Interlude 1: Elevator

"Master. No, Praetor."

The red swords-woman, having defeated the stone figure, turned around.

"Behold."

The white rose petals had turned red, and the floor, formerly soaked in blood, was now blanketed in a layer of red rose petals.

The storm of petals continued, and in the centre descended a white cylindrical elevator.

"That is the Moon MIle Ladder. It shall take us to the Angelica Cage to fight."

The elevator touched the ground softly. The petals slowed, as the woman stepped forwards in front of the elevator and gestured towards it.

"Now, let us go!", she proclaimed. She held out her hand. Emu, delirious from pain, remained still.

"The Sea of the Seven Heavens awaits us!"

Emu sat in the steaming water and looked around. Now that the pain had subsided, his mind refocused, trying to understand what happened.

The bath he was in was grand and luxurious. It was so big it could hardly be called a Bath, more like a swimming pool for the elite, but small enough to be considered "private". The walls were marble, shimmering like the water surface, where more rose petals danced. In the centre, a large red and grey marble fountain, shaped like a flower, from which scented hot water overflowed, filling the room with a dense mist.

"Worry not, thy wounds are healing - the Ladder has that effect. Rest and relax. Thou should first soak in hot water to recuperate your mind and body."

Emu looked down at his naked body. Already, he could see the wounds closing, like the flesh that had been gouged out was growing back. The dried blood was already gone as well.

It's true.

Emu had already gotten used to seeing quick recoveries in the hospital, but this quickly? Surely this isn't humanly possible.

This must be a different world. There's no way that this is real.

He inspected his arms and as he turned his palms down, he noticed a strange red tattoo on the back of his left hand. It was a fancy insignia, but none that Emu recognised. Emu looked at it carefully.

Strange. When did I get this?

He certainly didn't get it when he fell down into the incinerator, so could it have something to do with the Elevator?

Pensive, he lay backwards, immersing himself in the water again.

I need answers

He looked up at the ceiling, also white, with a circle of pink and a design of a pinker rose in the centre.

"I hear it is supposed to resemble an oriental-style bath, but that doesn't mean much to me."

"I'll just call it a kind of calidarium."

Emu jolted upright. Wait. Where was she speaking from? If she was coming in…

Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap.

"I shall join you, Maestro"

And as Emu scrambled to sit upright, the woman appeared. Naked. Luckily, the railings surrounding the bath concealed her more private areas from Emu's gaze, but that was still too much for him. With a yelp, he fell into the water again, and he rapidly covered his eyes, blushing heavily.

"I-I-I didn't see anything! I swear-"

"Hmph. Is my body not satisfactory for you?"

"But… you're naked…"

"That is how people bathe."

Such pride in her own appearance. Emu was not the kind of person to enjoy this kind of thing, but he did not expect the woman to be so open when entering the bath.

At least warn me so I can get out!

"And besides, I do have a name. You ought to use it."

Well, you haven't told me it yet. We only just met.

"Because my summoning was rather extraordinary, you do not yet know my true name."

She stepped into the water, and Emu averted his gaze further. His face was now as red as the dress the woman wore earlier.

"And by true name, I mean my real name from history. You will learn it eventually. For now, Saber will do."

Saber.

"Yes."

She stood up, and with a wave of her arms she began speaking, as if to address a large crowd, despite her only audience being Emu, who by that time had other things on his mind.

"Among the seven classes of the Holy Grail War, Saber is the most valiant and illustrious"

She paused, as if expecting cries of admiration from the joyous crowd she was addressing. All she got was silence, save the rushing of the water from the fountain and Emu's small whimpers as he continued to look away.

Unperturbed, Saber went on.

"The Moon Cell. The ritual constructed by the spiriton wish-fulfillment machine. The participants must fight until one remains. All for the goal of fulfilling their wish.

You are one of them. One of the 128 Masters"

"Master?"

