Episode 1

Yugi's eyes couldn't get wider if they tried as the smoke cleared, revealing a cloaked man suspended several inches above the ground. "W-whoa…" The seemed to regard him with a curious gaze as they hovered closer. "I honestly didn't think it would work. I guess you would be my-"

"Yes, that's right, I'm your humble Servant in this Holy Grail War," the servant elaborately bowed, rising to their full height as the balls of their feet finally touched the ground. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Master." His lavender hued hair met his shoulders, nearly covering the entirety of the left side of his face, but it was his overly enunciated sing-song-like voice that earned a blank stare from the silent master. "Do not worry, I shall ensure that you are the one standing victorious with the grail within your hands! Prepare your wish now, my Master, for I will surely bring you victory in this fight!"

Blinking, Yugi glanced down at his hand and stiffened when he spotted the command spells upon his skin: it looked like an open book that had a page that stood upright that bore the insignia of a wand. "Does this mean I summoned a Castor?" Heat burned his cheeks as his own servant nearly howled with laughter if it weren't for his sudden hand against the parted lips. If his grandfather ever found out about the successful summoning he would for sure be grounded for the next decade. "I'm sorry, I just wanted to see if the stories were true about the secret war that even the government wasn't aware of. He even told me of a secret society made of mages that would wage these wars every couple years…" The young master removed his hand as the servant before him smiled gleefully. "So it's true?"

"Master, it's clear to me that you have no idea as to what is about to befall you. Very well then!" He flung his arms out, causing the cloak covering his being to fall to the ground to reveal an outfit that reminded Yugi of a magician with its strange suit-like base that was slightly off putting by the odd bright colors that covered him from head to toe. "Leave it all to me, the Magician of Toons!" Yugi felt a chill pass down his spine as the servant began to chant. Why did he feel as though his own servant was to be feared more than any that were about to cross his path, that the playful demeanor was nothing more than a façade?

. . . .

Odion slowly allowed Ishizu to stand, his arm remaining raised in case he needed to cast a protective spell from whatever was in the other room. "Marik?" Her worried cornflower eyes rose to meet his dark umber when no answer came. Silence had fallen ever since the sudden flex in mana, a greater level than they had ever felt from their youngest sibling even during their training sessions and courses. They were about to enter when a sound came from the room beyond the door. He quickly pulled his sister away from the door as it was yanked open and black smoke poured through. "M-Marik!" Their eyes grew wide as a large shadow approached, their brother within their hold.

"I'm alright," Marik coughed, wiping his face with his soiled shirt, which only ended up in making his face even dirtier. He couldn't care less though! His eyes glittered brightly as he was placed upon his feet. The servant he had summoned was much larger than he expected but he was for sure not going to complain about it. The fact that he had completed the summoning at all was a feat in itself! "Do you know this means?" His enthusiasm dwindled when he caught sight of his older siblings' mirror expressions of pity and fear. "What?"

Ishizu shook her head, tears trickling down her face as she looked to him. "What have you done?" She hugged herself as he surveyed the command spells upon his left hand: the mark of a skull with a sash for eyes. There was no time to waste. "If the Mage's Association finds out that you stole the supplies and catalyst from father's work shop they will surely punish us all. We have to leave before they discover what you've done." Her eyes widened as the towering servant regarded her with its piercing blue gaze. Neither she or her older brother were its Master, which meant that they technically had no role to play in this Holy Grail War that Marik had stepped into. Even Odion, the quickest of the three, was too slow as blue flames consumed them all.

. . . .

"This must be some sort of joke." He reclined in his designer chair, icy eyes honed upon the figure who lounged across from him. Every syllable, ingredient, heck even the timing had been flawless…so why was there a copy of himself staring back at him from across his desk? "You must be one of those imposters who dress up as celebrities and make their sad chump change by performing in the streets or at parties."

The servant regarded him with slight offense. "Master, I assure you, I never jest." His chestnut hair was hidden by an outdated headdress that had a back neckcloth that reached his shoulders, the dark blue stained shoulders and sash around his chest matching his eyes, and the gold bands wrapped around his wrists were decorated with hieroglyphics that matched the cape he wore. "I do not understand how one such as you is having difficulty in accepting one such as myself as your servant."

"What is your name?"

"With all do respect," the servant bowed his head lowly. "It is unwise to discuss such a delicate matter. Any other nearby Servant or Master could be listening." He straightened when a threat to use a command spell was issued. "Very well then. I am known as Priest of the White Dragon. My true name, I beseech you, to find on your own. If I expose much else it would give our opponents a great advantage over us."

