Author's Note: Now for things to go off the rails...after a very long discussion that I have truncated as much as prudence and flow would allow. Parts are clearly based on or taken from the Fate/Zero anime, specifically the episode with the Meeting of Kings.
This would have been two chapters, but I told someone things would go off the rails in this chapter. Enjoy the larger read.
Chapter 11: Diplomacy and Fire
November 22, 1994
Fuyuki Forest, Outside Edelfelt Forest Mansion's Bounded Field
129 hours and 35 minutes to Zero
Mordred Pendragon's armored form stood in the forest clearing, her helmet-hidden visage looking up into the late evening sky. This place had a clear view and would be the best site to be seen and picked up from. The young woman tapped her foot, arms crossing as she waited for her ride. Finally, just as her tolerance was getting dangerously thin, lightning heralded the arrival of the Gordius Wheel. The groaning of bulls and Iskandar's laughter echoed down from the sky, preceding their own descent. His Master, Mordred noted, was using a rope to hold himself and a giant wine cask to the inside of the chariot. Upon landing on the ground, the Macedonian King gave the woman a prize-winning grin.
"Saber! Are you prepared for a rousing night of food, wine, and battles of words?" Iskandar asked in his typical boisterous manner.
"You're late." She observed, tersely.
"Hah! Don't dwell on it! Those who arrive before the King are early, and those who arrive after the King are late! It is we who define such things!" Iskandar quipped while Waver groaned. Under her helmet, Mordred couldn't help but smirk slightly.
"We wouldn't be late if you hadn't suddenly decided to steal this wine!" Waver whined.
The King of Conquerors looked to his Master briefly in confusion as if he was speaking a foreign language. "Boy, you can't expect us to attend empty-handed! Besides, this wine is ours by right of conquest!" He then glanced back to the armored knight. "Now, board my chariot, Saber! We shall travel in the style of the gods!"
"Heh! I'll forgive you just this once!" Mordred chuckled, amused by Iskandar's priorities. His ideas of kingship sounded appealing, even more so with an A-ranked Charisma stat backing up his oratory. It helped further that Iskandar said 'we Kings' as if recognizing her own claim to the throne. She climbed into the chariot next to Waver and gave him an appraising look. Weak, quick to complain, and clearly pulled along at his Servant's pace...but at least he was here. She couldn't say the same about her own Master.
Without warning, Iskandar snapped the reins and guided the bulls into the sky. Waver was getting better at bracing himself, but keeping the alcohol in place was another matter. Still, the young man kept the drink from falling from the chariot with the ropes. Once they got to cruising altitude, Mordred silently marveled at the feeling of flight. Waver squinting and clinging worriedly to the side of the chariot irritated her, though.
"Oh, toughen up! This is great! Seriously, are you really a man?" Mordred smacked Waver's back, making him cough harshly for several moments.
"H-hey! It's not like I could survive the fall like you, Saber!" Waver sputtered out, making the Knight of Treachery roll her eyes.
"Tch. To think one of my countrymen is this weak. Not that my Master is any better. Hey, Rider! Put some muscle on this brat's chest, will you? He's an insult to my people like this!" Mordred's yell made Waver flinch away, and Rider laughed loudly over the rush of air.
"He's a work in progress, Saber!" Iskandar exclaimed as they rode off into the night. None were aware of Kayneth watching them from a window in the nearby Edelfelt Mansion with a malicious smile on his face.
"Are you sure about this, Kayneth?" The shaken Sola-Ui inquired of her fiancé from a couch in the room. He looked back to her, the smile softening to one of affection.
"Sola-Ui, you wanted me to be more pro-active. This is the best opportunity we have, and I must take advantage of it. Now, I leave to avenge you. Monitor the connection with Saber. If anything happens, you know where to go." Kayneth verified that he had his Mystic Code and then left the mansion, knowing it would take time for him to arrive at his destination. By the time he did so, the meeting would be in full swing.
Tohsaka Mansion
129 hours and 25 minutes to Zero
Tokiomi was pleased. No, it would be more accurate to describe him as ecstatic. Shirou's accounts of Okita Souji's 'Three-Stage Thrust' and Sasaki Kojirou's 'Tsubame Gaeshi' were detailed and precise. More than that, Shirou's Glam Sight: Fairy Eyes allowed him to process information the human mind couldn't normally comprehend. In this case, he used it the analyze the limited mechanics of the Second Magic that were used in the histories of the weapons he saw. Never before had Okita Souji's power been so well documented. Furthermore, Sasaki Kojirou's technique showed how the exact reverse of the process worked. Comparing the two examples told him far more about how the Second Magic worked than either one would have alone. In a scant twelve hours, Shirou had provided Tokiomi with more knowledge about the Second Magic than the Tohsaka family had learned in a lifetime. His suspicions about Shirou's Mystic Eyes as invaluable research tools were confirmed. If he could only ensure that they were passed on to the next generation along with his Magic Circuits...
The man glanced over to the children, watching Rin take it upon herself to teach Shirou more about Jewel Magecraft and thereby assert her authority as the most skilled. Sakura's Shadow Familiar observed with its eyes glowing pink to reflect her own Glam Sight: Fairy Eyes being active. When Shirou showed that his skill at Reinforcement allowed him to fill the jewel with energy efficiently, Rin looked like she was sucking on a lemon. Still, her pride wouldn't allow her to acknowledge the accomplishment. "J-just because you're a walking prana battery doesn't mean that's all there is to charging these up. You have to convey your intent too so that the spell is efficient when cast. Adjust the flow like this!" The girl then focused, charging her own gem...only for it to crack and break into pieces. She stared at the gemstone as if it had betrayed her, then glared at Shirou as if daring him to say anything. To his credit, Shirou simply put the gem back together with his abilities and let Rin try again...and again. She succeeded on the third try and promptly pretended that the previous two tries had never happened.
It usually took Rin five tries for every success, but a whole day of practice without constraints on how many gems she could use had helped her improve. Sakura then gave it a try and succeeded on the ninth attempt. It wasn't bad when considering she had never done so before and was working through a Familiar. The girl also seemed to be more patient than Rin and could use her Mystic Eyes to better process what she was doing, which were advantageous in this exercise.
On recalling that Sakura was not truly here and was still in the Matous' abusive care, Tokiomi felt remorse for putting her in that situation. Oh, he did his best knowing what he knew at the time, but he needed to find a way to rectify this none-the-less. His wish to reach the Root seemed progressively less relevant in comparison. The Magus and the father fought within his mind over what was more important.
When this was all over, he owed Kariya Matou an apology.
"I must inquire as to if this is truly necessary." Artoria's voice was heard from up the stairs. Curious, Shirou stood and walked up the stairs followed by Rin and Sakura's Familiar. On emerging, they saw the trio of Servants speaking in the living room. Saber was back in the typical attire of her class, the blue dress and armor making its first appearance in this War.
"Of course it is necessary," Gilgamesh responded. "You may pose as a commoner for the sake of your Master, but on this night you must stand as a Servant and as a King. I will not have you ride my Vimana while dressed as some modern vagabond."
"It's good to see this outfit again, Saber-senpai! I've missed it!" Okita said in agreement as she remembered the attire from her time in the Second Holy Grail War.
Shirou did not hear their words. His mind was in another time and place...
Emiya Residence
February 3, 2004
12:00 AM
Moonlight filtered into the shed from behind her via the open door, framing her form as she looked down at the young man who had unwittingly summoned her. Flaxen blonde hair, emerald-green eyes, and a blue dress accented with silver-gray armor met the embattled spellcaster's sight. Shirou stared in awe as the newcomer spoke the words that would remain rooted in his memory for the rest of that life and be rekindled in the next.
"I ask of you...are you my Master?"
Tohsaka Mansion
November 22, 1994
129 hours and 23 minutes to Zero
"Shirou?" Artoria asked when she became aware of her young Master silently staring from the stairwell.
"...How could I forget that?" Shirou breathed, almost as if he felt guilty. He finally realized that Artoria was looking at him in concern. "Ah! Sorry! I was just remembering when we first met in the shed! You wore that back then too, didn't you?"
Artoria's expression showed slight disappointment. She had hoped to avoid this. Walking over before stooping down and gently putting armored hands on his shoulders, the woman ensured that she had Shirou's undivided attention. "Shirou, you have nothing to be sorry for. It was simply my hope that you did not remember too much so quickly. Upon the advice of a friend, I have refrained from wearing this attire and instead have worn something more contemporary to avoid stirring your memories without need. You deserve a chance at childhood, Shirou. Do not struggle to remember. You have ten years before you need to remember me in full."
Shirou was a bit confused but gave a sheepish nod. This was met with a gentle smile from Artoria. "Good. Remember that if you have need of me, you may call me to your side with one of your Command Seals. It is important to employ them only if necessary, so reserve them for matters of survival. Also, don't let Rin bully you into making too many gems before bedtime-"
"Don't worry so much, Saber-senpai!" Okita interrupted while smiling. "Kirei-chan and I will be here. Go to the Meeting of Kings and do what a King does! Diplomacy, posturing, and all that stuff!" With that, the Assassin pushed her ally along gently from behind. If she didn't, the concerned Artoria would be late. Shirou smiled and waved to Artoria as the Servants went outside. Once out of earshot, Okita spoke again. "You're like a doting mother to that boy, Saber-senpai. You need to get out of that mindset for tonight, okay?"
The comment made Artoria freeze as if she had been smacked in the face. It called to mind a piece of advice that Francis Drake had given her when Shirou was still unborn. Specifically, not to be a mother to one's significant other. Artoria schooled her features, glanced to Okita, and gave a nod. "Thank you, Miss Okita. I needed to hear that. Please remind me if I overstep that boundary again."
"...You're welcome! I'm glad to help!" Okita thought the response Artoria gave to be a bit odd, but at least she seemed to be back to her normal self.
Gilgamesh's golden Vimana emerged from the Gate of Babylon and he boarded, sitting in its throne-like control seat. "Come, Saber. Stand to my left and we shall take flight. We will not be outdone by that pretender and his chariot. Worthy or not, they shall have the opportunity to bask in my magnificent glory." The man was smug, clearly enjoying the prospect of making an impression on the other Servants.
Artoria boarded the vessel, reminding herself that this version of Gilgamesh wasn't interested in romancing her. Otherwise, she would not allow herself to do this. The golden craft took flight and left Okita behind. The sole remaining Servant then re-entered the Tohsaka Mansion, unaware of the storm that was coming...
Skies above Einzbern Castle
129 hours and 5 minutes to Zero
"Hey, look at that!" Mordred exclaimed, laughing at a small car tearing its way through the forest below. The decade-old Toyota had no business moving as quickly as it was through the wooded area, clearly managed by someone with the Riding skill. Of course, Mordred didn't have time to consider this for long as Iskandar's chariot followed a spotlight that was emitting a beam of light into the sky.
The Gordius Wheel descended, landing directly in the Einzbern Castle's courtyard. Iskandar bellowed happily. "Here with time to spare! Any earlier and we would appear too eager!" A thankful Waver got off of the chariot and onto the ground as quickly as safety allowed, though Mordred was a bit more nonchalant about it. A nearby Sella gave an irritated look to the party, given the dual trenches and hoofprints that had been dug into the grass.
