Chapter 3 - The Contract

-Weiss Schnee-

'How would father react if he could see me now...' I lamented as I placed another Dust crystal into the lacquered box beside me among the dozen or so others, the mineral freshly charged with mana and ready for use, 'exposing myself to danger over one hopeless boy out of guilt.' I knew exactly how he'd react, berating over how foolish I was acting and lamenting the fact a weak hearted, sentimental little girl like me held more potential than Winter.

I shook my head out furiously, wiping the sweat from my brow as I grabbed another stone and placed it into the small circle I had drawn on a piece of parchment, closing my eyes tightly as I began to channel energy into the small stone. The process of adapting the crystals to my Aura was difficult and time consuming but necessary to get the best results. At present I had no hope of holding back any other servant, especially Saber, if they got through the defenses and my magical circuits pushed to the brink from the night's activities. Supplementing my own waning power with the substantial amount already present within these crystals was the best I could do until I could get some real sleep.

'All for some boy I barely even know...' I thought, letting the light fade as my head slumped forward into my hands, exhaustion setting in, 'a true mage would understand the risks he posed and have cut him loose without hesitation.' I might've said some flowery words to the contrary but would Jaune have really done the same for me if I were in this position? He was a mage even if the title was somewhat generous, it'd be common sense to leave me be. 'He probably would do the same without blinking even if he didn't fancy me, if with a touch more whining along the way.' Everything about the boy's reputation at the academy was less than mage like, blundering his way into situations without thought as if he were some storybook hero. 'Though unlike an actual storybook hero he needs to have some semblance of skill to back up his spirit.'

A loud keening wail split the air and shattered my reverie like a hammer blow, a signal that the barrier surrounding the estate had been breached by some outward force followed quickly by the slight pull on my mana. Grabbing up the now charged gemstone and a few others, stuffing them hurriedly into the pockets of my robe and moving to a small clear orb set in the wall, waving a hand across its surface murmuring under my breath, "Fern Sehen".

The orb began to glow softly as it synched my senses with those of the low level familiars patrolling the grounds. They had all converged on the spot where the breach had occurred, the sight of a ruined garden and Archer being slowly but surely overwhelmed by the familiar black armored Servant taking my breath away with a frightened gasp and almost cutting my connection to the wisps right there.

I had expected Saber might come for Arc, had been preparing for that very eventuality, but it was almost beyond belief that he could be mounting an assault mere hours after our last meeting. 'I don't know what's more terrifying, the thought that Saber's Master possesses the endurance needed to sustain him so long or that the Servant himself is that powerful.' Archer was by no means weak and was holding her own quite well, the problem however was that I couldn't feel the draining feeling that would mean she was drawing on my own mana. 'The little fool is using her own power in an attempt to protect me!' I realized as the sword wielding servant let loose a wave of blood red energy from his sword that the cloaked girl only barely sidestepped, the attack striking the house with enough force to shake the whole building, dust sprinkling from the stones above me. I wasn't sure whether to be furious at the heroic spirit for underestimating my own power or touched that she cared enough to face the Faunus alone.

Archer let out a high pitched battle cry as she spun into another stroke with her scythe, the blade wielder catching it with a manic snarl on the edge of his own weapon, the force of the contact releasing a shockwave of air and earth so powerful that it destroyed a few of the closer familiars instantly. I backed away from the orb with a start, shaking my head to clear the sudden migraine as the other connections cut out one by one as the clash continued.

The last image I received was one of Archer leaping back bow in hand, a rose red arrow flying towards the masked warrior like a burning line. 'Father would force the servant to draw on his Aura while securing this location from attack, depending on the door's wards to keep out the heroic spirit if all else failed...even if it meant sacrificing his own in the process.' As long as I still lived I had a chance at the grail, waiting for the very likely opportunity after another master's death to claim their familiar for my own, perhaps Saber himself eventually. Even the very thought set my hands clenching into tight fists, nails digging into the edges of my palms as I spared a glance towards the red sigil engraved on my wrist.

