FATE/IRREGULAR SUMMONS
Chapter 8: Strength and Sorcery
A day of much-needed respite for the Grail War's contestants soon gave way to night. The sky blanketed all of Fuyuki in the cover of darkness, signifying the hours when battle would commence once again. Shirou had not woken up from his coma for the entire day, and it was likely that his condition wouldn't improve until the following morning. Saber spent some time patrolling the Emiya residence and talking with Taiga, then decided to set up a futon and get some sleep during the late afternoon.
As Shirou slept in his room, a strange collection of hair-thin threads weaved their way through the window and wrapped around his ankles and neck. The tip of the sinewy string pricked into the back of his neck, allowing the controller to manipulate his entire nervous system as if he were a puppet. Without any awareness on his part, he slowly got up and stumbled forth in a dazed sleepwalk. Step by step, he left his home and walked toward Mt. Endou near where he lived.
A spiral staircase. A pair of heavy doors. A golden goblet. The streets of Miyama. A sailing ship. A traffic light. A dagger that spewed blood. His own footsteps. A series of stone stairs. An unknown man walking toward him. A Japanese temple.
Bizarre images flashed in his mind, lacking coherency and chronology. The visions seemed to be a mix of someone else's life from the distant past coupled with sights of the modern world that he was familiar with, each vying for dominance within Shirou's subconsciousness. The whole thing was so weird that it snapped him awake. The cold air immediately chilled his skin, and he panned his eyes around to see where he was.
"Is this… Ryuudou Temple…?" he murmured.
"It is."
A woman's voice he had never heard before echoed within the night. He turned around to see a haze of smoky darkness coagulate like viscous fluid until it formed a humanoid shape. A mysterious lady wearing a black hooded mantle and a purple dress materialized. One could be forgiven for thinking she was a witch given how her dark garments were credited as a source of inspiration for what witches of modern beliefs wore. Her lips, glossed with purple lipstick, crept into a smile as she stared at her captured prey.
Rin stood alone within the underground parking lot of a popular cram school. Or, perhaps it was better to say that she had no other human company. The only other things she could see were cars, signs, road paint, vending machines… and a pair of canine-like skeletal monsters scoping her out. She knew what these things were; Dragon Tooth Warriors, or low-level familiars crafted out of dragons' fangs that served only to be expendable soldiers. While each one was so weak that a Mage with basic training could take it out, these monsters were notable for being near-limitless to produce. Servants could wipe out hundreds at once with their Noble Phantasms, but those numbers could be replaced unless the originating spell and/or caster was eliminated.
Rin already understood that the dog-like beasts were no match for her, but the idea wasn't for them to defeat her. Archer warned her about the school's inhabitants being drained of their mana, and so Rin had hurried to cut off the source of the siphoning. Caster was prepared though, having summoned these Dragon Tooth Warriors specifically to stall any interlopers. The creatures snarled and charged at Rin, but she calmly raised her arm and fired two well-aimed Gandr shots at their skulls. The monsters disintegrated into smoky ash, and she took a few steps forward.
A loud crash rocked the area, yet she wasn't fazed as she stared back to see what it was. A giant Dragon Tooth Warrior resembling either a massive lizard or a small dinosaur crashed through the ceiling and sauntered toward her. It rushed in an attempt to bite her head off, but she fired another spell that destroyed this monster as easily as its brethren. She knew more were lying in wait. However, none of them made any move against her. She was free to hurry upstairs and look around for where the draining was most concentrated.
A thick haze of violet smoke rose from the ground like some sinister special effect from a horror movie. Computer monitors were the only source of light within this darkened classroom. Around 20 students had already collapsed, while papers and fallen chairs littered the floor after everyone had struggled against whatever mysterious force was claiming them. A sickly sweet incense tickled Rin's nostrils, and she covered her nose while wondering, "What is this?"
