Saber laid there in silence, for several moments. She was nude, her hair undone and lying loose around her head on the pillow. Ai had fallen asleep again, tired from a lack of sleep the previous night. Her entire body… it was hot, trembling, she had barely recovered by this point… everything, all of it, had been entirely new to her. Her Master's fingers… her tongue… neither of them had truly known what they were doing, and yet… her Master… She'd… it was nothing that Saber had been prepared for. It certainly was nothing like swordplay. She was terribly embarrassed, but at the same time… at the same time…
This was really love, wasn't it? That feeling inside of her that she'd never expected to experience before… along with a slew of other new experiences. But even if she was completely embarrassed about it, the girl samurai couldn't deny that… she liked it… doing such things with her Master, with Ai… And the way everything had felt… It was so, so very embarrassing to think about it, but at the same time this feeling in her heart, in her whole body… it was nice to simply lay beside Ai, to feel her Master's body pressed against her own.
Of course, she knew Hijikata had taken many lovers. It was part of his reputation, along with his fearsome behavior and ruthless nature. It wasn't as if she had no knowledge whatsoever of such things, it was impossible not to have some kind of idea of it when Hijikata was around. But she had never once felt such a thing herself. She'd never thought about it, never even had an idea of what it would be like. It was a complete mystery to Okita Souji. But now…
Now she'd experienced first-hand. And it was… it was this warmth, this softness, this… everything was so wonderful. Saber didn't truly know how to describe it. But now she was laying almost entangled with a sleeping Ai… even though it was so late in the morning, by this point, she didn't really want to get up. Not only would it disturb her Master, but it was so nice to simply lie there and not have to think about anything else… even if some of the more embarrassing comments her Master had made while they were… intertwined… were sometimes drifting through Saber's mind. Ah… had she really needed to comment on the way her chest was bigger when she wasn't dressed? Or… those… other things… about other… parts of her body…
But…. Overall… Saber couldn't help but smile to herself, even if her cheeks were flushed bright red. Her Master… her Master really looked cute, sleeping like this, too… Was this really okay, when she had a temporary body like this? It had to be, didn't it, when it was all so wonderful… To the girl samurai's embarrassment, there was a part of her that was hoping Ai would wake up and… want to do more…
Slowly, the platinum blonde girl sat up, carefully avoiding displacing her Master, the sheets falling down to expose her chest. Thinking about the things they had done was making her feel… so… warm again, her heartbeat quickening. Ah, but she didn't want to awaken her Master, in spite of the growing heat… so… she-
Before Saber could think any more on that particular matter, the door suddenly opened.
"Wake up, sleepyhead!" it was Marianne, "You've-"
The maid paused for several moments, her eyes falling upon both nude girls in bed. With a yelp, before she could think, Saber grasped at the sheets and pulled them up to cover herself.
Marianne's lips parted in a catlike smile.
"Mm…?" came Ai's voice, "Saber…"
The diminutive brunette froze when she caught sight of her maid, trying to swiftly vanish beneath the blankets.
"Oh, my my, did I interrupt something? Fufu~" Marianne giggling, placing her right hand near her mouth as she stepped into the room, "You know, I was wondering what was going on~ When Saber-chan disappeared into ojou-sama's room and hadn't come out after so long… But I guess this answers my question~"
"I-I-I…" Saber stammered for a few moments. The last thing she had expected was for someone to walk in on them! Ah, and what she'd been thinking about… she… It was so embarrassing that Saber simply didn't have any words. She couldn't manage even a simple response to the maid, it was just too embarrassing!
"I was wondering how long it would take, to be honest. After all, the feelings were obvious, fufufu~" Marianne said, spreading her arms wide. Ai weakly peaked out from under the blankets, trying to hide everything below her eyes.
"I-it was o-obvious?" the swordswoman asked, quaking as she pulled the blankets up higher. Saber really couldn't handle being seen like this… Especially by Marianne. The maid already seemed to take every opportunity to tease her, and this gave her even more ammunition… And she had no idea how obvious it was, either. Well… maybe she had missed the signs from her Master, but she hadn't even realized the way she felt about Ai was really love, either…
"Well, ojou-sama was pretty blatant about it," explained Marianne, gesturing idly with one hand as she spoke, "And you kept following her around like a lovesick puppy~ Even if you're a Servant, it seemed pretty obvious there was something else going on. It was pretty cute to watch~"
Ah… had she really?! She'd been following Ai in order to ensure she was safe, to protect her from harm and to fulfill her duty. Had it really made it obvious that she was in love? She hadn't even known it herself, at the time, and yet Marianne had figured it out!? Was there more people who had known about her feelings, even when she had no idea?! Had Lancer somehow figured it out? Tsubaki? When they patched things up with their allies, were they going to point out how they totally knew that Ai and Saber were in love with one another?! At this point it was seeming like that was exactly what would happen!
"It's a good thing Charlotte-chan didn't walk in on you, really," continued Marianne, "I don't think she would have been able to handle it~ She's delicate, she might have even fainted~ And to think, if it had been Alys-chan…"
Aaaah… Saber wasn't sure what would have been worse. A maid taunting them upon entering, or a maid fainting. Both were incredibly embarrassing, albeit in completely different ways. At least with the latter, she might not have remembered anything that she saw after having fainted? In this case, though, she was completely certain that Marianne wouldn't let this go. She would have liked a somewhat less abrupt and awkward revelation of the relationship she now had with her Master, rather than having the mischievous maid make her way in so suddenly and proceed to cheerfully tease the both of them relentlessly.
So maybe Charlotte really would have been better. Alys, on the other hand… well, Saber couldn't even imagine it, but she was glad it hadn't occurred.
"But… Ojou-sama, I'm happy that you're feeling better," said Marianne, her tone suddenly more serious, "Not simply after whatever it was that happened yesterday… but all of this… well, I'm certain Saber-chan will make you an incredibly happy girl."
Ah… yes, she… she had to. There was no way Saber could do anything other then do her best to make sure her Master was happy. Ai wasn't only her Master, after all, but she was also the one that Saber loved.
Marianne winked, smiling.
"It looks like she already has, after all~" she added, her tone regaining its playful nature.
