Disclaimer: I don't own any Type-Moon or Nasuverse related stuff.
A/N: Chapter six is here. And we finally draw the first night of the Fourth to a close. Enjoy.
End of the First Night
Waver sank to the ground and pressed his cheek against the asphalt as a few tears of joy leaked from his eyes. His voice came out in a broken whisper.
"I'm alive…! Thank you…! The ground… feels… so… good…"
Looking much more composed and content than its Master, Lancer stepped off Rider's chariot and smiled up at the larger Servant.
"Thank you for the ride, Rider. We both enjoyed it very much." Lancer said, its face fully expressing its enjoyment.
"Think nothing of it. Your Master seemed to enjoy himself more than I thought he would. His screams were full of joy!"
Since he was lying low to the ground and facing away from the two Heroic Spirits, neither of them could see how Waver's eyes narrowed when he heard Rider say that. Those screams had been full of terror and nothing close to joy. He was pretty sure he had blacked out during the times they had rose and descended as they crossed the sky.
Waver's eyes widened when Rider hoisted him by the back of his shirt and placed him back on his feet. The boy's neck cracked when Rider grabbed and turned it so that Waver was facing him. The man was grinning at him with his teeth showing.
"Boy, what's your name?"
"W-Waver Velvet." Waver answered automatically.
"I see. I'm surprised one as young as you decided to take part in the Grail War." Rider said, giving Waver an appraising look. "After seeing Lancer's battle and witnessing the strength of your Servant firsthand… you must be a pretty good magus, no?"
"Ah… I'd like to think so." Waver replied mildly, shocked by what sounded like a compliment. Then he remembered who he was talking to and shook his head vehemently to regain his focus. He jabbed his finger towards Rider's face, who raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Don't think that praising me will make me happy or make me forget you're an enemy Servant. Eventually we'll fight and defeat you!"
Waver faltered when Rider let loose a booming laugh in response to his threat. His face planted itself in the concrete when a strong hand slammed into his back and knocked him over.
"I look forward to it!" Rider grinned excitedly as Waver groaned and picked himself up. The King of Conquerors peered over at Lancer then back to Waver, nodding approvingly. "It is a shame that we cannot be allies, but I feel a battle between the two of us in the future shall be far more rewarding. To determine who is worthy of the Grail… to see who will live and watch this conquest come to a close…"
Rider's laugh echoed in the air once again.
"And to conquer those who will be left standing to fight me! Truly, I hope you and Lancer stay alive until that day comes!"
"Oh? You make it sound as though you've already won the war." Lancer smiled.
"Of course." Rider smirked confidently. He leaned down close to the smaller Servant's face. "After all, when I fight, I always claim victory."
"We'll see." Lancer remarked with good humor. "But I won't let you have the Grail that easily."
"I should hope not. I can't be proud of a conquest without challenge." Rider grinned. His eyes lit up as if he just remembered something. He reached over to his chariot and pulled out a book.
Waver stiffened when the Heroic Spirit turned towards him.
"Boy, can you tell me where Macedonia and Persia are on this map?"
The young magus blinked when Rider dangled the book in front of him, showing him a marked page with a map of the world on it. Waver took in from him and took a moment to look at the cover of the book.
"A world atlas…?" Waver thought. Why would a Heroic Spirit need a…?
Of course. King Iskander was probably curious about where his former kingdom was.
Waver sighed and pointed to the place on the map. "Here."
Rider was silent as he stared at where the boy had pointed before breaking out in another fit of laughter.
"Really? That's all? That's all the land I worked so hard to rule over during my life?" Rider laughed. "It looks so small!"
"It really does." Lancer noted as it looked at the book from over its Master's shoulder. "Hey, Master. Where's Mesopotamia on the map?"
"Over here." Waver said, thoughtlessly moving his finger down on the map.
"Hm. It's actually not very far from where your land once was." Lancer said to Rider.
"So it is. Then where are we now?" Rider asked curiously.
"Japan. It's this country over here." Waver said helpfully, pointing to the other side of Asia.
A realization struck Waver as the two Servants nodded in understanding beside him. He threw the book to the ground and clutched his head angrily as Rider picked it back up and put it away somewhere.
"Why am I being so helpful and polite?" Waver demanded to himself. He rounded on Rider. "Like I said before, you're an enemy Servant! We're both competing for the Holy Grail! Why are we talking so casually like this with you?!"
"You seem the type to worry about the smaller things, aren't you?" Rider mused.
"He really is." Lancer said agreeably.
"Idiot! Don't agree with him!" Waver whined. "This is all wrong! For all we know this could all be a plan to catch us off guard! His Master could be watching us from afar and waiting to strike when we have our backs turned! We should be fighting!"
"If we were going to fight, we would have already done so." Lancer pointed out. "Stop sounding so stupid, Master."
"Stop being so civil with the enemy!"
"Ah, that reminds me." Rider said, brushing off Waver's complaints. Waver gulped when the large Servant leaned down towards him. "Tell me boy, what are your plans for the Holy Grail?"
"Eh…?"
"I'm asking, if you managed to acquire it, how do you intend to use it?"
"W-Why should I tell you?"
"I'm curious as well." Lancer added, making Waver turn towards the Servant in surprise. "You've never told me why you entered the War. The treasure all Servants are summoned to fight for… why does it interest you?"
"W-Well, I haven't really given any thought to a wish… but…" Waver murmured. "The reason I entered this War was to show my peers that I deserve to be treated fairly. I just want those fools at the Clock Tower to respect me as an equal…"
"...That's it?"