"A witch's potion, most likely," Archer said as he approached from behind his Master. "This one seems to be capable of destroying love. If the potion is this strong, then the brewer's resentment must have been so strong that they could be recognized as a Servant. If you ask me, I'd say we're dealing with a woman who bears a grudge against the notion of love itself."
"Never mind that. I'm gonna open a window," Rin said and headed through the back. She had to force her eyes away from the sight of so many people either sitting or lying about like rag dolls, some virtually unable to close their mouths to prevent saliva from drooling out. Afterwards, she called the paramedics to bring the victims to the hospital, but she didn't stick around to give any testimony. She had Archer carry her to the roof of another building, and both of them gazed into the distance.
"Looks like our conundrum concerning Caster's location has been solved for us," Archer said. "No mistaking it - the mana is being directed toward Ryuudou Temple."
"So it would seem," Rin murmured, feeling disappointed with herself. However much she didn't want to agree with Archer's earlier stratagem, the fact remained that it had worked. The best she could do was make sure no one actually died.
"We have ourselves a witch occupying the keystone from which all of Fuyuki's other leylines flow from. This is going to be a real troublesome one. I'm willing to bet that Caster can see everything that the rest of us are doing as well. Fighting Berserker to a draw must have given her plenty of information about how Saber, Berserker and I fight."
"The same could be said for your fight against Lancer on the first night, or of that clash between Rider and the child Servant."
"Speaking of which, have you found anything out regarding those two? Ever since that evening, both Rider and the kid haven't shown themselves."
"I'm afraid not. But I did look around Homuhara one more time, and found that the Bounded Field being set up there is now gone. That's one less potential crisis to give me a headache. I'm guessing that Rider was responsible and would have attacked the school, but the child Servant put a stop to that."
"I still think that one is Assassin. There aren't any other classes she could possibly be."
"Let's not rush to conclusions. If we want to be sure, then we ask her ourselves. I did hear something else strange going on though."
Rin told Archer about what Taiga claimed earlier. He raised an eyebrow and wondered, "A nun and a child from Italy claiming to be Matou Sakura's relatives… You're certain that's a lie?"
"Yes. Sakura and I are sisters, but raised in different Mage families. We don't know anyone from Italy."
"If that's the case, then it's possible that the child is our unknown Servant, and the nun is her Master."
"I think so too. It's likely that we'll get some good information tonight."
Archer realized what she meant, then said, "Caster's attacks have grown so brazen that the mana flow is practically a beacon for other Servants to follow, and you're hoping that the child will be among those Servants."
"Exactly. That means it's your turn," Rin stated. "Your primary objective is to go to Ryuudou Temple and defeat Caster. If either Rider or the child Servant turn up, grill them for details, even if it means having to fight. But don't push yourself too hard. I understand that Caster will already be enough of a battle for you."
"A sly fox that manipulates the battlefield from the safety of their home is nothing but a commonplace hunt for me. I'll be sure to bring back more than you can bargain for."
From the roof of Edelfelt Manor, Connla used a series of simple Runes that functioned like one-use platforms to hop along the skyline. At the same time, she maintained a wind barrier around Caren so she could float alongside the Servant. The pair headed for Mt. Endou, hoping to breach into the temple and put a stop to Caster. However, Connla realized that something felt off and immediately turned course toward the base of the mountain.
The pair landed on solid ground, and the wind barrier around Caren dissipated as she demanded, "What's going on? Why are you not advancing for the temple?"
Since Connla was in Identity Concealment mode, she replied in her warped voice, "I cOuLDn't gO aNy fuRtHeR. TheRe apPeaRs tO Be SoMe kInD oF BouNdARy pRevEnTiNg pAsSaGe tO mE."
"I didn't feel anything."
"ThEn iT muSt AfFecT sPirItiUAl bOdiEs oNly. It'S eSpecIalLy poWErFul – tOo pOwERfUl fOr CasTeR tO geNeraTe iN tHe fiRsT pLaCe, muCh leSS mAinTaiN iT. AlL oF thE mAnA tHeY aRe stEaLInG fRoM tHe toWNsfOlK cOuLD kEeP thIs fiElD uP fOr leSs tHAn FivE miNUteS."
