-122:18:42

He lay amidst soft grass moistened with water and his own blood, the life fading from his once beautiful eyes.

She felt her entire self of being fade away, like a cloud in the sky floating apart in a hundred different directions.

The hall was filled with food and drinks of the finest sorts, candles blazing to illuminate the many folks gathered for a most auspicious occasion. Goblets and kegs clanged against one another, the sounds mixing with laughter and cheers. No brawling or drinking contests, though. This was a night of formal merriment.

The man sitting before the hall rose, the light showing his luxurious robes and regal disposition. He gestured to his left while beginning to speak. "Fionn Mac Cumhaill, hero of Aillen, warrior of the healing waters, leader of the Knights of Fianna," the grown man straightened in his seat while the king's right arm rose, "is officially betrothed to my daughter, Gráinne." The beautiful young woman straightened as well, her eyes gazing along her father's hall.

They fixed on one particular subject even as Cormac mac Airt continued to speak. "Celebrate, laugh and enjoys yourselves tonight, friends!" A hearty cheer of many followed this proclamation. Among the audience were the Knights of Fianna, of course. Fionn's loyal subordinates and trusted friends.

As the celebration continued, Fionn's gaze travelled periodically to his right, yet Gráinne never ceased to glance towards one particular man sitting some tables away from her. He was among the Knights, smiling and chatting happily with them. Little surprise there, they had all fought beside each other in sworn loyalty and life to the man that would become her husband. All utterly dedicated to the chivalrous ideals of a true knight.

But this one… green armor framing his well-built body, untamed black hair that curled atop his head, alluring eyes somehow pronounced by a little black spot underneath his right one…

Finally, she asked her seating companion, "That man there," the princess inclined her chin, "what is his name?"

"He is first warrior of the Knights of Fianna," the lady replied. "Diarmuid Ua Duibhne."

"Diarmuid…" Gráinne repeated the name as something stirred inside her heart. A smile began to play along her lips…

The massive ship RT-636, though others knew it better as the "Mother of Intervention," glided elegantly through the vacuum of space. Inside, the soldiers, scientists and other personnel of the research program, Project Freelancer went about their business. There was always much to be done even on a regular day.

Though this day would prove to be far from regular…

Two Freelancers, specially trained combat agents, were chatting amiably as they walked through the halls when a couple of regular troopers rushed past them. One accidentally brushed past their superior. "Sorry sir!" He hastily called back but didn't slow his pace.

"Hey," Agent Washington asked more confused than insulted, "what's going on? Soldier, where's everybody running?"

The addressed stopped briefly and pointed down the hall. "New agent squaring off against Maine, Wyoming, and York on the training room floor. We're going to watch!" He then continued after the others. "Hey guys, wait up!"

Washington traded a look with his friend. "Three-on-one?" He laughed. "I've gotta see this."

"Yeah, right behind you." Agent North Dakota nodded as they walked down the halls.

They would not be disappointed. Down on the training floor, Agents York, Wyoming and even burly Maine were sent tumbling back with one swing from their black-armored opponent's pugil stick. As more of an audience gathered, including those ranked highest among the Freelancers, the newly found agent continued to batter all three across the room. Finally, the ship's artificial intelligence F.I.L.S.S. announced, "Round One: over. Pugil stick training, complete. Point awarded to Texas. The current score is: Team One: 0. Texas: 1."

Then came Round Two, hand-to-hand combat. Agent Texas decimated the trio again, one by one (though to be fair, they showed appallingly little teamwork for supposed professionals). Her moves were swift, powerful and dangerously efficient. Eventually, F.I.L.S.S.'s voice rang out again. "Round over. Point Texas. Hand-to-hand combat complete." Sections of the floor began to rise as the combatants readied themselves. "Now resetting the floor for Lockdown Paint Scenario."

All four collected pistols with specially prepared ammunition: anything struck by the paintballs would find itself trapped in hardened paint. Not to mention it stung a bit.

Needless to say, Team One founds themselves thoroughly pummeled, encased in paint and humiliated. Repeatedly. No matter what any of them tried, Texas proved to be two steps ahead of them. Six rounds passed by without York, Maine or Wyoming managing to get so much as a drop of paint on her.

Then came the ninth round, where Wyoming and Maine slipped live ammunition into their equipment. Ignoring York's protests, they did slightly better at cornering the newcomer. One shot at her shoulder caused blue sparks to emit.

Ultimately, though, Texas triumphed over all three yet again, even chiding York when he attempted to help her. She still made time to save his life from a grenade going off right next to him, though it cost him his eye.

All in all, a fitting demonstration of the new top agent of the Director. And a sign of things to come…

Diarmuid sprinted through the rain, spears at the ready. All around him, knights followed. His training helped him keep track of all of them even while on the move. When the first lunged, he was already spinning in place to counter the oncoming sword.

Yet, even as the spearman engaged in battle with his pursuers, his thoughts couldn't help but travel to the sudden, passionate kiss the princess had planted upon his lips…

And the furious expression Fionn, his lord, his friend, had cast upon him. Just before sending his fellow knights after Diarmuid. "Traitor…" he spat out the word like poison. "I promise you will suffer for this, Diarmuid." Then the knight had no other choice but face his comrades.

Texas roared across the street on her motorcycle, firing her rocket launcher one-handed at enemy vehicles. Slowly, the road cleared ahead for her objective.

She blasted down the airship that carried the prize, then she was sprinting down the road, neck-and-neck with Agent Carolina. The teal-armored Freelancer ignored her orders to fall back as she raced desperately for the briefcase.

Ultimately, though, she lay exhausted on the ground, helmet knocked off to reveal her scarlet hair and green eyes that glared up at the "victor". "Better luck next time, Carolina," was all Texas had to say as she radioed for pickup, the briefcase secure in her grip.

Gráinne gripped his hand tightly. "As you accept my love, so too accept this geis." Her hands glowed as her eyes sparkled with desire. "If there is any way possible, please stop this marriage." Diarmuid found he couldn't bring himself to look away.

And something inside him knew it wasn't because of the lady's magic. "Please come with me…" she begged. "Let's run away… across the world."

The knight pulled her into a loving hug. He knew what this could mean, the dangers that awaited both of them. Yet in that moment, with this beautiful woman in his arms, none of that mattered to him. "Very well." He was in love.

Texas stood beside Carolina, both aiming their weapons at the leader of the Insurrectionists… and Agent Connecticut. The traitor. She let the pair ramble on about their crap, about how the Freelancers were the ones operating outside the law, about how the Director was pulling all of their strings. Finally, she got sick of listening. "You need to stop talking, C.T!"

"No," her ex-colleague shot back. "I know what you are, Tex, and I'm not taking orders from a shadow."

That word sparked something inside her. "What did you just call me?" The #1 Freelancer growled.

The next moments were a bit of a blur, violence and blood and fury, but they ended with her planting one axe into C.T.'s shoulder and another into her abdomen. Carolina's intervention though allowed the traitor to escape with her fucking boyfriend.

Even as she seethed at the mission failure, she could still hear Carolina's parting shot. "I don't know what's gotten into you, Texas, but you better figure out the difference between your enemies and your friends."

He cut down one enemy after the other. The giant Serban, the nine Garbs, even Fionn's nanny, the dreaded "Witch of the Milstone." And of course his former comrades. His honor, the most precious thing to a knight, was blackened by betrayal. Even when his heart ached at how both of his roses, gold and red, became stained in the blood of men he had fought, laughed and cried beside, he steeled himself with the thought of his beloved. The two of them, hoping that their bond could transcend Fionn's hatred. So, he fought.

Even as he felt his world split in half.

She sat at the computer terminal, watching the final recording of someone she'd have never expected to hear from again. "I leave this copy for you not because you are the best soldier in the squad," C.T. was saying, "but because I know I can trust you the most. After reading these files, you will understand why. Good luck. Your friend, Connie."

And as she delved into the files and found one designated as "Beta", she felt her world shatter into a million pieces.

Diarmuid bounded across the fields, heart beating with relief and excitement. He cleared the distance to the small hut in an instant and flung the door open. Gráinne sprang up from where she'd been seated, hands clasping together in joy at his return.

Said joy grew with his next words. "It's happened, dear Gráinne," he whispered fervently what he had been fighting for so long. "Fionn has consented to our love!"

The pair wrapped their arms around each other in sheer happiness. Before long, they stood together before Diarmuid's old leader. Bitterness still glimmered in the older man's eyes, but he pushed it away and gave a gentle smile to his once betrothed and her devoted lover. The three then headed together to their homeland.

Hope burned inside the heart of Diarmuid Ua Duibhne brighter than ever.

Tex staggered exhausted through the snow. Number 1 on the scoreboard? Best soldier in the squad? If all that were true, then how could she have failed so miserably? How is it that even after gaining the aid of York and North Dakota, storming the Mother of Intervention, fighting her way through just about everything the Director could've thrown at her, even… Carolina, it hadn't been enough? She'd failed to save the Alpha, she'd failed to save Carolina, she'd… failed.

Of course, she had. That was what she'd always do. That was what she'd been modeled after. Failure. Loss.

As Allison, no, Beta continued to trudge through the snow, she remembered one of the last things Alpha- Church had said: "Huh, I don't know why, but… I hate goodbyes." She did, too. But she'd still had to say it.

That was the last time the AI Beta, known far and wide as Agent Texas of Project Freelancer, would ever allow herself to hope again.

Diarmuid of the Love Spot lay amidst the moist grass, blood flowing from his mouth and where his stomach had been gouged open. A simple hunting trip with Fionn, a chance for them to renew their friendship, had gone awry by an assault from a demon boar. The beast had inflicted a mortal wound before running off, but the knight didn't worry. He knew Fionn was a master of healing magics. A little spring water in his hands could become a miraculous healing potion for any injury. And a clean spring was only nine steps away.

Even as he lay dying, Diarmuid thought he could hear something spoken. "Did you actually believe I would allow you to walk away with Gráinne?"

Twice Fionn cupped his hands in the flowing water and made to bring it to his friend, only to spill the precious liquid. On the third time, the First Knight of Fianna had ceased to breathe.

Perhaps it had been a (sentient?) explosive going off in the ship she'd been piloting.

Perhaps it was due to a massive electromagnetic pulse.

Perhaps it was a former colleague jamming a sharp probe into her head to extract her core AI part.

Perhaps… she had simply been encouraged to rest by a familiar face. Heh… she still hated goodbyes.

Either way, Agent Texas faded into nothing with one driving desire amidst her final moments…

Kayneth's eyes snapped open only to close briefly again from the light. He slowly opened them again while panting, sweat gathering on his face from the multitude of scenes he'd just witnessed. "A dream…" he breathed out. "Or… dreams?"

He squirmed about where he lay, trying to comprehend. "Lancer's tale… Archer X's armor… could it be? Did I just experience their memories?" Yes… His connection to them via his Command Seals. He'd learned upon reading of the Holy Grail War that Masters would tend to see the lives of the Servants contracted to them. But reading about this was one thing. The actual sensations were something else entirely. To actually witness the tragic love tale of Diarmuid and Gráinne…

And then the circumstances around Archer X's… life.

Once his eyes had adjusted to the brightness, Kayneth's mind began to catch up as well, and the first thing he noticed was that he was currently inside his bedroom at the Hyatt. An IV stand was affixed next to him, the tube connected to his left arm. His body lay heavily bandaged on the soft sheets.

