts and blessed on an altar during a solar eclipse. Particularly useful for divination and blood rituals." The blade was then set aside and replaced with a golden medallion that had a single Egyptian eye surrounded by hieroglyphs. "This has been called the Eye of Ra because it can store sunlight and release it again in blasts of concentrated light and heat. An archaeological gift from a friend of mine who lives in Cairo."

Archer X crossed her arms as she surveyed the Mystic Codes again. "Alright, I'm a little impressed. And you brought all of them with you for the Grail War?" She tilted her head. "Or just to show off?"

Lord El-Melloi merely turned his chin at her. "Don't be ridiculous, Archer X." He gestured towards the tabletop. "Each of these artifacts can prove useful for tracking or defeating the other Masters or even granting you or Lancer an edge over your enemies. You'll be thanking me for my foresight once we've found Caster and won the War." He arched an eyebrow at the armored Servant. "In that order, under my command."

"Yeah, yeah…" Archer X's helmet prevented anyone from seeing her eyes rolling, but the twit still picked up on it.

Lancer walked to another side of the table, trying to tune out the bickering his lord and his partner. Just when I thought she was starting to show some restraint, he mused with some sadness. Some of these Mystic Codes, though, intrigued him a little. He had been no expert on magic in life, but he respected those capable in the life. And he knew fine craftsmanship when he saw it.

That's when his eyes were drawn to the largest object; a sort of metal lantern with copper rods poking out on four different sides, runes of a language he didn't recognize carved along its surface, a silver valve on top, and a clear crystal behind the glass where a candle would be.

Intrigued by this peculiarity (and looking for any excuse to stop their argument), Lancer straightened and looked over the lady (who hadn't taken her eyes off him for the last minute) to where the man was opening his mouth for another chiding of the black soldier. "Forgive me, my lord," both turned to the knight, "but what exactly is this contraption?"

Kayneth's eyes narrowed at what his Servant of the Spear was pointing toward before widening. "Ah, yes." He leaned over the table and carefully pulled the lantern closer so the rest could gather around it. "This device was loaned to me recently as an object of study. Do you Servants know of the Kaleidoscope?"

Judging by how both Lancer and Archer X stiffened instantly, the answer was a resounding yes.

Sola-Ui was taken aback, too. "You mean… the Lord Wizard Marshall… gave you this thing?" She looked at the device with newfound awe. No one in the magic community of this world took anything involved with Zeltretch lightly. Not if they wanted to stay alive and sane. "Did… did he build this?"

Treating it with a bit of deference himself, Kayneth shook his head. "Not quite. Lord Zeltretch knocked on my office door two weeks before I flew here with you, Sola-Ui, and presented me with this. According to him, it is a functional prototype of something 'an old friend' of his had been working on for some time now." The professor shrugged his shoulders at the confused looks he received. "He didn't say who, only that they had agreed to loan me this in recognition of my talents." And partially for their own amusement, it seems…

He frowned at two incredulous looks cast his way, but Lancer quickly cleared his throat. "What exactly does this device do, then?"

Kayneth decided to let the insolence of the other Servant slide and held up the lantern. "From what I've been told, this is a form of magical technology. A machine that once activated draws in mana from the surrounding atmosphere, purifies it and stores it for immediate or later use." He held it a little higher while pointing to its inside. "The crystal is a repository, while the copper rods serve as attractors. Magical Energy would be drawn into it with each second while active. And a simple connecting spell is all that's required to access its store."

"Does this device have a name?"

Kayneth's face froze at Lancer's innocent question. "Yes… he said it was called the," the corner of his lip twitched, "Prismatrix Reactor."

He could feel the flatness of the stare Archer X gave him. "Seriously?"

"Seriously." Kayneth sighed. "Lord Zeltretch mentioned that his friend was a …quirky fellow. Anyway, I was told it could serve as an asset for experiments or as a sort of backup supply for the both of you, if need be."

Archer X's fingers drummed against her folded arms. "How much can it store?"

"Enough to light up a city block, according to the Wizard Marshall." Kayneth was a little in disbelief even now. "And he stressed that this was merely a prototype."

His audience openly gaped at the Prismatrix Reactor (Kayneth swore to himself that he would devise a better name for this marvel if it was the last thing he ever did) now. Sola-Ui was the one who finally spoke. "…If it could store that much Magical Energy…Kayneth… why did you bother altering the contract? This alone could keep at least two Servants at full strength for the entire length of the War."

"I didn't wish to take any risks with this reactor before I had a chance to fully study it." He placed the heavy lantern carefully back on the table with a thoughtful frown. "There is a reason a prototype is a prototype, Sola-Ui. Some flaw in the design or use that may cause trouble." Kayneth crossed his arms behind his back. "And with something that can hold that much energy inside, I'd rather not risk blasting this building off the map." He scowled at a sound, glaring toward the source. "Anything to say, Archer X?"

She quickly forced down her laughter and replied, "Nothing, boss." He didn't look convinced, but she changed the subject. "So, did he tell you how to activate this thing?"

Lancer chose to step in, curious himself. "Yes, it could still be of use in the later parts of the War."

Kayneth glanced between them, then consented by tapping the valve. "This here is a sort of on-off switch. Twisting it counterclockwise turns it on, clockwise deactivates it, which also locks whatever Magical Energy is inside for study or future use. Currently, the Reactor is completely empty. Therefore, it requires a catalyst of sorts for first use after turning it on. A sudden transfer of high-quality mana would suffice.

"However, I shall not activate it until I have had more time to analyze its inner workings. And the current arrangements for keeping you both here are sufficient." Easy for you to say, you're not the one supplying them, Sola-Ui thought but didn't say, merely staring at her fiancé dispassionately. He in turn didn't notice, settling for picking up a collection of enchanted nails. "And more importantly, the Church has granted us an opportunity to replenish my lost Command Seals. By bringing Caster's head."

Lancer brought his right hand up to his chest and bowed. "As you wish, my lord." Beside him, Archer X nodded once. About the most respect she'd shown him since they'd met.

But he'd take it. Lord El-Melloi held up the nails in his right hand with a predatory smirk. "These will help us in divining that rogue Servant's location." His left hand rose to show a single test tube filled with a silver liquid to his Servants. His own Supreme Mystic Code. "And this time, I'll be joining the battlefield myself."

---

-131:23:03

Hidden away in Fuyuki City's western woods, the castle that belonged to the Einzberns since the Third Holy Grail War stood resolute among the fog. Inside, its occupants had just finished cleaning up the remnants of their dinner.

Irisviel may've been a homunculus of Einzbern design, but even she required food to sustain herself. Especially with her special circumstances. So, when dinnertime had rolled around, she had been wondering what to eat when Saber had shown her a small pamphlet of a ramen store in Fuyuki that delivered. Her friend had apparently heard about this noodle-soup dish from her partner and believed it might be worth sampling. For all of them, of course.

Irisviel still wondered to herself now if Assassin X's pack had taught Saber how to make her eyes look so irresistibly cute when asking for something.

Kiritsugu had sighed but conceded to his wife's request, the call was made for five servings, and the food was quickly collected by a Shadow Clone of Assassin X, their fastest runner, who brought dinner to them in only fifteen minutes. Impressive, considering it was an hour-long drive to the city, but that's a Servant for you.

The meal had been eaten in relative silence, and the ramen was unanimously approved. What had drawn Saber's ire, though, was a bit of frustration with her chopsticks. To be fair, she was from a European kingdom of a thousand years ago, and it looks like Grail knowledge does not extend to eating utensils of different cultures. That said, Irisviel, who had learned the fine art of chopsticks from her beloved, barely kept herself from giggling at how the King of Knights had been this close to pouting over how she failed to corral the slim pieces of wood.

And she knew that she had seen a tiny smile on Kiritsugu's face when one high-flying noodle got stuck on the chandelier.

Fortunately, a chuckling Assassin X quickly taught his partner the old rubber band trick, and from there, Saber had radiated with delight as she slurped down her bowl's contents. All while maintaining a king's dignity in the process, no joke.

All of the other diners, including Maiya to her own little surprise, were a bit peeved that they somehow failed to see Assassin X's face during the entire meal. How had he done that?!

But the fun was over now. It was time for War.

Maiya brought a folder full of their collective intel to the dining table and spread out its contents, Assassin X and Saber helping her. The former noticed her bandaged hand. "How are you doing?" he asked quietly.

Maiya calmly unwound the bandage to show no trace of the injury Kotomine had inflicted. "Madam patched me up this afternoon. I won't be having any trouble."

He nodded at her answer and went back to unfolding a map of Fuyuki when he heard, "…Thank you." He glanced back up to see the woman unclip two other pages from one another, her demeanor unchanged. Assassin X said nothing but gave her an eye-smile.

Next to his subordinate, Kiritsugu was utterly focused on the printed pictures of some of Fuyuki. His ears picked up on a sound, drawing his head up. "You alright, Irisviel?" Saber asked, stepping beside her.

His wife withdrew her hand from her mouth as the yawn. "Just a little tired, Saber. Don't mind me." She smiled, but it did little to reassure Kiritsugu. She had gone to bed only after successfully convincing him with Assassin X's help to get some rest, and Kiritsugu's dreams aside, she had still received more sleep than him in the last few days overall. Not that it hindered him all that much; the Magus Killer had learned to live off short rests long ago.

For Iri, though, it could mean- he shook his head. No time for thinking like that.

He drew the map of Fuyuki closer and placed a picture of a temple complex over a specific part. "There's a powerful Bounded Field surrounding Mt. Enzou, with Ryuudou Temple being its point of origin." He circled the area with a red marker. "Due to its composition, anything that isn't a natural spirit, like a Servant, is prohibited from entering any way other than via the mountain path."

"Does that include Servants that do not originate from this world?" Saber asked, glancing to her partner.

"Unfortunately," was Kiritsugu's answer. "I had him try his luck today at noon."

Assassin X nodded as he took over. "I tried reaching the top from every direction, but only the path worked for me. Everywhere else, by tree or ground, it was like an invisible wall blocked my movements." He shrugged. "At least we can bet that the others will likely have the same problem. I doubt even Rider X can just fly in there."