'I am not my father...' I grimaced, the seals seeming to glow somewhat at the admission, pulsing with power and purpose as I stepped from the darkened room not even bothering to seal the door in my haste to make my way to Archer's side, 'I will take the Grail my way, or die proudly knowing that I fought my way. Though I might want to check on that fool first...'

-Jaune Arc-

"Ack! Ow!" I rubbed at my now aching head, having managed to smack it on the headboard during my mad scramble to get out of the large bed in a tangle of sheets, 'Smooth Jaune, real smooth…' I growled inwardly, trying to figure out the source of the chaos, I'd just been lying there unable to sleep before a series of explosions from outside wracked the whole house and set windows clattering loudly, threatening to shatter from the force. 'He's here...' I felt an icy cold lump form in my stomach before the characteristic twinge of pain from the scar, 'guess Weiss' defenses weren't able to keep him out after all.'

If he really was here now...'She or Archer must be fighting him right now!' I realized with a start, getting to my feet quickly, pain forgotten as I moved to the door, 'I can't just sit here and do nothing.' I froze just before opening the door, feeling a tug on my chest as the fresh scar throbbed again even more painfully this time. 'Yeah. I can go out there and probably get myself killed...again.'

If I just ran I might actually manage to get away, especially with those to to hold him back, I could sneak my way... a deafening crash, this one sounding just a few feet out the door followed by a fearful cry of alarm from what must've been Weiss eliminated that train of thought from my mind completely as I tore through the door at a run even as my mind screamed how much of an idiot I was.

The hallway just to the right of my room was in shambles, a gaping hole having been torn out of the wall from the outside and directly across in a pile of wooden timbers lay a familiar red cloaked figure struggling to free herself from shattered debris. Weiss, clad in a light blue nightgown and white jacket with her hair hanging loose from its usual ponytail, stood facing her servant with an arm outstretched.

I tried to call out to her but my voice caught in my throat when I saw him step into the building, the masked Faunus clad in a black coat supplemented with bits of dark colored plate on vital areas. It was his sword however that really caught my attention, a long katana with a blood red blade, releasing a presence all its own that almost sung to the wound in my chest, memories of the event that had caused it mere hours before replaying again and again in my mind. 'Oh crap!'

He raised the sword, intent on striking down the defenseless servant when she just vanished in a flurry of light as if she'd never been there. the planks holding her crashing to the ground. The swordsmen let out a snarl of fury as he spun on the small mage, "How dare…!" Weiss didn't spare any time however, a ball of pulsating red light appearing in front of her enclosed fist which must've been clutching Dust crystal.

"Brandblüte Fackel!" she chanted loudly, the orb exploding into six separate beams of fiery white light that streaked through the hall before converging on the enemy servant. Rather than attempt to dodge the oncoming spell like I expected however, the Faunus merely holding out his free hand lazily as the spell hit. I was forced to shield my eyes at the massive explosion that decimated what was left of the hallway in a burning cloud of smoke that seared at my eyes. The girl slumped against the wall, panting heavily but ecstatic, the crystal she had used for the spell crumbling into nothing as the magic drained from it. "I did…!?" she started but stopped suddenly, what color that remained on her face draining away. 'No way...NO WAY!' Saber stood exactly where he had been, patting out a few small cinders that stuck to him as the rest of the hall burned around him. 'Not a scratch, that was a Dust enhanced high level fire spell and it barely even singed him!?' Weiss seemed just as shocked if not more so, pulling another crystal from her jacket pocket, this one light blue. "Eistan…!" The familiar was in front of her in an instant, knocking the crystal out of her grasp with a backhand before grabbing her up by the throat, lifting her into the air.

