August Poll Chapter!
Apologies for the short delay. Both Draconic and I moved into college this past week, him for the first time, and it delayed the final edits of this chapter a bit.
If you wish to support me, please check out my P a treon for teasers of future stories, story ideas and more: p a Treon.(c om) (backslash) themaster4444
Beta-ed by Draconic
"Please if you'll just listen—"
"The words of the Oppressor are a poison to the oppressed! But my will cannot be broken, Oppressor!"
"N-No, that's not what I—"
"Ahahahahahaaah! Even you will learn the power of Spartacus! The oppressors shall fall!"
Darnic made no attempt to hide his glare as he watched Fiore's pathetic attempts to reason with the irrational Servant on the lower level of Caster's workshop. She sat before Berserker of Red, the boisterous madman bound to a wall by innumerable mystical seals and golems, yet still ranting his nonsense about 'oppression'. Normally, the leader of Yggdmillennia would never have subjected himself to such irritating nonsense for a moment longer than he had to, but at the moment he found his disappointment in his heir to be far greater than his distaste for her new Heroic Spirit.
Fiore, the one member of his faction that supposed to be competent, the one mage who was actually supposed to be able to hold her own against the Clock Tower's agents, had failed him completely and utterly. She'd been routed, and her Servant, an absolutely critical element in their strategy, had been slain. Now their only hope of dealing with Rider of Red was Siegfried's asinine scheme or to hope that they were outrageously lucky on the battlefield. But as Lancer had pointed out during the meeting, they could not rely solely on luck to defeat their enemies, a fact Darnic could not contest.
His carefully cultivated plan, sixty years in the making—sixty long years of plotting, strategizing, making contingencies on contingencies—was collapsing around him and it was all because the one piece he'd needed to be competent had proven herself distinctly otherwise. Whether it was her soft heart as he'd feared or something else, his heir had proven herself unworthy. Why Lancer had decided she was deserving of a second chance was beyond him. A tool that had failed to accomplish its purpose was a tool best disposed of. Or better yet, repurposed for something more useful.
He hardly acknowledged Avicebron as the golem maker came up beside him. For a few moments, the pair stood in silence watching Fiore flounder in corralling the Servant of Madness.
"Where do you place her chances of success?" Caster inquired.
"Nowhere," Darnic answered without a moment of hesitation. "This entire endeavor is a waste of time. Time we could be using to bring your Noble Phantasm online."
"So, you concur?" Avicebron said. "I was under the impression that you were… fond of her."
"I was fond of a young woman who could perform her duties as a mage," Darnic replied. "I had thought her capable of such a task, but it seems she is as useless as the rest of the garbage."
"I see. So, then you have no objections should she fail?"
"None whatsoever. She is as disposable as her brother."
Avicebron turned to face him.
"And if Lancer refuses?"
"Then I'll simply remind him who his Master is," Darnic held up his hand to display his command seals.
"Very well," Avicebron intoned. Darnic scowled. Even when speaking about his only desire, the golem maker exhibited all the enthusiasm of a dead man. For all his myriad uses, he was a vile creature even among other vile creatures.
Truly, this was infuriating.
He had crafted Yggdmillennia from the ground up. Given hope and sanctuary to dozens of weak and pathetic mage clans. And what did he receive in return? Failure and stupidity! From Caules, from Gordes, and even Fiore! Combined with the so-called Tohsaka and her merry band's impossible arrival, it seemed the multiverse was determined to spit in his eye.
But it would not matter. He would not allow it to matter. He had survived the battles in Fuyuki and ripped the Grail right out from under the Founding Families' grasp. He had played politics at the Clock Tower until his tongue ached from all the empty flattery he had to spout to keep his clan alive. He had meticulously spread specific data out into the world to allow False Grail Wars to work out the flaws in the system. Now, everything he had worked towards for the last sixty years was coming to a head. And he would win the Grail's power. Even if what that naïve Emiya man-child had warned him of had been true… Trifas burning? Tens of thousands of deaths? Was that supposed to deter him? Was that the price he had to pay? None of those lives were worth anything to him, ergo, they objectively had no value. Such a paltry 'price' was akin to paying for a diamond the size of a grand piano with a handful of kidney beans and getting away with it. He'd personally squeeze the life out of all of them one by one if that helped him reach his goal sooner. He would get his wish.
Even if he had to burn all of Romania to the ground for it.
FATEFATEFATEFATE
Caulus thought he should have been panicking, or sweating, or showing some sign of the absolute terror that was running through him. He had just gone to see how his sister was doing with her new Servant, maybe give her some much-deserved encouragement. He hadn't been prepared to overhear exactly what Caster and Darnic had been discussing, what they had in store for Fiore if she failed to control Berserker of Red.
He'd wanted to scream, to protest that they couldn't do something like that to his sister, to use him instead if it would spare her life.
Which wasn't to suggest that those were his first thoughts. He felt an absolutely murderous rage toward the clan patriarch. But his chances of actually managing to kill the man would have been laughable if they weren't so utterly pathetic.
But one by one, he'd analyzed and rejected each of his options as infeasible. Darnic would only scoff at his concerns, if not worse. His magic circuits weren't good enough to be the core of Caster's Noble Phantasm, and even if by some miracle Frankenstein did succeed in killing the leader of Yggdmillennia, that would just leave him facing the wrath of a very angry Vlad the Impaler. Not a position that would benefit anyone.
Of course, he could always kill Avicebron. Berserker might not be very powerful, but all she needed to do was land a single well-placed strike against the man with Bridal Chest. Would Darnic Prestone Yggdmillennia, the Nazi, really care if self-loathing Jew Solomon ibn Gabirol met an untimely end at some point in the near future? No, probably not, but at the same time, Darnic did like what Caster gave him. And there were so many golems under his control. He'd been with them for so long now, he must have had more than enough time to implement failsafes in case something happened to him. And just based on his personality, Caules wouldn't be surprised if Caster's death triggered his creations to all self-destruct, or attempt to kill the family. He was certainly disaffected enough for that kind of thing. At the very least, Roche would be dead within seconds.
Using every ounce of willpower he had, he'd held his silence and marched right out of the workshop and back to his room.
Berserker looked up when he entered, his computer's power cord held in her hand. She gave him a quizzical look as he stomped past her, his video game posters, his Nintendo GameCube, and plopped down onto his bed with a sigh that positively boiled with frustration. She tilted her head to the side, then, frowning, plugged his iMac back in. It was amazing that the room belonged to a mage. Darnic and Celenike had certainly mocked him over it plenty of times. After all, a mage had no need for the inferior contraptions of mankind's present; power was to be found in the Mystics of the past.
