Here we are again, took a while but for now this is going to be the last chapter I put out for this story for about 6 months. The reason for that is because I am going to be shipped out to Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training for the National Guard later this month, August 23rd to be specific. I plan to make one more chapter for each of my fanfics, and then depart peacefully into my next career. I do plan to still write fanfics afterwards, but I am not keeping my hopes up that I will have any time to write while I am training. It sucks that I have only gotten back to this story recently and I am already going to be putting it back on the backburner, but for now I am just grateful that I was able to get back to it in the first place. I hope you all understand, so for the 8 fans of this story that I have right now, I will see you in the long run.


The Seventh War

Chapter 8


Francis winced as he felt Father Paul, the priest in charge of making sure everyone follows the rules of the Holy Grail War, wrap a thick gauze bandage around his leg. It wasn't for any bleeding, but for the numbing magic curse that the Caster Servant Baron Samedi had put on him. It would eliminate the curse and make sure his leg would remain under his control. It was scary, knowing how close he was to becoming a thrall of the Caster. He had seen what happens to a human being who becomes one, and the thought of becoming one himself was not a pleasant one whatsoever. What made things worse was that if Samedi succeeded, he would have also had control over Susano through him, making him probably the most powerful servant in the entire city at that point. One Servant was trouble enough, but two working together was almost a near impossible situation depending on which other Servants had to deal with it. It's why he had been so willing to align himself with his now once again girlfriend Azael, and reluctantly with Piotyr. It was a good strategy, but in Caster's case, it wouldn't have been willing at all. It made him wonder as he watched the dimly glowing bandage disappear under his jeans as Paul took his old, decrepit hands away from him. Perhaps he should work more closely with the allies that he had now, that way, he might be able to have an easier time taking out the other Masters and Servants.

"Your leg will be free of the curse in some short minutes," Father Paul explained as he hid his hands in each of his sleeves, holding them together as a monk might. "You should be able to still walk on it and have it hold your body's weight."

"Thank you, Father Paul." Francis said as he stood up, testing the previously cursed leg and finding himself pleased that he wasn't being misled. It felt fine, if only still a little numb, he could already feel Paul's treatment working. "I didn't know the supervisor of the Grail Wars also treated injured Masters. Is that not against any rules?"

"Should a Master ask for it, they will be treated." Father Paul explained. "It is not so rare that Masters do not use the assigned churches as ways to hide from battles between Servants in the city anyway. Though, in this particular war, only you and one other have ever stepped foot in this church looking for aid or advice."

"Really?" Francis felt surprised, and then curious. "Who is the other?"

"Eren Vex." Francis felt a chill run up his spine as he heard the name of Berserkers Master. The memory of the deal he was forced to make with him was still fresh on his mind.

"What did he come here for?" Francis asked, needing to know his reasoning.

Paul tilted his head, as if considering whether or not he should tell him. In the end, he silently shrugged and then answered. "He wanted to know about you. I could only tell him what I knew based on our one and only greeting. So I couldn't give him much other than your current residence."

Francis felt his blood boil. "You told him where I lived!?" He asked, frost emanating off his body in an angry aura. "Why would you do that!? He's threatening to kill my family if I don't work with him now!"

"The Supervisor of the Holy Grail Wars does not pick sides." Father Paul said calmly, raised a hand toward him and waved him down dismissively. "Hold your ire, Francis Glacier. It is not me you should be upset with, but the one who asked for such information. You came here asking for advice yourself, and I gave it, why should I not extend the same courtesy to the other Masters? There will be no favoritism here. Understand that."

Francis grit his teeth and calmed down. In his mind, he knew that Father Paul was right. He was wrong to be angry with something that wasn't in his control. Still, he couldn't help but be upset. How could he not? Because of the supervisor, Eren knew where his family lived. They were protected by the barrier for now, but after what he has seen so far during this war, he didn't know if it would matter. The Masters and Servants of the seventh war were all powerful in their own right. He would have to rely on it for now, and if the word of an insane man like Eren could be trusted, then perhaps all he had to do was play along for his family to be safe.