"Foolish little girl…" he said in a deep, emotionless voice as the girl coughed and struggled for breath feebly, "withholding my prey, disturbing my battles. you have become an annoyance to be dealt with." he began to squeeze even tighter, fury apparent "Not even worth the honor of feeding to my blade. At least with your death Archer will be free to search out a new Master for our next encounter, one hopefully less intrusive." Weiss couldn't even reply, tears streaming down her face.

"Hey asshole!" the faunus turned, cocking his head to the side to avoid a thrown piece of timber. I stood there glaring him down despite my heart feeling as if it were gonna beat out of my chest, my legs barely able to support me. 'This is so dumb, this is so dumb!' "Your problems with me! Let her go!"

I fully expected him to burst out laughing and just snap the heiresses neck like a twig before doing the same to me, which left me dumbstruck when he dropped the spluttering young mage to the ground, teeth bared even more so than before and looking as if he was having some sort of inner crisis, his body shaking as he stared first at Weiss and then at me. I could actually hear the grip he had on his weapon from where I stood, metal and leather screeching from the strain.

"Damn him, damn him and his orders to hell!" he roared like a wild animal, dropping the girl roughly before charging forward at me, sword flashing towards my throat…'Eep!'

"Eistanz Dicht!" I opened my eyes slowly, shocked to see the servant struggling as Ice encased most of his arm and lower body and wasn't stopping there, spreading quickly further. Weiss had managed to catch him before he could finish the stroke in her spell, crystal glowing in her palm as she tried to maintain the spell. "Run you dolt! Stall him!" I nodded weakly, breaking into a sprint as Saber screamed with fury, trying to turn back on Weiss but he just didn't seem capable of taking his eyes off me. "What is it you wild dog? Is your Master's leash chafing a bit too tight?"

"I'll make you suffer woman, I swear it! You will beg for death before the end!" I was too distracted to hear much else the masked man shouted, focused as I was on running as far away from Weiss as possible, weaving through rooms and corridors as the servant tore his way behind me in a rage, the tight spaces making his speed all but worthless. 'Probably the only reason I'm still alive...' I thought, letting out a frightened yelp of alarm as a cabinet against the wall behind me.

'Got him away from Weiss, now what!?' I couldn't keep this pace up forever and there was no way in hell I could fight him. I swore loudly as I managed to trip over my own feet in one of the sitting rooms, crashing through a spindly coffee table and only just managing to get to my knees before throwing myself to the side as the sword wielder appeared in a shower of blood red light above me, katana embedding itself where I had just lain maybe a second before. 'Aw c'mon! That's just cheap!'

I clenched my teeth as I burst through the door into the main entrance hall, a set of two staircases leading to the front double doors illuminated only by moonlight, a perfectly wide open space… 'Damn it!'

As if on cue I felt something hit me in the back with the force of a sledgehammer, sending me through the wooden railing to fall to the carpeted ground below in a pile of shattered wood, my natural reinforcement and years of beatings from bullies and thugs the only thing keeping me conscious. Even still, stars exploded across my vision regardless as I picked myself up, back and legs screaming for relief as I got shakily back on my feet. 'Need to keep moving! I'm not dying, not again, not without…?'

At that moment however I felt a vice grip close on the back of my neck, swinging me about like a ragdoll before tossing me bodily through an older look side door on the side of the hall. Unfortunately this door splintered onto a flight of downward stone staircase making the fall even more painful as I felt and heard something in my left arm give, sprawled in a heap at the bottom of the steps with blood tingeing the vision in my right eye red as I lay there in stunned shock, body a world of pain as I tried my best to fight passing out.

"You're quite the tenacious one to have evaded me this long." I lifted my head, the pain caused by that effort alone making me feel like screaming to see the black armored servant, seeming almost to blend into the shadows as he stalked down each step, sword scraping against the stone as he went, filling the passage with a keening screech wail that made the scar on my chest feel as if it were on fire. "Your natural reinforcement is incredible as well if a bit basic, had I known you were a mage earlier I would've made sure to finish you off the first time personally rather than leave you to bleed out." I tried desperately to employ what healing magic I could but the effects were slow, barely a trickle of what they were normally though at least it numbed the pain somewhat. 'Don't even want to think on why my hand isn't moving how I want it too.'