"Still, you'll have to watch yourself in that area, Saber," Kiritsugu retook control of the briefing. He continued to circle more spots on the map. "The leylines underneath Fuyuki gather at three more spots: the Tohsaka manor, Fuyuki Church," he tapped his marker against the last spot, "and the new residential area east of the main city. Which means we have four possible locations with the spiritual necessities to call forth the Grail."

"And once the War enters the second stage and the number of Servants has decreased," Irisviel continued the train of thought, "we'll have to secure one of these spots as a new base of operations, right?"

"Right." Kiritsugu nodded before taking out a small number of pins that he began to affix to the map. "Assassin X's hounds have been tracking down the other Servants and giving us a good idea where their Masters would be." Maiya had equipped each of the dogs with the same kind of CCD cameras her bat familiars carried and tracking devices before their owner had dispatched them. All had reported their findings within an hour, increasing his respect of them and allowing him to narrow down their positions. "As expected, the Archer's trail led back to the Tohsaka grounds. Getting past the Bounded Field would take some time but isn't impossible. And we already know El-Melloi's staying at the Hyatt." His teeth clenched at the failed bombing last night, but it couldn't be helped. He already had something new in mind.

"As for the boy that is most likely in possession of three Servants now," a pin sank into a hill in Miyama Town, "the lot seems to have hunkered down in a small residence here." Aside from the fact that three Servants of high destructive level were there, he hadn't seen any particular traps or the like. "The hounds regrettably still can't track Berserker, likely for the same reason I can't read his stats, but Caster X, his partner, is another story." He let a pin hover over the alley network of Shinto.

Assassin X scratched his chin pensively. "You told us that aside from the Einzberns and Tohsakas, the Matous were on of the Founding Families. And the one that was pushed into joining this War is probably the Master of Berserker and Caster X, right?"

"Yes, but from what I could tell about your dogs' intel, he isn't at the known Matou mansion but somewhere inside Shinto's alleys."

Maiya spoke up for the first time during the briefing. "Could it be that they were misled?"

Assassin X tilted his head at the suggestion. "It's possible. Caster X seemed like a clever one from what I saw. And my boys have mentioned that a Servant stepping into spirit form muddies the scent somewhat for them."

"Still, it won't hurt to keep both possibilities open," Kiritsugu concluded, setting the tacks aside. He cast his gaze over those assembled. "That covers the basics of the city's topography and our targets' locations. Any questions?"

All silently shook their heads no. Then his wife frowned in thought. "Kiritsugu, the other Masters will be hunting down Caster, right?"

"With the reward the overseer offered, I'm sure. But we have the advantage over them." A cold smirk travelled along his face. "We know his True Name… and he's convinced himself that Saber is his precious Jeanne d'Arc. That'll work in our favor. Instead of having to scour the city for him, Caster will come to us and fall into our trap."

If Assassin X felt uneasy about letting this reported madman roam free, Saber was growing livid. "Master," she interjected, "waiting isn't enough. Caster's villainy is unacceptable and putting even more lives at risk. We should find him before he inflicts any more damage."

Kiritsugu lost his smirk but kept his stare at the map. The bigger picture. The disregard for honor, for human lives nearly made Saber's restraint snap, but then she noticed Assassin X eyeing her. He gave her a little nod while tapping his headband. Saber's own eyes widened as she got his message. "Besides," she quickly added, "there's one other advantage we have over Caster. We have his scent."

That made Kiritsugu glance back up in thought while Irisviel snapped her fingers. "That's right," she exclaimed, "Pakkun and Guruko were with us when we ran into him! They know what Caster smells like, they can find him."

The Master drummed his fingers against the table, considering the possibility. Those dogs were turning out to be another unexpected but potent asset. "…Maybe. It might mean stepping into Caster's territory, though, where he'd have the advantage…" he glanced towards his Servant's left arm. "And you're still not at full fighting capacity."

"I can back her up while tracking him," Assassin X chimed in. "Or if you're insistent on me staying with you and Maiya, Master, I can provide her with a clone instead." He shared a smile with a grateful Saber.

Kiritsugu hummed in thought before finally saying, "…We'll leave that possibility open for now." He ignored the sense of camaraderie between his Servants; someone had to focus on the bigger picture. "But we still need to take precautions while here. Iri, have you figured out how to work the security spells inside the forest?"

Irisviel nodded brightly. "Yes, they shouldn't be difficult." Then her excitement faded. "But… aside from Lancer's curse and Caster, there's one thing that really bothers me, Kiritsugu." Everyone looked to the homunculus. When he nodded for her to go on, she went on. "What about the other rogue Servant?" Her hand trembled, so she clutched it tightly. "The other Rider?"

His eyebrows narrowed at the next point. This Servant was of particular concern. "Rider X has been the hardest to locate. Aside from his high-speed travel, he's been to just about every part of the city, including its borders, from what the dogs have reported to me."

Saber frowned as well, her thoughts traveling to that hulking, violent, unpleasant foreigner. "Maybe he is mapping the city's terrain himself," she offered. "I may be wrong, but he seemed to have a tactical mindset underneath his arrogance. And if he is really on his own, he would have no allies to join up with."

"I agree about Rider X knowing more about tactics than he let on." Saber blinked in open shock at her Master agreeing with her, but Kiritsugu went on as though he hadn't noticed. "But he does have allies. Assassin X?"

The Servant of the Shadows had picked up a paper pad and a pen and had begun sketching something on two separate sheets. "Last night, Maiya received a visitor during our mission at the Hyatt." Saber kept her frown as she recalled the attempt to use dishonorable tactics on the Master of her new rival, but she held her tongue out of solidarity for their partnership. "While fighting him, I noticed Kirei Kotomine had these on his hands."

He showed the women the two drawings. One a mass of circular sweeps, almost certainly Command Seals in Irisviel's eyes. The other, an angular face with spikes pointing upward.

She didn't recognize it, but Saber did after a moment of thought. "That symbol… it was on Rider X's chestplate, I'm positive of it." Her frown deepened. "So, Kirei Kotomine is the one who summoned him? The one who used to be his Master?"

"Used to be… and might still be." For once, Kiritsugu Emiya shared Artoria Pendragon's feelings. "Assassin wasn't killed in his confrontation with Tohsaka's Servants. Assassin X killed two more of him and evaded a third while extracting Maiya. So, if Kotomine has retained the service of one of his Servants…"

"It's not unthinkable that the other one cutting ties with him was just a ruse," Assassin X finished, his wariness visible even through his mask. "Which also means that Kotomine is still part of the War despite supposedly relinquishing his rights as Master. Remember what the name of the overseer is?"

Irisviel blinked as she tried to remember. "Yes, Risei…" her crimson eyes widened, "…Kotomine. His father."

Assassin X nodded to her before glancing to the final occupant. "Maiya also did a little digging around for me. We knew before that Kirei Kotomine had apprenticed under Tokiomi Tohsaka before going his own way when his Command Seals appeared, but she discovered another interesting detail."

The dark-suited woman stepped closer and reported in a neutral tone. "Risei Kotomine has been a longtime friend of the Tohsaka family. And I checked the city records. Fuyuki Church is official Tohsaka property. All evidence suggests that the overseer and his son, the Master, may be subordinates of Tokiomi Tohsaka."

That statement stilled the room as Irisviel and Saber processed the theory the other three had developed. Finally, Irisviel asked, "Are you sure about this? The overseer is meant to be completely neutral, and accusing him of siding with a Master would be a grave offense for the Church."

Kiritsugu nodded. "I know, and we don't have any concrete proof either. We wouldn't be able to call out the Church with mere speculations." He folded his arms. "But that doesn't mean we can let our guard down. Until we know for sure, assume that Kotomine and Tohsaka are in an alliance and have the Church on their side. Understood?" Everyone nodded to his words. "Saber, Assassin X." Both Servants focused on him. "Remember my orders concerning Kirei Kotomine?"

"Yes."/"Of course."

"The same applies for Rider X." Kiritsugu's expression darkened at the mention of that foreigner. Wherever he came from or whatever he could do, he had a bad feeling about the self-proclaimed conqueror. "I don't know how exactly he fits in this plan, but I'm positive he's still under Kotomine's command. The second you see an opportunity, destroy that Servant."

"Understood," the Heroic Spirits said in unison. Concerning Rider X, everyone was in agreement about the danger.

Then the last of the Emiya bloodline let his arms fall to the side, relaxing again. "As for the other Servants, let them exhaust themselves in the search for Caster." His smirk returned while saber's frown remained, though for other reasons. "It'll be a total frenzy out there, especially if they choose to fight in the forest here, where we can control the battlefield. Once they're exhausted, Assassin X and I can pick them off. Including Lancer, if we're lucky."

"With all due respect, Master," Saber said in a tight manner, "I would prefer confronting Lancer myself. Settling our duel honorably and on equal grounds. The rest may be another matter, and I understand the chaos of war, but this is a matter of knights between him and me."

But he simply began to collect all of the papers and photos, sorting them away for future reference. His face showed no indication that he had even heard her. This rankled Saber, because she knew he had heard his request, but that he simply chose to ignore it. Ignore her honor. She made to rage at him for insulting the pride of the Heroic Spirits, for doubting her abilities so blatantly, for not showing her the trust he did-

'I'll see what I can do.' Assassin X's voice traveled into her mind. She spared a quick glance to see the Copy Ninja subtly raising his hands in a placating gesture.

The King of Knights took a breath to calm herself, deciding to let the issue slide. Kiritsugu Emiya's ways still infuriated her pride as a knight, but she trusted her comrade. She knew that he acknowledged her side as well as their Master's and would at least try to find a way to help. '…Thank you.'

Irisviel watched the Servants nod to each other before turning to see her husband clear the table without another word. His movements were economic, emotionless, like the actions of a machine. She could smell traces of tobacco from his clothing. His strategies showed no regard for magus pride, for any concept of honor, for value of human life. The way he had coldly ignored any statement from Saber that didn't have anything he would deem useful… Irisviel's heart lurched a bit. There was no doubt, her Kiritsugu was reverting back to who he had been before meeting her. Before they had found love together.

She felt anger for how her love had treated Saber, relief that Assassin X was working as ever to keep the fragile balance between them… and sorrow. The homunculus had known that the Mag Killer would have to reemerge for the War to be won. It was why the Einzbern family had approached him in the first place. And her love for him, their child and their wish hadn't wavered.

