FATE/IRREGULAR SUMMONS

Chapter 6: Battles of Will

Throughout the night, Medusa remained perched on the roof gazing at the full moon in a somber silence. Although she was observing the surrounding area for any potential intruders, she also had a lot on her mind. So much had happened yesterday that she wanted to take some time to think about it. She had anticipated a battle against Caren and Connla, not that she would wind up allying with them. She still harbored a great number of doubts regarding who they were and what they were after. Still, Medusa's loyalty to Sakura took precedence over her personal feelings, so she kept her opinions to herself and went along with whatever her Master wished.

As the cold breeze swayed her hair, she heard a pair of small feet hit the rooftop, followed by Connla's genteel voice as she asked, "Is the coast clear?"

"Yes. No hostiles have been detected."

"All right. Sorry for bothering you."

The girl was about to hop back down to ground level, but Medusa suddenly blurted, "A moment, if you would."

"Hm?"

"Tell me, Lancer. Are you truly not after the Holy Grail?"

Connla grew curious from hearing such a question. She replied, "I already told you and Ms. Matou, didn't I? The Grail causes so much tragedy that the wish it grants isn't worth it."

"Even so, you humans still covet it. I find it hard to believe that you would turn your back to such a miracle. If there was a chance, however improbable it may be, wouldn't you want to reach out and grasp that opportunity to make your dreams come true?"

The girl somberly clasped her hands and fervently shook her head. Without hesitation, she murmured, "I couldn't do it. I'd feel like I was stepping all over those who suffered and toiled in vain for the same prize. If I took that away from them, I'd feel like I could never forgive myself for denying them that chance."

"How pretentious. So you're saying that rather than use the wish yourself, you would instead erase it so that the opportunity never existed in the first place. Wouldn't that be as equally disappointing to those who lost their chance?"

Connla twiddled her fingers hesitantly. "I know what you're saying… I truly do… Those really are the only two paths open to anyone who knows about the Grail. But the thing is… The Grail is… No, I'd better not say anything."

"What is it?" Medusa wondered.

"I was just babbling to myself. Pay no mind to it."

The Rider's lips tightened in vexation. "I knew it. You're hiding something."

The child Servant looked away anxiously and moaned, "I'm sorry…"

"Tell me what it is."

"…"

Medusa grew frustrated with the young Lancer's persistent silence. Even so, she could tell that whatever secret Connla was hiding, it had to be excruciating for her to keep it bottled up. Medusa sensed that the pressure was putting a great strain on her fellow Servant, and her inquiries seemed to be forcing open that wound even further. She decided to stop pressing the girl and said, "Let me ask you something else then. Do you not have some selfish desire you are pursuing? Isn't there something you want to gain from all of this?"

"What I want? I already said that-"

"Yes, I know. You want to avenge your fallen Master. But that is someone else's desire that you are fulfilling on their behalf. I am asking what it is you want. If it is something that you don't need the Grail for, then what is it that you are after in this war?"

"I'm…" Connla trailed, and her eyes shifted upward toward the pale moon.

Medusa laid back on the rooftop tiles and declared, "My selfish goal is to protect Sakura so that she can survive this ordeal. I don't get the same feeling from you. It seems you are not as attached to that woman Hortensia, yet when you and I clashed earlier, I could sense that your conviction would not break so easily. There really is something you're after, isn't there?"

The girl didn't respond immediately. She folded her hands in front of her chest as she was lost in deep thought. Soon, she replied, "To be honest… There's someone else besides Ms. McRemitz that I want to protect."

"Who?"

"Um… I-If I told you that, it'd be tantamount to me revealing my True Name. That is something I absolutely must not do, no matter how hard anyone tries to force me to."

"Is that so?"

"But what I can say is that this person is extremely important to me. If the Grail's wish twists people into inhuman beings who sacrifice others easily, then I don't want that to happen to them. If it means destroying the Grail to prevent that, then so be it. I refuse to allow my loved ones to become so vile and dishonorable that I no longer recognize them."

As Connla said this, she thought about the Nevada Singularity and of how Cuchulainn had been violently transformed into Curruid. That was the most heart-rending sight she had ever seen in her short life, and it was something she hoped would never happen again. She knew that just 'wishing' for it was not enough though; she became a warrior so she would have the strength to safeguard him from such evils. That was her primary directive as a Heroic Spirit – to be Cuchulainn's counterpart should he succumb to darkness and become a threat to humanity. As she pondered this though, she couldn't shake the dreadful feeling that, since she had been summoned here as a Servant, there was the chance that something similar would happen to Cuchulainn during this particular Holy Grail War.

