FATE/CATBOX FICTION
Chapter 20: Saber of Akakor
Akakor
Inside Rider of Akakor's atelier, Enforcers 15-M and 18-U inspected the damage that Cuchulainn and Izo caused. All of the bodies either lying around or hung on meat hooks had been pulverized into indescribable chunks. The victims lying inside the numerous life support pods had likewise been killed by either having their vitals cut off from the computer, or just being outright murdered directly.
"Eh he he…" 18-U chuckled nervously and inched back to the entrance. "I think I'll just sit this one out."
15-M didn't acknowledge her. Unlike 18-U, who had a weaker stomach for this sort of carnage, 15-M was far more mature and experienced with bloodbaths such as this. After all, she always had to clean up after Quintrala was finished whipping her slaves to death for her own amusement. Granted, this was much, much worse than what Quintrala was capable of, but from 15-M's perspective, it all looked the same. She was also familiar with what Marquis de Sade's sordid tastes in aesthetics were, so she had to look past all of the BSDM gear and flagrant anti-Christianity symbolism if she wanted to perform a professional investigation of the atelier-turned-abattoir.
Damn it. Those Servants really wrecked the place, didn't they?
15-M wasn't sure if she would find anything of value here. The Parallel World Gate that Sade used to kidnap people from other dimensions was completely busted, and the computers were so badly damaged that she doubted any information would have survived. She opened a psychic connection to Enforcer 2-F and reported, "This is 15-M."
"How are things going there? You cut off rather abruptly during our last transmission," 2-F asked.
"My apologies. Things got a little chaotic for a moment. I'm currently inside Rider's workshop, but I don't think there's anything that can be salvaged here."
"Did Rider destroy his own workshop to eliminate any evidence?"
"No. There were three unknown Servants present along with Rider. One of them fought him, while the other two ransacked the place. As I said earlier, one of them was indeed a duplicate of Mother."
2-F became silent. 15-M knew she would be surprised to hear this, so she waited patiently to hear what her response was. Soon, 2-F asked, "Are you sure about this?"
"Positive. 18-U and I both saw her. I'm guessing that she's a version of Mother from a different world."
"Ngh… Yes, that is entirely possible. To think it would actually happen though…"
"She's the one who fought Rider and killed one of his vessels, but he possessed a different body and escaped before we could apprehend him."
"Who are the two Servants that were with this other version of Mother?"
"We didn't get a good look, but I instantly recognized one of them as Cuchulainn just by his voice alone."
2-F was starting to sound exasperated as she grumbled, "Good gracious… How in the world could such a strange group of Servants have penetrated Akakor's deepest layers without us noticing?"
15-M narrowed her eyes. "Maybe because of Mother?"
"…"
"In any case, there is nothing further I can do here. I would like to request a change in priority from capturing Rider and the mystery Servants to observing Quintrala's movements."
"Is Assassin on the move?"
"Yes, she is heading towards Tiahuanaco. She has no assigned duties there, so I believe she is looking for Caster so she can show him Archer's bullet that I gave her."
"Yes, that was your original objective. It's just troubling that there are other Servants so close to Manoa, but I have no Enforcers to spare for intercepting them. I have to reorganize our sisters' workload without arousing suspicion from the Mages, and leave this mystery group to Avenger. In the meantime, you and 18-U continue with pursuing Assassin. We absolutely need to capture Caster of Akakor at any costs. Is this understood?"
"Yes. While we do not know what this other group wants, we have enough information about Caster to ascertain that he is a genuine threat to Mother's cause, if only for the information he possesses. Once he is disposed of, it will make investigating these strangers that much easier."
"Precisely. Carry on then."
15-M cut the connection with 2-F, then exited the workshop and explained everything to 18-U.
"Is that really such a good idea? Why not have you and I split up?" the harried Enforcer wondered.