The disappointment in Lancer's voice made Waver recoil as if he had been struck.
The forehead flick he received from Rider sent him back to the ground on his back.
"You call those you want to impress fools, so why do you care so much if they respect you or not?" Lancer asked. "You enter this War and summoned me just because you wanted validation from others?"
Waver felt like the ugliest bug in the universe when he saw how Lancer was looking at him.
"It's pitiful, really. It hurts to look at you. I should kill you so I no longer have to."
Waver mouth was agape, more from shock than fear from Lancer's words.
"I agree with Lancer." Rider nodded, his expression severe. "Your views are narrow and pointless. I may have misjudged your worth."
"N-Nobody asked you!" Waver snapped as he quickly got to his feet. "What's wrong with wanting to be treated with respect?"
Waver stiffened when Rider glared at him.
"Those who deserve to be respected do not ask for it. Respect is earned through deeds and actions. Through conquest and proving that you are above others, not just equal to them!"
"Here, here." Lancer said, clapping its hands at Rider's words. The Servant turned towards its Master with a critical eye. "And if you wanted acknowledgement for yourself, why summon me to fight for you? I am the one who fights for us. What reason would anyone have to respect someone who simply watches?"
Waver shrank in on himself. As much as he wanted to tell both Servants they were wrong, Waver couldn't help but see the sense in their words…
"What of you, Lancer?" Rider suddenly asked. "Why do you wish for the Grail?"
"I don't fight for myself, but for my king." Lancer replied simply. "All treasures of the world belong to him. The Holy Grail seems like something of value, so I will acquire it for him. If I find anything else to add to his vast collection during my time in this era, I will do so."
"So loyalty and duty is what drives you to fight in this War?"
"Loyalty and friendship." Lancer rebuffed with a smile. "I hope that the Grail will make a satisfactory gift for my dear friend once this War ends. Though, like everything else, he's probably owned it at some point or another. Most every treasure in the world was taken from his vault, after all. So perhaps it's better to say I am taking back what is rightfully his?"
"I see." Rider nodded. He smiled and mounted his chariot. "I see a goal like that much more favorable than your Master's. I really do hope we get a chance to duel in the future."
"Turning in for the night?" Lancer asked.
"I am. The first day of this War has been exciting and I look forward to what the future holds. After all, how often does one get the chance to fight opponents from across the eras of time? Those acknowledged as Heroic Spirits make for the worthiest of opponents!"
"Do you have the same opinion of Berserker?"
"There are always odd battles out in any conquest. I'll leave the child to you and the other Servants." Rider remarked offhandedly. "Until we meet again, Lancer. Try educating your Master so that he gains a proper set of values and goals in the meantime. He's more worthy than my own Master, but it's wasteful for him to take part in this conquest without a true goal."
Lightning kicked up again as Rider snapped the reins of his chariot and the Gordius Wheel took off. Waver and Lancer watched as Rider disappeared into the night sky.
"What an interesting guy…" Lancer mused as it turned away and started walking down the street.
Waver sighed, pushing the previous exchange to the back of his mind for the moment and followed his Servant back to the Mackenzie house. Even if Rider had insisted on his good intentions as they rode here, Waver hadn't wanted him to know where he and Lancer were staying so they had been dropped off a few blocks away from the house. Waver thought back to Rider, marveling at the Servant's over the top personality and who his Master was. The King of Conquerors… hadn't been anything Waver would have expected from a King.
Waver frowned as he glanced over towards his Servant. Well, if the War had taught him anything so far, it was that Heroic Spirits were anything but that and didn't really care much for manners or showing proper respect towards their Masters.
The young magus perked up as he remembered something from the conversation with Rider.
"Hey, Lancer… did you live in Mesopotamia during your life?"
"I lived in Uruk with my king." Lancer replied without turning around. "But yes, Mesopotamia is where I stayed most of the time during my life."
That information definitely helped Waver immensely. He now knew his Servant's name and where it had lived. That would certainly help narrow down and find legends that corresponded to someone named Enkidu. He'd find time to go to the library again and do a more detailed search.
"And Master?"
Waver perked up.
"I suppose I understand your desire somewhat, but I still think it is a worthless thing."
"W-What do you know about-!"
"Master, you joined the Holy Grail War with such a shallow desire. Do you know what that tells me?" Lancer asked. "It means you don't fully realize the situation you've gotten yourself into. You claim to have joined this War to gain respect, but if that's truly all there is to it I'm worried for you. That battle with Saber and Berserker was nothing compared to what might come. People die in these Wars. Even knowing that, you summoned me. The Holy Grail War… is gaining respect from others really something you are willing to die for?"
Waver's felt his stomach drop at the severity in Lancer's words. He wasn't… there was more to… it…
The boy's mind flashed back to the battle he had witnessed tonight and the powers the Servants demonstrated. Strength far beyond what a normal man could hope to achieve… heroes from ages past brought back to fight in a War of this magnitude…
Oh, God… if this was only the first night, what would the rest of the War be like…?
"Well, you shouldn't worry about that so much right now. You'll have time to reassess your goals once we get back to the Mackenzie house." Lancer smiled. "And as long as I'm here, I won't let my Master die."
Waver glanced towards his Servant. Despite its demeanor and shifting attitude, Waver found himself slightly relieved by his Servant's smiling face. It allowed him to temporarily hold off on realizing the danger Waver had put himself into by participating in the Holy Grail War.
"Whew… that was so much fun, wasn't it Archer?"
