"Well, I certainly was not expecting that!"

I couldn't help but laugh a little as I watched through the cameras set up around the park as the tidal wave of water came raining down on Saber and the kids. Of all the ways for them to grab Rider's attention… well, I couldn't say it was ineffective, that's for sure. Surely, such a display would have grabbed everyone's attention.

It was also nice to see that Sortiara had put personal sentiment aside and decided to actually play the game intelligently. The lack of Lancer was disappointing, but I suppose some things just couldn't be helped.

"And just as predicted" I mused as Rider and the priest emerged from the nearby tree line, stepping into view. "Hey, Caster! Everything is set to go, yeah?!"

"Yes, child, to answer your question for the fifth time" Caster's exasperated voice responded through the PA system of the command room.

"Even my special surprise?"

"Child, I told you I'll inform you the minute it's done! Now, do you want me to finish it, or do you want to waste my time with this pointless chatter?!"

"Alright, I'll leave you to it" I laughed, keeping one eye on the monitors.

Everything was set to launch. Rider was in place. Both the kids had shown up, even if Lancer himself was a no show. Overall, things were looking good. All that was needed now was for Rider to summon his army, and-

"Jesus Christ, that's bright!"

I had to shield my eyes as bright light flared through all the monitors. Almost just as quickly as the bright light appeared, though, it disappeared. What I saw afterwards though…

"What the fuck is this…? What in the fuck is this?!"

Most of the camera feeds were gone, the monitors showing nothing but a black screen. But for the ones that remained… they showed a very different place from Glenwood Park. The forest? Gone. The lake? Also gone. A boundless expanse of flatlands, with hills at the far horizon. Thankfully, Saber and the kids appeared to be unscathed, and could still be seen in the first place. As for Rider and the priest though… they were nowhere to be found.

"Caster! Caster!"

"What now child?!"

"You have to take a look at this!"

"What could be so important that- Hmm… That is an interesting development."

"Do you have any idea what happened?!"

"How would I know, child?!"

"Where are they?!"

"I don't know! I'm not a mage!"

"Neither is Saber or Rider, but it wasn't the kids or the priest who did this shit!"

Shit! This wasn't good. If I didn't know where Saber and the kids were… if I couldn't get them out of there-

…Did I just get the kids killed…?

"Fuck! It has to be magecraft of some kind! Think, think, think! What did the kids ever say about magecraft?!"

Not much was the answer! At least, I couldn't remember them ever discussing it at length! Only time it ever really came up was when Sortiara was helping me use the book, and-

…Wait… What were we talking about that one time I was using the book…? Something to do with skills, and territory… Lead to… reality… reality something… Reali-

"Reality marble! Caster, could Rider have deployed a reality marble?!"

"Again child, I'm not a mage! I suppose it's a possibility he's deployed one of those, if it's part of a Noble Phantasm!"

"But if that's a reality marble, then how do we get them out of there?! That's supposed to be Rider's private world then; everything else is booted out!"

"Well, evidently not everything! You can still see them on some of the stationary cameras, yes?!"

"…Yes."

"Then is it not logical to assume that Rider has pulled in everything from the surrounding area into this reality marble of his?"

"…Including the labyrinth!"

"Precisely!"

"You're right! We should be fine then! In fact… while this is no longer the battlefield I was expecting… ambushing Rider's army within his own, private world might actually be better for us. No way in hell he'd ever suspect his private world to be invaded in such a manner! And speaking of army…"

I watched on the cameras that remained as spots began to decorate the hillside at the horizon. Some took to tight formations, like you'd expect from infantry, while other, slightly bigger spots scattered along the hillside. Knowing who Rider was, I could only assume those would be mounted archers…

"Oh, this is going to be good" I couldn't help but feel giddy as I watched Rider's army take shape, even if I couldn't make out the details like this. "Alright Caster, time to get this party started! Powering up the drones and switching camera feeds!"

"Yes, yes, just do your thing and leave me to do mine" Caster grumbled as I inputted the necessary commands into the console in front of me.

Watching all the monitors flicker to life with the proper camera feeds, I took in the sounds of the labyrinth bay doors opening, and the drone platform rising to the surface. That's right! Unlike the stationary cameras we set up through the forests, I could not just hear, but speak through these babies! It also meant I could hear Rider's commanding voice boom around the command room as the drones took to the sky.