"Don't be insane. My job has always been to look for Caster, and I sincerely doubt you have the capabilities to fight this alternate Mother, Cuchulainn, and that ronin-looking fellow all by yourself. Even I'm terrified of just thinking about fighting Cuchulainn alone. You're not even designed to be a combat Enforcer anyway, so you'd just be throwing your life away. Let's leave this matter to Spartacus and focus on eliminating Caster."
"I guess so…"
With that, the two girls left the ruined atelier and returned northward through the labyrinth. During their journey, 18-U asked, "By the way, are you sure that Archer of Akakor has made his return after wandering the world for so long?"
"Absolutely. The bullet I gave Quintrala has markings matching the ones on Earp's gun that we have on record."
"But why would he kill the grandson of his former Master?"
"Who knows? That man is the definition of a loose cannon – something which would greatly worry Caster. If that recluse is known for anything, it's being a perfectionist and a control freak. Someone as unpredictable as Earp would make him worry about ruining his oh-so delicate plans while he governs the Mages' entire social structure from the shadows."
"So you're trying to use Earp's presence to shake Caster up?"
"Even just a momentary lowering of Caster's guard is all we need. He's not a particularly powerful Servant in combat, so once we Enforcers have him surrounded, he's as good as done."
"What about Quintrala? An egotistical bimbo like her would not appreciate being used as a beacon to lure us to Caster."
"Too bad for her," 15-M retorted. "The only reason Mother didn't want her killed off after the Grail War's conclusion was due to her connection with Caster. She knew that Quintrala wasn't particularly bright when it came to strategical thinking, so she figured it would come in handy later on."
18-U smiled and exclaimed, "As expected of Mother! She's always thinking ahead! So that just leaves Rider and Saber on the loose."
"Yes. We need to remain alert in case either of them shows up, along with any more new faces."
"Boy, what a bad time for things to get complicated, huh? Just when Mother's grand plan is about to come to fruition too."
"Perhaps it's because of her grand plan that things are getting complicated. Stay sharp. This is going to be the ultimate test of our strength and loyalty to Mother. If we succeed, then our long-awaited revenge will be complete."
"You got that right! Boy, I can't wait to see the stupid looks on the Mages' faces when they see what she has prepared for them!"
"Ugh. Is that why you're so impatient all the time?"
"Maybe. Eh he he!"
In her study, Enforcer 2-F informed two of her sisters, 19-Y and 22-Q, about what 15-M told her just now.
"How strange. I haven't heard any reports of Servants from a parallel world running amok here in London," 22-Q said.
"Me neither," 19-Y added. "Perhaps their activities are contained only to Akakor."
"I see. So there is nothing amiss in London other than the incident with Waver Velvet," 2-F said. "I suppose this means that Mr. Velvet and 22-S are wholly unrelated to this other group of Servants. My biggest worry is what would happen if both factions wound up meeting each other somewhere in Akakor."
"True," 22-Q agreed with her. "We know that Waver Velvet's goal is to unravel the truth concerning Lancer of Akakor, which means he would want to access the Preservatorium. Is there any information about what this parallel version of Mother and her accompanying Servants are after?"
2-F thought back to what Connla Cliste told her when they recruited Salieri, then told her sisters everything that Cliste deduced – that the Imbas Forosnai connection which all Connlas shared would provide a tentative link to Cliste. If that was the case, then perhaps this second Connla knew what Cliste's situation was and was trying to reach the Preservatorium herself. How she teamed up with other Servants was uncertain, but they were aware of the Counter Force and how it would summon Servants to protect the World whenever there was a crisis.
"This parallel Lancer must be teaming up with Rogue Servants. That's the only explanation I can think of," 19-Y deduced. "If these Rogues meet with Waver Velvet's group, their strength will increase even further due to Iskandar's presence."
2-F sat back in her chair and sighed in deep contemplation, then murmured, "This is bad… Mother needs a little more time to prepare."
"22-S and Mr. Velvet can't hide in a parallel world forever," 22-Q reminded her. "If they want to fulfill their objectives, they have to return to this world. The question is, which Gate will they emerge from? The Family Tree Mages have numerous Gates in their workshops attached to the parallel world farms. We're talking practically hundreds of entryways they could use to slip past us."