Saber buried her face in her hands with embarrassment. But, out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of her Master's smile, under the blankets even as she kept trying to conceal herself from her maid. Ah… she'd given the short brunette that smile, hadn't she? The girl samurai couldn't help but give her own small smile, as well. No matter how embarrassed she was, it was still… it was still something wonderful, and no amount of teasing from Marianne would be capable of distract her from that fact.
"I'll give you two a little more time," continued Marianne, brightly, "But don't forget about breakfast~"
With that, the maid left the room, shutting the door firmly behind her.
Both girls were left alone with one another, once more.
"… Uwaaah, Marianne-san is always so embarrassing," lamented Ai, even as she emerged partially from the blankets, "I wasn't ready for her at all…"
"She s-says a lot of strange things, but… but she seemed glad too, um…" Saber trailed off. As much as she was very flustered over the maid's sudden intrusion… it did make her happy, too, that Marianne was pleased to see them together. The swordswoman wasn't really sure what she was doing, even now, but at the same time it certainly made her happy to know that Marianne approved. Was it like seeking approval from parental figures, or something like that? Saber didn't know for sure. But at the very least she knew that it was a good thing.
Ai nodded, quietly, still smiling slightly.
"… Yes… eh-heheh, I really have a girlfriend now… and she's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen…" the short magus commented, seeming rather giddy. Ah… to think, her Master really did think she was that beautiful… It was still so strange, being praised like this for anything other then her skills as a samurai. Saber blushed more deeply, but even now she couldn't forget what she was here for, nor what she had spoken about the previous night. The euphoria of newfound love wasn't going to drift to the back of her mind any time soon, but at the same time she had consider other matters.
Those, however, could wait until after breakfast.
For some time, it was difficult to actually get out of bed. Being close to one another… both girls were having a hard time resisting the desire to simply lay in each other's arms. But eventually, Saber had forced herself to get up, and the both of them had taken a shower and gotten ready to come downstairs.
Breakfast was wonderful, this time another case of Marianne experimenting with a western dish. It was French toast, a meal that Saber had absolutely no experience with. However, she was absolutely happy to have the chance to try it. Sweet, but also the flavor of eggs, somewhat the bread suffused with these flavors… butter, powdered sugar, and imported maple syrup. It was vastly different then any breakfast that Saber had in life, and it was also incredibly delicious. It was accompanied by crispy bacon, as well…
Saber and Ai ate together, sitting closely beside one another. Was this what love was, when sitting next to someone felt so nice? But that wasn't all that was on Saber's mind…
Lancer, Tsubaki… they had to go and talk to them again. Even if there was that warm feeling inside her, it was a simple fact that they had to try and reconcile with their allies. It might be somewhat painful for Ai, but her Master understood as well. Tsubaki wasn't to blame for what had happened in the previous war, and it wasn't simply guilt that had motivated the tanned girl to befriend her, either. So wasn't it important to talk to her again, to make sure that everything would work out, to make sure that they could still be allies? To make sure that Tsubaki was still Ai's friend? That was important, too, though…
Saber wasn't sure how to bring it up. She felt so happy right now, and it was clear that Ai felt the same way, so she didn't want to ruin the mood, or anything like that. She didn't want to make her Master think of anything that could make her feel less warm and cheerful.
Perhaps this was why she was surprised when Ai brought it up herself.
"… Saber… n-no, Souji… Souji-chan!" she declared, suddenly, "We should go out later and… we need to talk to Inoue-san. I… everything went so wrong the other day, you know… I didn't know how to handle it, learning about all that… but… but what you said earlier…"
Souji-chan? It wasn't enough to distract from the main point of the conversation, but a mixture of feelings suddenly went rushing through Saber's heart as she heard herself referred to in such a manner. It made everything sink in for her even more thoroughly then it already had. But at the same time, there was something incredibly important to be discussed now. There was only one enemy left, before Saber and Lancer would have to face one another. At least, that was how it looked. It didn't appear to the girl samurai that Atlas had summoned their eighth Servant, though she couldn't be entirely certain, either, given they hadn't seen Rani for days. In the end, this meant reforging their alliance with Tsubaki and Lancer would be more symbolic than anything, but that was important as well. After all, Tsubaki was the first person that Ai had spoken to outside of her maids, after coming to live in Minami City. In spite of the deeds of her father, Tsubaki had wanted to be Ai's friend. Even considering the war they were participating in.
And, of course, Saber did desire to have that final duel with Lancer. To end the war on good terms with a worthy opponent whom she did see as a friend, even if they hadn't been as close as either of their Masters were.
But Ai's feelings were far more important.
"I'll be here for you, Master," Saber asserted, smiling with a nod, "Inoue-san never wanted to hurt you. I'm certain that she didn't."
Ai nodded, slowly. Saber knew that this had to be difficult for her. While she couldn't say that she had experienced the deaths of her parents in life, it wasn't dissimilar to something that had occurred between people whom she was very close to. It was difficult to attempt to give advice based on that situation, but that didn't mean that she couldn't try and help, nor that she had no idea how it might feel. She had to do everything she could for her Master.
"I… I know," the short brunette responded, taking a deep breath as she did. "I know she didn't want to hurt me, and I know it wasn't her fault. But the thought of her father being the one to kill my parents… he… he's the one who…"
Saber heard her Master's voice crack, and stepped forward to place her hand on the small girl's shoulder.
"There's no changing that," the silvery-haired swordswoman said, "But Tsubaki wants to be your friend, to be more then what her family's past has given her."
"I know…" replied Ai, taking another deep breath as she tried to stop herself from tearing up once more, "It's difficult… but… but I know. I want to talk to her, I know it wasn't her fault… s-so I need you by my side, Souji-chan."
Being spoken to like that again… but Saber nodded, firmly, smiling at her Master. However, she hesitated slightly before trying to reply. Ah… should she…
She paused for a moment. Then…
"Of… of course, Ai-chan."
Ai's gold eyes widened. Saber could guess she was feeling the same way that she had when being referred to as 'Souji-chan'.
"Ah… Matsushita? Saber?" came Alys's voice, suddenly. The more serious mood was broken in that instant, as both girls turned to face the little girl.