Emu recalled her calling him that when they first encountered each other. After which she changed to Maestro and called him that ever since.

"I assume I have no need to explain what a Master is."

I sort of do. Emu thought. But he was too reluctant to look at her to respond.

"It is one who has contracted a Servant."

You just explained it.

Not really following your own words, huh?

"A servant is a recreation of a hero or famous individual from history. I am one such being. That said, I doubt any of the others are as distinguished as I!"

Not only in appearance, but also in stature you are prideful, huh?

"You say some complicated stuff. Is this like an infodump at the beginning of a game?"

Game? Where did he get that idea from?

"Huh? Everything I have said thus far is the most basic of knowledge."

She stepped forwards and leaned down, her... breasts hanging down like fruits from a tree.

No no no, stop. Don't think like that.

Of course, Emu couldn't see them, but he was aware of them. After all, the dress that she wore served little to hide her bosom, and he could see her shadow getting shorter as she leaned, so Emu surmised.

"What is your name?"

Emu timidly turned around, being careful to focus on her face.

"Emu… Hojo…"

"A fine name! Befitting a spiriton hacker."

Is that a complement? Emu tilted his head in confusion.

"How about this? Do you realise this is an artificial spiriton world?"

Artificial? Yeah, but spriton?

"Well, more or less."

Then, the information began pouring into his head, as he recited what he newly remembered.

"A crafted cyberspace, made by the moon's huge mainframe."

"It's called SE RA PH. Do you really not know that? What about the Holy Grail War?"

"I don't know anything about this place, but I feel like I have to escape."

"During the preliminary stage, participants' memories are suppressed. However, once one contracts with a Servant and becomes a Master in the main tournament, their memories should automatically return."

Really?

"They do!" she said firmly. "At least, they should. Can you fight without even knowing why you are here? Losing will cost you your life. Only victory can guarantee your path home. After all, a Spiriton Hacker is connected to this moon through your very soul."

Emu did not respond.

"Not perturbed? In that case…"

She leapt backwards, gracefully like she did back when she was fighting the stone figure, and landed on top of the fountain, smugly folding her arms. Despite Emu's earlier embarrassment, he couldn't help but look up in wonder.

"I expect nothing less from the one who got me. You seem to be quite formidable. Very well. I shall assist you."

Emu was still quite dazed by the steam and Saber's bold behaviour as he walked out of the bathroom. He went to the room nearest the door. It was more modern, with a sofa along the walls, a glass table and a chest of drawers on which were some glassware and wine. The floors were wooden planks, and some of the wall was too.

As he passed through the doorway and turned the corner, who would he see but Tenkuji Takeru once again. Emu sighed and went up to him.

As soon as Tenkuji Takeru saw Emu, he immediately got up and knelt on the floor, bowing with his head touching the floor.

"Takeru-san, once was alright, but twice?"

"I'm really sorry, Emu. I honestly did not mean to leave you. When the purging happened, they increased the security to ensure a complete wipe of the lower layers. As a result, I needed to run- "

"It's OK. As long as you're safe. Besides, how did you get here?"

"I was about to be caught by one of those figures when I got teleported to a digital sea of data. I was swimming around for a while, until I saw this Ladder elevator. I floated to the door and phased in, and then when I heard your yell, I knew that this was the right place."

Emu groaned inwardly. He was not proud of that yell, and he had hoped that no one had heard it except him and Saber. Oh well, Takeru's not the kind of person who would judge someone because of that, so Emu's fine. But was he the kind of person who yells enough that someone recognises it?

As Emu pondered this, Saber stepped out of the bath. Still naked. Takeru, like Emu did earlier, let out a yelp and covered his eyes. As Emu turned around to see what caused him to yelp, he already knew what he was going to see.

"Who are you, intruder?" Saber demanded as she materialised her sword and took a fighting stance. Despite being naked.

"Please, Saber, put some clothes on! We don't want to see you naked! He's a friend!" Emu cried as he also covered his eyes.

