Battles are almost always a fun read, though I give no promises to mine being any good. Anyways, I should be finishing up Orleans next chapter...it's not that far from here and I believe I have an idea of what I can do for the interlude between this and Septem (I won't lie I'm not looking forward to Septem either...it's another boring one with a character I absolutely despise.) But, I will let you all get to reading. Hope you enjoy.

Orleans: March to Orleans

Cira peeked out from behind a rock, her heart leaping upwards as she saw the massive field before her. In the distance she could see a city, still burning as smoke rose against the sky and it's castle rose up like a charred tree that had been struck by lightning.

"Yeah, just as I suspected," Romani's voice said, "It's swarming with wyverns. But we can't delay either. So take make sure that we take 'em all out,"

Cira's heart dropped as she saw the shrieking, scaly horde before her.

"Can we really take them all out…" she whispered, her hands starting to shake, "There's hundreds of them and there's only eleven of us."

"Master," Artoria's voice was soft, gentle, as she put a hand on Cira's shoulder, "You trust us to protect you, correct?"

Cira nodded.

"Then, please allow us to show you that trust is not misguided," the King said, "It is natural to be afraid before a battle. Natural to fear for your life. You are not a warrior, you are barely even a mage. I am not asking you to charge out into the battle first, I would never ask you to do something I myself would be unwilling to do were I in your situation. I ask you to stay behind us, to aid us should things go awry, and to stay near Siegfried until Fafnir is spotted. Can you do that?"

Cira looked up at her, taking a deep breath, and nodded once more. A screech rang out and Cira instinctively put her hands over her ears.

"Here they come," Cu Chulainn said, taking his spear off his shoulders and holding it in a ready position.

Lily unsheathed the sword at her hip and Artoria took a stance with her own blade as well. Mash looked back at Cira, reaffirming her grip on her shield.

"Your orders?" she asked.

"Go get 'em," Cira nodded, "Just please don't die,"

"You worry too much, Master," Cu Chulainn grinned as he hopped up and over the rock they were holing up behind, Lily and Artoria joined him charging forwards and carving through the line of wyverns as if it were nothing, leaving a path of blood soaked grass and wyvern corpses behind.

"Well, let's get moving then," Cira said, "We have to get to Fafnir and I very much doubt he's going to come to us.

"Stay behind me," Mash insisted, turning a golden eye towards Cira before slowly making her way towards where the other three Servants were currently doing battle.

Cira kept a hand on Mash's shoulder, following close behind her while Siegfried and Jeanne took the outskirts of their formation, making sure that nothing got to Cira as they made their way towards the other three.

"I'm getting a signal!" Romani yelled, "Servant! It's beelining towards you guys...there's no way it's not the enemy!"

"Lancer!" Cira cried, "Saber! Lily! We've got company coming!"

"I got that one!" Cu Chulainn yelled over the din, hurling his spear into a wyvern then using the momentum from the throw to grab the spear, vaulting over the collapsing creature and yanking said spear free as he dashed towards the approaching Servant.

They collided with a flash of green and scarlet. Cira could see that it was a female Archer, her large emerald eyes matching the light from the arrows she fired from her ebony bow. A tawny lion's tail and ears graced her features, though her face was screwed up in a snarl as Cu Chulainn jabbed at her with his spear.

"...Cira…" Romani's voice was shaky over the comms.

"What?" she asked.

"Fafnir...I can see his presence on the scanners...he's left Orleans. He's coming...and he's likely bringing the Dragon Witch with him. The showdown is about to start,"

"You guys hear that?" Cira asked, getting a nod from Siegfried and Georgios both, "Uh...Berserker, can you and Elizabeth go and handle Carmilla should she show up? Or at least take out a few wyverns if she doesn't,"

"Don't worry, Deerlet, we'll take care of that," Elizabeth grinned, whirling her lance around and winking, "I've been aching to do a show and I finally get to do that."

"See you soon my love," Kiyohime beamed as she and Elizabeth started off.

"...I suddenly fear for my life," Cira shuddered.

"You're the one who contracted a Berserker," Mozart pointed out.

"I didn't know she was that crazy! She seemed fine in town!"

Any retort from the musician was cut off as the sky went dark and the ground shook. Cira's blood ran cold as she beheld Fafnir. He seemed much bigger than the last time she had seen him. Artoria and Lily both immediately ran back to Cira, blades unsheathed and waiting for a good opportunity to charge forwards.

