Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Transposition

Chapter 17

"Caster has taken up residence in Ryuudo Temple, atop Mount Enzo." Rin said, sitting on her chair behind her desk in the Student Council President's office. The room lights were off, leaving the Moon the only source of light through the windows behind the president's desk. They backlit the purple-haired magus, and cast her face into ominous shadows. "It's an impressive strategic choice, and one I'm surprised no one has considered before. The temple sits atop a junction of ley-lines, from which Caster can draw prana in addition to that they collect from their victims across the city."

"And you want me to drive them off before they collect enough to become a major threat." Rider said. It wasn't a question, though Rin nodded in confirmation regardless.

"A Caster's strength lies in their spells and magic." She said, sitting back in her chair. "With enough prana and depending on who the Caster in question is, they could unleash mysteries comparable in power and weight to the more powerful Noble Phantasms."

"I see." Rider said. "Well, there's certainly sense in driving the Caster from such a position before they become a real problem. With that said, attacking a magus in their own stronghold is a rather foolhardy venture. Even…she, for all her pride, dared not challenge Merlin in his place of power, despite being his equal – more or less – in magic on other battlefields."

"I cannot argue against that point." Rin continued after a moment, briefly closing her eyes. "However, my grandfather was particularly…insistent, now that we've mustered our strength, to drive Caster from the mountain."

"Any particular reason why?"

"I didn't ask." Rin said, turning away and causing Rider to snort. "I do have my suspicions however."

"Oh?"

"Ryuudo Temple is one of two places where the Holy Grail may manifest at the conclusion of this war." Rin said. "The other is at Kotomine Church, but more to the point I suspect my grandfather does not wish for such a significant location to be under the thumb of arguably the most powerful magus in this city at present."

"I see." Rider said after a moment. "Then, what's your plan?"

"Mount Enzo as a whole is protected by a bounded field." Rin said, turning back to Rider. "It covers the entire mountain, and weakens spiritual entities that attempt to approach on other routes beyond that of the proper one that leads up to the temple gates. And coincidentally enough, said route also happens to follow a ley-line, preventing a bounded field from being placed over or across the temple gates, not without disrupting the flow of mana through the ley-line."

"It's a weak point then."

"Indeed," Rin agreed with a nod before narrowing her eyes. "But even if a bounded field cannot be placed over or across the temple gates, I do not doubt that somehow Caster has somehow managed to concentrate their defenses on the temple gates. The route that leads up to it is still the quickest and easiest way to reach the temple after all."

For several moments Rider stood silent and still, and then beginning to shake, burst into loud and joyful laughter. "Ah, my Master," she said after several moment of laughter. "I admit I was beginning to question accepting your call, after everything I've learned you've done over the past couple of days."

Rin narrowed her eyes. "Is that so?" she asked neutrally.

"Yes," Rider said with a nod, but behind her mask she was grinning. "I will not apologize, for I will state a fact, though I suspect you will be angered by it: truly you are your grandfather's granddaughter."

Rin stiffened, and narrowed her eyes further. "Is that all you have to say?" she asked after a moment.

"No," Rider said. "I also want to say I've largely forgiven you my misgivings, all thanks to the orders you've just given me. As for my remaining misgivings…"

Rider trailed off and shrugged. "No one's perfect." She said coldly. "No one…"

Rin didn't reply at once, but after a couple of moments she closed her eyes and relaxed. "I see." She said, opening her eyes. "May I ask why you've forgiven me?"

"You said Caster will likely have concentrated their defenses on the temple gates, didn't you?"

"I did."

"And you want me to break through those defenses."

"Yes."

"My class is Rider." Rider said, spreading her hands. "My magic resistance is far below those of the three Servant Knights. Also, as a Rider, I am not as powerful as I could be. You could even say I'm quite vulnerable to Caster's defenses, and to Caster themselves, once I break through their gates. So…small chance of success, and a large chance of defeat or even death…"

Rider paused, and placed her hands on her hips. And behind her mask, her grin grew even wider.

"I like these odds."