Yet he had difficulty feeling the softness on his bare skin. And he could barely move his fingers to stroke the fabric, let alone move the rest of his body. A glance downward revealed straps, but only around his waist. He should've been able to shift his limbs. So, why couldn't he? "Wh-what is this…?" His whisper carried a trace of fear amidst his rising confusion.

Why couldn't he feel his Magic Circuits?

"Ah, you've awakened." Kayneth's eyes shifted to the doorway. Sola-Ui walked casually into the room with a basin and a fresh towel. Something in her voice sounded off to her fiancé, but he couldn't make out what. Panic gripped him.

"Sola…" Lord El-Melloi attempted to rise, but once again, his arms and legs failed to respond. "What has happened? Why am I here?"

"Lancer saved your life. He and Archer X brought you back here." The beautiful woman had set down her utensils on the nightstand and was rinsing the cloth with a cold face. "Don't you remember?"

"I was…" Kayneth strained his memories through the events he'd witnessed, the pain and mounting horror. Then it all came flooding back to him. The Einzbern castle. His golem. Volumen Hydrargyrum. Some pathetic mercenary with odd tricks and… guns. "I was shot."

But… something was still off. "No… I stopped his attack. I intercepted the bullet with Volumen Hydrargyrum. It never touched me." But another flash of pain swept through him, drawing a wince from the once great magus. Kayneth saw his fiancée place a comforting hand onto his bare right arm, but he couldn't feel the touch he yearned for. "…What's happened to my body?"

Sola-Ui began to dab at his appendage with the moist cloth and continued even as the sensations continued to elude him. "I'm not sure what this man did to you, but initial analysis indicates that every single Magic Circuit inside your body has been dismantled. It's a miracle you're still breathing and coherent."

Kayneth stared up at the ceiling in utter horror. His Magic Circuits, the source behind his Thaumaturgy, dismantled? Sola-Ui continued her dispassionate report. "Your muscles and organs were severely damaged in the process, though. Healing your internal organs was the best I could do for now. Getting you on your feet again will take time and a fair bit of effort." She was fairly proficient in healing magecraft, and Lancer's soft plea to save Kayneth had been strong… motivation. But this level of internal had been nothing like she'd never encountered.

And Kayneth could certainly understand what the final part of her diagnosis would be. Though he wished he didn't. "Your Magic Circuits, though, are beyond repair, I'm afraid." Sola-Ui admitted with no emotion as she continued his treatment. "You will never be able to perform magecraft again."

There it was. The words that pierced the last of his strength and made a tear trickle down the once great scholar. Never perform magecraft again… was there any worse fate imaginable for a pioneer of the magical arts? All the studying, the research, the breakthroughs in his life, and now reduced to this? A cripple who couldn't even cast a beginner's spell? Despair grew within his soul. What did I do to deserve this?

"Don't cry, Kayneth," Sola-Ui attempted to soothe him while moving her cloth to his face. "You mustn't give up yet. We can still win this war."

Kayneth opened his eyes to see her gentle smile. A ray of light amidst the darkness. "Sola…"

"If the Holy Grail can truly grant any wish made upon it, then completely restoring your body, Magic Circuits and all, shouldn't be impossible, right?" She continued to smile at him. "All you have to do is keep fighting and win. Then everything will be back to normal."

All true, Kayneth knew. The legends around the Holy Grail… it could be his salvation. He hadn't joined the War because he actually needed the cup, it had simply been a matter of martial entertainment for him. So, he could use the wish to restore him to his prime again. And with the Einzbern Master still active, Kayneth had ample opportunity to make that treacherous blackguard that had caused him such agony pay dearly. And to think Sola-Ui was encouraging him so; her words should've been the sweetest honey to him right now.

So, why did a cold feeling curl along his spine?

Then the member of the Sophia-Ri family continued. "Then here's my plan, Kayneth." Her delicately manicured fingers traveled to the back of his right hand. "Give me the Command Seals for Lancer. Let me be his new Master." Her smile never waned even as his blood began to freeze. "And I'll bring you the Holy Grail."

"N-no!" Kayneth gasped out instinctively. The Command Seals, they were his last weapon, the final piece of dignity he retained as a Master.

"Why don't you trust me?" Sola-Ui's tone grew more saccharine. Her fingers traced the intricate markings binding the Servant of the Spear to her fiancé. "Even without a Magic Crest, I am still a member of the Sophia-Ri family. Soon to be of the Archibald family with our wedding." She tilted her head. "Besides, Lancer would suffice for me to fight with. You'd still retain full control of Archer X, Kayneth. She has her uses as well."

If that had been meant to calm him down and accede to her plan, it had the completely opposite effect. "Well, but…" It hadn't been lost on Kayneth that she was particularly specific on him making her Lancer's Master. He could see it in her eyes, the way her hands drifted over the Seals again and again… Even if the revelations behind Archer X weren't utterly revolting to the former proud magus, he knew he couldn't relinquish control over his last reliable asset.

But he knew where he'd seen that bewitched gleam in his love's eyes. Gráinne had displayed ones just like them. "Sola… do you think Lancer will just cast me aside and swear allegiance to you?"

"But of course." The cloth rubbed over the magical markings again and again. "He's a Heroic Spirit that answered the Holy Grail's call. It's only natural that he wishes for something, just like us. The same with Archer X. Either one of them would change Masters if it meant fulfilling their goals." Simple logic in her eyes.

Yet her husband-to-be wouldn't accept this. "Lancer is not as miraculous as you think, Sola-Ui!" He yelled out in desperation.

That chilling smile remained. "Whatever could make you say that?"

"I asked him." Kayneth snarled his answer. A wise Master always made sure to know what his Servant's wish was. It was a necessity for strategy and a way to discern whether or not the two wishes may fall into conflict later. Archer X had stubbornly refused to answer, but her partner had been a different story. "His answer was, 'I have no wish for the Grail. If I can fulfill my duties as a knight, that is reward enough.'" The crippled scholar scoffed in frustration. Anger was giving him strength again, allowing him to push past the pain. "No Servant can be summoned that has no wish for the Holy Grail! He's hiding it from us.

"And the same goes for Archer X." An ugly scowl stretched across Kayneth's face as he went on. "She is a treacherous opportunist, no different from the rat that put me in this state!" He jerked his chin to the rest of his body. There was little else he could do. "Aside from my Command Seals, the only thing keeping her in line is Lancer, and barely at that." He suspected that the black-armored brute was susceptible to the knight's fabled Love Spot but judging how she had regularly pummeled her "boyfriend" in "life," Kayneth had little hope that anything good would come out of that. "All the more reason for me to keep the Command Seals. They're a separate system from my Magic Circuits, I can still use them and I will use them! Both sets! As long as I have, they have to follow my will!"

"Kayneth-"

"No!" He cut her off. "I shall remain the Master of Archer X and Lancer!"

Too late did he realize that Sola-Ui had long ceased to smile.

"Kayneth…" the cloth fell limply from her fingers as she sighed, "I'm not sure you understand the situation." Her fingers still gripped his right hand tightly. "We have to win, no matter what. And you don't have to stop being a Master. All you need to do is relinquish Lancer's Seals. Archer X can remain at your disposal." She repeated patiently, like a teacher with a dim child. All while she continued to grip him tightly.

Too tightly, Kayneth noted with fresh sweat beginning to form. Her dainty fingers closed around his right pinky, slowly adding more pressure with each passing second. He squirmed under her ice-cold gaze, tried to do something, anything, but what could he-

Crack!

The poor finger had been bent so out of shape it was a miracle the digit hadn't snapped off. Kayneth felt no pain from it, but that only increased his fear. He was completely at her mercy.

And Sola-Ui knew it too. "Surely you know, Kayneth," she spoke ever so sweetly, "with my current abilities in Spiritual Healing, I couldn't hope to remove these Command Seals forcibly." She drummed her fingers against the crimson signs. "I can only acquire these with your consent. No fuss there." She remained unchanged in expression or tone, but the man felt like he was trapped in a block of ice.

"If you continue to refuse… well, I suppose my only alternative would be to chop off your hand." Sola-Ui tilted her head to the side. "It's your choice."

Kayneth El-Melloi, ninth patriarch of the Archibald family, would have liked to claim that he remained steadfast even under the pressure. That he retained his dignity even in his fragile state. That he would not succumb to such bullying, even from the woman meant to be his wife.

But the truth was, he slumped back against his pillow as Sola-Ui practically skipped out of the room, admiring her prize now on her right hand. Tears began to gather again at the multiple humiliations he had suffered since entering this blasted contest.

And just when he thought his humiliation couldn't go any further…

"Wow." Archer X shimmered into view next to his bed. Kayneth didn't know if she'd been in spirit mode or used that cloaking technology of hers. And frankly he didn't care. The Servant crossed her arms while looking towards the doorway. "Guess we both know who's wearing the pants in this relationship."

Kayneth ground his teeth together and shifted his head as much as he could so he didn't have to look at her. He heard a tired huff from her. "Okay, bad joke on my part. I'm not here to pick a fight."

Archer X shifted a bit. "You can save your energy about scolding me for not going after Caster, Lancer's already given me the third degree about that." Truth be told, she had actually felt a little chastened by her partner, more than when anyone else had scolded her before. The disappointed glint in those beauti-stupid eyes almost made the Freelancer forget her own anger at him not backing her up. Almost. I'll deal with that later. "And he sent me in here to… apologize."

A silence drifted through the room. "…Well?"

Archer X's fist clenched at his tone, but she drew in a calming breath. "I shouldn't have tried to kill Assassin X. At least not until Caster was dead. I should've followed your orders and cooperated with Lancer. I'll try to be more respectful to your authority," her stomach nearly rebelled with the next word, but she plowed on, "Master." As long as Lancer's happy.

…Oh, God, I'm turning into that- "And?"

The Servant's eyes blinked behind her visor. "And what?"

Kayneth still refused to look at her, glaring right at the side. "Was that supposed to be it? You attempt to simply worm your way into my good graces after doing absolutely nothing to stop Sola-Ui from stealing Lancer's Command Seals? After letting me be crippled like this?"

"Excuse me?" Archer X growled back. "You went off on your own to raid the castle and got your ass handed to you! If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't even be breathing right now! Hell, Lancer and I were fighting for our lives out there, we didn't have time to keep your sorry ass safe. This wouldn't have happened if you'd just listened to something other than your ego!"

"Oh, so I should have trusted your advice, then?" The professor's head finally swiveled back to scowl at her. "Please remind me just how successful you've been in this campaign, familiar." His words dripped with contemptuous sarcasm. "You've disregarded my authority not once, not twice, but consistently, despite that, you've repeatedly failed to defeat Assassin X, other Servants have eluded their deaths at your hands, Rider nearly crushed you to pulp, and you only manage to come to my side when I've nearly lost everything!" Kayneth gave a derisive snort before concluding. "Thus far, you've done appallingly little to prove yourself worth the mana keeping you in this world."

"Oh, you mean the mana that your fiancée's providing?" The soldier jabbed her thumb towards the doorway. "Real chivalrous of you, letting her foot the bill. And for the record, judging by how you're a big slab of paralyzed meat right now, I think it's safe to say that you've been a failure of a Master, Milord."

Something inside the Archibald patriarch's mind snapped at that sentence. The numb pain throughout his body, the despair at the thought that he might never use magecraft again, the recent humiliation at the hands of the woman he sought to wed, the thought of Lancer taking her from him…

Coupled with the many aggravations this particular Servant had caused him… all this had chipped away at his restraint until the full extent of his rage bubbled to the surface. "Well, you ought to be the leading expert on failure, wouldn't you agree…" he growled quietly out the Servant's actual True Name, "Beta?"