"Alright, we're here. Where is Father?" The Knight of Treachery had a one-track mind in matters of this type, her eyes scanning the area. There were tables and chairs for outdoor seating, a circular garden with what looked like a huge stone sword sticking out of it that radiated prana, and the scent of food in the air.
"I am here, Mordred." Artoria Pendragon's voice met her ears in response, but its source was by no means what Mordred expected. Lancer Artoria wore a regal blue dress that accentuated her large bust, the tall woman looking quite different from the one Mordred remembered serving in life. "Thank you for coming, in spite of our dispute."
"Impressive. You clean up very nicely, Lancer!" Iskandar said in approval. He was glad that he hadn't chosen to wear the shirt that had arrived in the mail earlier that day. As nice as it was to wear the world on his chest, this was clearly a more formal affair.
"S-shut up, Rider! She was clean before!" Waver stammered in response to the disrespect. He wore a dark green dinner jacket and black pants along with a black tie, having been unable to bring himself to wear his typical attire to Irisviel's meeting and dinner party. Surely it was a formal affair to visit German nobility. His words just made Iskandar give a deep belly laugh.
"W-wh-what are you wearing, Father?" The mortified Mordred Pendragon exclaimed. "And what are those on your chest? What has Merlin done?" Clearly, the double-blow of seeing her King wearing such feminine clothing mixed with her increased proportions was a shock to her Knight.
Artoria tilted her head slightly toward her 'son'. "Mordred, do not make a scene. There is a simple explanation-"
"You bet there's an explanation! You're a faker! There's no way this...this...titty monster can be my father!" Mordred growled, drawing her sword.
"How vulgar!" Lancer Artoria exclaimed, stunned at the language that had left her son's mouth. She was on the cusp of employing Rhongomyniad when a mediator thankfully appeared.
"Is there a problem, Saber?" Irisviel inquired, exiting from the castle and entering the courtyard alongside Boudica and Kariya Matou. Kiritsugu followed as well, though he stayed back and said nothing for the moment. It was best to let Irisviel be the social butterfly here. Irisviel wore her white and gold dress, giving a nod of greeting to her other guests but hoping to disarm the situation with Mordred first.
"Yeah! this faker's pretending to be my father!" Mordred exclaimed, causing a certain Archer cooking in the kitchens inside to twitch slightly at the taboo word.
"Saber, Lancer is simply in a form that best reflects the use of her Lance. Calm yourself and we will have a nice meal when everyone else arrives." Irisviel's response grated on Mordred's patience further, but the smell of EMIYA's cooking eventually won out. She still glared daggers at Lancer Artoria, though.
It was at this point that a golden ship emitting a green trail approached at high speed through the night sky. Iskandar begrudgingly noted that it was even more impressive than his own Gordius Wheel. While the golden figure in the chair was clearly the one piloting the craft as it descended, more eyes were on the regal figure in blue that stood to his left. Leaping from the Vimana and briefly applying Wind Magecraft on her legs to slow her descent, Saber Artoria Pendragon made her appearance with a graceful landing.
"Welcome, Archer...Saber..." Irisviel warmly addressed the King of Knights who had just arrived. Mordred was focused entirely on the Servant in blue that had arrived. This was her father. King Arthur Pendragon, as she last saw her at the Battle of Camlann. Artoria took note of Mordred and her other self, her eyes widening in surprise before Irisviel spoke once more. "Ah, Saber Artoria Pendragon, I would like to present Saber Mordred Pendragon...and Lancer Artoria Pendragon!" Irisviel introduced excitedly, relishing everyone's expressions. Gilgamesh smiled at the display, the entertainment value of this superseding the need to be the center of attention at the moment.
Mordred was confused and livid, Clarent flickering with red lightning in anger. "Two of Father? Just what is going on here? The Grail isn't even supposed to allow that to happen! And why is one so different? Is she a pretender to the name after all?"
"Hush, Mordred! This is a parley!" Lancer Artoria called out, before nodding to Saber Artoria in recognition. Mordred froze, but her expression was still one of rage.
"Heheheh, Surprise! I bet you weren't expecting this!" The cube worn on Lancer Artoria's necklace chattered. Saber Artoria recognized the voice as that of the broadsword the fully armored Lancer wore when they assailed Caster's Workshop. "I'm Add, a Mystic Code based on Sir Kay! Nice to see you, Sis!"
"Ah...of course. It is nice to meet you...again?" Saber Artoria inquired, uncertain as to if this code actually bore the soul of her brother.
Add seemed to understand. "Don't worry about the details, things are complicated enough as it is. For now, let's get some food in Mordred before she blows the place up!" Leysritt, with either impressive bravery or a profound lack of self-preservation, walked up to Mordred while holding a plate of expertly prepared food at Add's prompting. The scent of EMIYA's cooking was very familiar to Artoria and Gilgamesh, though they did not speak of its similarities to Shirou's own at the moment. Mordred snatched the plate, sat down, and angrily started to scarf down the meal. Eyes widening, she paused briefly...before starting to shovel the food into her mouth with increased voracity.
"Bettah eschplain it all latah!" Mordred threatened through mouthfuls of food, showing the typical table manners of a sixth-century Knight.
"Hahahah! To think that King Arthur would be summoned twice! Truly an interesting War!" Iskandar was quite pleased with the situation. "Maidens, your finest wine glasses! I have brought drink! Archer, come join us! First, we feast! Then we discuss!"
"So many Britons! I am so pleased to see more countrymen in this War!" Boudica said, approaching the other British Servants. Of course, she made sure to grab Waver and drag him along.
"H-hey, what are you doing?" Waver exclaimed, having not expected an enemy Servant to act in this manner.
"Oh calm down, you're a Briton too! We should all sit and eat together!" Boudica exclaimed with a wide smile.
"Yes, Master! Sit amongst the maidens of your homeland! Perhaps fortune will smile upon you tonight!" Iskandar gave a bellowing laugh at Waver's expense, even as Gilgamesh tasted the wine Iskandar had brought and found it to be below his standards.
"Yech, you consider this swill to be fit for a King? It seems I will have to dip into my own supply to make things serviceable. Be grateful of my generosity, mongrels." Gilgamesh began to draw wine and Shirou's prepared food from his Gate of Babylon, which now infinitely multiplied as his meat storage did. This, of course, only highlighted the similarity between Shirou's cooking and EMIYA's. Not that Artoria knew the reason for this.
Einzbern Castle Planning Room
128 hours and 51 minutes to Zero
"Why can't we go to the party outside?" Illya asked in British for Gray's sake. She, Gray, Maiya, and EMIYA were all eating in the planning room rather than outside. This allowed them to use cameras and microphones to monitor the courtyard. Gilgamesh glanced toward the cameras at times, but that was to be expected. The King of Heroes often seemed to know more than he should thanks to his Clairvoyance, even though he often restricted the skill for his own enjoyment.
"You two are here because it's not safe for the Servants and Masters to know of you. Maiya and I are here both to protect you and to stay as the 'secret weapons' of the group. I know you want to see Saber again, but now isn't the time." EMIYA responded, trying to be the voice of reason for his little sister.
"Please?" Illyasviel asked her brother.
"No." EMIYA stoically refused.
"Pleaaaaaase?" Illyasviel appealed once more.
"I said no," EMIYA responded.
"Pleeaaaaaaaaaaaaase?" Illyasviel begged, employing the puppy dog eyes that her parents were weak to.
"Ask again and you'll get no dessert," EMIYA warned.
"Nnnngh..." The girl pouted, finally giving up as she stared at her food. Even cooking Illya's favorite meal wasn't helping her mood fully.
"I wanted to meet the other Aunt Artoria, and Aunt Mordred..." Gray said, a little upset about being kept inside.
"I'm sorry," Maiya said, trying to be comforting in spite of her stoic expression. "This is to keep you safe. Mordred's Master is someone who we have to be careful of. If Saber stays behind," she said referring to Artoria, "perhaps we can work something out before she leaves. Otherwise, we can contact her by phone."
"I suppose that's true..." Illya said, still not liking that she was being coddled and protected. She still felt like a damsel cooped up in a castle. At least it was out of love rather than betrayal this time. Her Mommy, Daddy, and Onii-chan wanted her safe. She couldn't fault that too much.
Einzbern Castle Courtyard
128 hours and 50 minutes to Zero
Saber Artoria looked to Hercules' sword, enshrined in the courtyard and surrounded by a circle of flowers while radiating prana. Clearly, Rin's old Archer had done that for Illyasviel's sake. The King of Knights pondered if she should say anything, eventually coming to a decision and standing from her finished fifth helping of food. She approached Iskandar, looking at him with purpose. "King of Conquerors. Is it true that you are a son of Zeus?"
"Hmm? My legend does state as such, yes." The man said, smiling at Saber Artoria. "Why, do you seek to worship me? I shall tell you that I prefer to be considered a King rather than a god. I would be better served if you joined my Army."
Saber Artoria's expression was stern but civil. "No. I merely offer you the opportunity to join me in paying respects to your brother, Hercules. He was a worthy foe who once stood against me as a Berserker. It seems that they have erected his blade as a memorial." The woman gestured to the blade in question, which had been repeatedly noticed but not understood.
Iskandar's eyes widened and his smile grew. "Truly? Hah! To find a shrine to him here in this distant land. Perhaps he too had untapped skill at conquest!" Finishing his wine and pouring a fresh glass, Iskandar stood and walked with Artoria to the massive stone sword. Saber Artoria began a quiet Christian prayer while Iskandar poured his wine on the stone sword in a manner of libation common to the Greeks. "Rest well, my brother, honored for your strength even on this distant shore."
After a moment of silence, Iskandar inquired of Saber Artoria. "Saber. You said you fought him. How did he fare in battle?"
She concluded her prayer and elected to respond. "In our first battle, he held a clear advantage and injured both me and my Master. During the second battle, he killed an allied Archer. In the third, it took my reduced strength combined with that of both our Masters to finally strike him down. He was impervious to any attack B-ranked or below and able to recover from death eleven times, though some sufficiently powerful attacks could take multiple lives at once. He could then gain resistance to attacks used to kill him previously. With a proper Master, such as the one he had then, he could even regenerate lives over time. His profound strength, agility, and willpower made him one of the most formidable opponents I have ever faced."
Iskandar relished the commentary, smiling widely at the memorial. "To be praised so well by a foe afterward is no trivial thing. I can only hope to engage in such meaningful battles myself in this War! Though I am surprised that you would confess to having such trouble with him, Saber." Iskandar prodded at Saber Artoria's sense of pride, but she did not regret the disadvantages she faced as Shirou's Servant at that time.
"I am currently at my maximum strength possible as a Servant and have improved my skills since then. While he would still be a strong foe, the results are not guaranteed to be the same if I faced him now." Saber Artoria stuck to facts instead of boasts or excuses. Still, a small measure of pride shone through her words none the less.
"Indeed...being able to remember between summonings is a great boon. To cross blades with the greatest heroes through history and remember is to grow and improve in a way that the rest of us are denied. Speaking of boons, though..." Iskandar turned to the assembled group and increased the volume of his voice. "We shall now discuss our wishes for the Grail and our worthiness to claim it! Now, who among you will reveal your worth...Boy!" Iskandar called out sharply, making Waver flinch and look to his Servant. "You start!" Clearly, Iskandar didn't fully believe that the Grail was corrupted yet. He was using this discussion both for its obvious outward appearance as well as to judge the others' potential stances should the Grail indeed be corrupt. Would they pursue it regardless, or set aside their desire for the sake of the World?