Yet Irisviel von Einzbern couldn't say she was happy with the state Kiritsugu Emiya was in.

"Unless there's anything else," he said while grabbing the sides of the map, "the meeting's over now. Irisviel and I will stay in the castle with the Servants and prepare for Caster. Maiya, head back into the city and continue gathering intel. Notify me if anything changes and keep your head down." Folding up the map, he walked out of the dining room without another glance.

"Right." Maiya acknowledged the request with no sign of pride or exhaustion. She'd been given her tasks and would carry them out. If it meant seeing Kiritsugu's dream fulfilled, she would lay down her life without question. Whether or not his plans were morally bereft was of no consequence. She collected her own files and made to leave as well.

Then she felt a presence next to her. "Sorry for holding you up," Assassin X said while continuing to sketch something on a sheet of paper, "but there might another matter you can help us with." Maiya stopped in her tracks and waited patiently. She had no opinion about Saber, but this Servant had proven to be useful and reliable in their working together. She appreciated him saving her life, as well as what he had been teaching her since yesterday and all of the other little niceties he took the time to show her. Even if those were redundant.

Kakashi finished one last line before showing his work to her. On the paper was a stylized suit of armor, few ornamental features other than the tassels hanging from its back and the sleek round helmet with a narrow visor. "I'm no artist," he admitted, "but this is roughly what that Berserker looked like with my Sharingan." As a foreign Heroic Spirit, he had no innate knowledge of the ones that belonged in this world. But that didn't mean he had no alternatives. "Maybe this can give us a clue to Berserker's identity."

That particular Servant put him on edge, though not quite like Rider X did. In the black Servant's case, it was his ability to veil himself from Master's eyes, his unmatched martial mastership despite his insanity… and his targeting Saber for some reason. Could they have known each other in life? Assassin X would've shown her the photo, but she seemed on edge right now, and he didn't want to burden her. The King of Knights has probably encountered hundreds of her "subjects." It might be hard to pick out one amongst them all. Even for her.

Maiya accepted the paper, staring quizzically at the drawing for a few moments. "…Nothing springs to mind now, but heroic mythologies aren't my area of expertise. I can think of a few sources that might be able to help us, though." She folded up the paper and put it away, nodding to her ally. "I'll see what I can find. Thanks." She frowned. "But why didn't you-"

"Mention this before?" He scratched his head. "I only thought about it just now, honestly. There were plenty of other concerns at the table, and thinking about us not having any way to learn about the other 'X' Servants like the ones here gave me this idea." Maiya accepted the reasoning with a nod; fair enough. Assassin X took on a thoughtful look. "You know, a clone of mine could go with you into the city. It couldn't hurt to have an aide and a bodyguard."

Maiya stood there in silence for a time until she finally shook her head. "Your clones make you divide your od, and the real you will need every bit of strength for aiding Kiritsugu. I can handle this by myself, without attracting attention."

"…Alright. If you're sure." The masked Servant relented as she nodded in thanks and moved on, her thoughts elsewhere. There were still a few things to check here before she could leave, but something else perplexed her. Not her answer to Assassin X's offer, but rather… that it had taken her so long to give it. Back when it had been just her and Kiritsugu, she'd have declined help in a heartbeat if it meant giving said help to him. What had changed?

She briefly glanced over her shoulder towards the shinobi from another world conversing with an oddly pale knight. Then her training kicked in, helping her compartmentalize. And so Maiya walked on.

Assassin X watched his ally go; he wondered if maybe he should send a clone to watch out for her, just in case. Maiya might be insulted at the lack of trust, but she doesn't seem the type for that. Caught up in his thoughts, he turned around to almost bump into another. "Oh, sorry… Saber? Are you alright?"

The young woman had remained in the room, calming herself down. She may've consented to Kiritsugu's initial strategy for now, but that didn't mean she was happy about it or forgiving towards his disrespect. So, she'd closed her eyes, smiled briefly at Irisviel squeezing her shoulder in solidarity before heading after her husband, and recalled Merlin's old lessons about restraining anger. The usual trick of counting until she was calm worked once she'd reached 134 and she'd opened her eyes…

To see the picture Assassin X was showing Maiya.

The Servant of the Sword stood frozen at her spot, emerald eyes widened in shock. "…What?" And a hint of horror.

Then she quickly recollected herself upon registering her partner's question. "O-oh, yes, A-Assssassin X. M-my apologies." She cleared her throat and tried to smile.

All the while, her thoughts were in turmoil. That armor… the helmet… Could it be? No, no, that's not possible. I-I must be mistaken…

Assassin X didn't need his left eye, a final gift from his teammate, to recognize a fake smile when he saw one (he'd given plenty himself over the years). Or the conflict in his friend's posture. "Are you sure? You look a little pale right now."

Saber's smile fell away, but she managed to suppress her inner strife just enough to settle for a disappointed frown. "I-I suppose I am still frustrated with the choice our Master has made for dealing with Caster." She released a genuine scoff. "Or I should say, not dealing with Caster." A part of her ached at this deception; she liked and trusted Kakashi.

But… there were topics she didn't want to delve into with anyone. Even friends.

Besides, she was certainly mistaken about the picture. He couldn't be Berserker… right?

Assassin X could tell that what Saber said wasn't everything. But he had a feeling that whatever was bothering her, it was personal. So, he chose to give her the benefit of privacy. "Yeah, I admit I'm not fully on board with simply letting him rampage about." Relief flashed in her eyes for a split second, he almost missed it. But he continued. "Still, we should be careful. Especially in this kind of situation."

A crazy Caster obsessed with Saber, all the other Servants right on his tail to either end him or capitalize on the situation… and the duo here smack-dab in the middle of it all.

"True," Saber admitted grudgingly, "but it just frustrates me, Assassin X." She began to pace out into the hall, her friend right behind her. She had to move, to vent somehow. How can Kiritsugu mock the pride of us Heroic Spirits so casually? How can he spit on honor like that? How can he be so, so…"

"Heartless?" Assassin X offered, drawing a sigh and a nod from her. A part of him ached at the words; there had been a time when he'd been little better than Kiritsugu, after all. Where others had voiced the same complaints about him. Kakashi hadn't been a complete monster, he'd simply believed in different virtues than…

He shook his head. Not a good time to dwell on that. Instead, a different idea came to mind. Recalling the look Irisviel had in her eye when she'd left, he continued to walk beside Saber and extended his hand to her. Saber eyed it in puzzlement. "Well, let's have another look," was all he said.

---

Irisviel found her husband up on the balcony overlooking the front garden. He leaned on both elbows against the cold stone, seemingly staring out into the night. He looked so exhausted now, a far cry from the cold planner he had been in the dining room.

Nevertheless, she steeled herself. They needed to have a word. She had to see for herself whether her husband was still there or if the Mage Killer had taken his place completely. "Kiritsugu…" she began as she walked along the balcony wall.

He spoke when she was about halfway to him. "If…" he paused as though hesitant. Then he tried again. "If I were… to cast this all aside… and run away from this War… would you come with me, Iri?" Kiritsugu couldn't help himself. Every word was pain to him.

Irisviel had frozen in shock. Of all the things for him to say, she hadn't expected this. "What about Ilya?" Her thoughts flashed to their sweet little princess. "She's still in the castle."

"I'd go right back for her and get her out." Kiritsugu answered, fire returning to his words. His fingers ground into his biceps, the echoes of pain spurring his words. "I'd kill anyone trying to stop me!" His words were too desperate to be anything but the truth. "And then…" his mind travelled to deceitful hopes, of images of a life they could have… "I'd give everything I have for you and Ilya. I'll-I'll protect you from anything."

One look at his face, at the war inside his painfully broken eyes, and Irisviel realized the war raging within the man. The war between a devoted, loving husband and father and the ruthless terror of magi worldwide.

Kiritsugu had changed. He himself realized it, much to his own fright. Before he'd met Iri, before they'd gotten their beautiful Ilya, he'd been alone, empty. Nothing to lose because he'd already sacrificed just about everything precious to him. Maiya was an asset, a trusted tool that he'd found along one of his many missions. He appreciated her services but couldn't allow himself to have any deeper feelings for her. For her sake… and for his. Everything, magic, guns, people, all just tools for the sake of his dream. A world without bloodshed.

Then came the day he made that deal with the Einzbern head. The day he learned there was indeed a way to see his dream fulfilled. And with that day came the meeting of Iri, saving her, teaching her about the world, teaching her how to be human, and relearning some of that for himself in the process. Then came Ilya, their child. Two lights in the darkness of his heart.

Two lights that he utterly feared would be snuffed out now that the final trials were here.

Irisviel's heart ached for him. She knew him well enough to recognize this struggle inside him, but this idea of fleeing worried her. "…Can we really just run away?"

"We can. Our chance is right in front of us-" Kiritsugu's voice broke. He knew it was just a ridiculous fantasy, but he wanted to believe so badly…

Two arms circled him from behind. "You're lying," Iri whispered behind him, burying her moist eyes into his back. He glanced conflicted over his shoulder as her hug tightened. "You know that's a lie. Kiritsugu Emiya would never run away. He would never abandon a chance for the Holy Grail and his quest for saving the world." She squeezed him tighter, tears staining his jacket. "You'd never forgive yourself. You'd judge and find yourself guilty…" her voice hitched, "and you'd take your own life."

Kiritsugu let these words wash over him, seeing the truth behind them and wishing they were wrong. But he couldn't. And he poured out his final fear.

"Kirei Kotomine…" Iri glanced up from his back at the name. "He terrifies me… He's set his sights on me. Maiya and Assassin X told me as much. He used Kayneth as bait to get to me. He figured out what I was planning.

"And then Rider X…" both shivered upon remembering that metallic creature. "There's something about that Servant that makes me think danger's right around the corner with him. I'm not sure what his intentions are… but the fact that Kirei Kotomine was the one to summon him… both terrify me, Iri. They scare me like no one else ever has in my life. I've already sacrificed you for victory…" his voice cracked from the pain. "…I've left Ilya behind… and now the most dangerous man in the War has designated me as his target. He's the one enemy I wanted to fight the least!"

Irisviel von Einzbern finally understood what had troubling the man she loved. It was so easy in theory to revert back to his old ways, to be the Mage Killer once again. But with her and Ilya now in his lives, he wasn't quite as steadfast as he used to be.