"It wouldn't benefit them to ambush a Mage, or else it would draw too much attention to them. 22-S has to know this as well. If I were in her position, I would go directly to one of the Shrines and begin the process of disabling the Tradition Protection."
"Which one would she pick though? I don't think Manoa would be an option since Spartacus is difficult to combat against."
"You're right. That would leave Tiahuanaco and Salazere. If I wanted to further increase my chances of success, I would speak with Ruler of Akakor and see about getting his cooperation."
19-Y wondered, "You think they'll go to Salazere then?"
"We've left Sanson ignorant of Mother's true mental state. All he knows is that her mind sometimes goes haywire whenever there is a glitch in the Grail Terminal's program. If 22-S were to inform him of what is actually happening, we might lose our alliance with the Caretakers altogether."
"He might not believe her."
"Whether or not he believes her, he would still become curious enough to investigate. Keeping the Caretakers in the dark about Mother's fractured mind has been crucial for us making so much progress. We can't let that happen when we've come this far."
"All right then," 22-Q said eagerly, "I'll go to Salazere and confirm if 22-S shows up there. If she does, I'll destroy her and Waver Velvet immediately."
2-F noticed the change in her sister's attitude, and warned her, "Don't exert yourself just to get back at her. I know you were the most upset with 22-S' betrayal since you two were so close, but you can't forget that you have a job to do."
"I know, I know. It's just that I'm so frustrated with not being able to find anything about 15-N's demise. I'm sure 22-S is responsible, I just know it!"
"Pace yourself. Being flustered in the heat of battle is what gets you killed."
"Yeah…"
"Then I'll leave Salazere to you. Be sure not to forget about encountering any Servants we've never seen before."
"Roger."
22-Q disconnected from the psychic transmission. After a short pause, 19-Y asked, "Do you want me to investigate Tiahuanaco?"
"No, I've got a different job for you," 2-F said. "15-M and 18-U are already on their way there, but they're going to need backup. We think we've discovered that Caster of Akakor is hiding there."
"Interesting. I'm guessing I need to reassign some of the Enforcers to Tiahuanaco without arousing suspicion from the Clock Tower Mages?"
"As sharp as ever."
"Since it's the start of a new school year, most of the higher-ups are busy grooming the new batch of students for their studies. I'm sure they won't notice if some of us take off."
"Make sure it's a natural transition though. The Mages will freak out if they realize too many of their precious manservants are missing. They've become so pathetic, they can't even cut their own food without someone helping them, after all."
"That shouldn't be a problem. I have a few Enforcers in mind I can free up."
"Excellent. I'll be looking forward to the good news."
2-F cut the connection with 19-Y, then closed her eyes and exhaled. Managing so many Servants at once was quite exhausting, so she needed to take a break. However, someone else was in the room with her. He had been leaning his back against the wall, silently listening to 2-F as she spoke with her sisters. The Enforcer got up from her seat and said to her guest, "Sorry about that, Mr. Salieri. Things have been getting a little hectic lately, so I needed to make some crucial arrangements."
"It is quite all right," the musician assured her. "I understand how busy you always are."
2-F made some coffee for him. He couldn't help but chuckle a little as he muttered, "Still, Mages being unable to cut their own food? Fuh heh heh heh… Just how low is your opinion of them anyway?"
"Lower than the lowest depths of the ocean's hadal zones. Those creatures have been infesting the World for far too long. Yet, it's almost hilarious how right Mother was about them falling into such impotence that they can't do anything without the Gates and us Enforcers."
"Hoh. Could that impotence be part of Lancer's strategy?"
"It certainly is. Since she was going to be stuck as the Grail Terminal anyway, she might as well have used that time to reduce the Mages' sense of independence. It took a couple of generations, but now things are in place-"
"To have the rug so viciously pulled out from beneath them?"
2-F kept her back turned towards Salieri. Even so, he could tell she was repressing a most wicked smile.