"Then what is creating this Bounded Field in the first place?"
"I bElIevE iT Is tHe EaRtH itSelF. EvEn tHe gRouNd iS cOurSiNg wiTh eNerGy."
"I see. It would make sense for the planet to have Anti-Servant measures established in case of a threat."
"In THat cAsE, NoBLe PhaNtAsmS aNd aCtiVe sKiLLs caNnOt bE uSeD, bUt pAsSiVe skiLLs lIkE mY IdeNtIty ConCeaLmENt aRe nOt AffECTed."
"Does this mean we're at an impasse? How disappointing," Caren sighed.
"I dOn'T tHiNk So," Connla replied, then walked along the perimeter. "CasTeR haD tO hAvE goTTeN inSiDe sOmeHoW, eVeN wITh tHe PlaNEt'S nAtuRaL deFenSeS iN pLacE. ThAt suGgeStS a weAkNesS iN tHe BoUNdeD FiEld. I jUsT neED tO fInD tHat gAp anD gO tHrOuGh iT."
The nun was impressed with the girl's deductive reasoning, and her foul mood gave way to determination. While Connla searched for an entrance she could use, Caren looked up at the multitude of leaves that were suspiciously stained red. She narrowed her eyes, growing embittered from how Caster, and Mages in general, could do such things to uninvolved people with no regard for moral consequences. Maybe Caren wasn't the most pleasant person to be around, but at least she understood the value of human life and praised good deeds while cursing evil ones.
She quietly clasped her hands and prayed, Dear Lord, please show Your mercy to the victims of this Holy Grail War. I, Your humble maiden, will strive to end this conflict as soon as possible so You may not have to welcome more innocents into Your kingdom. Leave the punishment of Satan's spawn to me and deliver Your blessings upon the unfortunate ones.
As Caren meditated, she suddenly felt a gust of wind ruffle her hair a shirt. She became alarmed when she heard Connla scream, "StaY bACk, MaSTeR!"
Before Caren could ask what was going on, Connla rushed in front of the priestess and swung her spear. The distinct sound of metal striking metal reverberated throughout the night, and Connla flipped back in mid-air to land in a crouching position. Caren gazed ahead to discover that the Lancer had deflected an attack from a different Servant, who was landing back on their feet as well.
This warrior appeared to be in her late teens or early 20s, and she kept her blonde hair in a braided French bun tied with a blue ribbon. Her aqua eyes were fierce and serious as she glared at Connla, somehow perceiving her presence despite the girl being fully invisible. She wore a heavy breastplate and thick gauntlets over a blue and white layered dress, and she stood in such a way that she clearly was holding a weapon, yet it too was as invisible as Connla's identity. Neither Caren nor Connla had any way of knowing, but this woman was the feminine equivalent of King Arthur, the legendary ruler of Camelot who fought to unify Britain in its last days of chivalry. To differentiate between the male and female counterparts, this one went by her birth name Artoria Pendragon.
Connla narrowed her eyes, calmly analyzing the newcomer. She thought back to the images of the Servants she had been shown when Bazett summoned her, then realized, That's Saber. It's said that Lancers have a particular disadvantage against Sabers in close-range combat, so I need to be especially careful.
"TAAH!" Artoria cried out as she lunged forth and propelled her invisible sword towards where she believed Connla's chest was. A blustery wind was the only indication the swordswoman had that her unseen opponent dodged out of the way. The girl performed a series of acrobatic flips toward the Anti-Servant barrier, then actually planted her feet against it like a wall and shot off to intercept Artoria. Red sparks flickering off of the field gave her plenty of warning to swing her sword and strike Connla's spear, smacking her aside without much effort.