Well, Caules had never been much of a mage anyway. While his sister was the miraculous prodigy of a dying line, a girl who loved looking for discoveries around every corner, he just… didn't really care for it. Sure, supernatural powers were cool and all, but along with having terrible circuits, he just never really got the appeal of it. Whatever power or innovations that might be found also always carried a possibility of gruesome death, dismemberment, and worse. 'A mage walks with death' wasn't a phrase to be taken lightly. Before he was recruited into the Grail War (because somehow all Yggdmillennia's other options were worse than him), he'd actually been planning to leave everything behind and go study engineering.
But Fiore loved it. And, in part because she was the only one who'd never given him crap over his own talents, he loved her. She had been born with her legs already taken from her, a gentle girl entering a world that would show her no mercy. But even still, she refused to give up, either her magecraft for her legs, or her kindness for a mage's outlook. And while that did leave him terrified for her safety, he also found it admirable. His entire purpose for being in this war was to make sure she made it out alive.
Which meant he needed to figure out a way to placate Darnic. Because no matter how talented his sister was, no matter what she said to Berserker of Red, that guy was insane. It made him grateful that Frankenstein's Madness Enhancement was so low. Talking outright might have been tiring for her, but he still felt like it was easy to have a conversation with her. Other than his sister, she was probably the best friend he'd ever had.
"I don't suppose you have any ideas on how to get out of this?" he asked.
Berserker looked at him for a moment, her eyes blinking under her ever-present wedding veil. After a bit, she let out a noncommittal grunt, Bridal Chest flashing into her hand.
Caules sighed. "No, I thought about that, but if we kill Darnic, Lancer will have our heads."
She grunted again, this time with more vigor.
"That's true, I suppose. With him gone, Lancer would pretty much have to contract with Fiore to stay in the war. But we'd still be dead," Caules concurred. "Let's keep that one as a backup. I don't want to throw your wish or my life away without considering all our options."
Berserker nodded, a small smile rising to her lips. But she didn't let go of her weapon. What was that about?
"Attention all members of the Black Faction!" Lancer's voice echoed throughout the room, as if resonating from an unseen PA system. "The Red Faction has been spotted approaching our skies. All homunculi to battle stations! All Servants, report to the rooftop immediately!"
Oh. Guess that explained that.
Wait? Skies?
FATEFATEFATEFATE
Shirou wasn't sure if he was grateful to see the amber sky or not. On one hand, it meant he had survived his injuries and his body was sleeping and recovering. On the other…
"Huh. Been quite a while since I saw you that beaten up," Archer remarked. "Which Servant did you try and fight singlehandedly this time?"
Shirou scowled at his alternate self, rising to sit up on the hill of the Counter Guardian's Unlimited Blade Works. The gigantic gears in the sky groaned as the smoke and ash of the forge filled the air. "I wasn't trying to fight a Servant on my own. Unless I'm here and against Gilgamesh, I know that's suicide."
"But you still did it," Archer pointed out. "So, which one was it?"
Shirou sighed. "Saber of Red. Mordred."
That got a reaction out of his alternate self, the Hero of the Bow's eyes widening. "Saber's son was summoned? How is she?"
"Saber or Mordred?"
"Mordred's a woman too? Huh. Will wonders never cease. But I was referring to Arturia."
Shirou shrugged. "I don't know. At the beginning, she didn't even want to be in the same town as her but… well, we encountered Jack the Ripper—"
"An Assassin or his Berserker form?"
"Is there a difference?"
"Berserker is the incarnation of the mystery of his identity, meaning he has no true form. In other words, he can choose to look like anyone. The Assassins usually only take a single form, though if there's one that shares the Berserker's power, I suppose that it would be worse."
"Of course there would be a—" Shirou made to grumble then. "Wait. What do you mean by Assassins? Are you saying there's more than one?"
"From what I've gathered," Archer said, "the Assassin Jack the Ripper is virtually never summoned the same way twice."
"That's just bizarre. Ours was an amalgamation of wraiths and curses that bonded with the spirits of dozens of aborted children and materialized as a little girl with eyes like a snake's, and a penchant for torturing her victims before cutting their throats."
Archer scowled. "That sounds… more depraved than the ones I've encountered. Maybe not quite as dangerous. Still, I can imagine how an encounter with that wraith would make Saber anxious, especially with Mordred present."
"Why?"
"Why would encountering the ultimate example of the evil that can be brought about by abandoned children make her nervous? Why, when forced to confront the child she rejected, and who proceeded to destroy everything she ever built? I thought you'd gained a little sense."
Shirou scowled, his face, irritatingly, mirroring his counterpart's. "I understand that much; why she would believe it would be better if she prevented Mordred from getting the Grail. But why does she feel responsible for her?"
"Other than the savior complex the both of you have only just begun to deal with?" Archer sighed. "Parents often blame themselves for what their children become. Especially if said child did that to you," he gestured at Shirou's injuries. "How did you escape anyway?"
Shirou held up his right hand, his black Command Seals clear to see.
"I still see all three counts."
"I'm not the only one who has them. A friend fought Mordred off so I could get away," Shirou explained, frowning. "Would it have killed you to have just said they'd turn me into you instead of trying to be mysterious?"
"I was hoping you wouldn't have to use them," Archer replied. "Those seals create a link between a person and a Heroic Spirit in the Throne. They imprint the spirit onto the mortal vessel. Nearly impossible under most cases, but while the seals can control the energy as long as they're present, once they are gone… well, even when we're the same person, even if you're the one in control, it probably won't be a pleasant experience for you. 'This body is made of swords' after all."
Shriou growled. Zelretch had mentioned the risk involved in his 'gift.' And though he had no desire to throw his life away like he once had, recent events had more than demonstrated they'd need every bit of power they could get to survive the Red and Black Factions. They'd been lucky so far, even with Avalon's loss, they'd come out mostly unscathed. But that would not last forever. Soon, they'd have to cross some sort of line, either the use of the seals or the type Archer had crossed in their own war, the ruthless kind.
And speaking of ruthless… and parents…
"Archer, what do you know of the Mage Killer?"
The Heroic Spirit looked at him for a moment before sighing. "So, you finally found out? I'm surprised it took you so long, honestly. I learned about it during my Grail War, but since you didn't, I figured there was no point in telling you."
"So, it's true?" Shirou asked. "All that stuff the Clock Tower has on record, all those atrocities, the old man really committed them?"