Waver was stunned for a moment. Iskandar wanted him to say what he wanted with the Grail? Even after criticizing him for his wish before? What could he even say that wouldn't sound petty and shallow? The boy pondered before finally giving a sigh. "Alright, look. When it comes to Magecraft, you're not even listened to unless you're one of the old families. That's where all the power and authority is. My teacher, First Saber's Master, publicly insulted and humiliated me based on my birth without even discussing my ideas when I presented them. My initial wish for the Grail was to be judged on my own merits rather than what I was born as." Waver was embarrassed, but kept speaking. "Lancer told me that wish is too selfish and that I should make it fairer for everyone because the problem is systemic, so-"
"To hell with that!" Mordred called out in anger, glaring at Waver.
"Eh?" The boy exclaimed, looking at the girl in surprise.
"This is the Grail! Granting selfish and silly wishes is what it's meant for! Besides, there's nothing wrong with wanting to be judged fairly instead of for how you were born! That's pretty much my wish too! I want to have a chance at pulling the Sword of Selection, Caliburn, to prove myself fit to be King! Not to be judged because of who my mother was or how I came into the world! Don't let Father change your wish! It's no one else's business!" Mordred cast a heated glare toward Lancer Artoria as if to chastise her for criticizing someone else's wish.
"...Thanks, First Saber. I appreciate that." Waver said, surprised by the Servant's outburst and support.
"Eh?" Mordred's frustration evaporated in her surprise. After a moment, the girl waved the name and gratitude away with a tinge of embarrassment. "Just call me 'Mordred'. It's not much of a secret, anyway." At that, Mordred's eyes snapped open in response to an unknown stimulus before narrowing again. She wasn't looking at anyone specific, but her irritation was palpable as she spoke to open air. "Hey, I'll be friendly with whoever I want! Maybe if you weren't such an ass, he wouldn't have taken your Servant and come to fight in the Grail War to begin with! Ever think of that?" Mordred's rekindled anger seemed to grow further at the unheard response. "You wouldn't have gotten along with Rider any better and you know it! Especially since all you want to do is hand the wish over to your fiancée!" Another pause was heard, before Mordred's voice shifted into a dangerous, low tone. "Hey. Is that really how a guy with one Command Seal should talk? ...that's what I thought."
Everyone who didn't already know that Kayneth only had one Command Seal filed that little detail away in the back of their minds.
Iskandar didn't seem particularly satisfied with Mordred's wish and shook his head. "A shame. I had expected more from one who I had considered the conqueror of Britannia."
"What do you mean by that?" Mordred inquired, shifting her anger to Iskandar. The implication in her tone was that if his answer was not satisfactory, she would cast aside all pretense of peace there and then. Both Artorias knew of Mordred's impulsiveness and tensed themselves for battle. Before the King of Conquerors could respond to infuriate the girl further, Irisviel clapped her hands together.
"Now, now. A child seeking the acknowledgment of their parent is a natural thing! Why don't we hear everyone else's wishes?" The woman sought to placate the pair before things got out of hand. Mordred raised an eyebrow at being called a 'child', but at least Irisviel acknowledged her parentage. The white-haired homunculus held her clasped hands in front of her chest and continued to speak. "My family's wish, for example, is to reclaim the Third Magic. It is a power we once held that has been long lost to us. It may be used to save humanity one day, allowing humans to transcend their mortal limitations." None of this was a lie, because Irisviel said it was her 'family's' wish rather than her own or Kiritsugu's. No, they no longer had a wish for the Grail itself.
Kariya looked to Irisviel and seemed critical. "I don't know about Magecraft or Magic being able to save anything. I've only ever seen it destroy or cause harm."
"Hmm? What is your wish, then?" Irisviel inquired of Kariya, though she already knew from EMIYA via his connection with Shirou.
"To save my niece from the Matou family. Our patriarch wants immortality and uses us as prana batteries by infesting us with his parasites. The family was supposed to die out after I left due to its declining Magic Circuits, but the patriarch had my brother adopt Sakura from the Tohsaka family instead. Lying in that pit night after night, worms eating into her flesh...I have to free her. If I give Zouken Matou the Grail and let him wish for immortality, he will have no more need of us and Sakura will be freed. That is the agreement." Kariya spoke levelly.
"And what about you? Will you be freed?" Irisviel asked, noticing that Kariya had not mentioned himself.
"...It will be too late for me by then if it isn't already. These worms are slowly killing me, and it gets worse the more I use Magecraft or support my Servant. Even if I manage to save Sakura, I won't be here for long. I can only hope that her real father is willing to take her in now that I've let him know what Sakura is going through." Kariya said in resignation. Mordred wanted to say 'little hope of that' because of her own experience with neglectful fathers, but she knew better than to speak that way aloud in this situation. Here was a man willing to sacrifice his life for even a chance at protecting a niece that wasn't even his blood. The Knight in her respected this choice and wished that her own family had such loyalty.
"He is." Saber Artoria said gently, drawing Kariya's attention. "I happen to know that Tokiomi Tohsaka deeply regrets sending her to the Matou family after verifying your claims of abuse and wants Sakura returned to him, but Sakura is staying away because Zouken Matou has threatened to kidnap her sister Rin as a replacement should Sakura go home." Kariya Matou clenched his fist. On one hand, it sounded like Tokiomi had finally gotten the hint. On the other, Zouken had threatened Rin. It was one more thing that Kariya hoped the old fool suffered for one day. Boudica looked angry at the prospect while Waver looked sympathetic.
"We should just kill this Zouken guy. Mages like that are a blight on the world." Mordred said bluntly.
"Easier said than done," Kiritsugu stated for the first time since the conversation started. Mordred glanced to the previously quiet mercenary. "The man has turned himself into a massive swarm of insect familiars. He can easily reform from damage. Killing Zouken Matou would be an exercise requiring large amounts of fire or perhaps a missile, and potentially futile if we did not target or bind the components housing his soul at the very least."
"You sound like you've given it some thought," Mordred said while glancing at the man in the long suit jacket with a smirk.
"Terminating Mages was my job before I got married. When they go past a certain point, death tends to be the only solution." The man responded bluntly and without reservation, sending a slight shiver down Mordred's spine...and a more solid one down Waver's.
"Do not flinch away, Boy," Iskandar said to Waver. "In war, it is only natural to encounter those who are willing to take life. Your own teacher is no exception...though this man carries a greater air of competence about him. I've known men with such eyes before." Iskandar decided to watch Kiritsugu closely. It seemed that Lady Einzbern had more assets available than just Lancer. Indeed, the homunculi with them seemed to be ready to fight as well if need be. Taking a sip of his drink, he glanced to Gilgamesh. "And what of you, Archer? What desire do you have for the Grail?"
Gilgamesh took a sip of his drink, answering in his own time. "You are not Ruler here, mongrel. In insisting that our motives are the sole metric by which to judge the matter, you already disregard the time-honored rules which dictate that we fight for the Grail. Besides that, the Grail already belongs to me. All of the World's treasures, without exception, trace their origins back to my treasure house."
"They do, do they?" Iskandar noted with a measure of amusement. "Then I assume that means you once held the Holy Grail. You could identify it by sight."
"No," Gilgamesh said, surprising Iskandar and the others with the exception of Saber Artoria. "Do not consider me as you would a lesser being. The value of my treasury long ago surpassed my own knowledge, but that the Holy Grail is a treasure also means that it belongs to me. And any who would take it for themselves," Gilgamesh said with a frown, "is nothing but a scoundrel and a common thief."
"That's crazy! Just because it's a treasure, you automatically assume it's yours?" Mordred exclaimed. Lancer Artoria seemed to agree with Mordred.
"Of course," Gilgamesh said, looking to Mordred with slight disdain for her disrespect. "You, who claim to respect a King's nature and right, should know this. I am the King of Heroes and stand above all others. This World is mine in its totality, including all assets and human knowledge. If it is a treasure of the World or created from human knowledge, it is mine to claim even if previously unseen by my eyes."
Gilgamesh then looked to Iskandar. "Those mongrels who would steal from me, including those seeking the Grail, are guilty of violating the Law I set down as King and must be disciplined. One such as you who seeks to conquer the World that I already rule is in special need of my judgment. It is all a matter of principle." The golden King then took a drink from his cup before speaking again. "Of course, if you lot were to earnestly swear fealty to me, I could lend you a Grail or two whenever you felt the need for one."
"Sorry, that is totally out of the question," Iskandar said through chuckles before setting down his empty cup. "Never the less...I desire the Holy Grail so badly that I can almost taste it! And it has always been my style to just take what I want! After all, the great Iskandar is the King of Conquerors, is he not?"
"Right and wrong are irrelevant. Break the law and I will punish you." Gilgamesh said simply. "There is no place for discussion."
"Hnn," Iskandar vocalized, "which means all we have left to us, all else being equal, is to meet on the field of combat." Of course, those aware of the Grail's stated corruption understood what the 'all else being equal' meant. He would be willing to yield for the sake of the World if the Grail were truly corrupted.
"...King of Conquerors." Lancer Artoria finally spoke. "Earlier, you said that the Grail's rightful ownership lay with another and not yourself. And yet you would just take it by force? What makes the Grail so important to you?"
Iskandar would have been a bit embarrassed about his response, but he had known that he would have to answer and instead was prepared to speak with pride and clarity. "Why I, Iskandar, wish for a new body with which I can once more lay claim to all I can see! To build new armies! To conquer the world with my comrades at my side and my sword in hand! To live and enjoy the spoils!" Iskandar chuckled. "True, I could wish upon the Grail to simply give me the world, but that is not the way of true conquest."
"That's not how a King should act! You'd be like Rome, taking away the happiness and peace of the innocent for your own gain! That runs contrary to my own wish for Britannia's peace!" Boudica stated, her eyes showing a degree of restrained anger. Lancer Artoria shared this expression.
"Britannia can have all the peace it wants, so long as it is secured under my rule. If that is not good enough, you are welcome to try to stop me should the opportunity arise." Iskandar stated to the fellow redhead before laughing. The two blonde British Kings and their Knight of Treachery were also looking at the man in irritation at the implication of his seizing Britannia, though Saber Artoria was more focused and calculating than her alternate.
Waver groaned. "Way to alienate your Master and half of the other Servants, Rider..."
Iskandar waved his hand in a gesture telling his master to settle down. "Calm yourself, Boy. It's all in good fun. All they would have to do to stop me is win, and that changes nothing about this War. Now then...Lancer, what is your desire for the Grail?" The man asked the next Servant down the line.