She must have come in suddenly… At least she looked a lot brighter now then she had before, a sign that she was indeed recovering from Berserker's death. It was a relief to know that was the case. The little girl deserved to be happy. As far as Saber recalled, her maids would be arriving at the mansion soon, too…
"Um… Can you tell um… can you tell your maid thank you for the food, it was really good…" she trailed off for a moment, shifting awkwardly. "Um, I didn't get a chance s-so… if you could tell her…"
She mumbled to herself after a few moments. Ai shook her head, trying to compose herself before speaking.
"Of course, Alys-chan," said the short magus, "I'll make sure Marianne-san knows how much you appreciated it, okay?"
The pale little girl's lips curled into a smile, and she nodded before quickly leaving the room. Ah, it was good to see her happy… but there were important matters to attend to. Of course, they would have to find Tsubaki and Lancer before they could try and talk things over, but Saber suspected that the other two girls would likely be looking for Ai and herself as well. After all, with how things had gone when they parted the previous night…
"Do you want to get going, soon, Ma-Ai-chan?" Saber cut herself off at the end. It was going to take a little getting used to, but… if they were going to be together, even if her body was a temporary one… Saber certainly wanted to refer to her Master with just as much love as Ai herself referred to her. She simply couldn't do anything else.
Ai nodded.
"I… I don't want to put it off any longer," she replied, "If I do, I could start thinking about everything again… I don't want to overthink it, I don't want to do anything foolish… I… I want to talk to Inoue-san honestly and openly. That's all."
That's exactly what Saber had hoped to hear. Rising to her feet, she offered her hand to the smaller girl and helped her up, as well.
She wasn't sure how things would go, but she was going to do everything she could in order to be there for her Master. She had to. That was what was most important, right now.
After such a stormy, rainy night, the day was rather bright out. The sun was high in a cloudless sky, light reflecting off of puddles left on the sidewalk. It was an incredibly pleasant day, the temperature neither too warm nor too cool for the time of the year. It was just right.
Which was excellent, even the weather seemed to be working to help keep her Master's spirits up! … That was a bit of a silly way of looking at it, admittedly, but it sort of felt that way to Saber. Besides… Ai deserved it. She absolutely deserved her happiness, didn't she? That was just how things were, at least in Saber's mind. Why wouldn't she wish for the happiness of the girl she loved? … Of course, even that thought, for someone who had never loved anyone in life, still felt somewhat surreal. She hadn't expected to fall in love with her Master, she hadn't known it was even possible… but she was glad that it was.
For now, though… the most important thing was ensuring that Master got a chance to speak with Tsubaki. It was bright and sunny out, so the risk of being attacked was very low. On top of that, she still doubted that Tsubaki and Lancer would be rushing to attack them after what had occurred(though that would make it easier to find them, admittedly) meaning that Archer was their only remaining opponent. The gunslinger from the Age of Outlaws was a fan of ambush tactics, but that didn't mean he would think attempting them in broad daylight was a good idea. Both his Master and himself were far too cautious for that.
Which meant that there was not much to fear in terms of being attacked during the day. Not even when it came to simply moving through populated areas, even more isolated locations likely would be safe simply due to the risk of discovery. The secrecy of the Holy Grail War was paramount, after all. Though… even in a euphoric state like this, Saber couldn't help but wonder about the eighth Servant. By this point, she wasn't sure they had managed to even summon one. She didn't think such a thing was possible, but then again she didn't know much of anything about magecraft. While the girl samurai knew the limit was seven Servants, she didn't know if there was any way to circumvent it. If she had to guess, perhaps the idea was to try and summon a Caster, as Caster was the first Servant to be slain? She had learned marginally more about magecraft as a result of spending time around Ai, but hardly enough to consider her any kind of expert. Still, Saber felt reasonably sure that summoning another Servant shouldn't be possible.
And regardless, the fact was that even if that eighth Servant had been summoned, Rani had stated her intention not to be an enemy. That was strange for Saber, but… she had never felt at any point that the Atlas agent had been lying.
But even if she had been some master of deception, and has also managed to somehow summon another Servant, the fact was that attacking in broad daylight was foolish to an extreme. Even Rider's initial, reckless attack near the opening of the war had been fairly late in the day, and that had still been so blatant it would have easily been discovered if her Master hadn't called her out of it.
Rider's Master…
Saber's silvery-gold eyes narrowed at the thought of that man. What had been his motivation for revealing the fate of Ai's parents? Of course, it was best to know the truth, but if it had come out in a less painful way… well, there was no way of knowing how it may have occurred if the situation had been a different one. But the fact was that it was blatantly obvious that Hirata Genjiro hadn't simply desired to make Ai aware of the truth. But Rider was dead, what did he gain from revealing that information now? He no longer had the means to obtain the Holy Grail, with his Servant having been defeated. Was it out of spite? He hadn't looked particularly angry, however. Hirata Genjiro had seemed quite calm and composed, even at the loss of his chance to claim victory in the Holy Grail War. It didn't make any sense to Saber, no matter how she tried to look at it. What could he have been thinking?
Well, it didn't matter now, in any case. He could no longer participate in the Holy Grail War. No matter how strange and concerning his actions may have been, Saber was certain of that, at the very least. For now, it was time to focus on meeting up with Tsubaki and Lancer again.
It would have been nice to appreciate a walk with the girl she loved… it was like something out of a story! If only there had been cherry blossoms… or… she paused for a moment. Lilies? Since they were both girls, wasn't that the right flower… blushing to herself, Saber shook her head. As nice as walking with Ai was, they did have a purpose here.
It wasn't as if either girl was unaware of the obstacle that was locating Tsubaki herself. They still hadn't met with her at her home. But both of them also suspected that the tanned magus likely wouldn't simply be hanging around her home, as well.
"If I know anything about Inoue-san…" Ai said, "… Which… which I think I know a little, at least… I think she'd probably still be trying to search for clues about Yumimura-san."
Saber nodded. This seemed like the likely case to her, as well. Not only was it something important, but Tsubaki seemed like the type to try and occupy her mind with something else when she was upset. Which made the search for Yumimura Saori a likely option, didn't it? Ai intended to use her familiars again, to have them spread out across town and search for any potential sign of the other girl. It made perfect sense to Saber. Thus far, the familiars had proven themselves adept at locating a great variety of things, from Caster's sigils to other people, which made them an ideal choice in this situation.
They'd find Tsubaki and Lancer in no time.
Right?