Much to his delight, she stiffened at that. A cold sneer stretched across the Master's mouth. "Yes… I've had a recent look at your past. You've had quite the violent life, haven't you?"

A shaky black finger lifted towards him. "You're treading on real thin ice now."

That warning only served to spur him on. A familiar talking back to her Master? "Oh, should I bow my head in deference to the very best among, what were you called, 'Freelancers,' yes?" He still retained her Command Seals. "A ridiculous name for a motley group of gullible killers. Easily led along by a shining scoreboard. As though being number 1 of that rabble would have any significance to an actual person."

"I'm warning you-"

"But then you never really were a person, were you, Agent Texas?" Even with her looming over him like an agitated bear, Kayneth refused to falter. "Or should I call you 'Allison'?" He scoffed into her fixed visor. "That wasn't even your real name. Just another thing to string you along and make you play soldier to a broken man fancying himself a genius.

"All you ever truly were was 'Beta.' Not even Alpha, but merely a fragment of it. A tiny piece broken off a little science experiment designed to emulate human intellect. A copy of your creator's lost love… and her death." He spat it out in defiance.

Archer X slowly pulled away from him, fists clenched.

His furious mind emboldened by this sign of submission, Kayneth continued. "That was all the Director could truly remember of her, after all. His perceived failure to save his precious Allison. And he implanted that upon you." He scoffed in disgusted anger. "I shouldn't be surprised you've bungled every last task in this War. It's your entire sense of being, after all! No matter what you try to accomplish, no matter how hard you fight, you will always fail in the end. Fail your allies, fail your Master, fail your 'loved ones,' fail yourself."

Kayneth fell back in his head, closing his eyes at the unfairness of it all. "Of all the Servants, I had to be cursed with an utter failure. A shadow of a shadow." He breathed in, much more relaxed after that tirade, then opened his eyes to see her reaction. He found it to be… disappointing.

For the longest time, the Heroic Spirit didn't say or do anything. She merely stood there, still as a statue. Kayneth could see his exhausted, broken reflection in that ridiculous visor. Then as her Master began to think she'd fallen asleep or some such nonsense, a cold whisper came from that black helmet. "Thanks, Master."

Kayneth sneered warily. "For what?"

"I've got to admit, I had one or two doubts when I came in here. Seeing you in this messed-up state, thinking about that doofus of a partner I've got…" his brow twitched; was there a sliver of affection inside that last part? That damnable Love Spot…

But Archer X continued to speak. "But thanks to you, I know exactly what I've got to do."

Only then did Kayneth realize that she had been holding a knife for a while now.

Next thing he knew, blood was flowing like a river onto the bed even as Archer X held a severed left hand closer to the lights, blood trickling from the stump.

Kayneth went still, knowing both belonged to him. Including the Command Seals that held dominion over the one admiring them. He couldn't even scream, the shock was so great. "This partnership really isn't working out," Archer X said in an infuriatingly conversational tone, "so I think I'll take a page out of that spikey-haired psycho's book."

Kayneth Archibald, Lord of the Department of Mineralogy and El-Melloi of the Clock Tower, could only futilely writhe about as his precious highborn blood spilled from the open hole at the end of his left arm. "You… disgusting… bitch!" He spat out in outrage. An attempt to regain one last shred of dignity.

That visor shifted towards him. "Here's the thing about bitches, genius." The knife in her hand disappeared, and a handgun took its place. "Kick them around enough, and they'll bite out your throat."

Lancer gazed into the elated, delighted eyes of his lord's future wife and found himself thinking, It's those eyes again. For a second, Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri's image was replaced by that of one he'd known and loved long ago. Gráinne always looked at me just like that.

He suppressed a tired sigh. The former knight of Fianna had barely managed to come to some form of agreement with this lady after she walked up to him sporting his Command Seals. She had then declared herself his new Master due to Lord Kayneth being severely incapacitated, and even when he repeatedly stated that he couldn't simply switch Masters whenever it became convenient, she insisted that he fight with her.

Still remembering the shame he had wrought in his old life, Diarmuid had reluctantly acquiesced to her wishes, under the provision that their objective be winning the Grail for Lord Kayneth's sake. And even then, he had a hunch that her betrothed's fate was of lesser interest to her.

It was telling that Lady Sola-Ui neither carried Archer X's Command Seals nor brought up his partner so much as once.

Trepidation crept inside the Celtic spearman's heart at the thought that his tragic tale was beginning to repeat itself.

Then a loud Bang! sounded through the penthouse, and the trepidation shifted color.

Sola-Ui spun around from her spot near the bathroom and instinctively moved back to near her new Servant, eyes darting about. Lancer's ears could've pinpointed the buzzing of a fly's wings across a street. He therefore quickly gauged where the sound had come from: the bedroom. Where Archer X was casually striding out of while stowing something away in a compartment of her armor. "Now that's one goodbye I didn't hate…" she mumbled.

She didn't even bother slowing her pace to the table ahead as he leapt across the room and to the doorway she'd exited. She had just reached the collection of Mystic Codes their ex-Master had left laid out when she heard him demand, "What have you done?!"

Tex's arm froze in mid-lift, but she didn't turn around. "I did us all a favor, Lancer. He was dead weight like that. Killing him was a mercy."

"Mercy?!" Diarmuid stormed angrily away from the room with the bloodstained bed and its lifeless occupant. Sola-Ui ventured a glance past him. Her eyes widened at what she saw.

Her Servant quickly shifted place so as to cover the sight, which she appreciated (though not because of the gore, she'd been raised as a magus, after all). Lancer continued to glare right at the one he'd believed he could trust. "I implored you to apologize to our lord, to bury your animosity with him, not murder him in cold blood!"

"I tried, okay?!" The helmet briefly shifted towards him, but she kept her back to him. "But he just couldn't keep his damn mouth shut." Rummaging could be heard where she stood. "Besides, you look like you've traded up from that prick."

"That was not my choice," Lancer refuted her indirect accusation. "And even if he was crippled, he remained both my Master and yours." He strode towards her, crossing the distance in less than two seconds. "How dare you stain your vows to him and mine with this treachery?! We are Servants!" His left hand grabbed hold of her right shoulder (not noticing how Sola-Ui grimaced at his touching her). "Our duty is to protect our Master and claim victory in his name, not simply put him down like a dog whenever it suits-"

Archer X whirled around, smacking away his hand. "I don't give a rat's ass about what you think a Servant should be, Lancer. And I thought I told you, just because you're satisfied playing the good little bootlicker doesn't mean I'm on board with that." She shoved him away one-handed. "I'm in this Grail War because I've got a wish, a real one, and if it means I gotta get my hands dirty to win that damn cup, then I'm fine with that."

Lancer glared right into her visor. "But you didn't soil just your hands now, Archer X." She made to say something, but he cut her off. "Because I do nothing to stop you, I too am complicit in the death of our lord! I failed my responsibility to him in failing to prevent his… his assassination!"

Archer X scoffed. "Oh, get over yourself, there's a lot more at stake than your stupid honor-"

"My honor may be stupid to you, but it means everything to me!" The sheer rage in his voice took both females in the penthouse aback. Sola-Ui glanced between the two Heroic Spirits with growing concern (for Lancer).

"…I tried to believe in honor a couple of times," Archer X said quietly while glancing to the side. "Back when I was… alive." She looked back at him. "Now look where I am."

The first knight of Fianna breathed to calm himself before speaking again. "Regardless of what your wish may be, I cannot abide such disgraceful actions, Archer X." His words remained laced with tight anger. He stepped in front of the only human present. "And though it pains me, I cannot allow you to contract yourself to Lady Sola-Ui. For her sake."

The Freelancer hid a sneer inside her helmet at how the redhead's eyes lit up like suns. God, she's pathetic.

Not that it dampened the hurt inside her from Lancer's indirect declaration that they were partners no longer.

Still, old habits reasserted themselves, and aggression overtook sorrow. "Fine by me," Archer X replied. "She's not my type. Plus I've picked me up a little insurance." She hefted her left hand to show what it had been holding this entire time.

Lancer's eyes narrowed at the Prismatrix Reactor in her grip. "That belongs to our lord, the same man you just killed. You have no right to touch it."

"Depends on who you talk to. Way I hear it, there are some cultures out there that dictate you keep what you kill." She dropped the Reactor by her side and made to leave. She couldn't disperse into spirit form carrying something this heavy. "And a girl on her own's gotta take care of herself."

Then Lancer stepped between her and the door. "I can't just let you leave, Archer X. Not after what you've done."

A shotgun materialized in Archer X's free hand. She pumped it one-handed before grabbing hold of the trigger and pointing it at him. "What makes you think you can stop me?"

His hands opened to clutch his summoned Noble Phantasms. Spears red and gold spun nimbly between his fingers as the tips aimed towards her. "Do you really need to ask?"

Archer X's grip tightened on her weapon. "You don't have a clue what kinds of bastards are out there, Lancer. The things they'll do to win this Grail War. Just look at what one of them did to the genius back there." She nodded sharply back to the bedroom. "If you keep letting your knightly crap or Little Miss Red over there tell you what to do, you're gonna die in a gutter with a hole in your back. No heroic fairy tale ending, just another casualty."

Lancer didn't flinch. "Even if that is my fate, I'll accept it knowing I stood true to my principles."

Principles. Of course. Archer X had known there wasn't any point in talking to him. She could've told him about the Mage Killer and the Assassin contracted to him, about how they'd have almost blown this whole hotel off the map last night if it hadn't been for her. She could've told him about Rider X and his offer. She could've told him everything… and it wouldn't have made a difference. Just a waste of breath. Mister Handsome Spear-Chucker was too interested in playing Sunday Knightly Tournament with that tiny blueberry of a Saber. Just like with Kayneth just now, she'd be doing him a favor by putting him out of his misery.

So why was her hand shaking? Why did her finger keep shifting away from the damn trigger?

…Dammit.

"If you know what's good for you and that doll, Lancer…" Lancer braced himself as the gun disappeared in a flash of mana and a dark-grey cylinder with a ring took its place.

Archer X's thumb popped the pin loose. "…You'll stay the hell out of my way." The flashbang dropped out of her grip.

Blinding light erupted just before it hit the ground. A heavy banging sound accompanied it, further disorienting Lancer as he moved forward. His left hand shielded his eyes while his right thrust his red spear forward. But he only hit air.

Glass shattered to his right, and he could just make out a black blur springing through where the window was. He made to follow her, but his instincts called out a warning. Lancer's eyes slowly regained their focus, just in time to see something rather big clattering in front of a shape with red at the top.

Blinded and deafened by the assault of that brute, Sola-Ui only realized something was wrong when she felt Lancer's presence in front of her. Quickly applying Spiritual Healing to herself, she opened her eyes to see Lancer's Gáe Daerg piercing some black contraption at her feet. A red display with numbers on top, plus some television shows she'd watched, made her realize Bomb!

Her brown eyes travelled to the tense form of her wonderful savior, her Servant. He had saved her life.

Once the device vanished, Lancer withdrew his spear and made for the broken window. He reached it to find Archer X on a smaller building across the street, a slight crater in the roof indicating where she'd landed. Either of his spears hurled would've surely reached her, but she was the Archer. Distance attacks were her specialty.

The black-armored Freelancer returned his glare from where she stood. She hadn't expected her bomb to go off; in truth, she'd hoped it wouldn't. But she brushed aside any sentiment, adjusted her grip on the undamaged Reactor, and activated her cloaking device. Idiot was the final thought on Texas' mind before she disappeared.

