He'd asked her to come and study with him. It had seemed innocent enough, so she hadn't thought anything of it. Sometime Natsuki Yukihiro could seem kind of forceful and impatient, and that usually made her kind of nervous… but he was being so polite this time. Since he was being nice, she wanted to help. She wanted to repay someone for realizing they were pushy and trying to make up for it. Besides, he'd said that he'd been struggling in class recently, and when it came to someone like Yukihiro, it took a lot to admit any kind of fault, didn't it?
And so, Saori had agreed to go with him. She was kind of nervous, given she was going home with him, and hoped he didn't expect anything more then a study session. That was all she was planning on doing, after all. He tried to talk to her a lot, but she was unsure of what to say to him. It wasn't that Saori was shy, rather that she hadn't interacted much with Natsuki Yukihiro before that point. He'd eventually apologized, and she felt awkward and started up conversation.
It turned out that the both of them were keeping up with the same manga. It had been something they could talk about on the way to his house. The conversation had gotten a lot more lively by the time they reached his home. Having never seen it before, or talked to Natsuki Yukihiro very much, she was surprised to see what a large house it was. It could even be called a mansion, and she told him as much as they went inside.
He'd said he had to go get something, and vanished from view, upstairs. So Saori had politely waited for him, sitting down calmly and waiting for the boy to finish whatever he was doing.
She didn't remember what happened after that.
Saori simply remembered awakening, suddenly, in a dark, empty basement. In front of her was some sort of strange inscription on the floor, and there, standing over her, was Natsuki Yukihiro. He'd said a lot of things she didn't understand, about summoning something, about needing her blood, about how happy she'd made him and how excited he was. She didn't understand any of it, but she was terrified. She tried to beg him to let her go, but her mouth was gagged.
And then he'd taken out the knife. He'd spent so much time, running it across her skin, only barely avoiding cutting her. She'd cried. She'd tried to beg. But he just said she'd make a lovely corpse. He cut through her clothing, ran the knife across her legs and belly, all with this gleeful, child-like joy.
She had eventually become speechless with terror. Saori had been unable to articulate any words, just watch in fear as the knife ran across her body. It seemed like she'd spent hours lying there, shaking with fear, unable to free herself.
Then, Yukihiro had said it was time, lamenting that he'd wished he had been able to enjoy himself more.
Saori remembered the almost unimaginable agony that had spread through her body, the pain as she felt the knife bite into her stomach over and over, the warm sensation of her blood seeping from her body. The hot, sharp sensation of each stab reverberated through her frame as Yukihiro thanked her for giving her life. She'd sobbed louder then before, her body trembling as she shook with pain. He'd slapped her at one point, told her to stop struggling, because it wouldn't make any difference. The pain of his hand was dwarfed by the pain ripping through her belly.
And, indeed, Yukihiro had plunged his knife into he stomach one last time before cutting downwards. Saori didn't clearly recall, but… he'd cut her open, hadn't he?
The feeling in her body was beginning to fade away. She was capable of perceiving less and less, her vision fading. Slowly, her mind found a sort of sorrowful serenity, as she realized she was going to die.
Saori didn't want to die. She wanted to see her family again. Her friends. She wanted to complete her education and work as a doctor when she became an adult. She didn't understand why Yukihiro had done this. She didn't understand why she had to die.
Her life was ending in despair.
Saori have vaguely perceived something occurring. Lights and sound, Natsuki Yukihiro talking about something, or perhaps reciting something. She was nearly gone by this point, and everything had seemed like some kind of terrible, tragic dream. The faces of her friends and family had cycled in her mind over and over again as she lay dying. Her vision had begun to blur more and more, not merely from the fact that the life was steadily ebbing from her body, but because the room had seemingly become filled with mist.
Was this because of her dying thoughts? She wouldn't live long enough to understand, she supposed, in a sort of morbid acceptance.
The pain in her body had dulled, but the pain of knowing her life was coming to an end was increasing by the second. Would anyone find her body? Would her family know what happened to her? She didn't know, and she'd never find out.
Saori remembered the lights growing brighter and brighter, as she barely managed to hold on. She knew she wouldn't survive, so why was she still trying to keep going? She didn't recall. All that she remembered was the lights suddenly growing their most brilliant, and then she saw… someone else? There was someone else in the room.
It was Caster, though she hadn't known such a thing at the time. She remembered hearing Yukihiro and Caster saying something to one another, but that wasn't all.
She remembered one thing in particular, something that stood out to her in what she thought were her last moments.
Caster had looked at her.
And asked if she could have that corpse.
She never heard Yukihiro's answer.
And yet…
She hadn't died.
When they arrived within the black spot, Caster was careful to ensure that Saori wasn't wounded. And, indeed, she wasn't. While, as a Dead Apostle, her body would be capable of restoring itself rather efficiently, they were up against other Servants. One of them could still easily slay her Master. Ah, she'd been so busy fine-tuning her plan she hadn't even realized that Saori had left… At least, not for a short time.
"… I'm… sorry, Caster…" Saori mumbled, "I wanted to meet everyone again… but when I got there, my throat started to feel so hot… everything smelled so good…"
The girl was sitting on her knees, leaning against the wall as she did. Within their current location, this was the only place that wasn't pitch black.
"It's not as if I don't understand, Master," replied Caster, standing over Saori as she spoke, "But you're not ready to go out like that, yet. Of course, I won't punish you or anything like that~"
She giggled. She had no intention of ever attempting to punish her Master, at least not in this particular fashion. But sometimes it was fun to tease her.
"But it was very dangerous for you, as well," Caster continued, "There's no way the enemy would ignore your presence, now, would they? You need to stay safe until you're ready, and the Holy Grail War has finished."
Saori nodded, slowly, looking away. It was clear she was still upset over what had happened. She'd been friends with one of the enemy Masters, then… that made things somewhat more difficult. Certainly, Caster herself had no qualms about unhesitatingly slaughtering every other participant in the war, but…
Her Master's feelings made some things rather more difficult. Still, she would do what she had to in order to obtain victory. If her Master didn't know, it wouldn't hurt her. Claiming the Grail was for Saori as well as herself, after all.
"You should simply relax, and let me handle everything, Master~" said the small, green-eyed Servant with a smile, "I'll ensure we obtain victory~"
"… You're always so concerned about me, Caster, but I haven't really done anything for you in return…" Saori shifted, averted her eyes as she did.
"… Oh? When I saved you, it was my own decision," replied Caster. The moment she had seen the dying girl, watching her bleed out, her body sliced open to expose her insides, she'd made the decision to revive her. Her disdain for Natsuki Yukihiro was solidified in an instant, when he revealed he was a simple killer who took pleasure in slaughter. Oh, certainly, Caster herself found joy in the pain and death of her enemies, but it was not simply the act of killing, the act of causing pain and suffering. It was the satisfaction of success.
… Perhaps saying she didn't take pleasure in pain was inaccurate, but there was a world of difference between herself and the man-shaped beast that had called itself Natsuki Yukihiro. She had done the planet a favor with her betrayal.
"All you need to do is stay safe, and praise my beauty and my performance as your Servant~ After all, my body is unquestionably, absolutely the picture of seduction, is it not~? So it should be easy to think of compliments~"
Of course, it was a simple duty that her Master had been given! Staying safe, and making it clear how beautiful and seductive Caster herself was. The magus Servant could handle everything else. Her plan was already advancing rapidly, after all…
It wouldn't be much longer until she was ready. She had already set up her workshop on top of one of the potential locations that the Holy Grail could descend. Caster had scouted out one of the other ideal spots, a parking garage, using her Dead prior to Yukihiro's death. She concluded that it was simply too difficult to safely establish her base of operations in such a location, and decided instead to move to the forest.