The orb of black mud pulsed. Within it, seething red light shimmered and twisted, an indistinct symbol of what was occurring within its darkness. It had gone perfectly. The strongest remaining Servant in the war was taken out with her entrance… How could Avenger be anything but satisfied? Of course, that wasn't the end of it. Far from it. Lancer was in the heart of the ball of dark mud… Lancer was unable to escape, but even if she had the opportunity… would she even desire to, any longer?
Perhaps not. There was no way for Pandora to view the thoughts of others, but she suspected…
Well, it wouldn't be much longer until the result of her handiwork was revealed. For now, the black orb drifting along behind her, there were other matters which Avenger intended to attend to. By herself, she was powerful. Of course, that was the only thing that she could ever be thankful for. The deception of the gods had given her power. It was a cursed and evil power, but it was what she had been given.
It was the only tool she had to take her revenge. And so it was something she felt, in a way, thankful for.
The thought brought a crooked smile to the Servant's face.
It was all so close, now, as well…
At the moment, Avenger had chosen to make her way into the nearby forest. Harazuki, was it called? The orb of blackened mud drifted behind her as she floated between the trees. Her true Master… she was somewhere safe. The remnants of the Atlas facility and proven to a safe location, indeed. The fear that had been in her eyes… And yet, she was an artifice, a creation by others, just as Avenger herself had been. It was strange, in a way. Her Master was a human, and yet not. It was as if the Holy Grail itself had a sense of humor.
It wasn't a very good one, if so. At least as far as Avenger was concerned.
The girl was not to be harmed, however. An artifice manipulated by humans, just as she was one manipulated by the gods… Rani was now in a safe location. Even as the world burned around her, that was where she would remain. It was not simply a show of sympathy, however. Avenger would not allow her master to become an easy target, nor would she allow for her to attempt to end her own life or use her command seals. No matter how Pandora felt about Rani IV, she was well aware that those who created her would have likely desired for her to end such a terrible threat in what ever way she was able, even if it meant killing herself.
That was something Avenger could not allow.
After all, this was the only chance she had been given.
She would take her revenge with darkness and fire.
But she would begin by taking other steps. There were other moves that were necessary, she felt, to achieve the vengeance she sought. That began with claiming Lancer. The strongest remaining Servant… Rider would have been ideal, as well, but she had perished before Avenger could make her first move, rendering it impossible to obtain the Queen of Connacht. Additionally, while she was quite powerful in her own right… there was no way to deny that Medb would have been a far more difficult acquisition to make.
Besides, she had relished in seeing Lancer's expression when she had realized her fate. It was far from disappointing. A follower of god having been abandoned by the power that she once believed in… of course, it was not by her deity's will, but by Avenger's capabilities as a Servant, but that mattered little. What mattered was the result.
Hirata Genjiro had done well to divide the alliance between Saber and Lancer, as well. It had made the knight far easier prey. He was an uncommon man, someone who desired fire for this world just as she did. But, in the end, she knew it was for a reason that differed from her own.
Perhaps he was far more twisted then even herself.
But regardless of his nature, he had already proven himself valuable. When she achieved her revenge, she'd let him burn quickly.
Or maybe not. Whatever his fate was, it would be far less important then what she would do against the gods themselves.
But that would begin… here.
It was the very core of the territory that had once belonged to Caster. Avenger could immediately understand why the first Servant to die had selected this place, for it had been one of the locations in which the Holy Grail could descend. However, by this point, with most of the Servants dead, it would normally have become clear if this was the location the grail had selected. Now, it obviously was not. Perhaps it had been Caster's plan to force the grail to descend in this location, thereby having it appear in the middle of her territory even if all the other Servants were not yet defeated. Pandora did not know, and by this point, she did not truly care.
What she did know, however, was that this location was the home of a high concentration of leylines. That was why it was one of the potential places that the Grail could manifest, after all. That made it ideal for the beginning of the end.
The shades of this land would serve her well. It was nothing like summoning Servants. Pandora's Box wasn't capable of that much, and certainly Avenger herself was not as well. They would only possess a measure of the mind and power of the figures she was invoking. Compared to a Servant, they were trifling shades that would not amount to a serious opponent alone.
But… six of them… when there were only two enemy Servants remaining…
There was nothing, absolutely nothing, that would prevent her from taking her revenge.
This location, too… while she had no way of knowing exactly what had occurred there, there was a pain etched into the land itself. There once stood some sort of building here, out in the middle of the forest, but now all that remained was a long-burned frame. There was the barest outline of the structure remaining, charred wood and scorched stone slowly being reclaimed by time. It must have been at least ten years ago… the previous Holy Grail War… This all made it an excellent place to call her shades. They would be those with some connection to this nation, be it by their own history…
Or perhaps due to being summoned in the previous battle. Indeed, she could even reach out to those who were part of the previous Holy Grail War, for their spirits had become connected to this land as well. She could wield any one of them as her weapons through the power of Pandora's Box. There was no way of calling to a specific spirit, for she did not know who would be captured by her Box. Rather, she would ensnare whatever phantom answered her call… Certainly, this was one of the many reasons she was not capable of summoning a true Heroic Spirit, but a shade of one.
Still…
"Ah… accursed box, the source of all my misery…" Avenger began, raising her hand towards the sky. Pandora's Box swiftly materialized beside her, floating into the air above her. It drifted higher, taking its place in the very center of the ruin… in this moment, it could be called something of a facsimile, a fake Holy Grail taking the position of the thing that this war was being waged for. That was simply what was required to draw those shades to her side. "Will you open for me, once again?"
Slowly, the box began to open. Ah… yes… if not for the fact that opening the box fully would consume such vast amounts of mana that not even Pandora herself would be able to sustain herself for very long, she would simply leave it fully open and allow it to consume the entire world.
Even now, she was certain that if she had left it open, it would devour the entire city… but it would be at the cost of her Master's life, and her own. She could not die before her revenge was complete, and this city simply wasn't enough. No, the death of everyone in this city would never be enough. The gods that wronged her represented this whole world, and as a result it was this whole world that she would consume in darkness.
The box opened, slowly. Rather than swinging open, the patterns on its surface seemed to suddenly twist and converge into a single point, near the center of the box. They twisted inwards, and then spread into a circular, dark purple symbol on the side. It glowed, faintly, resembling something like an eye. Before, she had simply opened a corner, but for the purposes of this ritual she would open the box fully, albeit briefly. That was all that Avenger could sustain, after all.