"-to come to this! But for the sake of maintaining civility, I shall-"

"Oh, hell yes! This is what I'm talking about, people" I laughed in pure delight, cutting Rider off and making my presence known to everyone as I ordered the drones to fan out across the battlefield. "Hit the lights! Cue the music! Raise the curtains on this most grand of stages! It's showtime!"

Through the drone feeds, I watched as multiple labyrinth bay doors opened up, the red partridge brand of Caster blazing prominently for all to see from each one, not that such a thing would matter.

"Playing track: Masters of the Desert" the PA system announced as Caster's army of statues were raised to the surface, forming up between Rider's army in the distance, and the kids.

Oh man, the looks on the kids faces… Priceless! Even Saber was taken by complete surprise, by the looks of things! Shame I couldn't see Rider's face from here, but I bet it was a mix of shock and rage from such an impromptu interruption of his speech.

Of course, the music I'd selected would also be playing through the drones. After all, what was a game without a proper soundtrack to go along with it? Couldn't leave Rider and the priest out of the full experience, now could I?

"What is the meaning of this" Rider's voice bellowed through the speakers. "Such an interruption should be impossible!"

"Come now, Rider! Nothing's impossible for Caster, the greatest mind the world has ever seen! Besides, did I not tell you we would next meet come the end?! To think you could deploy your ace in the hole and I wouldn't be present… for shame!"

"Hiding behind cheap tricks and using other as bait! You will never change! I swear on my honor as a Heroic Spirit I will cut you down this day!"

"How cute, Rider! But you're going to have to cut down my army first! Fair warning, though: I'm not as stupid as the crusaders!"

"Switch track."

"Playing track: Flyers."

As I spoke, I issued the first set of commands to the statues. They moved a bit slower than the units I was used to in WotH, but it wasn't anything I couldn't adapt to easily enough. So long as I saw far enough ahead, this wouldn't be an issue. That, and, well, let's be honest: what could Rider's army have that could one shot solid stone statues, enhanced by none other than Caster himself?! Point was, I had wiggle room if I needed it.

"You dare-"

"Of course I dare, Rider! In fact, allow me to inform you just how serious I am!"

Now to buzz Johnathan to get him moving… Labyrinth passage is open, their guide is in place… Good luck, kids. I'll take over from here. I leave Archer to you.

"I am Yaldabaoth, God of control" I proclaimed, standing up from my chair and playing into the theatrics as I watched Johnathan rouse Saber and Sortiara to action. "With this as my first step, I hereby declare war against the heavens!"

Closing the labyrinth passageway behind the kids, I couldn't help but feel a rush of euphoria as I laughed. Oh, forget the game! Forget WotH! This was it! My moment! My stage to perform on! My stage to make history on!

"This is your reality marble, isn't it, Rider?! Your own private world?! To think I'd get to face one of God's champions as my first step to claiming his throne! To think I'd get to face the Saladin on his chosen battlefield, the site of his most famous victory! This is the Horns of Hattin, correct?!"

"Think what you wish, infidel! Come the night's end, it will matter not!"

"As you say, Rider" I smirked, knowing that Rider's refusal to directly answer was only because I was right. "By the night's end, words and thought will matter not, as actions will be the only deciding factor! Now come, Saladin! Show me the might of the one who founded of the Ayyubid dynasty! Show me the might of a champion to a false God!"

Let the game being!

"Switch track."

"Playing track: Melee Cafe."


A/N

I have been waiting to do this fight since before I even started writing this thing; when it only existed as a fantasy in my head.

Which is why I'm sad to say that I have to go home for a couple of days, starting tomorrow. As such, I won't have the next post up till Saturday night (which could very well mean Sunday for you, depending on where you live). Yeah, I didn't think I'd be able to stick to one upload a day for the full week, but still, I didn't think it'd be ended like this. Oh well.

As a side note though, the 'tracks' I've mentioned (and will continue to mention throughout the fight between Nathan and Rider) aren't made up. They're real, and you can search them up if you want to get a better picture of the... sentiment, the emotions, I'm trying to capture here. After all, there's nothing quite like music when it comes to creating powerful moments of emotions/sentiments. I mean, have any of you ever tried to play a game without it's soundtrack?! Shit loses so much of it's impact!

It's also how I've been writing this entire story, listening to music to generate the emotions in my head that I'm trying to convey in each part/scene.

So yeah... hope you all enjoy (and are as pumped for this as I am), and I'll see you again Saturday/Sunday o7