Lancer Artoria readopted her stoicism and started discussing her own wish. "I wish for my homeland's salvation." Iskandar's expression was initially one of confusion, but Lancer Artoria continued to speak. "After the sword Caliburn was broken, I had a choice. I could have wielded either the Sword Excalibur with its scabbard or the Holy Lance Rhongomyniad. I mainly employed the Lance. Over ten years, it transformed me into the ideal vessel to carry it...much to Mordred's earlier frustration and confusion." Lancer Artoria explained her condition and also made Mordred scowl at the reminder. "Unfortunately, it caused me to be something other than human. A being that could not relate to my people. 'The King does not understand human emotion', Tristan said as he left my court. That inhuman nature, caused by my claiming the Lance instead of the Sword, made me a so-called 'perfect King' seemingly without flaw...but in the end, I failed to hold the loyalty of my Knights and protect my lands. My initial wish to avoid breaking Caliburn and continue my reign from that point should have allowed me to retain my humanity to save my Kingdom, but..." Lancer Artoria's gaze met Saber Artoria's eyes. "There stands one who picked the Sword and not the Lance. One who retained her humanity as I had hoped to. The fact she still failed as I did and eventually dared to abandon her wish and the Kingdom...makes me worry that my humanity would be a double-edged sword that would ensure that I still failed." This last bit was said with a little venom, surprising Saber Artoria. "If I am truly so inept, then perhaps I should wish for someone more worthy to have drawn Caliburn from the stone. At least then Britannia would have a chance at survival-" Lancer Artoria was promptly interrupted.
"Are you kidding me?" Mordred yelled. "All that shit about rejecting me as your heir, fighting me to cling to your power, our killing each other, and now you want to just give it up to someone anyway?" Clearly, this fact did not sit well with Mordred at all.
"...Hey, King of Knights. Did you just say that you would change fate?" Iskandar asked, looking to Lancer Artoria with criticism. Saber Artoria knew what was coming. "Does that mean you wish to change events long past? That you seek to erase the marks that you yourself have left on history?"
"Correct. The end of my rule was caused solely by my own failings. That is why I regret it and must save my people from their fate." Lancer Artoria said, glancing unfavorably at Saber Artoria. "Why my other self has cast such a wish aside is beyond my understanding."
"Come off it!" Mordred exclaimed, glaring at Lancer Artoria. "Are you so full of yourself that you think you're responsible for my actions? If I'm anything like your Mordred, she chose to rebel! She may have been told to by her mother at first, but she held off until she had her own reasons to condemn you!"
Gilgamesh started to laugh. "You call yourself a King and are praised by all as such? And yet you feel regret? Such nonsense!"
Lancer Artoria may not have been as animated as Saber Artoria was during her own Meeting of Kings, but her eyes narrowed at the laughter from Gilgamesh. "Why do you laugh?" Lancer Artoria's eyes then shifted to look toward Saber Artoria. "And you! Why do you say nothing? Do you not feel for our beloved country, to which we devoted our whole lives? For the sake of our nation, we should be willing to make any sacrifice! So why have you abandoned yours? Have you no shame?"
"Did you hear that drivel, Rider? Did you hear what this woman who calls herself the 'King of Knights' said? 'Her beloved country to which she devoted her whole life!" Gilgamesh said, continuing to laugh in amusement. Mordred growled in irritation at the 'woman' comment, but any rebuttal was stopped by Saber Artoria's words.
Saber Artoria had noted Lancer Artoria's gaze and elected to speak calmly. "Lancer. Mordred. Take heed. I have stood where my other self stands, having this very discussion with the same men. What I did not know at the time was that, regardless of our feelings on the matter, even the Grail cannot alter Camelot's fate without dire consequences."
"What do you mean, Saber? The Grail is omnipotent, is it not?" Lancer Artoria inquired of her alternate with a measure of wariness.
"Omnipotent for a single moment, perhaps, but not omniscient. It cannot grant a wish unless the user has a specific method in mind for the Grail to follow in doing so." Saber Artoria had to nip this in the bud, and it meant giving a lesson of sorts. "The manipulation of history not only requires careful management and a deep understanding to achieve, but there are checkpoints roughly every hundred years. If a timeline does not roughly align with what is considered the most advantageous course for humanity's survival and continued growth at the time of that checkpoint, that timeline is culled without concern for ethics or morality. The Grail might, and I mean might allow one to sidestep a single check if that were part of the wish...but all of them moving forever forward? Even the Grail would not perform multiple miracles of the like."
"You're talking about the theory of Quantum Time-Locks," Waver spoke up, understanding what Saber Artoria spoke of. "Specifically, how they are used to prune Parallel Worlds with large deviations from the Common History of Man. I've read Zelretch's dissertation on that. I assume that Camelot's destruction was a Quantum Time-Lock?" Saber Artoria gave a nod, and Waver put his hand to his chin. "I see...yeah, if they used the Grail to change an event set in stone like that, they would either automatically fail...or succeed only for that entire World and everyone in it to be erased within a century for non-compliance during the next Time-Lock."
"No..." Lancer Artoria uttered, her eyes widening.
"I'm afraid so, Lancer..." Irisviel confirmed, her expression downcast. "Wizard Marshall Zelretch is the bearer of the Second Magic. He can observe Parallel Worlds, traverse them, and even manipulate them. There is no greater authority on the topic. If you change the past to avert Camelot's fall, or if Mordred changes the past to become King, it will either fail or doom your new version of history."
"Such should be the price for hubris of that scale," Iskandar said, eyeing Lancer Artoria critically. The woman was silent for a time before she looked to her younger-yet-older self. Saber Artoria took that opportunity to bring up the next topic.
"And that would be if the Grail were properly functioning. I have been in a Grail War very similar to this one where the same corrupted Caster was summoned. The reason Caster was able to manifest as he did was because the Grail was corrupted during the Third Holy Grail War. Any wish made would be granted with as much destruction as possible thanks to the Servant Angra Mainyu tainting the Grail as a remnant from that time. Humanity could easily be extinguished." Saber Artoria knew her counterpart to be aware of this fact, as well as Gilgamesh, but she was surprised to see Iskandar and Waver to be seemingly unsurprised. Mordred, however, stared in wide-eyed shock.
"...Wait...you mean it's a damned monkey's paw?" Mordred yelled in her frustration.
Iskandar nodded, his arms crossing over his broad chest. "Yes, Lancer and her Master have informed me of that claim. Up until now, there was no way to verify it...but I think I can resolve this, one way or the other!"
"Huh? How, Rider?" Waver asked, before Iskandar gave a knowing smirk. The King of Conquerors then looked to Saber Artoria.
"Saber. Do you know of my strongest Noble Phantasm? If you truly know me from another War, you will be able to relay that which I have told no one. Tell me everything you can about it." Iskandar tested Saber Artoria and cast secrecy aside. Waver was about to yell at his Servant for the breach when the younger-yet-older King of Knights' response made him stop cold.
"You possess a Reality Marble." Saber Artoria observed, the eyes of a fair number of the guests snapping wide open. The girl continued. "You are capable of calling forth friends and allies you knew in life as Servants onto the desert sands upon which you once rode. Though they lack Noble Phantasms or notable specifications, they number in the thousands to serve as your soldiers and let you employ the tactics you enjoyed in life. You are also able to summon a single soldier outside of your Reality Marble as well, using it as a messenger between the inside and outside. That is the power of Ionioi Hetairoi."
Iskandar was a bit embarrassed, rubbing the back of his head. "I did not expect such a...thorough answer. Truly, I must have relied upon its power a bit too much."
"This is what happens when you don't keep secrets, idiot!" Waver exclaimed in horror.
"Anyway," Iskandar said while ignoring Waver, "you are correct, Saber! Except for one detail. It is not merely 'calling forth friends and allies I knew in life', but 'calling forth my friends and allies'! Allow me to show you what I mean! Focusing his power, Rider allowed lightning to form in front of him and coalesce into a single white light. "Come forth from beyond the horizon of time, my friend, to stand at my side once more! Ionioi Hetairoi!"
The light was blinding and brief, but they did not change locations to the desert as Saber Artoria and Irisviel expected. No, they were still in the courtyard...with a single additional guest. Standing tall at the epicenter of where the light had been, a stern-looking man with long black hair had appeared. He wore a black suit with a red long coat and a golden-colored scarf, though his suit's fit indicated a fair bit of muscle on his lean frame. "Hah...so you took my advice! Those extra thirty centimeters look good on you!" Iskandar happily observed.
Appraising the crowd and finding his eyes falling upon Waver Velvet, the newcomer's eye ticked for some reason. Still, he couldn't help but move on to Iskandar and give a more honest smile. "So it's this. Not that it isn't great to see you again, Rider, but wouldn't this be right after the King of Knights told you that time wasn't something to tamper with?"
Iskandar gave a boisterous laugh in response to the criticism. "True! But we need to know if the Grail here is cursed as she claims. I figured someone who has lived through these events could enlighten us!" This confused the group, but the newcomer gave a sigh.
"Damn bootstrap paradoxes..." The man muttered. Walking over to stand between Mordred and Rider, he took a goblet of wine and took a long drink as if to cope with the situation. Only when he'd finished the cup and started to re-pour it did he resume speaking. "Very well. I'll have to limit what I tell you though, so you don't make your own Parallel World by mistake." He knowingly glanced at Saber Artoria as he said this and the girl at least had the decency to look slightly sheepish in spite of her typical poise. "You can call me Professor Velvet, and the Grail is cursed thanks to Einzbern stupidity and pride. Any wish made upon it will be interpreted in the worst possible manner, up to and including the elimination of all of human life."
Matou Mansion Basement
128 hours and 27 minutes to Zero
"Hoh...that's interesting," Zouken stated, observing the discussion through his descendant's eyes. He wasn't intrigued by the fact that the Grail was corrupted. No, he'd known that long ago. The fact that they'd used a Reality Marble to access the Throne of Heroes and force it to summon someone from the future was a nice little trick, though. It also meant that unless he wanted to make a Parallel World and invite Zelretch to take an interest in things, he should really leave Rider's Master alive to let the time loop go on its merry way.
A shame, really. The boy looked like a screamer.
Not purging the thought of murder from his mind so much as directing it toward something more actionable, Zouken grinned widely. El-Melloi was almost in position, Zouken was tied into Caster's energy feed from across the city, and it was time for their operation to begin. "Caster, it's time for Phase One."
The Servant gave a disturbing smile of his own as he approached the first of two Magic Circles drawn on the floor. "Finally! Now to lay claim to my holy virgin's ward! Let us begin!" Placing a hand on it and following Zouken's directions, the disturbing man activated part of what they had spent the day setting up underground. Large numbers of tentacled Familiars started to erupt from the water and sewage system, built up unseen with some of the collected energy through the day. A number of them began to converge on the streets on a calculated route...
!LINE!
Einzbern Castle Courtyard
128 hours and 26 minutes to Zero
This news had not gone over well. Mordred had grabbed the grown version of Waver by his coat and started shaking him in an angry urgency, demanding he retract his words. The man was strangely familiar with the gesture and accepted it as if it were typical. Boudica and Kariya had been ready for the possibility, but to learn it was true still stripped them of hope. Iskandar was contemplative while the younger Waver was still trying to get over the appearance of his future self.
"I apologize for my son's conduct, Professor Velvet. She does not always act react well to that which she does not favor." Saber Artoria's calling Mordred her 'son' had an immediate effect on Mordred and made her mood improve slightly, coaxing her to release her grip on the man.
"That's fine, it's just how she is." Professor Velvet stated, simply waving it off after recovering. He glanced around and gave a light sigh. "A shame the kids aren't here. Seeing them in their youth again would have been interesting as well."
"Well, their safety is important. They're well protected, but we can't be too careful!" Irisviel said, smiling slightly. She assumed that this version of Waver Velvet had met Illya and Gray.