"Every last one and more."
Shirou let out a long breath, his eyes numbly staring into the smoke. "Why?"
"Again, why would he not? Kiritsugu always wanted to be a hero of justice. As you'll recall, that dream is his, not ours," Archer pointed out. "He wanted to save as many people as he possibly could. And that meant killing the few to preserve the many."
"So, he was like you?"
"It would be more accurate to say that I am like him, except I have the backing of Alaya. But essentially yes. Does that disappoint you?"
Yes, in a way. He'd known that Kiritsugu had felt that he'd failed to live up to his ideals of being a hero, he was the person who'd first warned him that saving one life often meant deliberately choosing not to save another. Despite that, Shirou had gladly taken up his beloved father's dream, determined to prove that it could be done, a beautiful borrowed ideal to give purpose to his survival. His encounter with Archer had provided him with a well needed cautionary tale about his path, but he'd still thought it possible. Just because the old man had fallen short and Archer had gone too far didn't mean he couldn't find a happy medium between the two, a way to become a true Hero of Justice.
But, Kiritsugu hadn't failed. He'd just been like Archer, a brutal killer. The beginning of his ideals was the same as the end.
His dream was not a mistake, he believed that with all his heart and soul. It wasn't a mistake to want to help others. He had fought Archer to prove that being Shirou Emiya was not a mistake, that he could live his ideals without throwing himself away. For two years, Rin had helped him do just that. He had been determined to live the beauty of his borrowed ideal, however far that took him, without falling into Archer's despair.
And yet… knowing that Kiritsugu suffered that same fate, that the originator of his dream fell victim to the same conclusion as his alternate self… did Archer really fall into despair? Or was that simply the only place the path led?
No. No, he refused to believe that. His dream was not a mistake. There was beauty in it, and he'd find it. He had to.
The world around him began to fade, the Reality Marble's titanic gears creaking to a halt.
"Looks like you're waking up," Archer said. "Be careful out there. If your friend can tell you how to use those seals, don't hesitate to take my form."
Shirou managed a wry smirk. "Didn't realize you cared."
"About you? I don't. I just don't want Rin and Saber to be forced to bear the weight of your death if you decide to be a prideful idiot."
"Of course."
Even if he had to step into his other self's shoes, even if he had to become his worst nightmare. To wield Archer's power, his Unlimited Blade Works, it would only be temporary, a necessary measure to survive the war. He knew what justice was and in its name, he would be a sword. Even if he couldn't do all the good he wanted to do and save everyone, he would do all the good he could do. He'd find a way.
He'd find a way…
FATEFATEFATEFATE
Sieg had only just woken up when Shirou's eyes shot open and he sat bolt upright from his place on the grass beside Rin, breathing heavily. Saber, standing stalwart guard over them all, was instantly at his side, the late day sun casting their long shadows across the meadow.
"Are… are you alright?" the homunculus asked tentatively, clutching Rider of Black's sword to his chest.
"I'm fine… I'm fine," Shirou insisted, slowly getting his breathing under control. "Just… not a good dream."
Saber frowned. "You spoke with him?"
Shirou nodded.
"Spoke with who?" Sieg inquired.
Shirou raised his right hand, displaying his Black Command Seals. "The person I'll become if I use these."
The homunculus' eyes widened. "The Heroic Spirit?"
"I take it you've already had a conversation with Siegfried?"
"Yes, before I went after you all to Bucharest," Sieg said. "He was the one who helped me discover what our Command Seals do."
"Really?" Shirou chuckled. "Wish mine was as helpful."
"So, who was he?" Sieg inquired. "Your Heroic Spirit, I mean."
Shirou frowned, closing his eyes in thought. When he finally answered, it was only with a question of his own. "Sieg, do you trust me?"
Sieg hesitated, so he just said, "Um, I… I guess… I do?"
"Then I need you to trust me when I say that I think that it would be a serious mistake for me to tell you that. Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful for your help, but you're not supposed to be involved in the war—"
"Actually, Shirou, that is no longer the case," Saber interrupted. When Shirou looked to her for clarification, she sighed. "He has chosen to join our ranks as a member of the Blue Faction."
"What?! Saber, you and Rin…" he paused, collecting his thoughts, but his eyes were ablaze with anger, "you didn't talk him into this did you?"
"Th-They didn't talk me into anything!" Sieg hastily intervened. He didn't want his presence to negatively affect any of his new allies' relationships. "I asked them. I… I need you all to help me. It was why I followed you to Bucharest."
Shirou raised an eyebrow. "Okay… but I still think it's best not to tell you the identity of that Heroic Spirit."
He didn't understand, but he also didn't want to be too forceful. If he wanted to know maybe he needed Shirou to trust him? But how could he earn the trust of a human who had actual life experience when he had nothing to offer? How did one earn another's trust at all? More questions that he couldn't answer.
"Anyway," Shirou interrupted his train of thought, "what do you need our help with?"
Sieg repeated what he'd told Rin and Saber earlier, his goal of rescuing his kin from Yggdmillennia. Shirou seemed skeptical throughout the entire explanation, but the faintest hint of a smile ghosted across his lips at the mention of saving the other homunculi.
"I see," he murmured. "It's definitely dangerous, but I'll agree that it's a worthwhile goal."
"I'm sorry I've dragged you into this mess—"
"Please refrain from bringing up that particular tangent again," Saber commanded him, her authoritative voice compelling Sieg to obey. "Your impulsive urge to avoid inconveniencing others may be admirable in its own way, but the pact has already been made. You are our ally now, and therefore your foes shall be ours as well. We are in this war together, and all stand to gain from this venture. But do not do us the disservice of doubting our ability to traverse the path set before us."
Sieg quickly nodded, the King of Knights' innate charisma filling his soul with resolve. He knew he should not have kept acting as such towards the Blue Faction, they were equals on paper at least, even if he still felt that deferring to them would be the only proper course of action. They had far more experience than he did after all. Even if his Black Command Seals allowed him to contribute, he had no illusions about who would be doing the majority of the heavy lifting in their endeavors. Though he understood that they were no longer helping him purely out of altruism, he still had no desire to burden them moving forward.
But he supposed that constantly apologizing about the matter wouldn't do them any good either.
"So, what do we do now?" he asked. He gestured to Rin. "Do we wake her and begin planning our next move?"
Shirou and Saber looked over at Rin, still sound asleep, before looking at each other and wincing.
"How long has she been asleep?" Shirou asked.
"Only a few hours."
