Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Cerberus

Part II

"Status?"

"It is as you see, Master."

For all that Servants were Heroic Spirits incarnated by mysteries infinitely close to True Magic, they were still technically familiars. Without a constant supply of prana, they would be unable to sustain their continued existence within the World, and would cease to be, the energies making up their form within the World cast back into the Grail. And the more powerful the Servant, the greater the prana requirement for their continued existence. The inverse also applied.

More to the point, with Servants constantly being fed a stream of prana from their Masters, a connection existed between them that was no different from that which existed between magi and...lesser, familiars. And much like with the latter, if both parties consented, either could see through the other's eyes.

Cerberus now looked through Assassin's eyes, the Servant of Assassination cloaked in shadows while observing the battlefield below. Two knights dueled there, one a blonde woman in blue and silver, and the other a dark-haired man in dark leathers. The former fought with an invisible blade, and the latter with a short spear of golden metal.

"…Master," Assassin began. "I feel…strange, looking at that man's face."

"Yes," Cerberus replied, her thoughts tinged with uncertainty. "I feel the same way. I am…I feel…warm…inside, when I look at…oh son of a…!"

In an instant, Cerberus' thoughts shifted from uncertainty to surprise, shock, anger, and embarrassment as she realized what it was. "That Servant has a Mystic Face!" she snapped. "Keep your guard up, Assassin!"

"Yes, Master."

Master and Servant watched in silence, the former from a distance through the latter's eyes, and the latter in person. They surveyed the battlefield beyond the Servants crossing blades below, acknowledged the presence of Saber's (decoy) Master nearby, and who was probably Lancer's Master. The latter was standing on top of a nearby building, much like Assassin herself, cloaked in shadows…

…and his back guarded by an eerily-large blob of mercury. "Wait a minute," Cerberus thought in realization. "That looks…familiar, but not familiar at the same time. Could it be…Volumen Hydragyrum? Huh…so that's what its default state looks like? Interesting…"

"That's enough playing around, Lancer!" Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald snapped. "Do not allow this fight to drag on any further. Saber is a formidable opponent, defeat her with all haste. You may use your Noble Phantasm."

Assassin and Cerberus alike focused once more on the battlefield, as Lancer discarded his shorter spear, and dispelled the talismans protecting the longer spear, now revealed to be made of some sort of crimson metal. They watched as Lancer boasted of how he would expose the truth of Saber's Noble Phantasm…

…and then both were gasping as Lancer lived up to his claim, the crimson spear cutting through what seemed to be a tightly-contained vortex of wind around a gleaming, golden blade. There was no mistaking that weapon, and Assassin's mind filled with alarm. "Master," she said. "It is Excalibur: The Sword of Promised Victory!"

"And that means Saber is King Arthur…or should it be Queen Altria? Hmm…historical distortion? Or is it something else? Curious…very curious…"

"Also," Assassin began. "I believe I now know who Lancer is. Between his face that supernaturally entrances women on sight, and a spear that can negate magic on touch…that is Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, the Knight of Fianna."

"Gae Dearg: The Crimson Rose of Exorcism," Cerberus thought, focusing on the crimson spear in his hand. "And its mate would be Gae Buidhe: The Golden Rose of Mortality. A first-class Servant, indeed. As should be expected, from Lord Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald."

Cerberus' thoughts trailed off as the battle resumed, and Lancer and Saber crossed blades once more. They watched as Lancer used Gae Dearg to shear through Saber's armor as though it wasn't even there, magically-generated as it was, and though it quickly reformed after contact ceased, the damage had been done, Saber forced to disengage momentarily to allow her (decoy) Master to heal her.

"Keep an eye on the battle." Cerberus ordered. "I think it's time to say hello to Mister Emiya."

"Yes, my Master."

Kiritsugu Emiya and his partner/apprentice/mistress Maiya Hisau lay prone on top of an incomplete building a good distance from the battlefield. A combination of night vision binoculars and infra-red scopes allowed them to spy on their enemies, drawn out as they were by Irisviel and Saber, with the infra-red scopes in particular allowing them to find magi even if they were hidden from normal sight. While it wasn't beyond the abilities of magi to hide their heat signatures, most never bothered, having no reason to do so.

It was an oversight which Kiritsugu had long used to his advantage, and continued to do so.

"Oh now that is very clever." A voice suddenly said behind them, and in an instant both Kiritsugu and Maiya were on their feet, MP5 submachine guns held at the ready. Only, there wasn't anything or anyone to aim at. The voice also seemed to come from everywhere in hindsight.