Her crooked grin once again began to slowly appear on her face.
And then it came. The seething black mud, the foul substance that embodied All the Evils of the World, came pouring from the eye-like pattern as if it was tears. Even in a single instant, the amount that spewed from the box was enormous, a great torrent of black mud that swiftly spread through the ruins. It pooled up to Avenger's ankles, but there was no harm it could do to her any longer, not when she had already experienced this in life first-hand.
That grin grew. Yes… This would be enough.
"Silver and iron to the origin…"
It was a trick, in the end. A ruse used to lure the unsuspecting. They would first have to believe there was a Master to call them, of course, before even a small scrap of them could be captured in darkness. Perhaps the most black-hearted Servants would have answered of their own accord, but there was no reason for Avenger to count on that possibility.
Below her Box, at the center of the stream of mud that had been unleashed, a great circle of magical energy began to form, patterns etching themselves across the huge pool of darkness that had now formed to cover the burned ruins of the mansion.
It was working just as she had expected. While the mud would consume massive amounts of mana if left to pour uninhibited, the box itself could easily sustain not only a Servant, but her six shades as well. No matter how vile a thing it was, it was also a divine construct that produced its own enormous source of energy.
She could feel it. There was a sensation of pulling, as if she was tugging on something. Ripples began to run through the surface of the mud, across the summoning circle that had formed over it. Yes… there were already six Servants that had been drawn here, fooled into believing that this was a proper summoning, by a proper Master. Even if it would not capture them fully, just a small fragment of their mind, their origin as a heroic spirit, would be enough to create a shade…
The air suddenly went completely still around her.
The light from the circle flared brilliantly.
What occurred next was nothing like the proper summoning of a Servant. In more normal circumstances, it was a much more graceful affair, the summoned Heroic Spirit's body materializing from mana and allowing them to interact with the world. But instead, what occurred now was a violation of that ritual.
All across the circle, arms suddenly erupted from the black mud. Slowly, unsteadily, as if struggling against some great weight, figures began to pull themselves from the seething blackness, clawing their way into the light as they were summoned.
Yes… this was just as Pandora had desired.
The shades she had summoned were all drawn from Japan's history, as she had expected. She knew not their names, and unless they had enough of a mind to tell her it would remain that way, but it hardly mattered. In most cases they would lack a true Noble Phantasm anyway, being partially incarnated existences rather than an entire Servant.
A trait each one of the shades shared was something of a shadowy aura around them, darkening their appearance as if they were cloaked in the night itself. Most of them also possessed dull yellow eyes, their hair also having been bleached white. It was much like her own appearance, in that regard.
In regards to the individual Servants she had summoned, the first of their number had been the one who had been the least entrapped in her snare. It was the Caster-class Servant, a beautiful woman with vulpine ears and fine clothing. A kitsune of some nature, Avenger was certain, but a Servant that had quite swiftly realized the reality of the situation and disallowed herself to be entirely summoned. Shadow Caster would lack any real mind of her own, as a result, but she would still possess a measure of the true Servant's personality and nature, and of her capabilities as a Caster. The latter was what Avenger required.
After Caster, Saber had come. He was an older man, clad in a kimono and hakama with the blade of a samurai at his side. Much like Caster, he seemed to have realized that there was something wrong quite swiftly and rejected the summoning process, but as long as Avenger obtained his skill as a swordsman that fact was less than relevant. Even in this near-mindless state, the way the man held himself seemed to indicate he was indeed incredibly skilled, even to one such as Avenger who did not possess much knowledge of swordplay. His entire body seemed like it could spring into action in an instant.
The third was Archer, it seemed. A girl, this one with long, flowing hair and horns atop her head, clad in the armor of a samurai. Perhaps one of the oni kind, at least in some measure? It was quite an excellent summon, as even without the full personality of the heroic spirit the girl would possess the raging nature of an oni, a violent combatant with little knowledge of the word 'surrender'. It was difficult to be dissatisfied with such a shade.
The one who had appeared afterwards was Rider, a samurai in full armor, helmet obscuring their features. They sat astride a massive horse, also darkened by the manner of their summoning, that snorted and pawed at the dark earth. They seemed to wield both a sword and a spear, two of the traditional weapons associated with such warriors. Even if she had known the identity of the Servant, in that armor it was impossible to determine even their sex. But those details were irrelevant, all that Avenger cared for was the Servant's capabilities as a fighter.
After the summoning of the Shadow Rider came Assassin. He almost hadn't seemed to care if it was a fake summoning, it seemed. His appearance was unusual, a wide-brimmed straw hat, fiery red hair(unlike the bleached white of the others) and red eyes, a face cloaked entirely in darkness… How curious. His presence, his manner of bearing, it all seemed to result in something that was entirely geared towards slaughtering humans. Not on the level of herself, perhaps, and certainly not the blackened thing that existed as All the Evils of the World, but unnaturally high for something that originated as a spirit of the Human Order. Not as a serial killer, or as someone who killed as their business, but as someone who had forged himself into a manslayer by thinking himself nothing but one.
And finally… there was Berserker. The nature of the shade she had called as Berserker was a curious one. Had he not cared about the fact that it was a trap? She had incarnated almost the entire spirit with the summoning of Berserker. It wasn't something she had expected. Even the least capable Heroic Spirit would be able to detect the corruption that they were being called into, could they not? So why had he simply ignored it? Short of the ability to use his Noble Phantasms, this was almost a complete Servant… Had he even rejected the summon at all? It was a man, clad in a cloak with more western clothing, with a rifle and a katana at his side. He had a deeply serious look about him, and… similarly to Assassin… his hair remained black, his eyes only showing a hint of yellow now. Not only had he been summoned almost in his entirety, but he had barely been corrupted… it was as if he wanted to be here, no matter what the nature of his summoning was.
Truly, he was someone well-equipped for the class of Berserker. An obsession that made him ignore even the blackness of Pandora's box in order to be summoned… not even the slaughtering Assassin had disregarded the corruption inherent with this manner of summoning.
She had summoned an utterly twisted Servant into the class of Berserker, and that suited her purposes perfectly. There was no denying that.