Moonlight glinted off steel plate as Rider landed at the base of the stairway leading up to Ryuudo Temple, the knight having leapt over the skyline of the city in the night to reach her destination. For a few moments she just stared up at the staircase, and then with brief burst of wind flecked with red, she summoned her sword. Holding it low in one hand, Rider advanced up the stairway.

She moved slowly, deliberately, warily even. This was enemy territory, after all. And while she would be first to admit that she had a preference to simply let her battle fury carry her and her enemies away on a tide of rage, Rider was by no means stupid, nor did she have any intention to lose.

The chance of success was admittedly small enough, and as exhilarating as that was, to turn that small chance into reality would require everything she had, more than she could give, ironically enough, were she to let her battle fury loose this early in this battle. "It will come, sooner or later." Rider thought as she advanced up the temple, her rationality fighting down the impatience and temptation to simply thunder up the stairway. "I don't know when, but it will, and I'll recognize it when it comes. Then I'll crush everything that stands before me, and none will stand against me. But if I let loose too soon, it's just giving the enemy an opportunity."

Rider continued to climb, and then stopping, narrowed her eyes. Leaves rustled with the breeze, and then a long-haired man in a blue and violet kimono with a long katana in one hand stood several steps up from her, if somewhat well below the temple gates now visible at the end of the stairway. "That's as far as you go, my enemy." The man, no, Servant said, with a soft but strong voice marked by an archaic if cultured accent.

For a few moments Rider stood silent, keeping her sword low while fixing her eyes on the enemy Servant. She fought the temptation to charge in, and crush him underfoot, something that grew more and more difficult as she realized she couldn't quite read her enemy beyond the fact that he was resolutely standing in her way.

Was he eager to fight?

How far would he go if they fought?

What style or inclinations in combat did he have?

What did he think of her?

Did he see her as a threat?

A worthy opponent?

An annoyance?

A mere triviality?

So many questions, and yet she couldn't get any answers by just looking at him. That much was clear, and it brought with it a realization that this one was a worthy opponent, the cool and calm confidence of this Servant just as much proof of it as Lancer's all-but-tangible bloodlust.

That she couldn't read him made the temptation increasingly stronger, spiking at the realization that this, he was the strongest of Caster's defenses, a Servant of their own to hold the weak point of their stronghold. She didn't know how a Servant could have summoned another Servant, nor did she particularly care, and yet there he was.

Maybe…just maybe…it was the time to let loose?

"Who are you?" Rider growled.

"Servant Assassin," the man replied. "Sasaki Kojiro."

Behind her mask, Rider's eyes widened, caught completely off-guard by Assassin revealing his true identity. And then, slightly lowering her head, she shook and growled softly in frustration. She had wanted to keep it concealed a bit longer, but chivalry demanded she respond in kind, with her own true identity.

It was galling to be outmaneuvered, but she couldn't not follow what her code demanded of her. Above all else, she was still a knight after all, and the only one to surpass the famed King of Knights herself.

At the end of the day, she was after all, still her father's son.

"Very well," she said sullenly. "As you have revealed yourself, chivalry demands I must do the same. Servant Assassin, I am…"

Assassin closed his eyes and shook his head as the first segments of armor plating began to unfold, providing space and unlocking mechanisms to open her helmet and withdraw her mask. "That's unnecessary." He said. "I was rude, and I apologize for that. I did not intend to force you to reveal who you are against your will."

The mechanisms of Rider's armor ceased to operate, and after another moment, they returned to their previous state. Assassin smiled, and raising his sword pointed it at Rider. "Besides," he said. "For those such as ourselves, our swords should be enough to prove our identities, is it not?"

Behind her mask, Rider grinned, and she laughed loud and hard. Taking her sword in both hands, she held it in a low guard to her right. "Indeed," she said. "I accept your apologies, Assassin. I wonder though, if that class is perhaps unworthy of you."

"Perhaps," Assassin said, bringing his sword up to head level, pointed at Rider as he took his stance.

Rider's grin grew wider. "Who'd have thought the chance to go all out would come so soon?" she thought joyfully.