Deep in the labyrinth, somewhere between the borders of Brazil and Peru, a phone rang inside someone's pocket. A lithe young woman took out a large, blocky cell phone out of her skirt pocket and pressed it to her ear. In modern times, people would snicker at her for holding what looked like a small box to her head. Since it was 1976 and the cell phone had been invented just three years earlier, this was considered the latest available technology.
"Bonjour," she said in a friendly tone. When she heard the caller's voice, her expression immediately turned sour as she grumbled in dismay, "Oh, c'est toi… What do you want?"
She listened to what the other person had to say. Her annoyance turned into curiosity, and she wondered, "Est-ce vrai? And you want me there as well? Well, I was kind of busy with my own work, but this sounds too good to pass up. Very well, let's meet up at the usual spot."
She listened to the caller complain about something for a minute. She became impatient and retorted, "Look, I know you're worried about the Enforcers, but everything will be fine. I've told you time and time again, haven't I? Given our history, no one would ever dream that you and I are collaborators. Just calm down and wait for me, d'accord?"
She hung up, then continued walking and grumbled to herself, "Aye yai yai. Talk about moody. This is why I never like dealing with grumpy people – they remind me too much of that wench Countess Marino."
The woman then smiled a little as she murmured, "Still… Archer, hm? Has that wayward fellow finally decided to come home after so many years away?"
After Ritsuka's group finished speaking with Cuchulainn and Izo on the transceiver, the teenaged Master put the device away and murmured grimly, "Marquis de Sade, huh? He sounds like bad news all around."
"Yeah, he is," Earp said with a distinct frown. "I'm relieved he ain't 'round these parts right now, but I'm kinda worried 'bout 'ow lil' Connla's takin' this news. Now that she knows what Rider is like, she must be worryin' 'erself sick wonderin' if Lancer ever 'ad any encounters with 'im."
"She's a lot tougher than you think. Out of all of Chaldea's Servants, she's gone through the greatest deal of hardships between the short time I summoned her and now. We're all starting to think that her life revolves entirely around her terrible Luck stat, but we don't want to make a joke out of it."
"Ya better not. Both yer Connla an' my Connla are important t'me. I ain't gonna tolerate anyone laughin' at 'ow awful 'er fate tends t'be."
"Why is that, anyway?" Mash wondered. "I don't think you've told us why you're so close with Lancer of Akakor."
"Well… Kinda funny that ya ask that. When the Grail War first started, she 'ad no problem voicin' 'er concerns 'bout anythin' she mighta found funny 'bout the Extremists' movements. Thanks to 'er tips, Saber an' I were often prepared t'deal with their Servants whenever they tried t'pull a fast one on us. But as things dragged on, Lancer started t'become more an' more quiet an' withdrawn. It came to a point where she never said a word fer the whole month o'June."
"A whole month? Just how long did the Akakor Grail War last anyway?"
"It started in late 1925, an' ended almost a year later in September 1926. This wasn't a battle o'strength an' Noble Phantasms – it was more 'bout wits, espionage an' patience. Can't exactly go 'round wreckin' the place when yer battleground's many meters b'neath the earth, right?"
"Oh, that makes sense. So then why did Lancer's personality change so much? Was she getting tired of the conflict?"
"Hm… Maybe… I think there's a more meanin'ful reason though. It 'as t'do with 'er Master."
Before Ritsuka or Mash could inquire any further, Roman's image popped up on the transmission feed, and he said, "Be careful, you guys. We're picking up a Servant response somewhere within your vicinity."
"Well now," Earp said and equipped his revolver. "Sorry t'cut the chat short, but it looks like I got me a job t'do."
Just then, an unfamiliar woman's voice laughed from the distance, "Oh ho ho! Calmez-vous, s'il vous plait!"
The gunman yelped a little. Mash noticed his reaction and asked, "What's wrong?"