"If there is nothing else, you may remain here until dawn." Father Paul said, turning around and walking toward the shrine of Jesus Christ and knelt when he reached it. His hands clasped together and he began to pray, but not before telling him one more thing. "If it is information you still seek, then you are welcome to the many books I have in the library in the adjacent room there. Perhaps you may find something useful," he hinted.

Francis raised an eyebrow at that. In fact, he wasn't looking for more information on anything at the moment. He was perfectly content with finding somewhere to sleep where the crawling bugs wouldn't bother him, but for some reason he couldn't get the idea out of his head that Father Paul wanted him to go to those books. Like there was something that he should look for. With that in mind, Francis half-limped his way over to the adjacent room. He wished Susano could hear him right now, but the assassin servant was patrolling outside the church just in case Caster or any other Servant or Master was getting close. So for the first time in a while, his mind was his own and alone. He entered the room Paul gestured to, and flicked the light switch on to his left. The room lit up with a yellow-orange light, and the room was wide and open, with the walls lined with books and cabinets. It looked like this room was also an extension of the main prayer hall, as there were several more rows of smaller benches here, and cushions on the ground for people to kneel on to pray. However, there was one thing that tipped off Francis that this room wasn't for praying to the Catholic God. In the center of the room was a summoning circle drawn in white chalk and slightly faded. It looked like it had been used before, and its nature could only tell that it had been used to summon a Servant. The obvious question that came next was; When, and for which war?

The room was ornate for a room that was supposedly meant to just house some books. But if Paul was anything above all, he was mysterious. Now, his curiosity for knowledge on previous wars had been rekindled, and he went over to the books to search for one that may be able to grant him such knowledge. Any feeling of tiredness or sleepiness had been washed away as he traced his fingers along the spines of some books, reading out their titles in his mind as he looked for one to pick out for tonight. He ended up settling on a book written by names he recognized. Lord El Melloi II and Rin Tohsaka. The title of the book was Historical Events of the Fifth Holy Grail War, and a Recording of What Followed After. It was quite wordy, but it was the latter half of the title which caught his attention and hooked him on. It was popular amongst the Mage's Association of the history of what happened during the Fifth War, since the victors of the war went to the academy themselves and were able to record what happened there. With his choice made, Francis took the book and went over to one of the benches and sat down. He flipped the leatherback book open and flipped through the pages, reading the titles of each chapter until he came to a part which he did not already know. This chapter was titled What Came After, and he began to read.

I, Rin Tohsaka along with the aid of Lord El Melloi II went on to work together to dismantle the Holy Grail for good, so that there would never be another war again. However, the grail proved to be more of a match than we anticipated. Though we believed we succeeded in dismantling it, the Holy Grail had disappeared from our perspectives. We are not entirely sure that it has been defeated, but we must hope that it was.

The Holy Grail is corrupted by an evil soul created by the third war, as I stated earlier in this book. Any wishes made to the Grail will also bring along infinite destruction, making any wish not worth the mass death it would wrought to the world. We hope that we succeeded, but I am not as hopeful as some of my associates are. The Grail may still be out there, forcing Masters to summon heroes from the past and future to fight to the death for a wish that could end the world, and we wouldn't even know it. This is only a theory to almost all mage's save for a select few numbering just enough to count on one hand, and I predict that this section of the book will not be taken seriously, but by the slimmest of chances this book is being read by a new master, then do NOT make a wish to the Grail.