That crooked grin returned to Pandora's lips, and she couldn't resist licking her lips with excitement as she gazed over the Servants she had summoned. Indeed, even those whom she had just barely captured with her fake grail would still be a threat to the remaining two Servants that had been summoned by the true Grail. Those who had the least of their true personality and nature simply knelt, like the near-mindless Servants they were, while Assassin and Berserker seemed to look about their surroundings for a few moments.
"So, manslayer summoned into place that kills men? Heh, that's kinda perfect for me, right?" commented Assassin, glancing towards his new Master, "I'll slaughter anyone you wish me to, that's the word of the greatest swordsman."
He seemed both confident and willing to kill absolutely anyone whom she asked, which made him perfect. There was no way of knowing how much of that was the corruption, or how much of it was the Servant's original personality, but that mattered little. All she needed was someone willing to kill for her. Be that through total subservience, a limited mind that can only contemplate working in her service, or their own free will, it mattered little. As long as the remaining Servants were no longer even a remotely possible threat, that was all that Avenger would require. It had already become perfect.
But it was the words of Berserker that proved themselves to be far more intriguing.
"As long as I am here… as long as I am here… the Shinsengumi won't end! You've summoned the Shinsengumi to your side, I won't fail you!" he cried, "My class, this place, nothing matters! For I am the Shinsengumi!"
It was difficult to tell if these words were due to his class of Berserker, or the black mud warping his mind even further than Mad Enhancement could. Without intimate knowledge of who he was in life, it was impossible to know which possibility was the truth. But regardless of the reason, a mad warrior convinced that the days of his glory were still present would fight with ferocity fueled by those delusions.
It was perfect.
"You are all here to ensure victory in this Holy Grail War," Pandora said, spreading her arms wide. The black mud had ceased to flow from her box, which shut itself and drifted downwards, to her side. "That is the entire purpose for your existence here. Pillage and slay as you like, I care not for anything but victory."
There was little in the way of response. Most of the Shadow Servants were nearly mindless, after all. There wasn't much they were capable of saying. But there was an affirmation there, that they would heed her words. Both Shadow Assassin and Shadow Berserker bowed their heads in asset, as well. Even if they had most of their minds and egos intact, the fact was that they were bound to her will. Besides, it didn't seem as if they would have rejected it anyway. They were both twisted individuals who would embrace even a warped summoning of this nature in order to exist as Servants.
"And now…"
The black mud cocoon that had formed around Lancer was beginning to crack. Hairline fractures were appearing across its hardened surface, spreading through every inch of the perfect sphere of darkness. The Servant within would soon be free… It was just as she had hoped for. Thus far, everything had gone perfectly according to her plans, with absolutely no deviation. Indeed, the time that the Servant had spent within the sphere of All the Evils of the world would undeniably be enough to achieve the goal she wished for.
Her handiwork would soon reveal herself.
Avenger smiled that crooked smile.
Ai's heart was a swirling vortex of conflicting emotions. On one hand, there was happiness, that she had finally confessed her feelings, that it had gone well, that she had… that she had experienced such love with the girl she had fallen for. That she could walk beside her under the sun. But on the other hand… Inoue Tsubaki. After what had happened, knowing what Tsubaki's father had done, would it really be possible for her to talk to the other girl normally again? Souji thought so… Ai still wished she could be as positive and optimistic as the girl samurai. But at the same time, this was just what she wanted. She wanted to try and talk things over with the tanned magus. She knew that it wasn't Tsubaki's fault. And… deep down, she knew that Tsubaki really had cared for her as a friend, and that it wasn't only because of what her father did. But she didn't know how to speak to her. She didn't know what words she could say. But with Souji by her side, maybe everything would work out. There was a little part of her that thought that something like that really could be the case, that things just might have a chance of working out. It was just a small hint of optimism, but maybe being close to Souji would make it grow. At least, that's what she could hope for, if nothing else.
And sometimes hope was the path to making something real.
For the moment, though, Ai had to admit that it didn't seem like they'd picked the most efficient method for locating Tsubaki and Lancer. While her cat familiars were excellent for finding people, objects, and just about anything else someone might need to search for, they hadn't picked up on any sign of her yet. Was it because she was at home? Ai suddenly felt foolish. Tsubaki was a magus as well, and there hadn't exactly been any reason to remove any defenses she might have had in place around her residence. There could be bounded fields, magecraft that could distort the senses of familiars, or any number of other things in place that could prevent her familiars from readily locating the Inoue residence.
The short brunette had initially believed there was a chance that Tsubaki would immediately be out searching for new clues about Yumimura Saori, even in spite of what had occurred the previous night, but perhaps she was mistaken…
By this point the day had worn on and they simply hadn't located Tsubaki at all. Admittedly, Ai did in fact have a cell phone, but… well, Tsubaki had never brought up her own. Magi weren't exactly known for their affinity with technology, after all, and Ai herself only had one due to her lifestyle prior to coming to Minami. So that didn't exactly help when it came to locating the other magus, either. And even if it had… would she have answered a call?
… That and Ai had barely ever used her cellphone to call anyone. Most of her time with it had been spent playing a variety of phone games. There was a part of her that wondered if she was even prepared to actually talk on a cellphone, given she could not remember a single instance in which she had done so. Perhaps it was for the best that there was no current way to contact Tsubaki via phone, as now Ai was worried she wouldn't be able to get any words out if she did so. But on the other hand, it made locating the other girl very difficult at the moment…
"It's been a while," Ai began with a frown, "I guess It might be, um, too much to expect but… if she was out, I feel like we should have found her by now…"
She trailed off.
"Ma-Ai-chan, just because we haven't found out where she is yet, doesn't mean we won't," responded Souji, giving the other girl a confident smile… just seeing her smile was a little reassuring, for the short brunette. That and the fact that she was being called 'Ai-chan' now by Souji was pretty wonderful… even now she couldn't deny that, no matter what the situation was. "I'm certain that the both of them are just fine. Lancer is pretty strong, after all, and Archer's Master is so cautious I doubt he's made another move already anyway!"
That was something to take some level of solace in, at least. It was unlikely that Lancer would have fallen, given the remaining enemy Servant and his habits. Theomanius was hardly about to go charging in anyway, and fighting Lancer directly seemed like a battle Archer was unlikely to win without sufficient preparation, so Ai doubted that another fight could have taken place after they parted…
Still, it was difficult to dispel all her worries, even if she had managed to shift them to the back of her mind now.