Medusa could feel the melancholy emanating from the wistful child. After a short moment, Connla asked, "Is that a satisfactory enough answer?"

"Yes. My apologies for causing you such grief. I will not let my curiosity upset you any further."

"I'm really sorry for being so evasive, but there are some things that I must keep confidential."

"That is fine. Your answer was sufficient for me. I will give you my support so that both of our loved ones will not become pawns that are sacrificed to the Grail."

"Mm. I feel a lot better hearing that. Well then, I should be getting back to my patrol. If you'll excuse me," Connla said, then leapt off the roof. Medusa watched her leave, then laid back and closed her eyes.

The following morning, Connla was busy preparing an early breakfast for Caren and Sakura, and made some porridge so that she could feed Bazett later. She heard a couple of people chatting with each other as they entered the dining hall, so she placed the food on a tray and brought it over. As she entered, she heard Medusa imploring to Sakura, "I don't believe that is a wise idea."

"But Rider…" the teenager murmured hesitantly.

"Is something the matter?" the child Servant asked.

Medusa explained, "Sakura is afraid that if she doesn't attend school, the other Masters might grow suspicious of her absence and actively seek her out as an enemy."

"Hmm…" Connla raised an eyebrow, then faced Sakura and said, "I don't think you need to worry about that."

"Why not?"

"I listened to the radio all night, and I heard news of your brother's body being discovered after an anonymous tipster phoned in to the authorities. As a result, the police have cordoned off the entire school. Classes will be canceled until further notice, and everyone is being told to stay home due to the threat of a vicious killer lurking somewhere in Fuyuki."

"Is that true? I should listen as well," Sakura said and turned on a radio of her own. As she faced away from the Servants, they glanced at each other in silent recognition that Medusa was the so-called 'vicious killer', but that she had actually obeyed Caren's order. Neither of them would dare to tell any of this to Sakura though.

As expected, the morning news mainly covered the investigation into Shinji's brutal death, and that Homuhara Academy was closed for the students' safety. Some teachers were allowed to attend for administrative duties, and that there were designated hours for students to pick up or drop off any crucial homework. Of course, the police would be on strict guard to ensure public safety during these hours.

"What a disaster…" Sakura moaned sadly.

"Now do you see how dangerous it is for you to leave this place?" Medusa asked.

"Yes, I do. I'm sorry for not trusting your judgment."

"It is fine. You simply want to uphold your role as an ordinary student."

"Hah…" the teenager sighed. "I wonder how everyone else is doing. Ms. Fujimura is such a bundle of energy that I can imagine she is going stir-crazy from not being able to do her job. I'm sure everyone in the archery club is disappointed from not being able to practice as well. And then Mr. Kuzuki… Oh!"

"What is it?" her Servant wondered.

"That reminds me, I need some way to get my homework from Mr. Kuzuki. I'm worried about falling behind in his classes, but since you don't want me to leave the manor, that puts me in quite the bind."

They heard Caren strut in casually, and she was brushing her hair after having taken a shower as she muttered, "Must you be so painfully dutiful? It wouldn't kill you to use this time as a chance to relax."

"I wish I could, but all of this is just making me feel so antsy. Doing some school work might help me get my mind off of things."

"Is that right? Then I will go and meet this Kuzuki fellow for you. Of course, Lancer will be coming with me."

"You will? That would mean a lot, Sister Caren!"

Connla interjected, "What about our strategy meeting? Weren't we supposed to discuss how to recruit the other Masters and their Servants?"

"Hush, you," Caren said. "That boring stuff can wait until later. I want to get used to Fuyuki and stake out any potential troubles lying in wait for us. Since participants are hard-pressed to make their move during the day, this is the safest time for us to scope things out."

"I suppose. Should I remain in spirit form?"

"Not this time. I want you to accompany me under the guise of us being related. It will make things more convenient for me if I told curious onlookers that I brought my little sibling with me on a tour of Japan. To that end, you should find something appropriate to wear. That Celtic armor of yours will only bring unwanted attention."

"I see. Then I have just the thing for that."

Connla weaved her hands and fingers so that she drew some Runes in the air, then they wrapped around her in a spiral and made her original form vanish. After she finished casting the spell, a new layer was created over her. Although still appearing as a seven-year old girl, she now looked identical to Caren in every way except that her hair was much shorter, and she wore a navy blue play dress and beret instead of a nun's habit.