Specifically, these ruins. Caster wasn't familiar with the ins and outs of Minami City's history, but the burnt out ruins located in the forest were most certainly powerfully magical. The entire forest was, she could detect the activities of countless phantoms and other spiritual entities. No wonder the people of the city believed that it was haunted. They weren't incorrect.
For a necromancer like herself, there was no better place to establish a workshop then a place thriving with ghosts. After all, reanimation of corpses was simply one facet of her abilities. The manipulation of the spirits of the dead, for use as her eyes and ears, was just one of many skills she could utilize in order to secure her victory.
Caster had already encountered Saber and Lancer, and she had observed the other Servants as well. Berserker was hard to miss, after all. They were all powerful opponents, and yet…
Ah, they were all doomed. She had already prepared her perfect workshop, already utilized one of her Noble Phantasms, already found an excellent place to bolster her own capabilities… And she had someone to protect.
"… Um… you keep saying things like that, Caster, but I don't think I'm very good at that sort of thing…" mumbled Saori after a moment, as she looked up at the Servant.
"Worry not~ Your appreciation is all I need," responded Caster, licking her lips. Yes… she had someone to protect now. Yukihiro had been such a fool, but she was glad about that. If had been more intelligent, he would have ensured that poor Saori was dead. Caster wouldn't have been able to preserve her life, even if it was by converting her into a Dead Apostle.
Caster had to work as hard as she could. Her plan had to be perfect. It wasn't merely for herself, but for Saori was well.
She wouldn't fail, for the sake of her Master. That was completely unrelated to the pleasure she would take in crushing every single one of her enemies.
Soon, she would be ready.
When they had met last night, Tsubaki told her everything. About the sudden appearance of Caster, the usage of far more dangerous undead, and the fate of Yumimura Saori. A Dead Apostle? Ai hadn't imagined she would ever encounter such a creature, a vampire of all things. And yet, it was difficult to consider this as nothing more then a creature of the night. After all, she had heard so much from Tsubaki, about how desperately she wanted to save her now… Ai didn't know what to do. She didn't think it was possible to save a dead Apostle, and yet Tsubaki seemed so determined to do so. What was she to do?
On top of that, this seemed to confirm that the black spot was Caster's doing. Not that there was much doubt, not when they knew the nature of all the other Servants. Or at least, how they appeared. The fact was simply that Ai didn't know of any other Servants in the war who would be capable of such a thing, especially given how Tsubaki had described her behavior.
But… did this mean that Yumimura Saori had somehow become Caster's Master, in addition to being a Dead Apostle? What had happened to Natsuki Yukihiro? Could it be that Caster killed her own Master?
"Ojou-sama, aren't you going to eat~?" came the voice of a pouting Marianne, who was currently petting a somewhat flustered Saber's head, "You've just been sitting there with a dazed look on your face~ I know that you must have a lot on your mind, but isn't it important to keep filling your stomach, too? I worked awfully hard…"
"A-ah… yes!"
The thick, fluffy pancakes that Marianne had chosen to make, another more western dish, were delicious as usual. But Ai's mind couldn't help but wander. If Archer was contacting all the Masters, because his Master had been told to send him to do so by the Overseer… that meant that the black spot endangered the Grail War as a whole, and perhaps even the city itself. Was it because it could threaten the secrecy of magecraft, or because it was truly that dangerous?
Either way, it had to be stopped.
The small brunette glanced towards Saber. At the moment, she had already finished her breakfast, and was squirming a little as Marianne petted her head, toying with the errant strands of hair that stuck up in a crescent shape. Charlotte simply watched in silence, standing near the wall.
Part of her wanted to try and talk to Saber, about those feelings. After yesterday, they'd become even stronger… but how would a Heroic Spirit think of hearing such a conversation? How would a Servant feel about hearing such words from her Master? It was too much to bear thinking about, even as she tried to focus on her pancakes more than anything else. It was hard to avoid those thoughts, however, and she found herself continuously glancing towards Saber between bites of her meal. Trying to ignore the quickening of her heartbeat as thoughts of Saber cycled through her mind, Ai instead tried to consider the day ahead.
Based on what Archer had explained, the plan was to have the participants in the Holy Grail War band together in order to mount an attack on the black spot. Given the situation, that meant an attack on Caster. Before she learned about the giant undead, she would have assumed that this would be the end of Caster. No matter how capable she was, the rest of the war's combatants targeting her would be the end of her. However, if she could create such strong undead that Lancer was in genuine danger, that meant that she had likely been holding back before, when Yukihiro was her Master.
As a result, there was no way to be sure just what Caster was capable of. Ai couldn't begin to guess just who Caster was, although all the current clues were beginning to point towards someone from Norse mythology. But even then, that hardly indicated her identity. Even being female didn't help. While it was unlikely many other figures in history were female when they had been recorded as male, the fact that Okita Souji was a girl meant that gender wasn't always the best indication of identity.
It meant it was difficult to plan. What if Caster had some method of countering a large number of enemies that they were currently unaware of? What if she had some as of yet unknown skills that gave her some kind of advantage against one of the other Servants? There were so many variables that were impossible to plan for, and it made Ai worry more and more the more she thought about it. Why was she so concerned when the odds were so clearly in their favor…? Maybe the other Masters and Servants would have suggestions…
Marianne spoke again, her words immediately cutting through Ai's thoughts.
"Fufu, I can see why ojou-sama keeps staring at you, Saber-chan~" said the maid, refusing to stop petting the Servant's head. After a moment, Saber blushed, flustered at the implications of the maid's words.
"I-I… that's simply because you're being strange, Marianne-san!" declared the girl samurai, managing to tug away from the maid, who stepped away with a catlike smile.
Ah… Marianne had noticed? Ai felt the heat spreading through her cheeks with embarrassment. One of her maids had seen the way she was looking at Saber like that… Aaah, she hadn't wanted to let anyone know. It sounded like Saber didn't realize it, though, having assumed it was because Marianne's highly clingy and teasing attitude. She… didn't want Saber to know. She was too afraid to let Saber know.
"Master, it's not as if I find Marianne-san annoying or anything, but… but she's so clingy! I don't need to be touched all the time…" complained the platinum blonde girl. Marianne's catlike smile grew wider.
"Fufufu, I cook for you, don't I~?" she asked, cocking her head to one side as she spoke, "Consider my hands-on time with you as payment for my services, Saber-chan~"
"B-but… I don't think that's…" Saber trailed off, realizing it was rather difficult to argue with the maid.
Ai wasn't sure what to say. She was still flushed with embarrassment at the fact that her look had been noticed, looking squarely down at her lap. She'd commented on Saber's good looks before, but that was hardly the same as something like this. The short girl hadn't minded, really, being heard when she was saying such things, but being seen staring… she simply didn't want Saber to find out.
She wasn't sure if she was thankful or not, however, that her Servant seemed entirely oblivious to her reaction. Maybe she just wasn't used to these kinds of things…?
Finally, Ai managed to speak again.
"M-Marianne-san really doesn't seem t-to know about personal space…" she commented, trying not to show her own embarrassment and instead shift the topic back to the maid, who simply giggled.