"You're right, Souji-chan…" Ai replied, nodding, "It's hard not to worry, but it wouldn't make sense from the perspective of Archer's Master, too…"
Her Saber-class Servant nodded.
"That being said… if it's this hard for your familiars to find Inoue-san, maybe she's not out of the streets…" she replied, frowning slightly, "And we don't know where her house is… This has gotten pretty complicated now, hasn't it?"
It was already pretty complicated, to be honest. Talking to Tsubaki alone was going to be difficult, let alone finding her again… but she wanted to. She had to figure out what to say, in the end. That was the hardest part.
Unfortunately, it was getting later and later. While Archer wasn't likely to attack without a plan, there was no discounting the possibility of Theomanius having concocted one. Once it got late enough, all bets were off when it came to ensuring that they were not attacked. It was something they had to be aware of… but… they had to speak with Tsubaki and Lancer, as well. No matter how late it got, there was no way that Ai was going to give up.
At this point, they had made their way to the park. Perhaps Tsubaki had gone there, and her familiars had just missed it? It was something she could hope for, at least. This late at night, there was almost no-one there… technically they weren't supposed to be there either, but it had been surprisingly easy to get in… It was funny, largely, in spite of being someone beyond the scope of normal society, Ai had never really contemplated doing such things before. But once she had, it was so easy… They'd gotten into the park with no issue whatsoever.
Then again, there was nothing particularly in need of protection in a park at night. Nothing to be stolen, nothing that could really be defaced… perhaps that was why it had been so easy? Ai had not needed to use any sort of magecraft in order to enter the premises. Neither had Souji needed to do anything to break in. All they'd really had to do was walk right into the park and it had been as easy as that.
It was dark, but not particularly difficult to navigate the park itself at all.
But then…
"… Master, there's something wrong."
Souji hadn't hesitated for even an instant. There was a flurry of pink light, like cherry blossom petals, and the Servant was clad in her kimono, scarf fluttering in the light breeze. Her katana gleamed in the moonlight, like a sliver of silver in the darkness. Something was wrong? For a moment, Ai's heart seemed to freeze.
"So-Saber, what is it? I-is it Archer?" she asked. But the silvery-haired girl shook her head, firmly.
"No, this isn't… there's something terribly wrong with this presence," Saber responded, her silver-gold eyes glancing around the park. While there didn't appear to be anything visible, there was enough foliage to be able to conceal anyone who might have been intending to spring an ambush. "It's… dark, there's something terrible about the presence of this Servant. There's no way this can be Archer."
What did that mean…? Was it the eighth Servant? Was that possible, these were the immediate concerns on her mind. But soon enough her fears were answered by the sight of an arrow hissing through the air. It ignited the night, fire surging around it as it hurtled right towards both Master and Servant!
Saber reacted in the blink of an eye, stepping in front of Ai in an instant, her sword cutting through the night air! The edge of the blade met the head of the arrow, splitting through it immediately, dividing the flaming shaft down the middle and sending both fragments of the arrow hurtling off into the night, embedding themselves some distance behind them in the earth.
A flaming arrow?! But Archer used a revolver… there was no question, any longer. This dark presence was a Servant that had been summoned far more recently…!
Before Ai had much time to contemplate that fact, she suddenly felt herself being lifted off the ground by her Servant, the air whipping past her as a flurry of flaming arrows narrowly missed the both of them. She could see them tearing off into the night, but whatever Servant was attacking them was only just barely missing. The small brunette could feel the heat of each blazing arrow tearing past her… she choked back any fear she was feeling and did her best to focus. The flaming arrows immediately ruled out their only remaining opponent… or even Lancer… not that she thought the knight was responsible in the first place. It had to be whatever Servant was summoned by Atlas, but… who could it be?!
Was it a second Archer, not a Caster like Ai had suspected?
"Master, there's… there's not one Servant!" Saber cried, darting to the side to avoid another arrow, the flaming head burying itself in the earth where she had been mere moments before. "I can feel the presence of at least two others!"
At least two others?! How was this possible!? There were only three Servants, counting Souji herself, that remained in this Holy Grail War. But now they were being ambushed by not one, but three other enemy Servants?!
Another arrow came hurtling towards them, this one aiming to cut them off, just ahead! Even though she was forced to use one hand, Saber rotated her entire body in order to slice it out of the air, cleaving the head and shaft in half just as swiftly as she had the first. But there was no way of telling how long they would be able to keep this up, especially knowing that there were two other enemy Servants in the area in addition to the mysterious Archer.
How that was possible was difficult to understand, but there was little time to try and figure it out!
"S-Souji, what should we d-do?" Ai stammered, trembling against her Servant's body.
"I'm going to get us out of the park!" she said, "If we get out into the open it will be more difficult for us to be targeted or ambushed!"
It was impossible to relax, but at the same time Ai was at least able to take solace in having a clear plan of escape. Saber was right, if they could get out of the park it would be easier for them to evade… And the exit wasn't far! If they could just reach it, the fight would open up almost immediately, and they'd be able to escape the ambush more effectively! As long as they could escape…!
But moments before the reached the exit, Saber suddenly sprang back, silver-gold eyes widening in shock.
"S-Souji?!" Ai exclaimed. Why was Saber backing away from the exit?! Wasn't that their goal in the first place?! Wasn't that their only way out?! So why would she suddenly be retreating back to where they could be attacked again?
It all made sense as soon as the magus got a better look at the park's exit. There was a faint barrier, visible only in the bright moonlight, and only just barely. But it was there. She couldn't determine what the source of the bounded field was, but… She could determine its function. It was a barrier meant to corral Servants, to prevent them from escaping. Did that mean that a trap had been set in the park to catch anyone who might have gone there?! How had she not realized it before?!
"So… so one of our enemies…" Ai murmured, as Saber set her down and turned to face the park once more. The arrows had stopped flying, but that didn't really make Ai feel any better about the situation.
"There's most likely a Caster-class Servant among their number," Saber responded, with a slow nod. How did something like this happen? Not just one additional Servant, but three. Was it even possible for the Holy Grail to be abused in such a fashion, to cause it to summon so many more Servants!? "Before we can escape… I'll have to kill them."