And she knew what her response to this would be. "I'm not letting you fight you alone, Kiritsugu." She stroked his back alongside her promise. "I'll protect you. Saber will protect you. Assassin X will protect you." Her throat caught upon thinking of the other woman that knew him so well, but she accepted him gratefully. "And… Maiya is here for you, too." Anything to help her beloved find his strength to win.

Kiritsugu finally relaxed into her embrace, husband and wife taking the luxury to enjoy this moment. This one moment of peace in a time of war.

Unknown to them, this moment had been witnessed by one other pair. Assassin X slumped against the wall by the doorway, having carefully selected a position where the shadows would hide them the most. He released an explosive sigh; the moment between Kiritsugu and Irisviel had been far beyond what he'd anticipated. He'd noticed his Master had seemed at war with himself these last few days, but to have that much weighing down on him…

'…Still think he's heartless?' he asked his companion. Saber was still staring at the scene in open shock. This scene of… vulnerability just now… she'd have never believed that could come from one like Kiritsugu Emiya. To see him so unsure of himself, so scared of another Master and his Servant… so worried for his family…

One side of her wanted to say it was all just a deceptive ruse. Another side, the noble one, chided her for such thoughts because she knew they stemmed from her prejudices towards Kiritsugu. So, Saber sighed as quietly as she could and nodded to her friend. 'I cannot agree with his methods, Kakashi. Even after seeing this. I know now that he does indeed have a heart, but that doesn't excuse his dishonorable plans.'

'I'm not saying they do, Artoria. I don't want you to stop arguing with him over these things at all. If anything, this shows us there is indeed a soul we can appeal to. Just…' Assassin gave her a slightly pleading look. 'Try to be patient with him. Please?'

Saber stared back at hm, then smiled. 'For Irisviel's sake, for ours,' she glanced one last time to her Master, basking in his wife's touch, 'and for his.' Not for the first time, she wondered if she was really so blind that she couldn't see the natures of those around her. "The king does not understand the hearts of men."

And not for the first time, she was grateful for the partner the Grail had assigned her. He inclined his head back down the way they'd came, and at a nod from her, they both skedaddled before the human and homunculus might take notice of their presence.

They needn't have worried; Irisviel was roused from her hopes by a sudden sensation inside her Magic Circuits that she recognized. An alarm. "Kiritsugu…"

"Company's here?" He straightened in her arms, allowing his old training to surface. "Good thing Maiya hasn't left yet. We can plan a counterattack."

Kiritsugu gently freed himself from his wife's embrace. He'd treasure this moment between them another time. "Iri, get a crystal ball ready for remote viewing." Now there was work to work only a Mage Killer could do.

They went back inside to find Maiya and the Servants already preparing themselves. The latter two likely sensed the presence of an enemy Servant and had alerted Maiya before she could leave. All five gathered back into the dining room where Kiritsugu and his associate locked and loaded their firearms and Irisviel set up a crystal ball as asked, Saber and Assassin X hovering over her. The Bounded Field outside sent an image to the enchanted item, allowing them to view it with perfect clarity. After a few moments of searching, Irisivel's eyes narrowed. "Found them."

The ball displayed a scene of Caster leading a group of children through the woods. Some were boys, others girls, none could've been past the age of ten. They all appeared to be in some frightful trance, following their captor who was walking along like he had all the time in the world. Caster's twisted magic at work.

Saber glared at the troubling parade while Assassin X's brow narrowed. This was the first time he, Kiritsugu or Maiya had seen him, but this freak's appearance matched the descriptions his hounds had given. "How far away are they, Irisviel?"

"About two kilometers north of the castle." Irisviel frowned; he was moving just along the skirts of her Field. One more step, and she'd be able to do more than just view.

And Caster seemed to know that. "He's baiting us," Saber muttered in disgust.

The two women focused on the children. "Hostages?" Irisviel guessed.

"Definitely," Assassin X replied grimly. "We charge down there without thinking, and he'll set off a trap for us that could kill those kids in the process."

"But we can't abandon them, either," Saber countered, drawing a nod from him. It wasn't ideal circumstances for her, not with her left hand, but she wouldn't let that stop her from protecting those below.

Then those large fish-like eyes snapped up to right where Irisviel was viewing, and Caster smiled at her. She gasped. "He knows we're watching!"

The deranged Servant bowed before them. "I, Gilles de Rais, have arrived as I promised." The crystal ball replayed his voice so clearly it was as though he was in the room. "Now I humbly ask to bask in the presence of the Holy Maiden." Saber and Assassin X braced themselves, but they hadn't received any command yet. And… they knew they'd be running into a trap.

Caster waited about in the woods, the children having gathered around him, then huffed. "Well, it seems you're taking your time. No matter, I have prepared for a period of waiting." With a snap of his fingers, the kids all started, turning their heads and looking about as though in a daze. Their charm had been lifted.

Judging by Caster's chipper tone, that was not a good thing. "Well, boys and girls, it's time for a little game." He planted his hands on his hips and leaned down towards them, the young souls backing away in rising anxiety. "How about hide-and-seek? Oh yes, that's a delightful one. You all know the rules, do you not?" He lifted a spindly finger up to his chilling grin. "You have to run and hide from me, for if I catch you…" The hand reached out and snagged a boy in pajamas, with short blonde hair and terrified eyes, by his head.

Irisviel's hands went to her mouth while the others tensed. "No!" Saber shouted, but it was no use. Caster couldn't hear her, and even if-

"STOP!"

Caster paused at the cry, then he was suddenly flying backwards, the boy released in his surprise. He tumbled head-over-heels across the ground, dirt flung up from his impact. The poor child quickly picked himself up and cowered away with the others.

The five inside the castle had witnessed this sudden turn in shock, then growing interest as a new presence drew steadily closer. Groaning, Caster lifted his mud-stained face to glare in angry surprise at his new adversary.

Caster X stepped out from among the trees, keeping his staff pointed at the other Servant of Spells. His tight posture told a clear story of his anger even before he spoke in a deep growl. "You will not harm these children. Not when I stand here, and not ever again." His hands snapped the staff sharply to his left. Simultaneously, an invisible force seemed to pick Caster up and hurl him screeching further away until he crashed into a tree. The force of his impact snapped the trunk in half, the upper part collapsing atop its breaker.

The wizard glared beneath his hat at his enemy before relaxing as he shifted towards the terrified children. "Come, I will not hurt you." His voice was so gentle as he beckoned to him with his right hand, the watching Irisviel felt an even greater swell of relief than when she first sensed his presence. Maiya hid her own relief under a stoic face. Saber and Assassin X had grown hopeful as well; they remembered this one briefly appearing at the docks, and his sole interest then had been to safely extract his partner. The King of Knights respected Caster X for how he had treated Berserker (regardless of who was underneath the armor).

As for Kiritsugu, he'd been bracing himself for when that boy would get slaughtered. There was nothing they could've done for him, the fact gave him no joy, but he'd accepted it. The other Caster's arrival had been a bit of a surprise. Is he alone or did Berserker come, too? Either way, looks like the other Servants might get here faster than I'd expected. Good.

First the boy that had been spared a crushed skull ran over to his savior, then the rest soon followed, crying tears of relief. They all huddled around the old man, hugging what they could of his robed legs. Caster X tended to each of them with gentle words, and they seemed thankfully unharmed. The sharpest eyes among the viewers could make out a soft smile amidst his hat and beard.

Then that faded as a vicious snarl echoed through the air. The broken tree where Caster had been thrown into shook violently, then was tossed aside with a grunt. Caster pushed himself with a huff to his full height, blood trickling from his face. The telekinetic push had been painful, but even a weakling like him suffered no injury from an ordinary tree falling on him.

The children all fearfully drew closer to Caster X, grabbing tightly to his clothes. The wizard himself straightened and glared towards the one that shared his class and nothing else. "It is not nice to intrude upon children's playtime," the Demon Marshall sneered at the newcomer, his hand drawing a wretched book from his robes, "but I suppose the game can change." He flipped open the book to a certain page. "Cthulhu fhtagn."

And the children began to tremble. Not from fright this time, oh no. Caster X took one look at their anguished faces and understood what a horrified Irisviel did as well. "He's turning the children into sacrifices!" The other snapped their eyes her, then back to the ball with varying levels of fear.

However, the other Caster had not been idle. He swiftly raised his staff and chanted something in a language no one recognized before slamming its base into the ground. A wave of light erupted from the wood that washed over the little ones. A counter spell, they guessed: whatever would've happened to those young bodies immediately ceased and receded. They collapsed to the ground, sobbing but alive and unharmed.

Caster stared in almost comical shock at the development, then his mouth closed into a feral snarl. Teeth ground audibly together as he spat out, "You… just what are you, fool?" He jabbed a finger at the other Servant, head lowered as he checked the scattered kids so that the hat obscured his face. "Some sort of priest? A 'holy' man slaving under the will of that wretched God? How dare you interfere with my work!"

Caster X lifted his head from the girl he was caring over, and his enemy recoiled for a moment. If he had been angry before, the foreign Servant was now furious. His blue eyes blazed silently like a raging blizzard but were so powerful that those in the castle, even Kiritsugu, were quietly relived that they weren't the source of his aggression. "I did indeed serve higher powers in my old life," he replied in a calm yet booming tone, "and of my own choosing. But that is not what should concern you, foul creature."

His right hand travelled to his side and drew forth a long sword of magnificent steel that no human blacksmith could've forged. Kiritsugu and Assassin X tilted their heads in curiosity as Caster X levelled the blade's tip towards his enemy. Very few Heroic Spirits in that class had any martial prowess, yet his elderly body did nothing to mar the steady stance he took, sword in the right hand, staff in the left. The knight in Saber nodded in approval.

"I do not enjoy repeating myself." Caster X warned his counterpart. "And I have wasted enough words on you as it is." The kids quickly pulled themselves to their feet and returned to cowering behind the old Servant, eyes fearfully trained on their kidnapper.

The air around them began to crackle with mana. Two Casters stood on opposite sides, in every sense of the term: one in robes of luxurious colors and fabric, with skin pale as the moon, short black hair swept back and bulging clear eyes of unnatural size and hateful insanity, clutching his tome of human skin and dark knowledge; the other in much humbler robes of a simple grey, with wrinkled yet healthy skin, long gray hair flowing from his head and sharp eyes the color of a stormy sea, holding staff and sword at the ready.