Inside the Hyatt penthouse, Sola-Ui glanced to the only other remaining (living) occupant in the room. "Lancer…"

"Lady Sola-Ui." The soft but firm mention of her name made her stop. He hadn't turned around yet. "Forgive me, but I must ask of your aid."

"Yes?" For a tiny moment, her heart leaped at the idea of him wanting something of her. She even began to imagine all sorts of things before he continued.

"Help me fight in this War."

"Lancer?"

"Archer X's actions cannot be excused or ignored." He finally turned around to gaze at her, and she knew she would never refuse him. "I ask of you; would you be willing to stand temporarily as my Master? At least until Archer X has answered for her crimes?"

Sola-Ui put on a stoic smile while nodding. "Of course." Honestly, she couldn't have been happier despite the circumstances. Kayneth's passing was regrettable, she wouldn't have gone so far, but now he was there to interfere in her time with Lancer. And Archer X, her only direct rival for Lancer's eye, had gone and made herself his hated enemy with her actions. No one left to stop Sola-Ui from being with Lancer. It was almost like a fairy tale.

She'd have been significantly less elated if she'd known romance was presently the furthest thing from the Servant of the Spear's mind.

All Lancer had wanted with this second life was another chance. A chance to be a faithful knight of chivalry, a chance to battle with worthy, noble adversaries, a chance to serve his new lord well and restore his honor.

He held no grudge towards his friend Fionn or Gráinne, the lady that he had loved. Fate had been merciless to him, but such was life. Nor did he feel any resentment towards Lord Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald, the man who had called him into this time and place. He didn't even begrudge Lady Sola-Ui for her recent actions; she was simply captivated by the cursed mark on his face.

But Archer X?

Lancer glared out into the night shifting to day, the rising sun bathing the cloudy horizon in red. Lord Kayneth, I, Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, vow on my honor that you shall be avenged.

Close by, the Hassan designated as Macour the Quick observed the recent events, his mask hiding his smirk. Rider X was right about one thing, he mused while slipping after the elusive Servant. His partner Tekesh would remain to keep an eye on the Hyatt. This Grail War is anything but boring.

-121:48:34

Maiya tapped the side of her stomach and winced at some leftover soreness, but that was the worst of it. She'd now fully recovered from the earlier battle with Kirei Kotomine. Good thing, too; enough time had passed since then, and she needed to get back to work.

The woman proceeded to recheck the gear she'd be taking with her into the city. Once she was strong enough, Kiritsugu had instructed her to proceed as originally discussed before Caster had appeared. The only change to the plan was that a clone of Assassin X would be shadowing her, but that was a condition neither had any objections to whatsoever.

The Mage Killer himself was standing at a different table than at last night's conference (that one had been reduced to sawdust by Kayneth's golem). Much as he'd wanted to pursue the weakened Master and his Servants, Assassin X had persuaded him to remain here for the time being. The Einzbern castle had been compromised, and the entire team needed to recover and stay together lest fresh enemies arrived to finish them off.

The light flickering above him made him briefly glance up. The castle was no longer in peak condition after his clash with the enemy Master. Fortunately, it was still mostly intact, and Assassin X had checked the power grid to find it remained serviceable. A good number of traps had been expended due to Kayneth chasing him, but Kiritsugu chose not to replace them. They'd be changing bases soon anyhow.

Iri walked in with Saber following. "The Bounded Field is still working as before," his wife reported. "No signs of any interference or the like."

"And there haven't been any Servants returning to the forest," the King of Knights continued. "Saber X must have left when Archer X abandoned their battle, and I detected no signs of either of his partners having ever been present." Saber was the first to admit she wasn't Assassin X, but she still knew a thing or two about tracking.

Her partner nodded at the assessment. "Even the Assassin network has been keeping their distance. And with the sun coming up, none of the others will be willing to blatantly attack this place, even if the truce wasn't in play." Perhaps he'd been a little too paranoid in advising Kiritsugu to stay put. Still, better safe than sorry.

Kiritsugu folded up his map and stepped away from the table. He looked to Maiya and his foreign Servant. "Then we had best get moving. Kayneth's Servants will be on high alert to protect their Master, but I have a few ideas on how to infiltrate the Hyatt."

At the word, "ideas," Assassin X made to say something, but Saber stepped up first. "Master, now that we have seen the level of Caster's depravity for ourselves, I implore you again-"

"You want to go after him and finish the job, right?" Kiritsugu interrupted without glancing at her.

It rankled the Servant a bit, but she pressed on in a stoic manner. "Failing to act on our part will put more children's lives at risk. We succeeded in saving ten of them last night," she briefly glanced to her partner in gratitude for his contribution, earning a humble eye-smile in return, before continuing, "but even more are in danger. Perhaps all children in this city."

"Protecting all the children in one single city isn't our main goal," Kiritsugu replied without a hint of emotion. "Eliminating the other Servants and Masters is. Winning the Holy Grail is." He walked towards the doorway even as Iri glanced to him in concern. "Have you forgotten that?"

Kakashi winced, looking between the duo. Looks like he's still a bit bitter about Saber letting Lancer run off with El-Melloi. In truth, the shinobi had been just as complicit in their inaction, but Kiritsugu was giving his partner more of a hard time than him. They might be more cooperative, but their personalities can't help but clash. Maybe I've been too passive.

Righteous anger flared up in Saber, and she made to protest his cold calculations, his lack of empathy, but then Irisviel stepped into her husband's path with a pleading look. Whether Kiritsugu was meant to be the recipient or Saber, or both, it was unclear. Nevertheless, even he stopped in his tracks, returning her gaze.

Those red eyes glimmering with kindness and hope made Saber think back to the tender scene of the couple she'd witnessed. She remembered her Master's state back then, his fears laid bare, his desperation…

And swallowed her temper. Then the Once-And-Future King spoke in a calm tone as she had been addressed. "I have forgotten nothing, Kiritsugu. The Holy Grail remains my main mission." She noticed Assassin X silently encouraging her. In a flash of inspiration, Saber added some logic to her argument. "And Caster's death means one less Servant to contend. The death of his Master means one less candidate for the Grail. By ending them, we not only protect the children of Fuyuki City but also take closer steps to winning the War."

It was easy to forget, but being a king meant knowing not only how to fight well, but also how to speak well. How to convince.

And Kiritsugu Emiya found himself pausing to consider her words. Part of her argument was still laced with that honorable chivalry of a knight, but he couldn't deny the practical side of dispatching two opposing factors in the War. He also detected something familiar in her word choice, her relaxed tone. 'You've been rubbing off on your partner, haven't you, Assassin X?'

'I have no idea what you're implying, my good Master.' The innocence dripping inside his reply made the corner of the Master's mouth twitch. 'Doesn't make anything she's said any less true, though.' He sighed quietly; no argument there.

Maiya stood silently to the side, offering no opinion towards the current debate. She noticed the telepathic exchange between Kiritsugu and Assassin X by minute shifting of their body language and guessed what the Servant was saying. It perplexed her a bit that she could make sense of what the masked familiar could be thinking even without him speaking, but the woman deemed that irrelevant at the moment. Whatever Kiritsugu decided, she would follow.

"Kiritsugu…" That beautiful voice uttering his name made him finally stare at Iri standing before him. She wasn't really blocking his path, one step to the side and he could proceed. But those vermillion orbs looked into his with hopeful pleading. No words needed to be said for him to understand what she was asking: Could you try to trust her? Can you take that risk for our dream?

The Mage Killer considered all of these opinions, weighed them against his own plans… and finally turned around. Saber almost took a step back in surprise to find him locking gazes with her but caught herself. She would stand by her ideals as a king, a knight and a hero.

Kiritsugu returned her look without any sort of emotion and spoke. "Assassin X." The other Servant took a step closer to them. "I imagine that your hounds all ought to be familiar with Caster's scent after taking a bite out of him."

"Yes, and judging by the growls I've heard from Pakkun, they won't be losing it any time soon. Not that they're happy about it."

"Then summon one of them. Saber and Iri will work with that one to hunt down Caster." Behind him, the homunculus smiled in happiness upon processing his words. "Saber." The Mage Killer fixed his cold, dull eyes onto the emerald ones of his Servant. "Make it work."

She nodded once. "Yes, Master."

The mask over Assassin X's face prevented anyone from seeing the bright smile beginning to spread there. It's so reassuring to see them in agreement about something that isn't murderous disapproval over my taste in literature. Then as he pricked his thumb and made the handsigns for the Summoning Jutsu, the idea from before popped into his head again.

The Copy Ninja slapped his palm against the ground, a circular series of markings surrounding it briefly before smoke erupted with a Poof! When it faded, Bull and Urushi were standing to attention.

Kiritsugu cocked an eyebrow at the pair, but it was Irisviel who asked. "I thought we only need one to track Caster, Assassin X."

"That's what Urushi here is going to do." He ruffled the spiky light-brown tufts of the grumbling dog; Urushi would never go against his trainer's commands, but he could still taste that bastard's slimy flesh midst his fangs. Eh, at least I'll be with Iri. "But I've also got something else in mind involving you, Irisviel, your husband and Maiya."

The woman in black voiced their curiosity. "A new jutsu?"

"Exactly." He patted the bigger canine's head. "Bull, the scroll, please." The bulldog rumbled a bark before hunching over, his cheeks bulging. Then to the slight disgust of the non-ninjas present, he regurgitated a Japanese-style scroll only slightly smaller than his open mouth, bearing the same Heno-heno-moheji marking all hounds carried. Assassin X brought it to the table, casually brushing away some saliva, before unrolling it for all to see its contents.

The inside of the scroll was mostly blank white, save for those black kanji-like markings the others had seen often with Assassin X's gear and the name of Assassin X himself written in blood over further blood marks of fingerprints, most likely his. Irisviel walked over to the table and peered at it with the scholarly interest of a magus. "What is this, Assassin X?"

"This, Irisviel," the Man of a Thousand Techniques tapped the large paper, "is the first step to you three learning the Summoning Jutsu." His audience, human, homunculus, Heroic Spirit and hound alike, grew attentive at the words. Urushi and Bull were particularly excited; Kakashi had never shared their contract with anyone else in their past life.

Kiritsugu had moved from the doorway as well, a glint of curiosity in his eyes. "Summoning? You mean calling forth your pack?"

Assassin X nodded to his Master. "I've honestly been considering what else I could teach you and the ladies, Master, in light of the altercations last night. Between Lord El-Melloi's tearing up the place and Kotomine handling both Maiya and Irisviel," both stiffened at the memory, "I think you could all benefit from a little extra manpower. And I assume none of you have objections to making another contract for the sake of this War?"

None were voiced, but Kiritsugu wanted clarification. "This… contract… would allow us to summon your pack ourselves?" He received a nod in confirmation that made Irisviel happily wrap her arms around a pleased Bull and Urushi. "How?"

"Allow me to explain." Assassin X gestured to the scroll, everyone gathering around it. Even Saber joined them; she had admittedly no talent or interest in learning magic, but this wouldn't be the first time her partner had shown something interesting. "The Summoning Jutsu is a bit different from others: we shinobi use it to call forth animals or equipment for various purposes, but in order to summon the former, we need to have established a contract with them beforehand."

Assassin X tapped his name on the scroll as part of his explanation. "In the case of my hounds, I formed the contract in this scroll, thereby allowing me to summon any or all of them when I have need. For you three to do the same," he cast a telling eye at Maiya, Irisviel and Kiritsugu, "sign your names on the scroll in your own blood and then mark the spot underneath with all the fingerprints of one of your hands. That will add you to those who can summon my hounds." He then presented a kunai, tip pointing up.