"Hmm, but really, I shouldn't be the only one accepting payment…" she said, seemingly ignoring Ai's words. Saber glanced over her shoulder warily, as the white-haired maid backed up towards her twin, taking the identical girl by her shoulders and guiding her towards the Servant.
"A-ah, onee-san…" Charlotte was, for once, showing some level of emotion, quite surprised and a little uncertain when it came to her older sister's actions. But she wasn't exactly resistant, either, as the both of them stopped behind Saber, who gave them a look that seemed to be begging not to be messed with any more.
Of course, this likely encouraged Marianne.
"Go on, Charlotte-chan!" declared the maid, "Pet her on the head! Her hair is so soft, and she's really cute!"
"U-um… but she's a guest…. Onee-san, it feels kind of wrong…" for the moment, Charlotte's more stoic behavior had wavered.
"We've been working hard, haven't we? So it's okay to indulge in Saber-chan's body!" declared Marianne, with an air of triumph.
"P-please don't say it like that, onee-san…"
"Please stop treating me like a pet dog…" protested Saber, clearly picking up on an entirely different part of the conversation then everyone else had.
Ai tried not to think about it too hard, as tempting as it was to let her mind wander. She was still too worried about how Saber would react to knowing how she felt…
Aside from Marianne's attempts to get her flustered sister to pet Saber's head and play with her hair, breakfast went mostly as usual after that point, though Ai barely said anything. It was only when the maids had left the room that the short brunette managed to say anything else.
"So… Saber, er… we should make a plan for today, even before we meet Inoue-san and Lancer…" began Ai, banishing all of her previous thoughts from her mind as she did. Or at least trying to. To be honest, she had no idea where to begin with planning out the attack on the black spot, and believed that there would really be no hope when it came to figuring anything out until all the combatants had arrived, but… Ai wanted to avoid talking about anything else, at the moment.
"You think so? I thought it would be more effective to wait until we at least met the both of them, but… hmm…" Saber looked thoughtful.
"Um… yes, but… um… some kind of vague idea at least, um… of how we'll approach today… since we'll be meeting the other Masters too, um…" Ai stumbled over herself. Aah, she was hoping Saber would forge ahead and start talking about strategies, but maybe they just didn't know enough about the black spot yet…
"Er… well, the best plan would just be to meet up with the other participants in the Holy Grail War, then," Saber replied, "I just don't think it's a good idea to figure out what kind of strategy we'll use before we can talk to them."
"Th-that's… yeah…" Ai replied, trailing off.
"Is something wrong, Master?" asked Saber, cocking her head slightly to one side. Ah… it was obvious she was thinking about something else, wasn't it? Her Servant had finally managed to pick up on her discomfort…
But what could she say? Ai didn't want to say anything that would give away her feelings, not when she had no idea how Saber would respond to them.
"Um… what… what do you think of me, Saber?" she finally blurted out, and immediately wished she hadn't. That was too obvious, wasn't it? Saber would know exactly what she was talking about, there was no way she would possibly miss something as obvious as that, right?
"… What I think of you? Hmmm…" Saber began, apparently doing just that, "… Well, it's like I told you before… you're a Master I'm proud to call my own."
"A-ah…" just hearing her Servant say something like that made Ai's heartbeat quicken.
"… And… I guess since you keep saying all those sorts of things to me, too, er…" the girl samurai paused for a moment, "Well… I guess you're pretty cute, too! Is that the kind of thing you wanted to hear? I don't really understand it, but if it makes you happy…"
Ah… Saber… thought she was cute? Even if it was from a perspective like this, where she didn't really understand how to talk about that sort of thing, she'd said it just like that…
"U-um, um, th-that's… u-um you didn't have to say that s-sort of thing it's okay I… um…" Ai tried to articulate her thoughts.
For a few moments, the platinum blonde girl watched her in silence. As if she was thinking about something, blushing faintly for a moment herself.
But then she spoke.
"I'm sorry for embarrassing you, er… you say that kind of thing about me, so I just thought you liked it," she replied, scratching the back of her head with an awkward chuckle.
"U-um, no, it's fine! I liked it er… thank you…" responded Ai. Ah, she was making a fool of herself, and doing that in front of Saber was unacceptable for many more reasons then the obvious. Not only was she her Servant, but… "Maybe we should just get going and talk to Inoue-san and Lancer soon, eh-heheheh…"
Saber nodded. "That would likely be for the best, to be honest. I don't think we're really accomplishing much planning, here, eh-heh…"
Aaaah, this was all one big screwup, wasn't it? Not as if she should have expected anything else. At least Saber didn't seem to react badly at all… or really figure out what it was Ai was thinking about.
The small brunette took a deep breath. She had to focus on the Grail War, anyway. There was no time to be thinking about her Servant in such a way.
"Um, in… in that case, let's get going…" Ai said, turning to head out the door. Naturally, Saber followed. Unlike the other day, there was no lighthearted chatting. Given that they would likely be facing off against Caster again, and the importance of assembling a plan with the other Masters in order to do this, it was hard to feel so energetic and cheerful. No, the small brunette felt like today was something of a do or die moment, that she had to focus as much as possible. She didn't want to let her Servant down when the time came to attack the black spot, after all.
Not that there was much she could do to help, anyway… given their opponent absolutely was Caster, no matter what Saber said, there was no way that Ai's magecraft would pose a threat to someone like that. Maybe if she managed to take her completely by surprise, as unlikely as that was, she might be able to do something. But the fact was that there was almost no chance of that happening. Ai was hardly a stealthy person.
But she would see what the other Masters would have to say. Provided they chose to show up, at least. It was somewhat risky, exposing yourself like this… If other Masters felt that way, it wasn't as if they couldn't discuss strategy with the other Servants. Though… Ai couldn't help but feel nervous about having any kind of chat with Rider, and she doubted it was even possible to have any kind of conversation with that hulking monster of a Berserker-class Servant. At least it seemed like talking to Archer would be easy…
But first, it was time to meet Tsubaki and Lancer. They had agreed to meet near the café they had first forged their alliance at, so that Tsubaki could update Saber and herself on any new developments with Archer.
Indeed, soon enough, they could see Tsubaki and Lancer. The former was wearing shorts and a white t-shirt, the latter a light blue dress and wide-brimmed straw hat with a ribbon.
"Inoue-san, Lancer," she called to them, as the approached.
Saber was right to business, this time.
"Have you spoken with Archer again?" she asked, almost immediately. Tsubaki nodded.
"He said he'd follow up with us today, that there was one more Master he had to speak to before everyone met," she said. For a few moments she was silent. "… To be honest, I don't want to wait. I know Caster has Saori-san…"
Ai didn't know what to say. She knew that Tsubaki had been friends with Saori… But… would it be any good for her if they tried to attack now, rather then waiting for a more comprehensive strategy? Or… what if it would be more dangerous for the girl if they waited? Would any of the other Masters be willing to spare a Dead Apostle? There wasn't any kind of easy answer for Tsubaki…
"… Master, we must be cautious," Lancer asserted, "There is no way of knowing just how dangerous this black spot is. In fact, we are not currently sure what it is at all."
"I don't know how much I like trusting the other Masters, but I'm sure they'd rather not risk the secrecy of the Holy Grail War and let something like this keep going," added Saber, "Right, Master?"