Right after she asked this, a most striking red-haired lady in her mid-20s rounded the corner of the cavern and strode into their view like she was walking the catwalk. She had sharp black eyes and a broad smile framed by thick lips. She wore a duelist's uniform consisting of a white shirt with a heart lapel on the front, along with predominantly black clothing such as puffy sleeves, form-fitting gloves, a wide velvet skirt, leggings, and knee-length boots. Attached to the bronze belt around her waist was a thin rapier.
"It can't be!" Earp cried out. "Is that you, Saber!?"
"Le seul et unique, mon ami! My, my, it is so good to see you again, Archer!" the lady exclaimed joyfully. "Compared to all the doom and gloom I've had to put up with lately, seeing your rugged mug is a real treat!"
Ritsuka glanced back and forth between them, then asked Earp, "Is this supposed to be Saber of Akakor?"
"Yeah, it is. Y'girls can relax – she's an' ol' mate o'mine."
"I thought all of the other Akakor Servants were to be seen as threats to our mission. Does this mean Saber can be seen as an exception?"
"Well, that d'pends on what 'er situation is. I haven't seen 'er in a dog's age, so lemme wrangle out what's goin' on with 'er. Who knows? Thing might've changed so much that she dun see me as a friend anymore."
"Oh, Archer," Saber shrugged, "why do you have to be such a downer? We finally see each other after so many years, and you already cast such doubt on me? Comme c'est insultant…"
"Now, now, y'gotta mind my lot in this matter too, madam. Y'could say I've become an enemy of Akakor. If yer helping the Mages defend this place, then we're gonna be on opposite side o'the fence."
"So does that mean you know what happened to Lancer?"
"More than 'nough t'be sick of it. That poor girl dun deserve t'be reduced t'the Mages' plaything. 'Ere I was, thinkin' she 'ad been dead, an' she 'ad been sufferin' the worst kinda punishment without me realizin' it. If I had known, I woulda done somethin' 'bout it ages ago."
"Hm…" Saber smile morphed into a displeased frown. "Your hard-headedness is charming in its own right, but we're dealing with an incredibly sensitive political matter here. It's not as easy as rushing into the Preservatorium and destroying the Terminal. There are too many safeguards in place to make sure the Parallel World Gates aren't sabotaged. Even if they were disabled, the Family Tree Mages will send a horde of Servants to pounce on any potential intruders."
"That's what me an' the lil' ladies are 'ere t'do," Earp retorted. "We already 'ave two other teams tacklin' the Shrines o'Manoa an' Salazere. We're on our way t'get rid o'Tiahuanaco's anchor fer the Tradition Protection. An' get this – one o'Master's Servants 'ere is a duplicate o'Lancer."
Saber immediately became surprised when she heard this. "There's another Lancer running around?"
"Yep. She's exactly the reason why I joined Master's troupe. She's gone over t'Manoa right now, but once we clean things up 'ere, I can arrange fer y'two t'meet up an' 'ave a 'appy reunion."
The Frenchwoman didn't appear as enthusiastic as he anticipated. Mash asked her, "Is there something wrong with Archer's proposal?"
"Non, non, it is perfectly fine with me. It's just that… well, it'd be wrong to call it a 'reunion'. The way I see it, I'd just be meeting this other Lancer for the first time. If I want to have a 'reunion' of any kind, it'd be with our Lancer. Comprenez vous, Archer?"
Earp scratched his head sheepishly. "Yeah, yer right. I ain't the sharpest tool in the shed, so I sometimes say inconsiderate shit like that."
"Oh ho ho! It's quite all right! At least you're as dim-witted as I remember!"
"'Ey, that 'urts…"
Ritsuka resisted the urge to chuckle, then asked Saber, "So what are you doing here?"
"Moi? Well, it's a little bit of complicated business. I'm kind of worried about dragging you all into my mess."
"We're already knee-deep into this. Might as well go all the way."
"Mmm, I like that attitude! If you've stayed this long in the kitchen, you can definitely handle the heat! Unfortunately, it's not going to be as easy as me volunteering the information, dear. This is a really sensitive job I'm taking care of, and I don't want any dimwits ruining what little progress I've made over these many years."
"I knew it," Earp said. "Y'want me t'duel ya, right?"