"Y-Yeah…"
Archer took a deep, calming breath as he stepped out of the car Kiritsugu had called for them. Rather than having another chauffer drive them to the manor they'd be staying at, Irisviel had taken the wheel like she said she would. Archer hadn't minded letting her drive when she seemed so enthusiastic about it.
It was a mistake he wouldn't repeat.
"Driving on the streets is much different then driving around the courtyards back home." Irisviel smiled as she locked the car doors. "It was so exhilarating! Out of all the toys Kiritsugu's given me this is definitely my favorite!"
"Toy, huh…?" Archer grumbled to himself. It was a miracle they hadn't crashed into anything or driven off the road. The fact that no one else was driving this far out of the city and left the roads clear also helped make sure Archer survived the ride.
A Heroic Spirit dying in a car crash because the driver wouldn't use the brakes. It would have been funny if it had been a Servant other than him…
Archer shook off those thoughts and stared at the large manor that was their base in Fuyuki. It was a building he recognized, but didn't know why.
"Welcome to the Einzbern Manor of Fuyuki City, Archer. I hope you enjoy your stay." Irisviel grinned at him as they approached the door. Archer rolled his eyes while Irisviel opened the large doors for them.
As they stepped into the main hall where all the other halls and pathways connected Archer felt another sense of nostalgia sweep through him as he stared at the large staircase and glanced around the room that looked like something out of a ball. Well, he remembered it being that kind of house.
He was happy to remember he had been here before during the Fifth War. Fighting against a princess and her giant…
Wait… princess and a giant…?
"I'd like to show you around, but it would take all night to show you every room and area of the manor." Irisviel informed him, breaking Archer out of his thoughts as they ascended the staircase together. "Most of them are spare rooms though. You can use one if you need to sleep at all. Really, you can have as many as you'd like, it's not like anyone else will be using them."
"I'm fine. Servants don't need sleep." Archer told her as he watched the woman yawn. "But you do. Why don't you go to bed? It's been a long day."
"I suppose." Irisviel sighed as she yawned again. "But I need to wait up for Kiritsugu and tell him about-"
"Iri."
Archer and Irisviel turned towards Kiritsugu as he appeared from the hallway adjacent to them. The latter of the duo smiled at the man as he approached.
"Kiritsugu."
"Are you alright?" Kiritsugu asked.
"Just sleepy." Irisviel smiled. "I was going to go to bed after I told you what we found out tonight."
Kiritsugu nodded and gestured for the two of them to follow him. They all stepped into a room that had a large table in it that was covered by a large map of Fuyuki City and a few stray papers that were set on opposite ends of the table. Maiya was standing at one end of the table and nodded to the trio as they entered.
"I've marked the locations of the Masters we know and where they're staying at." Kiritsugu said as he gestured to the map. "Kayneth Archibald, Master of Rider is staying at Hyatt Hotel with his fiancé. Waver Velvet is staying with an elderly family whom he's hypnotized into thinking that he's their grandson come to stay over from his trip abroad."
Kiritsugu pointed to pictures of the two Masters that were placed next to their locations. The Magus Killer placed another photo of a man with white hair off to the side of the map.
"We'd already known Kariya Matou was a Master, but we were unaware of what Servant he had summoned up until a few hours ago." Kiritsugu explained. "I had some of my associates monitor the warehouses after we left to see if we could catch sight of Saber's or Berserker's Master. Nobody saw Saber leaving with anyone, but luckily we managed to catch Kariya being carried away by Berserker. The Matou family's Master seems to be of fragile health as evidenced by his Servant's actions. They don't have a base or workshop and have been spotted in various places over the city."
Kiritsugu paused as he came to the last picture, one with a man with an impassive face and wearing the garments of the Holy Church.
"Kirei Kotomine was seen leaving the Tohsaka estate earlier in the night shortly after Assassin had been slain. Assassin was Kirei's Servant as evidence of his seeking safe haven in the church. This means that one Master and Servant pair have been eliminated from the War…"
"You don't sound too happy about it. Or sure that that's all there is to it, in any case." Archer said, catching the skepticism in Kiritsugu's tone.
"Maiya, I want you to keep familiars monitoring the church at all times." Kiritsugu ordered, ignoring Archer much to the Servant's irritation. "If Kirei makes any suspicious moves, I want to know immediately."
"Understood."
"Kotomine Kirei…" Irisviel said softly. "He was the Master you were worried about most…"
Archer's eyebrows rose at that. The great Emiya Kiritsugu, his father, scared of some priest…?
"Tohsaka Tokiomi, a magus who we expected to become a Master but didn't has been in frequent contact with the church and the impartial judge of this War, Kotomine Risei." Kiritsugu said. "I don't trust either of them, and we had information to suggest that Tohsaka was working with Kirei, his apprentice, in order to acquire the Grail and that Risei was also apart of their schemes. Not only that, but I've also received word that another priest from the same sect Risei and Kirei are from has also arrived here in Fuyuki."
A new picture was dropped onto the table depicting an unassuming man with a lean face and white hair.
"Sancraid Phahn. All we know is his name, affiliation, and that he is not a Master in the Holy Grail War." Kiritsugu said. "We lost track of him once he left the church, only a few minutes after Kirei had entered. This man's sudden appearance, along with the other three's actions thus far… even if Assassin's truly gone I don't think they'll remain idle for long."
"You think Assassin might still be alive?" Irisviel asked.
"I inspected the area where the Servant's body had fallen and arrived in time to see its body fade away." Maiya said. "Assassin is dead."
"Is he really…?" Kiritsugu muttered. "Servants of the Assassin class are all about deception and hiding in the shadows. Did Lancer really kill the Servant, or was it set up to appear that way…?"