The more he read, the more Francis became confused and interested in knowing more. It went on to explain how Rin and Lord El Melloi II went on to dismantle the Grail and their methods in doing so. But clearly, it did not work. It felt strange reading the tome, as it was somehow directed to him. Not by the writers, of course, but by the supervisor. But then another question echoed in his mind. At this point the war has already gone on for weeks and since Father Paul was here, the Mage's Association had to know that the fifth, sixth, and now the seventh Holy Grail wars have happened and are currently occurring. Which meant that Rin and her allies must know that the Grail has indeed survived, or the wars are not being kept secret. He went to study at one of the Academy's before, and was well read on the history of the wars before, but he has never seen a book like this. It was why it had caught his attention so thoroughly. But now he didn't know what to believe. Something else was happening here, and if the words on the page were to be trusted completely, then he may very well be accidentally bringing about the end of the world.

Sighing to himself, Francis shut the book, holding his face with one hand as he thought about what he should do. That was when a fat, disgusting bug crawled onto the book that was sitting in his lap startled him suddenly, causing the book to fall onto the ground, and then spontaneously combust into vibrant purple flames. Francis watched the book burn quickly into ash with widened eyes. Was that supposed to happen? He asked in his mind, looking down at the pile of ash that was the book written by one of his idols and from another esteemed mage of the clocktower. He felt nervous sweat start to build up against his hand as he held it against his face. Tentatively, Francis forced himself to regain his senses and begin detecting magic. The ash that was left behind from the book was very clearly traced with an abnormal amount of energy. He assumed that it was rigged to ignite for one reason or another, but it certainly wasn't to protect the contents of what was inside the book. He's been reading it for almost an hour, and he had everything he figured he could get from the book. No, the book was designed to combust after he had finished reading it. But then how did the incantation know when to activate? It seemed much too convenient that it had only combusted when he was startled by a bug causing him to drop it to the floor.

"Even knowing that… why would someone do that?" Francis asked himself, trying to think of an answer on his own. "Could it be a spell made by the writers? The theory has some merit… It makes sense that they want to keep track of the Grail just in case they didn't manage to dismantle it before, but there has already been one other war before this one even began." He explained to himself before continuing. "It's been years since the fifth ended… unless I am the only one that has touched this book then? I don't know how that'd be the case though, the book looked old and worn out."

Francis looked down at his left hand, which was the one that held the book before he dropped it. His command seals were slightly smaller in design now, with the blue remnants of his first used command seal still remaining. Reminding him of the lengths he had to take to escape Caster. "Maybe it's because I am a Master?" He asked himself next. "If that's the case, am I really the first master to touch this book?"

He could speculate and theorize all he wanted, but in the end he knew that by himself he wouldn't be able to find a definite answer. Perhaps if he met the writers of the book he could ask them, but the last time he checked Rin was still in London and Lord El Melloi II was there as well. Not in a time like this could he even think about going to meet them. So for now, he would have to satisfy his own curiosity with his own answer. Another question popped in his mind as he sat back down on the bench. Father Paul had wanted him to read these books, or at the very least guided him to do so. He didn't know if that was so he could find that particular book or if he just wanted to get rid of him for now so he could pray in peace. Francis decided to not think about it any further. The night was old and dawn would break soon. He was tired, and still recovering from his battle with Baron Samedi and his zombie minions.

Leaning back on the bench, Francis yawned and shut his eyes. Pulling his hood up as fatigue and exhaustion made sleep come easily.


"Master," Amy greeted Azael as she exited the bathroom, now freshened up and dressed after a thankfully peaceful night's sleep. "We need to talk."

"Do we?" Azael asked, slightly annoyed by the Saber Servant's insistence on pestering her about the same issue. "I thought we resolved everything already."

"Nothing is resolved at all." Amy remarked. "You are digging yourself down a hole that will be very difficult for me to take you out of. You are my Master, and so I need to protect you, even if it is from yourself."

Azael's red hair flicked as she whipped toward her, green eyes narrowed and angered. "Why would I be a danger to myself, hm? Do you think I'd hurt myself?"