Seto Kaiba rested his head in his hands as he inhaled sharply. "A Rider Class." A soft huff was all the confirmation he needed. Not only did it appear that he summoned a strange other worldly version of himself but he had also summoned one that was magic resistant. Any support that he had planned to bestow by casting spells to assist were going to be useless now. However that also meant that the they were equally effective against nearly all of the other possible classes. "What is your mount, or is that your Noble Phantasm?" His eyes grew wide when his servant simply ignored his questions. How dare he… Seto glanced down at the command spells upon his hand: the mark of a dragon. Their shapes often lead to hints of who the summoned servant was. Perhaps the one he had received the fossil from wasn't entirely crazy, perhaps the tales were true of an ancient being who's power manifested in the form of a white dragon. "Interesting indeed."

. . . .

Eyes fluttered open briefly before clenching shut as sunlight filtered through the curtains, the early morning breeze tickling her exposed skin. A soft groan rose within her throat as she snuggled farther into the the cloud-like softness that promised to carry her back into dreamland. The scents of sandalwood and cinnamon were alluring, she would have to make a note to purchase more of that particular laundry detergent when out shopping next. Her brow quirked. Wait, that combination seemed familiar. She cracked her eyes to peer through her lashes but found her room empty. "It was just a dream then," she whispered, closing her eyes as she buried her face in the soft violet blanket. Anzu bolted upright. She didn't own a single thing that color so where had it come from?

"I see that you have awakened, Master." A weight settled on the bed, directing her attention to the figure who watched her with calm eyes. "Your mana levels have nearly recovered, a true relief since they were near nonexistent after the summoning."

Her cerulean eyes widened, looking from him to the now recognizable cape he had donned last night that was now currently draped over her being. "No, no, no, no," she whimpered, hands rising to her head as she attempted to disappear into the bed. "It wasn't real, Anzu, you're just imagining things again. There's no way that a handsome guy came crashing through your roof and then called you his 'Master'…" He swallowed his slight amusement at her whispers as she sniffled softly. His hands carefully removed the cape from her trembling hands and retreated slightly when she flinched, whining softly from the loss of the incredibly soft fabric. "So you are real…" she groaned, dragging a hand down her face.

He nodded, debating on whether to have it return to its corporeal form, but opted to fold it nearly instead in case she wanted it later. "I am honored by your flattery, Master, though I am not sure that you intended for me to hear it." The smile he attempted to hold back succeeded in showing itself as she used his cape to hide her steaming face. Her reactions were pure, honest, even endearing in his eyes. This innocent girl had unknowingly summoned him. Mage or not, he was now tied to her. A soft rumbling reached his ear as she groaned lowly. "I have taken the liberty of familiarizing myself with your residence as well as the appliances." He explained that when a servant was summoned, they would be manifested with the knowledge necessary for the time they were within. Content filled him as he watched her emerge from his cape through his peripheral vision. So talking about the things that would be normal for her was helping to relax his master and lower her guard enough for him to at least be nearer. "Although I must confess, the strange machine that is responsible for washing one's clothing is a bit odd."

She rose until she was fully sitting upright. "I suppose a washing machine would be a bit much even for you, Pharaoh." Her hands rose to pressed against her lips then fell to the cape in her lap as if she was debating on using it to cover herself again. She peeked up at him through her chocolate hair and found him regarding her with a half smile. The outfit had initially come off as something regal, king-like, and the diadem upon his forehead was the Eye of Horus; kings of Egypt were known as "pharaohs" back in ancient times. Anzu never though she was be thankful of her tedious studies but she was now. "Is it okay for me to call you that?"

"You may call me anything you wish," he bowed his head. "Though hearing 'Pharaoh' coming from your lips fills me with nostalgia. Master's must discover their Servant's true name on their own but that does not mean that they cannot use a nickname of some sort or alias."