"Oh my," Caren widened her eyes. "I wasn't expecting something like this."

"It's a little trick my teacher taught me," Connla said. "This should help me blend in with your modern society much more easily."

Sakura giggled and beamed, "You look so cute, Lancer!"

"You think so?" the girl scratched her cheek bashfully. "I'm just borrowing Ms. Hortensia's image, so it isn't really anything special."

Caren folded her arms and grumbled, "Are you saying I'm 'not anything special'?"

"That's not what I meant…"

"He he, I'm just teasing you. I know you're talking about the spell itself."

"Mm," Connla nodded, then glanced over at Medusa. For whatever reason, the woman had her back turned to the child and refused to look back at her. She tilted her head and asked, "Is something wrong, Rider?"

"N-No… It's nothing…"

Connla wasn't sure why Medusa was so bothered, but opted not to ask and followed Caren out the front door. Once they were gone, the lady Servant exhaled a huge sigh of relief and gasped, "They're finally gone."

"What's the matter?" Sakura asked. "Was there something about Lancer that you didn't like?"

Under her breath, Medusa whispered, "The exact opposite, actually…"

"Huh?"

Caren and Connla spent the afternoon exploring each of Fuyuki's districts under the guise of sisters visiting Japan from Italy, and they even did some shopping to make the façade more convincing. Around three o'clock, Caren took a quick glance at her watch and said, "Oh, look at the time. We'd best run Sakura's little errand and head home quickly."

They headed for Homuhara, and Caren had to identify herself to the police officers guarding the perimeter before being allowed inside. Connla stared in the general direction of the woods where she had fought Medusa yesterday, wondering how the authorities would treat Shinji's murder. Caren was eventually given permission to meet with Sakura's teacher, and the girls approached the teacher's office. Caren rapped her knuckles on the door, then waited.

The man who stepped out was one Kuzuki Soichirou, a teacher who taught history classes. He was tall and handsome at first glance. His short black hair was slightly messy, yet it didn't detract from his mature physiognomy. Upon closer inspection though, his deadpan black eyes hiding behind a pair of half-rimmed black glasses, the aged creases on his cheekbones, and the persistent thin line his lips created made him appear austere and off-putting. Clearly he was a strict man who expected nothing less than the best of his students, and of himself as well judging by the clean-pressed pine green suit he wore.

He observed his visitors with that same, unmoving vapid gaze as he asked in a quiet voice, "Can I help you?"

"Good afternoon, Professor Kuzuki. I am Caren Hortensia, Matou Sakura's relative visiting from Italy. This is my younger sister, Constance," the nun introduced herself and Connla. "Pay no mind to her. She is very shy and does not know Japanese."

Soichirou's eyes moved down to observe the quiet child. Their stares met each other's, and they appeared to be locked in an imaginary battle of wills. The man studied the girl, and vice versa. Regardless if Caren claimed that Connla was timid, Soichirou immediately knew that was a lie. They weren't just reading each other's expressions and body language – they were having a full on conversation with nothing but their eyes. It was a sensation that all warriors of any discipline or culture were familiar with. The little girl was brave enough to stare up at him, and he returned her gesture with a steely response that she didn't turn away from.

However ordinary both of them attempted to make themselves appear, they already knew that the other was extraordinary in some regard.

Caren was oblivious to this silent exchange as she said, "I am here to collect Matou Sakura's homework on her behalf."

"Why has she not come herself?" Soichirou asked.

"She is sick in bed with the flu. Besides, how crass are you for thinking she'd readily come to the place where her brother was murdered?"

"I see. That makes sense," was the bland response. "Just a moment."

The stone-faced teacher returned into the office and gave her a pile of papers and books. As Connla took them from Caren and placed them in her knapsack, Souichirou muttered, "By the way, Ms. Hortensia."

"Yes?"

He turned his eyes to the girls' boots and said, "Outdoor shoes are forbidden in the school building."

"Ah… My apologies. I should have known better."

"No matter. I will excuse it since you are foreign visitors."

"Thank you for your understanding. Andiamo, Constance."

Caren and Connla headed back down the hall to the school entrance. Soichirou watched them leave, though he was more focused on staring at Connla's back. Somehow, he knew he was going to be seeing her again in the near future…

This is such a pain in the ass.