"A-ah, um…" Ai nodded, weakly, trying to collect herself, "Right!"
"… That's what I'm worried about," said Tsubaki, folding her arms across her chest, averting her eyes, "A Dead Apostle struggling to control herself… they'd think of her as nothing more than a threat, wouldn't they?"
The same thought had occurred to Tsubaki, too… There was no easy solution. How did you save someone who had become a vampire? Ai knew that some of their kind were capable of controlling themselves, but from what she had heard about Saori, that didn't seem to be the case for her. She had nearly bitten Tsubaki… but it was too cruel, far too cruel, to sentence someone like that to death. It hadn't been Saori's fault, had it? But when they had no idea what happened… How did they begin to solve it?
"I don't want some bastard who doesn't care about anything but himself deciding to end her life just because it's convenient," Tsubaki spat, as if the very thought of such a magus filled her with anger. There were far too many magi like that, weren't there… It was how a magus was meant to think. Analytical, logical, cutting themselves off from their emotions and doing whatever it took to advance their craft. In practice, some magi were more dedicated to these ideals then others, but the fact remained that it was possible that one of the other Masters would be such a magus.
"I… I don't think Yumimura-san deserves to die, either, er…" Ai hesitated. What could she really say…? "B-but… she's contracted with Caster, isn't she? Caster called her 'Master'. Before we can even try to help Yumimura-san, we need to defeat her Servant."
It was too confusing, to be honest. Caster had switched Masters, and while it was likely Caster was responsible for Yumimura Saori's current state of vampirism, from what Tsubaki had explained it almost seemed as if Caster was treating her in a tender, protective fashion. Ai just couldn't understand.
"Master, I will do everything I can to aid you in your goals," said Lancer, "If that means devoting myself to the rescue of Yumimura Saori, then I shall dedicate this transient body to that purpose."
"As long as we're allies, I'll help out too!" declared Saber, confidently, "Yumimura-san sounds like she's a victim. I might be a manslayer, but that doesn't mean I can't devote my skills to saving somebody, as well!"
"… Saber said it better then I could…" Ai added. Even if she didn't know how, she would help Tsubaki. Even if they were destined to be enemies in the Holy Grail War once more, that didn't change the fact that Tsubaki had been so kind to her from the moment they met. On top of that, Yumimura Saori hardly deserved to suffer for the fate that had been forced on her. "But I still think we need to wait, we don't know what Caster's done with that black spot."
"… Even Ai-san's being assertive, huh?" commented Tsubaki, with a smile.
"Hawawawa… s-sorry!" cried Ai, waving her hands.
"No. Don't worry about it," responded the black-haired girl, "I understand. We'll save Saori-san even if the other Masters are around. Charging in blindly could be more dangerous to Saori-san then waiting. I'll trust you on this."
Ai let out a sigh of relief. She had been worried that Tsubaki would misunderstand her, but it seemed like her ally had realized that just charging in could be dangerous for Yumimura Saori, too.
"Howdy."
It was at that moment that Archer seemed to appear, seemingly from no-where. Of course, this was something any Servant was capable of performing, a transition to spirit form, but it still succeeded in making Ai jump when she heard the cowboy Servant's voice.
"I hope I didn't interrupt you ladies havin' a conversation," he commented, tipping his hat as he looked around at the others. By his side stood the familiar girl, Marion, silently regarding Saber, Lancer, and the two Masters. How she had managed to get here without being noticed was hard to discern, but as she wasn't human so it wasn't impossible to imagine some possibilities.
Both Saber and Lancer acknowledged Archer's presence, and Tsubaki stepped forward to speak with the gunslinger.
"It's fine, it wasn't important," she said, simply. Ai was concerned that Archer would inform his Master about Saori's nature as a Dead Apostle, and she could assume that Tsubaki was worried about the same thing. Hopefully Archer hadn't heard very much… For that matter, hopefully Marion hadn't been, either. "So, I take it you talked to the other Masters? What are we supposed to do now?"
"Well, the little lady in charge 'a Berserker said she wasn't interested in a ceasefire," replied Archer. She wasn't? Why was that? Any participant in the Holy Grail War should be concerned with the secrecy of the ritual and ensuring no-one took over one of the sites where the Grail could manifest, right?
"But… why?" Ai asked, unable to hold back her confusion.
"Dunno," responded the cowboy Servant, with a shrug, "Somethin' about bein' told to kill all the other Servants, not to ally with anybody. She tried to send Berserker after me, too, so I got outta there pretty fast."
So the Einzbern girl was set on eliminating all the other Servants without even considering a temporary ceasefire for the sake of the War? And yet she had tried to ask for a surrender when they'd first encountered her… It was another case of strange behavior on part of the little girl. Ai just couldn't figure out what was going on with her. Even if she had only interacted with her briefly, she seemed innocent, and yet willing to kill… It was unusual, and Archer's experience made it even moreso.
"… Anything else?" asked Tsubaki, somewhat apprehensive after learning that Berserker's Master refused to participate in a ceasefire.
"Well, obviously Caster's not gonna join," Archer began, "Aside from that, we're gonna be meetin' the other Masters near the forest. I'm sure you can get all of your answers there."
"So we're definitely going to be mounting the attack today?" Saber asked.
"Yeee-up. If all goes well, at least," the Archer-class Servant replied. Everything going well was all that Ai could hope for.
So they really would be mounting the attack today, then? It was kind of what Ai expected, but that didn't help make her any less nervous.
"When are we meeting, then?" questioned Lancer, arms folded.
"As soon as possible, though I reckon we're gonna wait until sunset to start attackin'. Don't wanna draw too much attention to ourselves," Archer stretched as he spoke, rolling his shoulders.
"Won't that alert Caster to our presence?" asked Saber. "If we're amassing right outside of the forest, where her base is, er… she'd notice, right?"
Archer nodded.
"That's right. But my Master thinks we can stop her from tryin' to mount a counterattack simply by bein' there," the cowboy Servant explained, "It'd be pretty hard for a Caster-class Servant to attack a bunch of enemy Servants, so he's thinkin' she'll be more inclined for defense rather than offense."
It wasn't as if it didn't make sense. Directly attacking so many other Servants seemed like a downright suicidal move for Caster, no matter how strong she was. At the same time, it still allowed her to prepare a strong defense, didn't it? Then again, perhaps it was hard to avoid an outcome like that. Any magus would ensure their workshop had some kind of strong defenses, and Ai doubted Caster would be any different. Perhaps mounting an attack from as close to the forest as possible really was the better plan. Still, the more that the small brunette thought about the upcoming fight, the more nervous she became. Would everything work out okay, or would something disastrous happen? There was no way of knowing…
"I am… not certain I agree, Archer," commented Lancer, frowning somewhat as she did, "But I can tell it is far too late to search for a new meeting place. I will accept the hand we have been dealt."
"If we're supposed to be meeting as soon as we can, shouldn't we get going?" Tsubaki asked, turning to leave as she did. "There's no sense wasting any more time."
"Got a point there, ma'am," responded Archer, "Marion can lead the way, I'm not exactly dressed for a stroll."
There was no way anyone would miss a foreigner dressed up like a cowboy walking down the street, so she was hardly surprised when the gunslinging Servant dissipated into golden lights, and the little girl took the lead. She didn't say anything, simply watching as Archer vanished, before quietly gesturing towards the others and heading in the direction of the forest.