Artoria swung at Connla, but she somersaulted beneath the weapon and retaliated with an upward swipe that grazed her foe's cheek. Artoria wasn't concerned about her injury and struck the invisible spear multiple times, forcing Connla back. Then a strange F-shaped symbol materialized between both warriors, and Artoria yelped, "Celtic Runecraft!?"
She hopped back an instant before the Ansuz sigil exploded in a flurry of flames on Connla's silent command. With Artoria caught off guard, Connla wasted no time and burst through the smoke to blindside her. The King of Knights managed to block low to protect her legs from being cut clean off, but her young opponent surrounded herself in a wind funnel and turned into a human missile, bouncing and ricocheting about in no discernible pattern to throw Artoria off her feet. To Connla's surprise however, Artoria turned out to be talented at reading the wind currents and could estimate where the girl was going to strike next. Her body whipped and lashed about in a furious dance, just so she could parry the onslaught.
She's good, Connla thought. Even without being able to see me, she can judge my position with frightening accuracy.
She couldn't afford to be disheartened over her weakness however. She had to accept any challenge no matter how outclassed she might be. She opted to take a different tack and shot high above the lady knight, then took out her slingshot and fired a volley of small stones that rained like hail around her. Artoria raised her arm to protect her face, then glared as Connla dropped upon her while conjuring a new type of Rune.
It resembled a T but with the upper lines slanted to resemble a caret symbol. It wasn't offensive in nature, but served to temporarily bolster her strength to levels she couldn't possibly achieve on her own. It was the blessing of the ancient god Tyr, the Norse deity presiding over war, law and justice, and his Rune empowered the conjurer to uphold morality through courage and self-sacrifice. For a warrior, Tyr's Rune served primarily as an offensive buff. Combined with other spells, this could help improve the caster's raw power and constitution while demanding nothing less but the fighter's utmost in battle.
"TiWaZ!" Connla chanted. The Rune dissipated and spread itself upon her arms as she swung her spear over Artoria's head. She managed to block it with her sword, but a terrible pain reverberated through her arms and coursed down to her torso, legs and feet. The aged concrete beneath the swordswoman cracked into large pieces as her planted feet sunk within the ground, and she grunted in agitation. Then, a brilliant luminance shimmered around Artoria's sword as it responded to her desperation. Connla tried to get away, but she was much too slow to avoid getting caught in a streak of golden light that ripped through any inanimate objects in its path.
Archer reached the long path of stone steps leading up to Ryuudou Temple. Rin already notified him that the Anti-Servant field was at its weakest right here, so he didn't have to spend time investigating like Connla did. He fluidly hopped over the steps with lithe jumps for a short while, but then realized that he had to stop.
Someone else was here. He couldn't make them out within the darkness, but from the stranger's attire and long katana held over their shoulder, it was evident that this was a Servant who once lived as a samurai.
"A gatekeeper?" Archer muttered.
"Correct," a silky smooth masculine voice replied.
"I should have guessed. Caster wouldn't leave this narrow funnel of a pathway unguarded."
"Of course. The only one who grants or deny passage to Caster's workshop is myself."
"Which Servant are you? Are your Master and Caster's Master cooperating together?"
"I'm afraid it's not so simple. If you're that interested, why not go see for yourself?"
"It would mean getting past you."
"And that's exactly what I'm implying," the samurai said as he stepped aside. "I have no interest in you, so go ahead and disrupt that woman's plans."
Archer narrowed his eyes and demanded, "What is the meaning of this? What good is a gatekeeper if they don't do their job?"
"Didn't you hear me? I have the right to grant or deny passage. On behalf of my fleeting whim, I am letting you pass. How much simpler could it be?"
"Hmph… Looks like you don't care about Caster one bit."
"A simpleton who cannot appreciate the beauty of combat is nothing more than a commonplace vixen. Besides… Don't you hear it? The wondrous symphony of battle sings through the night."
Archer glanced back and concentrated on hearing for anything strange. He eventually picked up faint sounds of clashing metal and potent explosions coming from the base of the mountain. He grew suspicious and wondered, "There's two more Servants here?"
