So I did do a little interesting bit here. We are actually almost through Fuyuki. Should be another chapter or so before I move to an "Intermission" of sorts. After that will be the start of Orleans. Here is a little bit of exposition so I apologize for if it is boring but we sometimes have to get through the boring parts to get to the exciting ones. The end though might be a bit of a tease though...I just hope it goes well. Anyways, I've talked enough, hope you enjoy.

Singularity F: The Dark Cave

"This was an actual Grail War?" Cira asked, "Seven Masters, seven Servants in a murder-death-kill match over a wish granting device. That Holy Grail War?"

"Yep," Caster nodded, "But uh...let's move somewhere else. I got rid of Assassin and Lancer before I met you guys, but I dunno if Berserker or Archer is hanging about. I managed to piss off the latter earlier and I'd rather not face him again without preparation."

"The school building seems sound," Saber pointed out, "If you wish, Master, I can keep watch while you rest and listen to Caster's story,"

"I'd appreciate it," Cira breathed a sigh of relief, "I don't know why...I'm just exhausted. It's weird...I haven't really done anything strenuous other than run after you guys,"

"Likely you're not used to the strain of having Servants around," Olga Marie said, "You're not a trained mage so your mana reserves are probably running low due to the battle. You should rest. We'll listen to Caster and then get some rest. Something tells me we will need it,"

"Aw, you really do care," Cira grinned, getting a soft chuckle from Mash and a snort from Caster.

Olga Marie sputtered before crossing her arms.

"If you die here, then I can't get out of here," she pointed out, "As much as you irritate the hell out of me, you are my responsibility as a researcher of Chaldea."

Cira held her hands up in a placating gesture.

"Alright, sorry...I guess my default when I'm tired is wise-cracking. I'm normally not like this I swear," Cira said.

"I'll look forward to seeing you rested," Olga Marie said with a flippant wave as she walked into the building.

Cira looked at Mash and shrugged as she followed. Mash picked up her shield and jogged after her Master, Caster made to follow only to get stopped by Saber.

"What, you gonna threaten me again?" he sighed, "If I wanted to hurt you all, I would have."

"No, I believe you," Saber said, "I just want to make one request."

She looked at her Master and then back at the taller Servant.

"I know you caught sight of my blade. You know who I am,"

He nodded, taking down his hood.

"Have to say, it's weird but yeah, I know who you are," he scratched the back of his neck, "Not many Heroic Spirits would mistake that blade. 'Specially from our side of the world,"

"Indeed," Saber sighed, "I just ask you do not reveal that to Master. It is not safe here and I would rather like to protect her than see her harmed. May I have that promise?"

Caster nodded.

"I might not look it but I'm a warrior too...not normally summoned in this class at all. I'm normally a Lancer...but this war is weird. Don't worry, your identity's safe with me, your highness,"

Saber's eyes narrowed and he laughed, waving her off.

"Come on, it's just a joke and it's not like they can hear us. Only one who can hear us is Shield Missy but I think she's more preoccupied protecting your Master," Caster chuckled, "Though we should follow, eh?"

Saber nodded, nodding for him to go first while she brought up the rear.

They walked in to Cira, Mash and Olga Marie talking amongst each other. Mash looking a bit more despondent than she had when they were outside.

"Mash?" Saber started, "What seems to be the matter?"

"I was just telling Master about the situation with me and my Noble Phantasm," Mash admitted, "I should be able to use it by now, shouldn't I?"

"Missy can't use her Noble Phantasm?" Caster frowned, "What's this?"

Mash explained everything to Caster who leaned back against a wall with an incredulous laugh.

"Can't say I've ever heard of something like that happening to anyone before," he admitted, "A regular human fusing with a Heroic Spirit? Sounds like some heavy stuff there. Unethical, yeah, but also interesting. And you don't even know his name?"

Mash shook her head.

"He just left me his shield and his combat abilities," she said, "Nothing on what his Noble Phantasm was or any clue to his identity. And if I can't use that Noble Phantasm…"

"You're a crippled Heroic Spirit,"

"Caster!" Saber scolded.

"What! It's true!" he protested, "It's not like she doesn't have one! You know just as well as I do that she can manifest it immediately if she wanted to. But since she's not able to...probably because nothing's stressed her out enough to make it snap into place,"

He suddenly pointed his staff at Cira. There was a bolt of black and violet light as Mash suddenly moved at an incredible speed to get between Cira and Caster. She was joined immediately by Saber, whose invisible blade was positioned over her arm in a ready stance…

But what got Cira's attention was that Olga Marie stood before all three of them. Her arms spread in an attempt to block whatever was coming at them. Facing the glares of gold, emerald and amethyst that stared at him, Caster lowered his staff and laughed.