"No, not in that sense." Amaterasu remained steadfast and calm. "Can't you feel it? Or at the very least, ever thought about the actions that you've been taking lately? I know this isn't a conversation humans of this age like to have, but your mental health is deteriorating."

"My mental health is perfectly fine, thank you very much." Azael snapped back.

"You caused the deaths of innocent people inadvertently in order to eliminate a threat." Amy pointed out. "And in order to cope with it, you forced yourself back into a relationship you were unsure of returning to before."

"Tch, I can choose whomever I want to be with." Azael ignored the former half of what she said.

"Of course you can," Amy replied. "I am not here to control your love life. But I will not standby and remain idle as you put yourself in dangerous situations. This choice you've made is another Master's heart, and while I do believe that he won't betray you, I fear that you wouldn't do so to him as well. Speaking of which, you ignored what I said before." She pointed out. "Have you forgotten what you've done already?"

"Of course I haven't!" Azael exclaimed. "And I am going to make it right in my own way! I won't lose control again, it's why I put the suppressing bracelets back on," to prove her point, Azael rolled up her sleeves, revealing the magical bracelets her father had made for her many years ago. "Do not mistake my quick recovery for insanity Amy, I am not going crazy."

"Hm," Amaterasu looked as if she pitied her, which annoyed her. But at least she wasn't pushing any more. "If you say so, Master. Please, forgive me for being forward, but I just want to make sure that you are okay. I have seen good souls fall before, I do not wish to witness the same thing happen to you."

"Are you referring to your husband?" Azael asked curiously.

"My husband…" Amaterasu sighed as she looked outside the window to the dimming moon. "Tsukuyomi has a good soul. He always did, but one of his flaws is that he does whatever he thinks is right. Even if it is blasphemous in the eyes of my father. He sided with my brother Susano when he was banished, and even went as far as to help our mother, Izanami, in freeing him from the underworld."

"That's…" Azael didn't expect something so drastic. "Why would he do that…?"

"Tsukuyomi and Susano were very close." Amy remarked. "My husband is the God of the Moon as my brother is the God of the Sea and Storms. It is in their nature to be closely tied together."

"Why was your brother even banished in the first place?" Azael asked, her interest piqued with the history of her servants' heritage. "You were all Gods, I thought Gods were supposed to stick together, or something."

Amaterasu laughed. "No, that is not at all the case. Gods from mine and other pantheons all squabble amongst ourselves. We are similar to humans in that way, we are not infallible. In this case, my brother was not a good man in the past."

Azael's heart clenched at that. This man was Francis' servant, after all. "Such as?"

"He would rebel against my father, openly undermine me and other Gods and accused our father of favoring me over him since I was made the Goddess of the Sun. He also deeply resented humans, and would do whatever he could to make their lives harder. Making waves larger, seawater toxic, causing irreparable storm damage to crops, I could go on and on. Eventually my father and I decided it was best to banish him to a place where he'd be more welcomed."

"And you chose the Underworld?"

"We did," Amy continued. "It was where my mother lived, after all. Despite everything we did, we didn't want him to suffer, and in contrast to the way my father treated me and him, our mother certainly favored my brother. We intended to have Susano eventually rule over the Underworld, but we never guessed that he'd be able to escape it."

"That's enough storytelling for now, however." Amaterasu said suddenly. "I went on a tangent there, I apologize. I will continue to guard you, Azael." She said carefully. "I do think that your methods are unorthodox and could lead you down the wrong path, but it is your decision to make for now."

"I…" Azael nodded her head. "Thanks, I suppose. We should go out again tonight," she said next, getting back to the task at hand. "No Masters and no Servants have fallen yet. I want to fix that tonight."

"Oh?" Amy raised an eyebrow. "And I am assuming you have a target in mind for that?"

"Yes," Azael replied. "There has been one Master who has remained in the same spot this entire time while their Servant goes out and fights. I want to pay that Master a visit."

"This is the one in the tower, is it not?"