"I would estimate that one of them is Saber, the Servant of that boy Caster has ensnared in her web. I could not speak for who the other one is, though they are not my concern."
"Ah. Now I see what's going on," the bowman smirked. "Emiya Shirou has been captured, and Saber has come to rescue him. You're merely waiting here to put your skills to the test against Saber, regardless of your obligations to Caster."
"I'm glad to see you understand," the samurai replied. "I suggest you hurry up and commence your business with Caster. If you're quick, you can save that boy before Saber can become Caster's newest puppet."
Archer ran past the mystery man, but paused for a moment and asked, "You didn't answer one of my first questions. Which Servant are you?"
The samurai spoke his class name. The hairs on Archer's neck and skin prickled momentarily. In that instant, he knew something was horribly wrong with the Holy Grail War. As much as he wanted to ponder about it, he had to disregard his concerns for now and continue his advance.
Connla was thrown so high in the air that she could see Ryuudou Temple itself, though she couldn't find any sign of Caster inside. She flipped back a few times, then landed next to Caren in a crouching position. She stood back up and breathed heavily.
"You need to stop," Caren implored.
"Why? I have to keep fighting," Connla heaved.
"You're dangerously exposed like this."
Connla gasped and stared at her own arm. Caren was right; Artoria had used the holy light to not only break the Tiwaz Rune, but also fully destroy her Identity Concealment through raw force alone. She was now entirely visible and her distorted voice returned to normal.
"What is this…?" Saber wondered once she finally got to see what her opponent looked like. "What is a child Servant doing participating in the Holy Grail War?"
"That's none of your concern. It would be best if you lowered your sword and listened to what I have to say," the young girl said.
"Are you sure that what I am wielding is a sword? It could be an axe, a spear, or even a-"
"It is a sword. I already know that you are the Saber-class Servant."
"Hm?" Artoria murmured, surprised that Connla dismissed her bluff so plainly. It had worked well enough to rile Cuchulainn back when she encountered him at the Emiya residence, but Connla was unperturbed.
"Each time our weapons grazed each other, I made sure to roughly estimate your blade's length and structure. I then gradually sketched a picture in my mind using that information," the child explained. "What you are carrying is a double-edged broadsword. Furthermore, the fact that rendering it invisible is necessary for concealing your identity proves that it must be a weapon from a particularly famous lore. This means you are a world-recognized Servant yourself, which would explain your exceptional combat prowess as well – you must have been responsible for tremendous feats of heroism in your time."
The blonde-haired knight narrowed her shining green eyes, and she almost looked like she was smiling. "Just from analyzing the length of my invisible sword, you were able to deduce that much about me. I am honored to have met such a fine opponent in battle."
"I'm not interested in fighting you over the Grail. My duties lie outside the confines of this conflict."
"Explain yourself."
"I wish I could, but it seems we are both pressed for time. My objective is to make contact with Caster and have them stop victimizing Fuyuki's citizenry before things can get out of hand."
"Is that right?" Artoria wondered. "My Master has been captured by Caster, so I am on my way to rescue him."
"I met him before. He's Emiya Shirou, isn't he?"
"Hm… Shirou told me that a child Servant wielding a lance had rescued him from Rider's attack the other day. You must be the one he was referring to, yes?"
"Correct."
"Then there is no need for further discussion. My apologies for misunderstanding your intentions and attacking you. In recognition for you saving my Master before, I will let you accompany me. Come, young knight, we must hurry to Ryuudou Temple."
Connla nodded, then looked over at Caren and said, "Stay there until I get back. I promise I'll be as quick as possible."
"Very well," the nun replied. "The fact that you've allied with Saber puts me at ease."
Artoria and Connla left Caren behind and hurried up the long stone steps leading to the temple grounds. Neither of them spotted Shirou along the way, so they feared he was already confronting Caster in some manner. Of course he was still alive since Artoria hadn't vanished yet, but that could easily change in a second or two during such a perilous situation.