The blue-haired Lancer known as Cuchulainn kept thinking this to himself repeatedly. He was in a perpetually foul mood over having to be Kotomine Kirei's errand boy during his time in the Fifth War. The only sort of fighting he had been allowed to do involved him analyzing each of his enemies' skills so that he could inform Kirei of their capabilities. Cuchulainn had been ordered with a Command Spell not to kill anyone until he had challenged all of the other six Servants.

Knowing that guy, he's probably plotting some way to manipulate the other Servants through their Masters. Not like his methods are my problem, but it would be a lot easier if I just got rid of everyone instead of slinking around like a bad guy in the shadows. Honestly, why couldn't he have just summoned an Assassin and be done with it? They're better at these kinds of jobs than I am.

Cuchulainn grunted in annoyance. However much he wanted to complain, he knew it would be a waste of time and energy. He was well-versed in toughing it through difficult circumstances anyway, so this really wasn't anything new to him. Whether it was through bad luck or his status as a hero, he always had a knack for attracting trouble, particularly from women like the Queen of Connacht Medb, the goddess Morrigan, his mentor Scathach, and the Scottish warrior lady Aife. He thought he could find a worthy opponent to finally unleash his true power upon, but being restrained like this made his dream a hopeless one.

At the moment, the Celtic hero was taking a break from his duties and lazing back atop one of the residential rooftops. He unleashed a large yawn and turned on his side, deciding to take a nice nap for a few hours before having to do more grunt work for Kirei. Before he could lull himself to sleep however, he felt a peculiar sensation course through his chest, and his eyes shot open in surprise.

A Servant presence?

Cuchulainn sat up and looked around. Had he been found? It would have been quite embarrassing to have been ambushed while he was trying to relax. He glanced at the surrounding rooftops and trees, quickly realizing that no one else was around. He darted his eyes around as he tried to pinpoint the source of this reaction. He thought he felt the presence most from the ground, so he crawled toward the edge and peered upon the sidewalk. The only ones passing by were a white-haired woman in a nun's habit, and an almost identical-looking little girl wearing a blue dress. He squinted at them with suspicion.

That kid… There's some kind of magic surrounding her. Is it some kind of disguise?

He couldn't make out what was beneath the child's masquerade, but he couldn't ignore the amount of mana she was consuming. Although he didn't want to believe it, he was certain that she was the Servant he sensed. Likewise, he assumed that the woman was the girl's Master.

That's strange, he realized. I know I've fought Archer, Saber, Rider and Caster. I haven't challenged Berserker, but Kotomine already warned me about him. Assassin is unable to leave that gate he's guarding. So then, who is this one supposed to be?

A smile crept upon Cuchulainn's lips, broadening into an excited grin. His boredom and frustration over his circumstances quickly turned into anticipation for the days to come.

Heh. I have a feeling things are gonna get interesting from here on out.

Caren and Connla strode through the neighborhood on their way back to Edelfelt Manor. They ignored several curious glances from passersby who weren't used to foreigners. They were more focused on their conversation than having to regard each and every awkward stare focused their way.

"So, what did you think?" Caren asked. "Did you find several places you liked?"

"Yes," Connla replied. "There are plenty of suitable locations."

"Good. It seems our little trek has paid off."

Anyone who overheard them would think they were having an ordinary discussion about the places they visited throughout Fuyuki. They were actually avoiding being specific about what they meant, as if it was some conversation between spies. They were really talking about any potential sites that Connla could utilize as battlegrounds without endangering the populace. That had been the entire purpose of their tour, and the results were satisfactory for both of them.

Caren sighed in consternation and said, "It was rather annoying to have to explain ourselves to every single person who had never seen an Italian before. Just how secluded are the Japanese anyway? Don't they realize that I'm half-Japanese too? For all of Japan's global ventures and booming cultural acceptance, there are still some hopeless traditionalists who would rather have the rest of the world leave it alone. It's not as bad as the cult of personality festering within North Korea, but there clearly still needs to be a lot of work done for this country to catch up to modern times. Don't you think so, Constance?"

Connla had not been listening to her false Master's complaining. Her expression was distant and impassionate – she was obviously thinking of something other than what Caren was talking about. The priestess became annoyed and asked, "Are you listening to me?"

"Oh… I'm sorry. Ever since we left the school, I've been growing more and more worried…"

"About what?"

"That instructor we met."