"I wasn't going to hurt her," he chuckled, "As I said...why would I harm humans? There's literally none out there and you two are the first I've seen a while. I was just meaning to try and kickstart Missy's Noble Phantasm. Guess it didn't work."

"You would do well not to attempt that again, Caster," Saber growled, cold steel in her voice as she slowly lowered her sword.

"Yeah, yeah I figured," he rolled his eyes, "Anyways, I did promise to tell you what's going on, yeah? Well here's the best I can figure. All I know is that I'm with my Master in this war, everything's going ok for the first couple days...then all of a sudden everything goes dark and all the humans just...disappear,"

He sat down on the window sill, looking towards a wooded hill in the distance.

"Our Masters? Gone. The land? In flames. Even the innocents were gone. I find out later that Saber was the one that grabbed the grail...or at least it was given to her," he dismissed his robe, leaving him shirtless in the dim light...an angry red scar cut across his ribs, not bleeding but it looked inflamed, "She fought us all. She took down Archer first...then Berserker...then Assassin...then Lancer...and finally Rider. I managed to get away...but not without a price. Rider sacrificed herself for my escape, hoping that I could get out and figure out a way to stop this madness. As you saw...Rider didn't die. None of them did,"

He shuddered.

"She just...brought them back. Shadows and wraiths under her control. I've never seen anything like it. Archer was a decent guy originally...major stick up his arse but not bad. Rider was shy and quiet...preferred to be in the library most of the time while her and my masters' alliance was still up. I didn't know the others well enough," he resummoned his cloak and crossed his arms, "I honestly was just waiting for the day she got me...until I saw Archer firing at something. I thought it was another one of our war...but it wasn't. It was a girl with a shield and a woman with an invisible weapon...with two humans with them. So I stopped him firing and decided to follow the little group….that's when I saw you tangling with Rider,"

He shrugged.

"That's the story really...So in a way, I'm kinda asking for your help here."

"You want us to help you defeat Saber, is that what you're saying?" Olga Marie asked.

Caster nodded.

"Yeah, then I can get out of this hellhole. You guys want to get rid of this place too, yeah? Well, I'm offering to help and all," Caster said, "And, Hell, I'm willing to give a temporary contract to Missy and Saber's Master so I can do it,"

Cira nodded.

"I think it's a good idea," she nodded, "I'd be happy to have a bit more magical firepower to the team if you'd be ok with that,"

"Sounds good to me," Caster grinned, extending his hand, "Name's Cu Chulainn, Caster Class. It'd be an honor working with you, Master,"

"I'd be careful about that, Cira," Olga Marie warned.

"Why?" Cira asked, reaching for Caster's outstretched hand, her command spells blazing brightly as she took it, "What's the worst that could ha-"

And as she said that, she collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

"You could knock yourself out, that's what could happen," Olga Marie stated as Caster chuckled, gently leaning down and scooping the unconscious girl into his arms.

He carried her to a room that wasn't as destroyed and laid her down in a comfortable position, eventually laying his cloak over her to keep her warm. Mash sat down next to her Master while Saber took up a watch next to the window, overseeing the yard.

"Might as well get rest while we can," Caster shrugged, "She'll need time to replenish her mana. You too, missy."

He nodded to Mash who was already starting to nod off.

"Heh, guess that wasn't hard," he chuckled, turning to Olga Marie, "You should rest too. You humans are fragile sorts,"

"I'm fine. Cira has been expending energy, I have not," Olga Marie said, "I want to talk to you for a moment,"

Caster turned to face Saber who gave a nod.

"I shall watch over them as they sleep," she said, "But do be quick in your dealings. I do not like being here...it feels off to me."

"You and me both," Caster sighed, "Alright, lady, let's go to the rooftop...won't bother Missy and Master,"

Olga Marie shivered in the wind on the rooftop, the door closed behind Caster and she turned to face him as he leaned on his staff.

"So, what did you want to ask?" he asked, his crimson gaze watching her carefully.

"Who is Saber," Olga Marie stated, "The one who is in your war anyways. I know you know who she is."

"Doesn't matter," Caster said, "Cuz yours and mine are the same person,"

"WHAT!?" Olga Marie yelled, "How is that possible?! The same heroic spirit cannot manifest in the same place! It's not…"

"The hell if I know," Caster cut her off, "Look, your Saber asked me not to tell Master...and if you keep yelling like you are, Master's gonna hear you. I'll tell you if you swear to not say anything to her until Saber's ready. She might run me through for telling you but...I don't think she will."