Even considering her Servant's capabilities… against three enemy Servants at once? Could she do it? Suddenly, cold fear gripped Ai's heart. Not the fear of losing her own life, something that she could never rid herself of but had been able to control to some extent by now. No, it was the terror of the idea of seeing the girl she loved die. If Saber fell here… if Okita Souji died in battle… what could she do? Was there anything she could? Just after sharing their love together… If she were to be killed by this ambush… would Ai even want to go on living?
"Ai!"
Saber's voice cut through her thoughts like a knife, as the girl samurai suddenly grasped her by the shoulder and pulled her back. As she stumbled backwards, she caught sight of an almost explosive impact between two blades. The figure that had struck so suddenly, so violently, it wasn't any Servant she recognized. A man in Japanese clothing, but… distorted. There was a darkness about him, and his wild hair was red like fire… his face was cloaked in darkness, and obscured by a wide-brimmed straw hat. All she could see was a glimpse of eyes that looked like flames. What class… who!? He couldn't be a Saber, could he?! But then… if so many enemy Servants had been summoned... when one of them was an Archer as well…
"Four!?" she heard Saber exclaim. There were… four enemy Servants now?! Ai's golden eyes widened in horror. Why were there four!? Did that mean the attacker was Assassin? Did that mean they… they couldn't win?!
After a moment of blade grinding on blade, Saber was able to force her opponent back. The attacking swordsman sprang backwards out of range, and the pale girl raised her katana parallel to her head once more.
"Wait… this… you're not a Servant, are you?!" Saber demanded, eyes drifting from her opponent, to the trees, and back. "This presence… it's not a Servant. It's close, but you're something else, aren't you!?"
"Does it matter what I am?" asked the strange, shadowy figure, cocking his head to one side as he did before raising his blade. While much of his face was shrouded in darkness, Ai was able to get the impression of a grin from the shadows. "Servant or not, I am the greatest swordsman in the world!"
The greatest swordsman in the world? Not a Servant? Ai didn't understand. He wasn't a Servant, but he was something like one? Her mind raced as Souji faced off with the strange shadowy man. Was he some kind of wraith? Or was he something else entirely? Who was he, to call himself the greatest swordsman in the world?! It was difficult to keep these things in mind, however, when not only was Saber engaged in combat before her but there were other Servants just waiting to attack.
Three of them. Or were they not Servants at all, like Souji had said of the swordsman? This was terrifying and strange, Ai had no idea what she could do. She'd never expected to be caught in a situation like this, not when so many of the enemy Servants had been defeated!
Saber's blade clashed against her enemy's, sparks cast into the night air with each blow. For the moment, it seemed like the girl samurai had an edge, but the fact remained that the shadowy man was still holding his own, and that he had allies.
Souji thrust her sword, jabbing it through a brief gap in her opponent's defenses, but he was swift enough to counter, able to divert the blade and attempt his own strike. But Ai's Servant was still faster, forcing him back… only to be met with a flurry of flaming arrows once more as the shadowy swordsman sprang backwards to give his ally room to attack! But that wasn't all. Another figure emerged from the shadows! This one darted towards Saber, even as she backed up at deflected the arrows. A young woman, with the armor of a samurai, horns protruding from her forehead. White hair, red-gold eyes, shadowy flames seeming to pour off of her body…
A red and black katana flashed in her hands, slamming into Saber's own blade as she attempted to block. The impact was many times stronger than the first swordsman's blade, sending the surprised Souji skidding backwards across the concrete and grass, only catching herself when she had been knocked several meters away!
The newcomer straightened, her left hand now gripping a long, smoldering naginata. And a bow on her back… just what class was she?! Was she the one who had been firing the flaming arrows?! Regardless of if they weren't Servants, or whatever it was they were, just looking at this woman made it clear she was incredibly dangerous. And yet… there was something strange. This emptiness about her, that hadn't seemed to be there when it came to the swordsman…
And there were still the other two Servants… Or whatever it was they were.
Even in spite of facing two known opponents and two unknown ones, Saber quickly slid her feet into a ready stance, drawing her blade parallel to her eyes once more. Ai could feel her entire body shaking. Saber was resolute, ready to fight off any opponents they could encounter, but when the odds were like this, when their enemies numbered so many, so many beings that, if they were not Servants, were something similar… could she fight them? Would she be able to win? The fear rose again, the fear for the girl that she loved. She didn't want to see Souji die. The idea of seeing her die was one of the most awful thoughts ever to find its way into the short brunette's mind.
When the swordsman lunged, Saber responded with a parry and a thrust, sparks flying as she forced him back just as swiftly as he had attacked. But before she could press her assault, the samurai woman's naginata swung down immediately, carving a fiery path through the night air before slamming into the path, cratering the concrete and sending fragments into the air, forcing Saber to retreat. The only solace that Ai could take was that the other two Servants had not chosen to attack as well, though the fact that they hadn't was also somewhat worrying. Were they waiting for something…?
Ai shook her head. Rather then worry, she had to think. She had to try and figure out how she could help them escape. If one of the Servants, or… phantoms, or whatever they were, was Caster, and they were the reason that there was a bounded in place keeping them from leaving, that meant that if they were eliminated, or the spell itself was disrupted, they would be able to escape. While her own magecraft wouldn't be able to counter something like that, if she could locate Caster and disrupt them, then maybe… Maybe they could escape.
The samurai woman drew her bow and took aim, as Saber clashed with the swordsman again. Her silver-gold eyes drifted towards the Archer and she narrowed them, forced once again to give up ground in order to evade the flaming arrows that hissed through the air towards her. This wasn't going well… the sooner that Ai could locate and disrupt Caster, the sooner that they could get out of here! If she could trace the bounded field…
And then…
Another figure erupted from the foliage. He was a tall man, a rifle and two katana at his sides. He was also Japanese, making it consistent that all these… phantoms were thus far from the same country, wearing clothing that looked more western in origin then the garments that the other two shades were clad in. He was making a direct path towards Souji, waving one hand to direct the other two enemies away, to clear a path for him.
The Archer woman did so immediately, but the swordsman hesitated and almost seemed to roll his eyes before stepping away.
But when Saber saw him, her silvery-gold eyes widened. Her sword, still gleaming in the moonlight, lowered, as the man came to a halt, drawing one of his own katana.
Shakily, Saber lowered her katana.
"H… Hijikata…-san…?"