Unfortunately, Lancer Artoria was not smiling. "...How can you stomach it, Saber? The knowledge that there is nothing that can be done?" Lancer Artoria's grief showed, even in spite of her typical stoicism. Saber Artoria wasn't sure how much she should say, but she had to say something.
In time, the bearer of the Sword spoke to the owner of the Lance. "I allowed myself to be human. To grieve after defeating Lancelot and learning that he desired judgment for his crimes. To accept that I failed in my rule because I was too detached from others, as Tristan claimed. To relearn what it was like to feel and connect with others. Our brother resting around your neck can help you in that task. I finally moved on and recognized that I had played my role in history. I renounced my provisional contract to the World to let me seek the Grail while near death, stood over Mordred's corpse, and forgave her while reflecting on my failures." Mordred's eyes widened as the words of her father at Camlann were remembered.
"...If you can somehow still hear me...I've done this not of malice but of duty. Your actions were merely the culmination of my own failings.
Thus, I forgive you...Mordred..."
That clinched it. This Saber version of Artoria Pendragon was indeed her true father.
Saber Artoria smiled gently at Lancer Artoria. "It is okay to grieve...but to erase history would be to deny every sacrifice our people and our fellow Knights have made. To renounce the people they became for good or for ill. Grieve, accept what has transpired, and be more human in the proper balance, Artoria Pendragon. It was Merlin's hope that once we were free of our burden, we could find a chance at happiness by looking toward the future."
"Hmph. To live your Kingship as a martyr's burden is the life of a fool." Iskandar uttered, earning a glare from Mordred and Lancer Artoria.
"Perhaps," Saber Artoria's words surprised Mordred and Lancer Artoria, "but given that Camelot was needed as it was to serve its role in history, a martyr King was exactly what was needed in that time and place for the sake of humanity. But we need not be such any longer. Were I to rule again, I would consider the King as much a servant of the people and nation as vice-versa. It is a symbiotic relationship where the King can do nothing without his people, and the people have no leadership without a King. But I would note your opinions on kingship, Iskandar, and allow myself a measure of happiness. That does have its purpose in allowing the people to relate to their King, and my failure to do so was the catalyst for the destruction of Camelot. It is merely that you advocate for too much, whereas I once advocated for too little."
"Heh. I consider that an unnecessary justification for being human, but at least you have grown into a King." Iskandar said jovially before pouring another drink for himself.
Gilgamesh gave a smirk, enjoying Lancer Artoria's lament but addressing Saber Artoria. "Perhaps once you are more familiar with pleasure, Saber, you will not be so concerned with balance and simply accept hedonism as the King's right. Of course, I do hope that Lancer continues to struggle with her beliefs. The beauty she holds as she strains under the weight of an impossible dream is most pleasing. I would rather enjoy watching her efforts." Gilgamesh noted without losing his sadistic smile.
Lancer Artoria still felt shaken but had no chance to recover before Mordred yelled out at this point. "You have to be joking! The thing I admired about you the most? Your perfect rule? You'd throw it away or change it? Who cares what the people think? You were KING!"
"By that logic, I had every right as King to reject your feelings and turn my back on you." Saber Artoria said softly, making Mordred recoil in surprise at such a response. "However, possessing the right does not mean employing it was the correct thing to do, as consequences have shown. A King that can only save their people and not lead them will one day fall. I have come to terms with that. It is you, Mordred, who showed the world that I was an imperfect King. Denying the flaws that you personally exposed in my rule is a contradiction."
Saber Artoria continued to speak, determined to clarify this point to her child. "A perfect King does not exist, Mordred. If one without apparent flaw stands as King, they will not have the wherewithal to comprehend their imperfect human subjects or their needs. That was my flaw."
Tohsaka Mansion Basement
128 hours and 20 minutes to Zero
Tokiomi was utterly fascinated as he watched through Gilgamesh's eyes. The group had summoned a future version of Rider's Master to advise them and he confirmed the corruption of the Grail. While not technically the Second Magic since they merely accessed the Throne of Heroes that existed outside of time, it was still fascinating for the follower of Zelretch. As a participant of the Grail War, he felt betrayed by the Einzberns. The children had since gone to bed, so he had been able to dedicate his full attention to this meeting.
"Master," Kirei called, descending from upstairs. "Caster's Familiars are gathering outside in significant numbers. I suspect that they intend to attack."
"Odd, I haven't perceived them approaching the Bounded Field..." Tokiomi stated, having expected to be informed by his defenses if they were under attack. Not that the Bounded Fields couldn't handle something as simple as a Familiar swarm.
"That is because we are not the apparent target. The Matou Mansion seems to be the focus of the assault," Kirei clarified. On the surface, this seemed like a good thing if the Matou could be taken out of the war, but there was one fact that brought Tokiomi no shortage of horror. Sakura was there. Tokiomi may have been a Magus, but the father in him was winning out in his heart.
"Kirei...I know it runs counter to our objectives, but please take Grandmother and protect Sakura. I will watch the children here from the cover of the Bounded Field," Tokiomi decided. With nothing more than a nod, the empty priest walked up the steps and left Tokiomi to himself.
"Grandmother," Kirei called out, the Assassin-class Servant promptly phasing into material form to his side. "Might you be willing to share your Presence Concealment until we are in their midst?"
"Of course, Kirei-chan." Pulling her arm out of the sleeve of her haori, the Servant let Kirei underneath the fabric before activating its power. Imperceptible to the world, they left the Tohsaka Mansion and headed out to intercede without letting anyone know from whence they came. Kirei readied his weapons, the sacraments of the Church particularly effective against beings such as the ones they were about to fight.
The tentacled familiars didn't know what hit them when a whirlwind of steel appeared from literally nowhere and began to cleave them apart. Staying just outside the Matous' Bounded Field, Kirei Kotomine and Assassin revealed themselves to defend the Matou Estate against Caster's minions, unaware that the minions were allied with the old worm.
Matou Mansion Basement
128 hours and 19 minutes to Zero
Zouken watched the happenings outside through his Familiars, not deceived by the pair's effort to conceal the direction of their approach. They could only have arrived this promptly if they were already nearby, after all. "It seems that the Tohsaka-Kotomine Alliance has held through to this Grail War. Well, it is not like I do not have a provision for this. It is time for Phase Two." The ancient Magus focused on his Crest Worms that were already buried underground around the Tohsaka Estate and its Bounded Field. They were arranged as a large, underground Magic Circle with the Tohsaka Mansion at the center. A burst of energy drawn from the day's collection efforts was directed through the quickly exploding worms and subsequently through their blood, causing the Bounded Field around the Tohsaka Mansion to have its power source diverted and collapse it entirely. The large Magic Circle also partially disrupted the link between Master and Servant in the area, hopefully keeping Tokiomi and Shirou from calling upon their Servants for aid.
Being the one who designed the Command Seals and other aspects of the bond between Master and Servant had its advantages for Zouken.
Zouken had expected Tokiomi to come out of his home on his own and fight to defend Sakura, letting him seize Shirou and Rin from the Tohsaka home. The plan was flexible though, especially since backup was nearly on the scene. And since the Familiars distracting Assassin and her Master could readily be regenerated with the energy collected for the task, the plan would likely still work just fine.
For now, though, it was time to perform Phase Three. Walking to the remaining unused Magic Circle, of the type used for summoning a Servant, he focused on performing the nest stage of his plan...
Einzbern Castle Courtyard
128 hours and 18 minutes to Zero
"-AND CARVE YOU HOLLOW WITH A BATTLE AXE!" Mordred kept screaming, having not reacted to Saber Artoria's efforts to explain things very well. Of course, this rant wasn't directed specifically at her father. No one knew exactly who it was directed to. Her Master? One of the Wavers? Iskandar? Fate itself? She had been at it for a solid two minutes as one of the fundamental pillars on which her worldview was crafted fell apart.
Gilgamesh was simply amused at the temporary departure from reality, not even noticing that Tokiomi's mind was no longer observing his actions. He only felt the basic link between them. Saber Artoria also failed to perceive the problem, as her own Master had not learned the Shared Perception Magecraft to watch her and had been asleep anyway.
"Who are you even shouting at, little girl?" Iskandar asked, tiring of the rant. Mordred glared daggers at the man and was about to respond when Kariya started to violently cough up blood.
"Master?" Boudica asked as the man stood shakily and moved jerkily, like a puppet whose legs were guided by another force.
"M-My body...I can't control my..." Kariya groaned in pain as he staggered away from the meeting, a concerned Boudica at his side. He collapsed against Hercules' monument, Boudica stooping down with him, and then the pain truly started. The man grabbed his arm and screamed as the back of his hand was consumed by Crest Worms from inside. The Command Seals resting on the consumed flesh were taken by the worms, and a bright light shone from Boudica's chest.
Boudica could hear her new 'Master' in her mind. 'You are a disappointment, Berserker, but this old man knows how to fix the mistake Kariya made in calling upon you.' The woman was confused as she heard the voice speak further. 'Elements of Silver and Iron. Foundation of Blood and the Archduke of Pacts.'
The Iceni Queen's eyes widened as she felt intense pain. Her hand went to her chest and the woman was forced the rest of the way to her knees. 'The ancestor is my great master Zolgen.'
"Berserker? Mister Matou?" Saber Artoria inquired in concern. Mordred broke from her rant at the feeling of prana coalescing.
'A wall for descending wind. Close the four cardinal gates.' Kariya started to scream even more loudly, worms starting to writhe throughout his whole body as conductors and pathways of excessive energy.
'Come forth from the crown and follow the three-forked road leading from the Kingdom.' Saber Artoria prepared to approach, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her. She turned and noted Professor Velvet looking at her with a stern expression.
"There's no stopping this. Do not go near them yet. You and Lady Einzbern get your Avalons ready for healing. Everyone else, get ready for a fight!" The man who had lived through this before spoke with an authority and command his younger self lacked, calling forth compliance.
'Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill. Let each be turned over five times, simply breaking asunder the fulfilled time. Upon the sixth filling, let your madness break free.' Lancer Artoria fought through her self-doubt to armor herself and call forth her lance. Iskandar rose and called forth his sword and chariot. Mordred, eager to take out her aggression on something, called forth her armor and sword. Saber Artoria also called forth her armor, drawing out her Grail-made Avalon as well as her Excalibur. Irisviel also complied, bringing her copy of Avalon from EMIYA out from her body.
'Behold, my will creates your body and your sword my destiny.' Not everyone obliged the Professor's advice, however. Gilgamesh was irritated at the idea this low-class Servant would seek to command him. He instead elected to sit back and watch out of spite, pouring himself another cup of wine.
'If you heed the Grail's call, and obey my will and reason, then answer me.' Illya's eyes widened as she felt something familiar. She got up and ran to the window to look outside...
'I hereby swear that I shall claim the good in the World and that I shall set free all the evil in the World.' Kariya kept crying out in pain, bleeding freely as worms popped and perished under his skin, throughout his flesh, and even within his brain. The man was crackling with prana like a fly in a bug zapper, his left eye bursting under the strain and prompting a loud scream.
"S-Stop it, Zouken! You're killing him!" Boudica cried out, unable to stop the growing pain.
'From the Seventh Heaven, clad in three great words of power, Come forth now, Guardian of the Scales.' Boudica gave a sudden cough and lurch before her chest burst open. Blood and gore flew free along with her Spiritual Core, which transformed and warped with the new summoning. The woman's mouth bled and her dying expression was fixed in horror as she looked up at her replacement.