"Show yourself."

"Infra-red scopes…I'm guessing you use it to find magi through the usual concealment spells, by finding the excess heat magic circuits in use generate, yes?"

"…wouldn't you like to know?" Kiritsugu asked back.

There was laughter. "That is answer enough." The voice said, and then a figure materialized near Maiya, clad in a black bodysuit under gold-trimmed, white-finished armor. A golden hexagon was proudly emblazoned on the left side of the cuirass.

And he – she (?) – was right next to Maiya.

To her credit, Maiya reacted quickly, trying to open up the distance and bring her weapon to bear. She managed to take a couple of steps, but before she could fire her MP5 had been kicked out of her hands, and the assassin was on her.

Realizing there was no time, Maiya didn't bother to go for her knife, and just attacked with her fists. The assassin blocked with her wrists, letting Maiya take the initiative and repeatedly strike out at her and riposting every so often…while also keeping Maiya between Kiritsugu and the assassin.

"You're pretty good," the assassin grunted. "But I'm better."

The assassin then feinted, and grabbing Maiya by the arm, twisted her elbow apart. The dark-haired woman cried out in pain, and then she was being twisted around and down, before an armored foot struck down at her thigh. Again, Maiya cried out as her thigh bones broke under the pressure.

"Maiya!" Kiritsugu shouted while pulling the trigger, the assassin's back now open to him. But even as he opened fire, the assassin dropped Maiya, and held out her left hand. A jewel in the palm glowed bright as it projected a translucent globe around her, nine-millimeter rounds splattering harmlessly against it.

Kiritsugu didn't let up, firing until his clip ran dry, and in one smooth motion, brought up his Thompson Contender and fired. The .223 Remington struck the barrier…

…and just like the nine-millimeter rounds, splattered harmlessly against it.

"My turn." The assassin said, simultaneously dropping her barrier while drawing her sword with her right hand. And then she leapt forward, even as Kiritsugu dropped his guns and drew his knife.

"Time Alter-Double Accel!" he cast, and everything went to high-speed. Sparks flew as Kiritsugu's industrially-forged knife met the assassin's hand-forged sword, and then both were drawing back to strike again, the assassin switching to a two-handed grip. Again and again they crossed blades, sparks flying, Kiritsugu unable to gain the initiative, as even with Time Alter-Double Accel the assassin was still moving ever so slightly faster than he was.

"You're actually pretty good!" she praised, but Kiritsugu didn't bother to respond.

"Time Alter-Triple Accel!"

Now it was his turn to move faster, crossing blades twice more before taking advantage of the time gap to punch through the assassin's guard, only for his blade to be turned by her armor. "Steel…?" Kiritsugu thought, springing back as the assassin counterattacked, her sword swinging up, one-handed.

Even with Time Alter-Triple Accel, he couldn't completely dodge, and he felt a cut open up along his jawline. And then the assassin was swinging down, in a move Kiritsugu recognized a textbook kendo technique. He blocked, the two assassins matching their strength, and in that brief moment Kiritsugu realized that the whole time, his enemy had been using Japanese martial arts. Jujutsu for unarmed combat, and kendo for bladed combat.

And then he gave way, causing the assassin to stumble, and Kiritsugu took advantage of it to deliver a reinforced kick to her torso. He then bit back a grunt of pain as he felt his foot and leg get jarred by the force of impact. "It really is made of steel." He thought.

The assassin gave way, flying with the blow to land lithely near the far side of the roof. She quickly recovered and took her stance, sword held one-handed behind her, left palm facing Kiritsugu, the gem in her palm glowing bright.

Kiritsugu similarly took a stance, knife held forward in one hand, and the other drawn back, fingers clenched into a fist. "You really are as good as they said you were." The assassin said with genuine respect.

"…are you testing me?" Kiritsugu hissed.

"Not really…just saying hello." The assassin replied.

"You have a strange way of saying it."

The assassin laughed. "I guess." She admitted. "Though it does serve to drive the point home."

"And what point is that?" Kiritsugu asked.

The assassin tilted her head. "Something a friend once told me," she said. "When you save someone's life, it means not saving someone else's."

Kiritsugu's eyes flew wide in shock and surprise, his expression matching. And in that moment, the assassin jumped back, simultaneously blasting their equipment to pieces while flipping over the edge of the roof and into the darkness below. Kiritsugu rushed forward, and picking up a gun Maiya threw at him along the way.