The prospect of Assassin still breathing was less worrying to Kiritsugu than the fact the Kirei still was. It certainly appeared that Kirei had lost his Servant and dropped out of the War, but was that reality or an illusion to make other Masters drop their guard?
"…It doesn't matter. We'll just have to monitor those men closely from now on." Kiritsugu said more to himself than anyone else. "That's four Servants and Masters we know of… there's been no sightings of Caster or whoever the Master might be while we know of Saber but not his Master…"
"Ah, Kiritsugu, about Saber…"
Kiritsugu turned towards his wife as she spoke up. She had a solemn look on her face.
"I know Saber's identity."
Kiritsugu's eyes widened a fraction.
"…How can you be sure?"
"It was just a hunch at first, but I knew once I felt Avalon react to his presence…" Irisviel said, holding a hand to her chest.
Kiritsugu's eyes widened even more. Even without King Arthur, Avalon could still be used as a Conceptual Weapon to grant its wielder regenerative abilities. Since their Servant hadn't been the King of Knights, Avalon's abilities would be less potent but it would certainly be capable of healing most wounds. It would just run on the user's own prana with a little of Archer's as well through the Master and Servant connection. Kiritsugu was confident that if Iri was inflicted with anything less than a fatal wound, she would be healed up no problem. There was still some worry though, since if their Servant had been King Arthur his very presence would have allowed Avalon to make whoever possessed it near immortal.
But if what Irisviel was saying was true, then that meant…!
"That Saber… he's King Arthur." Irisviel said.
"That's…"
"You might not have heard it from up on your perch, but he called himself the King of Britain when introducing himself to Rider." Archer added. "And Rider also referred to him as the King of Knights."
Kiritsugu didn't respond since his mind quickly processing the new information. Archer frowned at the man. He was still being ignored.
"This is troublesome." Maiya said. "If Saber has the strength you two thought he would if he were to be summoned as King Arthur…"
"He was plenty strong, and I could tell he was holding back." Archer sighed. "I hate to admit it, but if I had been the one fighting Berserker I could probably take about two or three punches before disappearing. Saber stood up to dozens of strikes, even that axe, and was only looked winded from it."
"There's one other piece of information." Irisviel said, giving Archer a curious look. "Archer… I remember back at the pier you told Rider you were a king too…?"
Archer blinked in surprise as Kiritsugu suddenly seemed far too focused on him. The Servant looked between the two for a few seconds before a smirk rose to his face.
"You actually believed that?" Archer smirked at Irisviel. He gestured to his face and the modern clothes he had changed back into. "Do I look like a king to you?"
Kiritsugu sighed in exasperation while Irisviel's face flushed a bit.
"Ah… well, I do admit you don't really seem the type…" Irisviel murmured quietly.
"So you were lying to the other Servants when you told them you were a king?" Kiritsugu said irritably, holding a hand to his forehead. His eyes narrowed at the Servant. "I thought you couldn't remember who you were?"
"I don't." Archer said dryly. A mischievous smile rose onto his face. "But… do the other Servants know that I'm not a king?"
Kiritsugu thought about that for a moment. He suddenly realized that his Servant had done something very cunning and clever, something he could approve of. Perhaps having a Servant with an unknown identity would be an advantage. It meant they might be able to trick their enemies into thinking Archer was someone he wasn't. In this War hiding a Servant's identity was a prime objective, and with this they might be able to catch their enemies off guard. Give them false information and surprise Servants with abilities that contradicted the legend Archer could imitate.
"Of course, you've already showcased you're abilities to most of the other Servants." Kiritsugu pointed out. "They already know your class."
Kiritsugu frowned when Archer smirked at him.
"Ho…? Master, you're underestimating your Servant if you think firing a couple arrows is all I can do." Archer smirked. Kiritsugu's attitude towards him thus far had made him feel slightly vindictive. "Just wait and see for yourself. I've got a couple more tricks up my sleeve. I'll surprise you when you least expect it."
Kiritsugu stared at Archer for a few more moments before turning away, his face going back to that irritating emotionless mask.
"Iri, you should go to bed." Kiritsugu told her as he turned back to the map.
"…Alright." Irisviel nodded, looking like she wanted to say something else but refrained from it. She turned towards their Servant as she reached the door. "Archer?"
"Yes?"
"So you were really just kidding about being a king?"
Archer chuckled. "Afraid so. Disappointed?"
"No." Irisviel smiled. "Like I said, you just don't seem to be the type to be a king. And I mean that in a good way."
"I'm sure." Archer smirked. "Good night."
"Good night." Irisviel turned towards her husband and Maiya. "Good night, Kiritsugu. Maiya-san."
She didn't wait for a response before leaving and closing the door behind her.
"So what else is there to do?" Archer asked as he pushed off the wall he was leaning against. "It's close to midnight. Are you two packing in for the night as well?"
"Maiya, get the equipment ready. We're going out."
Archer's eyebrow twitched. So he was back to being ignored, huh?
Kiritsugu headed for the door with Maiya following behind him. The man stopped in his tracks and glared at the man standing in front of the door.
"Master." Archer said curtly.
"Archer," Kiritsugu began, his tone level. "Move."
Archer leaned forward so that he was face to face with the man.
"Got any plans to share?" Archer asked with a humorless smile. "You're not going to ignore me for the entire war, Master."
Kiritsugu sighed.