Called forth by Zouken with his memorial used as a Catalyst, Berserker Hercules' roar pierced the night more strongly than any of Kariya's cries had done.
"My brother..." Iskandar breathed in awe, seeing the maddened warrior rise. Hercules' eye noted Saber Artoria in a brief moment of recognition, but his Mad Enhancement clouded such a thing. After all, he had received an order from his new Master.
'Berserker. Kill.'
The maddened Servant charged at Saber Artoria. His own sword clashed with those of Iskandar and Mordred, however, the pair of Servants working to hold the mountain of a man back.
"Fool, the only one to fight my father will be me!" Mordred taunted the powerful man.
"You should instead test my power, fellow son of Zeus!" Iskandar called out, both Servants straining against Hercules. His foot cracked the stone beneath it as he called up the strength to fling both Servants clear. Two Servants with B-ranked strength versus one with A+ rank? It was no contest.
Lancer Artoria employed the Add-boosted Rhongomyniad, lunging forward to engage Hercules in combat. Her deft movements were equal to the mad hero's own, but only just. Iskandar scowled as he recovered from being flung clear. "Tch...to think he is both stronger and more limber. Saber! Lady Einzbern! Hurry up! Boy, go with them!" Iskandar yelled, covering the two women he named as they ran to check on Kariya and Boudica. Young Waver and Kiritsugu accompanied them, as did Sella and Leysritt.
It was horrible. Kariya had thankfully lost consciousness from the pain. Though he was dying and had lost an eye, it was Boudica who had the worst of it. She lay with her ribs spread open, staring at the sky with unfocused eyes in clear shock. Saber Artoria and Irisviel looked to each other and gave a mutual nod. Each placed a scabbard on one of the wounded, motes of golden light entering their afflicted bodies. Kariya thankfully began to improve. His eye reformed and his skin began to take on color once more. Though all of the worms in his body had self-destructed from the prana sent through them, the man would survive.
Boudica, however, did not improve as quickly. Oh, she stayed alive and they were able to watch her torso's organs regenerate in real-time, but it must truly have been agony. "We have to risk moving them," Kiritsugu stated, earning a weak gurgle of protest from Boudica. Still, it couldn't be helped. While a trio of Servants assisted in resisting Hercules, the two fallen were grabbed and evacuated into the Einzbern Mansion.
"Let me go, Onii-chan! Berserker's out there! He's been brought back!" Illya cried out while being carried by EMIYA. They, along with Maiya carrying Gray, descended down the stairs to the foyer of the mansion.
"Archer?" Saber Artoria inquired on his arrival, surprised at Illya's term of endearment for him.
"No time for questions, Saber. Dad, I've lost all but deep level contact with Shirou. Something's happening back in town." This information alarmed Kiritsugu and Irisviel, the former quickly adopting a stone-faced appearance. Saber Artoria didn't understand why the Archer she knew as Rin's servant was calling Kiritsugu his father, unaware that it was at Irisviel's insistence, but the idea that something was happening to Shirou drove the thought from her mind quickly.
"A multi-pronged attack-then. It seems that Zouken just summoned Hercules with his memorial if Boudica's cries are interpreted correctly. We need to get the non-Masters out of here as soon as possible." Kiritsugu's statement worried Saber Artoria and Illyasviel to their cores.
"You guys go. I'll stay behind and assist in fighting Berserker." EMIYA volunteered, earning a nod from Kiritsugu.
"No, Archer! I don't know how or why you're here, but Berserker killed you last time!" Saber Artoria warned, remembering the last time she'd seen EMIYA when he was doing the exact same thing; buying time for everyone to escape the Einzbern Mansion by fighting Hercules.
"That's right! I'm not going to let Berserker kill you again, Onii-chan!" Illyasviel said with worry.
EMIYA responded by handing Illya to Sella. "Don't worry. Merlin didn't send me here without options. It's better to fight Hercules here than in the city anyway. Saber, you can operate autonomously and have the Riding Skill. You also need to be around to heal those two. Help with the evacuation and get them to town." That paused Saber Artoria's protests, though Illya was still struggling as EMIYA left to join the fray against Berserker.
"No! Onii-chan! Berserker!" Illya cried out, not wanting to lose them again.
Outside the Tohsaka Estate
128 hours and 13 minutes to Zero
Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald was cursing his luck, having left behind the vehicle whose driver he'd 'conscripted' into driving him close to the scene by way of Magecraft-powered suggestion. Watching through Mordred's eyes had revealed a great deal of information. The motivations of the various Servants and Masters were worth something, but only the Matou Master's goal was attainable by human hands and thus something he could manipulate the man with. He considered laying siege to the Matou Estate and seizing this 'Sakura' after he was done avenging Sola-Ui.
None of that calmed the man down, though. The idea that Waver Velvet would eventually make it into the Throne of Heroes and become part of Iskandar's Reality Marble was infuriating. Kayneth had joined the War to add accolades to his story and that would have been a huge one had Iskandar remained his Servant. Kayneth ignored the fact that he and Iskandar would have gotten along like oil and water, preventing his own inclusion in Iskandar's ranks. The fact that Waver's future self called himself a 'Professor' was also maddening, almost as if it were an insult aimed directly at his teacher. If he struck down Waver in retribution before the child reached at least the age he appeared to be when summoned, however, Kayneth would make a Parallel World and possibly draw the attention of Zelretch for messing with time.
It wasn't that the Second Magician's ethics regarding time were rigid, but that someone else playing with temporal mechanics risked being drafted into his workload or made part of his wider 'entertainment'. It was one of the reasons the study of time-based Magecraft was typically limited to those who were foolish enough to seek the Magician's patronage anyway...or those unfortunate enough to have it forced upon them.
Also, he'd rejected the idea that the Grail was corrupted outright. He had no reason to believe an enemy Servant or his time-displaced student. It was surely a ploy to dissuade those with weak wills from fighting in the War.
When arriving in the area, Kayneth observed the scene and his eyes widened slightly. Near the Matou Estate, there were a large number of Caster's familiars fighting Kirei Kotomine and Assassin. Nearby was the Tohsaka Estate, its Bounded Field broken and vulnerable. Kayneth knew he was supposed to assist in the defeat of Caster, and he would. After Sola-Ui was avenged. Moving from a direction that would not attract the attention of the combatants near the Matou Estate, Kayneth approached Tokiomi's home and pulled out a mercury-filled test tube. He was briefly aware of his communication with Mordred cutting out, but the man was committed at this point.
"Fervor, mei sanguis." Pouring the mercury within the tube onto the ground, it expanded and manifested into a large, reflective sphere. This ultimate Mystic Code of Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald, Volumen Hydrargyrum, made him confident that he could stand against anything short of a Servant.
A quick burst of Wind Magecraft made short work of the front door of the Tohsaka Mansion, secondary defenses attacking the intruder with Gandr shots and single-use gems. These attacks were useless against his Mystic Code's defense, however. After the sphere lashed out at the attacking Magic Circles on the walls with its tendrils and destroyed them, things fell silent. Confident that no more surprises would hinder him, Kayneth entered the home through the impromptu entrance with Volumen Hydrargyrum at his side. He called forth into the residence. "Tokiomi Tohsaka! I, Lord Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald, demand satisfaction for your Servant's cowardly attack upon my intended at the Fuyuki City Hyatt Hotel! I challenge you to a Duel of Mages!"
Footfalls were heard as Tokiomi walked up the basement steps into view. The host regarded his uninvited guest with curiosity briefly before speaking. "I can't claim to be aware of what my Servant has allegedly done, nor may I reach him right now to inquire. However...I must confess that my control over a Heroic Spirit of that caliber is loose. Provided your ally Caster will not assist you and we go outside for this-"
Tokiomi was interrupted by the large Mystic Code smashing a coat rack into kindling with its tendrils. "You accuse me of working what that filth? I only came here because our Servants would be off at the meeting so we could do battle like Mages! I will hear no more discussion or negotiation, Tohsaka! I will return the pain your Servant caused my fiancée ten-fold!"
With that, the Tohsaka Mansion foyer was quickly turned into a battlefield of fire, wind, barriers, and whips of mercury.
Einzbern Castle Courtyard
128 hours and 10 minutes to Zero
The inner courtyard of the Einzbern Castle was a wreck, one of the few islands of peace being where Gilgamesh continued to dine and drink. Servants relentlessly did battle amongst broken windows and shattered stone to prevent Hercules from attacking the others, but not without cost.
"Clarent Blood ARTHUURRRR!" Mordred cried, red lightning lancing out and taking three of Hercules' lives along with a hallway of the castle. Though Caliburn was able to take seven of Hercules' lives in the previous timeline, that was essentially by stabbing Hercules and cooking him from inside with its full output.
Mordred lacked the agility or the element of surprise to permit such a thing and her power had taken a notable hit from the use of her Noble Phantasm, but she wasn't complaining too much.
"Hah! This guy's actually a worthy foe! Too bad he's stuck as a Berserker!" Mordred exclaimed. Hercules recovered promptly and suddenly charged Mordred faster than she expected from his massive size. She could not evade in time and was forced to change tactics, the girl scarcely able to raise Prydwen at the last moment to intercept the blow from the huge stone 'blade'. She was still flung into a dining table by the force and turned it into little more than kindling with her impact. The shield, a Noble Phantasm in its own right, managed to survive the impact.
EMIYA fired some arrows to distract the monster from Mordred and give her time to rise once more. He called out to the girl from the rooftop. "Don't get cocky, Mordred. I saw this guy utterly wreck your father the first time they fought. I had to die just to buy her time to escape the second time he showed up." EMIYA stated bluntly.
Mordred hadn't known who this new Servant was beyond that he was an Archer and providing support, but the idea that he was an ally who had died for her father both frustrated her and earned him a small amount of respect. A bit more frustration and respect came from the fact that he was able to launch Noble Phantasms like missiles at their target. "Sheesh, you died with a power like that? Why didn't you just blast him to pieces back then?" Mordred inquired.
"His Master was my little sister, and my old Master provided less prana than my current one." This answer made Mordred quiet down. She knew how it felt to stand against blood. Not just her father, but her brother Gawain as well.
"Well, at least one Archer is making himself useful!" Mordred said as a veiled insult against Gilgamesh. The man was simply enjoying the show while drinking his wine.
"You should be happy merely to put on this performance for my leisure. It is a shame that Rider doesn't have the raw power of his brother, though. It would have made for better entertainment." Indeed, Iskandar was not as strong or as nimble as Hercules. His Reality Marble was better suited to numerous small attacks that wouldn't overcome the threshold needed to even scratch Hercules, and his sword alone was insufficient for the task as well. That left but one attack that could damage Hercules.
"Via Expugnatio!" Iskandar called out, launching his chariot at his half-sibling. The attack headed toward Hercules at high speed, but the paragon of Greek heroes wasn't about to take it lying down. Hercules drew back both fists and punched the Divine Bulls square in their foreheads with a loud crack. The front of the chariot-pole plowed into Hercules' abs and the trio were dragged along the ground in front of the chariot in a heap of muscle. The chariot wheels and the purple electricity finally ran over Hercules, claiming a total of one life, but at the price of temporarily incapacitating the bulls and forcing Iskandar into close combat.