A battered heavy oak door next to me caught my eye, the wood covered in runes and other symbols and better yet slightly ajar. I pushed my way through, dragging myself inside and shutting it quickly, muffling the mask wearing psycho's sadistic laughter as the runes reactivated. "Good, good! You have some fight left in you, with proper training you might one day have made for decent prey."

I took a few shallow breaths trying to compose myself, the room I was in looked like any stereotypical magus' study, or at least one after a particularly bad wind storm had swept through it. Shelves and tables filled the room laden with books, notes, various strange containers and potions, and in the center of it all a circle, carved into the ground and coated in the residue of what looked to be various different ingredients. A box filled to the brim with various assorted Dust crystals sat on a nearby desk looking as if it had been hastily rooted through,

'So this is where Weiss was, preparing crystals.' Somehow the thought of the heiress toiling away down here for my sake while I'd merely sat in bed moping made me feel even worse if it were possible. 'And what did I do while she fought, stood there and then ran away.'

As if he could sense that I was thinking Saber knocked on the door just behind my head, "You might as well come out, my Master's command requires that I take every opportunity to kill you, however if you don't present one I'll just have to go deal with Archer's little Master first." I shivered, the menace in his voice apparent, 'This guy is some sort of hero!?' "You can make her pain a lot more bearable if you just open this door." I swore under my breath, choking down a bit of bile that had rise up in my throat. "No way, but what can I…" I looked to the crystals and then to the door, working my way up with the door acting as my support.

"You want me, come and get me!" I called out, letting the door open as I lunged for the crystals, managing to grab a few before idiotically falling over myself into the circle with the tables contents spilling throughout the room, the servant probably raising an eyebrow behind his mask. 'Laugh at me all you want, I'm not going down without a fight!' The thought sounded cool in my head. Neptune would've been proud, I just wished my body could stop shaking so I could throw the damn stones properly, maybe cause a reaction and bury him so at least Weiss might have a chance. 'If only I had the kind of power she had I could've done more. If I only I wasn't so useless, if I had more power...'

"What would you do?" I scrambled away, slightly confused by the strange whispers in my head that somehow seemed more than strange thoughts, my back pressing against the far wall as he moved in for the kill, "What would you do if you had the power to change anything?"

"I'd protect the world against people like him…" I murmured under my breath, the masked killer pausing as if hesitant, sword raised, "people like Cardin who bully and hurt others for no other reason other than because they can. I'd be someone with the strength to actually help rather than just be a distraction or a burden!" I felt an uncomfortable burning sensation on the back of my hand through the bandages, the circle beginning to pulse with a dull light but it barely seemed to register, too intent on starting my opponent in the eyes. "I don't want to die in a place like this!" I shouted loudly, lowering the hand that held the crystals, a hand now glowing with three marks that together formed two crescent moons, one larger sitting above the other, "Not at the hands of someone like you!"

"Shut up weakling!" the servant cried raising the red blade above me. I flinched, waiting for the pain, for death to claim me for good this time, a flash of brilliant light obscuring my vision…

"I admire your conviction."

A sharp metal clang sounded through the room as a shadow covered me. Opening my eyes I found myself staring into a large pair of vividly green eyes belonging to easily one of the most beautiful women I'd ever seen, skin so pale and smooth it was as if a marble statue had come to life, a shock of waist length red hair held back in a long ponytail, a kind smile on her face. The sound had come from the large shield that she held above us, the Faunus having backed away cautiously as his sword bounced off its surface without so much as a scratch.

"I am Servant Lancer, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance my Master." she bowed her head towards me respectfully. It was strange, I felt as if all the fear that had kept me frozen before had vanished with her presence, replaced by what I couldn't exactly say.