Noburu walked through the forest at an easy pace, going over the events of the night in his head. He glanced back behind him and observed the Servant that walked a few paces behind him. Said Servant had fought Lancer with relative ease and faced down the Berserker of the War without any sustainable injuries to show for it. His bruises had already been healed. It was amazing. His daughter had summoned the strongest Servant of all, he was certain of that after watching Saber in action. The King hadn't even used half of his full power!
"Noburu-san?"
The man stopped and turned to give Saber his undivided attention when he was addressed. It was the polite thing to do, and even if Noburu was a ruder man he would have thought to show proper respect to someone who had once been a king.
"Yes, Saber?"
"You were able to watch my battle, correct?"
"That's right."
"If I may ask, how was it you were able to do that?"
Saber understood the era he was in and was aware of the existence of magus and their abilities thanks to the knowledge the Grail had imparted to him. Even so, Noburu's abilities had surprised him. The man had claimed to have seen the whole spectacle despite having been quite a distance away from the battle that had taken place at the warehouses. Saber wanted to know how that was.
Noburu smiled and looked down at his right arm where the Sajyou family crest was placed. If it was visible, it would extend from his wrist just up to right above his elbow. It allowed him to create magic circles with little to no effort whatsoever. The simple ones in any case. They still needed minor sacrifices to work, but Noburu could take care of that with crows or pigeons easily enough.
"It's just a little something I can do. Magic circles are very flexible forms of magic. You'd be surprised what you can do with them." Noburu smiled. "I just made a circle that would allow me to watch the battle from afar as if I was already there."
"That's quite a feat." Saber told him, amazement in his voice. "You must be a strong magus."
"Please, you flatter me too much. It's more the properties of the circles than myself." Noburu said. "Our Formalcraft magic is more or less a shortcut for spells that would normally take much more effort and energy to perform."
It was because Formalcraft was more dependant on mana for magical energy as opposed to od which came from living organisms. It only helped that Fuyuki was a territory with abundant magical energy and had plenty of mana to spare. Not only that, but magic circles would last and could be reused at any time provided they were given the energy to work. It's why in the last week or so before the War had started, Noburu had traveled all throughout Fuyuki and the places surrounding it, setting up small, barely noticeable magic circles that were all connected in a network that would serve as their map for the Holy Grail War. Those circles were what allowed Noburu to extend his vision and senses so he could watch the battle from afar, but it only worked when he was relatively close by. He was only able to use parts of the network when in contact with one circle.
His daughter, who had invented the idea, could utilize the entire network with just one circle.
He was so proud of her.
"Here we are." Noburu smiled as they stepped out of the foliage and into a clearing with a large western-style house in the middle. The place hadn't been used in years and was a little bent out of shape, but a little bit of magecraft had fixed it up enough to make the place livable. And it wasn't like the Edelfelt were in this War to use it so no one would care if the Sajyou family occupied it for a brief time during the duration of the War. Plus, it was in a safe spot hidden away not far from the neutral zone that was the Fuyuki Church. No one would think to look here.
As Saber followed Noburu into the house, his sense immediately picked up on a foreign presence.
"Noburu-san, someone else is here." The Servant cautioned.
Noburu looked surprised for a moment before his face settle into a grimace. He supposed it was partly his own fault since he had neglected to put up any Bounded Field of some sort since their arrival. He could claim that it was a sort of camouflage since without a magical barrier other Masters wouldn't pick up on it and know someone was staying out here, but really it was because he wasn't that skilled at making Bounded Fields.
Though, Noburu felt more annoyed than worried at the prospect of an intruder. He couldn't imagine it was a Servant, and between Saber and his daughter he doubted a burglar would cause them any trouble.
"Can you tell where this person is?" Noburu asked quietly.
"A few rooms down in the west wing." Saber replied.
Noburu blinked. In the kitchen room and dining area?
The man took off with Saber hot on his heels. While the Servant remained on guard, Noburu's face relaxed as he heard Manaka's voice speaking to another whose voice he was both surprised and happy to recognize.
"Don't worry, Saber. This person isn't an enemy." Noburu grinned as he pushed open the doors to the dining room. He spoke loud over his daughter's voice so he could be heard. "Though I would've appreciated it if he had told me he was planning to visit so we could've prepared a warmer welcome!"
Manaka looked towards the door and away from their visitor and smiled at her father. "Tou-san, look who came to visit!"
Sancraid Phahn smiled at the Sajyou family head as he raised a hand in greeting.
"Noburu-san, please excuse the intrusion."
"Sancraid-san." Noburu nodded towards the man. "I'm happy to see a friend, but I'm more curious about why you're here. Do you have business in Japan?"
"Please, Noburu-san. You don't honestly think I'm just here to visit, do you?" Sancraid said. "After all, who was it that told you about the Holy Grail War…?"
Noburu didn't need to answer that. Both men knew very well that Sancraid had been the one who had imparted information on the War to Noburu, and by extent Manaka, and got them interested in the War.
"So does that mean you're…?"
"A Master? No." Sancraid shook his head. "However, that doesn't mean I won't involve myself in the War. I've been looking forward to this day for years and vowed to myself I would participate, even if the Grail didn't choose me."
"Sancraid was letting me read this!" Manaka smiled as she held up a small journal. "You never told me he had family who took part in the Third War, Tou-san!"
Noburu recognized the book. It had been a journal kept by Sancraid's family, once belonging to his aunt to be precise, who had taken part in the previous Holy Grail War. The journal described the war in its entirety with vivid detail, and it was a valued possession of Sancraid's.
"To be honest, I'm a little surprised that Manaka-chan became the Sajyou family Master." Sancraid said. "There's no denying her talent and gifts, but to be selected as a Master at such a young age…"
"I'm just like your aunt Alice in the journal!" Manaka beamed.