"This man is more durable than Porus' elephants!" Iskandar noted with amusement, holding his Sword of Kupriotes as Hercules rose to his feet.
Lancer Artoria lunged forward, slashing and stabbing at the man with Rhongomyniad in its various forms. Because Hercules was a Servant of the undeniably evil Zouken, and the Grail could destroy the world, most of the thirteen restraints on Rhongomyniad were released. Sadly, using that power here would annihilate the area and everyone in it. EMIYA was similarly troubled. There were too many people on the battlefield for him to use his most useful armaments. Aside from taking two of Hercules' lives when he'd leapt into the air once, all EMIYA had been able to do was help contain Hercules' movements.
Mordred was looking the worse for wear after using her Noble Phantasm and taking the retaliatory blow. Understandable, considering that her prana source was at least thirty kilometers away. Possibly more like forty, given where their hideout was in Fuyuki. Iskandar, meanwhile, was still at a critical disadvantage.
"Rider! Saber! You can't continue like this! Withdraw and help the evacuation!" EMIYA called out.
"Shut up! I'm not about to back down from a fight like this!" Mordred said, grinning in spite of the strain. Iskandar, however, looked to Hercules. The man had just sucker-punched Lancer Artoria in the face, flinging the woman into the castle's stone wall. Being able to use his sword one-handed against most foes did have its advantages.
Iskandar knew that he would weaken just like Mordred once his Master was evacuated far enough away, not that he had the best prana draw to begin with. He was still sustaining his Master's future self, as well. Whistling for his recovering bulls to approach, he stepped forward and grabbed an unsuspecting Mordred before flinging her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
"H-Hey, you big oaf! Let me down! I'm in the middle of kicking this guy's ass!" Mordred's indignant response echoed through the man's ear as she kicked her legs and struck the flat of her blade against Iskandar's head.
Iskandar gave a sigh. "Open your eyes, little girl. We're a liability on this battlefield. You're not even strong enough to fight me off, and I'm a bad match for my brother on this terrain. No matter how strongly I desire to cross blades with him here, it is not tactically sound and this is a battle to save the World."
The Macedonian King glanced to EMIYA, his genius as a tactician outshining his pride. "Second Archer! We've taken half of his lives. Can you replicate your feat from before?" EMIYA gave a smile. That was the only answer Iskandar needed. "Very well, then! We shall split and redeploy our forces! Sometimes we must delay our ambitions temporarily for the greater goal! Let's go, little girl!"
Iskandar hopped onto the chariot as Mordred cried out. "I'm not going anywheeeeeeeehh!" The sudden speed of the chariot may have been invigorating when she had her feet planted on the floor of it, but being carried over the arm of its driver so casually in flight was another story entirely. It would ideally only go a short distance to the front of the mansion to rejoin the others, but Mordred wouldn't forget being manhandled later.
"Lancer!" EMIYA called out, projecting something and tossing it to the woman. She leapt back and caught the weapon on impulse, stunned to see Caliburn in her hands once more. Archer leapt down from his perch and joined her. In his own grip, he held a red lance that seemed to radiate bloodlust. "I know you aren't my Artoria, Lancer...but can we trust each other's backs, even if it's just this once?"
This time, it was Lancer Artoria who smiled. "Very well. Show me how you fought against him last time." With that, the pair ran forward to attack their foe. Hercules roared at his foes in defiance, all while Gilgamesh smiled at the display and ruin around him.
Tohsaka Mansion
128 hours and 7 minutes to Zero
Rin awoke to someone shaking her shoulder firmly. Her eyes opened, groggily, to see glowing yellow eyes in the darkness of her bedroom. Giving a startled squeak, she rolled away from the unknown entity and fell clumsily onto the floor on the other side of her bed. She flailed in her tangled sheets, struggling to her feet to escape the monster that had perhaps come from under her bed to attack her.
"Tohsaka, are you alright?" The pair of eyes asked in hurried concern, finally allowing Rin to recognize the identity of the intruder.
"S-Shirou, what are you doing in my room? G-get out!" Rin angrily hissed in a whisper. However, she heard a loud crash from downstairs and was distracted from her fury. Shirou took that moment to give the warning he had come to give.
"Tohsaka, the house is on fire! I think your dad's fighting someone downstairs, too! We've gotta go!" Shirou exclaimed. Rin's eyes widened on hearing that. Indeed, she could feel a little extra heat and smell a bit of smoke. The girl quickly ran out into the hallway with her blankets still wrapped awkwardly around her, followed by a Shirou who was wearing a large backpack. Thankfully, he hadn't really unpacked from his move to the Tohsaka home. They were greeted by Sakura's Shadow Familiar, her pink eyes focused on the combat down the nearby stairwell.
Though Tokiomi was more skilled as a Battle Mage than most, it was with the element of fire. This was not the best thing to use against an intruder in his own home for obvious reasons, but his choices were limited. The house was burning in part due to Kayneth intentionally using Wind Magecraft to spread and redirect Tokiomi's attacks to cause added damage to the structure out of spite. Using his far less advanced abilities in Ice Magecraft met with success against Volumen Hydrargyrum, briefly freezing the tendrils sent to slash and impale him and even a few small chunks of the larger mass. Now such chunks littered the floor. The planar barrier he used was able to protect him from Volumen Hydrargyrum's tendrils to a degree as well and kept him in the fight longer. Kayneth had pushed his way in as far as the living room but was now yielding ground as Tokiomi pushed him back slightly.
"Intensive Einäscherung," Tokiomi stated upon firing flames at his foe from the tip of his staff once Kayneth's Mystic Code was no longer sufficient in mass to cover him entirely. At that moment, however, Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald smiled. Tokiomi had little time to register this before two tendrils of Mercury lanced out from between the floorboards below him and slashed through his shoulders cleanly. His eyes went wide as he felt his limbs severed, arms falling to the ground and his cane falling recklessly and still spewing flame for a split second before sputtering out. A third tendril only gave him enough time to perceive his defeat before it pierced his chest.
Einzbern Castle Courtyard
128 hours and 5 minutes to Zero
Gilgamesh's eyes widened as soon as he felt the severing of the Command Seals from his Master. He then scowled. "Assassin, you had one job..." Frustrated at Okita's failure to keep his Master safe, the Servant no longer considered Hercules a source of entertainment but recognized him for what he was. A distraction. The Servant desired to use his Gate of Babylon to destroy the mad beast, but he had to conserve his prana for now. He faded into spirit form and withdrew from the courtyard without fanfare.
Tohsaka Mansion
128 hours and 5 minutes to Zero
The kids and Familiar looked on in shock and horror as Tokiomi fell face-first to the floor in a growing pool of his own blood. Kayneth chuckled. "Isn't it fascinating how many gaps there are in the walls and floor of a typical building? You didn't even notice me breaking off pieces of Volumen Hydrargyrum and surrounding you with them. Your freezing pieces off camouflaged that effort nicely for me. Now, as you bleed out on the floor, I can finally say that my fiancée's suffering is avenged. Helping myself to your Command Seals will be a fine added compensation."
"DADDY!" Rin cried out, finally snapping out of her horror and scampering down the stairs to her father's side.
"R-Rin...run..." Tokiomi half-gurgled, bleeding from the mouth. Any words were a strain to him. Even retaining consciousness was a struggle with the blood loss.
"Regrettable that you would see this so young, child," Kayneth said to Rin with remorse appearing very briefly across his face. The moment of consideration, however, was easy to miss. "But this is what it means to be a Magus. To walk with death. The Grail War inevitably carries casualties."
"Sakura! Block the bleeding!" Shirou exclaimed, running downstairs after Rin. This snapped the fearful shadow out of its shocked state and compelled it to comply by wrapping itself around Tokiomi's upper body. Shirou went to Tokiomi's side, trying to look over the damage with his Mystic Eyes. Kayneth recognized the Command Seals on the child's hand.
"Hoh...are you sure you want to help him?" Kayneth asked Shirou. The boy looked toward Kayneth as if he were crazy, the man briefly surprised by the glowing Mystic Eyes held by the boy. Still, he smirked and recovered his composure. "Pure process of elimination states that you are Second Saber's Master. The orphaned Master without a wish. You may have had the protection of the Church until Caster's defeat, but I am certain that your living with another Master means you have forsaken your neutrality...and with it, your protection."
Kayneth approached slowly, step-by-step. He gathered together his Mystic Code from its hiding places, the frozen chunks already melting back into a liquid state due to the growing flames. The mercury dragged Tokiomi's arms away from the group. "I'm sure he only kept you for those eyes of yours...surrender your Command Seals and you can leave without harm. Perhaps I can even adopt you and take you to England to learn more about those eyes. Decline, however...and you will die here as the Holy Grail War demands. Make your choice, child."
"There's no way I'd just abandon them to die! Stop this before it's too late!" Shirou yelled, gritting his teeth. Tokiomi wanted to tell Shirou to flee with the girls, not to throw his life away, but could no longer speak to give his warning. He was too weak and fading fast...
"Then you've made your choice. A pity. I'll make sure to harvest your Mystic Eyes, at least." Volumen Hydrargyrum was brought forward, Kayneth standing behind it so as not to get his clothes dirty with the child's blood. Tendrils from the looming Mystic Code launched out toward Shirou to impale him. Rin screamed...but the tendrils suddenly fell apart into raw liquid.
"...Eh?" Rin inquired as intelligently as she could manage, the whole of the Mystic Code splashing to the floor as the Magecraft that had been controlling it was nullified. Behind it, Kayneth looked down...to see a dagger's hilt sticking out of his chest. Carnwennan had gone through the Mystic Code, disabled its Magecraft, and gone on to strike its intended target true.
"W-what...how did...you..." Kayneth sputtered weakly, not even having seen Shirou throw the blade. He had no way of knowing the child had borrowed a Servant's skill and some of her strength when Tracing the dagger, after all. The impaled lord was also unable to comprehend how the weapon had pierced through his Mystic Code and kept going like it was nothing. He violently fell to his knees and started to cough up blood thanks to the mercury-coated blade.
Shirou, unable to waste any more time, turned toward Tokiomi. The boy remembered that Saber had healed him and Kariya before with Magecraft. She used Avalon for that though, didn't she? How could he help Tokiomi? The answer was his Magecraft. Placing his hands on Tokiomi and gathering his power, 108 Magic Circuits flared to life. The child had already gotten a look at Tokiomi Tohsaka's normal physical state at the Church and regularly since then, so he just used Tracing to put back what was lost. The injuries to the chest were overwritten and new limbs were created from Shirou's prana. The Command Seals he attempted to place on Tokiomi's hand faded almost instantly, rejected by the Greater Grail...but when Sakura's Familiar unwrapped herself from her father, the man's injuries were no longer visible.
Tokiomi was still too weak to move, but he wouldn't die just yet.
Kayneth ignored this in his panic, feeling the anti-thaumaturgic properties of the dagger. He couldn't use Magecraft to heal himself. He didn't know if he would recover his Magecraft in time to heal himself when it was removed, but he did know he would bleed out quickly. The only Magecraft that he could feel was the lone Command Seal on the back of his hand. It was too strong to be countermanded by the blade sticking out of his chest.
"Saber...B-by my Command Seal...come to me at once!"
