Sorry about the delay here; school started, and boy oh boy I wasn't expecting it to be this busy…

The world around it was silent. Lifeless. Even the darkness surrounding it feared its power. Its burning desire. Its seething rage.

It could not understand. It had no physical body, and thus no mind to process information. All it had was a tenuous link to a certain thing – the object it desired without knowing why – and that was its only motivation. It possessed nothing besides that desire, and as such had no interest in anything else.

And yet, it found itself moving. Writhing. Reaching for something that existed beyond the dark confines of this unknown place.

Somewhere close by, were several tiny lights. Insignificant and helpless before the darkness around them, but still glowing nonetheless. They were not the prize it sought; it knew – somehow, it knew – that the lights were seeking the same thing he was.

The 'Holy Grail'.

It understood. Even without a mind of its own, it understood. And that was why, for the first time since it followed that mysterious voice here, it decided to move. To where the Grails were. To where the tiny lights were gathering.

To the place where an oddly familiar presence approached.

"This is pointless, Rin," Archer complained. "At this rate, us being here would be completely pointless."

"Not yet," Rin muttered. "That little brat hasn't jumped in yet, so don't do anything for now."

"From the looks of it, I won't have anything to do soon," Archer sighed. "I can't see Caster anywhere, but as far as the other matchups are concerned, my intervention won't be necessary."

"What do you mean?"

"Rider's hardly putting up a fight," Archer replied, sounding almost disappointed. "Well, with a Master like that, I can't really blame her. Lancer can finish her off without even using his Noble Phantasm."

"What about Saber?" Rin asked. "Didn't you say she was in a tough spot?"

"She's rushing things," Archer almost smirked as he said that. "If she could just calm down and focus, she'll make quick work of Assassin."

"You sure know her well," Rin noted.

"I've seen how she fights," Archer replied, giving his Master a noncommittal shrug. "If she could lose to Assassin in a fair fight, she'd have died to Berserker that night."

"Is that right," Rin said. She had phrased it like a statement, not a question. "I'll take your word for it then."

She was fidgeting – something quite rare for a magus like her – but Archer could not blame her; not only was Illyasviel not here, there was a strange surge of magical energy coming from further inside Ryuudou Temple. It definitely wasn't a Servant, but it definitely wasn't something a normal magus could pull off.

"Archer," Rin said. "Can you see what's happening inside from here?"

"That's the third time you've asked me that, Rin," Archer sighed. "I can't see through solid wood, you know. And for the seventh time, I can't sense or see Berserker anywhere near us either."

"Then just say so," Rin snapped. "Don't give me that smartass remark."

Archer considered replying – likely with a comment that would invoke the wrath of the Red Devil – but instead of dooming himself he looked away.

He considered the situation at hand. He couldn't feel Berserker's presence anywhere, and since there was no way of concealing something that big or a murderous intent so potent, it meant the Mad Servant was simply not here. Despite this being a big battle – which happened to include practically every Servant and that mysterious Illyasviel lookalike – the Master of Berserker had not dispatched her invincible protector.

Was she really intending to sit out on this battle? Was she confident enough of Berserker's abilities that she didn't need to so much as see what the other Servants were capable of? Or was she plotting something in the shadows?

No, it's alright, Archer reasoned. Berserker doesn't have any ranged attacks. If she wants to fight us, she'll need to get close. Even if that giant hunk of muscle can jump, he can't get close enough without me-

The air was still. The blood in his veins turned to ice. His train of thought stopped abruptly at that point, but it did not matter.

He had been focusing on finding Berserker's presence. He had simply taken it for granted that she'd always have him around. He'd forgotten that there was a way for Berserker to be right next to them without warning.

"Rin," he said as calmly as possible. "We need to get out of here, right now."

"Aww… and I only just got here, too."

Before he even had time to register that voice, Archer was in position, stepping between his Master and the unknown assailant while summoning Kanshou and Bakuya to his hands. All the distractions were removed from his mind, replaced by a fierce focus towards the enemy before them.

Even if the enemy was just a little girl, all by herself.

"Hmm, you sure moved fast," Illyasviel said pleasantly. Berserker was nowhere to be seen, but she did not seem to be worried in the least. "And what's with the swords? I thought you were a bowman."

"Being able to adapt to any situation is vital for a Servant," Archer replied. "You didn't bring your giant protector with you this time?"

"I left him at home," Illyasviel said. "I wouldn't be able to get this close if I brought him along, after all."

"And what, you thought you could kill me off sneakily?" Rin asked. "Pretty poor stealth if you announce yourself like that."

"My, my, Rin-san," Illyasviel smirked. "Only weaklings rely on such underhanded means. I just came here so I could beat your Archer without having to face any of his annoying arrows, that's all."

The tiny girl blinked, as though she was confused by what she had just said. Ever since that huge burst of prana started emitting from Ryuudou Temple, she had started feeling strangely dizzy. Now even weird things like adding '-san' to Rin's name were coming out of her mouth.

"And just how do you intend to do that?" Rin challenged, having taken that mistake as an attempt at mockery. Illyasviel might have snuck under Archer's guard (something she'd be sure to make him suffer for later), but without Berserker she was nothing more than a magus, albeit a powerful one. "You really think you can defeat a Servant by yourself?"

"Oh, Rin," Illyasviel sighed. "Even if it's only in name, you are still a Master, so please act like one. Do you really think I'd go through all this-"

She winced. The detail did not escape Archer's eyes, and he was fairly confident he knew why. There was a strange presence lurking within the mountains behind them, and it was possibly stronger than even Berserker. Rin had not said a thing about it, but Illyasviel had reacted to it. If it was something Archer and Illyasviel could sense but not Rin, then it could only be one thing.