"Kuzuki Souichirou? He's just your average teacher. What is there to worry about?"

"That's just the thing," Connla mumbled. "He was exceedingly average, yet there was definitely more to him than it seemed."

"Do you think he's a Mage?"

"No. I never got that sense from him. He didn't smell of blood either. At the same time though, his breathing and gait were so natural that it felt equally unnatural. Everything about him was perfectly composed and rigid. I just found it striking… He definitely belongs as an individual, yet he seems to be concentrating his efforts on blending into society in such a way that he is not noticeable. In essence, he's a tree hidden in plain sight."

Caren would have dismissed Connla's synopsis of Soichirou as silly bantering, but she had to remember that the girl was a trained warrior. If there was some kind of trait or quirk that Caren missed, Connla would be certain to pick it up thanks to honing her perception of the world around her. It was a skill necessary for reading her opponents and judging how they would strike. In Servant terms, this would be equivalent to Eye of the Mind, a disciplined capacity for observation typically associated with Archer-class Servants, but could be obtained by those who underwent extreme training.

Caren frowned and wondered, "Do you think he warrants an investigation?"

"I'm not sure," Connla murmured pensively. "It's possible that he could be involved… But then again, he could be entirely unrelated. His stance was so indiscernible that I couldn't tell you either way."

"If you sound so uncertain of him, then perhaps I should take the initiative and ask the Church for a background check on that man."

"That's up to you."

As they continued walking, the hairs on Connla's skin pricked, as if a sudden chill rushed through her spine. Her eyes widened with shock, and she snarled lightly, "Hm!?"

Her eyes suddenly darted up toward a particular rooftop. She got in front of the surprised Caren and narrowed her eyes. The nun had a hunch as to what was going on and asked, "Is there a Servant?"

"I think so," her young partner murmured grimly. "They retreated before I could get a good look at them though."

"So now we're the ones being staked out, huh? How unpleasant."

"I don't like this. If they were able to tell that I was the Servant, they must be assuming that you're the Master."

"Isn't that the point of our little alliance? We're doing this to draw attention away from Bazett."

"Still, that means you could be in much more danger than before. If it's a Servant we haven't met yet, they could inform their Master of what you look like, at the very least."

"I suppose we should go home and keep our heads low for tonight."

"Agreed. Let's hurry."

During the day, Shirou and Rin had reconvened at his house to discuss what happened at the school. Both of them wanted to know what was going on with the spear-wielding girl, especially since Shirou's Servant was insistent on asking for as many details as possible. He really couldn't offer his Servant much, so the three decided to investigate the town for several hours to see if they could find any clues.

The Heroic Spirit assigned to Shirou was indeed the Saber for the Fifth Holy Grail War. The warrior chosen for this role was a young woman who looked about the same age as her Master, yet her stoic demeanor suggested that she was older than her appearance suggested. For whatever reason, her physical features ceased aging once she reached a certain point in her growth, but her mind continued to develop until she became a wise and honorable knight. When in combat, she would wear a heavy set of furbished armor and gauntlets over a blue and white dress, but right now she was garbed in a simple white winter jacket, blue skirt, black pantyhose and dark knee boots. She always kept her long blonde hair done up in a stylish French braid, and her green eyes always remained as cool as a flowing stream.

Whenever Saber was around Shirou and Rin, it seemed that Archer didn't want anything to do with them and kept his distance. Rin and Archer had numerous discussions about her teaming up with Shirou, whom he believed she should consider an enemy. She insisted that they maintain their alliance until they figured out the mysteries surrounding the child with the spear that they witnessed the other night. He relented to his Master's wishes, but declared that he would investigate on his own terms.

Their plan was to first revisit the church at the outskirts of town and ask Kirei if he knew anything. However, as they were on their way to meet the arbiter, they were stopped when a strange pair barred their path. One was a white-haired girl who looked like a child, yet was really in her late teens. Her German lineage was apparent since she wore a purple shapka and a heavy coat and boots in the same color, and her features clearly suggested that her family did not originate from Japan.

The red-eyed girl calmly smiled at them. However, they were not focused on her. What caught their attention was the sight of a gargantuan muscled man standing behind her, clad in nothing but an iron kilt and wielding a huge mace-like sword. One of his eyes shone a deep crimson within the darkness, hinting at the feral rage lurking within him.

"Berserker…!" Rin gasped in shock. There was no doubt in her mind as to who the giant was.