For several moments, the two Servants stood in their stances, waiting for the other to make the first move. A breeze briefly stirred up the leaves around them, but neither Servant made a move, even as the wind died down and dry leaves settled down on the ground. Finally, Rider spoke.

"It seems I have yet to introduce myself, haven't I?" she said. "I am Rider. And I shall be your end!"

Assassin's eyes flew wide as stone broke beneath Rider's feet, prana burst quickly closing the distance between them. And yet, moving by instinct, Assassin's sword moved to block, barely parrying before moving to parry the follow-up.

Undeterred, Rider pressed the offensive, hammering at Assassin's guard with powerful, two-handed blows from the flanks and overhead, keeping close to take advantage of her shorter weapon. Pressed hard, Assassin gave way, falling back step by step as he blocked Rider's onslaught. His smile had gone, and his face was like ice, filled with cold resolve to stand and fight.

Rider noticed and grinned. The man was good, to be able to keep up with her speed and strength, though part of that came with trading space.

How long can he keep this up?

I certainly hope he can hold up for longer than most.

Despite that thought, when Rider saw an opportunity, she took it. And that opportunity came with a misstep on Assassin's part, and opening up a chink in his guard.

"I've got you!" she shouted in triumph, bringing down her sword in a two-handed blow, only for Assassin to step to one side…and now it was Rider wide open. Behind her mask, her eyes widened in shock and surprise, and then they narrowed as she hissed in frustration.

Steel flashed in the Moonlight as Assassin stabbed low forward, and then swept out to the right. Rider dodged, but was forced to give up much of the ground she'd taken. Assassin swept down, striking powerful two-handed blows of his own that staggered Rider before she rallied with a cry.

Forcing Assassin back a step with sheer strength, she swung two powerful, two-handed downward strikes…and which Assassin coolly avoided. "That's impossible!" Rider thought, narrowly avoiding Assassin's counterattack as he swung at torso level.

Again, Rider was forced to fall back, Assassin moving hard in pursuit. Rider's eyes widened as Assassin moved even faster than before, launching fast and powerful swings that took extra effort than expected to block and counter.

Growling in frustration, Rider crossed blades with Assassin, sparks grinding between them as they stared at each other over their swords. And then Assassin blinked, briefly glancing to the side, Rider's eyes widening in surprise yet again as his strength didn't so much as waver despite his divided attention.

"You are a distraction." He observed, and Rider grinned.

"Maybe," she admitted. "So what if I am? Going to try and run to go after those things?"

Assassin just smiled. "My duty is to protect that gate behind us." He said, disengaging and swinging a couple of times, all blows blocked by Rider. "So long as they do not attempt to pass through, they are not my responsibility."

"I see." Rider said as she blocked both of Assassin's swings before riposting a third.

"And even if they do," Assassin said as he blocked Rider's riposte and the follow up. "I have my hands full here, with an enemy Servant. I can hardly turn my back on you, and be cut down, allowing you passage."

"Better to tie me down, and let your Master handle those things, is it?" Rider demanded as she and Assassin exchanged blows and crossed each other's swords several times, no doubt appearing as near-invisible blurs to ordinary eyes had they been watching.

"Pick your battles." Assassin said with a smile, as he and Rider locked swords yet again. And then moving a hand from the hilt, he held it against the dull side of his sword and pushed hard.

Caught by surprise, Rider was forced back with a cry, down to a landing below. Growling with anger, she quickly regained her footing but by then Assassin was sweeping down, sword held high in one hand.

Swinging up, he grabbed the hilt with both hands, and swung down. Growling, Rider parried before counterattacking, Assassin blocking while stepping to the side.

Now both on the landing, the two Servants moved in a circle while exchanging blows, the surrounding air ringing with the sound of steel against steel, sparks flashing brightly every so often as edges ground against each other. Coming full circle, Assassin with his back to the temple above and Rider to the mountain road below, the two Servants crossed blades, matching eyes across matched steel.

