THIS MEANS WAR


Carolingian Citadel, Carlsburg, Romania

August 6 1994, 2345 Hours

The city streets were deserted at this hour, the streetlights illuminating a ghost town devoid of its normal populace.

Save for a single man clad in a greatcoat, who quietly approached the behemoth front gate of the sprawling fortress like a matador approaching a bull.

As he stopped in front of the gate, he pulled out a pocketwatch, and considered it for about thirty seconds before snapping it shut, and extracting something else from his coat. A distinctly gun-shaped something.

A single gunshot rang out across the streets, and the archaic pistol in the man's hand smoked as he held it skywards. The man patiently waited for the weapon's barrel to cool, and promptly returned it to his coat and once more extracted his watch.

It would be interesting to see how long it took them to respond.

The man cracked a wry smile as he heard an alarm trigger somewhere beyond the massive concrete gate in front of him.

"My, two minutes in and they only now manage to raise the alarm. Such lack of discipline shall cost them."

Behind the gate, a group of combat homunculi hurried into formation. It was unclear if he was Association, some other group 'in' on the current situation, or simply some crazy mundane human; as such, the homunculi were dressed in 'public-facing' military fatigues, old Soviet equipment with face-obscuring masks. They were well armed: automatic rifles aside they were equipped with powerful combat spells and (albeit mass-produced) Mystic Codes , they really shouldn't have anything to fear... so why did every one of them feel a lingering sense of dread in their stomachs?

The gates began to grind open, with the roaring power of two massive motors pulling slabs thick enough to withstand a missile blast apart into cavities within walls yet tougher still... and behind them, there was a single man.

He was... quite a large man actually, over two meters tall, very broad and wearing an archaic blue greatcoat. He was old in appearance, with gray hair and face obscured by bushy eyebrows and a walrus mustache. The figure looked like he could be someone's grandfather... Yet there was something off about him. Perhaps it was just the way he stood there, facing down a full-blown military force with an aura of supreme confidence.

"Sir! Please put your hands up and come with us!" The leader shouted to the man.

"Oh?" The man chuckled. "Am I being detained? What, simply for announcing my arrival?"

He began to walk forwards, passing through the gate even as the group leveled multiple rifles at him.

"Sir, you are trespassing! This is a restricted military base, you need to surrender yourself now or we will remove you by force!" The leader began again, a slight quaver of nerves in his voice.

"Oh yes, use force on the old man having a walk, so civilized of you. Honestly, it's insulting enough that you would send dogs out to greet your guest as it is. Spare yourself the embarrassment boy, and go get someone actually important."

The man waved the homunculus off impatiently, and once again pulled out a pocket watch.

"I―I can't do that sir! You need to comply at once or―"

"Yes yes. Tell me boy, do you have a name?" The old man drew a pistol from his coat and leveled it at the lead homunculus in a single fluid motion. "Because I, Otto von Bismarck, Servant Ruler of this Great Holy Grail War, hereby challenge you to a duel."

"What―" The squad leader jerked back in surprise, his subordinates shouldering their weapons... but suddenly finding themselves unable to fire.

"Ah, 'What' it will be then. I suppose that's something to put on a tombstone."

Ruler's gun fired, and the homunculus dropped dead, a bullet wound clean through his forehead.

The courtyard exploded into action as the body fell to the ground. The rest of the homunculi scattered, diving for cover as combat spells activated. Rifles barked and muzzles flashed as the woefully outclassed homunculi desperately tried to do anything to the Servant who had just gunned down their leader.

Ruler's coat billowed in the wind as the bullets struck him, vanishing into meaningless grazes, or seemingly deflecting off of his chest as if his ribs were bulletproof. Not exactly surprising, the old man was a Servant, a supernatural creature utterly beyond the bounds of normal humanity. No normal bullets could harm him.

The same, however, could not be said for Bismarck's own weapons. His dueling pistol thundered as he gunned down each homunculus in turn with precise, clean shots.

The homunculi with more of their wits about them realized this quickly, discarding their conventional rifles in favor of combat magic, and the courtyard began to glow with the blue light of their channeling.

Channeling that Ruler detected immediately. And, with agility that looked so out of place for a man of his age and stature, he leaped across the courtyard, closing the distance with the hunkered-down casters in an instant. Before they could even respond, a thrust from a rapier that had materialized in Ruler's free hand punctured the throat of the first caster, and the others were soon to follow.