"It's true. Even though she was a child Alice became the Master of Assassin in the Third Grail War." Sancraid said as he bowed his head. "It is to my family's great regret she had not survived it. May the Lord bless her soul…"
Saber watched the priest silently from behind Noburu. The man had a strange air about him, something that Saber couldn't place. He wasn't dangerous as far as Saber could tell, but despite his demeanor and polite tone the man just seemed…
"Oh, Saber!"
A smile rose to Saber's face when Manaka, his true Master, jumped out of her chair and skipped over to him.
"Master, I have returned." Saber said, crossing an arm over his breast and giving the girl a small bow.
"I wasn't worried. No other Servant can match you." Manaka smiled.
She had been able to watch everything. Her prince had been glorious…
"So this is your Servant, hm?"
Sancraid gazed at Saber with analytical eyes. Saber nodded to the man in greeting.
"Sancraid-san, yes? I am pleased to meet you." Saber said politely.
"No, no. The pleasure is all mine." Sancraid said with a warm smile. "After all, how many have the chance to meet the man who had once led Britain?"
Saber's eyes widened. "How do you-?!"
"Please, Saber-san. Manaka was quite ebullient when telling me about the Servant she had summoned." Sancraid replied. "And you have nothing to fear from me. I am a close friend of the Sajyou family and would like to offer my assistance in this campaign."
"Would you even be allowed to?" Noburu asked. "If you're here, I assume you're aiding the judge of the War, Kotomine Risei. If he finds out that you're helping us…"
"He won't find out." Sancraid assured. "What kind of man do you take me for, Noburu-san? I would never think to hurt a friend if I can avoid it."
"Well then, forgive me for doubting you." Noburu smiled.
"If I find any information that might be useful to you, I'll let you know." Sancraid promised as he stepped past them. "I'll be leaving for now."
"Are you sure you don't want to stay for the night?"
"A tempting offer, but I shouldn't stay away from the church for too long." Sancraid replied. "And Manaka-chan? Feel free to borrow the journal for now. I'll expect it back when we see each other again, but for now you may find some interesting things regarding the War if you look through it."
Manaka simply smiled as the priest and nodded in thanks.
"Good night then, Sancraid-san."
"Noburu-san." Sancraid bowed as he departed. "Good luck in the War. Oh, and say hello to Ayaka-chan for me."
With that, the priest shut the door and was gone.
Following Sancraid's departure, Noburu decided it was best for the rest of them to turn in for the night. Manaka had accepted and led Saber up to her room where she got ready for bed. The Servant stood by the door as he watched the girl crawl into bed. When he had first been summoned, Saber had been surprised and worried about having a Master so young, but in the few days Saber had gotten to know his small Master he had been shown how capable and talented she was. And while she may have come off as a child due to her appearance and certainly acted the part at times, she was actually quite perceptive and mature.
"Any thoughts on tonight, Saber?" Manaka asked as she rested her head against her pillow and opened the journal Sancraid had lent to her. A candle on her nightstand served as her reading light.
"All Servants except for Caster were present." Saber said. "As for their strengths… each of them seemed very strong."
"But nothing compared to you, hm?"
Saber felt his pride swell a bit at that. His Master had no doubts about his abilities and was already putting her complete faith in him. Saber had hoped for a Master who would trust him, and he had gotten more than that. He would not betray her.
"I could have taken care of them if you wished." Saber pointed out. "If you had let me use my Noble Phantasm I could have-"
"Now, where would be the fun in that?" Manaka giggled. "The Grail War comes only once every sixty years. It's better to let things drag out for a while. Let things get more interesting."
Saber sighed at that. If there was one aspect of his Master he had to criticize it would be her attitude towards the War. She was far too dismissive and careless about the whole situation. He could feel it through their connection that Manaka was gifted with numerous magic circuits and had plenty of prana which would allow him to use his abilities to their fullest extent. If he had been allowed to use Excalibur, he could have finished off Lancer and defeated Berserker. Yet, when Noburu had told Manaka to sit the first night out and allow him to go in her place for reasons of safety and worry as a father, before they had left Manaka had made him swear to follow one order.
No matter what, he wasn't to use his Noble Phantasm this night. Not only that, but to check himself and hold back if he were to engage in battle with another Servant.
Saber had given his word as a knight and had obeyed, but hadn't seen the point. He had even been frustrated by the order, but didn't go against his Master. Wouldn't it be better to take out Servants as soon as they had the opportunity? The sooner they finished the War, the sooner they could get the Grail. He could get his wish… yet Manaka had insisted on limiting him for the sake of prolonging the War.
As Saber thought this over, Manaka spoke up again.
"Besides, if the War was finished in one night that would mean I'd get to spend less time with you." Manaka said. "I want you to stay until I'm satisfied."
Saber gave a defeated sigh at that. His Master was awfully selfish, but when she said it like that he found it hard to refuse her…
"...Well, I'm sure the Servant eliminations will come in time. Though I would like to finish my duel with Lancer…"
"I'm sure you will. But for now, let's just have fun and watch." Manaka grinned as she turned a page of the journal. "If anyone comes after us then you have my permission to eliminate them from the War."
"Yes, Master."
Manaka's mouth turned upwards a bit when she came across a blank page. Well, almost blank. There was one sentence on it that looked like it had been scribbled in recently.
Assassin is still alive. Be careful at night.
-Sancraid
Manaka let out a quiet chuckle.
"Master?"