"Well...he sure got bigger," Cu Chulainn said, his voice losing the echoing quality as he rematerialized next to Cira, making her jump out of her skin.

"Wha-How?!" Cira demanded, "When did you get here? What about that Archer?"

"Took care of it," he replied, "Hate that it happened, but I needed to make sure she didn't get to you,"

"Master," Kiyohime's voice rang through Cira's head, "Elizabeth has spotted Carmilla, I will continue to...show these wyverns who the real dragon is. I'll let her deal with the vampiress,"

"So the Archer's taken care of," Cira started, "Carmilla is being handled that just leaves D'Eon, Vlad III and…"

"Oh, hello there trash I left behind," Jeanne's voice said.

Cira looked up to see the Dragon Witch land lightly on the ground, smoke and cinders blowing away from her landing point and she stood, Fafnir looming behind her and snarling. Artoria, Lily, Mash and Cu Chulainn all got before Cira with readied weapons.

The other Jeanne did not seem impressed while Jeanne walked before their team, the white banner billowing in the wind as she stood before her darkened half.

"I am a vestige. And more importantly, I am not you, Dragon Witch," she seethed, jabbing her lance into the ground as the wind whipped the banner around.

"But you are me, what are you talking about?" the other Jeanne smirked.

"I had hoped I could reach you and find out what caused you to be this way...possibly swaying you," Jeanne sighed, "But as God wills it, that is not happening,"

"You have more on your side then last I saw you," the other Jeanne stated, her golden eyes flicking from Artoria to Lily to Cu Chulainn to Siegfried and finally to Georgios, "That little Master's doing isn't it? No matter...against my dragons and wyverns, you have no hope,"

"That's big talk from someone who values quantity over quality," Cira said.

"Who gave you permission to speak, worm?" the Dragon Witch snarled, tapping her own lance on the ground.

The cracked earth exploded and Cira felt herself get forcefully shoved out of the way. She hit the ground and gave a loud gasp as pain shot across her ribs, turning her vision white for a few seconds. When it went back to color, Cira saw Cu Chulainn protectively arched over her as a massive black spear, crackling with flame had erupted from the ground where she had stood. If Cu Chulainn hadn't grabbed her and moved her, she would have most certainly have been skewered.

"As I was saying before that welp interrupted," the dark Jeanne said, "We have turned this land into a nest of dragons...nothing, not one living human soul, will ever live in France again!"

With that, Artoria and Lily surged forwards, both aiming swift justice with their blades. The Dark Jeanne leaped backwards, parrying Lily's blade with her lance and outright leaping out of the way of Excalibur as it tore a hole in the earth, sending dust and grass scattering in the wind magic that kept it's blade hidden.

"I'm ok," Cira said as Mash bolted over to her and Cu Chulainn helped her to feet, "Saber and Lily…"

"I don't think you're getting them to stop outside of using a command spell," Cu Chulainn said, "And I'd advise against it because I think that'd just piss them off. Saber already hates French Toast there because of what she did to her comrade...I think that's bled a bit into Lily as they're the same person,"

"We need to make sure she doesn't command Fafnir or the wyverns to collapse on us," Siegfried said, "If those two can keep her busy, we can take on Fafnir,"

"Jeanne, can you help Saber and Lily?" Cira asked, "Keep her busy and all that,"

"I will do my best," Jeanne nodded, running towards the other two Servants…

Right as one of the nearby wyverns exploded in a gout of flame, iron and flesh. Jeanne's head whipped around to see a glittering host of French Soldiers on the hill to their south.

"Gilles!" she breathed, a massive smile on her face.

A slight man with long dark hair in silver armor pointed his sword at the wyverns.

"Come now, men!" he roared, "Fire! We fight for the survival of France! Fire everything we have! Do not be afraid! Do not sorrow! Do not falter! If you have human blood...now is the time to die! There is nothing to fear! Because..."

He seemed to lock eyes with Jeanne and a brilliant smile lit up his pale face.

"BECAUSE WE HAVE THE SAINT ON OUR SIDE!"

"Gilles…" Jeanne whispered, "You...God bless you, Gilles…"

The cannons fired as one, smashing into the line of wyverns and even crashing a few times into Fafnir. Jeanne joined Artoria and Lily in fighting her alter, Cira watching as the three fought more as a single unit than three. With a furious roar, the Dark Jeanne slammed her pike into the ground, spears of black flame erupting from the soil and forcing Jeanne to skid back. Artoria dodged around them, bringing her blade high…

And the Dragon Witch got a thoughtful look on her face.