Then Caster spoke in a near whisper. "Yesss. The time for words…" He swept his hand with his spellbook wide. The ground began to rumble while Caster X's sword emitted a blue glow, drawing his attention. "HAS PASSED!" Caster screeched alongside the arrival of a starfish-shaped monstrosity that erupted in front of him.

The crystal ball flared up from the sudden influx of Magical Energy, forcing everyone to look away lest they get blinded. But the situation was clear. Two Servants were fighting on their doorstep, and the children were still in danger. Irisviel looked to the Servants, her friends returning her determined gaze, and commanded, "Saber. Assassin X. Defeat Caster!"

"At once!" Saber said, converting her suit into her armor and charging right out of the room. Assassin X spared a glance towards their actual Master and received a nod; much as Kiritsugu would've preferred keeping him in reserve, someone needed to watch Saber's back. Especially when he had a hunch that more were on the way.

That, and maybe he had developed some measure of respect for her righteousness.

Either way, both Servants sped out of the castle side by side to the northwest parts of the woods.

---

-130:55:24

Caster X cleaved off the limb of one monster before blocking the strike of another with his staff. He then drove Glamdring's glowing blade into its flesh, the otherworldly creature shrieking as the magically enchanted blade pierced its insides. Another sweep of his staff, and both were hurled away from the Servant and the children huddling behind him.

But more came to take their place, tentacles lashing out for him. What's worse, he noticed that the ones he'd injured were slowly starting to recover. "Head back," he whispered down to his charges as he walked backwards, the children quickly moving so as he wouldn't stumble over them. His sword and staff swung again and again, beating and cutting and stabbing, driving back these eldritch Horrors spawned by Caster. And yet their wounds closed and they continued to attack.

One tentacle lashed out for a little girl hanging onto the wizard's left, drawing a frightened cry from her. Glamdring flashed down, severing the foul flesh in one move before it could touch her. Gandalf then struck his staff against a large tree before channeling his magic into it, simultaneously igniting its many dead branches and splintering the trunk itself. The burning tree fell over with a loud groan onto a good portion of the Horrors. They screeched in agony from the flames trapping them, and Caster X noted that they weren't healing quite as well as before. Provoking the wounds with fire or repeated strikes prevents regeneration, he noted.

But more continued to emerge around an increasingly frustrated Caster, and instead of blindly rushing in like their predecessors, these spread out amongst the forest. They were slowly surrounding the group. If Caster X wanted to make these Horrors stay down, he'd have to get serious. But he couldn't do that and keep the young ones safe at the same time.

Gilles de Rais may've lost his mind and valor long ago, but he had once been a knight and military officer of the Hundred Year War. He still retained some measure of tactics inside his God-loathing brain. The Demon Marshall had noticed that while powerful, the foolish priest before him wasn't the most mobile of combatants, and he needed at least some time to concentrate to unleash his despicable witchcraft. Otherwise, he was limited to close-range fighting. He is skilled, but two arms can only do so much against multiple enemies. And watching over the children limits him further. A cruel leer spread beneath his narrowing eyes. It's only a matter of time.

Sure enough, the Horrors had moved with unexpected quickness through the woods to cut off any retreat. The group was now trapped. As the bearded Servant glanced warily at the crowd of tentacled creatures slowly closing in, Caster took a few steps towards him. "You see? Your faith fails you. Your might wanes." He jabbed a finger towards him, the kids flinching away from the digit. "Return these dear things to me, and I promise you shall die swiftly."

Sobs could be heard from the boys and girls, the spark of hope they had beginning to suffocate inside this nightmare. They had just wanted to wake up from all this terror and find themselves home again, safe with their families. Many closed their eyes and awaited despair…

"You are so misguided in every way, Caster."

That calm, deep voice rumbled into their ears and made them look up teary-eyed at their protector. The old man stood straight before them, weapons clutched tightly. Not a trace of fear in his eyes or his heart. "My strength is far from gone," Caster X intoned as he glared at the approaching Horrors, "my faith has yet to fail me, I shall certainly not die easily," and thrust his staff forward, "and you will not touch any of them again!"

Blinding light erupted from the tip's stubs, driving back the creatures of darkness and forcing Caster to avert his massive eyes. The children looked on in wonder, the light not hurting their eyes but rather reigniting their hope. When it settled again, the deranged Servant glared back and snarled, "So be it!' The hand holding his book lashed forward like a twisted sword, and his beasts began to move again. Caster awaited them unyielding…

Then the ones to his left were swept away by a massive force of pressure. Those Horrors were split in half with such strength that the pieces were sent flying in opposite directions.

And in their place stood a young woman in blue and silver, golden hair over fierce green eyes, an invisible sword held to her side in post-slash. "Well spoken, wizard." Saber straightened from her Mana Burst-enhanced entrance and cast a respectful gaze to the group. "Though your fortitude in facing these odds alone is to be praised, I would offer you my sword in assistance." She bowed her head. "In part as thanks for your actions last night."

The kids stared at the newcomer in utter awe, and Caster in turn briefly doffed his hat to her with a smile. "Though you owe me nothing, your assistance would be most welcome, milady. These creatures are a bit more troublesome than I thought."

She returned the smile for a second, "I am no lady but a knight, Caster X, thus my sword is yours tonight," before glaring towards the one that had placed these poor things in harm's way.

Upon seeing her, Caster's angry snarl shifted into a gentle smile of joy; in some ways, a far more terrifying expression. "Ah, Jeanne! So good of you to finally join. My apologies that you have yet to witness my canvas of despair." He bowed deeply before Saber, shooting a sidelong glare at Caster X. "This foolish monk is impeding my progress."

Her grip around her sword tightened, something he noticed. "My actions sicken you, don't they? I'm sure you've come to hate me." He let out a little giggle that turned the other Servants' stomachs. "Yes, that fire in your eyes. I turned my back on God, after all. What I've done has surely made you judge me unforgivable."

The air shimmered before wires suddenly appeared around Gilles. They forced him against a tree and bound him tightly. "Well to be fair…" the struggling Servant glanced up to see yet another Servant perched among the branches. The wires' end affixed between two of his left fingers, Assassin X stared right back down at him with both eyes. "You're proving yourself a pretty despicable person by most measures."

Caster thrashed about in his bonds, his hand still gripping Prelati's Spellbook tightly. He rose his head to shriek his fury at the interloper… and found himself locking gazes with an odd red eye. The dots surrounding its iris began to circle, slowly, then quicker until they were a blur. It fascinated him for some reason.

He blinked… and the man was gone. Caster looked back down to find himself no longer tied up and glanced further about, wondering what had happened.

"Hello, Gilles."

He froze. That voice… Could it be? He slowly turned his head forward… And there she stood. Clad in her purple garbs, pieces of silver armor that melded perfectly with the headpiece holding back her majestic hair, amethyst eyes, firm yet gentle, gazing levelly at him…

Tears began to gather in his eyes. "Jeanne…" he sobbed in his joy, "oh sweet Jeanne…" His left hand, the one not holding his Spellbook, reached for his holy maiden. "You have remembered-"

Her form flickered.

Caster blinked, withdrawing his hand. "Jeanne…?" Or rather, he tried to. For some reason, his arms wouldn't move. The world about him rippled as though it were a body of water, and she… she swam in and out of focus. "No… What is this?" Gilles de Rais whispered in fear, glancing about himself, wondering why moving his body below the neck was so hard.

Then she was gone. And in her place stood a slightly surprised masked man, eyes of different color blinking. "Well... darn."

Caster glanced down to see his body still bound and the man's hand was reaching for Prelati's Spellbook. "You…" His face contorted into a rictus of pure rage. "HOW DARE YOU!"

A mass of tentacles erupted from the book, forcing Assassin X to withdraw his hand. Unfortunately, his surprise made his grip on the wires slacken; Caster pulled himself free from the tree and lashed out his free hand towards his face. "I shall feed you your own eyeballs!" Luckily, Assassin X leaned just far enough out of the way that the long fingernails only scratched his skin. He flipped away as more creatures rose up around his enemy.

Saber had been aiding Caster X in fending off those Horrors that were still attempting to attack the children. Her sword, hidden from all, cut through the twisted flesh easily, but the injuries closed up soon enough if she didn't press the attack. Even those she had bisected during her arrival had simply grown into twice their original number. Her new ally was more than holding his own against the Horrors, but it was still a stalemate at best. Especially with them having to watch the little ones. If only I could use my left hand…

A Horror to her left was suddenly split down the middle with a screech, the smoking halves failing to heal. Assassin X finished his somersault next to his partner, Lightning Blade crackling around his right hand. 'So much for the easy way,' he grumbled over their link. He liked Caster X, but it was a bit too early to trust him with all their plans.

'I thought your Sharingan was working on him?' Saber asked as she finished her friend's work with a thrust of wind so great that it blew the Horror's pieces to atoms.

'At first,' Assassin X replied, jumping up to rescue a boy in pajamas that had been snagged by a tentacle. Noting how his lightning burned the flesh, leaving unhealable wounds, he quickly returned the kid to the rest, huddled up in a circle that the three Servants defended. 'If I had to guess, I'd say his mind's just too warped to be tricked. And I seem to have made him angry.'

'He was angry before.' That's when a whole new wave of Horrors arrived to join the existing ranks.

'Angrier, then.' Saber just sighed at his wit, eyeing the masses warily. Even with the new Servants' presence, the group was once again surrounded. Tentacles twitched and lashed out, ready to strike. Saber, Assassin X and Caster X quickly gathered around the frightened children, making sure to cover each other's blind spots.

Caster stepped onto a fallen tree to elevate himself, allowing his enemies to clearly see his enraged features. "Oh, Jeanne," he said in a deceptively soft tone, "I believe I said that I would take preparations for when we meet next." He held his unholy tome up for them to see, the eldritch energy radiating from confirming the suspicions all three Servants had. That had to be his Noble Phantasm.

And the key for creating these Horrors. "There is no way that book is just an Anti-Unit," Assassin X muttered. "It's making far too many of these things for that."