"Uh...wha? I said dumbly, the girl chuckling to herself before standing, 'Am I seeing things? Definitely, most definitely seeing things.' I probably had a concussion and the girl was some figment of my imagination, 'Though I don't even think my minds clever enough to come up with something like her, and she did just stop that guy...wait, Lancer!'

At her full height the new arrival stood barely shorter than I was, adorned in a style that reminded me of a few of the pictures I'd seen in one of the books on ancient Mistralan culture Professor Oobleck had assigned us, all bronze plates and leather armor accompanied by a red cloth skirt, what parts of her body were exposed rippling with lean muscle. In her right hand she held a short spear made of red and gold banded metal, a spear now raised towards Saber in challenge.

"From your weapon I assume you to be Saber." she declared, eying the red blade warily, smile vanishing "I must ask that you cease your attacks upon my Master, I would hate to spoil my first impression with bloodshed."

Saber merely stood silent for a few seconds, it was impossible to tell what he was looking at beneath that mask though I had the distinct feeling his eyes were on me. "So this boy is your Master then?" he said, lowering his sword, "To think some random worm would prove to be so troublesome. My own Master's command only compels me to eliminate unspecified witnesses to this Holy Grail War, something that this human is decidedly not."

"Then I suggest you take her generous offer and leave while you still can." a tired voice emanated from the doorway as Archer, battered but determined, stepped into the room bow in hand followed shortly by Weiss who was staring at the new arrival, Lancer I corrected myself, in undisguised amazement.

For a second it looked as if the fight would continue after all, the faunus gripping the hilt of his sword tightly with a grimace before he slowly sheathed the weapon with a tsk of disappointment. "Two on one with an unknown opponent are unfavorable odds even for me." the red cloaked servant let out an angry huff but kept silent, preferring to talk with her weapon in this case. "I will withdraw for now, human!" I jumped as he turned to face me, or at least I thought he did, that mask wasn't making things easy, "See you are not killed before we meet again, you are my prey and no other's." and with that he dissolved in a flurry of blood red lights, a trend I was slowly becoming aware of with these familiars.

Both Archer and Lancer watched the space where he had vanished for a few seconds more before both let out an audible sigh of relief, weapons vanishing simultaneously.

"It seems you made quite the impression on him Master…" Lancer turned to back to face me, almost sounding proud, "though I'm not certain that's the sort of...Master are you alright?" she cocked her head, frowning at the wide eyed stare I was giving her before her eyes fell on my arm. "Oh my!" she knelt and took hold of the arm gingerly, more so than I would've thought possible looking at her. "Cracked badly but thankfully unbroken Master. Regretfully I know little of healing magic to render aid…"

I blushed, more than a little put off by the stranger that had just showed up and was now fussing over me and sounding scarily like my mother. "I'm alright." I said quickly, pulling my hand from her grip with a wince, backing away nervously. "Uh...what exactly are you?" I glanced over at Weiss for assistance but the girl hadn't moved much at all, only placing herself behind Archer as if expecting the red haired woman to pick up where Saber left off. "And why do you keep calling me that?"

"Aren't you aware?" she said in genuine surprise, clapping a gauntleted fist to her armored chest in a crisp salute in front of me. "As I said before I am the Heroic Spirit Lancer, given form through the power of the Holy Grail and summoned by your courage I am pledged to fight by your side against your foes, bear your burdens in your quest for the Grail, and in doing so bring you victory in this conflict." She bowed her head again,

'Okay this is seriously getting out of hand!' "He who bears the Command Seals and calls himself my Master, might I ask your name?" 'Command Seals?' I looked down at my hand, noticing fully for the first time the strange sigils where those bruise looking marks had been before. 'Quest for the Grail?'