Quickly flipping the safety, he peered over the edge, gun held at the ready…

…only there was no sign of the assassin. Whether somehow climbing down the building's side, or splattered on the ground below from the fall. It was as if she was simply gone. And then her voice came, coming from everywhere, as before.

"My name, Kiritsugu Emiya," she said. "Is Cerberus."

Assassin glanced up in surprise as thunder boomed and lightning flashed overhead. Not only that, but the rumbling and flashing intensified, as something approached heralded by the thunder and carried by the lightning.

And then with a flash of blinding light and the roaring of displaced air, something landed in the middle of the battlefield. Lancer and Saber were forced back, and Assassin made to look away by the light. Once her eyes had recovered and she could once more view the battlefield, she blinked in surprise and incomprehension.

What is this?

There, standing on the battlefield was a chariot of ancient make, pulled by a great pair of bulls. No, more than that, Divine Bulls.

"Master," she began. "We have a situation here."

"I'm on my way."

"Yes, Master."

"Both of you!" a redheaded giant of a man in archaic armor and a red cloak lined with fur thundered from the chariot. Rider, no doubt…and next to him was a…boy. Frail-looking and seeming to be more at place in the halls and galleries of scholars instead of standing on the battlefield…

…how on Earth had someone like that summoned a Servant whose Noble Phantasm was pulled by Divine Bulls?

"Lower your weapons!" Rider continued, still bellowing at the top of his voice. "The king has arrived!"

Both Lancer and Saber stared, their faces showing unmasked shock and surprise, mirrored by the expression of their Masters. Though in Lord El-Melloi's case, there was also contempt and disgust.

"I am Iskander the King of Conquerors!" Rider proclaimed, and only decades of experience and constant training kept Assassin from losing her composure in uncomprehending shock. But there was no denying it: Rider had just admitted his true identity to all present, and to those watching from elsewhere.

Assuming it was true, of course. A Servant's true identity was a very dangerous thing to be exposed, as it allowed enemies to know the weaknesses they had held in life and retained…beyond life.

"Alternatively," Cerberus countered. "It doesn't really matter. After all, knowing that you're up against the man who conquered the known world as it was in his day and age within the span of what, ten years, would make any Master or Servant take pause."

That…was a valid argument, and Assassin narrowed her eyes behind her mask at the King of Conquerors. It was deviousness unexpected from such an oafish-looking man…but if it was true, then appearances were very much deceiving when it came to him. As her Master had said, he had been one to conquer the known world within his short reign.

It was truly food for thought.

Meanwhile, Rider was continuing his proclamations, his Master struggling to reign him in to no avail. "Fate has brought us together to fight for the Grail," Rider said. "But first, I would ask you all a question. What say you to yielding the Grail to me, and joining my army? Should you choose to do so, then I would regard you as friends, and share with you the blessing of the Grail as we conquer the world!"

What?

What?

It wasn't only Assassin and her Master who were struck and staggered by Rider's…proposition. Lancer and Saber alike were struck silent, before loudly rejecting Rider's offer. "I'm willing to negotiate…" Rider uncomfortably began, only to be interrupted.

"DENIED!" Lancer and Saber in unison, the latter carrying on immediately afterwards. "Furthermore, I myself am a king. One to whom falls the burden of the wellbeing of the Kingdom of Britain. No matter how great a king you yourself may be, I cannot lower myself to the rank of a mere subject."

"The King of Britain, you say?" Rider said with an equally surprised and impressed tone. "Well, this is a surprise! Who could have expected the famed King of Knights to be such a fair woman?"

Saber grinned at the question, gripping and raising her sword two-handed before her. "Perhaps you might wish to test the blade of this fair woman, King of Conquerors?" she challenged, and Rider sighed.

"I hate it when negotiations fail." He grumbled while scratching his head. Beside him, Waver Velvet shook with fear and apprehension as he took in Saber and Lancer's belligerent facades, and barely managed to keep from pissing himself.

"Rider," he wailed. "What have you done?"

Before Rider could answer though, cold, mocking laughter echoed in the night. It was a voice Waver recognized all too well, causing him to crumple and cower on the chariot's floor as it spoke.

"I had wondered who would have the nerve to steal my catalyst." Lord Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald began. "To think it was actually you, Waver Velvet. Shall I teach you then, the true pain and terror that comes with a battle to the death between magi?"

Waver shook with fear and terror, closing his eyes in a desperate effort to keep back the tears threatening to fall…

…and then he felt a warm and heavy hand fall comfortingly on his shoulder, the young man opening his eyes to turn and look at his Servant. Rider smiled reassuringly at him, almost like a lion comforting a cub, and then Rider turned to look at the sky with a regal expression on his face.