Artoria didn't seem to noticed, she was too dead set on maiming if not killing the woman before her for what had happened to Lancelot. The invisible blade came down…

And suddenly froze mere inches from the Dragon Witch's nose.

"What…?" Artoria hissed, struggling to bring the blade down but she could not move her arms.

"...You...you are a dragon, aren't you?" the Dark Jeanne asked.

Artoria's green eyes flashed and Cira felt a jolt of dread come down from her bond. Lily's eyes widened as she took a step back, helping Jeanne to her feet.

"Lily…" Artoria ground out, "Get back."

She managed to tear her eyes from the Dragon Witch and stumble backwards, still holding her sword before her as pure rage radiated from her in waves. Jeanne gently tapped Lily's shoulder and nodded back towards Cira, to which Lily nodded and raced back to her.

"What just happened?" Cira demanded.

"...She's figured out what we are," Lily said, "We can't hurt her. And she knows it."

Artoria still had not moved, her arms were shaking and straining, trying to raise her sword but unable to do so.

"Oh you are frightfully angry," the Dragon Witch hummed, "I must have done something to infuriate you in particular. Not too many Servants can boast being a dragon, your voice says you are English...I wonder…?"

She gave a cruel smile.

"As Ruler I order you to give your name," she grinned.

Artoria hissed, seemingly fighting the order as her arms shook and her eyes flamed.

"Mín nama sy Arzhur," she snarled, the words were not ones Cira had heard before...foreign to her ear.

Cira lifted her hand.

"SABER, TO ME!" she ordered, one of the crimson strokes blindingly bright as Artoria suddenly shattered into silver and blue light only to reappear at Cira's side.

Cira put a hand on Artoria's shoulder, jerking back as Artoria flinched.

"Care, Master...I do not know her hold on me," she warned, "Be fortunate she does not have Lily as well."

"Oh that was no fun at all," the Altered Jeanne huffed, "In any case...Fafnir!"

The bigger Dragon lowered his head to his mistress and the corrupted Servant pointed her pike before her.

"Incinerate that Saint, that Army and the entire nation until it's nothing but ash," she ordered, "TO ME MY SERVANTS!"

Cira watched as D'Eon and Vlad III came from the fog of war, the maddened Saber gave a small smile.

"You all made it alive," she smiled, "Perhaps now I can rest from this madness, please...give me the peace you gave Martha, and my queen…"

Tears streamed down her face as her smile turned bittersweet.

"I am so terribly sorry…"

The darkened Jeanne looked at the group standing against her and rolled her eyes, starting to walk away towards a hunchbacked man.

"Quasimodo?" Cira asked, "I know that legends and story book heroes are heroic spirits…"

"Gilles, let's fall back and let them fight," the Dragon Witch said, her tone bored, "There's other things we need to take care of,"

"Back to the prison castle to regroup," the man nodded.

"...Gilles?!" Jeanne demanded, looking at the hunchbacked man and then at the man in silver armor with the French Army, "That cannot be...no, wait!"

Jeanne Alter tapped her pike and black fire erupted from the ground, surrounding her and the hunchbacked man. When the flames faded away...the two were gone.

Fafnir screeched, slamming his massive foot down on the ground and causing the battlefield to shake. Cira grabbed onto Siegfried, who had taken his sword from its sheath on his back.

"Master, it's time," he said, nodding towards the dragon.

"What about those two?" Mash asked, looking at Vlad III and D'Eon.

Cira looked at her three Servants.

"You three think you can take them?" she asked.

Artoria gave a nod.

"I can swing my blade once more now that she is gone...Master, please help Sir Siegfried slay that dragon...we shall take care of these shadows," she said, "As much as it pains me to say...I cannot help you against the Dragon Witch, nor can Lily,"

"Just keep them off us, ok?" Cira asked.

"You got it, Master," Cu Chulainn nodded, "Alright, let's take these mad warriors down,"

D'Eon unsheathed her rapier, giving a low bow as Lily stepped up to her. The Princess Knight unsheathed her own blade, giving a sad smile.

"I'm sorry this happened to you," she said, gently, "A Knight should not be subjected to that fate...given a madness enhancement to make you do what the summoner wants...it's so sad to me,"

D'Eon's rapier lowered slightly and the other Saber gave a low bow.