Saber got in front of the two Masters and stared intently at the newcomers. The German girl leaned forward and asked playfully, "What are you doing out at this time of the night? Don't you know how dangerous it is, mister?"

She had directed this question at Shirou. He had never met her before, so he had no idea why she would address him so casually. Instead of waiting for a response, she performed a curtsey and said, "How do you do? I am Illyasviel von Einzbern. You know of my family's name, don't you, Rin?"

"Einzbern…" Rin murmured darkly.

Saber closed her eyes sullenly, thinking of a woman who looked very much like Illyasviel whom she had accompanied throughout the Fourth Holy Grail War 10 years ago. The girl's physical features stirred up bitter memories within Saber's mind.

Irisviel…

Behind the Servant, Rin murmured, "Incredible… That thing outclasses Saber in raw ability alone. No, it could easily take on the other six Servants alone."

Shirou's heart frantically raced. He had not been prepared to meet such a fearsome opponent, and it took everything he had not to vomit in fear. Illyasviel continued smiling confidently, as if everything was going exactly her way. This irritated Rin, and she psychically said to Archer, "Berserker and his Master are here."

"So it would seem," the deep-voiced man responded. "I can see all of you from my vantage point."

"Good. Engage Berserker using your class' usual methods. As for defense, Saber will provide cover for us."

Once she finished strategizing with her Servant, Rin said to Shirou, "It's your decision whether you want to fight or run. But if at all possible, and I am telling you this personally… I would prefer if you fled for your life."

Shirou couldn't respond. He was too transfixed on Saber as she prepared to face off against Berserker. What followed the tense standoff would be an incredible battle between two of the War's strongest Servants. Berserker tore through concrete and metal as if it wasn't there, rampaging against Saber as she kept her composure while repelling his vicious strikes. She drew the battle away from the neighborhood towards a decrepit cemetery so they could trade blows in earnest without endangering anyone.

At the same time, Rin had taken off to pursue Illyasviel, hoping to strike the young Master down to get rid of Berserker that way. However, this soon proved to be a mistake as Illyasviel demonstrated Magecraft well beyond human comprehension. While Rin was proficient with sealing various types of magic within gemstones, Illyasviel was capable of using her white hairs to create wirework familiars using Magecraft known as Storch Ritter. These magical constructs could be shaped into any form she desired, though her favorite shapes were razor-sharp birds that could swoop about everywhere to confound the enemy. It took everything Rin had plus some support from Archer to help her retreat without suffering any injuries.

However much it frustrated her, Rin had to give up on killing Illyasviel and hope that Saber could win for them. As she escaped from the gifted Mage's sight, she happened upon Shirou who had decided not to flee and went after his Servant instead. She grabbed his arm and pinned him against a tree before shouting, "What do you think you're doing here, Emiya!? Don't you understand that you're just going to be in the way!?"

"I… I'm not going to abandon Saber like this… I said I would fight with her…"

"Only real Mages get to talk like that! If you're a responsible Master, you would understand your own limits and get as far away from here as possible! I couldn't stop Illyasviel, so that's why I'm running! You have to do the same, or else you'll die for nothing! You'll be spitting on the efforts of those who saved you before!"

Shirou wanted to make his point to his irate classmate, yet he couldn't refute such logic. Rin acknowledged her weakness and acted appropriately. Unfortunately, Shirou wasn't like that. He had little regard for his own well-being so long as he was able to help someone else. No matter how much Rin wanted to make him understand, he simply couldn't. Before they could argue any further, they noticed a brilliant flash of platinum light illuminate the cemetery, and both Masters hurried over to see what was happening.

Saber had rushed in pointing her sword at Berserker, and he responded by thrusting his huge weapon within the ground to launch chunks of earth and concrete at her. She barged through the onslaught and stabbed at his chest, but she used his mighty hand as an impromptu shield to block it. This was exactly what she wanted – with him immobilized, she could summon the latent power of her holy sword and fire it upon his torso like a missile. The light easily ripped through Berserker's shoulder and chest vertically, almost cutting him in clean halves. He stood there, dead as could be, with his arm and upper torso hanging loosely from the rest of his body.

Rin emerged from her hiding spot and wondered, "Is it over…?"

Shirou barged out and shouted, "Saber!"

She was surprised to see him coming, yet said nothing. Meanwhile, Rin blinked and asked Archer, "What's going on? What do you met 'get clear'?"