Over the Einzbern Forest
128 hours and 3 minutes to Zero
Mordred was complaining to Iskandar, by then standing with him in his chariot alongside Waver rather than being carried over his shoulder. "I'm telling you, my Master's prana is almost zero! We need to get to the Edelfelt Mansion! Something's happened-" This was the moment fate chose for her to vanish in a flash of blinding white light, visible even from the following helicopter piloted by Kiritsugu and carrying everyone else.
"What just...she was called away with a Command Seal!" Waver exclaimed, realizing that everything the girl said must have been true.
"Hn. Well, if the coward used his last Command Seal, he's taking his life into his own hands." Iskandar noted, not really able to feel bad about the situation. Regardless of her failings, Mordred didn't deserve such a Master.
Tohsaka Mansion
128 hours and 3 minutes to Zero
Mordred appeared in a flash of white light, seeing a building in the process of burning around her. A man on the floor surrounded by children stared at her in surprise, while her own Master was struggling against a wall...impaled by a blade she knew well. The weapon was Carnwennan, her father's dagger.
"Saber...kill them and...get me out of here..." The injured man said, his rage tempered by his injuries.
"...Children. You used up your last Command Seal and called me here to kill children." Mordred cracked her knuckles.
"The red-haired one d-did this to me! He's the other Saber's Master! He h-has to die for this!" Kayneth's words made Mordred freeze. She looked to Carnwennan again. Then she glanced to Shirou. It made sense now. Her father had given the child her Noble Phantasm to protect himself with while she was away. A decision that proved to be wise. The girl in pigtails glared at Kayneth and yelled in response.
"You came here and attacked my father! There wasn't supposed to be any fighting tonight! You don't get to complain, liar!" Rin said, her anger overriding her fear for a moment.
"Hoh...so that's it. You seem to have forgotten something, 'Master'. You used up your Command Seals and were never my prana source...so you can't order me to do a damn thing. I can do whatever I please." Mordred bent over to look her ex-Master in the eye. "Using the parley to attack makes me look bad. Using me to attack children is even worse. I may be known as the Knight of Treachery, but I am still a Knight! And now it's time for me to carry out your sentence!"
"Wait! I am your Master! A lord of the Clocktower!" Kayneth feebly protested as Mordred grasped the handle of the dagger in his chest.
"What is a corrupt lord to a KING?" With that, Mordred yanked Carnwennan from her Master's chest, the blood and Mercury-coated blade shining as Kayneth cried out in pain and slumped over. She then looked to Shirou and the others, regarding them for a moment. Glowing gold eyes met her own, the Knight realizing that the brat that summoned her father couldn't have been a normal kid. She shrugged. "The parley's over and the War's back on. The rest of you can get out of here, but you..." Mordred said, pointing Clarent at Shirou, "summon your Servant. You've got the Command Seals for it."
Shirou looked at Mordred with focus. Those eyes searched her history, her legend, her recent rage at her father and desire for a showdown, everything he could. Finally, he came to a decision. "...No."
"...What? Are you kidding? I could kill you! Call your Servant here now!" Mordred yelled, but Shirou just yelled back.
"You've hurt her enough! I saw it all, you know? Your betrayal? Your wanting to steal the kingdom? She regrets turning away from you, but that doesn't excuse what you did to her! I'll...I'll protect her from that pain this time! I'll beat you myself!" Shirou yelled, Rin looking at the kid like he was crazy as fragments of memories compelled him to do something particularly foolish. Mordred was staring, the madness of that statement making her simultaneously angry and amused.
"How do you plan to do that, brat?" She inquired, deciding to beat Shirou into complying if this kept going. She didn't care that they were in a burning building. In fact, it didn't even register anymore.
Shirou focused and started to Trace a new weapon...
Avalon
128 hours to Zero
"Ooohhh...this will be interesting. He's calling on it." Merlin stated, smiling. Artemis, Morgan, and Vivian all glanced at him.
"Calling on what? What did you do, Merlin?" Morgan asked with a suspicious glance to the Magus of Flowers.
"A little something I put the remains of inside of the sheath before implanting it in him. I'd meant to surprise Artoria with it, but Mordred's response will be even better..." Merlin's smile spoke of mischief. The others wanted to ask more but he simply said, "Just watch..."
Tohsaka Mansion
128 hours to Zero
The Tohsaka family watched Shirou from behind as he called forth a bright golden light in their defense. This light erupted from Shirou's hands as he imagined a blade that was at the edge of his consciousness. A weapon that begged to be drawn and return to the World. Mordred stared in shock while, as if from nothing, the child called forth the object of her wish in its full radiance.
Caliburn, the Sword of Selection, was whole once more. And it had selected a wielder.
Mordred's expression was dumbstruck, her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open as if she were a fish. She attempted to speak, sputtering, but the boy glared at her as if she were an enemy. Shirou called upon the weapon's power, employing the Noble Phantasm with words that flowed into his mind freely. "Sword of Selection, grant me power! Cleave the wicked! Caliburn!"
Mordred narrowly raised Prydwen in time as the beam of light was fired from the tip of the blade. The front of the Tohsaka Mansion exploded outward in golden light and fire, flinging the Knight out of the house and onto the ground outside.
Avalon
128 hours to Zero
"...How, and why?" Vivian inquired tersely, knowing full well what that child was holding.
Morgan glared at Merlin. "You burdened him with the destiny of a King? Artoria will have your hide, provided you retain any once we are done with you!"
Merlin just chuckled. "Don't you see? He's already a King. He just carries his kingdom within his Reality Marble. Caliburn simply gives more authority over that space. It was an important ingredient in implanting the scabbard into his very soul so thoroughly. Besides...if the boy is to live as a sword, having aspects of the Sword of Selection within his soul as it grew would make him better able to select his own path." Merlin's eyes returned to the happenings developing in Fuyuki. "Caliburn will not chain him as it did Artoria. It will set him free."
The Magus of Flowers then gave a smug smile. "Besides, anyone who weds Artoria will be a King of the Britons anyway. The sword will ensure that no one can refute the engagement by deeming him unworthy."
Matou Estate
128 hours to Zero
"What was that?" Okita asked, seeing the bright flash of light.
"An attack. We've been outmaneuvered." Kirei observed. They had been fighting for nearly twenty minutes, tearing into these tentacled monsters without pause. Kirei's Black Keys were more effective at keeping these things down than Okita's sword, to the point where the Servant had borrowed two to use, but replacements just kept coming. Oddly, not even one had made it past the Matous' bounded field. They had all swarmed the pair, keeping them busy. "We need to break away and get back. This was a distraction."
Okita noted the Familiars that kept swarming them. "Easier said than done, Kirei-chan..."
Tohsaka Estate
127 hours and 59 minutes to Zero
As she pulled herself off of the ground, Mordred was thankful that Prydwen was such a good shield. Between the fight with Hercules and a Caliburn blast though, it was looking the worse for wear. It would take some prana and time to regenerate it. Such thoughts went to the back of her mind though.
Of course her father would be summoned by someone worthy of the Sword of Selection. Part of her was impressed by the fact the kid could use Caliburn, another thought it a suitable prerequisite to summon the King of Knights. Not just anyone should be able to do so, after all.
The fact appealing to her strange adoration for her King, she entered the now fully burning house through the hole and looked around warily. The father and daughter, along with the weird shadow, were gone. Her own ex-Master was nowhere to be found, the wall that he had been leaning against having been blown apart in Caliburn's discharge. She did, however, see the child that had used Caliburn. He was unconscious on the ground from his first use of such power, an understandable outcome since he was no older than eight. Her eyes then spied Caliburn itself. It had blown apart the wooden floor and exposed stone foundation, stone it was now embedded in. Blinking at the opportunity presented to her, Mordred gave a wide grin. She ran to the sword, placed her hands on the grip, and pulled with unyielding confidence.
The sword was even more unyielding. It would not budge! Mordred blinked at the blade for a moment before she grit her teeth and pulled harder, but the sword would not give. She yanked with all the force she could manage, red lightning dancing across her armor. Even this did not make the stone yield its prize.
"...No..." Mordred breathed in realization. After looking at the stubborn blade for a few moments, her eyes turned to the unconscious child. Walking over to him, she picked him up unceremoniously. Putting the child's hand around the grip of the sword and then her own hand over his, she pulled the blade...which popped out of the stone without difficulty.
He was deemed worthy. She was not.
Mordred faced a bit of a mental crisis. For all of her eagerness to wish for an opportunity to pull the blade and prove herself as the rightful King, she had never even entertained the notion that she would fail to pull the sword from the stone. Sadly, she didn't have much time to think on the matter. A load-bearing wall gave way and the upper floor of the Tohsaka Mansion started to fall in on the lower one. Mordred, without even thinking, leapt out of the hole that she had re-entered the house through and narrowly avoided being buried.
The girl stared at the burning building, then at the gleaming golden blade. She felt betrayed. Her father's change in belief, Iskandar's and Gilgamesh's alternate takes on kingship, the rejection of Caliburn, all left her mind reeling. Only after feeling the hand under her own twitch due to her increasing grip did she even realize that she'd carried the kid along with her.
It was sad about the girl and her father, but there was nothing Mordred felt she could do. If they were in that mess, they were dead. The boy, however, she could help. No, she was obligated to. The kid had granted her wish whether he meant to or not. That and keeping him close meant keeping Caliburn close. She wasn't sure she could even carry it without him around.
With that thought in mind and unaware of Caster's minions, Mordred chose to leap away and carry the boy with her into the night.
Matou Mansion
127 hours and 57 minutes to Zero
"Failure," Zouken growled, disliking the fact that more damage to his enemies had not been done. It appeared that Shirou used Projection to temporarily keep Tokiomi alive, but the power employed was different. More...complete. His worm familiars watching the exchange confirmed that when the child called forth two Noble Phantasms and employed their powers. One could have been mistaken for a Mystic Code, but the other one dubbed Caliburn? There was no doubt. The child had some strange Magecraft that allowed him to do something beyond the scope of modern knowledge. He had to be careful of that one. Zouken sighed and started focusing his will.
"Berserker. By my Command Seal, come to me." One of the Command Seals stolen from Kariya glowed red before it vanished from the back of Zouken's hand, a bright flash of light filling the basement pit in which he stood. Hercules stood in front of Zouken when the light faded, down to but a single life thanks to Lancer Artoria and EMIYA's efforts. The exertion on the Servant had been such that he couldn't resist the Command Seal where he might otherwise have managed to.
At least Zouken had likely killed Kariya and replaced his pathetic summon with a far more worthy one. He had initially intended to try to summon a Knight of the Round using either Artoria or Mordred Pendragon as a Catalyst, but the memorial gave him a far better option.
"To see my Jeanne's Master in the hands of that...that...crude pretender is an absolute travesty! At least we have one of the greatest heroes in history to hunt her down and reclaim our bait!" Caster exclaimed, trying to calm himself in spite of his rage.
"Do not forget that the night is not yet over...let us proceed to the next phase. There are still rewards in our reach." Zouken smirked, knowing that the night might still be salvageable.
Author's Postscript: Yes, I have learned that the supplemental material in Case Files says that the Waver look-a-like in Iskandar's Reality Marble is actually a man named Eumenes. However, it is possible for Waver Velvet to meet the criteria to become a Heroic Spirit in this universe due to certain...differences.