"Hmm… so, why is this forest so important, that Caster decided to set up her workshop there?" Saber asked, glancing at the others.
"Um… well, I know it's one of the places the Grail can appear at, but I feel like there might be more to it than that," Ai responded. Did it have something to do with all the phantoms that inhabited the forest?
"The way I see it," began Tsubaki, "Caster is a necromancer, someone with the ability to reanimate and manipulate the dead. The Harazuki Forest is filled with all kinds of spirits, phantoms of the dead and naturally-occurring phenomena. If that's the case, she's probably using those phantoms somehow."
"Ah… so it's not just that she can animate the dead, but she can call ghosts to her side, too?" Saber wondered, "Well… my blade can surely cut even spirits! We're Servants, after all, we're just as much spiritual beings as a ghost is! … Cutting ghosts seems like it would be pretty heroic, too…"
For a brief moment, Ai was taken out of her thoughts by the fact that her Servant was, rather adorably, seriously considering the fact that cutting ghosts sounded like something a hero would do. Wasn't she already a heroic spirit? It was silly to hear her wondering out loud about something like that, and for a few moments that cut the tension. Even Tsubaki, who was laser focused on the battle ahead, and the rescue of Yumimura Saori, couldn't help but chuckle a little.
"Eh?" Saber looked confused, "Was it something I said?"
Ai couldn't resist the urge to giggle, as well, but it was a short-lived period of levity. Even if the behavior of her Servant had caught her attention, it didn't last. There was yet another concern, and that was the fact that Caster could very well be utilizing the phantoms that inhabited Harazuki Forest as part of her defensive force, as well. While she knew, as spiritual beings, Servants were capable of harming such creatures, that still left them as a considerable threat when it came to the Masters.
Additionally, there was a high possibility of Caster being capable of summoning more undead, other creatures aside from giants and human-based undead. Who knew what she was capable of? If only they had been able to think of some possibility when it came to her identity… But it was difficult to discern just who Caster could be.
Such knowledge would have been helpful leading up to the attack on the black spot, but it seemed to be out of reach for the moment.
Maybe one of the other Masters would be able to offer some speculation on the identity of the enemy Servant… aaah, Ai just couldn't relax. Her heart was hammering in her chest as they made their way across town, towards the outskirts of Harazuki Forest.
If only they had been able to discover the nature of the black spot, as well. Was it a bounded field of some sort? One of Caster's Noble Phantasms? Or could it be something else?
The trip to the forest was absolutely nerve-wracking for the short brunette, and the battle had yet to even begin.
They were approaching the forest, by this point. Every once in a while, Marion glanced back at them. It was past midday, by this point, but it would be some time before the sun set. At least from here, Ai didn't spot anyone waiting for them. When were the other Masters going to arrive? This only made her feel more anxious for the coming fight. She felt terribly impatient, and yet she was also dreading the upcoming meeting as well. All of these people were her enemies, after all… Even if they weren't right now, the very nature of the Holy Grail War guaranteed that they would be soon.
As the group came to a halt at the edge of the forest, Archer rematerialized, the golden lights coalescing into the cowboy Servant's form once more.
"My Master should be comin 'round shortly," he said, turning away from the forest to face the others. "The others should be arrivin' soon, too."
From here, it was hard to believe the forest was at all haunted, or that there was anything unusual going on there at all. But as a magus, Ai could practically feel the pressure coming from the treeline. There absolutely was something going on there, even if it was difficult to understand what.
"Even the air feels heavy, here…" commented Tsubaki, as she eyed the Harazuki forest warily.
"There is no denying it, Caster is performing some of her wicked craft in this forest. Of what nature, I cannot be certain," Lancer commented.
"Ahh… well… whatever ghosts or dead she summons, I'll be ready!" declared Saber, folding her arms confidently. Once again, Ai found herself wishing she could share the confidence of her Servant, but at least they would have backup from a larger number of Servants. But they still had to make sure that Yumimura Saori was safe and unnoticed by the other Masters…
It was around that moment that someone else arrived.
He was a tall man, perhaps in his thirties, and foreign. He had dark brown hair and blue eyes, and he was clad in a simple, dark suit with a red tie and white shirt. He had a somewhat refined air about it, and it was hardly difficult to guess he was from the Association itself, rather than a local participant. His features also had a refined look to them, as if he was a mature gentleman.
He nodded his head in acknowledgement of the other present Masters and Servants. Immediately, Archer and Marion stepped to his side, and he gave the both of them a nod as well, reaching out to pat the tiny familiar on her head as he did.
"I am Theomanius Lufpuo Occidens, Magus of the Clock Tower and the Master of Archer," he began, "It's a rare pleasure to meet fellow magi so accomplished that they were selected by the Holy Grail."
He gave each of them a warm smile. Archer looked away, seemingly to hide his expression. Was there something that bothered him?
"It's a shame we must meet as enemies, but perhaps we can take this opportunity to see beyond the war, if only for a short time," he continued.
"So you're the one who gave Archer all of those weird orders?" asked Saber, with a small frown. It was true, the strategies that Archer had been employing so far were undoubtedly unusual, and as stated by the gunslinging Servant it had been his Master's idea. Ai felt certain there was no chance he'd share the logic behind these orders, no matter how friendly he seemed to be.
"Ah, well… I suppose I am," he responded, "Regardless, I come here as an ally, albeit temporarily."
His blue eyes traveled over the group once more.
"Hmm, so, these are the entrants from the Matsushita and the Inoue families… good, good," he commented.
"A-ah? Um… y-you… did you know my parents?" Ai found herself asking. It almost sounded like they had met before… But she didn't recall ever knowing anyone like this.
"Ah? No, I'm afraid not," replied Theomanius. "Rather, when I became a Master in the second Minami Holy Grail War, I made it my business to have some awareness of previous participants in the war. The Matsushita and the Inoue, naturally, were among them."
Wait…
"… If the last Holy Grail War was ten years ago… then…" Ai trailed off. Did that mean… her parents. Her parents had died ten years ago. If her family had participated in the first Minami Holy Grail War, then that meant that it lined up exactly with the time in which they had died. Did that mean they had died as participants in the previous Holy Grail War? She had never known how they had died. Whatever they had been doing, she was kept mostly in the dark.
"Ai-san?" Tsubaki asked, glancing towards the short brunette.
"… It's nothing…" Ai replied. She could feel Saber's eyes on her, and she knew her Servant had realized it wasn't nothing. But she couldn't let herself be distracted by these sorts of things right now… No, if she dwelled on those possibilities, she could very possibly let Saber, Tsubaki, and the others down. She couldn't do that. Not when there was so much at stake, and not when Yumimura Saori's life was on the line.
"I will admit, I am growing quite impatient," Lancer began, glancing towards the forest and folding her arms, "Caster is performing whatever foul craft that she wishes within the forest, and the longer it takes, the more time she has to perform such actions."
"I am too, but I think it's better to make sure we're ready," Saber responded, "Even if getting the chance to fight ghosts does sound pretty amazing…"
At least Saber's surprisingly cheerful attitude about getting to fight ghosts helped cut the tension again, if only for a moment.
"Now now, we've gotta be patient and we've gotta be cautious," Archer said, waving one hand, "No use 'n chargin' in without a plan."
"… I am aware, Archer," said Lancer, her tone somewhat sharp as she spoke, "But I cannot be happy about whatever acts that necromancer is conducting."
"Wasn't sayin' you should be," responded the cowboy Servant, calmly.