"Be ready for a trap or an ambush," Connla warned her impromptu partner. "This is a glaring blind spot in the Anti-Servant field, so I'm sure Caster has something ready to repel invaders."
"I am well aware of that, Assassin."
"Assassin? You mean me?"
"Who else could you be? I have met every other Servant besides Rider, Caster and Assassin, and you can't possibly be Rider or Caster. By process of elimination, that means you're Assassin."
"Well, that's… Huh?"
The pair soon encountered the same samurai that Archer met earlier. The moonlight hung over him enough that they could make out his physical features. His long indigo hair was tied into a lengthy high ponytail, and the parted bangs framed a pair of narrow purple eyes that possessed both feminine charm and masculine wit. He wore a light purple kimono with a traditional jinbaori over it, and deep indigo hakama. His sword was probably as tall as he was, yet he handled it as if it were a natural part of his body.
Without even engaging him yet, both Artoria and Connla could tell that this was a warrior to be feared and respected. Artoria wielded her invisible sword and said, "If I may. Which class of Servant are you?"
In a plain, unassuming tone, the samurai responded, "Assassin. My True Name is Sasaki Kojirou."
Artoria choked a bit and exclaimed, "You're Assassin!?"
"Indeed. Though it may be natural to identify oneself in combat, there will be no need for that, Saber. My sword will tell me everything I need to know."
She shifted her eyes back to Connla and thought, That's impossible! I fought Lancer, Archer and Berserker already. Shirou already told me about Rider, while Caster and Assassin are here at this temple. Then does that mean this girl is an eighth Servant who represents an already existing class? How could this be!?
"I don't know what has gotten you so upset, milady, but I suggest you concentrate on the enemy in front of you," Kojirou declared.
Artoria became frustrated over having to rescue Shirou, yet being blocked by the Japanese swordsman and simultaneously being stupefied by the mystery surrounding Connla. The child whispered, "Are you all right, Saber?"
"I am fine. I apologize for having to ask this of you when we've only just met, but…"
"You want me to retrieve your Master?"
"My apologies. However, Assassin will not permit me to pass. If I keep him busy though, you can slip past us and get Shirou out of there unhindered."
"I understand. I'll wait for your signal."
"Good. By the way," Artoria murmured, "since you're not Assassin, what should I address you as?"
"You may call me Second Lancer."
The swordswoman's lips thinned as she thought, So she's another Lancer? Somehow I'm not surprised. She fights remarkably similar to the other one. Is it possible that she has some connection with Ireland's Child of Light?
"Are we finished talking?" Kojirou asked, raising his sword arm forth and pointing his razor-sharp katana at Artoria. "If you wish to make it through here, you must do so through force."
Saber instantly rushed up the steps to meet him, and the clashing of their swords initiated the battle. Connla waited a safe distance below them, not wanting to get in either warrior's way, and observed how each of them fought. Artoria ducked beneath Kojirou's wide sword swing, and his blade left behind a violet crescent. He reeled back, then delivered a mighty thrust to Artoria's head that she barely parried. The fierce wind and flying sparks rushing past her cheek alarmed her, and she flipped back to escape from Kojirou's impressive range.
How can this be? I have the advantage in power, weight and speed, so I should be able to win easily. Yet this man's technique… It's like nothing I've ever seen before.
She wouldn't let her penchant for honoring her opponents distract her from what she needed to do, and she returned to duel him. They swung their swords about so quickly that someone without training would believe they were just flailing around. There was a method behind it all however. If one attacked, the other blocked. If one went on the defensive, then the other moved in offensively. Artoria's lack of range was her greatest weakness, but Kojirou's punitive gait prevented him from utilizing powerful attacks like she could. Each strike was an instant, calculated move honed through natural instinct and years of training.