"Right. We should give her a bit longer."
"Agreed."
Sieg cocked an eyebrow at the pair's decision. Had Assassin of Black's domain affected Rin more than she'd let on? Would waking her up after so little sleep really be taken so poorly? He supposed his allies would know better than him.
"So, what do we do until she wakes up?" he inquired.
"I suggest that we determine how we intend to proceed," Saber said simply. "We can get her input when the time comes, but we should not let what time we have go to waste."
Shirou nodded. "You've spent more time in Millenia Citadel than any of us. Are they any weaknesses in its mystical defenses, any routes we can use to strike at the homunculi power station without arousing suspicion?"
"Other than the Servants?"
"Other than the Servants. We'll figure out how to deal with them once we know what we'll have to watch our backs for."
Sieg's brow furrowed in thought. Gordes had created his homunculi to awaken with a general idea of the citadel's layout so that they could perform their menial, or at least domestic duties properly. However, he was never meant to leave the tank he was in. He was just a mana battery, to be used up to help a Servant use their Noble Phantasm. The time spent there was virtually restricted to the homunculus farm, the room that Rider brought him to, and wherever he was when Rider covered him with that sheet on their way out.
Moreover, the only reason Rider had been able to pull off that escape was because his brethren had let them go, either out of a sense of kinship as fellow homunculi, or out of fear of the Heroic Spirit. And the latter was particularly unlikely. Rider of Black was easily the least frightening thing he'd seen of this world so far. As for the former, it was a debt he had to repay.
And only he could make that possible. Possibly? He went over what little he knew.
"I don't really know my way around there. I was mostly confined to a few rooms, and even when Rider was getting me out, I was covered by a sheet, so I couldn't really see, but I can talk about… a few things I noticed. The size of the garrison prevents them from making use of traditional mage traps. They'd be triggered every other minute by the constant patrols. At least… I'm pretty sure of this… Rider never even had to slow down unless one of the guards was passing through," said Sieg, elaborating as much as he thought was possible and appropriate. "However, that only makes the garrison itself that much higher a priority to the Black Faction. There should be hundreds of homunculi constantly keeping watch throughout the castle. It's big, but they definitely have the numbers. maybe over a thousand. Every soldier homunculus is created already conditioned to sacrifice their life if ordered, and ignore seeing their comrades fall in battle so they'll keep fighting even if we take out the leader."
"So they're basically slaves," Shirou grimaced. "We should avoid harming them if possible."
"If Sieg's estimate is accurate, there are several hundred of them. We may not have a choice," Saber pointed out. "Numbers do not win a battle on their own, but any single warrior can be overwhelmed if there are enough opponents."
"Especially if they muster the golems against you," Sieg said. "Caster of Black, Avicebron, is better at creating them than almost anyone in history. None of his creations are a match for a Servant…probably… but I'm sure they're more than enough to kill a powerful modern mage."
"So, basically same thing," Shirou simplified. "Rin and I have to be careful not to be swarmed, which, taking into account that the Servants and Masters still outnumber us, will be nearly impossible without backup. They aren't going to just line and let me use Unlimited Blade Works like last time."
"However, they do not know about your Command Seals," Saber pointed out. "If I were to launch an assault on the citadel to provide a substantial threat to draw their attention, Saber and Lancer will have little choice but to meet me outside the castle. With Siegfried occupied, Sieg can assume his form and walk in unmolested."
Sieg frowned. "You'd… have me use Siegfried's identity… for deception?"
Saber nodded, her expression stern. "It is not my preferred strategy, but the fact of the matter is that we possess neither the power or numbers necessary to face either of the other factions on equal footing. In order to emerge victorious in a raid, we'll need to do something… unorthodox. And this is certainly preferable to baser deceptions."
"That… is true."
"…won' work…" Rin mumbled from her sleeping bag, abruptly drawing everyone's attention and slightly startling Shirou.
"Uh… how long have you been awake?" he asked.
"'m not awake," Rin slurred through a yawn, her voice just a bit louder than a mumble, "need a little longer."
"How much did you hear?"
"Started listening… 'round 'they're basically slaves'," she yawned, "n' I said your plan won' work."
"Why not?" asked Shirou.
"Thin'k'bout it. 'ff there's…fighd ousside, why'n earth would Siegfried still be inside, goin' in… prolly the wrong d'rection? People will get sss…s'spicius."
"That is a good point."
"You see, this is why I suggested doing this now," Saber spoke up again. "The first idea proposed at a strategy meeting is rarely a good one."
"Heheheheh… yer deflecting 'cus your defensive n'competitive."
Saber whirled around so that her back was to all of them. Sieg, on his part, couldn't fathom what was going on with them, as Rin and Shirou shared a soft giggle.
"I'll get up in a few minutes… jus' a few more," Rin said with another yawn. "Don' stop on my account. 'm still listening."
It seemed that Shirou found something about the way she said that amusing somehow because he gave a soft laugh before continuing.
"You got it, Tohsaka," after that, his expression darkened.
"So, Saber, can I have a go? I can wait if you have other ideas if you want to bring them up."
The Servant coughed into her fist, cleared her throat, and turned halfway back in their direction.
"By all means, Shirou, I would like to hear anything you might have to contribute. You as well, Sieg." As she spoke, Sieg couldn't help but feel that her words were wasted on him. He didn't even know if he could appreciate the sentiment properly.
"I… um…" he stammered. "I actually… do have an idea, but it's not particularly good, I don't think."
"I'll reserve judgment until after you've given voice to this idea," Saber nodded. "Go on."
"Well… the other homunculi let me go last time. Who's to say they wouldn't let me in as well?"
Shirou and Saber both found themselves staring at the homunculus boy in bemusement. Even Rin turned over to open one eye at Sieg. That sounded absolutely ridiculous. But…
"I want to say that's outrageous, but that… that might actually work," the redhead murmured.
"Ow!" Rin yelped. "Damn… what a time to roll onto a rock…" she grumbled, reaching out of her sleeping bag, and digging around underneath her to find an ordinary stone, which she tossed away into the grass, coming to a rest next to a small, brown bird which looked at it, then flew away. Following its example, Rin crawled out of the sleeping bag and slipped her shoes on. "Well, I'm awake now. Might as well make myself useful."
"What would you recommend?" Saber asked.
"I think the rational choice in this would be to find a spot where I can observe you Saber, and provide support from there. As for the others…" she trailed off, putting a hand to her chin and seeming to focus very hard on something in the distance. After a few moments, she looked at Shirou.