As the courtyard was rapidly depopulated, a figure hurried onto a rooftop five stories up, overlooking the proceedings. A figure clad in gleaming silver and blue... a figure that barely even spared a glance for what was happening below before leaping off the edge of the roof and diving into the chaos below.

Meanwhile, Ruler was approaching the last of the homunculi as he lay on his back, scrabbling away. Bismarck held his weapons low as he looked down on the creature with mild disappointment.

"It's almost a shame you folded so easily. I suppose it can't be helped, your kind are rather ephemeral, aren't you? Tsk, I suppose there's no great loss in your passing though."

His pistol raised towards the cowering creature, and—

There was a resounding explosion of stonework as a shining metallic figure slammed into the ground between Ruler and his target, cratering the ground in a controlled landing.

Ruler casually shielded himself from a small smattering of debris with his arm, and examined the figure that had just intervened.

The figure rose to its feet, a knight clad in shining armor stood proudly in the night... a rather short knight. Even before counting the cratered ground the Knight stood on, Ruler had a good foot on them.

The knight's armor lacked a helmet, revealing a head of long, messy blonde hair and a boyish face with piercing green eyes... bleary piercing green eyes.

Well, it was nearly midnight.

"You," the Knight addressed the homunculus behind her, "fall back."

The homunculus didn't need to be told twice, and Ruler made no move to stop its escape. He had far bigger things on his mind.

Ruler squinted at the knight, searching for a moment before a hidden ability quietly activated, and recognition played across his face.

"Ah! Saber of Black!" He greeted the figure, stowing his weapons and opening his arms broadly. "I was wondering when someone of import would finally pay me heed!"

Saber leveled an arm at Ruler, as if pointing an invisible sword at his chest.

"Servant, if you have come here knowing my nature, I ask you to reveal your own so that we may battle on even terms."

Ruler cracked a wry smile.

"Come now, is that any way to treat a guest, Miss Pendragon?"

Saber's eyes widened and her stance shifted just an inch back before she caught herself.

"You have slain innocent men, Servant, that hospitality has forsaken you is only natural-"

"Homunculi! I killed a handful of homunculi! Come now, Saber, don't you try to tell me that that is worth all this fuss! I know damn well how you people create those things and exactly how much value you put on their lives. And what's more, I'll have you know that they were the ones who threatened me! That is clearly provocative!"

Saber's face darkened.

"If you expect me to forgive this trespass simply because of a technicality in a situation you engineered, then you are sorely mistaken."

"Saber," a voice echoed from the courtyard's entrance, "You are being led in circles."

Illuminated by light from the doorway he was standing in was a striking figure. A towering man with pale skin and flowing white hair, wearing royal attire in a midnight black that cast him as a living shadow against the light behind him.

"Ah!" Ruler made a slight bow towards the man, "Lancer of Black! Wonderful, I'm afraid your Saber here is something of an obstinate one."

"State your business quickly, Servant. I have little patience for word games."

"Bah, you really are a dour lot. Very well, since I'm afraid my introduction was lost to the night, allow me to re-introduce myself. I am Otto von Bismarck, Servant Ruler of this Great Grail War."

Saber's sword arm lowered, but her eyes narrowed.

"Rulers are meant to be impartial, are they not? Attacking our stronghold hardly makes you out as such."

"It served to get the attention of people who actually mattered. I was hoping that I might rouse the other two as well, but I suppose the two of you will do well enough. I have important information to divulge to you: as of roughly three hours ago, the fourteenth summoning for this war was completed. That would be your missing Archer of Black, by the way, I do suggest you get on finding that one."

Lancer nodded."I see, meaning that our enemies―"

"Are here in force, yes. Furthermore, with all of you finally in place..." Ruler made a show of digging something out of his coat and dramatically extracted a large paper document, holding it up to the light like a message from god.

"By the power vested in me by the Holy Grail, I, Servant Ruler Otto von Bismarck, do hereby declare that this Great Holy Grail War HAS BEGUN!"

A quill pen extracted from seemingly nowhere swept across the bottom of the document with a flourish, and there was a flash of... something.

"What did you just do, Ruler?" Saber queried.

"Oh? That? Consider it something of a leveling of the playing field. Couldn't be giving unfair advantages to one team over the other now could we? What my Declaration of War just did was create a powerful seal that should supply any Servant in need of a bit of extra power with a reserve of energy directly from the Holy Grail. In short, those who find themselves without the exceptional power bases that certain Servants have established for themselves with will be given a secondary power source to ensure that they can fight at an equal level to the likes of yourself, Saber."