"Who said this gathering could begin without its Queen?" interjected another voice, this one instantly recognizable. There, approaching them, was the pink-haired Rider-class Servant, her body still clad in a furred white cloak. Queen Medb had arrived, and accompanying her…
Was that her Master? A tall man in a long jacket, Japanese, and not a foreigner, unlike Theomanius. He was in his late forties, at least, with short black hair. He said nothing, even as he approached. For some reason, he gave off a sort of imposing aura, and Ai felt somewhat anxious when she looked at him.
"It's rude!" insisted the pink-haired Rider, coming to a halt near the group, "Who would ever want to start any kind of meeting without me?"
Saber cast a glare towards her, unable to hide her feelings after that first conflict. Ai couldn't help but be nervous as well.
"Then perhaps you should have arrived earlier, Rider," noted Lancer, giving the other Servant a glare of her own.
"I had other things to do," responded Rider, with a dismissive wave of her hand. Her golden eyes soon fell on Saber. "… Ah, there you are, Saber~"
"I'm not interested!" the girl samurai said almost immediately. It was hard to forget the way in which Medb had behaved after their clash.
"Oh?" Rider tilted her head, "That's fine~ I can fix that~"
The pink-haired Servant licked her lips, narrowing her eyes slightly as she looked Saber up and down.
"Rider," her Master finally spoke, preventing his Servant from attempting to elaborate on how she would 'fix' things. "Now is not the time."
"What? You're no fun," complained Medb, with a pout. "I just have the most boring Master, don't I? Hmph. If anyone wanted to take me away from him…"
It was hard to tell if Rider was joking, though her Master didn't seem to mind.
"Hirata Genjiro, Master of Rider," he introduced himself, with a bow, his voice rather calm and collected, unlike the attitude his Servant had displayed. "I am pleased to make your acquaintances."
"U-um… I'm Matsushita Ai, Master of Saber…" Ai introduced herself, realizing she had failed to do so beforehand. Though it did seem as if Theomanius didn't exactly need the introduction.
"Inoue Tsubaki, Master of Lancer," said Tsubaki, shortly. She didn't exactly look pleased to be in the presence of Rider again, and it wasn't as if Ai didn't share those feelings. Saber and Lancer certainly weren't hiding their animosity. It was hard to forget being attacked in the middle of the street, nearly run over by a chariot.
"And with Theomanius, that means all three Masters of the Knight classes have chosen to make themselves present… good," commented Genjiro, with a nod of his head. "Even without Berserker, it's unlikely Caster will be able to mount an effective defense with that in consideration."
"While I'm confident in our victory, given we are up against a single Servant, I can't say I would have minded the assistance of Berserker," said Theomanius, "To think, the Einzbern had decided to enter this Holy Grail War as well…"
"There's hardly any reason to be here," added Genjiro, "I doubt Caster would be capable of fending off the three Knights."
"That would be so dull!" complained Medb, "This is why you're boring!"
"We don't know what her capabilities are," Theomanius asserted, "In a direct fight, I'm certain she would be unable to emerge victorious, but this is a battle where she has established some sort of bounded field and can use the location to her advantage. Caution is advised when there are so many unknowns."
"I'd be enough, anyway," declared Rider with a wave of her hand, "My Master might be boring, but at least he's a decent sack of meat to use for a mana supply~ There's no way anyone else can win this war, so I don't know why you don't just surrender right now~ Maybe start by bowing down and begging to service me…"
Her golden eyes once again lingered on Saber. Ai shifted nervously. The pink-haired Rider's attitude had been one of her biggest concerns coming here in the first place…
"Such vulgar words have no place here, Rider," said Lancer, with narrowed eyes, "You should be ashamed of yourself for such openly lewd behavior."
"Ashamed? Excuse me? What ever does the Queen have to be ashamed of?" Rider cocked her head to the side, "Can you tell me, Lancer? Mmm, maybe you're just projecting your own self-doubts onto me~ Were you perhaps unable to please the one you loved in life? Are you the one who should be ashamed?"
"You…!" Lancer stepped forward, her cavalry lance materializing in her hand, gripped tightly. Cautiously, glaring at Rider herself, Tsubaki placed a hand on her Servant's shoulder.
"I don't like her either, but we need to stay focused, Lancer," she said, tightening her grip on the knight's shoulder slightly.
"Master…"
"Oh no, what ever shall I do!" cried Medb, in a mocking fashion, "I know we're not here to fight. So all that is just bluster~ but believe me, I look forward to crushing you under my heel. I think you should look forward to it too~"
"Rider, this… this… this isn't the time for that!" Saber declared, narrowing her eyes as she stepped towards Rider as well, "How could you be thinking of that kind of thing right now, when we're about to take on Caster?"
"Fufufu," Medb simply approached Saber, surprising her when she reached up to run a finger across the surprised samurai's collar. Flustered, the silvery-haired girl stepped back and away from the Rider-class Servant, and Ai quickly took to Saber's side in a bid, though she was uncertain of what to say.
"Are you saying you think there is a time for this, Saber~?" Rider said, licking her lips, "Well well~ You're already tempted, then~"
"O-of course not!" snapped Saber, embarrassed. Ai, flustered herself, could tell that Saber's inexperience with such… amorous behavior was causing her to become increasingly nervous. She simply didn't know how to deal with Rider's actions.
"Now now, ladies, I dunno what might be between you," Archer said, approaching the two of them and waving her hands, "But I'm gonna have to agree with Saber here. This just isn't the time."
"Oh, jealous, Archer~?" questioned Medb, cocking her head towards the blonde cowboy as she spoke, "Don't worry, I'm willing to give you plenty of attention, too~"
Rider let out a sigh.
"Ah, if only Berserker wasn't such a raging beast~ Well, I wouldn't mind if he acted that way in bed…"
What kind of conversation was this?! Queen Medb really was the Lady of Many Affairs, wasn't she?!
"Anyway, it's like I said~" continued Medb, "Caster simply wouldn't be able to stand up to me~ There's no way she could counter my capabilities. I don't care what she has set up~"
"… As impatient as I feel at the moment," began Lancer, "Such overconfidence could easily be your downfall, Rider. A hero is brave, but not foolish."
"I'm certainly not a fool," responded Medb, smiling. "From atop my chariot, the dead, even the larger types, would find it difficult to attack me directly~ Whatever that black spot is, I have a way to… crack it!"
She clapped her hands together to punctuate her statement.
For the most part, the four Masters were silent. This was simply because, at least as far as Ai was concerned, it was difficult to get a word in when the conversation was between Servants. These were legends of the past, after all.
When it came to Genjiro, it just seemed like he barely spoke in general.
"I'm a manslayer who fought enemies head on all the time, but it's not like I just blindly charged into battle without a strategy," stated Saber, "No matter how confident I am, having a plan only makes it even more likely that I'll win!"
"What, you think I don't have a plan? I wasn't known as a warrior queen for nothing, you know," responded Rider, raising an eyebrow.
"We don't know what Caster is capable of, or what that black spot is," Saber insisted, "As much as I want to try cutting ghosts right now, we're supposed to be working together!"
"… You want to try cutting ghosts?" asked Rider, tilting her head, "How… cute. What a silly person you are, Saber~ That makes me want you even more."
"Eh? Silly? I…" the girl samurai trailed off, before shaking her head. "It doesn't matter! The point is that we're supposed to be putting the Grail War aside for now and working together, not fighting on our own!"