"I could combine aeromancy with some crude formalcraft if I get started now. I've seen it before. I could make Shirou invisible to the naked eye. If I start working now, I should have that done in less than an hour. That should be enough to avoid detection by the homunculi, but I doubt that a Servant would miss you."
"If I can get inside, I might be able to attack the masters' chambers," Shirou noted coldly. "Any Servant inside would have to move to defend them."
Rin and Saber both cocked an eyebrow.
"You've spent the entire war talking about how you don't want to kill the masters," Rin reminded him. "Why would they ever think you're legitimately attacking them? They'd know it was a bluff."
"I'll make it look convincing."
"Um…" Sieg stuttered, calling the others' attention to him. "I'm rather inexperienced with combat in general, but… wouldn't making it look convincing require the masters to actually be targeted? To be in actual danger? What if something goes wrong and the Servant can't save them? Would that be… good or… bad?"
It was a legitimate question, at least from his inexperienced point of view. He was still quite terrified of every member of Yggdmillennia, but Shirou had been quite adamant about not killing the masters so far, had seemed so certain it was the correct choice. Now, he was saying that putting them in danger would be his go-to strategy. He vaguely understood that conventional morality, whatever that was, could be suspended in times of peril, but Shirou suddenly changing tactics seemed… out of character. Rin and Saber's befuddled expressions only made the situation seem odder.
Shirou didn't notice their apprehension, instead placing a comforting hand on Sieg's shoulder, drawing the boy's crimson eyes to his own amber. "I understand your hesitation, Sieg. It's not a bad thing. But we've already handicapped ourselves more than the other Masters just by caring about bystanders, even more so by trying to save your kin and even them."
The homunculus raised an eyebrow. "So, because we want to do the right thing, we make our path more difficult?"
Shirou glanced to the side for a moment, his brow furrowed in frustration. "It's not about that we want to do it, or even that we must. It is that we will. Yes, that means our path won't be as easy as it might have been if we were different people. But that just means we have to find our own way forward, whatever form that takes. Even if it's a way that still isn't perfect, it's better than falling to whatever we've sworn off."
Sieg tilted his head at the ire in the sword mage's voice, but found himself nodding nonetheless. He didn't know what life meant, what it meant to live. But it did make some sort of sense that it was not so easily mercurial. He could try what he liked, discover what his preferences were, but… eventually, he'd have to decide who he wanted to be. A path, once decided, should be followed, shouldn't it? Otherwise, what was the point in following it at all?
Saber did not seem so convinced, frowning at her ally. "Shirou, are you sure you are alright? Did Archer say anything to unsettle you?"
"Nothing that matters at the moment," Shirou responded hastily. "But are we agreed that Sieg infiltrating and getting the homunculi and masters out is a solid plan? I can bomb the castle from a distance and take out the remaining Servants once that is done."
"It could work," Sieg said. "But I worry my transformation won't last so long. When I fought Saber of Red, it only held out for about a minute. My magical energy might have been a bit taxed by the combat, but I don't think it will make too much of a difference."
"I'm not sure how long I'll be able to hold off Lancer and Siegfried," Saber noted, her narrowed eyes making it clear she would be bringing up Shirou's dream later. "Though, if Sieg's assault on the castle were able to disrupt Lancer's magical energy enough, it might allow you to shoot him at range. From there, Siegfried and I can complete our duel and I can reclaim Avalon."
"…while we leave the rest of the Black Faction alive as to soften up the Reds," Shirou finished her thought with a smile. "That could work. We'd at least save time with Sieg only needing to get in and free the homunculi, instead of kidnapping all the Masters. Rin would probably need to use at least one Command Seal to teleport you away from Lancer and keep up the wild goose chase, but it just might… work?"
Sieg was about to ask why Shirou had trailed off, when he realized Shirou was staring over his shoulder. He turned around, not seeing anything until Saber of Blue tensed and gestured above the trees.
Suffice to say, his jaw dropped.
Floating hundreds of feet in the air, was an utterly titanic stronghold, easily as large as Millenia Citadel, if not bigger. It was layered in shining bronze and intricate black stonework; elegant, yet more imposing than anything the homunculus had ever seen. Eight giant stone tablets orbited the castle, each one humming with wells of prana so deep that even the untrained homunculus could sense the gargantuan maelstrom of magic contained within each. Even without that, the sheer dominating majesty of the fortress stole the boy's voice.
Rin looked genuinely frightened, biting down on her lower lip.
"Just how big is that thing?!" she gasped.
"I was actually wondering what it is," said Shirou.
"Someone's Noble Phantasm, no doubt," Saber offered. "It appears to be some sort of aerial fortification. But considering the direction in which it is headed, I suspect it may double as a siege weapon."
"Emiya, this may sound cliché, but are you sure I'm not still asleep?"
"If you are, we're sharing the same dream," Shirou responded, voice trembling in equal parts awe and disbelief as he watched the aerial stronghold continue on its imperious, inexorable path towards Trifas.
"Saber, your Noble Phantasm is an anti-fortress attack, right?" asked Rin.
"Indeed. I've no need to mince words; indeed, my holy sword would tear it out of the sky, were it a normal fortress. But if my assumption is correct, and it is, in fact, a weapon, I suspect that it has defenses powerful enough to mitigate the damage I would otherwise deal to it."
Rin huffed.
"Well, that's a shame."
"Untrue. As powerful as Excalibur may be, more than one Red Servant would survive the attack even if the fortress itself was destroyed, which seems unlikely. There is a great distance between its location and ours, but I can sense the mana emanating from those monoliths from here.
"Yeah, and even if you succeeded, that would just mean it was the four of us against the whole Black Faction. I'm sure we could kill one or two of them, four at the most. But we'd still lose.
A strange look came across Saber of Blue's face, and she murmured.
"A moving base. If only we could combine it with the King of Heroes' treasury and the King of Conquerors' army."
Shirou and Rin both gave her a strange look, which she seemed not to notice. Then with a weirdly proud grin, she added;
"…and then my holy sword would mercilessly cleave through them both and I would reign supreme."
Rin coughed, but Sieg could have sworn she was laughing. Was she trying to hide her laughter by coughing through it? Pulling out a notepad, she didn't bother hiding the next few giggles as she jotted a short note down, prompting a flush from the Servant.
"Please tell me what you just wrote," Saber didn't waste a moment.
"Just decided to start a list of things I would never expect of you," Rin answered, sounding surprisingly casual.
"And what did I just do that would provoke such an odd activity?"
"Express the emotion of spite."