A blush burned her cheeks as his expression became gentle as he turned away, saying something about returning shortly with breakfast, and exited the room. Never had she encountered someone who had such regal features; strong jawline, sharp eyes, even the wild hair gave him an air of importance that demanded her sole attention. Her gaze remained locked on the doorway he had disappeared through for several seconds before a soft chime turned her attention to the device sitting upon the nightstand. Raising it to her ear, she didn't even bother to look at who was calling and simply swiped to answer. "H-hello?" She all but tumbled from the bed as panic filled her when the voice of her longtime friend asked if she was skipping today. "What time is it?!" Anzu felt her blood freeze as she looked at the time. She had less than fifteen minutes to be at school before she was marked down as absent! Her spotless attendance record would be ruined! Her body went into automatic as she hurriedly dressed in uniform and nearly tumbled down the stairs as she struggled to put her shoes on. It would take at least ten minutes to sprint the whole way there, meaning she would be sweaty for the rest of the day since there wasn't any P.E. on her schedule so there was no opportunity for her to wash up…not an appealing idea but calling cab would take even longer. She came to a screeching halt just as she reached the front door as a figure materialized. "Pharaoh, I promise that I will solely focus on whatever the Holy Grail War is once I come home tonight but right now I have to get to class!"

He had felt her distress from the kitchen, quickly ensuring that each ward was still intact as he hurried to meet her in the entry way. The sheer determination and slight fear within her eyes confused him though. No one had entered the premises so why was she attempting to move past him? "Master, I understand that obtaining knowledge is crucial and clearly important to you but it is not safe for you to leave." Her cerulean eyes fileld with desperation as she attempted to physically move his being aside. One of his brows rose as she pressed her entire figure against his own, using every bit of energy she had in attempting to move him but nearly collapsed in exhaustion as he remained. Dropping to one knee, he cupped her chin in his hand and raised it in time to spot a droplet of moisture gather in the corners of each of her eyes. His master was in distress partially because of his lack of understanding her needs but it was crucial that she in turn attempted to understand his own. She wailed as an unknown voice came through the device in her hand that she had five minutes left. He effortlessly lifted her into his arms, earning a high pitched shriek as her face reddened, and raised his hand towards the ceiling. "I call upon the mighty Saint Dragon, The God of Osiris! Imbue me with your mighty thunder force so that I may cross a great distance!"

Anzu clung to him desperately as her house vanished from around them, eyes clenched shut as a fork of lightning struck them. Wind threatened to tear off her face as she curled tighter into his chest when sounds of traffic and people conversing rang loudly in her ears despite each only having less than a second before it was overcome by another sound. "P-Pharaoh!" She cried, somehow managing to wrap an arm around his neck and burying her face in the neckline of his tunic. "Stop! I'm gonna be sick!" Her breath caught as he assured her she was safe, that she could open her eyes now, and felt herself grow cold when she found herself looking up at her school. She tightened her hold when the world spun from the sudden stop.

"I have brought you to where you needed to be, correct?" He carefully placed her upon the concrete as she reeled slightly, keeping a hold upon her elbow as she regained her balance, and offered her a confident smirk when her wide eyes slowly locked on him. Her question of what had just happened nearly earned a chuckle from him if it weren't for her serious tone. "It was a simple task for me," he explained. "As Pharaoh of Egypt, I was bestowed the abilities to call upon the ancient gods to instill their powers upon me for brief moments of time. Calling upon the Saint Dragon, for example, allowed me to travel the speed of light so that you would be in time to tend to your education." Anzu scratched the back of her head, wondering why he was still here if he could have returned back to her home, questioning why he hadn't just dropped her off. "What servant would allow their master to venture from the lone place that could keep one safe without joining them?" It was clear that the wheels in her head were turning but he effectively caused them to stall when he offered to join her.

Her hands rose up to her hair before they grasped his own, attempting to hide him within the shadows of the nearby bike shed when a group of chattering girls walked past. If he was to bee seen by any of the other student, they would assume he was her best friend, which would be likely and preferable excuse if he didn't look as though he had stepped through a time portal from ancient Egypt! He held perfectly still when her hands moved up his shoulders as she rose to the tops of her toes, their noses nearly touching as her warm breath tickled his face. "Next time you do something like that, warn me first! There's no way you can come with me to class, you'll stick out like a sore thumb!" She blinked when his lips lifted into a smirk; so he had been pulling her leg about joining her in class. "Okay, new rule: no teasing me so early in the morning." A bell rang somewhere within the building, causing her eyes to widen as she took a step back and returned to her normal height. "We'll continue this discussion later!" She turned away, ready to dart inside before the final bell sounded, but the warm fingers that deftly wrapped around her wrist spun her back around to face him and blushed furiously as a piece of toast slipped between her parted lips. The harmonious sugar and cinnamon danced across her tongue with the undertone of still warm butter as it crunched when her jaw reflexively closed. His amethyst eyes glittered mischievously when her gaze darted from the breakfast he had prepared to the school. Face practically burning so hot it could fry an egg, she squeaked a thanks as his fingers disappeared and she hurried away.