"J-Jaune…" I choked out weakly, torn between the woman's strange deference and Weiss' steely silence and all the while Archer just seemed interested in Lancer, silver eyes taking in every detail of the warrior. "Jaune Arc." It seemed the right thing to do was play along and see if this joke was going anywhere. 'Any second now Neptune's going to bust out with some lame one liner and laugh at the dumb look on my face.' That he managed to get Weiss and these actors to play along was impressive even for him. 'Or it's a dream, could always just be one of those...'

"Jaune…" Lancer sounded out as if testing the name's weight, getting to her feet happily clapping her hands together, "And with that our contract is formed, may our partnership be a merry one!"

"HUH!?"

-Roman Torchwick-

"Well congratulations, Saber's pissed...again." I said in an annoyed tone, lowering the hand that bore the command seals while adjusting the brim of my bowler hat with the other, turning to face the shadowed figure lounging in a plush armchair next a roaring fire. "Not as if that isn't a default setting for him anyway. Seems like that order you told me to issue botched his chances at taking out Archer's master once and for all. You ever have a pissed off animal swear you out in your own head? Not a great feeling."

My benefactor only laughed, a pretty sound but it carried not a hint of actual warmth, that'd be expecting too much…"The power of the seal's command isn't dependent only on the wording but the intention behind it." she explained, a small ember flaring to life in her hand, guided along by her amber colored gaze as it snaked along the length of her arm like a serpent. "The wording may have been broad but in your heart you obviously must've meant for Taurus to kill any and all witnesses, I'll chalk up the failing as eagerness to follow my orders to the letter." I breathed a short sigh of relief, trying my best not to wipe at the sweat building across my brow, 'How she stands this heat I'll never know.' The woman hadn't sweated a drop in all the months since I first met her back in my cell.

"There's more, apparently he was forced to withdraw due the appearance of the seventh servant, definitely a Lancer by the description. Seems that kid he was chasing wasn't just some ordinary mundane after all." That got her attention, eyes flashing my way dangerously, "I've ordered him on standby, told him to go break something and vent."

"So that was the strange presence I felt, and Lancer and Archer's masters are working together...interesting."

She looked up as I shook my head, roguish smirk rearing it's head again, "Doesn't look like it, the little princess was as shocked as anyone."

"Do tell."

"Just a moment..." I drew out a cigar, trying to catch a spark with my lighter but the damn thing just wasn't...I yelped, almost dropping it as the end sparked a light on its own. "Thanks…" I nodded back at the mage politely, coughing into my hand before continuing, "anyway as I was saying, she had no idea he was a Master. She might've taken him in when he was just a stray little puppy in need of protecting…"

"But now she has a wolf in her care, one that might bite if she isn't careful." my companion finished with a wicked smile that was just visible in the firelight.

"If she's anything like daddy dearest I doubt he'll be around for long, poor kid." I chuckled, actually genuinely sorry for the boy, just a poor sap drawn into something way out of his league. 'A poor sap who managed to avoid death twice if by a pretty narrow margin at first. Adam at least seems to think he might grow to be a threat.' "Saber's curse still has him marked so at the very least we'll be able to track what he's doing whatever happens with we can…!" I was cut off as screaming began to ring out from the floor below us, all raw rage, pain, and feral ferocity. "Not the only one having trouble am I?"

The red woman only shrugged, a slight twinge of annoyance flashing across her face as the sound only intensified. "My new pet is having issues with authority, nothing more." And with that the subject was dropped, the screaming continued but I just did my best to ignore it while watching the fire burn.

'Yep, that kid has no idea the kind of trouble he's in.'

-END

A/N: Hey all, I hope you enjoyed the read. I'm surprised at the sort of support this story has been getting and all I can say is thank you, I've found it surprisingly enjoyable to write all things considered. So some more characters are introduced, antagonists appear, and Pyrrha is officially Jaune's Lancer class servant (A fact most of you probably saw coming from a mile off). Hope this caught you at a good time and thanks again for your time.

Weiss' spells are in German just in case anyone was wondering, seemed to fit.