"It's nothing." Manaka smiled as she closed the book. She set it down on her nightstand as she blew out the candle. "Good night, Saber."
"Good night…"
Manaka smiled to herself as she tucked herself in. It was cute, really. The message. She had already known Assassin was still alive, but it was still cute of Sancraid to scribble that in as if he had been in a hurry to tell her. To make it look like he was someone she could depend on. She almost let out another giggle at that.
Really, to think she would ever truly trust Sancraid. Someone like him could never be trusted. But that's why Manaka liked him so much. It was the little things he did that beguiled his true nature was the reason he was so interesting. Why he was so much fun to be around…
"As police continue their investigations into the recent abductions and murders and attempt to catch the serial killer responsible, we would like to remind you all to stay safe and be careful at night. We now go live to the Fuyuki City bayside warehouse district where a series of explosions seem to have recently occurred some time before…"
Kayneth ignored the newscast for the most part as he took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down after Rider had told him of the events of the night.
"All those Servants in one area…" Kayneth hissed lowly. He turned towards Rider with an annoyed look on his face. "And you didn't eliminate even one?!"
"Even my shortest conquests lasted more than just a day." Rider commented as he bit into a chicken leg. Once he learned Hyatt Hotel's room service number he had abused it as much as he could. A feast was set before him at the dining table where he sat. "Let them enjoy the modern era for the time being. I have given you enough information to work with, no? This was not a night wasted as you say."
Kayneth opened his mouth to retort but bit his tongue as he recalled what had happened last time when he tried to put his foot down. The magus unconsciously rubbed his neck and reigned his temper for the moment.
"…I suppose you're right." Kayneth said even though he didn't feel that way. "We know of the other Servants and some of their abilities so we know who the troublesome ones are. You said Berserker managed to stop one of your attacks, correct?"
"That's right." Rider nodded.
"Then he and his Master should be the first to go." Kayneth said. "If there is a Servant that is strong enough to stop one of your Noble Phantasms he should be taken care of immediately."
"We know of Berserker, but we don't know about his Master. Wouldn't it be better to let one of the other Masters take them out instead?" Sola-Ui asked from where she sat opposite of Rider. She had joined in his feast at his invitation but only out of politeness. All she had in front of her was a small steak and salad. She didn't earn her figure from overindulgence, after all. "Not to doubt Rider's abilities, but I think it would be best to avoid Servants that could give us trouble."
"No offense taken, Sola-san!" Rider grinned. He turned towards his Master. "Leave the child to one of the others as I'd rather not have to deal with his ravings once again. Either Saber or Lancer would be better. Archer as well! All would make fine opponents…"
Kayneth clenched his fists as they rested on the armrests of his chair. His opinions were being brushed aside by his own Servant again! And was it just him, or were Rider and Sola getting along a little TOO well…?
"Ah, we will think of battle later! For now, let us dine on the feast before us!" Rider cheered, enjoying his good mood. "Come Master, and eat with us! Share a drink with me and I may forget your actions of last night's past!"
Kayneth grumbled to himself as his Servant laughed. While he wanted nothing more than to force Rider to try and see reason, he wasn't entirely opposed to a drink at this point…
"I suppose Berserker can be left alone." Kayneth muttered as he sat down. And Sola did have a point about not knowing the Servant's Master. It would be better to go after the Servants who had Masters they knew about. "What of the Masters you saw, Rider? Did you get their names?"
"I only saw Archer and Lancer's Masters." Rider replied. "Archer's Master was a beautiful young woman with silver hair and red eyes, though I'm afraid I didn't catch her name."
Kayneth nodded absently at that. If those two traits were part of her appearance then Archer's Master was probably an Einzbern homunculus. He knew enough about the ancient family to know how they handled the previous Wars, but then there was the fact that he had heard that the Einzbern head had hired the Magus Killer to aid them this time around…
"And then there was the Lancer's Master." Rider went on. "An interesting lad. Young too, but not quite as ambitious as I hoped."
"And who is this boy that caught your attention?" Kayneth sighed.
"He introduced himself as Waver Velvet." Rider announced with a broad smile. "I'm hoping this War teaches him a thing or two about the pleasures of conquest. It will help him grow and earn him a proper set of goals!"
"Really now…"
Rider blinked when his Master let out an amused chuckle. Had he said something humorous…?
"Waver Velvet…" Kayneth muttered quietly, smirking in bemusement as he poured himself some wine.
That child had actually been chosen by the Grail to fight in this War? If Rider was to be believed, Waver was the Master of Lancer in this War. Such a foolish child. What had he hoped to gain by participating? Surely he didn't think he could win, did he? Was this an effort to validate his foolish theory he had presented in that ridiculous essay of his? Kayneth chuckled again as he took a sip from his glass. Waver's participation was of little consequence. He'd have to properly educate him about the War and how Masters were dealt with once they were defeated by their betters.
Yes… Berserker could be left alone for now. Reminding his foolish student of his proper place was a higher priority. After all, it was his duty as the boy's teacher to teach him that lesson personally.
Archer sighed as he stood atop the tallest building in the city. From above his sight could reach every point in the city below, and by extension, so could his attacks. It was the perfect vantage point that would turn Shinto into his shooting range.
The red knight thought back to his Master and the debate they had barely an hour ago. It had been an argument about Kiritsugu's plans regarding who had been their former first target. Archer had been fed up with being left out and ignored by Kiritsugu and had demanded to know where he and Maiya were planning to go in the middle of the night.