His sharp amethyst eyes followed her as she entered the building, their hue turning more red as he spotted a hidden rune within the doorway she passed through. Another Master and Servant were here marking their territory, both surely knew of his presence by now. Leaving his master to encounter them alone was not an option. He craned his neck slightly as he surveyed the entire building, a smirk raising the corners of his mouth when he found a rune that had been sloppily written. A few tweaks here and there wouldn't cause the original writer to notice but it would be enough for himself to enter without detection. Rolling his shoulders, earning a few cracks, his eyes flashed crimson as his own runes appeared within the blank areas.

. . . .

"Anzu, you made it!" Yugi smiled as she fell into her seat, the bell ringing its final toll. Their call had been cutoff but not before he had heard another voice on the line. It had initially worried him, since he was aware that she was often alone within her house, then he recalled how well her self-defense skills were honed. She was prepared for anything…right? He kept his smile in place as she unpacked her bag and neatly laid out her utensils, her eyes meeting his own and earning a smile back as the teacher walked in.

Her attention was so unstable that she might as well have stayed home but her cursed perfect student record would have bothered Anzu for the rest of her earthly existence. She couldn't even find the capability to remain focused during her favorite subject, Literature, and had even been gently scolded by the teacher when she had unsuccessfully answered the question asked. Most students paid no mind to her but Yugi couldn't help but watch closely as her gaze always found its way out the window to her left. Lunchtime came and he was about to call her over when he noticed that she had grown pale during the last period. Her eyes rose to meet his own as he approached her desk. "Hey," she smiled in greeting. "thanks for the call earlier. I almost thought I wasn't going to make it!"

He hummed softly in response. "No sweat. You want to go up to the roof for lunch today? I could do for some fresh air." Something moved within her eyes as she apologized, saying she hadn't brought a lunch, but she would still be happy to join him. He wanted to voice his concern but he held it in as they climbed the seemingly never ending stairs that lead upwards. They settled within the shade on the other side of the roof entrance, his jacket chivalrously offered to be used as a cushion for her to sit upon instead of the cold rough concrete, and she accepted a bit of his offered sesame chicken after him coaxing her for several seconds. "Anzu, are you okay? You're never late and you even forgot your lunch."

She hung her head slightly for a split second then raised it as high as she could with a forced smile upon her lips. "Never better! I just stayed up late last night studying is all. I'll be good as new in no time!" Slipping a piece of the tasty chicken between her lips, Anzu made a show of how good it tasted by nearly bouncing in her seat. "So good!" He excused himself for a moment after simply watching her enjoy his lunch's protein and turned away with a smile as he promised to return with drinks. No sooner had the entrance door closed that she slumped against the concrete wall behind as exhaustion threatened to crush her. She's had several nights where she would stay up late, even later than last night, and she had never been this tired. Her vision swam as the world tipped and blinked when she found herself being help upright by a pair of incredibly warm hands. Had Yugi come back already? No, those eyes that were looking down on her were much sharper. "Oh, hello, Pharaoh," she whispered, eyes drifting closed. "You're just in time for lunch…"

Her lack of energy in his emergence caused alarm to fill him. "Master, you would be upset that I remained after our parting. You do not look well." His hands rose to cup her face as her eyes fluttered, her struggle evident to stay conscious despite him talking to her. No doubt about it, there was a mana sapping force field around the school that was slowly feeding off the students inside, including his master, but he had yet to locate the servant responsible. He'd been watching her from a neighboring building and thanks to the window she was seated next to it had been clear to see that her mana was nearing its limit from her pale complexion. Lifting the lunch box, he deftly used the chopsticks she had been using to pick up another piece of the chicken she had nearly finished. "Humans such as yourself who aren't mages have to sustain their mana by common solutions, such as eating and sleeping, which you've had little of both. Please, Master, you must eat." Her head bobbed slightly, as if she was denying the food being offered, but her lips parting was just the opening he needed. Unbeknownst that he had accidentally grabbed the chicken closest to the hidden blob of wasabi. Her eyes opened so wide he was almost certain they were about to pop out of their sockets if she hadn't clenched them closed as she swallowed the piece of meat. He heard the door open behind him, the prescience of unfamiliar and growing mana coming closer, his shadow stretched across the ground briefly taking the form of a beast that growled in warning for the one he was sure to be the master responsible to stay back, the chopsticks landing perfectly back inside the lunchbox as he readied for an attack.