"Which is why you attempted to take it while having him bound in your illusion," Caster X discerned. There was no judgment in his tone, only comprehension.

"Thought it was worth a shot."

"SILENCE!" Caster screeched down at them. Hatred blazed in his eyes as he trembled on his perch. "A filthy slave of God that interferes with my work… and a devil that feeds me a pitiful illusion of my beloved maiden…" His eyes sharpened at headband Assassin X wore. "And that symbol… you must be the master of those beasts!" he fixed his gaze on Saber. "Dear Jeanne… I beg of you to step aside. These two must face punishment for their crimes. I assure you, once I have ripped their souls to shreds and paraded them through the darkest pits of Hell…" his hands twitched vividly in accordance with his promise before stilling. "I shall have plenty of time for you," Caster glared at the last of the group, "and the little ones."

Saber only glared right back at him, stepping between the traumatized children and her enemy. "I've long since lost interest in competing with you for the Grail, Caster." The deranged fool appeared hopeful for a moment, likely misinterpreting her words. The King of Knights slashed her sword to the side. "The reason I fight now is to cut you down with my own hands!" Assassin X and Caster X stood by her side, wordlessly eager to lend a hand.

As for Caster, his thoughts were so utterly twisted he could howl out in a mixture of joy and rage. "How mighty, Jeanne! Your nobility, your valor! Truly you are the Holy Maiden that overshadows any God!" He swept his hands wide. "So be it! Face the odds while your tormentors fall, stand proud amidst their carcasses!" The Horrors began to move in.

Assassin X's hands flashed into a multitude of signs before his right hand traveled up to his mask. "Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" A series of fireballs erupted from his mouth, scorching any monster they struck. He turned his head in an arc to spread the area of effect.

Caster X nodded beside him, a little twinkle of humor in his eyes. "Impressive fireworks, Assassin X. Though as one who has some experience in making them," he held his staff aloft, "yours lack a little flair." Sparks shot up from the wood, growing in size and traveling in an arc until the new fireballs split apart to rain down on the Horrors. A ring of flames had now been formed around the Heroic Spirits as well.

Assassin X shrugged in concession. "Fair enough, mine was a bit of a rush job."

And then Saber stepped forward, raising her wind-enshrouded weapon. "I would join this competition myself," she spoke in a rare moment of jest, "but I lack my own means of summoning fire." She reared back her sword in preparation. "Therefore, I must make use of yours." Her horizontal slash was accompanied by a gust of wind, Invisible Air's contribution. It wasn't powerful enough to snuff out the flames, quite the contrary; it blasted them further into the Horrors, burning them further. Many writhed in pain from the repeated flame attacks.

Unfortunately, there were still plenty of them to go around. They'd been bought some breathing room, but regular slashing and cutting attacks simply resulted in the Horrors' injuries healing or them splitting into more Horrors. Fire and heat (such as Assassin X's lightning jutsu) lent some permanence to the damage, but with such a large mass, it meant fighting one-on-one would be suicide. And having to watch over the poor children didn't make matters easier, but the Horrors were so tightly packed together, they couldn't safely slip them out while fighting. At least one would die in the process, and none of the three could accept that.

Oh, each of the three still had their respective aces up their sleeves, but there were… complications in each case as well. For Saber, she couldn't use the full power of her fabled sword with only one hand. Assassin X's required a clean line of sight, and it would only be of real help if aimed at Caster, who had hopped off his perch and was hiding somewhere behind his creations. Caster X's was of a finite source, and while it would almost certainly wipe out all of the enemies present, it would leave him with little for future battles.

That left them with teamwork, and to be fair, they were doing a damn good job together. Winds sharp as a razor rose with each of Saber's slashes, accompanied by a flurry of kunai with explosive tags or the elements themselves. Caster X's sword, shining blue with light, aided its cousin whenever the need arose, and a bubble of white mana would emerge whenever one of the creatures got too close to any child before the foul things were struck by Assassin X's lightning.

Countless pieces of dozens of Horrors lay scattered across the ground, too damaged by blade or heat to be healed. And still more came. By now the trio was starting to get a little winded, but they pressed on. Any single one of them would've long since been trapped amidst the tentacles. Saber considered as much while she chopped another to pieces, her back guarded by her partner's electric Noble Phantasm. She would've fought these things alone, but… she greatly appreciated the help of her fellow heroes. Caster X, blasting away another Horror with his telekinesis, had nearly reached the same level of respect in her eyes as Assassin X.

"What do you think, Jeanne?" Caster's voice rang out among the sounds of battle. "This ought to rouse a few memories. Everything is the same as it was then… Surrounded by heathens and wretched beings. And you, standing with your head held high, undaunted by the odds stacked against you. There's no doubt anymore you are the holy maiden, Jeanne…"

Assassin X flipped high, limbs flying about from the Lightning Blades in both of his hands. "I don't suppose a good punch to the noggin will convince him he's mistaken. I'd be willing to give it a try."

"Even the most stubborn of Dwarves I've met didn't have heads this thick." Caster X paused in between carving apart a Horror to shake his head in disgust and some pity. "A mind torn by grief and desperation is a terror like few others. I have seen it far too often."

"While I agree," Saber grumbled as she ran through a beast attempting to capture a girl, "I might consider giving Assassin X's theory a test. If nothing more than to shut him up."

"Why?! Why won't you see the truth?" Caster raged from behind his army, cradling the book his friend had painstakingly carved so long ago. "Do you still believe in God's favor like that fool monk? Do you think a miracle will come to save you and those children from this hopeless situation?" He spat on the dirt. "Ridiculous! Look at the Battle of Compiègne! Even with all the grief you've suffered, with meeting your end in God's blaze, why would you waste time continuing to be His puppet?!"

Caster X slammed his staff's pommel against the ground, blowing away the creatures in front of him. This allowed him a short chance to lock glares with his counterpart. "Do not speak so derisively of faith merely because your prayers were unanswered." Gandalf the Gray levelled his staff at him. "If you truly wished to see this 'Jeanne' again, would you not try to make amends for your sins? Your brutality shows your true nature, monster! She is but an excuse!"

The accusation made something snap inside Caster. His Jeanne, the beacon of light he had devoted everything he had, cruelly cast out of God's grace, dismissed as an excuse?! He howled his fury to the night. "DAMN YOU ALL!" And even more Horrors arose.

Assassin X slumped his shoulders a bit. "Not that I don't agree with you, my bearded friend, but…" he eyed the wall of tentacles approaching them. "It's not like we needed things to get tougher." When this is over, I will never eat another serving of octopus sashimi again. I'll just pass them to Saber, she's got the appetite.

Though winded herself, Saber squared her shoulders and braced herself. She needn't have worried, though: red and yellow flashed in a swift wind through the Horrors on the left, scattering them. Those on the right were shredded by a hail of metal balls. And those that had circled around the three were split in half by a silver blur. All of this happened within the same second.

"Standing proud against the masses…" a familiar green boot stepped in front of her. Lancer twirled her twin spears with a dazzling smirk. "The swordplay leaves something to be desired, but the fortitude certainly upholds the standard the King of Knights should set."

"You can flirt with the runt on your own time," Archer X growled as she stomped up next to him, minigun smoking. "Just be glad we're not the last guys to show up."

"Excuse me?" Saber X snapped his massive sword to get the blood off while strolling up to Caster X's side, amusement across his face. "I think that fancy visor's mucking up your eyesight, Blackberry. I got here first." He thumbed at his own chest.

"You been pickling yourself up again, dumbass? We got here before you did."

"Regardless of which of you arrived first," Caster X huffed to the both of them, "you have our thanks for the assistance." And as he knelt down to check on the little ones, he grumbled, "And technically I was the first to engage Caster in combat…"

Caster's mouth hung open, making him look even more like a fish than usual, then it closed into a snarl. "Wh-who are you people?!" He yelled in fury. "What gives you the right to intrude?!"

"Intrude on what, Fisheyes?" Saber X sauntered over next to the children huddling by Caster X. "You trying to play out some sick fantasies with the runts here?" His lip curled in disgust. "I'd hunt you down, buddy, even if there weren't a prize for your ugly neck."

"And for the record, Caster," Lancer stepped next to his rival, "it is you that is the intruder here. Saber shall fall by my spear, and I won't tolerate anyone taking that prize from me."

"No!" The madman squealed, clawing at his hair like a wounded animal. "Nonono! I prayed for this! The Holy Grail that restored her…" a savage expression rose on his face. "She is mine… flesh, blood, soul… every last bit is mine!"

His audience glared at him in collective disgust. Archer X shook her head as she revved up her minigun. "Okay, I cannot begin to point out all the ways that just sounded wrong."

"Amen to that, sister." Saber X muttered, sneaking a drink from his flask in an effort to drown out the ugly feeling. He glanced over to his counterpart. "Bad breakup?"

"Wh-what?!" Saber spun to stare at him in revolted horror. "I have never countered this abomination before the Holy Grail War! He is mistaking me for another named Jeanne in his madness, and I would thank you all for not encouraging this delusion!"

Lancer merely shrugged with some humor amidst his resolve. "Caster, you can settle your love affair with Saber on your own time." He grinned at her indignant sputtering next to him. "If you want to make her submit to you and spirit her away, then by all means."

"THAT IS NOT HAPPENING!"

Fighting down the urge to snicker at her reaction, he continued. "However, on my name as Diarmuid, I refuse to let Saber fall to you, not when she has lost an arm because of me!"

Saber watched him in honest respect, her anger fading away. Lancer was truly invested in ensuring they would finish their duel as befitting knights. Most of the foreigners around them were impressed as well, Caster X smiling to himself. These knights would've been fine additions to the Fellowship.

Much as he appreciated the help, Assassin X leaned over mischievously to his partner. "Picking up quite an entourage, aren't we?" he whispered into her ear. While still looking at the spearman, Saber's mind inadvertently traveled to certain passages she had read recently…

Damn that book to hell. Her expression remained neutral even as she smacked the back of her left gauntlet into his face. The ninja moaned, cradling his masked bloody nose.

Behind them, Archer X twitched minutely.

Caster was growing more infuriated with each passing second. Why did there have to be so many blasted obstacles between him and his wish, his maiden of godliness. He cursed the God and fate for hindering him so, for continuing to torment him even as a Heroic Spirit. But it didn't matter. Jeanne would see the truth, and he would eradicate anyone that dared stand in his way.