Irisviel freed herself gently from the cuddly doggies (silently ecstatic at the idea of being able to pet them whenever she wanted) and pressed her index finger against the blade. Blood began to gather at the slight cut. She didn't feel pain, though; a first sign, perhaps, of what awaited her…

She cast those thoughts aside and swatted away her love's hand playfully. Iri laughed. "I still remember our lessons, thank you very much!" Kiritsugu stepped back with his hands raised and a miniscule grin. She then proceeded to spell out her name methodically like he had taught her and as small as she could manage. Memories of her lessons with him flowed through her mind with each letter. How simple those days had been, so long ago…

As soon as she finished with her fingerprints, Maiya was next, cutting without hesitation her finger on the freshly cleaned kunai. Her name was simpler to write in kanji, her movements swift and sure.

Assassin X quickly cleaned his blade before Kiritsugu held out his hand. One prick, and the Mage Killer quickly added his own name and blood to the scroll. This ritual appeared much simpler than the one he'd used to summon Saber and Assassin X, something he appreciated.

Once all five of his right fingertips had been pressed against the paper, Assassin X rolled up the entire scroll in one swift motion, and Bull swallowed it without complaint. "Alright, that was the easy part," he admitted while dusting off his hands. "To perform the Summoning Jutsu, you need to make five handsigns and make a little offering."

Maiya cycled through her memories of every time she'd seen him do the jutsu. "The offering's a little bit of your blood, isn't it?" Assassin X nodded once. "How long would it take us to learn the signs?"

"Not all that long, but seeing as Saber and my Master are beginning to look antsy," the blonde looked away with something that could've become a pout while the man just grunted, much to his wife's amusement, "our clones can practice while the originals get to work."

Kiritsugu nodded at that suggestion. "Sounds like-"

Static suddenly crackled from the earpiece Maiya carried near her neck. "Hey, Maiya," Shiba's voice range out, "you read me?"

Everyone's attention shifted to the piece. The grey hound had been dispatched hours ago on Kiritsugu's orders to trail Lancer and Archer X. Once he'd reported via his ear-com that they'd returned to the Hyatt, the mission had shifted to observation. He was only to call if something happened.

Maiya affixed the device to her ear. "I'm here, Shiba. What's going on?"

"Tell Kiritsugu something big just happened over here. Don't know if he'd call it good news or bad, but things have gotten a little wilder."

-113:22:55

Waves rose and fell along the sand. The sound of them rushing again and again filled his ears. His nostrils flared to draw in the fragrance of salt water… and fulfillment. The sun was beginning to rise, its golden glow shimmering along the reflection of the war. Its light paved the way to the horizon, beckoning him to come.

Cheers erupted around him. Students just like him were embracing each other, clapping backs, shaking hands, he knew he saw a passionate kiss here and there. Slender but strong arms pulled him into three others, graduation robes rubbing against each other. He laughed while looking at heads of black, blonde… and red. For once in his life, he didn't feel cursed.

Blood flashed through the air. Steel clashed against steel in a never-ending symphony that rattled his eardrums. He leaped and swung again and again, heart pounding like a heavy drum. His teeth kept slipping past his lips into a broad smile. He couldn't see it, of course… but he'd bet his life it looked just like the one the woman trying to kill him had.

Waver jolted awake, pushing himself off his desk. His shoulders and back ached from how he'd been sleeping in that hunched position. The student leaned back and stretched with a tired yawn. More of those odd dreams. No, not dreams, he'd come to understand. Memories of his Servants. Memories of fighting and crowds of people and fighting and amazing sights and fighting and drinking and fighting.

Had he mentioned that there was fighting in these dreams?

Waver shook his head, trying to sort through the swirl of thoughts and a bit of a migraine. A glance to the clock on "his" nightstand told him it was evening now; he couldn't believe he'd slept through a whole day. Sighing, Waver rubbed his face. Those three are going to bleed me dry…

Then he remembered; no sooner was Berserker X fully loaded, so to speak, had Saber X returned. The team's unofficial scout had reported his tracking Caster to the western forest, meeting plenty other Servants, and getting into a fight with Archer X. Ultimately, though, the whole battle royale had seemingly resulted in zero casualties. Waver found that ridiculous, Rider was ecstatic, and Berserker X had been conflicted. On the one hand, he'd been irked that Saber X had fighting while he'd been napping, on the other, he still had plenty of opponents left for some fun.

A shudder travelled through the Master's body as he recalled his newest Servant's definition of "fun."

Either way, Caster remained (hopefully) still at large, and they had a shot at claiming the prize. The problem, though, was how to deal with an opponent like that. According to the intel Saber X and to a lesser extent Berserker X had provided, this Servant's specialty was calling forth large tentacled demons to fight his battles. In large quantities with little time needed, apparently. All three of Waver's Servants were powerhouses, no question about that, and Berserker X even had a little advantage over his former partner. In theory, they could tackle an army like that with little trouble. But then, eight Servants besides Caster had been active near the Einzbern castle last night, and admittedly, some of them had chosen to battle each other, but the fact remained that Caster had succeeded in escaping with his life. He couldn't be taken lightly.

Not to mention that if Waver's plan to track him worked, they'd be confronting the crazy Servant in his base of operations. A Caster was at his strongest there thanks to Territory Creation. And the group's Magic Resistance wasn't particularly stellar, for that matter. They needed to be careful. And unfortunately, careful wasn't in Rider or Berserker X's vocabulary.

Footsteps from behind the closed door drew Waver's attention from his strategizing. They were too soft to be from any of his Servants, meaning it had to be Martha Mackenzie. Her false grandson took a quick look around the room and relaxed when he saw none of his magecraft equipment or books lying about. He wouldn't have to erase her memories again, that was always so draining.

There was a light knock at the door. "Waver, dinner's ready."

He put on a light smile and called back. "Thank you, I'll be right out." Waver slowly rose from the chair.

"Your friends are already at the table." A laugh. "Alexander's riling your grandfather up with all that beer Qrow brought."

Those names made Waver freeze at the spot. He slowly turned with rising horror to the door. Alexander? Qrow? He stumbled through the room, wrenched open the door to move past a perplexed Martha, and almost tumbled down the steps to the kitchen. Oh, don't tell me-

"Ah, that's the good stuff!" Once again, Waver Velvet's hopes had been dashed.

Glen Mackenzie was sitting at the dining table with a glass of a brown, slightly foaming liquid in his hand and reddening cheeks. His other arm was wrapped around Saber X, also holding a glass but not nearly as much to the wind. "Toldja, I've got a nose for drinks." The Huntsman had changed his dress shirt for a simpler black button-up one, but the pants looked the same.

"Indeed!" Rider roared happily from the other side, hoisting a large glass mug. "A fine drink to toast to our newfound friendship!" He was still wearing that "Admirable Tactics" T-shirt, but with a pair of blue jeans that (thank God) didn't hug his legs so tightly.

Next to him, Berserker X reached out with a laugh to snag a bottle on the table. "Just quit hogging it, ya big lump." He leaned back to pour more into his own glass, allowing Waver to clearly see the black leather jacket over a white shirt, black leather pants, and that eyepatch he'd taken to wearing ever since he woke up. At least he wasn't emitting that crazy pressure right now, it'd have torn the house to shreds. But he still had that funky hairstyle, bells and all.

If that scruffy jerk has been buying the others clothes with my money, I'm going to-

"Relax, Spiky," Saber X drawled through his Master's internal grumbling, "I brought enough for everyone." Then his voice dipped to a mumble. "Didn't think I'd have to share 'em, though…"

Glen slapped him chuckling on the back while Waver just trudged in a mixture of horror and resignation to his seat. "Oh, come on! It's like that American song says, it's better than drinking alone."

"Hear, hear." The King of Conquerors toasted him before finally noticing his Master slumping into his chair. "Ah, how good of you to join us, boy!"

"Waver!" The boy's "grandfather" leaned forward with his glass in hand. "I'd offer you a sip, but you'd likely refuse." He looked over to "Alexander". "And here I thought a trip to England would help him get a taste for alcohol. No such luck!" He belched up another laugh. "Man, it's good to have some drinking buddies!"

Waver suppressed a wince at the reminder of his cover story, but Rider merely laughed on. "He still doesn't know how to enjoy himself. I've told him already that the key to victory in life is to enjoy it, but he's yet to truly learn it." He shrugged his massive shoulders. "Oh, well!"

"We'll get him to see the light eventually," Berserker X snickered into his drink. "Who knows how far he'll have come by the time we're done with him."

Waver shivered at the grins of anticipation that passed through the Heroic Spirit trio.

Then a plate of rice was placed in front of him. "Either way, it's high time we put something besides beer into your stomachs," Martha joked while passing out food as the men cheered. She accepted them with a guilty face. "I just wish I'd have known earlier that we'd have company tonight. That way I could've prepared more."

"Oh, there's no need to worry about that, ma'am." Rider's smile remained radiant as ever even as it shifted to a gentler shade. "This meal is more than enough, especially with your hospitality."

The king's Charisma helped assuage her doubts, and Saber X kept the ball rolling. "Besides, it's our fault for not letting you know in advance. You've got nothing to apologize for."

"So, why don't you sit down too to enjoy this grub? No need to feel left."

Martha gave an eased look to all of them. "Well, if that's the case, Kenpachi…" she moved to sit down next to Qrow. "Oh!" Unfortunately, she bumped slightly into the table in the process, causing a glass of water to fall onto the floor and break. The liquid splashed over his shirt. "Oh, my! Please don't move, Qrow, I'll-"

"No, no, it's okay, Mrs. Mackenzie." The foreigner quickly slipped out of his seat with his hands raised. He flashed her a reassuring smile. "It's just water." Waver thought for a moment that he saw that weird look flash into Saber X's red eye, but then I was gone again, and he was gesturing to the elderly lady's plate. "Go ahead and dig in, it's the least you deserve after all the cookin'. I'll clean this up."

"…Alright, if you're sure. I'm sorry for the trouble."

"No trouble at all." Rider hummed in thought while his partner swiftly collected all the shards and briefly stepped out of the room. There was something in his posture, the way he just seemed to… slump. He glanced to the side and saw his other partner gazing after Saber X as well. Even as he ate his rice, Berserker X's single visible eye remained sharp. They glanced to each other as though to compare notes wordlessly.

Either way, Saber X came back, and the meal proceeded without further incident. Waver watched with utter bemusement at how the Mackenzie's were charmed by the three Servants. Rider was full of life and excitement, Berserker X matched it with a wild aggression, and Saber X's snarky contributions provided a sort of level playing field for everyone (but the boy) to enjoy. Thankfully, they all had enough sense (and sobriety) to skirt around questions of where they came from or what they were doing here.

Or in Kenpachi's case, why he had chosen such a peculiar hairstyle. "My daughter thought it would look funny, and after wearing it long enough, it just stuck," was what he said with an almost tender smile. Between the spikes, patch and scar, it looked surreal on his face.

A tiny girl with short pink hair and bright eyes and smile had appeared in Waver's head at the time.

And the Mackenzie's talked happily into the meal about themselves as well. Their moving from Australia to Japan due to Glen's business, him settling them into Miyama after finding himself enamored with the city, Martha's conditions about them living on a hill and with a skylight ("Must-haves for any couple!"), and regrettably losing touch in their son who'd headed back to their home. Saber X had been particularly tender with them about that subject; he'd apparently never married, but he had two nieces that meant the world to them. Sadly, his work required him to travel a lot, so he rarely had chances to visit.