Saber looked distinctly unimpressed.

"If you have no other business here Ruler, I would suggest that you depart, and quickly."

Ruler chuckled as he stowed his document and turned on his heel.

"Very well, very well..."

As he walked patiently towards the still-open gate, Ruler paused for a moment to look over his shoulder.

"But before I go... it could be construed as favoritism to do this, but consider this repayment for the regrettable destruction of your homunculi. I happen to be privy to information regarding your enemy's strategic movements. Specifically, they are currently in the process of executing a two-pronged assault on two of your organization's major facilities. Two teams of two Servants each, one is headed for that underground cavern thing of yours― that one is led up by your opposite number, Saber― the other is currently headed directly for that mountain facility where your Rider has been hiding out for the last few weeks at speed. If you want to prevent more... regrettable loss of life, I might suggest that you mount a response."

Ruler held up his pocket watch for emphasis.

"Tick Tock."

With that, the old man vanished in a shower of ethereal sparks, and silence fell over the courtyard.

――

Some minutes later, the two Black servants stood in the Citadel's War Room, facing their Masters across a large table. There were four of them here, two older men― Lancer and Saber's masters―and a younger brother and sister― the masters of the not-currently-present Berserker and Assassin.

"Can we trust him?" the boy― Berserker's Master― asked.

"Ruler should not have ulterior motives, it is the entire purpose of his class to serve as an impartial party." Lancer's master explained.

"But does that make him trustworthy?" the girl― Assassin's Master― asked.

"Absolutely not, no one who introduces himself by breaking your tools ever trustworthy." Saber's Master answered.

"But at the same time, if the information he gave us was correct..." Saber lead,

"... then we would be fools not to act on it." Her master finished.

"Well, it could hardly be a trap at least, they are our facilities after all." Lancer's Master mused.

"But what if it were a diversion, to lead us away so they could attack us here?" Berserker's Master asked.

"Then we shall hold the majority of our forces in reserve here." Lancer's Master answered, "If Assassin and Lancer remain here, we will have at least two Servants to defend against any counterattack."

"That would mean that we would only be able to match our opponents in one location." Saber warned, "Or we leave one facility to fend for itself."

"Rider's facility is the home base of Project Apocrypha." Lancer's Master stated, "And if Celenike's latest report was accurate, then their latest subject should be in the final stages of preparation before deployment. That will bolster Rider significantly and should at least put us at even odds, which means Defenders' Advantage will fall in our favor.'

"So you would have myself and Berserker focus on the other facility?" Saber asked.

"It seems wise," Her master answered, "If Ruler was telling the truth, then the Association's Saber is present there. I shouldn't have to remind you that you are the strongest class. Countering their Saber with one of our own would be prudent... and if Ruler was lying, then you should still be able to easily dispatch anything that does threaten the facility, and can be recalled on short notice via command seal."

Saber nodded.

"That seems sound. Shall I depart immediately?"

"If he wasn't lying then they are already en-route. I would suggest commandeering something from the motorpool and putting that Riding of yours to good use." Her Master suggested.

Saber donned a lion-faced helmet, and turned to leave.

"Then I shall make haste. Tell Berserker to rendezvous with me outside the facility."

Berserker's Master barely had time to make a noise of acknowledgement before the King of Knights left the room.

"Do you really think Rider will be able to fend off two Servants on his own?" Assassin's Master asked.

"Do not underestimate our Rider. He is far more than he appears." Lancer answered, "I have faith that he will be able to hold for at least long enough for Project Apocrypha to be activated."


A/N: And there we have it! Black Saber is revealed... to be none other than Seibah! I know that some people are probably going to get irritated with me for replacing Siegfried with Ms. Marketable here, but trust me when I say there is a very specific reason why she is here that will become apparent later (and what I'm doing with Siegfried will also become apparent later as well).

In addition to that, what do you think of Ruler Bismarck here? I will admit, part of the reason I went for an OC Ruler is because there are like five of them canonically and most of them either aren't very good Rulers or straight-up shouldn't be there at all like Sherlock. As for why I went with Bismarck specifically, he's an idea that has been floating around the circles I run in for ages (I think I might have been the one to propose him as a Ruler originally, way back in the day before I had much of a clue what Fate was), plus I feel that he nicely mirrors Jeanne in a lot of ways (i.e. while she's become more connected to the present over time, Bismarck actually only just recently became summonable as a Ruler a few years ago in-story when Germany reunited).