The drinks fell from Yugi's hands as he rounded the corner. Anzu was fanning her clearly angry red tongue, which was stuck out between her equally enflamed lips, had him concerned yet wanting to laugh at the bizarre scene of his best friend acting so out of character if it weren't for the figure that was between them. They looked as though they had just stepped out of a theatre production with the violet cape and elaborate golden jewelry decorating his being. The crimson eyes that bore into his own caused a shiver to slip down his spine as they rose to their full height, easily several inches taller than himself as they took a warning step towards him. That one step brought the figure out into the sunlight and it felt as though a mountain had fallen atop of him when a shockwave of power emanated from the being before him. He spun around as the stranger's gaze locked on something over his shoulder and locked eyes with the cloaked figure who had appeared from the ground, raising his arms as the curved blade of a scythe came to a halt mere inches from his neck. "Pegasus, wait! Don't hurt her, she's my friend!" The hood fell back to reveal his servant's confused yet curious features as their head tilted to the left with a crack. "Put away your weapon!"

Anzu, flaming tongue and lips forgotten, clung to the Pharaoh as he protectively wrapped an arm around her shoulders with the cape in case they needed to make a quick getaway. His gaze remained locked on the opposing servant as they looked to them as if debating on following the initial attack. "Lower your weapon, Castor, your master has given you an order." Her cerulean eyes widened at her servant's dark tone as his voice held a warning when the blade didn't move for several seconds. The shadow at their feet seemed to waver slightly then returned to normal as she glanced down at it in curiosity. She chalked the strange occurrence due to her lack of sleep and glanced upward, her breath caching when she spotted his blazing crimson eyes that radiated with power. "Lower. Your. Weapon."

Their head straightened with a crack and threw back their hood with a flair as the scythe disappeared with a wave of their hand. "Well, who would have guess that a Ruler would be crossing our paths? Master knows just how to entertain me." Yugi drug a hand across his face as the sing-song voice his servant used earned him raised eyebrows from Anzu. Nonstop since his summoning the young mage had been plagued with the sound that has now became the bane of his existence and had been robbed of any possible sleep that had been possible. The Castor bowed lowly as he moved to stand beside his still weary master who watched him from the corner of his eye. "It's a pleasure to meet you, friends of my master, I am-"

"The Toon Magician, yes, I recognized you the moment I spotted your command spells upon your master's hand. I must ask that you lower your mana siphoning spells. My master cannot sustain herself with it up." His gaze narrowed in warning as the pair in front of him started to argue with each other over the matter before it fell to rest upon his own master as her hold loosened. Anzu was trembling slightly in his hold but he was relieved to see color slowly return to her face as he felt the spells around them lessen and allowed his gaze to soften when she rested her head against his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

She nodded, offering a small smile then her expression became one of panic as she stood. "Wait, hold up! What are you doing here?! You're supposed to be at home!" Her wide gaze locked on Yugi who held his hands up as she pointed to him. "And you! How are you so calm about all this?!" The servants made to intervene her advance but both fell back as they were told to stand down as she reached him and grasped the front of his uniform's undershirt. Now that she was closer he could clearly see the confusion swimming within her cerulean eyes as she gazed up into his lilac ones. "What is happening?!"

His hands fell to her shoulders, debating on removing them when her servant 's eyes flashed in as it turned to fix on his Castor Class servant, and took a deep breath. "Why don't we sit down and finish lunch first. That's going to take some explaining but first I want to state clearly for the record," he turned, focusing mainly on his own servant. "That from this point on during the entirety of the Holy Grail War, by use of a command spell I order you, Maximillion Pegasus, the Toon Magician, to cease attacking Anzu Mazaki and her own servant for they are now our ally!" Anzu's eyes widened as one of the markings upon his hand that she hadn't noticed until now disappeared like smoke from his skin. The reaction from his servant though was far from gentle, almost causing the cloaked man to howl loudly as red strings wrapped around their being. Yugi cast him one last glare as the order took effect, causing his servant to visibly shiver, then turned to focus on his childhood best friend when she held up her own hand. There was no doubt about it, those were command spells upon her skin. He inhaled deeply through his nose as she suddenly embraced him and slowly raised his arms to return the rare yet welcomed display of affection as he directed his gaze towards the silent servant watching. "So you're a Ruler Class. I gotta say, of all the possible classes you could have summoned you could have done much worse."