"Exactement. I'm glad you understand me so well."
"Are you sure?" Mash wondered.
The gunman winked at her and assured, "Don'tcha worry none, lass. This is just the way Saber 'andles 'er affairs."
"But she looks to be a fencer. How are you going to fight her?"
"'Ow else does an Archer take care o'business?" Earp replied, then pointed his revolver at Saber. Ritsuka and Mash tensed up, but he implored to them, "Dun neither o'ya butt into this. I know what I'm doin' 'ere, so just trust me."
Both girls nodded, then stepped back into the farthest corner to observe the impending duel without interfering. The two Servants carefully stepped into the center of the chamber, never letting their eyes off of each other. Then, without saying a word of warning, Earp initiated the fight by firing multiple rounds from his revolver. Saber leapt forth and rushed at him while deftly evading the bullets that pierced the ground around her. When she got within ten feet, she hopped and somersaulted over him before slashing her rapier at his chest. He jerked back, but she quickly blindsided him and thrust at his neck. He used his gun as a prop to block the blade, purposely pointing the barrel at her face before firing two shots. Saber narrowly tilted her head aside, saving her skull from being filled with holes.
She crouched low just as Earp performed a jumping roundhouse kick, and she tumbled beneath him in the middle of his leap. She swung her rapier at his face again, but he vaulted backwards and shot numerous rounds at her haphazardly. Her fencing parries were smooth and composed as she deflected any potentially lethal bullets as gracefully as sewing embroidery at high speed. Even when Saber looked to be at an obvious disadvantage, she still looked like she was enjoying herself, which made the Chaldeans somewhat nervous. When she found a gap in his fusillade, she got in close and swiped at his midsection. He jumped over her and fired more bullets while he was upside-down in midair. She vaulted aside like a gymnast, ran along the wall, and dove upon him while pointing her blade down.
Earp leapt back to avoid being skewered and tried to shoot Saber again, but she was so quick that she bashed her rapier against the revolver, throwing him off balance. This was enough time for her to snatch his coat and force him to the ground with her, where she planted her legs against his back and used them to launch him into the air. He flipped upright, but noticed too late that Saber jumped after him and was about to jab her blade into his shoulder. Luckily, Earp was prepared for this. He snatched a tiny satchel out of his pocket and hurled it at Saber's face. Sand flew all over her eyes, and she cried out in surprise as she tried to brush it off. Earp grabbed her sword arm and hurled her across the room, causing her to smash against the wall upside-down before collapsing in a heap.
She wasted no time recovering as she heard bullets raining around her, and she rushed at him once more. Without hesitation, she jumped over several shots and launched herself upon him, using his torso as a platform to gain more height before shooting at him like a crimson rocket. He was knocked onto his back and startled momentarily, but he tumbled back to his feet and kept shooting at her to provide some distance between them. She hopped off the nearest wall and charged magical energy into her rapier so that it glowed red, then swung in a single arc to release the energy as a deadly crescent-shaped beam.
"Guh!?" Earp gasped as he was overwhelmed by the attack. His coat was shorn into pieces, and blood trickled out of a diagonal wound carved across his chest.
"Archer!" Ritsuka shouted.
"Stay back! I already told ya - I got this, no problem!"
Saber readied another crimson crescent attack, then unleashed it with a graceful thrust of her sword. Earp tumbled aside, then stood up and glared at her with passionate fury. She knew what that grim look in his eye meant, and became even more alert than usual.
"I can see 'ow serious ya are 'bout yer job," the gunslinger muttered darkly. "Well then, lemme show ya 'ow serious I am 'bout mine."
He fetched six bullets out of his pocket, then tossed them straight up while opening the revolver's cylinder and spinning it. Somehow, all of the bullets fell snugly into each spinning chamber. When the last one was loaded into the gun, he shut the cylinder, twirled the gun on his finger, then pointed it at Saber. Before she could do anything, Earp shouted the name of his Noble Phantasm:
"OK Corral 30 Seconds!"