Apparently their plan had been to attack Kayneth at his hotel and attempt to knock him out of the War. Archer had immediately dissuaded them from doing so, referring to the powerful Servant the magus had managed to summon and what would happen if they survived and got on Rider's bad side. Archer would rather have gone toe to toe with Saber or try to arm wrestle Berserker than fight Rider this early on. He probably wouldn't have been able to convince Kiritsugu to hold off on his plans if the man hadn't already had his own doubts on the matter. As dangerous a Master as Kayneth might be, provoking a Servant as powerful as Rider who had barely shown any of his abilities thus far was something both Master and Servant had agreed that would best be avoided for now.
Still, when he had heard of Kiritsugu's plan to detonate a bomb to level a building full of innocent civilians, Archer had been surprised. Kiritsugu had mentioned that they would've made sure everyone was evacuated beforehand, but to go to such extremes just to take out the Master was…
...Was exactly what Archer himself would have done.
Accomplish the objective regardless of who got involved.
"…Feh. Why does this bother me so much…?" Archer grumbled to himself.
During his life he had already been shown what kind of man was forged from the ideals he and Kiritsugu shared. Because of that, he could see why Kiritsugu acted the way he did. For some reason he couldn't stand that. Was it a result of disillusionment towards the man he once saw as a hero? Was it anger towards Kiritsugu's approach to accomplishing his goals?
Archer pushed those troubling thoughts to the back of his mind as his eyes scanned through the city below. Kiritsugu hadn't wanted to waste any time available, so they had reached a compromise. He and Maiya would stay at the manor to guard Irisviel and fortify their territory's defenses while Archer went out into the city to search for signs of two individuals.
Saber's Master and the one Servant that hadn't shown up at the gathering at the pier, Caster.
Archer had some knowledge of magic and things associated, but couldn't pick up traces and subtleties as easily as the more proficient in the craft could. It made searching for signs of other Servants rather difficult. It was why Archer was standing atop the building in the first place. His sight was one of his greatest tools so he had a better chance at spotting something out of the ordinary up here than down below.
Speaking of which…
Archer jumped down into the dark, deserted city streets below, projecting a black sword in his left hand and an identical white sword in his right. He could see the darkness moving with his reinforced eyesight and analysis of the structures around him. There was something unnatural lurking down there…
Kanshou and Bakuya cut down on the darkness, an ugly tentacled thing making a gargled screech as Archer's swords carved it open. The creature's corpse hissed as its body depressed and melted into a large blood splatter on the ground. Archer grimaced at the smell. He had killed several of those things already, abominations that seemed to be crawling around the darkest parts of the city. Archer was smart enough to deduce which Servant was most likely responsible.
"Caster's familiars…" Archer muttered. There was no way any of the other Servants he met tonight were capable of summoning grotesque things like this.
Still, the monsters Archer had killed so far could be counted on one hand. Caster was obviously in hiding, letting these things feel out the city or doing something else Archer wasn't quite sure of. Archer frowned as he glanced up at the moon which was high in the night sky. Caster was definitely the first Servant on his list once he found him. If only he knew where these things were coming from…
Archer disappeared as he went into spirit form. For now, he decided that it was best to return to the Einzbern Castle. It was only the first night of the War and Archer had many things he wanted to reflect on. He'd dedicate more time to his search tomorrow in the morning.
And with that, the first night of the Fourth Holy Grail War came to an end.
Wise Up!
Class: Saber
Master: Manaka Sajyou
True Name: Arthur Pendragon
Sex: Male
Alignment: Lawful Good
Strength: A
Endurance: A
Agility: A
Magical Energy: A
Luck: C
Noble Phantasm: A++
Class Abilities:
Magic Resistance: A / Cancels all Magecraft below Rank A. In reality, no magi of today can harm Saber.
Riding: B / Able to freely manipulate all beasts and vehicles, save mythical beasts and divine beasts.
Skills:
Instinct: B / The ability to always "feel" the best course for oneself during combat. This heightened sixth sense is now close to precognition. It reduces by a quarter any obstacles to vision and hearing.
Prana Burst: A / This transfers magical energy into one's weapon and body, and by releasing the magical energy instantaneously, it increases one's ability.
Charisma: B / Natural ability to command an army. Charisma is a rare talent, and B-Rank is enough to lead a country.
Noble Phantasm:
Invisible Air: An invisible sword. Simple, but displays tremendous effect in hand-to-hand combat. A Noble Phantasm guarded by strong magecraft, it does not mean that the sword itself is transparent.
Excalibur: Holy Sword that transforms the owner's prana into "light", increasing its momentum due to convergence and acceleration, and enables the use of Magecraft of divine levels.
A/N: And the first night is over. Is this altered version of the Fourth War appealing so far?
We all know Saber is bullshit overpowered, but if Manaka wasn't holding him back due to the fact she wants to enjoy the Grail War longer this story would be over rather quickly. Arthur is really no different than Arturia (Other than slightly changed stats for Strength and Instinct) but I might add a bit more to him if I think of something.
Still more character interaction to come since fights usually don't take place during the day. And now we are on a different path than canon, as you can tell by Kiritsugu NOT attacking Kayneth and leveling the hotel this time around. Kayneth and Waver may have more of a confrontation in this story than in canon and Caster will go about things differently since he's not obsessing over "Jeanne". We'll see more about the other Master and Servant pairs next chapter.
Anyway, don't want to say to much but I will answer questions if anyone has them. Feedback helps inspire me and I appreciate anyone gives some to me, since it usually means the next chapter comes sooner. Wonder how much longer I'll keep up this pace. Thanks for reading everyone. Have a good one.
Kiiam