"It is," Azael confirmed. "I don't know who she is, but Francis told me before that she is the Master of Lancer, Ne Zha to be specific. Do you think you can beat him?"

"I've never fought him before." Amaterasu pointed out. "So I will not arrogantly say that I would win for certain. But I will fight with the intention to kill."

Azael smirked. "That is all I ask of you."

A knock came to the door of the room that they were both in and it caught her attention. Azael knew who it was and called for her to enter. Masuru did so with a phone in hand.

"There is a call for you, Mistress." Masuru said with a humble nod. "From one of the other Masters. She introduces herself as Katherine Hayes."

"What?" Azael snatched the phone out of the homonculi's hands and brought it up to her face. "What do you want, Hayes?"

"I have a challenge for you, Master of the Saber Servant." Katherine said. "I will keep this brief as I am sure your patience is already running thin. I am getting sick of the complacency of this war's happenings so far. So I seek to bring it to a resounding conclusion, two deaths at a time. Arrive at Central Park in the under construction zone and I will meet you there tonight."

"Tonight?" Azael scoffed. "Do you really think I'm just going to walk into such an obvious trap?"

"The decision is yours." Katherine replied simply. "If you don't come, I'll simply seek for another Master to slay."

"Tch," Azael felt a vein bulge in her head. She didn't like that idea whatsoever. She looked at Amaterasu and she nodded, reminding her that she would be there with her whatever the case. She nodded back. "If you show, I will. If not, I'll hunt you down." With that, she hung up the phone and looked back at her Servant. "She is not going to come, it's a trap."

"Obviously." Amaterasu agreed.

"I am willing to bet that she's also the one who sits in that tower. I recognized her voice, and the name makes it easy." Azael remarked. "Katerhine Hayes, the CEO of a security camera company that controls and monitors essentially everything in Manhattan. If she is going to continue hiding in her tower, then we'll bring the fight to her."

"Then we must strike at an angle where her camera's do not reach." Amaterasu said. "And I know just the way to do that."


Lao Ran was frustrated. So frustrated that he sat down in a dark alleyway against the wall with one leg holding him up while the other was draped over it. To the average man it was a hard exercise, for him it was just another sitting position. Horus, in his disguised human form with his golden hair and equally golden eyes leaned against the wall opposite him with his hands in his pockets. He never made any untoward expressions, and always remained calm and collected, but he could tell that he was bored as well, and getting tired of all this nothing.

"It appears as though the other Masters and Servants are all lying low." Horus commented at last. "There are none near us, despite your efforts to make us a greater target."

"I will admit that I am annoyed by that." Lao Ran said. "When I was chosen as a Master for this war, I was under the impression that there'd be a great battle every night. A great test of will, determination, and skill. Not… Not me waiting in a dark alley with my sword still in my sheathe, and my body dry without sweat."

"Not all wars are won in a night." Horus pointed out. "You have done well to remain patient up until now. Keep your frustrations hidden, and the moment will come when we must fight again."

"I am aware." Lao said with a small sigh. "I suppose I expected too much from the west. It is a different culture, I can't expect the other Masters to be as eager to fight as I am."

"There are those who would fight." Horus pointed out. "We just have bad timing. I do not wish to leave you alone, and Caster has used that against us. He has been very active, I was very far away when I saw it, but he very nearly enthralled the master of Assassin."

"Is that so?" Lao chuckled. "Since you said nearly then I assume that the boy was able to get away."

"For a moment, however short, he did battle him all on his own." Horus pointed out. "While his servant was busy fighting a weaker clone of the Caster. He is not to be underestimated. While I am certain that you can defeat him in close combat, that is if he is not quick enough at keeping you away."

"Horus, you tease me with such ideas." Lao Ran chuckled again. "I for one am surprised that Berserker and his Master have remained hidden for so long now. I thought they would be more aggressive, given the title of his Servant."