Soon, Artoria became daring enough to grab Kojirou's sword, which cut through her gauntlet. She pushed him back so hard that they both stumbled toward one side of the steps. Artoria didn't look back at Connla, but she screamed, "Lancer!"
The girl didn't need to hear more than that. She summoned a Ken Rune and boosted her running speed so that she almost resembled a blur. Kojirou swiped at Artoria's arm to force her back, then lunged low in the hopes of cleaving Connla. She jumped over another purple crescent – a small tuft of her hair sprinkled over her face as she twisted to avoid being chopped apart. She was still not out of his range though, and he smirked as he prepared to skewer her as she fell. He was not expecting her to create a platform Rune that she used to hop away in mid-air.
"Oh?" Kojirou murmured.
He wanted to intercept Connla, but Artoria's shout returned his attention to his fight with her. The young Lancer never returned her attention to the battle, fervently scurrying away to at least escape Assassin.
"HAH!"
Archer's shout rang through the air. In a one-two motion, his swords cleaved through the violet-garbed Caster as she summoned her staff into her hand. She collapsed to the ground and laid there.
The battle was seemingly over. During the time Artoria and Connla were busy with Kojirou, Archer had already rescued Shirou from Caster's puppeteering threads and prevented her from stealing the boy's Command Spells. Her intention for luring Shirou here was to force him to lose his rights as a Master and transfer the Command Spells over to her Master. She would have succeeded had it not been for Archer's interference.
How could a Servant possess such an impossible ability? It wasn't too hard to comprehend if one thought about the storied legend of the Princess of Colchis. Manipulated by the goddess Aphrodite to fall in love with the Argonaut hero Jason, who was otherwise a complete stranger to her, she would commit acts of treachery, treason and deceit to help her 'beloved' obtain the Golden Fleece as a gift for a man who usurped Jason's country. Then Jason betrayed the sorceress by marrying another woman. It was enough to incite the sorceress to burn everyone except Jason to death during their wedding, cementing her as a witch who existed to cause strife for all others.
That tale played itself out in Archer's mind as he observed Caster's corpse burning into dark ash. But he wasn't convinced. He raised an eyebrow and called out, "Do you think you can fool me so easily, Traitorous Princess of Colchis, Medea?"
"Oh, too bad," the woman retorted. Both Archer and Shirou glared up to find her floating high above them, her black mantle spread out like massive bat wings. Around ten fuchsia-tinted magic circles opened in front of her, and she stated, "I thought that I could give you a swift and painless death, but you saw right through me."
"Spatial transportation, and innate time control. Your territory, coupled with all of this pilfered mana, allows you to mimic True Magic," Archer said.
Shirou stared in wide-eyed amazement at Medea. He could feel it. Each one of those crests contained enough energy to equal three times his own magical capacity. A lesser Mage would have to perform a complex series of chants and rituals just to conjure a single one, but Medea's Divine Words allowed her to bypass any such tedious preparations and summon as many as she desired. Before Shirou knew it, a bright pink laser shot out of one of the crests and sent him tumbling back from the raw force alone.
Archer vaulted aside to avoid the majority of Medea's spells that were being fired at him. He leapt onto the temple's tiled roof, then jumped straight upwards over another explosion to reach her flying height. She fired more purple-colored spells at him, and he struggled to deflect each one while twisting around other shots. He landed on the pavement and dashed about as he was being showered with deadly bursts of raw magic.
Medea was so distracted with Archer that Shirou managed to retreat a safe distance from the fight. He thought he could wait in some safe corner, but she had other ideas for him. With a mere thought, she produced another magic circle behind her, and it flared bright pink. Shirou yelped, unable to do anything to escape.
"That idiot!" Archer shouted.
However, everyone became equally astonished when a volley of colorful Runestones were flung in front of Shirou, and they detonated all at once to create a strong barrier that repelled Medea's shot. The Shield Rune dissipated once the barrage ceased, and he looked over to see who had thrown the stones. He knew of how Rin used magical gems in battle, so he blurted, "Tohsaka!?"