"I take it you were fond of Gilgamesh?" Saber glowered.
"Not at all. I just didn't expect you might say something like that. Also, the King of Conquerors… Alexander the Great?"
Saber sighed, clenching her fist.
"Yes… Iskandar. During the Fourth Holy Grail War, I found his company unbearable. I will admit, I understand what he meant now, and the wisdom in his words, but he himself could only be described as obnoxious."
She left it at that, but Rin looked like she was expecting more. Sieg had to admit, he wanted her to elaborate. To know the details of this story. Saber of Blue suddenly looked away and huffed, "I would much rather not to pursue this particular topic any further.
Shirou turned to Sieg, "Uh, maybe it's a weird time to ask, but what aria did you use to activate the Deadcount Shapeshifter Command Seals?"
Sieg nodded. Even he could tell that the flying fortress was an instrument of the Red Faction. And with their current trajectory and speed, by his estimate, they'd reach Millennia Citadel by nightfall. There wouldn't be a better time to break into the Yggdmillennia's hold and free his kin, or pick off any stragglers of either side. It was a dangerous but golden opportunity that couldn't be passed up.
Still, despite his new and steadfast allegiance, the homunculus couldn't help but think of those who'd saved him who were left in the line of fire. What would become of Saber and Rider in the battle to come?
FATEFATEFATEFATE
"How are they walking? They're just bones. I'm pretty sure things need muscles to move, right?"
"They're magical constructs, Rider."
"Yeah, but they're still just skeletons. I'm sure they'd work better with muscles. Don't you think?"
Siegfried really couldn't do more than shrug at Astolfo's observation of the incoming horde of skeletal warriors. The two Servants stood atop the parapets of Millennia Citadel, the latter having been released from his punishment early once the Red Faction's floating stronghold was spotted by Caster's scouts.
He had to say, for all the majestic and magical sights he'd had the privilege of witnessing during his life, a floating castle with a full complement of dragon tooth warriors was a new one.
For all its brutality, there was a certain wonder to the Holy Grail War, that those who fought could witness such marvels that only the greatest heroes throughout history could craft. For all Avicebron's talent, he believed the Caster of Red, who'd no doubt brought this about, had the golem maker outdone.
That moving fortress certainly nullified their defensive advantage. Their possession of the Greater Grail forced the enemy to come to them for battle, with their strategy assuming that this would give them the advantage of fortifications. Since it was so well defended, they had expected that their auxiliary army could attack and overwhelm the Red Masters while the Servants were occupied in battle. But with the dragon tooth warriors in play, their foes had acquired numbers to match the homunculi and golems, and since the enemy's fortress could move, all of its defenses would turn into siege weapons the moment they got within range of the citadel. And the Yggdmillennia hadn't thought to prepare for a heavy assault from above.
If there was a positive to this situation however, it would certainly be the fact that these magical constructs were wrought from the fangs of a dragon, meaning they were effectively prey. He was sure that he would be destroying swaths of them en masse. It might even be fun before getting tedious.
Fortunately, the enemy seemed to be cautious as well, halting their fortress' advance just beyond the Trifas meadow. The Yggdmillennia forces were already charging out to meet the skeletal legion. Soon, the Servants of Black would join them in the field.
It saddened Siegfried, that the enemy had summoned an army equal to their own. Not because he held it against them for striving for victory or because he desired an easier battle for himself, but because an equally numbered force would almost certainly kill more of the homunculi than if the Servants of Red fought the war alone.
He only hoped his strategy would work. If it did not, and Millennia Citadel fell, he doubted the Mage's Association forces would show mercy to creatures whom they would view as enemy weapons. At the very least, he'd managed to help save at least one of them. He'd hoped to help more, but if he failed in that endeavor, at least his time in this world was not completely without positive consequence.
"Are you thinking about him?"
"Hmm?" Siegfried turned to Astolfo. "Who do you mean?"
The pink paladin chuckled. "The one we saved. I could tell. Your stoic scowly face was slightly less scowly."
That prompted a small smile from the Germanic knight. "You do have a way with words, Rider."
"Hey, if you wanted sage advice you should have talked to… well, you could have talked to Archer," Astolfo noted, frowning for a moment in remembrance of their fallen comrade. But it was only for a moment, just as the bowman would have wished, before his bubbly grin returned. "I just do the best I can. And don't worry. He's probably out there, loving life, maybe making it big with the ladies if you know what I mean."
Siegfried cocked an eyebrow. "It's only been three days."
"That's plenty of time if he's confident. Women love confidence. And men too."
"Are you two done gossiping?" Lord Gordes groaned, marching out onto the parapet. "We have a war to fight. Get out there!"
"Aw, don't be such a sourpuss," Astolfo said. "It'll be fine. We've got Saber and Lancer. Even if they have a giant flying castle, an army of skeletons, and two nearly invincible warriors, we have me… hehehe…"
Lord Gordes' eyebrow twitched. "Your confidence is infectious," he growled. "I'm sure Celenike would love to hear such a rousing speech from her Servant in person."
"Oh, no, I'm sure that's completely unnecessary. I mean, she's already safe in her chamber and all."
"While we are still on the subject Master, should you not make your way to your own chamber?" Siegfried asked. "You'll be safer there."
"I know that!" the alchemist blustered. "I just came here to make sure you kept to the terms of our agreement. I won't have your blasted sympathy for the homunculi keep you from fighting at your full strength. I don't have the prana to let you fight at full capacity alone, and you'll need everything you have to survive Rider of Red."
Siegfried frowned, but nodded. He had given his word, and in this, his master spoke truly. "I will not fail you, my lord."
Lord Gordes scowled. "So you say. We don't even know if your little strategy will work. Why would Saber of Blue even walk into this mess?"
"Because they have no choice."
All three men whirled around, looking up to the roof of the castle, Lord Darnic and Lancer standing side by side atop the stone tower. The pair quickly jumped down to the balcony, Caster, Berserker, and Lord Caules walking out of the citadel.
"Our truce with the Blue Faction has officially ended," Darnic reminded them. "Thus, coming to this battle is their best opportunity to pick off both our stragglers and the Red Faction."
"Indeed," Lancer nodded. "Such guerilla warfare is the Blue Faction's only real option given their numbers disadvantage. Tohsaka would be a fool not to exploit it."
The King of Romania turned out to the dark horizon and grinned, a note of his legendary bloodlust permeating the air. "But no matter. Now is not the time to quibble over the decisions of enemies who've not yet shown themselves. The Red Faction has come all this way to trample upon my domain, and done us a supreme discourtesy in leaving these filthy bones clattering about. This simply won't do."