"I never said I was going to," responded Medb, "But I could. That's all."
Archer sighed heavily, scratching the back of his head. To Ai, it looked like he had just about as much of an idea of how to deal with this situation as she did. Medb seemed to be enjoying teasing Saber, and Lancer to a lesser extent. The only reason that she wasn't going after Archer seemed to be because he wasn't participating in the conversation. On top of that, Medb had made her desires… quite apparent.
Given the legend of the Queen of Connacht, it was hard to say such a thing was surprising.
"So you were attempting to fish for a reaction? Are you so hungry for attention, Rider?" asked Lancer, with a frown. "Such actions are unbecoming of a Heroic Spirit."
"Didn't we have that conversation earlier?" replied Rider, "I have nothing to be ashamed for, and nothing the Queen does can be considered unbecoming, if that's what she wishes."
"Is that what it means to be a ruler to you, Queen of Connacht?" Lancer's tone was sharp, severe. She clearly wasn't pleased with the viewpoints Rider had made obvious that she held, "Someone who can do whatever they please, whenever they want?"
"Quite simply, that's the privilege of royalty," said Medb, "My people would gladly bow down and kiss my feet and throw their lives away for me for whatever purpose I chose. My beauty and grace illuminated their lives, so that was the gift they had in return for their loyalty~"
So Queen Medb was the sort of person who believed her very presence was the reason for her people's happiness? She clearly have no problem utilizing those who lived under her rule as tools.
"Besides, it's not as if I never did anything for them. A ruler controls their lands and keeps the people safe, and in exchange, the people pledge their loyalty, praise them, and throw their lives away for whatever their ruler desires. That is the privilege of one who rules a nation."
"… I was no queen, but I can see there is no way to reconcile our views," Lancer folded her arms, her weapon dissipating into light as she glared at the Queen of Connacht, "To view one's people as tools is absolutely not an acceptable approach for one who seeks to rule."
"Oh? So what do you think? Can you even make a suggestion, as someone who never stood in command of a country?" questioned Medb, a look of amusement on her face.
For a few moments, Lancer was silent.
"… There was a ruler in my time, who sought to unite everyone for their betterment. To light the world with knowledge, and to improve their lives," she started, "That is the kind of person I believe who should be king. What say you, Saber?"
"Ah? Er…" Saber hesitated for a moment, "I guess… I'm… If someone seeks to be a leader of their people, shouldn't the first thing in their mind be making sure their people are safe? Then making their lives better, making sure nothing can threaten them… I guess nothing I said sounds as grand as any of that, but that's what makes sense to me…"
When it came down to it, none of this was anything that Ai was familiar with. She didn't live in a world similar to that of her Servant, nor of Lancer or Rider. It was difficult for her to try and think about what viewpoint she agreed with. But… at the very least, she didn't like the sound of a ruler who believed their people were tools. Ai knew that much, even if she wasn't able to give a perspective on anything else.
"So that's what you think?" mused Rider, "That's fine. I can grind my viewpoint into you bit by bit, until you're happy to be dominated~"
"… I'm not gonna pretend to know anythin' about kings and queens and whatever kinda ruler," interjected Archer, "Not my thing, never was, never will be. The law 'n me just never got along, I guess. But I reckon not a single one of you is gonna to be leanin' one way or another in this argument."
Saber spoke up, next.
"It's not just that," she began, "We're not here to debate amongst one another. That black spot's right over one of the places the Holy Grail can appear, isn't it? But it's not just that. If we ignore it, can't it threaten the city? And the secrecy of the Holy Grail War? That's what's important right now."
She folded her arms.
"We're here to fulfill a duty as allies, right now!" she declared, "I wasn't any kind of king or ruler in life, but I had a job I was dedicated to, and right now, I'm here to fulfill a job too. We'll go back to being enemies after this, but that's not what we are right now!"
Rider giggled.
"Well, it's not like I'm not looking forward to playing with Saber like this, too," she commented, brightly. There really was no way to make her stop, was there?
Theomanius cleared his throat, the first of the four Masters to speak for a long time.
"Assassin's Master will be arriving soon as well. We can start our planning as soon as she does so," he explained.
"Excellent," responded Genjiro, "There's no denying the black spot must be dealt with."
She? So Assassin's Master was a girl, then? By this point, the sun was slowly setting. The location they had chosen to meet at was somewhat more isolated, distant from more public locations, but even with that in mind it was best to wait until sunset before initiating any kind of attack, to avoid as much attention as they possibly could. Of course, it's likely Caster would be expecting that.
"Good. I can't imagine Caster doesn't know we're here," Tsubaki commented, with a sigh, as she glanced towards the Harazuki Forest, "I understand why we're waiting, but the longer we wait, the more time she has to plan."
It was at that moment when Assassin's Master arrived. One of the first things Ai noticed about her was her manner of dress, a fine kimono, patterned with flowers and leaves. The other was her physical appearance. Her eyes were a dark shade of red, with long, silky black hair. Her features were soft, and incredibly beautiful. There was no way the small brunette could consider her to be anything else. She looked, perhaps, to be in her early twenties. In one hand she held a fan, and with a flick of her wrist she revealed a dragon printed on its outer side.
"Shimada Yukiko," she began, "Master of Assassin. My my, what an assortment we have here… my Servant informed me about all of you, but meeting you in person is quite a different experience."
Ai's heartbeat quickened when she saw Assassin, fox mask once again covering her face, emerge from her Master's shadow.
It was hard not to be worried, given their last encounter was an attempt on her life, but at the moment the Servant simply stood behind the kimono-clad woman, completely silent, her expression impossible to read under the mask. The small brunette reassured herself, quickly, that there was no reason for Assassin to attack at the moment, that they were here as a team to defeat Caster, that there was no way that Assassin's Master would be so foolish as to signal her Servant to attempt an Assassination when here were so many other Servants around. It would be difficult to miss, even with so many shadows.
"Don't worry, Master," Saber said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, smiling brightly, "Nothing bad is going to happen!"
Ai could only hope that would be the case.
"Provided that we assemble a suitable strategy, at least," said Assassin's Master, "Speaking of which, let's not delay any longer."
"Agreed. Archer's capabilities are best when he has range on the target, naturally, so I believe it's best that he takes a support position from a distance, attacking from a range to keep pressure on and allow the other Servants to make their advance," said Theomanius.
"There's nothin', alive or dead 'n this case, that I can't shoot," added Archer, "I've got no complaints about taken' up that kinda role. Was gonna be my suggestion anyway."
"In that case, I am capable of taking a direct offensive position. A frontal assault is what I am most suited for," stated Lancer, before pausing and glancing back over at Tsubaki. "Provided my Master does not see any other use for me."
Tsubaki shook her head.
"I don't think there's anything else you'd be better at," she said, placing her hands on her hips, "You can break through almost anything."
"Thank you, Master," replied Lancer, with a small smile, "If I could make a suggestion, I believe Saber and myself are best suited to the main assault."
This time, Ai decided to step up. It's what she had been thinking, as well. Saber's capabilities were in closing the distance between herself and her enemy as quickly as possible and a high damage output at close range. She was deadly in melee, but at range it seemed like she had few options. Which was why her ability to close distance was so important.
"Saber's great at melee, so she can get in close and fast and cut her way through, especially if she's teamed up with Lancer," said Ai. After all, it wasn't as if she had any doubts when it came to her Servant's capabilities, "A frontal assault teamed up with Lancer makes the most sense, to me."