As the couple bonded with the Huntsman, Waver found himself flashing back to memories of a spirited girl with long blonde hair and a younger one with red hair and silver eyes. The sheer emotions in those images almost brought tears to his eyes.

Dinner eventually ended, and the couple remained so charmed by Rider's personality and the other two's opening up that they were allowed to stay. "For about a week or so," the King of Conquerors had said.

"For as long as you need," Glen had assured them. And try as he might, Waver could find it in him to protest. It made things simpler for the team, he told himself to calm his nerves.

Still, no sooner had the Mackenzie's retired for the night and they were back in "his" bedroom did Waver glare at the three. "What part of 'stay in spirit form' did you bloody lunkheads not understand?!"

Berserker X scoffed. "I've already been half-ghost long enough, kid. No way am I staying cooped up here any longer than I have to." He side-eyed the bigger Servant. "And why the hell couldn't I leave the house while he's snoozing?"

Rider smiled fearlessly back at him. "I wanted us to chat a bit, have some fun together before we set off for our grand conquest! It gets rather tedious sitting around alone when Qrow flaps away." The third Servant simply avoided eye contact. "Besides, don't claim you don't enjoy our arm-wrestling tournaments."

"Eh, good point. But I'm looking forward to a real fight now."

"As am I!" The two shared an eager snort.

Meanwhile, Waver gave Saber X a look. "How much of my money did you spend purchasing them clothes?"

"Relax," the Servant replied. "I snagged a couple of clothes from a nearby store and left some bills behind. No fuss, no muss." He shrugged when everybody eyed him. "Hey, between a magic war going on in secret, a psycho kidnapper/killer duo on the loose, and bank robbers running around, I think I can get away with nabbing some clothes at a massive discount."

Waver ran a hand over his face with a sigh. At least it's a step away from pilfering liquor stores… "By the way," he opened his eyes to see a collection of test tubes before them. Each one had a label with a letter.

"I got those samples you asked for," Qrow explained. "Took a couple more while you were out. A good number of 'em come from the big river but are from different spots."

"Good," Waver nodded as he pointed to his suitcase. "Bring that over here. I need it." Berserker X took a glance at it, shrugged and lifted the heavy thing easily with just one hand before practically chucking it over. His Master yelped while managing to barely catch it from the floor. "Careful with that!"

Rider's eyebrow lifted at him. "Boy, why do you have your Servants perform such menial tasks such as fetching water and passing you your luggage?"

"Because I already have you just munching on snacks, watching videos, and guzzling liquor all day long," Waver shot back while pulling out his magecraft utensils and a map. He passed the latter to Saber X. "Note down the letter to each spot where you collected the sample."

The Corvid Reaper did so with a growing smirk. He may have been an alcoholic, but he recalled perfectly where each spot had been. So, that's what he had in mind. "You're trying to pick up Caster's trail, aren't you?" he asked as he returned the map.

Waver nodded while mixing together a solution in a larger glass. "Playing alchemist, now, boy?" Rider watched him in interest.

"I'm not playing anything, I know alchemy." He shot back without stopping his proceedings. He could do something this basic with his eyes closed. "You're positive these are the exact coordinates?"

"You positive you know what you're cooking up?"

Waver took the indirect confirmation and challenge and continued his work. A small frown crossed his face, but it wasn't from the attitudes of his Servants for once. They were actually being pretty docile at the moment. No, his frustrations arose with the actions he was currently undertaking. A pathetically elementary ritual for just a hope of finding his target, befitting an average student. Not even a real magus. He bet that smug Lord El-Melloi had devised an utterly brilliant technique to discern precisely where Caster would be. He could feel his professor's demeaning criticism reverberating inside his ears…

A sizzle in front of him made him refocus on his work. The water's color had shifted to orange of a dark shade. Rider peered closer in curiosity. "Oh? What's this?" Saber X followed suit.

Waver held the reagent closer to his eye. "Traces of an enchantment. What's left of the magecraft in the water." Label A; the spot where the Fuyuki river was closest to sea. He knew he should focus on the water, but he also knew Rider wouldn't stop pestering him for details. So he continued while adding drops to the other samples. "Someone has been using magecraft close to the water. We follow the trail upstream, we might find the source."

Saber X glanced to him, smirk still present (and crossing his fingers where no one could see). "You knew this stuff would be in the water, pipsqueak?"

"Not exactly, but it was your mentioning of finding a pattern yesterday that gave me an idea," Waver admitted as he set aside tubes from spots further away from the city's main river. "But seeing as Caster's targets themselves lent little information for finding it, I decided to look at it from a geographical angle." One sample after the other turned orange. "A city like this with the river flowing right through it, the most logical course is to take a look at the water."

Berserker X had leaning against the wall in utter boredom, but the last part made him grunt in acknowledgement. "Smart thinking, there. Simple, too."

"I know," the Master grumbled, further displeased with his inability to show anything greater. This Holy Grail War was supposed to have been his chance to prove his talents in Thaumaturgy, but here he was, using common alchemy to find a lunatic. It was just like Saber X had said the night he'd been summoned. He was nowhere near prepared enough or ready to stand on equal ground with El-Melloi, Tohsaka, or any of the other Masters. Pitiful.

"Hey, what's up with that one?"

Waver paused in his self-loathing to see what the Servant of Madness had indicated. The Q-labelled tube's water hadn't changed in color. He checked; P had become tainted like the rest, but Q showed no reaction even when he shook the glass. He pulled the map closer. "Saber X, was there anything between those two points? An irrigation channel or a sewer?"

Qrow scratched his stubbled chin in remembrance. "Yeah, a big sewer. Probably the start of a complex, definitely wide enough for humans to go in and out."

"Then that must be where we can find Caster's hideaway." Waver began to replace his equipment, their use complete.

As he worked with his usual frown, Rider gazed at him with a solemn expression. "Say, boy," everyone glanced to him, "aren't you already an excellent mage?"

"Oh please." Waver Velvet scowled at him in cynicism. "An excellent mage wouldn't have to resort to something this simple. They'd use a far greater technique."

Berserker gave a derisive snort. "Yeah, greater's just another word for complicated. You've got some serious stuff there."

Waver glared between the two. "…The both of you are teasing me, aren't you?"

Berserker X clipped his forehead, scoffing as the boy yelped in pain. "You too stuck-up to know a compliment when you hear one? I wasn't kidding around, moron," he thumbed to the Macedonian Servant, "and neither was he."

Waver rubbed his repeatedly punished head with a scowl, but he felt a hand clap down on his. "There's nothing wrong with using a simple solution for a problem, boy," Rider smiled down on him. "In fact, it's all the more impressive that you achieve this with so simple than by a far more convoluted method." His smile broadened. "I'm now proud to be your Servant!"

Waver shook himself free of the massive limb, unable to fully appreciate the compliments. He made to retort, but a sigh from Saber X cut him off. "Just take the kudos already. We're all on your side." The Servant took a drink from his flask before continuing. "Besides, measuring yourself to that prick of a teacher you've got ain't healthy." The mention of Lord El-Melloi made him flinch. "If you keep asking yourself what he would do, you're just going to have problems."

"How true." Iskandar nodded to the advice. "Instead of judging yourself by what that coward would do, Master, judge yourself by what you can do." Waver slumped away from them, processing the advice, then Rider summoned his spatha to rest on his shoulder. "Alright then! We have our target and our objective!" He smiled brilliantly to his partners. "Time to move!"

Berserker X rolled his shoulders with a grin. "Hell yeah. I am ready to rampage." His nodachi (thankfully sheathed) cracked against the wooden floor.

Waver gaped at the trio as they made to move. "Hey, wait, you meatheads! This is Caster we're talking about."

Rider barely glanced back from his trail to the door. "We know."

"No, you don't." The Master's earlier considerations came to mind. "Caster would have the home field advantage if we went charging into his territory. Don't you get that?"

"Of course we do, pipsqueak," Saber X drawled at him. "This isn't the first rodeo for any of us. And sure, waltzing into Caster's home turf is a risk, but it's still our best shot at taking him down." He cocked an eyebrow. "Or do you think he'll just waltz out into the open again?"

"W-well, he did once-"

"Yeah, and that ended with him getting his ass handed to him by four Servants. Caster's nuts, but it's a fair bet he's got some sense of self-preservation."

Rider reached over to hold up the map. "Look at this. Enemy camps change frequently in war, sometimes in the span of seconds. We know where our target's location is right now. Failing to act on that is tantamount to him slipping through our fingers."

Waver stared at all three of them. Berserker X's readiness was obvious, that brute lived for violence, Rider wasn't far behind in that regard, but even Saber X, the one he'd judged the most reasonable amongst them, was itching to go. "…How can you be so excited? I might be mistaken-"

"That doesn't matter!" The King of Conquerors laughed through his self-doubt. "Our Master has been contributing to the war effort. As his Servants, it's only our natural duty to have faith in this information and hunt down the Servant!" He tossed the map aside and beckoned with his hand. "Now come! It's time for our next campaign!"

Waver felt his cheeks burning from the praise but still hesitated. There was so much that could go wrong…

Then he heard a scoff. Everyone turned to Berserker X who had thrown open the door. "If the kid doesn't want to come, leave him here. Him getting jelly legs is just going to slow us down."

That insult rankled at his pride, and he glared up towards the unruly Servant…

Only to be cowed by that single visible eye's stare. "I joined up with you guys because I thought it'd be a good time." The large body shifted back to stare into the room. Waver felt his knees buckling at the stirring of pressure. "And so far, I haven't gotten into a single fight yet. Now I know where that big-eyed bastard is hiding, and there's no way I'm going to let some twerp's pussyfooting keep me from going after him." The other two said nothing.

Berserker X's eye seemed to bore into his soul. "If you want to fight, fight. If you want to stay, stay. But if you're going to get in my way, I'll cut you down too."

He then stormed out of the room, his street clothes shimmering into the Japanese garb he had worn upon first arriving to this world. A wave of killing intent rippled from the Servant, confirming his threat but be anything but empty.

Rider chuckled to himself. "And they used to call me eager for the battlefield." But then his expression softened as he glanced towards his Master.

The poor boy had slumped to his knees, sweat pouring from his body. That burst of power and its aggressive taste triggered the memory of his first encounter with Berserker X; the monster stepping of his own free will into a battle of multiple Servants, mana radiating from him like a torrent of crushing water. The hallucination of being knocked to the ground, a heavy foot smashing his head into a bloody mess. That long sword carving through the air…

H-how am I supposed to corral a b-beast like that? For the two-hundredth time, Waver Velvet asked himself What the hell was I thinking? He should've never joined this bloody War…

Fingers snapped in front of his nose, the noise rattling him out of his despair. "Deep breath, Waver." He saw Saber X's hand pull him back to his feet. "Berserker X is kind of an asshole, but he's right about one thing." Waver flinched in anticipation. "If you want to stay, then you ought to stay."

He blinked. That… wasn't what he'd expected. Qrow Branwen maintained eye contact with the boy while he continued. "Sure, this could end up being a total mess. Walking into what could be Caster's lair is a major risk." He patted his Master's shoulder. "But you've got to take risks sometimes if you want to get anywhere in life." He let go and shrugged. "You've come this far already. Might as well go for broke." And then he went for the door.