Olga Marie closed her mouth and nodded.

"Who is she?" she repeated.

"A little story first," Caster grinned, "Long ago, there was a sword locked in solid stone. It was said that whoever pulled it out was the destined King. Your Saber is the one who did it. She's known by a lot of names. Then again...a lot of people from our part of the world were. I know her as the Red Dragon of Briton. You'd likely know her by her honorific. Briton's King of Knights,"

Olga Marie's eyes widened as she cast a look behind Caster, almost as if expecting Saber to be summoned by mention of her name.

"King Arthur…" she breathed, "That young woman is King Arthur!?"

"She might go by another name, but she's Arthur. Both of them are," Caster sighed, "Not gonna lie...I was shocked when I saw her. Dressed in blue, just radiating power but not in a tyrannical way. I could tell...she was good. Not...whatever the hell in that Cave is. Not the Saber I fought against. At least, it's how she used to be. I don't know what happened to her to make her like that but I have the sneaking suspicion it was the Grail. This whole thing is insane and it needs to just end."

He shook his head.

"Look, whatever the case...I know Archer and Saber were working together. And the fact that Archer was aiming at Missy down there, that means Saber ordered it. She fears that shield and what it can do. I don't know what it does...but judging by the fact that she was that desperate to end her? It's probably gonna mess Saber up if Missy gets to her," he said, "The problem is getting to her. There's a cave that Saber's holed up in with the Grail. Some sorta mage's workshop in there. Archer's been keepin' an eye out on the place and I don't think he's gonna let us go in without a fight. Berserker's the only other one left and he's likely to leave us alone if we leave him alone."

"And you are telling me this why exactly?" Olga Marie asked.

"Because Master's still young and makes rash decisions. I love that about her but it might get her killed. We need a level head to hear this first. I'll tell her of course but she's more likely to listen to you since she knows you and not me," Caster replied.

"How far away from this cave are we?"

"It's up on that hill...near the temple. You can see it from here,"

Olga Marie sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose as she sat down against the wall.

"Our journey is nearly over...yet why do I feel it's only going to get worse?"

Saber watched over the two sleeping girls, giving a smile before turning back to the window. It was...refreshing...to see peace in such a desolate place. If only it could stay that way for a while longer. She turned her eyes back to the sky and was about to continue her watch when she felt as if someone had struck her in the stomach.

She doubled over, sinking to her knees with a gasp, feeling as if a red-hot poker had been driven through her midsection and was slowly twisting. The edges of her vision went dark as the scene around her changed.

Saber was suddenly in a massive cavern, an unhealthy violet glow before her as she took steps forward. Her eyes were not on the violet glow, but the golden gleam before her. Her steps became faster and faster, now she was running. Her sword leaving a trail of golden sparks behind her as blood dripped from the wound she had received from Berserker reopened.

"I have to reach it! I am so close! So...very…close…" her thoughts were focused on the golden gleam before her, though it was becoming hazier and hazier with every step.

Her fingertips brushed the golden vessel, even as they themselves began to break apart into motes of gold.

"NO! NO I CANNOT DIE HERE!" she cried, reaching again, "Please...I need...I have to win…"

Her knees gave out and the golden thing before her clattered to the ground, just out of reach.

"...I was too late…" she breathed as her vision turned gold around the edges, her body breaking apart from the wound upwards.

"Is this what you want? King of Knights?" a voice, low and cold asked, "This cup of corrupted dreams?"

She gave a slow, weak nod. Her voice refusing to work save a breath of 'please'.

"Then you shall have it."

She felt someone grab her hair and yank her upright...and she shrieked as whoever it was rammed the Grail right through her chest. Every sense was ablaze, agony seared through her as her hands and body reformed...black as coal and red as blood.

"No...no this isn't...this is not what I wanted!" she thought desperately, but all that came out was a scream of pain and power unfettered coursed through her.

Suddenly, she was back in the school building, leaning her head against the pommel of her sword and on her knees. Her breaths were shaky and cold sweat beaded her brow. Golden shadows flickered around the room as she realized the wind magic surrounding her sword had dispelled. She took a long, steadying breath as she stood, summoning the wind to shield it again…

Only for said breath to stop as the blade, for but an instant, turned from royal blue and gold...to night black and blood red.

Master: Cira Albion

Servant: Shielder- Mash Kyrielight

Servant: Saber-Unknown

Servant: Caster- Cu Chulainn