Despite his bruised nose, Assassin X for his part was grateful he'd gotten a chance to catch his breath. A plan was starting to form in his mind, but there was one other detail. Eyeing an irate Bluebeard further away, he turned to one particular Servant. "So, I don't suppose your partners will be joining us as well this evening?"

"Nope, just me," Saber X answered bluntly.

Lancer laughed in good humor. "Are you certain you can stand by yourself here? Rather confident of you, even for a Saber."

"You kidding me? Unlike you fancy-pants knights, I hunt monsters for a living." Both "fancy-pants" knights mock-glared at the Huntsman for that. Seemingly unnoticed by the perpetrator, the halved monsters behind him began to bubble and regenerate. "And for the record, Pretty Boy, the only reason I'm a Saber…" Chatting away, the Servant calmly held his sword to the side and squeezed the trigger on the guard just as the Horrors reared up…

And were sliced into ribbons.

The other Servants watched in curiosity and respect as Saber X ceased twirling about his weapon to reveal it wasn't a sword anymore. The great blade had become curved and sharp on both sides, the handle had elongated into a bent form.

Qrow Branwen held Harbinger's scythe form in both hands while finishing his sentence. "…is because there isn't a Reaper class in this stupid Grail War."

Lancer eyed the large scythe before laughing. "I wouldn't mind an opportunity to visit your home one day, if for no other reason than to see what sort of warriors would learn to wield weapons like yours."

Saber nodded beside him, wondering if there could've been a way to combine her sword with her spear before remembering this really wasn't the time for whimsies like that.

For a moment, Caster grew pale. The curved silver blade resting in the hands of this thin, red-eyed creature… Could he be Death itself? Here to separate me from my beloved Jeanne again? …It matters not. Not even Death can stop me here, not with the power I hold!

The King of Knights then focused on him, a confident smirk on her face. "While your weapon, Saber X, is impressive, let me make one thing clear to all of you:" she lifted her sword to chest level, "my right hand alone is enough to kill a hundred of these creatures."

Lancer scoffed playfully. "Is that number supposed to be noteworthy?" He walked over to her side, Gáe Dearg and Gáe Buidhe pointing towards different targets. She wasn't worried; they were both knights of honor. She trusted him nearly as much as she trusted Assassin X.

"Yeah." Saber X moved to the front himself, the moonlight scattered through his scythe's serrated edge. "A hundred's pocket change, I wouldn't get out of bed for less than three hundred."

A familiar flurry erupted as new Horrors were mowed down. "Amateurs." Smoke wafted from the many barrels of Archer X's heavy gun. "You meatheads can talk when you've taken down a thousand."

Caster merely shook his head in exasperation. "It's as though I am with Legolas and Gimli again." Nevertheless, he stood up from checking on the children and prepared his own arms.

The boys and girls looked between this assembly of heroes throughout time and space in wonder and no small amount of hope. But fear remained in their hearts, fear that rose whenever they looked at the man with big eyes and a scary book not far away. I want to go home was the first thought in all of their minds.

"Just be glad Guy isn't here." And a chuckling Assassin X saw an opportunity as he eyed a gap among the shredded creatures. "But with all of us here, I can finally do this." He brought his index and middle fingers into a t-shape, prompting the other Servants aside from Saber to guard themselves. They needn't have worried; picking a fight with newfound allies was neither the shinobi's style nor intention.

Po-poof! Two exact doppelgangers of Assassin X appeared in a bust of smoke next to their progenitor. Saber was the only one unsurprised by their appearance. Caster X grew curious at the event; duplicating oneself wasn't something even the ancient wizard had seen often on Middle-Earth. Saber X recalled some Huntsmen and Huntresses back home with that trick. Archer X recalled that little trick at the start of their own fight.

The Shadow Clones paid little mind to their audience. Instead, they walked over to the group of children and gently began loading them up. "Now that we have an opening," the real Assassin X explained to the other Servants, "my clones can get these kids to the city."

Saber nodded at his logic. "Meaning they'll be safe, and we no longer need to worry over them." She paused as a thought came. "Why not the castle? Irisviel would surely watch over them."

Assassin X shook his head as his clones finished getting all ten children divided into five among them. "Too risky right now." She understood his concern; with these many Servants about and potentially more on the way, the castle was a potential target.

Each clone carried three children on his back and held two more stiff under their arms. Not ideal or most comfortable for the little ones, but they wouldn't fall. With a nod to the rest, they promptly sprang up and away through the woods. New Horrors arose to try and stop them, but Lancer and Saber X eviscerated them within one second. Caster howled in outrage but there was nothing he could do to stop their escape.

Assassin breathed out a sigh of relief and a little exhaustion; the latter which Saber and two others noticed. She patted him with her left arm while Caster X smiled to them in gratitude, something they returned. Lancer nodded to the Copy Ninja in respect. "Wise and honorable of you, Assassin X." The others turned as one to face Caster, alone amidst his Horrors.

"And stupid."

Assassin X quickly threw his head back as a bullet whizzed through where it had been. He shot a sideways look at the perpetrator. "I thought Caster would be your target tonight?"

"He's the primary target," Archer X trailed him with the pistol in her left hand, holding up her minigun in her left.

Saber immediately sprang between the two, sword at the ready. "Archer X, what are you doing?" Lancer glared at her. "Assassin X is our ally-"

"For now, genius. But if we want the Grail, he's got to go. And I don't know how his little double-double trick works, but I can tell it took up some of his mana." Saber frowned at the other female. She was right, though; Assassin X had explained that the Shadow Clone Jutsu involved dividing the caster's Magical Energy evenly among the original and the clones. Currently, he was at a third of his full strength and would remain so until both clones had disappeared, transferring the od back to him.

"Doesn't mean I can't fight, Archer X." Assassin X spoke calmly as ever, even while he kept watch over the two guns. "Are you really sure you want to do this now? If I die, my clones will disappear, leaving the kids helpless again."

The big body didn't move. "…Casualty of war," she replied after a hesitation. "An honest shame, but they're not my kids. Besides, crazy as Caster is, you and me still have a score to settle." The visor snapped to Lancer opening his mouth. "Zip it. I'm letting you have your precious duel with Saber, but you never talked about Assassin X. This is what needs to happen if we're to win this War."

She knew that this Servant was in league with the Emiya man, and after the meeting with Rider X last night, Texas had come to the conclusion that she couldn't take any chances with the enemy here. Assassin X was a serious threat, she knew it with every bone in her body. He had to die now. The others were torn between keeping watch on a slightly giddy Caster and looking like they weren't sure whether to intervene or not. It was now or never.

Lancer didn't agree with her, she saw his glare. Of course, he didn't. He was still living out his knightly fantasies, and he hadn't learned about what kind of sneaky bastards were in this thing. Even if she'd have told him, it wouldn't have changed his stance, she could feel it.

Just like always, she had to take care of all the things everyone else couldn't handle."Step aside, knee-high," Archer X snarled at the swordswoman. "You can play around with lover boy for all I care, but your masked buddy's got to go."

Saber didn't budge. "No." She wouldn't have acceded to this Servant's deplorable ways even if Kakashi weren't her friend.

"Suit yourself." Her handgun disappeared, and the Freelancer swung her minigun around to aim at the duo.

The air flashed, and half of the gun fell to the dirt with a clunking sound. Archer X barely had time to process this before she was suddenly hooked and hurled away with a "Fuck!"

Lancer, Saber and Assassin X blinked at the events that had transpired in one second. Then the blonde knight spoke, "Not that I do not appreciate your aid, but why?"

Saber X retracted his scythe with a huff. "She's been pissing me off with talking like only she knows what war's about, plus, I think I've been spending too much time with Candy Bar." He proceeded to stalk off after where he'd launched the heavy Servant, waving behind him. "I'll keep her off your back. The four of you ought to be enough for Caster, and I'm part of a three-Servant team, so," his shoulders shrugged, "technically, we don't need Seals that badly."

Lancer stared at him, then at Archer X who had just rolled to her feet with a snarl. He wanted to help her, but he also wanted to stop Caster, and he couldn't endorse her pragmatic ways. Finally, Diarmuid of the Love Spot just sighed. "Try not to kill her, please?"

"I'll see what I can do." That was the best Qrow could offer him, and they both knew it.

Lancer closed his eyes, conflicting emotions warring inside of him over this situation. Elation, frustration, regret… A hand clapped him on the shoulder. He opened his eyes to stare into Caster X's. "Trust in your partner to survive this night and steady your spears for the task at hand." The old man advised him. "You can settle your grievances with her afterwards."

A glance to the side showed Saber and Assassin giving him reassuring looks. The latter added, "She did survive Rider's chariot running over her."

That drew a short laugh from the Celtic warrior. "Never thought I'd be assured about my comrade's fate from the one she just tried to kill… these are strange nights."

"We are in a strange War," Saber agreed with a smile. She nodded her head towards the army of Horrors Caster was desperately amassing. "Shall we?"

A sharp grin slid onto Lancer's lips. "Oh, by all means." He spun both spears until they were blurs. "I believe I need to vent a little."

Saber looked to her friendly rival one more time, then glanced to her partner. 'Can you manage?'

'Please.' Kunai danced between Assassin X's fingers. 'I might not be at full strength, but I can provide support all the same.' Sharing one last smile with her, he then joined the other three in charging at the monstrosities before them.

Caster trembled before their continued defiance of him. Robbing him of his children, barring his path to dear Jeanne, barely acknowledging him… "Unforgivable…" he growled, sweeping his arm forward. "Don't underestimate me!" His Horrors surged at the heroes.

Archer X was seething as Saber X approached her. Not only did this drunken bum pick a fight with her, but Assassin X was still alive, and Lancer wasn't even going to help her? The soldier in her conceded that Caster needed to be dealt with, but an even louder part in her was screaming What the hell?! He's supposed to be my partner, dammit! What, he wants to play with the Saber doll, her pet and the geezer?

Fine. Who needs him? Twin SMGs appeared in her hands that she aimed at the scythe-wielder. "Congratulations," Agent Tex growled, "you've just reached the top of my shitlist."

"Likewise." Saber X brandished his weapon with a spin and sank into a combat stance. "Half the things that come out of your mouth just don't sit right with me."

