"Just our luck," Rin grumbled as they burst out of the church. "We meet a priest named Kotomine and our servants get engaged in combat."
"Yeah," Shirou said. "Isn't that funny."
Another gunshot rang out and the sound of a bullet hitting steel echoed through the air. Saber was in full combat armor and Caster was nowhere in sight. The enemy servant was dressed in cowboy attire complete with the hat. His red and black revolver pointed at Saber, smoke curling out of the barrels.
"Howdy partners!" He cried upon seeing us. "Seems like this 'bout to get more interesting!"
Rin gripped her fists. "Why now!? Why is it always us!?"
"You probably don't want that answered," Shirou said, stepping forwards. "Look, is there any chance we don't have to fight at the moment?"
"None at all," said a voice as a man in a white trench reaching down to his knees stepped forwards.
Rin's eyes widened. "Zachery!?"
He looked a little surprised to see her. "Rin? I didn't know you were a master."
She smirked. "Well, that's your mistake. You see, I already know how these things work. You don't."
"Now now," the servant said, waving his gun in the air. "Don't insult my master you hear. Or I'll just have to put a couple holes in ya chest."
He cocked his gun and aimed it at Rin.
Shirou stepped in front of her. "Is that how you're going to play it, Zachery is it? You going to be one of those masters?"
Zachery shot a glance at his servant. "Archer, gun away from her. You do remember what I told you, right?"
Archer sighed and pointed his gun up. "Oh alright. But I can go after the servant here can't I?"
He nodded. "Sorry about this Rin, but this is the Grail War after all. Your servant's just gonna have to be put down."
Saber glanced back at Shirou and Rin and Rin nodded. "Alright Saber, take him down."
Saber nodded and hefted her sword, hidden behind controlled wind. "Prepare yourself Archer."
She sprung forwards, her hands held out before her. Archer pointed his gun at her in the blink of an eye and fired off a couple shots.
"Wind!" Saber cried and a bit of the wind covering her sword blasted forwards, sending away the bullets.
Archer dived out of Saber's arc and rolled to his feet, gun blazing. Saber blocked more bullets as he fired. He back flipped out of her range, still firing. A bullet grazed her upper arm and blood spurted.
Saber clutched her arm, but when she pulled away, there was no blood.
Archer gaped. "What!? But-"
"Oh please," Rin said, waving her hand. "You didn't think I was an accomplished mage did you? Sorry to disappoint."
"Archer," Zachery said. "Keep at her."
"Roger that," he said, eyes narrowed.
He ran in an arc around Saber, popping off shots.
A couple of bullets found there marks, but all injuries were healed in a matter of seconds.
"I can't keep this up forever," Caster said in Rin's head. "I'm not that good at spells."
"What!?" Rin thought back. "But you're a Caster!"
"True,"he said. "But I tend to fumble on my words when spell casting."
Resisting the urge to growl, she looked at Shirou. "We need to end this soon. Caster can't keep up the healing forever."
He nodded as Archer jumped away from Saber. "At least this isn't Berserker. An Archer we can handle."
Saber sliced street lamps in pursuit of Archer as Zachery walked closer to Shirou and Rin. "While our servants duel it out, how about a friendly battle between mages?"
Rin flicked her hand, three gems appearing between her fingers. "If you insist."
She glanced back at Shirou. "Have my back, okay."
He nodded. "Always."
Zachery thrust out his hand, wind roaring towards them. Rin threw down a gem, a green shield bursting to life in front of them, blocking the wind.
"Gem magic," Zachery said. "So what I've heard about the Tohsaka's magic is true then."
"There's a lot you haven't heard about me," Rin yelled, jumping to the side, throwing the two gems at him.
At impossible speeds, Zachery ended up ten feet away from the gems before they exploded where he had been.
"Time magic," Rin grumbled. "Shirou, I'll need you to slow him down for me."
He nodded and held out his hands. "Trace, on."
Kanshou and Bakuya, the twin swords, formed in his hands.
Zachery's eyes flicked towards Shirou. "Shirou, is it? I heard a lot about you too."
"Figures," he said, charging, his swords swinging in a wide arc, catching the sunlight.
...
Saber ran into the park, her enemy hidden from her by the trees. A shot rang out and she blocked it.