"Sorry, but you've got the wrong person," Connla replied as she emerged from around the corner and dashed in front of him.
"It's you! What are you doing here!?"
"I was supposed to investigate the mana flow from Fuyuki to this temple, but one thing led to another and Saber asked me to get you out of here."
Medea shouted in frustration, "Assassin, you worthless dog! You not only allowed Archer to breach my workshop, but this outsider as well!?"
"I knew it," Archer murmured darkly. "Meeting Assassin finally clinched it for me. The kid's an eighth Servant, isn't she?"
"An eighth… Servant…?" Shirou wondered in surprise.
"Looks like Rider was right," Connla said to the sorceress. "You had been observing our battle. There's no other way for you to know about me without having left your workshop this entire time. Anyway, you need to cease your activities at once, Caster! The Holy Grail War has been compromised! There's no point in engaging in this battle!"
"Shut up, interloper! If the War really has been compromised, then you're the one to blame!"
Archer retorted, "That's rich, coming from someone who broke the rules by summoning their own Servant."
"Their own Servant?" Connla wondered.
"Yeah," Shirou said. "Caster was the one who summoned Assassin to guard the gate."
"I see. With this much mana, a mage could summon a Servant even if they were a Servant themselves. But all of this is pointless, Caster. No matter how hard you try, regardless of whatever just or foul means you utilize, the end result will not be favorable for you. In fact, it will not be beneficial for anyone to go after the Grail."
"Don't worry, little one," Medea replied. "I, who can mimic the effects of True Magic within this space, will claim the Grail. I will not allow its power to conquer me. Its wish will not be squandered, I assure you."
"That's not the point! It's not the wish that is dangerous, but the Grail itself! Simply by existing, it has already caused generations' worth of pain and suffering! Each time a new War occurs, the tragedies that follow get progressively worse! Now that we're on the fifth iteration, I dread to think of what will happen if I allowed things to continue as they are!"
"What you speak of is none of my concern. The important thing is what will happen right now. In this moment, I am the greatest Mage across the entire land, and thus am most worthy of winning the Grail. If it is any consolation, once I obtain it, that means all of the pain and suffering you speak of will be stopped by virtue of me being the ultimate victor of the Holy Grail War."
"Don't try to confuse me," Connla snapped. "If you really are as powerful as you claim, shouldn't you be able to obtain what it is you seek through your own power? Having to rely on a wish from a divine chalice is proof of your weakness, not your strength!"
Shirou blinked in amazement. During the course of the War, he always possessed some lingering doubts about whether or not he should win the Grail. Granted, it involved the unpleasant task of eliminating the other Masters and Servants when he didn't want to, but the prospect of keeping the chalice out of some evildoer's hands overcame his initial hesitation. He knew what real horror was like, and his goal was to make sure such a tragedy that happened to him 10 years ago never occurred again. At the same time though, he really wasn't sure what he would do if by some miracle he won the Grail. What was he supposed to do with it afterward? Use it? Hide it? Destroy it?
Now Connla had come to rescue Shirou once again, and her words rekindled those doubts. He agreed with the idea that working hard to get what one wanted was what a real hero should do. If Shirou's dream was to become a hero who upheld justice, then it made sense to accomplish it through years of diligence and perseverance. However, Connla's claim that relying on the Grail was proof of weakness rather than strength frightened him. He thought that maybe, just maybe, the Grail could give him what he needed to be a hero, so that was why he joined the War. With the child Servant throwing in such a jarring perspective however, it got him thinking about whether or not he was an utter fool for yearning the Grail's power like what villains did. He didn't want to compare himself to Medea, yet in that moment, he realized how similar he was to this witch who was terrorizing his home town.
Medea became downright furious over the girl's insult. Archer donned a broad grin as he muttered in admiration, "Now that's quite the burn. What do you have to say to that, Caster?"
The sorceress became unusually calm and silent for a moment. Then she coldly declared, "Get lost."