"Hey you," he said with a mocking yet noble tone. "Lord El-Melon or whatever you call yourself! You claim you would have sought to summon me as your Servant? Don't make me laugh! Only one with the courage to stand beside me on the battlefield could ever hope to be my Master! A coward like you who cowers in the shadows without showing his face would never be worthy to summon me!"

There was a sound of humiliation and anger in the darkness, followed by surprise as golden light began to shine onto the battlefield. Countless motes of them shone and swirled together, and then coalesced into a gold-armored figure standing atop a nearby lamppost.

"Mongrels and pretenders," Archer sneered. "You should consider yourselves honored, that I would lower myself to be witnessed by the likes of you all."

"Strong words," Rider remarked. "Yet if you truly are a king, there should be no need for you to hide behind the title of your class, is there?"

"Pretender," Archer snapped. "There should be no need for me to give my name. Indeed, as the one true king it is only meet that I am to be recognized on sight alone."

"Interesting…" Rider began, only to trail off as something – or rather someone – shimmered into existence on the opposite side of the battlefield from Archer. An armored…man? Woman…it didn't matter, as they approached Archer.

"Assassin?" Saber asked.

"No…that's not a Servant." Irisviel von Einzbern countered.

"Indeed I am not." The woman said as she unsealed her helmet with a hiss of escaping air, and pulled it off to reveal the beautiful face of a woman with a fine mix of Oriental and European features. Her dark hair was cut short, and her blue eyes shone with supernatural light.

"This is…!" Archer hissed in surprise before smiling with amused approval.

The woman stopped midway across the battlefield, and bowed respectfully. "I had not expected to receive this chance to fulfil the task given to me before I…departed, my home." She said. "I am Cerberus, and I come seeking an audience."

Archer burst out laughing. "Indeed…!" he said. "Very well…for the sheer value that your very being possesses, I will suffer your self-granted title. And you shall have your audience: speak swiftly!"

In response, Cerberus reached into her harness, and pulled out a large gemstone surrounded by a pair of rings crafted from gold, and encrusted with more gems. The gems came to life, and then the rings began to spin counter to each other. The whole construct floated into the air, and then approached Archer.

It hung in the air for several long moments, and just as Archer's eyes narrowed with impatience, a figure shimmered around the mystic code. It was that of a blonde-haired, red-eyed man, dressed in loose fitting clothes of white belted at the waist.

"This is…!" Archer said with a smile as his reflection looked up at him, and he knew this was no deception. With the slightest tensing of his body, he jumped down, level to his reflection.

"King of Heroes," Gilgamesh began.

"How is this possible?" Archer asked with a small tilt of his head.

"A gateway of sorts, one which leads from one world to countless others, and back again." Gilgamesh replied, before smiling mockingly into the sky. "And one that exists beneath the ignorant nose of the pathetic fool who amusingly enough, succeeded in returning us to our garden."

Archer burst out laughing. "Indeed, indeed!" he said, clapping his hands. "What a jest it is, for I see what you mean!"

"No doubt he watches even as we speak here and now." Gilgamesh continued while pacing. "So be it, let him watch for all the good it will do him. Perhaps he might even learn something of value from it."

Archer snorted. "An optimistic," he remarked. "But vain premise."

"Indeed," Gilgamesh said with a smile. "But, he has returned us to our garden. Some leeway is due."

"Perhaps…" Archer said with a tilt of his head. "So, what is it you wish to speak to me of?"

"It is not necessary for us to speak of things to understand what truly matters, does it?" Gilgamesh asked with a knowing smile. "Nor is it meet for such matters to be spoken of within earshot of mongrels and pretenders, or even one of the rare treasures this garden of ours, in this twilit age, was able to produce."

"It is as you say." Archer agreed, though his expression quickly turned stern. "Though you surprise me, that you be so…lenient, with regard to what must be done. Weeds have overgrown our garden, the waters have fallen stagnant and foul, and what was once pristine marble and polished gold have become covered with grime and tarnish. Such is not meet, and measures must be taken to address them."

"Indeed," Gilgamesh also agreed. "But not if we run the risk of losing such treasures as are hidden amidst the weeds and overgrowth. Their only place is in our royal treasury, or by our side, or in our hands. Nowhere else."

Archer nodded slowly. "You make a valid point," he said. "And your argument is grand, just like us. I shall take it under consideration."

"But of course," Gilgamesh said with a nod and a smile. "In the end, the king and the king alone can pass judgment as he deems meet."