"He is biding his time, waiting for his chance." Horus surmised. "A chance to strike at us or another's backs while they are preoccupied. A smart strategy, befitting a man such as he."

"I suppose while we merely wait here for something to happen, you can tell me more about you." Lao said. "I want to know my partner more deeply. I understand that you are Horus, a near complete God of Egyptian mythology, but that is all coming from a book that I have read."

Before Lao Ran continued, his hand reached down to his hilt and his sword came singing out in a flare of silver light, the edge of the blade just stopping before it would decapitate a man wearing a black suit with a phone in his hand. Lao looked at the man with a warning look as Horus stepped away from the wall, his hands clenched and his expression unamused as always.

"It is not wise to sneak up on a man such as I, minion of Hayes." Lao said to the man. "But seeing as though you are not capable of combat, I thought it wise to at least hear you speak."

"Y-Yes," the man gulped nervously. "How did you know that I was sent by her?"

"Katherine Hayes is not the only woman whose eyes can see far." Horus said, his golden eyes flashing for a brief instant. "I saw you coming from a very far distance away. We stayed under the camera above us purposely, knowing the risks. Give us your message, messenger, and be on your way."

"Right…" The man tried to gently nudge away Lao's blade, but only ended up cutting himself. He winced at the singing pain, and accepted the fact that his edge would not stop threatening his life. Letting out a deep exhale to calm himself, he began. "Katherine Hayes would like to issue the son of Ran to a duel, located in Central Park when the sun drops and night takes hold tonight." he recited quickly. "That is all. Please don't…"

"I am not so dishonorable as to kill a messenger," Lao said with a sigh, taking his sword away and returning it to its sheathe. "We will consider the challenge. Now go, run back to your Master and give her my answer."

He did not need to be told twice. The man turned and swiftly ran away, hiding the motion as a speed walk rather than a full blown sprint. Sighing, Lao Ran stood from his seat against the wall and crossed his arms, cracking his neck as he did so.

"Need I say it?" Horus asked.

"No," Lao replied. "I know the underlying intent of this issuing challenge. I won't fall for it, but at the same time…"

"An open challenge is what caused my death at my brother's hand." Horus pointed out. "You wanted to know more about me, and this tale is something that will benefit you. My brother Set challenged me to an open desert field, and I accepted, thinking that I could finally bring an end to our war. He blinded me with the sun, using every advantage the environment had in his favor and landing a fatal blow. Before I died, I did the same to him. We both died in the sand and bled out from our wounds, a sad and tragic end for the both of us."

"And you think I may meet the same end?" Lao said. "If I accept this challenge?"

"You are not up against Gods, as far as I know," Horus remarked. "And you are powerful, for an ordinary human anyway. You are, however, honorable. Just be careful not to let that honor cloud your judgement. Most other humans in this world will not share the same intent."

"I've known that for a long time, Archer." Lao replied. "I understand your concern, and I thank you for granting me that knowledge. But someone has to kick off the ending of this war. If this is a trap, then I will walk into it, and overpower it. If I have to be the reckless one in order to begin the conclusion of this war, then so be it."

Horus nodded at him, an approving and rare smirk growing on his face as he nodded at his Master.

"Then you will not be alone in this battle, Master."


The second Francis woke up and checked that dawn had broken and the morning sun was shining high in the sky, he made his departure from the church and rendevouz with his Servant. But not before grabbing a few more books about the retelling of events of the fourth, fifth, and sixth Holy Grail Wars. He knew most of the information from what he has been told in the past, and so he wants to see if that information he was granted was also true. He didn't tell Father Paul that he had essentially stolen books and didn't plan to. As much as the old man has helped him so far, he could not be trusted. He could very well tell other Masters who would wish to do harm to him or his family what he was doing, and he didn't want word of anything about him getting out.