"Can you not face me head on instead of running like a coward!" Saber yelled as she blocked another bullet.
"Sorry honey-bunches," Archer shouted from somewhere amongst the trees. "But I'm no close-quarter fighter. I'm an Archer, so if you're looking for a sword fight, just run along now."
"Not a chance!" Saber shouted, her eyes darting around, trying to find the source of the voice.
She then heard a barely audible sound of a twig snapping behind her. She turned and sprung forwards.
...
Zachery ducked below Shirou's arcing blade too fast for him to comprehend before getting punched square in the chest and sent flying backwards.
"You know," Zachery said, standing straight. "When I said a battle between mages, I didn't think you would let your boyfriend do all the work."
Rin's face went slightly red as she adopted an angry expression. "Alright then! If it's Tohsaka you want it's Tohsaka you're going to get!"
She shot out her arm, her index finger pointed straight at him. She fired several Gandr shots at him but he slammed his foot on the ground and parts of the cement rose up, absorbing the shots.
"Earth Magic," Rin growled. "Just what kind of Mage are you!?"
He grinned. "I like to think myself well diverse. And I'm American."
"Good point," Rin said before tossing a gem on the ground.
The cement road rippled and shock waves surged forwards, knocking Zachery to the ground.
"NOW!" Rin yelled over the shaking earth and Shirou appeared above the enemy Master, the hilt of Kanshou pointed downwards.
Zachery's lips moved and the ground swallowed him. Shirou landed where Zachery had just been and the earth stopped shaking.
Zachery rose from the ground twenty feet away, not a speck of dirt on his white trench. "Well, as much fun as this is, it seems like my servant is having a bit of trouble with yours Rin. Farewell until next we meet."
Then the earth swallowed him up again and after a few seconds, Shirou looked at Rin. "Where'd you meet this guy?"
She sighed and straightened her skirt. "I'll tell you later. Let's find Saber."
...
Archer cocked his gun, aiming at Saber from behind a tree. Then she turned and ran into the trees. He looked confused for a moment before something tapped his shoulder. He whirled around to see a green cloaked figure standing there.
Archer aimed his gun at the hooded figure. "Who are you?"
He held his hands up in the air, a crossbow strapped to his right arm. "Hey man, don't worry. I'm not here to fight you. At least not for now. I'm here to help."
Archer didn't lower his gun. "Servant?"
The guy nodded. "Look, my Master came to have me fight, but they think it would be best if we teamed up for this fight since that servant is the more eminent threat."
"How do I know I can trust you not to shoot me in the back?" Archer questioned.
Archer could see a slight smirk beneath the hood. "You don't, but I give my word as an outlaw."
Archer smiled and pointed his gun away. "Well ain't that lovely. I'm an outlaw too. So, how 'bout we finish up Saber and have ourselves an honest outlaw gun fight later."
The other servant lowered his hands. "Deal. I'm of the Archer class by the way."
"Same here friend," the cowboy Archer said.
Then they heard something crash through the bushes behind the cloaked Archer and he jumped up into the trees, his form shimmering away. The cowboy Archer dove to the side as Saber's invisible blade slashed through the air.
He rolled to his feet and shot a couple bullets. Two hit her, one in the arm and one on her leg, and both wounds healed instantly.
Archer gritted his teeth. "What in tarnation!? You're Master isn't around to heal you!"
Saber hefted her sword. "Who says I need her around to heal me?"
"No," Archer said quietly. "Something else is up here."
Suddenly a hail of arrows shot from above, raining down on Saber. She jumped to the side, slashing at the arrows, slicing them in half.
"Another Archer," she looked up into the trees. "Show yourself!"
Laughter rang out through the forest as more arrows came from above as well as bullets from the side.
"WIND!" Saber yelled and wind burst from her sword, blowing all the projectiles away. The fierce wind continued and the trees shook violently until the cloaked Archer fell from a branch, shimmering back into visibility.
He groaned. "Okay, that's just not fair."
Saber narrowed her eyes at the both of them. "Now we finish this."
A roar echoed through the forest and the cloaked Archer laughed. "Looks like the cavalry is arriving."
He looked at the other Archer. "Sorry pal. Looks like we'll have to save our duel for another day. You might want to leave."