"Got a problem with my voice?"

"No… voice sounds a little familiar to be honest." The Corvid Reaper's eyes narrowed at her. "It's your words that bug me. Hell, they ruin the voice."

"Save it for a Servant that cares." Her guns erupted with fire and lead as his legs pushed off the ground, scythe slicing through the air in a whirl of motion.

---

Further away, Rider X watched the proceedings with amusement. Seems like Archer X's partnership with Lancer is growing a little strained, now. Well, when two people cannot see eye-to-eye, conflict is inevitable.

Just after he had finished a promising meeting, an Assassin had alerted him to Caster leading his little parade through these parts, and lo and behold, this was Einzbern territory. The tyrant discerned that the deranged Servant still believed Saber was his precious "Jeanne" and was trying to bait her.

So, he'd flown in Alt-Mode Starship over the woods, curious to watch how things would play out. The young humans meant nothing to him; tiny pounds of flesh that were abundant on this moist little planet. Caster could kill ten thousand in his twisted little games, and Rider X wouldn't shed a tear. Partially because he had no tear ducts, of course.

The other Caster's appearance had been initially unexpected, though he supposed it wasn't that shocking. Another expert in magic ought to be able to follow Bluebeard's (odd name for one that lacked a beard) bloody trail, and once their battle began and Saber and Assassin X joined in as well, more were drawn to the forest like predators towards their prey.

He had assumed his natural form and wondered along the outskirts, noting the abilities he hadn't seen yet. The opposing powers of the two Casters were a fine show, and Saber X's sword transforming into a scythe intrigued Rider X. Now that was a weapon he might try to claim later. Such a work of combative art deserved to be in the hands of a Cybertronian conqueror.

However, he wasn't here simply to amuse himself. He'd wanted to gauge the threat level of his competition, and though Rider not being here dampened his excitement somewhat, he could be patient. If Caster survived the night, he could draw out those that hadn't appeared. If not, then there were other ways. As for the ones that had arrived, he was confident he could sway Archer X into an alliance, but the rest were too honorable for his taste; needing to kill Dreadwing proved that honor wasn't such a useful tool for his purposes. Saber and Lancer were both formidable combatants. Proud, skilled and powerful, yet straightforward. Rider X could handle either of them in their own time. Especially with Saber being one-handed. Saber X's weaponry increased his unpredictability, but nothing unmanageable. Caster was already proving himself an unwitting pawn and could perhaps be more.

But the final two, Assassin X and Caster X, those could be dangerous. They each had a surplus of tricks, and Rider X had a hunch that he'd yet to see all of them. And they were clever as well, and righteous. Something about the masked warrior and the old man made Rider X wary. He wasn't sure how they could interfere with his plans, but he'd learned to trust his instincts long ago.

Better both perish tonight lest they go on to be trouble later down the road.

As Caster X directed flames with his staff to strike at the Horrors like waves of water, he cut off another tentacle with that glowing sword. He then joined Saber in beating back more coming from the south, exposing his back.

Perfect.

Rider X lifted and primed his fusion cannon. The muzzle glowed with mana, ready to blast a hole through the withered insect…

Then a part of the darkness erupted to Rider X's right. Something slammed into his face, the force of the blow sending him skidding into a tree. The Decepticon shook his head to clear the ringing inside his head, then glared at his attacker. "Well, well…"

Berserker drew back his right fist with a shuddering growl. Shadows wrapped around him, making it difficult to tell where the knight ended and the night began. He stalked towards the larger Servant, armor rattling with each step.

Rider X stepped away from the tree and wiped away some Energon from his lip. "It seems Berserkers are naturally inclined to challenge me." He laughed a bit. "Though I'm curious. I would've thought Saber was the one you were really interested in." A finger pointed towards the insane Servant's right arm. "Or the masked Servant that took that limb from you. Wouldn't you want to even the score? Eye for an eye, arm for an arm?"

What little was left of Berserker's sense of reason registered these words. The king was here, he could sense it. And so was that ally of hers, the one with silver hair and no mouth and eyes of a different color. The one that had the king's friendship.

The Knight's head shifted slowly, as though struggling against itself. The visor glowed red with hate through the trees. There the king was, fighting proudly against the hordes of monsters. Swinging the noble sword that haunted his dreams. Back turned to him, as if to mock him. Rage boiled within his armor. "Arrr…"

Then the old man stepped into his line of sight.

The old man who had restored his arm, who tended to his rage with kindness.

The old man who had referred to him as "sir" even when he had long forsaken such an honor, who treated him better than he deserved.

The old man who reminded him of who he had once been, who encouraged him to be that man again.

The old man… who this metal monster had been about to shoot in the back.

Rider X frowned as that blazing visor shifted back towards him. A gauntlet reached up to snap off a large branch hanging above him, the wood turning black with red veins at the cursed touch. "Rrrr…"

Then Berserker was no longer in front of him, but in the air, arms reared over his helmet. "Nraaaa!" He brought the branch down in a swing that Rider X blocked with crossed arms, but the ground cratered beneath his heavy feet from the blow. The thin piece of a plant was now as hard as iron, its twisted shape giving it an almost barbed surface. The larger Servant pushed his opponent off, only for the knight to flip back gracefully onto his feet.

Rider X rolled his shoulders as a little excitement bubbled inside him. He was a gladiator right down to his Spark. Merely observing battles had never been enough for him. "So, are you trying to protect your partner from me?" He deployed his arm blade, the tip piercing the earth beneath. "Or is this merely you not wanting to share the kill?"

Berserker's only response was to hold his makeshift club in front of him with both hands. Rider X smiled darkly as he brought up his sword to face level. "Well, I suppose it doesn't matter." He gestured with his hand's other fingers. "Come on then."

And so another battle between Servants began inside the Einzbern forest. Busy night.

---

…I seem to be playing a game in this chapter: "How many times can I make Caster reach a new level of anger?" Didn't really occur to me until I was almost done. *Shrug*

As for Kayneth's goodies like the, snickers, "Prismatrix Reactor," in canon, he had brought a sizable collection of Mystic Codes with him to use in the Grail War. Kiritsugu bombing the Hyatt destroyed them, leaving him with only Volumen Hydrargyrum, but here, he didn't use his base, ergo, I have the perfect excuse to give him a certain edge. Now it just comes down to see if he can use them properly.

Ah, one of these days, I hope this little story might end up on a Tv Tropes page or at least be recommended there.

Lancer X-

Class: Lancer

Master: Tokiomi Tohsaka

True Name: Jade

Titles: Verdant Defender of Edenia

Sex: Female

Source: Mortal Kombat

Region: Edenia

Alignment: Neutral Good

Strength: B

Endurance: C

Agility: A

Mana:B

Luck: D

NP: C

Class Skills-

Magic Resistance: Grants protection against magical effects.

B: Lancer X's home Edenia was a world of wonder and magic, and she trained in the ways of a warrior and assassin since her youth. She is unaffected by spells with three verses or less, and even High-Thaumaturgy and Greater Rituals can be resisted to an extent.

Presence Concealment: The capacity to hide one's presence as a Servant. It is a common skill to the Assassin class.

A: Lancer X was trained to serve as an assassin for her world's conqueror. She can hide from the senses of even enemy Servants, though this Skill decreases by one rank and possibility of detection rises when Lancer X moves to attack.

Personal Skills-

Double Summon: Is a rare Personal Skill possessed only by a few select Servants, permitting them to simultaneously possess Class Skills from two distinct classes. It is limited only to some of the extra classes, the cavalry classes, and "modern classes" like Gunner.

B+: Lancer X possesses Class Skills and Noble Phantasms of both the Lancer and Assassin classes.

High-Speed Divine Words: The power to activate Thaumaturgy without the use of Magic Circuits. The language of the Age of Gods, back when words played a heavy role in spellcasting. As such, it is power long lost by modern magi.

C: Lancer X's Edenian heritage allows her to wield older magiks, though she has the mentality of a modern spellcaster; magic is a tool for combat, not an area of expertise. Nevertheless, she possesses a few tricks, such as the ability to summon a verdant aura around her body that temporarily shields her from attack. Limited teleportation and Reinforcement are also part of Lancer X's repertoire.

Resolute Devotion: Is a Skill that represents one's feelings towards a loved one, which the person won't even flinch at committing self-sacrifice.

B: Lancer X was a noble person in life, the virtue others attributed to her most being loyalty. She would give everything, including her life for the sake of her closest friend and/or her beloved. Thus, her magiks and Noble Phantasms gain plus-modifiers when she battles for someone she is loyal to, such as her Master. This Skill would be A-rank were it not for her rebelling against the conqueror and subsequent ruler of her homeworld.

Noble Phantasms-

Edenian Sojourner Staff: "For The Sake of A Lost Home": C (Anti-Unit): Lancer X's chief weapon is an emerald bo staff of otherworldly materials. It can change length from a simple handle for easier transport to longer than Lancer and boasts sufficient strength for melee combat. Though both ends are blunt, Lancer X has enough strength to pierce enemies with Edenian Sojourner Staff, and her agility allows her to perform acrobatic maneuvers not unlike those of a dancer. Its perfect balance allows for throwing like a javelin, and Lancer X can summon it back to her hand. This staff's power and versatility can further be enhanced via Lancer X's High-Speed Divine Winds and Resolute Devotion, so even its current rank may increase for a brief period.

Promise Keeper: "Sharpened Enforcer of Honor": D (Anti-Unit): For ranged attacks and part of her Double Summon Skill, Lancer X employs a three-bladed boomerang. She can hurl it with excellent accuracy to disable multiple targets, and the weapon is enchanted to respond to her mental commands; even without touching it, Lancer X can control Promise Keeper to have it return to her hand or fly around her, cutting others with its razor-sharp edges. Similar to Edenian Sojourner Staff, the blades can fold into one another, leaving Lancer X with a dagger for up-close-and-personal confrontations.

PS: To help visualize, Lancer X wears her "True Edenian" look here.

One last thing: if any of you want to say that I am making Kariya appear too harsh or Tokiomi too kind in this story, I advise you to look into the original light novel. Kariya is truly invested in saving Sakura and a saint compared to Zouken, but he's not perfect. And Tokiomi isn't quite as sociopathic as the anime depicts him.