He felt as though his curiosity was growing into an obsession. But he couldn't help it, especially in this case it was worded by Rin Tohsaka herself that the Holy Grail that they were all fighting to the death for a single wish to make of it was corrupted. He didn't just want to know if that was true, he needed to know. Because if that were the case, then he and everyone involved in the war may be making a grave mistake in taking part in it. Francis made it back home under the protection of the sun and locked himself in his room, grateful that his parents hadn't thought to question him about his whereabouts. He sat down on his bed cross legged with three books opened out in front of him while Susano sat at his desk on the other side of the room skimming through a few books himself. It was going to be a time consuming task, but while the sun was still out they had plenty of time to sift through.

"Have you found anything yet?" Francis asked as he flipped through a book about the fifth war.

"Nothing that we don't already know." Susano replied, sighing as he let the book fall into his lap. "Like the four other times you've asked me in the past twenty minutes. I will tell you when I find something new, so don't keep pestering me about it."

"Sorry, I just need to know…" Francis said absentmindedly and deadpanning. Not at all sounding sincere. Susano scoffed at that but said nothing, he knew that his Master had good reason for wanting to do this, their mental link had granted him the knowledge of that. His Master's thoughts were completely occupied with these thoughts. In truth, he was undoubtedly curious as well. It would make things far more interesting if what the book that burned away said was true.

"It says here again that the Grail was destroyed by another Saber Servant in the fifth war…" Francis recited as he skimmed through the passage. "Arturia Pendragon… As in the Arthurian King?"

"This King doesn't have a very Kingly name." Susano remarked. "But yes, that is what the book said. Who was her master?"

"Shirou Emiya, the known victor of the fifth." Francis didn't need the book to figure that out. He's known his name for a very long time already. "The only other Master that survived was Rin Tohsaka, as we already know. It says here that the Grail took a monstrous form but before anyone could make a wish, it was destroyed by Arturia's Anti-Fortress Noble Phantasm." He hummed. "I used to think Servants couldn't be that powerful, but after what I've seen first hand, I can believe it. Susano, would you be able to do the same if I commanded you too?"

"Perhaps," Susano shrugged. "My Noble Phantasm is not Anti-Fortress, but if I were to directly strike the Grail with my full strength, maybe. I don't see why you would try that though, the Grail has been destroyed twice already, and twice it has returned."

"Yes, you're right." Francis dropped the still open book about the fifth war and picked up the book about the fourth war again. "At the end of the fourth war, it was recorded by Kirei Kotomine, a surviving Master, that the winner of that war, Kiritsugu Emiya,"

"Another Emiya?" Susano raised an eyebrow.

"The adoptive father of Shirou," Francis left it at that. "Kiritsugu was tempted by the Grail but he did not make a wish. Instead, he commanded his Saber Servant, conveniently also Arturia Pendragon, to destroy the Grail after killing Kirei. However, the contents of the Grail spilled over his body along with Gilgamesh, the Archer Servant who used to belong to Tokiomi Tohsaka, the late father of Rin, but was killed. After losing his own Assassin Servant prior, Kirei then formed a pact with Gilgamesh." He explained for Susano's sake. It would make things easier if he understood everything that he was saying for later context. "It's how Gilgamesh was able to regain a physical form while keeping his godlike abilities, and how he was able to fight again in the fifth war."

"But he was killed in that war, right?" Susano asked.

"That's what it says here," Francis said, flipping back to that page in the previous book.

"Strange," Susano pinched the corner of a page shut and tossed it over to Francis, who caught it and looked at his Servant with a raised eyebrow. "Because in the sixth war, Gilgamesh supposedly returned again."

"What!?" Francis looked through the book and found the passage that Susano was talking about. Upon seeing it, he cupped a hand over his mouth and gasped into it. "That… doesn't make any sense, how is that possible? My grandfather was a Master in that war… and he never told me that Gilgamesh existed then."

"Perhaps your grandfather became senile over his long years," Susano suggested. "Or perhaps he is a liar."