A Servant. A Servant-like thing was in the mountains, with an unknown purpose and unknown abilities. He had no idea what on earth that thing was, Archer had half a mind to blow the entire mountain to smithereens after this was over.

"Do you really think I'd go through all this trouble without a way to call my Servant here?" Illyasviel went on, and Archer had to admit she was doing a good job trying to mask her discomfort. "There's a very simple way to do that, you know?"

Rin did not reply, instead casting a brief look a the Command Seals etched onto the back of her hand.

"Well, Master," Archer said under his breath. "Looks like she knows how to use them better than you do, at least."

"Shut up," Rin snapped. "I'll deal with you once we're done with her."

"Now, let's get started," Illyasviel announced, as glowing red marks began appearing on her face. "By my Command Seal, I order you:

"Berserker, come to my side!"

A world covered in white. A canvas unblemished, yet it did not feel clean. Within this place, surely many happy memories were made, but they were simply illusions.

There was no happiness to be found here. There was only pain, regret, sorrow, anger, despair.

The dying trees wear the pristine white shroud, but their garments do nothing for that fact. They're dying. They were born into this cold, desolate land, and here is where they perish. No one misses a tree in a forest, and no one notices when one's life has reached its end there.

Surely, it was the same for her.

"… I see."

She was created – no, born – into this unforgiving world. She was born into this landscape, where the blizzards don't end and the white never fades. The child of white and silver was no different from the rest of the forest – an insignificant life wilting away, unnoticed. No matter how much white she wore, no matter how much the landscape painted her in its image, it did nothing for the hollow, black void inside.

"So you…"

Drops of red dirtied the canvas. Their presence marred the deceptive beauty of the world, but the drops themselves were so pretty. They lost their shimmer easily, but ever so briefly they pulsated with life. They were alive, even in that accursed forest.

"… protected me of your own free will?"

The white refused to fade. The blizzard continued to howl, mocking that tiny child. But in that moment, a silent promise was made, and that one promise changed the world around her.

"Let's go back, Berserker."

"Illya-san!"

Snapping out of her reverie just in time to avoid a barrage of energy beams, Illya dived down and shot up like a rocket. The wings of light and sparkles on her back carried her like a feather, weaving in and out of Caster's attacks with the finesse of a dancer.

"Please focus, Illya-san!" Ruby's voice came from the new wand in her hands. "This form is very dangerous, so we have to end this battle before it does any lasting damage!"

"That is correct, Illya-sama," Sapphire's voice added. "Illya-sama's entire body is being converted into pseudo-magic circuits in order to use this form. Please finish the battle swiftly."

"I know, but-!" Illya began, only to stop and block one of Caster's attacks with one hand. The magic circle that appeared to shield her from the blow was much larger than usual, but summoning it also tore a gasp from her lips. "W-we can't get close enough…!"

In all honesty, it would have been possible had Illya been alone. However, between protecting Miyu and fighting Caster, she also had to protect Kuro and Shirou from Caster's Master. She could not launch a wide-ranged attack, but Caster was free to do whatever she wanted. Even though Illya could tell that she had the advantage in this match-up, she was the one on the defensive.

"We can't fight her in such a confined space," Sapphire reasoned. "We need to move somewhere with more space, Illya-sama."

"Even if you tell me that…!" Illya replied, weaving in and out of the countless beams of light. "How am I supposed to do that in this situation?!"

"Illya-san, you need to stop talking in the middle of an action scene!" Ruby half-scolded. "If you have that much energy to spare, please focus on the battle!"

"Ah, geez!" Illya groaned. "If this place won't do…!"

She raised a hand, and a bright sphere of light appeared in her palm. It expanded without command, swallowing the user and in an instant, the entire room. When the blinding glare finally subsided, they were no longer in the same room as before.

No one had moved so much as an inch. They were still in the exact same place within Ryuudou Temple, except the walls, ceiling and floorboards had all disappeared without a trace, leaving behind only the occupants covered in translucent pink barriers. Even Caster's Master had a barrier, although Caster herself was nowhere to be seen.

"That's slightly better," Illya mumbled. "Everyone's safe, too, so that's good…"

"We could have spared ourselves a lot of trouble if you had done this earlier, Illya-san," Ruby commented. "Then again, this in itself lacks a last-boss kind of tension, so it's boring in a way…"

"Which is it?!" Illya asked. "And don't act so carefree! Caster's not defeated yet-"

The rest of her sentence died in her throat. No one interrupted her, and no magical beam threatened to blow her face off, but Illya still could not finish that thought. It was not difficult to see why, either; for in that moment, the world went silent.

For an instant, time froze. The space they were fighting in had been battered beyond recognition, filled with countless craters caused by dense beams of mana, but even that scene of violence and destruction went dead in that single moment. No one knew why that was – not even Caster – but they all felt it.

"Illya-san?!" Ruby called out, as Illya flew higher into the chilly night sky. "Where're you going?"

"There's something… coming," Illya mumbled, staring into the distance. Even in her current form, which gave her enough power to match a proper Servant in combat, she was trembling. It was an action she could not control, it was something instinctive – it was an emotion engraved into the very genes of every living being.

It was raw, primordial fear.

And there was nothing she could do to stop whatever was causing it.

With a bestial roar that shook the very heavens, the Eighth Class Card erupted from within the mountains, soaring into the boundless black sky.

Hope you took a good look at Fuyuki City, Shirou. It ain't gonna be there anymore.

I apologize for the lack of happenings here. Next chapter has a lot of battles planned though (primarily battles, actually), so look forward to that!