"Hmph. If you insist, Maestro." Looking slightly disappointed, she lowered her sword and went over to another room to change.

"Well, now you know why I yelped earlier." Emu said.

Takeru, with his eyes still covered, looked incredulously at where Saber had been.

"So, you are a Servant, right?" Takeru asked after Emu filled Saber in on who Takeru was.

"Umu. That I am. A Heroic Spirit of Legend, Myth or History."

"Ah, I see. So, who are you?"

"I cannot tell you yet. Not until later. Not until it is necessary. For now, I am merely Saber. But the Saber Class is the most valiant and illustrious-"

"Hai, Hai, that's enough." Emu cut in. "For now, we need to figure out what we must do when we enter the next floor. What you can do, Saber. And how Takeru-san fits into this."

Then his eyes wondered to a black briefcase with the Genm Corp logo on the front laying on a table near the entrance. Why had he not noticed it before?

"Saber, was that briefcase here when we arrived?"

Saber turned around to look and nodded her head.

"Yes. That black box was there when I led you inside, Maestro. But I thought it was part of the room, so I left it there. Besides, thy wounds needed tending to, and thus I prioritised leading you to the bath."

Emu went over and looked at it. It was similar to the kind that stored the gashats, but larger, as if it held more than just Gashats. Emu opened it. Inside was a Gamer Driver and a Ghost Driver, along with two Gashats. One was Mighty Action X. The other one was blank. Confused, Emu brought it onto the table and took them out.

"My driver! But how? I didn't have it when I came in! Who could have brought this here?"

"I don't know. There's a note inside"

He took out a folded piece of paper and unfolded it. On it was typed a letter to Takeru Tenkuji and Emu Hojo.

Hojo Emu and Tenkuji Takeru.

As you are aware, you are in a world different to your own. Survive and fight. These tools will help you. Gather the eight Servant Eyecons of the Masters you face. The servant beside you is the first. But be warned. The path you travel on will be wrought with hardship. You will need to escape or pay the price. Endure the game's story and reach the end.

It wasn't signed. Who wrote it? Kuroto? Masamune? Who else? And was this a game world, as the letter said?

Tenkuji looked over the letter and said "It said gather the Eyecons of the Servants. If the Servants are Heroic Spirits, then maybe…"

Emu caught on to what he was saying.

"Saber, can we borrow your sword?"

"Of course, my Maestro."

She materialised her sword and handed to him.

"Be warned though. Only a true swords-woman like me can hope to wield such a beautiful blade elegantly." she said, smugly. Emu ignored her. Tenkuji Takeru had equipped the Ghost Driver in the meantime.

"In advanced, I apologise for what comes next"

Then, he made a triangle with his forefingers and thumbs and drew an eye over the sword. The Ghost insignia blazed on the sword, and Saber found herself being pulled into the eye. As she passed through the eye, she transformed into a floating Red parka with two red dots for eyes which flew around and did her backflip in the air, then posing like Saber did when Emu first saw her. The parka flew into Takeru's Ghost driver. Takeru put his hand under the driver, and out of the eye of the driver came an Eyecon. It was red, with a gold scelera and an emerald iris, and on the top was an Eyeconic Plate with the words ES-01 and SABER written on the top and the bottom of the plate and a picture of a simplified theatre designed to look like a face.

"Are you alright, Saber?" Emu asked the Eyecon.

The Eyecon glowed, and Saber's voice spoke from it. "Umu. This is especially strange. This is like my old palace in Rome, except there is no one here except me!"

Then the Eyecon leaped out of Takeru's hands and the figure of Saber formed again.

"And yet I can return to my old form again! How fascinating".

"That's one down." Emu said.

"We should prepare for the second one."

And as he said that, the Elevator slowed to a halt.

"Behold, this is a battleground for the Holy Grail War. A difficult servant and their master awaits us." Saber announced. And this time, her audience was listening.