"That's right! Cutting down the enemy at close range, that's what I'm best at!" declared Saber, confidently nodding as she spoke. Yes, having seen them fight together and knowing her own Servant's capabilities, Ai simply couldn't think of a better option when it came to the girl samurai's role in the coming battle.
"Do you really think I'm letting those two take the lead? I'm the one who's meant to be in charge," interjected Rider, brushing her long pink hair back as she spoke, "Naturally, I'll take part in the main assault as well! Not even my boring Master can say no to something like that, I'm perfect for leading the charge~"
"I suppose that was going to be my suggestion," intoned Genjiro, his voice still level and calm, "There's no sense in wasting Rider's capabilities."
"Hm… very well," Shimada Yukiko nodded her head as she spoke, "In that case… Assassin shall move through the shadows in order to reach the black spot, then eliminate any undead Caster attempts to summon from behind."
Unlike the others, Assassin said nothing. She simply remained completely silent. Whatever it was she was thinking, there was no way to tell beyond that mask.
It wasn't exactly the most complex or in-depth plan, but it was one that allowed for all sorts of adjustments. This was ideal, given that they had no idea what Caster's plans were. If something changed rapidly, they could make adjustments in order to compensate for whatever it was that Caster was doing. Sometimes a simple plan was the best kind of plan.
At least, that's what Ai was hoping would be the case. Saber seemed confident, at least…
"I see, that was easier then I had feared," said Theomanius, running a hand through his short hair. It seemed as if each Servant knew exactly what role they would fill best, when it came to the coming fight. Really, that wasn't unexpected. Each of them had a lifetime of experience, and they would naturally all know best what kind of position they would be most suited towards when it came to an assault like this. No matter how much Rider made her nervous, Ai could be certain that she knew what she was doing in battle, at least.
"Saber, Lancer, and Rider will form the main assault," continued the Clock Tower magus, "While Archer provides support from range and Assassin attacks the undead forces from the rear. Once we have reached the black spot, we will attempt to discern its nature before penetrating it and destroying it."
"Oh, are you forgetting someone?" said another voice, in a playful tone. This one was one Ai recognized, and when she turned to face its source… it was the overseer? There stood Estrizia, with a playful smile on her face. Almost immediately, Saber was eyeing her warily, and Lancer appeared to be glaring too… That made their feelings on the overseer abundantly clear, really.
"Oh, don't give me those looks," Estrizia commented, with a wave of her hand.
"O… overseer?" asked Tsubaki, "What are you doing here?"
"Well… I might not be able to fight a Servant myself, but…" the red-eyed nun tilted her head to the side, her smile becoming somewhat more… crooked. "You could say the Dead are something of my specialty."
She shrugged.
"Besides, I enlisted this gentleman," she gestured towards Theomanius, "To have his Servant do my job for me. The least I could do is assist in the cleanup~"
The way she spoke, her expression… it all seemed as if Estrizia was being pleasant and amicable. And yet… something about the way the blonde nun looked, something about her voice… it make Ai feel as if she wasn't here simply out of an obligation to Theomanius. It almost sounded as if the Overseer was excited. As if she felt some kind of glee at the idea of aiding in the slaying of Caster's summoned undead.
"Are you certain? As overseer, your position is quite important to the Grail War. If you were to be injured-" began Theomanius, but Estrizia cut him off with a wave of her hand.
"I have nothing to fear from the dead," she said, simply.
"If she wishes to risk her life, so be it," Genjiro said, simply, seeming to largely pay little attention to the Overseer. Rider, on the other hand, seemed to be quite pleased to see the blonde nun again. Quite pleased, in fact, was an understatement. Given what Ai knew about the two of them, she wasn't even sure if she needed to ask just why that was the case.
"… Very well," said Theomanius, "Then we should waste no further time. Is everyone ready?"
Beside her, Ai noticed the pink cherry blossom petal lights once more, as Okita summoned her katana, kimono, and scarf. In a flash of light, Lancer, too, donned her armor, her cavalry lance gleaming in the sunset.
The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Ai's heartrate was growing faster by the second, as the Servants prepared themselves in turn. They truly had not a clue what they were about to face, but there was no turning back now.
Rider summoned her chariot in a flash of light, climbing aboard it as she did. The two bulls pawed the earth, grunting and bellowing. From here, Ai could see that one of them was still missing a horn from the fight between Saber, Lancer, and Medb. With every second, it felt as if the air itself was about to explode more and more.
Assassin approached the forest, and then paused for a few moments, silent as usual. Archer, too, drew his revolver as he took several steps away from the rest of the group, taking careful aim ahead.
Ai took a deep breath, glancing towards Tsubaki. The tanned girl was also looking quite apprehensive. Though knowing her, the small brunette felt like it was unlikely Tsubaki was feeling anywhere near as nervous as she was.
And, just like that, the Servants were off. They had broken into a sprint into the forest, or rather in Medb's case spurred her bulls onwards. What awaited them within was whatever Caster had prepared to defend herself.
All that Ai could hope for was that they could stop her.
Even if she hadn't known they were there, her bounded field would have alerted her to their presence. But it wasn't as if Caster had been unprepared. Quite the opposite, really. At the moment, Saori was resting, and the dark-haired Servant felt there was no reason to awaken her. She hadn't created this bounded field, done all this work, and then left herself completely unprepared. She was no fool.
In an odd fashion, it almost felt nostalgic, as Caster rose to her feet, leaving her Master's side. Her clothing materialized, green light coalescing to form her golden ornamentation, the bone staff and decoration, her skirt, and her top. She gripped her staff firmly in her hand. She was well-prepared for this moment, indeed.
All around her, in the dark, the shapes of her dead appeared, spreading out from her position in a wave. The skeletal forms of long-dead dragons, frost giants standing tall and strong in spite of being long dead. Caster's smile spread into a into a wide grin. How… perfect. They would have no idea just want kind of force she had risen to meet them. Indeed, there was no question. Caster had no illusions about her own capabilities. No matter how powerful she was as a mage, she absolutely would fall in direct combat with those Servants.
Which was why she had no intention of fighting them all on her own. Her forces could take care of that.
But she was no fool. The dead were hardly guaranteed to claim victory, no matter how numerous and strong they were. After all, Caster was up against heroes. She was well-versed in the power of heroes, the extent to which they could defy fate itself. The nature of heroic spirits was unquestionably the same as those she had battled in life.
She would ensure the outcome would be the same.
Caster began to rise into the air. Yes, once, long ago, when she was still alive, she had faced heroes. And she had destroyed them. Only one had survived, and he had been the cause of her downfall.
She couldn't allow such a thing to happen again. She would never permit another survivor who could end her life.
Caster approached the top of the enormous, black dome. When she came into contact with it, it rippled as she passed through the surface, and into the sunlight.
In life, she had planned carefully in order to destroy the heroes set against her. From the start, she had known exactly what she was dealing with. She had analyzed all of them, knew their capabilities. It was only through the tiniest mistake that one of those 'heroes' had been allowed to escape. It was a mistake she wouldn't be repeating.
Perhaps she had been so caught up in ensuring the death of her half-brother that she had failed to contemplate the fact that she may have missed something. But now there wasn't any time to dwell on past mistakes.
Caster's grin widened.
Now, it was time to spring her trap.