In that same moment, Saber realized that something was seriously wrong. Sparks flickered around Berserker's horrifying wounds, and the mass of flesh and muscle gradually started to heal.

"Regeneration… No, it's more than that! You possess the curse of resurrection - a Noble Phantasm that activates upon death!" she realized, then turned to Shirou and shouted in a panic, "Get away from here!"

He stopped in mid-step, but it wasn't from Saber's cry. His nerves jolted as if some unwanted current course through him. He could 'feel' something out of place. He turned toward the city in the distance and wondered, "He's about to attack…!?"

Atop one of the tallest buildings within Fuyuki – and one that Connla had scoped out earlier – Archer was in position to fire one of his deadliest arrows. No, it wasn't really an 'arrow', per se. He raised his right hand and used a type of Magecraft called Projection to create a long, thin sword designed like a spiral. So long as it was a weapon he had witnessed before, he could replicate it with his magic and transform it into a projectile, even if the original was intended to be used for close-range combat. Archer snatched the strange sword, then drew it upon his large black bow and took aim. Even though he was kilometers away from the battle, he had Berserker in his sights regardless.

Bright red sparks crackled all around him. A blue light surrounded the bowman as he gathered an inhuman amount of power within his firing arm. An Archer's dominant arm was quite the terrifying thing – although this class produced Servants that were not known for fighting on the front lines, the latent power sleeping within their most-used limb could rival the strength possessed by Sabers or Berserkers. Once they had a bow and arrow in their hands, an Archer's shot could be potent enough to destroy even the stars themselves.

For all of the strength Archer had gathered, this still wasn't considered his true Noble Phantasm. Either way, if anyone was caught by his arrow, their chances for survival were practically almost zero. He continued building up energy, more and more, until he felt he was ready. With a loud shout, he let the narrow sword fly high above Fuyuki. If anyone had been awake at this time, they would witness a blue streak of light not unlike that of a comet.

After a moment of silence, a sphere of raw destruction detonated. It was first red, then gradually turned from fuchsia to purple as the explosion died down. He observed the spectacle for a moment… then grinned with delighted satisfaction.

Shirou had no idea what happened next. All he could remember was grabbing Saber's arm and making her run alongside him. After that, everything went dark. He soon opened his eyes and found himself leaning against Saber.

"Master…" the swordswoman murmured, then glanced over towards Berserker. To her dismay, Archer's shot had failed to even scratch the mountainous warrior despite the immediate area around him being engulfed in thick flames. Shirou could hear Illyasviel speaking to Rin about something, but his mind was so fuzzy that he couldn't make out the words.

"Saber… Are you okay?" the teenager groaned.

"Yes, I am fine. Thank you for leading me away from such danger."

"Good… Huh?"

Some kind of churning sensation welling within his stomach crippled him. He wanted to stand up, but his legs felt like worn-out rubber. The churning exploded into a spurt of blood that he coughed out of his mouth. With each cough, more red fluid was forced out against his volition. He didn't understand what was going on. All he could do was succumb to this dreadful sickness and hope that it would pass soon.

"Shirou!? Hang in there!" Saber exclaimed in horror and grabbed his shoulders.

"What's the matter!?" Rin asked as she ran up to them. She too was surprised to see him looking so terrible. She helped Saber support Shirou onto his feet as she said, "Let's get him back home."

He periodically passed in and out of consciousness. Whenever he was blacked out, he thought he was having some kind of dream.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

He saw someone that he had never met before. He couldn't see their face, but Shirou could tell that he was wearing a plain grey kimono that workers donned back in Japan's prior eras. The unknown man sat in front of a roaring fire that was so hot that it could melt steel. Unexpectedly, the man took a pair of metal tongs and clamped them around Shirou's body. The boy felt himself being lifted off of some flat surface. Then, a horrible heat engulfed him.

"Gah… AAAAAGH!"

"Shirou!" Saber yelped.

Every passing millisecond was torture. He didn't know how long he had been placed in the fire, but the mystery man soon pulled him out and placed him on the flat surface again. Shirou looked up, hoping to catch a glimpse of what this person looked like. The worker took a metallic hand hammer and raised it over his victim.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

"HYAAA~AAA~AAA~AAAHH!"

Shirou's frenzied screaming shook Rin's very soul, and she cried out, "Emiya! Snap out of it! What's gotten into you!?"

"WAAA~AAAAHH!"

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

"IT HURTS! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! STOP IT! STOP III~III~IIIT!"