Darnic bowed to his Servant. "My Lord, please feel free to wield your power to your heart's content."
"Thank you, Darnic," the Lord Impaler replied. "This battle is sure to require it."
Darnic nodded and rose. "Gordes, Caules, let's go. We have no choice but to entrust this battle to our Servants."
Siegfried's master nodded and followed, but Lord Caules dawdled, sending a fearful glance towards Lord Darnic's fleeting form. After sparing another terrified gaze at Caster, he approached his own Servant. "Berserker, what we were talking about before, if the Blue Faction appears, or one of the Red Faction Masters leave themselves vulnerable… if you can, take them alive."
Berserker whirled around and let out a confused growl.
"If it comes down to a choice between your life or theirs, save yourself," Caules hastily clarified. "But if you can… if we had them, we could avoid… you know…"
Berserker stopped his rambling by placing a firm hand on her master's shoulder. For once, she shot the young mage a reassuring smile.
"Hnn!" a sharp nod.
Caules smiled. "Thank you. And take care of yourself out there as well. Don't remove the limiter on your Noble Phantasm, alright?"
That sentiment only swapped her outward confidence with irritation and she went back to growling.
"I mean it. Your safety comes first, okay?"
Astolfo nudged Siegfried's side. "Say, is it just me, or is there something going on between those two?"
Frankenstein suddenly turned on Rider and roared at him, stomping up to the paladin and forcing him backwards until he was leaning over the edge of the battlements.
"Okay, okay, I get it, alright, alright!" Astolfo protested. "I'm just saying—"
"Grrrrrr!" she cut him off.
"Uh?" Caules turned to Siegfried. "What did he say about her?"
Berserker whirled on Saber, her lips pulled back to bare her teeth, still growling.
"Nothing that you need concern yourself at the moment, my lord," Siegfried replied, the faint upward twitch of his lips the only indication of his amusement. "Please, you should get to safety."
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Caules said.
As Caules started making his way down from the battlements, Siegfried noticed an equine automaton trot past him, going the other way, only stopping once it reached Lancer's side. The Servant mounted it with one swift
"I get it, I get it, don't talk about your love li—hey! Lancer!" Astolfo called, dashing out from Berserker's fury. "You're riding a horse? That's my job!"
Lancer raised an eyebrow at the bombastic knight. "Rider, this is your redemption. Now is the time to show your prowess as one of the twelve Paladins of Charlemagne."
"Oh! Right!" Astolfo cheered. "Don't you worry, Lancer. Fighting in this Great Holy Grail War is my mission after all!"
Lord Vlad nodded and turned to the rest of them. "Berserker, I've no orders for you other than those your Master has previously arranged. Go wild and crush the enemy under your storm. Caster, keep back and provide golem reinforcements whenever and wherever possible. You are also to assist Fiore in deploying Berserker of Red at the most opportune time."
"The girl has yet to bring him under any semblance of control, even with her command seals," Avicebron pointed out. "It may be best to reassign her to my own project."
Lancer frowned. "You would sacrifice one of our own to unleash your full power before the first major battle, Caster? Do you deploy your queen at your first opportunity in a game of chess?"
"That is—"
"Enough of this. We have no time to squabble over your single-minded obsession," Lancer's tone left no room for argument. "Saber, I want you to lead the charge from the head of the homunculus army. Be visible, so you may attract both Rider of Red, and the Blue Faction if they come."
"By your command," Siegfried bowed. "However, should Lancer of Red appear…"
"I understand your warrior's promise with him and Saber of Blue, but for the time being, I must command you to postpone your duel. It is absolutely imperative that you keep Achilles occupied," said Lancer. A sneer sharpened across his face. "Besides, I must confess, I am rather curious to see the legendary Hero of Charity's power for myself. The sun's scion shall be a most worthy trophy mounted upon my stakes."
Siegfried nodded. It was a strategic necessity and if he hadn't given his word to both Karna and Arturia, Lancer's proposed matchups would have been his own preferred choices. Though he couldn't help but feel as though the Lord Impaler was underestimating their demigod opponent.
Nonetheless, the King of Romania turned his murderous glee out toward the battlefield below. "Everyone, Archer has fallen valiantly, and our treacherous Assassin has paid for its crimes. With the exception of their Berserker, the enemy likely comes with all their Servants. There is a vast difference in raw strength. And so, I must ask, is there anyone here who is willing to simply lie down accept defeat?"
"Meh. …I mean, given the option, being alive is more fun, buuuut…" all eyes turned to Astolfo who scurried a few paces away from the others in an attempt to escape their scrutiny. "I'll, uh… be right over here."
Lancer shook his head.
"The rest of you? Do any of you fear the enemy?"
This time he received nothing but silence and hard stares.
"Excellent! We shall be victorious! Overcoming such power, prevailing over despair, achieving victory in this battle shall be a testament to our glory to echo for all eternity!"
Lancer's ability to boost morale was impressive, Siegfried decided.
Lancer hefted his spear to point towards the sky, right at the Red Faction's floating fortress. "Not only do these barbarians dare corrupt our domain, they mock us as they do! They deserve nothing less than death! Revel in their pain as you murder them! Now, go!"
Those words were like a starting pistol. Every Servant of Black save Caster leaped from the citadel walls and charged into the fray. Astolfo whistled and called his mount to him, the hippogriff carrying its master into the sky to challenge their enemy's stronghold.
As for Siegfried, he did his duty, charging to the front of the homunculi army and slamming into the oncoming horde of skeletons. Balmung carved through the bony warriors almost too easily, the rage of a dragon obliterating the byproduct of its kin's essence. The dragon tooth warriors very nearly gave way just by coming into contact with his blade.
Every Red Faction minion that he obliterated was one that wouldn't take the life of a soldier behind him. Until the Servants of Red arrived on the battlefield, he would ensure that he protected as many of them as possible.
After about half a minute of tearing through the skeletal hordes however, he had to wonder what was taking the enemy Servants so long.
FATEFATEFATEFATE
"Why aren't we out there already?" Achilles asked Lancer, the both of them standing atop the Hanging Gardens, unflinching as the racing winds roared around them. Below, the Servants of Black had joined the battle, entire legions of dragon tooth warriors folding like wet paper as they were bombarded by green electricity or a rain of wooden stakes. "Seriously, I doubt even the empress has an infinite supply of these things. We should jump in now before all our forces are wiped out."