For a moment, the stalemate endured, and then smiling Assassin suddenly gave way, and throwing Rider off-balance. Assassin was quick to take advantage, a two-handed swing forcing a cursing Rider back to the landing's edge, the masked Servant going to guard against Assassin's follow up.

It didn't come.

Instead, Assassin settled into his stance, sword held two-handed at head-level. Rider's eyes widened in surprise, and then narrowed in expectation.

He's planning something. Something I could and should preempt.

But…

…I don't want to.

I want to see it…and break it.

Behind her mask Rider smiled, and Assassin narrowed his eyes. "Your posture speaks of confidence." He said. "And you have reason to be. Truly your strength and speed are worthy of Heroic Spirits such as ourselves."

"I'm flattered, really, I am." Rider shot back. "But enough talk, get on with whatever it is you're planning to do."

Assassin narrowed his eyes, and briefly closed them. "Very well," he said. "Truth be told, I was always waiting for a chance to use this technique from the very beginning of our battle, so I thank you for not preempting me."

"Technique?" Rider echoed. "What?"

Assassin didn't reply, instead his eyes seemingly distant, as though focused on something only he could see and hear, and yet remained intensely focused on Rider. "Secret Technique," he said softly. "Tsubame Gaeshi!"

Rider's eyes widened as three strokes swung at her from three different directions simultaneously, her shout of alarmed surprise piercing the night.

Corposant flickered over scales and chitin plates as the Children clambered up the slopes of Mount Enzo, between the trees and over the rocks in the light of the Moon. Centuries-old Matou mysteries struggled against the mystery which protected the approaches to Ryuudo Temple, the former trying to find the gaps in the latter, exploit them, and adapt their concepts accordingly.

Snarling and growling, the Children reached the temple walls, and threw themselves over them to land on the stony floor of the temple grounds. Eyes blinked as they regarded their surroundings, tongues flicking out and nostrils dilating and expanding as they sampled the air.

Nothing…

…nothing and no one seemed to be present to witness or meet their coming, and yet the Children stayed wary. Instinct warned them they stood on an alpha's territory, and their mother's thoughts nudged them that a hostile response would come, sooner or later.

Shambling or crawling forward warily, the Children came to a halt shortly as they sensed movement. Silhouetted against the light of the Moon, strange, skeletal shapes appeared, clambering up the roofs of temple buildings to regard the Children below.

The Children paused, an air of surprise and confusion coming from their twisted bodies. The creatures…they weren't alive. No blood or ichor or heartbeat drove them. No emotion, no instinct, no spirit.

Nothing that could be sensed from another living thing, something that could trigger a response from the Children's animalistic instincts, or direct their crude, bestial intelligences in one direction or another.

They could sense the prana that kept the constructs going, and yet, they found themselves frozen in indecision. The mysteries that birthed them and were woven through their forms identified the Dragon Tooth Warriors as enemies, but the Children's animal instincts were confused, uncertain as to what they were.

And in indecision, there was opportunity.

Hollow howls echoing in the night, Dragon Tooth Warriors jumped down, crude swords swinging. They bounced off chitin and scale, but harmless as they were their attacks did not go unregistered. Unable to miss the challenge or the threat at being swarmed and struck, the Children howled and screamed before meeting them head on.

Fragments of bone flew through the air, accompanied by bestial snarls, growls, and roars, along with the thunder of heavy feet striking the ground. Disdaining using their more esoteric abilities against things which dared challenge them but could pose no real threat, the Children made use of their physical attributes instead, claws, pincers, fangs and the like tearing through the ranks of the Dragon Tooth Warriors.

More came from around the temple buildings, flowing like a tide against the Children. Undeterred, the Children advanced from two sides of the temple grounds to the main building, simply plowing a path of destruction through the ranks of Caster's constructs along their way.

But even as they stomped towards the main building, reality seemed to spiral and tear inwards before them, a cloaked and hooded woman appearing out of nowhere as reality smoothed out around her. "Well," Caster said with a conceding note in her voice. "The strategy you used was basic, if effective. Use Rider to draw Assassin away, and then strike at me from the flanks."