"Indeed."

Gilgamesh then turned away from the thoughtful-looking Archer, and towards Cerberus who bowed before him. "You have performed the task I asked of you, Cerberus." He said. "Return from your journey alive and hale, and you shall have your just reward."

Cerberus bowed again, and the image of the King of Heroes vanished, the mystic code returning to her hand. Meanwhile, Archer began to laugh, softly at first, and then without restraint. "What wonder!" he said, smiling wide and holding out his arms. "Indeed…though the king's garden requires thorough cleansing and tending, it would not be meet to lose such treasures such are hidden amidst the refuse and the overgrowth. Such would be most unjust! And I cannot countenance such!"

Lancer and Saber looked troubled, while Rider whistled. "So," he said. "You are the King of Heroes of Ancient Uruk, Gilgamesh!"

"Indeed I am." Archer said proudly. "I am Gilgamesh, King of Heroes, Master of Mankind, Lord of the World and All its Treasures. Know that mine is the first legend, and the greatest, against which all others are naught but hollow echoes."

"That's a bit much, isn't it?" Rider asked with a raised eyebrow, and Archer scoffed and then sneered at him.

"It is nothing less than the truth, you oaf…"

Archer trailed off, his expression turning insulted and contemptuous as he looked up at the sky. "Tokiomi," he said. "You would dare command the king to depart against his will? You have nerve!"

Looking back down, he narrowed his eyes at those present, though he gave an amused smile in Cerberus' direction. And much like when he appeared, Archer disappeared in a swirl of golden light.

"Well…that was a thing." Cerberus said, replacing her helmet.

"Cerberus, is it?" Rider asked. "Interesting…very interesting…I'm sure you'd prefer to avoid exposing your identity here and now…but, you've given a lot of food for thought."

"I guess I did…!" Cerberus began only to break off as a figure jumped out of the shadows and attacked her. She briefly had the chance to take her enemy in, and behind her helmet Cerberus' eyes widened in surprise at the sight. It was a redheaded woman dressed in a bridal gown, but with a golden horn growing from her forehead. She carried a large and heavy mace, its head crackling with lightning, and she swung it down towards Cerberus.

This is going to hurt.

That was the thought going through Cerberus' head as she switched her palm-mounted mystic code to maximum absorption, and she raised it just in time to generate a barrier to block the new Servant's attack. The blow connected, lightning exploding around the barrier and Cerberus crying out in pain as even her Second Magic-derived mysteries were pushed to the very limit.

What else did I expect? It's a fucking Noble Phantasm!

Concrete broke as the impact forced Cerberus to one knee, and she tasted iron in her mouth and smelled iron in her nose as she coughed out blood. Theoretically-speaking, her palm-mounted mystic code could absorb just about anything and disperse it across the space-time continuum, but while there was no theoretical upper or lower limit, in reality, the amount that could be absorbed and dispersed was limited per unit of time.

Berserker – who else could it be – raised her mace to strike again…

…and then she was dodging away as Lancer threw Gae Buidhe like a javelin in her direction. "Coward!" he shouted. "You would attack a messenger who had come in peace and without a drawn weapon? As a knight, it cannot be forgiven!"

"Hey boy." Rider said as they watched Saber and Lancer engage Berserker, while Cerberus staggered away, pulling off her helmet to expose her bloody face. "What can you tell me about Berserker?"

"…from the look of things," Waver said. "She's a pretty average Servant…normally."

"I see." Rider said thoughtfully, as Cerberus retreated back into the shadows. "Mad Enhancement's the only reason then that she can take on Saber and Lancer at the same time?"

"It seems that way." Waver agreed. "And that is the whole purpose behind the Berserker Class, otherwise average Servants being empowered to levels far surpassing their normal ones at the expense of their sense of reason."

"True," Rider said with a nod. "But it's not really something I can condone. Reason for power…is not a good trade at all."

"Y-yes…"

"Lancer," Kayneth began, causing all present to start. "What are you doing? Stop wasting your efforts with that madwoman, and instead while she keeps Saber busy, find Cerberus and bring her to me!"

A/N

Didn't see that coming, did you?

It wasn't a recording by the way. It was real-time link via Second Magic-derived conduits to established communications channels with ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶I̶l̶l̶u̶s̶i̶v̶e̶ ̶M̶a̶n̶ Gilgamesh at ̶C̶r̶o̶n̶u̶s̶ ̶S̶t̶a̶t̶i̶o̶n̶ his palace somewhere in the world, or rather in Cerberus' timeline.