Rider watched him with a fond smile before pulling Waver along. "My comrades are right, boy!" He wrapped him in a one-armed hug. "You shouldn't give up just when we've started to fight. Don't your doubts shackle you. Come and stand by our side." His red eyes twinkled with excitement. "Who knows? It might go better than you expected."

Waver was still processing all of the nuggets of wisdom his Servants had dumped onto him, but he didn't protest the hand pulling him along outside. Only Saber X was waiting for them; Berserker X had taken off. The Gordius Wheel was summoned in a flash of divine lightning, and the three rode off into the night sky. Well, if I'd stayed put, I'd be a sitting duck…

-110:35:19

The trek into the sewers had so far been mostly successful, aside from a quick detour to pick up Berserker X who had been going the wrong way. "Do you have any sense of direction?!" Saber X had asked him incredulously at the time, a question Waver shared.

But even though he grumbled at the other Servants' teasing, the brutish man had spared his Master a nearly soft smirk. It must've been a trick of the moonlight, no way there had been content in it… right?

Either way, Rider's chariot carried all four to the sewer under Saber X's guidance. Closer inspection revealed some tampering with the gates there and greater traces of mana about. The King of Conquerors took it as a good sign. One heave from Berserker X tore apart the rest of the gate, allowing the entire Gordius Wheel to enter.

They'd only made it a couple dozen meters inside before tentacled beasts sprang out of the shadows to attack. Berserker X's nodachi flashed twice, and the demons fell apart screeching in agony. They continued to run into more of them, but those were either cut to pieces by the blades of Saber X or Berserker X or simply trampled under the Wheel.

Rider snapped the reins to his bulls while roaring his battle cry: "ULULULULULULUIIII!" His bulls rumbled as they pulled along the massive vehicle, crushing any foolhardy Horror that attempted to stop them. Lightning flashed about as well from their hooves, scorching twisted flesh with each clomp. The "Wheel of Heaven's Authority" couldn't be stopped by any number of the monsters in quarters these confined.

Not that there were that many in front of them, thanks to Berserker X charging ahead. A deranged laughter bubbled from him with each slash and thrust of his sword. There was little sense of technique behind his attacks, only brute force. But that, along with side benefits of the Servant's Divinity Skill, sufficed to bring down scores of Horrors. In a strange twist of fate, Caster's former partner was perhaps the worst possible opponent for him in this War.

Those that remained or somehow managed to avoid either onslaught attempted to attack the Wheel's occupants were met by Saber X. Harbinger shifted from sword to shotgun to scythe and back to sword within seconds as the Huntsman whirled about his partner and Master like a cyclone of steel. A cocky smirk danced on his lips while his hands twirled about the massive scythe and fired its gun component to dice five Horrors at once.

Waver only needed to grip the Wheel's rail and watch in total amazement how each of his three Servants eviscerated the rows and rows of monsters before them. And none of them had so much as broken a sweat. They didn't even need or bother to help each other. Before long, an excited grin began to stretch across Waver's face from the wind rushing against his skin, the ringing of steel, the gunshots, the static, the wild howls of his compatriots, the adrenaline coursing through his body. For just a little while, he felt more alive than he ever had before.

Good thing he was excited, too, otherwise, the stench would've overwhelmed him. Granted, a sewer wasn't exactly a garden of roses to begin with, but mixed with the Horrors' odor, especially from their blood, the smell was so foul the Servants themselves had to plug their noses. "I'm gonna need a dozen showers after this…" Saber X grumbled while impaling a Horror.

Berserker X just grunted between bisecting another. "If these things had gotten any tougher since the last time, I'd say they're worth it, but no such luck." Two tentacles snapped around his left arm and tugged, but he tugged harder. The Horror was pulled right into the nodachi's tip with a squeal of agony. The Servant clicked his tongue before noticing something. "Hey, over here!"

The good news was that they'd reached what appeared the main part of the complex. A wide room stretched before them, broad pillars separating the ceiling from the floor. Water could be heard flowing, and there was a large tank full of liquid in the very center. Rider glanced about as he pulled on the reins to signal a stop for his bulls. "Caster doesn't seem to be home," he mumbled.

Berserker X had been the first to step inside, and he peered about with a frown. "No sign of that crazy fuck that summoned him and me, either. Who knows where they've gone."

Waver squinted as he tried to peer through the darkness. He could make out the Servant of Madness thanks to his white coat and some rough shapes here and there, but little else. "Hey…" he focused on the tank in the middle, "is that for storing water?"

"Bastard…"

He turned to see Saber X step off the Gordius Wheel and stride further into the darkness. His hand clutched his sword like a vice. "I knew he was a sick fuck the moment I saw him." the man's words dripped with disgusted anger that it made Waver's blood freeze. "But this…"

"Yeah." Berserker X muttered as he stepped next to his new partner. "Why do you think I cut ties with him?" He wasn't confrontational now, but rather ticked off himself. Both seemed to be stepping very carefully too, almost hopping from one spot to the next.

Waver glanced from one to the other in confusion. "What? Do you see anything?" Servants had superior eyesight to humans, so maybe they'd stumbled upon a clue to where Caster was now. He rustled about in his pocket for a light source-

"Don't look!" The yell from Saber X made him stop in shock.

"Boy." Rider was the only one who had yet to leave his initial spot. He was speaking softer now. "I think you should heed Qrow's advice. You might not want to see this."

"What are you lot talking about?" Waver took on an aggressive tone to rally himself. He didn't want to think what could spook these hardened fight-crazy warriors, but they needed to know more. "If Caster or his Master aren't here, then we need to find something that could lead us to them." He continued rummaging about until his fingers found what he sought.

Saber X planted his sword in the ground and stormed towards him. "We get that, but this is something you do not want to see, trust me, Waver!"

"He's right," Berserker X spoke up again. "You're not ready for this, kid."

"Shut up and let me work!" Waver snapped together the two pebbles, generating a bit of mana from his Magic Circuits. They flared up into a basic light source.

Waver then tossed it high just before Saber X reached him. "Don't!"

The green light expanded across the ceiling. Waver dismounted from the chariot, hurling another light source and brushing aside the Servant. Does he really think I don't have the stomach for- His foot stepped into something wet. Liquid splashed against his face. Tapping his finger against it revealed the liquid to be… blood. Fresh blood.

Surprised, Waver glanced down and regretted it instantly. The flickering light spells he'd cast illuminated dozens of mutilated corpses. And all of them were children. Boys, girls, blonde, brunette, big, small…

All of them were unmoving, with frozen expressions of wide-eyed terror. Their blood was splashed across the floor. The droplets he'd received had come from the severed arm of a girl he'd stepped on. More blood then began to leak from her dull eyes like tears.

Bile churned inside Waver's throat as he focused on one little sneaker stained with blood, and he couldn't stop himself from doubling over. He heaved that night's dinner with tears streaming from his eyes. And then more came out from him. He knew this was pathetic of him, he knew a true magus would be able to stomach a sight like this, but-

A hand began gently thumping on his back, easing up the regurgitating. Saber X sighed while kneeling down to him. "We told you not to look, kid." The anger from before was gone for now; only compassion was reflected in his eyes.

Waver felt his stomach settle itself and tried to wipe his tears away. "D-don't mock me." More replaced them, ruining his attempts to regain his dignity. "I-I'm a m-magus. A-a sight like t-this shouldn't be so-"

Qrow pulled him into a tight hug, rubbing his back. The student's fragile pride yelled at him to push the fool away, but he just couldn't. His limbs felt so weak. "You're a human, too, pipsqueak. Anyone who tells ya it's wrong to have a little decency is a piece of shit."

Waver let his head fall onto the man's shoulder and wept a little more. "Damn it…" His familiar squeezed a little more, partially out of the righteous fury starting to well up in him again.

Berserker X walked closer to the two, taking care to step around the little bodies. Blood still stained his sandals and socks. "Don't go beating yourselves up over this shit," he said. "They've all been dead for a while."

"But your reactions give me at least some relief." Rider hopped off the wheel and stepped next to his first partner. "After all your trials in life, Saber X, you're still affected by a sight like this." He cast a regretful eye over the bloodbath before him.

All three of the Servants were veterans of hundreds of battles, in some cases maybe even thousands. They had all developed a tolerance to bloodshed and gory scenes.

This, though, this massive desecration of young lives… "If I met anyone whose stomach wouldn't turn at what lays before us, I'd pummel them." Rider vowed solemnly.

"…Makes two of us." Saber X replied, his anger steadying like the boy in his arms.

"You'd both have to get in line." Berserker X moved to his other side. "The first thing I saw when that bastard of a Master summoned me was a wall stained in blood. And I could tell he didn't know shit about fighting. Next thing I knew, he was offering up a tied-up, scared little snot to me and Caster. Said we could eat him." He spat in disgust before perking up.

As did the other two Servants. Frowning, Waver pushed himself free of Saber X's loose arms to look at them. "W-what's wrong now?"

"The time for sentiment has passed," Rider replied before drawing his sword. The boy didn't notice the curved dagger hurtling for him until it was deflected by the big man's swing an inch from his left eye. He scrambled back in shock.

"Our Master is in danger!" Rider called with a battle-ready grin as he picked up the projectile. He hurled it with great force and accuracy at its original owner.

Waver's eyes widened at the black body slumping over with the dagger in his masked face. "Assassin?!" But that wasn't even the biggest surprise. He looked about the room and saw five more of the dark figures with skulls for faces.

Jingle. Berserker X had already launched himself sixty meters with one step. His nodachi cleared its sheathe half a second before running through a female Assassin shrouded in robes. The one next to them, a broader fellow with bronze wrappings on his arms, made to jump for the boy, but the chipped blade was ripped from its current spot and whirled about in a near circle. The resulting slash cut not only that Assassin in half but carved a deep gouge into the pillar behind him. All the while, his killer wore a deadpan expression. Weaker than the fish.

Saber X moved for Harbinger where he'd left it only for a short Assassin with long purple hair and twin daggers to hop in between. He believed that even a member of the strongest Servant class wouldn't last against him without his weapon.

A fatal error in judgement.

Saber X batted aside the first jab at him and threw a right cross before the second could begin, cracking the skull mask. He then pulled the dark body in for a sharp knee to the gut, wrapped both hands around his neck and twisted. A loud crack echoed through the chamber. The Servant collapsed to the blood-soaked floor with his head backwards.

All this had happened while Waver was blinking. He gaped in amazement. But while part of him marveled at how deftly two Servants had dispatched their enemies, one even without his signature weapon, most was still reeling over the identity of said enemies. "H-how? Assassin was supposed to be dead… We saw it…"

"What we saw was a load of crap, I'm betting." Saber X had reclaimed Harbinger.

The remaining two Hassans circled Rider carefully, knives at the ready. The king was hardly worried, though, his spatha pointed towards one, then the other. "All those who believed in Assassin's death have been fooled." The light spells flickered into nothing. Not that the lost light meant much to a Servant's eyes.

Asako was not happy with the situation. She and two others had been sent by Master Kirei to investigate this location and maybe find out where Caster had been. Then three had shown up, the ones assigned to monitor the boy Master and his motley gang. The six personalities of Hassan had engaged into a heated debate over what to do while the other Servants had rampaged through the sewer system. Asako and one other had argued for continuing to watch and one heading back to report the development, but another, Ibram (the one that loud bull of a Servant had killed with his own weapon), convinced the rest to strike at the boy now and perhaps end three Servants at once. Sure, it had gone against their Master's instructions, but if they'd succeeded, the illusion of Assassin's death would've been maintained, and the result would've outshined any frustration. The Servants had appeared distracted by what they'd found (Asako had made a quick voiceless prayer for the poor youths), so they'd struck.