Caster paused, and then smiled, the sultry smile strangely sinister in the Moonlight. "These creations of mine aren't really meant to take the likes of…whatever you are," she continued as more Dragon Tooth Warriors closed ranks before her. "So while they have their uses, dealing with you…is not one of them."

Despite her words though, Caster gestured immediately afterwards, her Dragon Tooth Warriors howling hollowly as they charged. The Children roared before meeting the charge, the sound of breaking bone and air swishing from body movements echoing even as Caster raised a hand protectively over her face, and to mask a displeased expression.

"What are you?" she thought, moments before one of the Children broke through, and charged at her.

Caster rolled her eyes and gestured with a hand, blood and gore fountaining away from her as a mangled corpse fell onto its back. "Crude," Caster said. "Chimeras, yes, that's what they are. The product of animals breeding with a Phantasmal Species…but which ones? I also perceive the presence of alchemical modification, crude if deep and effective…but for what purpose? Or did you simply breed them for war, little magus?"

As though in response, one of the other Children smashed aside several Dragon Tooth Warriors, and opened its maw in Caster's direction. For a moment Caster looked unimpressed, but then her eyes widened as green light built inside and lightning flickered around its jaw.

What?

With a hiss of evaporating liquid and the crack of displaced air, a glowing green sphere shot at lightning-fast speeds from the Child's mouth, and forcing the surprised Caster to dodge to one side. It struck the front of the main temple building, and completely destroyed the doorway along with a good chunk of the surrounding structure.

"Troublesome…" Caster muttered before gesturing. Lightning blasted out from one hand and literally fried the Child who'd attacked, foul-smelling smoke wafting into the air as flesh burned and chitin cracked and broke, the monster screaming in agony as it died.

The other hand rose and raised a shield, which blew a flanking Child back. More of the Children were pouncing now, forcing Caster to stay afloat in the air, literally dancing though the Children's ranks as she slipped around and past them.

Beams of light shot from her fingers as she slipped by, punching through chitin and flesh and leaving bloody, gaping wounds behind. The pain only served to provoke the Children further though, causing them to move faster and quicker as they sought to close the distance between them and their prey, and rend them to pieces.

Caster narrowed her eyes as she continued to fight her opposition, though calling it 'fight' was rather inaccurate. Truth be told, she was barely breaking a sweat, just toying with them really. Surprisingly enough, she was actually enjoying 'playing' with these things, which quickly turned surprise and enjoyment to annoyance and irritation at her own apparent frivolity.

I have better things to do with my time than deal with trash like this.

Still…

What caused her to narrow her eyes was the sight of several monsters devouring the carcasses of those of their kind that had already fallen, causing their flesh and plating to twist and bulge and reshape themselves, even in the midst of battle. "They devour their own kind to boost their physical attributes, perhaps even taking on those of their kind that they've consumed?" Caster asked to herself. "That's probably it, but I think there's more to it than just that."

Caster's thoughts paused and she frowned slightly in disgust. "Disgusting things," she thought. "And what a disgusting means to gain greater strength. Surely there are better, cleaner ways to do so? Or…is it…?"

Caster made a sound of disgust as she avoided one of the Children's fists which punched a crater into the floor, and then deftly avoided a volley of poisoned spines fired from one of the Children. It had opened its back, exposing wet flesh and bone, pale sacs spitting out white fluid that hardened as they flew through the air while dripping with the monster's poisonous fluids.

I…need to…find out what was used to make these things, and how they work.

Who knows? It might come in useful.

But first…

…let's thin out the herd.

Caster smiled, feinting and allowing one of the Children to strike her with its scorpion-like tail. The moment before it struck though, Caster teleported herself high above the temple, and with a gesture opened an array of magic circles around her, ominously bathing her with their light.

The Children snarled in frustration and defiance after a moment of confusion, before picking up her scent or spotting her above. Caster smiled wider and made another gesture, purple beams lancing down and ripping the helpless monsters apart.

"You're going to need to do better than that, little one." She said mockingly, before a fusillade of white beams shot at her from around her.