"But why would he lie about something like that?" Francis asked.

"I wouldn't know," Susano said. "You should ask him. This is something we cannot ignore. Check the front of the book, the back, the spine, table of contents and everything as well. Tell me what you see."

Francis did as the Assassin said. "I don't see anything particularly eye-catching, what am I supposed to be looking for?"

"There is no named author of that book." Susano pointed out. "It is merely titled "The Recording of the Sixth Holy Grail War," and that's it. Whoever wrote this book did not want to be known, and I have the idea that your grandfather was not the one who wrote it."

"But… if Gilgamesh was in the Sixth war… that would explain the slaughter of Masters." The slaughter of Masters was what his father recounted to him. That war started and ended in a single day and night. The fastest acting war of all the Holy Grail wars. Masters and Servants literally dropped like flies. Gilgamesh was widely regarded as the most powerful Heroic Spirit that could be summoned. The only time he was ever defeated was by Shirou Emiya and his Unlimited Blade Works, which was the perfect counter to his Gates of Babylon. "It's a widely believed theory that Gilgamesh could have won both wars if he really wanted to end things quickly. But it was his arrogance that became his downfall… if Gilgamesh is still alive…"

"Then it seems he has gotten over that flaw of his at last." Susano said. "If I were to come to blows with him… I don't know if I could defeat him."

"Then we have to hope that the book lies or he doesn't appear at all." Francis muttered. "Because if he does appear again then we might have another slaughter of Masters and Servants alike. I need to read this more thoroughly," Francis said, holding the book that Susano had thrown to him. "If this book tells a different version of events than I have to know. I will get to the bottom of this."

"Here's hoping," Susano said, standing up suddenly and walking toward the window. Francis watched the tall Servant move, wondering what he was doing as he flipped back to the beginning of the book.

"Ne Zha is coming to this location." Susano said suddenly, causing Francis' eyes to widen as he tossed the book aside for now and stood up.

"What?! Where is he, how close?"

"He is in your backyard." Susano said, opening the window and stepping aside for Francis to come see. He did so, seeing the boy-looking Lancer Servant standing in his backyard with his arms crossed and a pouty expression on his face.

"How did he get here without getting detected? And so quickly?" Francis asked.

"He is very fast." Susano said, narrowing his eyes as he dropped one leg out of the window. "I will meet with him. Stay in here, I'll be back soon."

Susano dropped out of the window with his sword already drawn. Thankfully, the curtains over the window looking out to the backyard had its curtains closed. So there was no risk of Francis' parents seeing them. He stepped over to the edge of the barrier protecting the house, his eyes narrow and a hand ready to draw his blade at an instant's notice.

"Why have you come here, Ne Zha?" He asked. "Do you not realize that the sun is still out?"

"Oh, I am more than aware, Susano," Ne Zha replied with an excited grin. "My Master sent me here to issue a challenge, something that I was excited to do myself!"

"Oh? A challenge?" Susano smirked, amused. "Or is it an elaborate trap?"

"I won't let it be a trap!" Ne Zha exclaimed. "She stopped me from fighting you before, and I want to make up for it! I want to fight you fair and square again, and to the death this time! Come to Central Park tonight when the sun drops." Ne Zha spun his spear, igniting it and his fire wheels with flames as his eyes shined red. "There we will finish what we started before. Don't keep me waiting, or else I'll come looking."

"That depends on what my Master decides." Susano pointed out. "But if the choice were mine, I would gladly accept. You'll have your answer tonight in the form of action."

"Ah, I guess that'll have to do for now." Ne Zha shrugged. "Hope to see you tonight then!"

Susano watched the Lancer Servant blast off into the sky in a blur of orange fire. With that, he turned back and prepared to jump back into the room. Sadly for his Master, the books may have to wait for now.


And there we go, another chapter out before I leave. Finally about to get into stuff I've planned about a year ago at this point. Hopefully it works out.