"Though we are allies for the moment, do not think that I will allow my master to be alone within your presence. You may call me Pharaoh, as my master has, but I warn you that any motion or hint that I perceive as betrayal I will not hesitate to act accordingly to protect my master." His amethyst eyes practically smirked when she removed herself from Castor's master and instead came to his own. The young mage regarded him with a calculating gaze, jealously clear as day within his pale purple eyes, and felt his lips lift into a smirk. "Young Master of Castor, Mage of the Mutou family, you best be careful when you glare daggers at another servant. Though you declared a truce my master has not." Yugi bristled at the challenging tone, his own servant's suppressed chuckle reaching his ears as he disappeared with a twirl of his cloak, and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Enough of the power flexing," she groaned, snatching the lunchbox and coat from the ground. "I'm way too tired for this so let's hold off on the testosterone fight until later, I just want to get through the rest of classes and then the both of you can tell me everything over dinner." Her finger pointed between the two as she handed off the the things to Yugi. "I don't care who cooks but one of you are." And she slipped through the doorway without another word or glance towards either of them.

The Pharaoh crossed his arms while slipping into his corporeal form to return to his vantage point so he could keep an eye on her, eyes narrowing when the mage hurried after her. He hadn't sensed any ill-will from the young man but his servant, Castor, was a different story. There was something dark lurking behind the seemingly bright smile he had worn. There was one lone legend about the Toon Magician, one that spoke of a man who strove to bring joy to the world's children by creating toys that ended in a blood bath when his beloved wife who was pregnant at the time was deemed a witch then burned at the stake. The crazed toy maker had turned against the parents of the very children he had brought joy upon and the streets of France ran red with the blood his spilt until he was finally hunted down by an angry mob and he used his own tools that had been used to create hundreds of toys to turn himself into one just before they could take his life. If one such as the Toon Magician was a servant in this Holy Grail War, then that meant that any heroic spirit could have manifested in this world, in this time. The runes around the building remained but they had been altered to no longer siphon mana but were merely there for detection purposes. At least Castor was obeying his master. His amethyst eyes darkened with concern when his master's head rested against her desk. Her mana was incredibly slow in replenishing, meaning that there may be something he wasn't aware of that might be affecting her internally. That would have to wait though. He would honor his master's wish of seeing her school day through to the end but she hadn't said anything about him returning to her residence. A tick mark appeared above his brow when he spotted the young mage hand her a toon magician girl figurine that was upon a ring, the sparkle in his master's eye earning a smile as she fastened it upon her bag. There was no doubt that he had asked Castor to make it for her but there was no malicious traces of magic within it that would cause alarm. That didn't mean he was fond of the idea of another master bestowing his own a gift to earn her good graces.

As if sensing his gaze, Yugi visibly shivered and looked up through the window in time to see a pair of crimson eyes flash brightly in warning then disappear. 'Master, I wish to get to know our new ally through a little game. May I?' He shook his head to answer his servant's question. Anzu was his closest friend, someone he admired and cared for secretly, and he would do anything to ensure her safety during this war. It wouldn't hurt though to use it as an opportunity for them to grow closer. People often grew closer during times of crisis, right? Why wouldn't that be true for their relationship? He refocused on the girl in front of him when she cooed softly over the little trinket. Besides, angering a Ruler Class Servant such as hers would prove unwise and may cause things to take a dark turn if he wasn't careful.

. . . .

"You need not fear my flames," a low gruff voice called as the blue flames diminished, the three siblings clinging to each other as the large servant towered over them. "they will not harm you, family of my master." Marik looked up at his words and exhaled with relief when he found both of his older siblings unharmed. He knew who the servant was the second the summoning had completed and the blue flames all but confirmed his suspicions. The servant knelt on one knee before the young master, bowing his head. "I shall summon others to properly guard your siblings, my focus must remain upon you solely." A sweep of his hand, two shadowed figures appeared on either side of himself. "As the Old Man of the Mountain, I offer two of my hassan; for your sister the Hassan of the Hundred Abs; for your brother, Hassan of the Cursed Arm. Both shall serve them well as we participate in the Holy Grail War." The Hassan bowed lowly before their charges and disappeared within a cloud of shadow that enshrouded each separately, leaving Marik and his own servant to regard each other. The weathered warrior straightened when the young mage before him looked up at him wearily. "You need not fear your own servant." Behind his skull mask, his brows furrowed as the young mage's air shifted into something darker.

Marik showcased a handful of stones. "Don't doubt me by my size nor my age," he snapped, the hesitation that had been looming over him dissipating as anger took its place when he heard the tone his servant had used. How dare he doubt the mage who summoned him! "I'm much stronger than you think, Servant, so you better show me some respect." His power flared, momentarily rendering the Assassin immobile until the mana reduced. "Now, let's strategize."

See you next time!