Rolling and spinning through the air to avoid the initial barrage and their follow up, Caster growled and looked around. It didn't take long to find the source of the beams, small beetles with glowing, jewel-like carapaces that charged and fired the beams.

No, not beams: lightning.

It took only a moment to understand how they did it: they collected water from the air, and splitting it into its components used them to power their lightning bolts. Each individual beetle's bolt was weak, barely enough to leave a welt if she had to guess, but by observing the volleys they fired she noticed them concentrating five beetles' bolts into a single, more powerful blast that would almost certainly punch into her body.

Depending on how deep it went, or where it struck, she could be killed.

Still…it was a cheap trick, if an effective one, using the water in the air to fuel lightning and directing them by means of magic. After all, left on its own, lightning would just seek the easiest path to the ground, and likely avoid a target.

I will not be made sport of!

Righting herself, Caster cast a bubble-like barrier which blocked the lightning blasts, before clapping her hands loudly. The resulting thunderclap sent out a visible shockwave of displaced air, and blew the beetles apart.

But then a shadow fell on Caster from behind, and she turned in surprise.

What?

It was…gigantic, between eight to twelve feet in height were it standing on the ground. It was armored with dark-green plates of chitin, with reptilian legs and four arms, the latter terminating in Human-like, five-fingered thumbed hands, each of which clutched a crude sword of bone that vibrated at supersonic speeds, their roar painful even to her ears.

The monster's head was protected by an armored crest that sloped back and past its head, its fanged maw dripping with saliva. Three golden, reptilian eyes leered at her, the creature seemingly hovering in the air like a hummingbird on four dragonfly-like wings.

How…?

Caster's eyes widened in surprise and narrowed in realization as she saw the beetles around the beast, and that they had concealed it from her on approach.

Was that whole scuffle on the ground a distraction then?

Rider attacking, and then those damn things…all to get me up here?

I was manipulated…again? Me? ME? ME?

I WILL NOT BE MADE A FOOL OF!

NEVER AGAIN!

The creature roared, rapidly crossing and uncrossing its swords at Caster. Her shield held, but the inertia sent her flying to land hard against the ground.

Skidding back across the temple grounds, Caster glared up at the sky, her hood blown back and exposing her beautiful, elfin features, not even close to being marred by her angry expression. Meanwhile. one of the surviving Children had jumped on a roof and from there to another roof and then to a third, before jumping down at Caster.

Without a word or gesture, a large magic circle appeared in its path, the Child falling into it but not out the other side. A moment later, and the circle vanished as well.

"One living specimen should be enough for now." Caster thought before being forced to dodge another blast of green energy that blew a crater behind her. "I've had enough!"

Again, reality tore as Caster teleported into the sky, behind the beast. Before it could react Caster again unleashed the Rain of Light, tearing its dorsal armor to pieces and punching bloody wounds deep into the monster's body, and sending it plummeting from the sky to land with a crash on the ground.

A gesture, and the beetles ignited, falling as sparks from the sky.

Another gesture, and a magic circle appeared, spinning slowly, before Caster. Summoning her staff, she held it two-handed and pressed its tip against the circle, which flashed and spun quicker.

Two words in Greek sent a blinding blast of light that gutted the beast on the ground, the mortally-wounded creature gurgling and convulsing before finally stilling in death. Howling in dismay, the remaining Children broke and fled, Caster letting them leave as a gesture of contempt at Rider's Master.

And speaking of Rider…

Caster narrowed her eyes, considering intervening, but ultimately decided to leave the knight to Assassin. In the meantime, she had to clean up the mess the battle had left. Still…the message had been sent.

Don't get above yourself, little magus.

I might have fallen far and hard, but you're still no match for me.

None of you are.

A/N

K.O.! Winner: Caster Medea!

Caster: (victory pose) Children should stay at home and just quietly drink their milk, and leave business to the grownups.

Ahem…Assassin vs Rider will conclude next chapter. Lancer should also make an appearance. Now then, how will Zouken take this setback?