.

.

They walked back to the mouth of the river. Waver was shaking a little, Kiritsugu's words echoing in his ears.

You may be talented as a student, but on this battlefield you're nothing but an eyesore.

You're lucky you're not worth the bullets.

Waver squeezed his eyes and hunched his shoulders, hugging himself tightly.

"Are you alright?" Lancer said.

Waver looked up. It was the first time Lancer had spoken to him directly, without the honorific. "I'm fine," Waver said. "Just a little shaken, is all."

Lancer nodded. They walked along the river in silence.

It was getting dark now. The street lights turned, yellow puddles of light illuminating the sidewalk along the bridge. Lancer carried his sword slung across his shoulder, hefting Waver's pack with his good arm. He was wearing civilian clothes again, his left arm tucked against his body with the sling, but even though he was dressed normally and injured, he still gave off an aura of confidence and quiet strength, the broad line of his shoulders catching the light from the streetlamps above him.

"We did a great deed today," Lancer said, after a long moment. Waver looked up. "You should hold your head up high. Together we have saved those children."

"I guess that's true," Waver said. Lancer nodded, vigorously.

"Indeed, with the aid of Kiritsugu, we were instrumental in the defeat of Caster! There is much to celebrate tonight."

"The nerve of that guy," Waver said. "What gives him the right to say those things to me? I'm a mage just like anyone else." Waver kicked a rock, angrily. Lancer smiled.

"Well he did save us," Lancer said. "Hard as he was, his assistance was most appreciated. We were in a tight spot."

"Well I was going to do something! I mean, sooner or later..."

"If I may interject, my lord, you should take your failures as a stepping stone. Perseverance is a virtue, after all."

Waver stopped walking. "What do you mean?" Waver said.

"Oh. I was merely suggesting that we learn from our mistakes," Lancer turned, looking at him. "You are still young, my lord. And there is a lot of room for you to grow."

"So what you're telling me is, you agree with him, right?" Waver said. Lancer furrowed his brow.

"No, my lord," Lancer said. "I was just merely-"

"You just told me that I was a failure as a mage, you agreed with him!" Waver said. "I bet you wish you were with Kiritsugu or anybody else! You must be cursing your class right now because of your terrible luck!"

"No, my lord, that isn't true-"

"Well the feeling's mutual, Lancer. I'm not happy to have you either.

"I'm young and I'm inexperienced. And I am well aware. But at least I bring fresh ideas to the equation! What do you bring? Nothing but your chivalry! All you do is go on about is chivalry, chivalry, chivalry! Let me tell you, Lancer, chivalry is dead in this age! Only idiots and zealots go on about chivalry!

"And what good are you, anyway?" Waver said. "You've never won a battle and you got wounded by your own Noble Phantasm! I may be inexperienced, but what is your excuse?"

"My lord, you are angry." Lancer's voice was soft. Measured. "Please take back those words."

"What do you even know about it?!" Waver said. "Nothing, that's what! No matter how bad your life got, you just kept lying to yourself! 'Oh, it wasn't so bad, it was the exuberance of youth.' That's what you kept saying!

And your brothers? The other Knights of Fianna? They only used you for your spears! If you couldn't fight, do you think they'd let you join them?

Your life sucked, you had no friends, and when you finally did make friends, you killed them for some chick who probably didn't even love you in the first place! And you're telling me it gets better?"

"She did love me," Lancer said, quietly. "Together, we were happy."

"She only loved you because of that spot! Are you really that stupid you didn't even know?!"

Waver regretted it as soon as he said it. He saw the slight tightening of Lancer's hand. He couldn't see Lancer's eyes.

"You are right." Lancer kept his eyes on the ground. "Of course you are right, my lord."

"Lancer-"

"Grainne did not love me for myself. I understood that. But I loved her enough for the both of us. I believed that would be enough."

"Lancer..."

"As for my friendships, you also speak the truth. My skills were to be prized, indeed.

False friends and false love, alone and unwanted." He gave a bitter laugh. "That is the sad life of Diarmuid Ua Duibhne."

Waver's face was pale.

"My lord. I shall remain in spirit form until you have use for me. I shall not bother you anymore with my useless prattle."

"Wait, Lancer-"

But Lancer de-materialized, a dust cloud of mana glittering, leaving Waver alone with his pack and his sword.