He shimmered away and Archer tipped his hat to Saber. "'Till another day madam."
He hurried away through the forest, the only reason he wasn't staying because his Master was calling him back. That and he didn't want to stick around to see what servant made that roar.
...
Saber let the Archers get away because of the more pressing enemy servant at hand. A figure burst through the trees, his tanned chest bearing multiple scars. Golden links on his wrists connected his arms together by a long golden chain. He held two swords, the one in his right hand thick and looked more like a bashing weapon and the one in his left a more traditional sword with holes in it, both blood red.
He grinned and stood straight, standing two feet over Saber. "Saber I take it? Well, this should prove to be entertaining."
Saber took a stance, her arms clutching her invisible sword on her right side. "You don't seem like a typical Saber to me. I would assume you of the Berserker class."
He laughed, his wild dirty blonde hair reflecting the sun filtering through the treetops. "You guessed it. But there's not a whole lot of madness up in here."
He tapped his head, his golden chain making clinking sounds. "However, I do have the impulse to fight battle after battle and not stop."
He smiled at Saber. "Now then Saber, would you do me the honor of being my first opponent? My Master only wishes for me to get a taste of your fighting skills before I am to fall back."
"You're going to run away as well," Saber said angrily. "Do none of you have any honor!?"
Berserker shrugged and slid his right foot back and readied his swords. "Not my choice honestly. Now, here I come!"
He sprang forwards, his thick blade bearing down on Saber. She met it with her own sword in her left hand, Berserker's second blade skidding off of Saber's arm gauntlet.
With a yell, Saber pushed his blade away and jumped back, swinging her sword to block Berserker's attacks. Their arms were blurs as they attacked fiercely before Saber jumped to the side, swinging her arms down. Berserker swung his left sword and parried the strike.
Saber jumped back, pointing the tip of her sword at Berserker. "Wind!"
The air slashed towards him and he slammed his thick sword into the ground, anchoring him as well as sending a shock wave through the ground, knocking Saber off balance. He lunged forwards, his blade swinging towards her.
"TRACE, ON!"
Saber regained her footing to see Shirou in front of her, an exact copy of Berserker's thin blade in his hand, holding off Berserker's sword.
Berserker raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so the Master wants to fight does he."
He lifted his right sword and swung, but Shirou met the sword with a copy of itself. Berserker raised his bare foot and kicked him in the chest, sending Shirou crashing into a tree.
"Shirou!" Saber yelled, but kept her focus on Berserker. "Come on. You're fight is with me."
He sighed and lowered his swords. "It is, but my Master is calling me back."
He turned and said, "Next time we clash blades Saber, I hope it is a battle we can enjoy to the fullest with no holding back."
She nodded. "As do I."
He laughed and jumped up over the trees and out of sight.
Saber turned back to Shirou where Rin was helping him up. "You okay Shirou?"
He nodded and winced as his hand went to his chest. "Yeah. I'll be fine."
Caster materialized next to Rin. "I'd help heal you, but I can already feel Avalon working inside you. Convenient."
"You're supposed to stay hidden," Rin reprimanded him.
He shrugged. "There's no one around but us now. I checked."
Rin sighed. "Just stay in spirit form okay. Just in case."
"Oh fine," he said, his form fading away. "But I expect pants for my wonderful job at being the healer."
Rin growled and Shirou laughed. "C'mon. Let's go home and rest."
"Indeed," Saber said. "We have much to discuss."
...
"You're back," Caren commented as Kirei materialized next to her. "What do you think?"
"He seems to be stronger since we last met," he said. "He might actually prove to be a challenge."
"Hmm," Caren looked at him. "Go into the city tonight. I want you to scope things out. Just stay out of the way of the Ruler servant if she pops up. Running into her this early in the game would be troublesome."
Kirei nodded as he sank back into the darkness. "If I may ask Master, what will you be doing?"
She smirked. "Playing with the devil of course."
At this point, I think you readers should start guessing servant names. If you want pictures to help you guess, go to my Wattpad account under the same username and locate this chapter. Though, this little game has one rule. If you already know a servant's name because you looked them up or you recognize their picture from Fate Grand Order or something, don't say anything. Now then, toodles.