"The priest speaks for our masters," Lancer replied. "If he says we wait for Archer's move, then we wait. These skeletons are, at the end of the day, expendable."
"Oh, come on. Don't tell me you'd really rather be freezing your butt up here than finishing things with Saber of Black down there?"
The demigod of the sun raised an eyebrow. "I don't freeze."
"Right… poor choice of words," the Rider muttered. "But come on, you want to fight already, don't you?"
The faintest ghost of a smile flickered across the man's alabaster face. "It would bring me a great deal of contentment to cross blades with him again. Preferably with him and Saber of Blue at the same time."
Achilles grinned. With Missy hanging out with Saber and her master, Berserker dead or captured, and Caster and Assassin being who they were, Lancer was the only person the Hero of Troy could talk to. Granted, Karna wasn't exactly a star conversationalist, but his very presence had a calming effect, like a warm sunny day. He was a warrior, but not a cruel one, a vice Achilles had fallen into himself more than once, intentionally and unintentionally, and always to his shame. A man such as the Hero of Charity was always welcome company.
Hell, the only thing the Hero of Charity wasn't good for was a sparring match. Not that he couldn't keep up. Quite the opposite in fact. Lancer was a fighter of a caliber Achilles had rarely seen, a warrior equal to the finest he had known in Troy, easily. He didn't think he'd be slaughtered if the two of them ever came to blows for some reason, but he wouldn't have a prayer of surviving such a fight with anything less than his best. And a battle such as that had no place as a mere spar. No, if they ever fought, it would be as true warriors, to the death. Anything less would just be disrespectful to them both.
It was a shame though. Practicing alone since Missy had left had just gotten… sad. There was only so many times you could go through the motions of a weapon drill before it got painfully dull.
"Rider, Lancer," Assassin's unwelcome voice rang through their heads. "They've danced to my tune perfectly. Archer should fire any second. Prepare yourselves."
Lancer nodded obediently while Achilles just rolled his eyes. Even so, he kept his gaze glued to the sky.
He'd never actually seen Missy's Noble Phantasm in action before. He couldn't wait to see just how spectacular it was.
FATEFATEFATEFATE
"Keep it steady, keep it steady! Goddammit, I said steady!"
"Oh relax, Master. It's steady enough."
"He's right, mage. You're doing an excel—eee! Hehehe! An excellent job, Saber."
Mordred shot her Master a smug look. He responded by tightening his grip on the back of his seat. The seatbelt did not suffice. The Knight of Rebellion rolled her eyes.
Seriously, they had to wait around all day for their wounds to heal. They didn't have time to waste if they were going to get Archer in position for the priest's strategy. So what if the road was a little bumpy? She had a Rank B Riding Skill! She could handle anything short of a phantasmal beast. A stolen car was a walk in the park.
At least Archer recognized her preeminent skill. The wonderful cat-eared bowman had kept up her encouragement throughout the trip, even squealing in excitement whenever they'd hurdled over a particularly noticeable bump.
"It's like she thinks it's a damn banana boat…" Shishigou muttered.
Her laughter had grown even more frequent once she had scrambled onto the roof of the vehicle to prepare for her attack.
Speaking of…
"We're approaching the enemy!" Archer called down. "Slow down so you don't get caught in the barrage!"
"Got it!" Mordred replied, dropping down to only a hundred kilometer per hour. "So for your Noble Phantasm, do you want us to plug our ears when you shout the name or what?"
"What? Why would you do that?"
Mordred shrugged. "Well, you know, your Noble Phantasm's True Name gives clues to your identity. You okay with us hearing it?"
There was a pause, likely of the other Servant considering the offer. Mordred herself wasn't completely sure why she'd even made it. But, despite Archer's apparent helplessness against her Black Faction counterpart, it was rare that someone had shown such… appreciation for the Knight of Rebellion. Her Master had been the first and now her teammate… needless to say, she did not need to be coddled, she was a knight, not a child. But… it was nice, to receive the praise she was due for her skills.
Regardless, she did not wish for Archer's well-earned admiration of her to put the other Servant at a disadvantage. She had let her feel her super-fluffy ears after all.
Soon enough, the reply came. "Thank you for your consideration. But there is no issue. My Noble Phantasm reveals nothing about me you could not have already surmised from our battle with the Sage of Heroes."
"Oh, okay. Neat." Mordred couldn't say she'd figured out much from the battle other than the Servant of the Bow also being from ancient Greece, but that era of history was so littered with heroes that saying she was from there was like saying Merlin knew a few harlots. It was factual information, but it hardly narrowed anything down.
Soon enough, the battle appeared on the horizon, just enough for Mordred and Archer's enhanced Servant eyesight to see. Homunculi clashed with skeletons as golems bullied their way through the fray to crush everything in their path. She thought she even saw the flash of a few Servants tearing through the ranks.
Looming above all the action were the Hanging Gardens. As much as she distrusted the priest's witch, she had to admit, her fortress was… adequate. Okay, fine, it was awesome. Credit where credit was due for a fracking castle in the sky! And it had certainly drawn the enemy's attention well enough. Thanks to its little display, she was basically driving up behind the Servants of Black in plain sight, and they had no freaking clue!
And then Archer would bombard their flank. When the enemy's army was left in disarray, the Red Servants would trap the enemy in a pincer with Assassin providing artillery support from above. As far as strategies went, it was simple enough, which meant it was alright in Mordred's book, even if the priest had come up with it.
Because, with the Black Faction on the edge of collapse, father would have no choice but to appear, or risk being completely at the Red Faction's mercy. Though he could no doubt crush any of the individual Servants (except Mordred herself, of course), all together, they would simply overwhelm him. He needed the two sides to whittle each other down, not have one outright crush the other. Which meant he'd have to appear.
Atop the car, they felt a huge influx of mana as Archer spoke a short incantation. Mordred slowed down further and leaned out the window to see two arrows nocked in Archer's bow, aimed toward the clouds.
"With this bow and these arrows, I respectfully request the divine protection of Apollo and Artemis. I offer thee this calamity…
"Phoebus Catastrophe!"
She let the arrows fly and the shafts streaked into the sky, leaving a glowing turquoise trail in their wake. They disappeared into the clouds, and that same green glow flashed within them like lightning. This was gonna be good.
Mordred grinned. All the Servants of Black and Red were assembled. The consequences of this battle would set the course for the rest of the war. Father had to come or he'd risk losing any number of potential advantages.
This time, he would not escape her. She would once again show him the strength of the son he should have acknowledged.
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