And look where it's gotten us, she thought in bitterness. Four of their number already dead, meaning that the Assassins were now outmatched and outnumbered. Rider's partners were drawing closer. Two more have fallen at the hands of our rival while trying to save our Master. This is a battle we could've never won. She stepped backwards into the deeper shadows of the room, a cold hiss emanating from her mask. A signal to retreat.

The other Hassan, Nuka, made to follow suit and cried out in pain at his left leg being blown apart. Smoke curled from Harbinger's barrels before its blade ratcheted back in place. Collapsing on the floor, Nuka saw them approaching him and swiftly put his blade through his neck. Rider knelt to find him already dead. "Hm, so much for interrogation."

Waver followed him tentatively, staring at the spot where the female had disappeared. "Are they gone?"

"Don't know," Saber X answered, moving carefully through the room. "Watch out, this is their kind of playground."

Rider hummed in agreement as he rose sword in hand. "We killed five, but a sixth escaped us. Who knows how many of them are out there…" He scratched his chin in thought. "Qrow, didn't you mention that the other Assassin fellow had a similar trick of duplication?"

"Yeah," the Servant of the Sword frowned while remembering, "but that was different from what we saw just now. He made perfect copies of himself. And each one of these guys look similar to each other but different. Some are big, some small, some guys, other girls."

Berserker X let his blade rest on his shoulder. "Who cares how that party trick works, they're fragile as hell. Let's get out of here."

"Wanna chase down that chick for an encore?" Saber X snarked.

"Please, hunting down rabbits isn't my scene. There's nothing down here any one of us couldn't handle, and I'm getting bored." He shrugged. "Looks like this night was a bust."

Rider shook his head. "Retreat is the best option, but we learned nevertheless that both Assassin-class Servants are still active. That's something for now." He pointed his spatha towards his Noble Phantasm. "Boy. Climb on. It's time to leave."

Waver glanced to the Gordius Wheel reluctantly. "Now? B-but we could still find something that'll help us track down Caster." And a part of him felt wrong about just leaving these bodies lying about.

Rider wouldn't be deterred. "Feel free to glance about for clues, but I advise you to drop it. For now, let's leave as much damage in our wake as we can. Ruin Caster's playtime for a while."

Saber X scowled as he took one last glance around the room. What the kid hopefully hadn't noticed was that not all of the victims had died yet. His ears could pick up tiny gasps of breath here and there. The irregular rhythms made him want to carve a bloody path through this damn city until he found that psycho. Hell, I just might do that when we get out of here.

Berserker X brushed past him with an inscrutable look in his eye. "There's only one thing we can do for them now, Qrow. You know that."

"…Yeah."

The Servant withdrew his flask from his pocket and unscrewed the cap. His Master drew in a breath to berate him for drinking in this situation but stopped when he saw the man pour the flask's contents out over the bodies. His arm swayed this way and that to widen the area.

"Sorry, but this is the best I can do," Qrow Branwen mumbled as he trudged back to the Wheel, the last drops of whiskey trickling out. Knepachi Zaraki struck his nodachi against the ground before sheathing it, causing sparks to fly. Some ignited the alcohol on the ground and started small fires here and there. Once everyone had boarded his mount, Iskandar had lightning erupt from the symbol of his class. The entire chamber erupted in fire and smoke while the Gordius Wheel rolled through it. Not a single spot remained untouched from the godly energy. And the bodies quickly began to burn.

All of the Wheel's occupants, human and Heroic Spirit alike, watched these proceedings with solemn expressions. Just before they left, Waver stared one last time at that bloodstained sneaker amidst the fire and gore. His gaze hardened as he swore to never forget this image.

Rider regained his confident smile while spurring his bulls towards the sewer's exit. "With his territory up in smoke, Caster won't have anywhere left to hide." His left hand released the reins to pat Saber X on the back before starting to rub Waver's head. "He'll be forced out into the open." He fixed his smile on his partner. "We'll get him soon enough."

Saber X eventually returned the smile. "I'd drink to that, but, well…" he shook his empty flask with a bittersweet laugh, a sentiment his partners echoed.

Waver desperately tried to free his head from the massive hand, sorrow giving way to embarrassment. "I-I get it, I get it! Let me go already!"

"Grow a couple of inches and some muscle, then we'll talk," Berserker X teased the boy, earning a groan from him and more laughter. The exit was just ahead. The Servant of Madness then sucked in a deep breath with a sigh. "Finally, out of that stink." He rolled his shoulders. "I'm so stiff after those boring wimps and seafood specials that I can hear the sound of a real fight ringing in my head."

Rider chuckled at that… before frowning. Now that his friend had mentioned it, the sounds of metal clanging and heavy thuds could be heard from somewhere.

Somewhere outside. "I… don't think that's in your head." He gripped his spatha again while the other two braced themselves.

They burst out into the open and Rider's frown deepened.

Saber was only a few meters away, locked in battle with Rider X. The King of Knights swung her veiled sword at her enemy's metal head, only for him to evade and throw a high kick. She dodged it, but then he grabbed her sword hand and slammed her against the nearest wall. The silver Servant's arm blade slid out underneath his cannon its edge glinting in the moonlight. "Saber!" Irisviel called out from her spot away further away.

But Saber lashed out with her legs, the left kicking his blade away and the right slamming into his chin. He stumbled back with a grunt, forced to release her. Saber landed on her feet and lunged again with a yell, sword raised high. Rider X planted his feet and slashed as well. The two blades clanged against each other with such force that the air rippled around the impact.

Both Servants pushed further into the blade lock before Rider X's eyes darted to the side. Where the trio that had just arrived was standing. His red eyes locked by chance with those of Rider's, and a sharp smile appeared on his metal lips. With a chuckle, the Decepticon conqueror forced his opponent back before activating his Noble Phantasm.

Everyone present braced as the futuristic aircraft blasted off into the sky with a loud boom. Saber glared after his fading form.

"Yellow-plated coward…" The rumble of a familiar voice made her finally notice the audience she'd attracted.

"Berserker X?" Saber watched the collection of Servants warily. "Saber X. Rider."

Her counterpart snapped his fingers in a salute to her. "Yo." Berserker X just grunted.

Irisviel rung her hands from behind Saber. Rider might've left, but the odds had turned to three-on-one. Not good, but maybe if she returned Avalon to her friend…

Waver for his part was praying that they didn't get into another fight tonight. He felt so exhausted after everything he'd witnessed tonight, and these morons wouldn't bother using the numerical advantage, anyway.

Rider had been glaring after his own rival, but now he snapped back to greet his fellow king with a smile. "Ah, Saber! How good to see you again!" He lifted his hand in greeting.

"Rider," the blonde knight asked carefully, "what are you and your team doing here?" She remembered the boisterous Servant saying he and his would let her settle her duel with Lancer first, but a lot could change in two days. And he didn't seem the reliable type.

But Iskandar waved off her worries with a truthful answer. "The four of us went off in search of Caster. We found his lair in the sewers here and destroyed it." Waver and Saber X palmed their foreheads at his blunt answer. No mind for subterfuge, this guy… "What about you?"

Saber eyed him carefully but detected no trace of hostility from him or the others. Even the gleefully violent Berserker X looked as though he had since lost interest in the conversation. She sighed before answering with a gesture back to her "Master". "We too were hoping to find Caster, but then Rider attacked us when we came near here."

A part of her worried for their guide. Urushi had been having trouble narrowing down where exactly Caster was, but he had eagerly led the women to a spot heavy with his scent: the sewer entrance. Then plasma had hurtled towards him, forcing the poor dog to disappear with a puff of smoke and a yelp. Saber had wanted to pay the blackguard Rider X back for that. With interest.

But now, he had slipped away again. The foreign Servant continued to make her uneasy. She'd have cut him down given the chance long ago, even without Kiritsugu's order.

Then she refocused. "So, Caster's headquarters are, or rather, were where you all came out of?" The King of Knights took a tentative step forward. "Will you hinder us in seeing for ourselves?"

Saber X hopped out of the chariot, his mouth set in a hard line. "That's not a good idea, Saber. Trust me, we wrecked the hell out of that place and didn't find anything…" he hesitated with a grimace, "…useful."

The sheer disgust in the word made Saber eye him uneasily. "…What did you find?"

Waver, Rider, Saber X and Berserker X himself traded hesitant looks before Saber X answered for all of them. "Let's just say I'm really glad we stopped that lunatic from doing God knows what with those kids last night."

The implications made Saber and Irisviel's eyes widen in horror as they glanced to each other. The Servant quickly recomposed herself and nodded back to them. "W-well, in that case, thank you for the information. And the deed."

Rider waved it off with a sad smile. "We took no joy in that, or in dealing with Assassins not your partner." He noted their lack of surprise. "Ah, so you knew that the other Assassin isn't truly dead yet?" He let out a hearty chuckle. "We should sit down together sometime, trade notes!" Everyone stared at him. "What? It could be fun."

Saber shook her head in exasperation. "Well, be that as it may, I suppose with all the information you've so freely provided us, it is only fitting we repay you." She shared a nod of confirmation with Irisviel. Kiritsugu might not like this, but we're revealing none of our plans.

After everything he'd experienced tonight, Waver Velvet believed that nothing the Servant of the Sword had to say could shake him. He would be mistaken.

"Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald has been slain by Archer X."

Archer X stalked out of a dark alley, shutting off her cloaking in the process. The streetlamps of Miyama Town illuminated her armor. She'd long since moved from the Shinto district and left behind a number of false trails just in case. Lancer wouldn't be able to find her any time soon.

Lancer… That fury in his eyes still made something inside her wrench. Get over it, stupid, she chided herself. He was just going to get in your way. They all were. She picked up her pace, adjusting her grip on her prize.

The rogue Servant walked towards a small park with a careful tread. She was on her own now, with no backup. That might be subject to change, but for now, it meant she couldn't let her guard down. That bastard Assassin X could be watching her even now, waiting for the tiniest chance.

Then as she stepped up to a tall tree, an Assassin other than the one she'd expected appeared. A gun manifested in her free hand. The skull-faced black noodle held out open palms, a sign of submission. "Archer X. Someone wishes to speak with you."

They stood like that for about a minute or so, then just as Archer X made to snap something (or shoot him), the roar of an engine rumbled above them. A familiar silver shape flew through the sky before shifting about with some metallic noises and landing next to the Assassin.

Rider X smirked at her. "Apologies for the delay, Archer X. There was a prior matter that required my attention." Crossing blades with Saber had been a good bit of fun, but the main objective had been to make noise and keep that addle-witted Caster from showing up at the time. All the better, considering Rider and his merry band had also been in the area.

Meanwhile, his partner(s) had been keeping him informed of various topics: Tokiomi having another heated debate with Lancer X apparently, Kirei's growing displeasure at his mentor's choices, the other Servants hurrying about this way and that, his secret ally taking steps…

And now, a new opportunity was standing before him. Keeping her gun out, Archer X set down some device next to her and said two words.

"Let's talk."

I know I am taking some creative liberties with Assassin X and the pack he can summon, but I've never seen, read or heard anything about their bond. So, I got a little inspired by the Toads' scroll-contract thing.

Welcome to the year 2022, dear readers! I am sincerely sorry for taking so long with this chapter, between the holidays and other responsibilities, I got slowed down. Thank you so much for your patience, favorites, follows (200-mark, yay!), and reviews, and I sincerely hope you enjoy the latest chapter!