What followed was a violent hailstorm of bullets that practically overwhelmed Saber with shrieking projectiles and wafting gunpowder. Amazingly, whenever Earp's revolver ran out of bullets, he would reload it faster than one could blink, allowing him to shoot round after round like a machine gun. It represented the most important 30 seconds of his entire life, when he and his comrades exchanged heavy gunfire with the outlaw gang known as the Cowboys at the OK Corral in Tombstone, Arizona. The caveat was that the Noble Phantasm was only allowed to last for 30 seconds at maximum before Earp's ungodly reloading speed was reduced to normal.
When the chaos settled, all Ritsuka and Mash could see was a thick cloud of dark powder. About a minute later, it dissipated enough for them to see the result. Saber had been thrown onto the ground, and Earp was standing over her with his foot planted squarely on her upper chest and his gun pointed at her face. For just a moment, the lawman's glare was cold and unfeeling. Saber stared into the barrel with wide eyes, startled that she was suddenly at his mercy when she had the advantage not even five minutes ago. Earp concluded the fight with the simplest declaration a lawman could make:
"Yer under arrest. Throw up yer hands."
The entire room fell into an unnerving silence for a few seconds. Soon, Saber raised her arms in surrender and murmured, "Je me rends."
Convinced that she had given up, he got off and let her stand back up. He picked up the sword she lost during his onslaught and tossed it back to her, which she snatched with startling ease. Ritsuka and Mash were relived that the fight was over, and the former exclaimed, "Earp might have won, but that was still incredible, Saber! If I was sitting on a chair, I would be on the edge right now!"
"Oh ho ho ho! Merci, merci! Even when my life is on the life, I always strive to deliver the best performances I can!" Saber laughed exuberantly. She dusted off her skirt, then said to Earp, "You might've missed me on purpose, but this is still your victory, handsome. Your intelligence hasn't improved an iota, but your aim hasn't dulled in the slightest. I dare say it's gotten even sharper since the Akakor Grail War."
"Would ya quit pokin' at my smarts? I still 'ave feelin's, y'know," the cowboy frowned.
"Eh he he! I can't help it! You're just so fun to tease! Lancer was always slow to understand my jokes, and the Mages were just too depressing to associate myself with. Don't even get me started with Quintrala either!"
"Trust me, I won't. So does that mean yer gonna let us in on the dirt y'got?"
"A deal's a deal, right? We can talk on the way. Oh, but first, I should introduce myself to your Master and her friend," Saber said.
"I don't think you need to," Mash said with a pleasant smile. "I remember reading articles about a notorious Frenchwoman who was both a talented opera singer and a deadly fencing duelist. It's said she lived a wild life, having many suitors from both sexes and causing controversy wherever she went. Yet the aristocracy found her antics amusing and would forgive her misdeeds because of how entertained they were. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but you're Julie D'Aubigny, aren't you?"
"Mmm, you've done your homework, I see!" Saber crooned, then threw her arm over the bewildered Shielder's shoulder. "You are absolutely correct, mon chérie! That was my birth name, but no one really calls me that anymore. I go by Mademoiselle La Maupin, or just Maupin for short."
"I knew it! It's so good to meet you, Maupin! It's even better that you're cooperating with us!"
"Cooperating with you? Oh, non, non, non, you've got that backwards, sweetheart! You're going to be helping me with my current task!"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
Earp smacked his forehead and sighed, "Dangit. We got roped into somethin', didn't we?"
"Now, now, don't be so glum," Maupin assured. "It's just a simple little errand I have to run. I know I can handle myself perfectly fine, but it never hurts to have an insurance policy, right?"
"Is this 'errand' o'yers particularly dangerous?"
"It's just that I have to meet up with an associate of mine. We've been working together to investigate why Lancer was framed for the Extinction, but clues have been so hard to come by due to how careful the Mages are to cover up the conspiracy. My associate says they have some information they want me present for when they show it to Caster, but we're not exactly on the friendliest terms, you see."
"Caster… You mean Caster is 'ere!?" the cowboy cried out.