"Your words are appreciated, fellow knight," she smiled, "Please grant me an honorable and swift death,"

"I'm still in training, but I will do my best," Lily promised, "Time to see if this blade can hold up to my original!"

And she charged forwards, her blade clanging against D'Eon's rapier with a sonorous ring.

Artoria and Cu Chulainn darted around Vlad III, dodging the spikes of wood that shot out of the ground trying to impale them. The maddened Lancer seemed almost bored as he deftly batted away Gáe Bolg and Excalibur. As with everyone that fought against Artoria, it was difficult to judge where her blade was due to the wind spell surrounding it.

"A Vampire, a Dragon and a Dog...sounds like the beginning of a bad bar joke," Cu Chulainn grinned, dodging a spike that tried to impale him.

"Lancer, please hold your jokes until after we finish the battle," Artoria sighed, her feet skidding in the dirt as she danced away from a strike.

"Oh come on, Saber, I have to make light of something!" he returned, "So, why are you willingly serving French Toast?"

"My legend and legacy is all I have," Vlad III stated, "Unfortunately she has called upon me as the vampire rather than the king."

"And you want to step from that shadow on your history," Artoria reasoned as Cu Chulainn crossed lances with the other servant.

"Is that such a bad wish?" Vlad III asked, shoving Cu Chulainn backwards...only to stop as a bolt of white hot light shot at him, striking him in the chest and making him stumble back.

Artoria's head whipped towards the source...and she saw Cira shakily sink to a knee as Siegfried's sword ignited in teal flame. Lily gave a triumphant cry as D'Eon stopped moving, the other knight stumbling back and revealing Lily's scarlet stained blade. The King heard the crunching of armor and whirled back around to see Cu Chulainn's spear lodged firmly within Vlad III's chest.

"Damn…" he muttered, looking up at Artoria and Cu Chulainn both, "I had hoped I would last longer. I suppose it is time for my legacy to fade to ashes once more. Do me a favor...as a fellow King...tell that Master of yours to summon me...so that I may have a better chance to prove my legacy."

He shattered into golden light as D'Eon put a gentle hand on Lily's shoulder...and also shattered into light.

The area burned with teal light and Lily bolted to Artoria, both kings staring at the beam of brilliant light that shot into the air.

"We...are far enough away that it can't hurt us, right?" she asked, looking up at Artoria.

"Let us head to Master in the first place," Artoria said, rushing towards Cira...who was currently leaning on Mash for support and looking very pale, "Master?"

"I'm fine," Cira said, "I'll be fine in a few minutes...just...stay behind us,"

No sooner had she said that then Siegfried brought the sword down. Blue light screamed towards Fafnir, the sheer energy causing Artoria and Lily both to squirm as the Dragonslayer's might was channeled into a radiant form. Fafnir shrieked as the light slammed into him, the smell of burned flesh and charcoal filled the air as Siegfried dashed forwards towards the dragon.

They watched as Fafnir slammed his paws into the earth, trying to crush Siegfried, but he was too fast. A second blur joined him, one in copper armor as his long brown hair caught in the wind.

Georgios.

The Dragonslayers both rushed forwards, swords out and cutting deep within the black dragon's thick hide. Blood showered them both, turning them from their normal coloring to scarlet...as if someone had picked them up and dropped them into a vat of crimson paint.

With a cry, Siegfried leaped upwards, his sword at ready and pointed directly at the underbelly of the dragon before him. There was a horrific shriek, and Fafnir swayed, spitting fire into the air in a white hot gout of flame...before falling to the ground, dead. The earth shook with his collapse and a shrieking keen rose from the wyverns around the battlefield.

"They're collapsing now that their leader is gone," Romani said, "Cira, you need to cool down...fast. Your temperature just spiked really hard…"

"I'm fine," the Master ground out, "Just let me catch my breath and I'll be ok."

She looked at the others.

"Lily, Saber, Lancer, you guys help Siegfried and Georgios with the wyverns. There's too many for the French Army to take out alone," she ordered, "Mash...let's go help Jeanne storm a castle,"

Master: Cira Albion

Servant: Shielder- Mash Kyrielight

Servant: Saber-Artoria Pendragon

Servant: Lancer/Caster-Cu Chulainn

Servant: Saber- Saber Lily

Servant: Saber-Siegfried

Servant: Berserker-Kiyohime