"Yes, he is."
"My God, I've been lookin' fer that reclusive ass fer years! I gotta give 'im a black eye fer causin' me such a massive 'eadache with 'is constant misleads an' runnin' 'round!"
"Well, he was always worried that your simple and violent approach to problems would wind up ruining his carefully-crafted plans. He always made sure to misdirect your attention with false leads on his whereabouts."
"That connivin' bastard…"
"Try not to be so upset with him, would you? His situation truly is a precarious one. If you say that another Lancer is with your Master though, he might warm up to your cause. No guarantees though, okay? Caster is as shifty as they come – you never know what's going through that fellow's mind. He still has a soft spot for Lancer's welfare though, so you can use that as a bargaining chip."
"Hm… So he's worryin' 'bout 'er even t'this day, huh? Is it 'cause o'Rider still slinkin' 'round?"
"I'm afraid so. But what are we doing, standing around and chin-wagging like this? Instead of me dumping all of this info onto your laps, it'd be better for you to come see Caster in person."
Ritsuka said, "We're supposed to go to Tiahuanaco though. We can't afford any lengthy side trips."
"Ne vous inquiétez pas, Madame Master. Caster has shut himself away in Tiahuanaco, thanks to Shielder of Akakor cooperating with him to keep him safe from both Rider and the Mages who want to overthrow him."
Earp raised an eyebrow. "Shielder of Akakor? I ain't 'eard of a Servant like that."
"He's one of the Three Caretakers, being responsible for erecting impenetrable defenses and forbidding all access of the Preservatorium to the Mages. The other shrines are guarded by Ruler and Avenger of Akakor."
Mash narrowed her eyes. "Another Shielder Servant…"
Ritsuka murmured, "The Caretakers are the three Servants who accompanied Connla during the Nevada Singularity. Of them, Leonidas fits the bill when it comes to creating barriers and driving overwhelming forces back. I guess that means he's going to be the Servant we'll have to convince to help us."
"Oui, c'est vrai," Maupin nodded as she began to take the lead through the labyrinth. "Shielder and Caster are, as they say in modern parlance, tight. Finding cracks in Caster's armor might be easy, but Shielder is as obstinate as a mule. If he doesn't agree with your motives, he'll do everything he can to shut you out of Tiahuanaco for good. Who can blame him, though? Lancer's execution affected him and Avenger particularly hard, and Shielder refuses to expose her to any further trauma."
"You said the other shrines are guarded by an Avenger and a Ruler. Do those two Servants happen to be Charles-Henri Sanson and Spartacus of Thracia?"
"Yes, indeed. Monsieur Sanson is the primary Caretaker, so he has been given Ruler-class privileges that allow him to operate the Grail Terminal whenever there is a problem with the Gates. As for Spartacus, he changed from a Berserker to an Avenger. If Leonidas forbids access to Akakor, then Spartacus' job is to kill anyone who even thinks about intruding this sacred space. His change in class may have reduced his offensive strength, but his mind is a lot clearer than if he remained as a Berserker with Madness Enhancement. Of course, they still have to keep their respective shrines safe so that the Tradition Protection doesn't get broken."
"Why did their classes get changed so suddenly?"
"Because they were all present for Lancer's execution. Caster told me that the shock of seeing such a young Servant die must have affected their Spirit Origins, though for what reason I couldn't tell you. Those four Servants are so different that I cannot imagine there being a connection between them."
The Chaldeans became grim when they realized what this meant. If anything, they now understood that whatever was going to happen in Tiahuanaco would affect the success of this entire mission. Defeating Sanson and Spartacus would be manageable, but if they upset Leonidas enough that he permanently blocked access to Tiahuanaco, they would not be able to go any further than this. With such a delicate situation on her hands, Ritsuka knew she would have to be absolutely careful with how she approached Leonidas, and would have to keep Earp's unruly behavior in check at the same time.
The teenaged Master rubbed her hand with the Command Spells etched on the back, then declared to the others, "Let's go."
