While hesitant at first, Waver found himself helping his would-be ally when she called out to them. Saber immediately helped out, grabbing them when told. The two Masters found themselves being taken at rapid speeds to where Irisviel wanted them to go, which was in a forest.

Truthfully, Waver didn't know why he was even helping. After all, it wasn't as if he had to help out the Einzeberns. Yet he did so anyway. Part of him said it was because he didn't want to lose this alliance, so he helped out. Another part of him though, strange as it was, just said he wanted to help. Granted, Waver felt that was silly, foolish even, as he was helping an enemy without any benefits for himself.

'Still…' Waver took a glimpse at Irisviel. Her expression looked pained and full of worry. Borderline on anguish even. Looking away, Waver felt something stirring in his chest, accompanied by the inability to just leave Irisviel, even though he didn't have to help her. It was so weird.

Even so, both him and Saber were now assisting Irisviel on her request. Saber didn't even have to think twice about helping out. Even though he was weakened, it didn't prevent him covering the vast distance between where they started to the Einzebern castle.

All the while Irisviel couldn't stop the fear biting at the back of her mind. Concerned that maybe, just maybe…the Command Seals came because…

'N-No. It's just a plan of his. A contingency Kiritsugu made.' She recalled what her father had said. She was fully aware of the reason why the Command Seals came back to her. Such thoughts were shoved away on the hopes, on the smallest chance, that they were wrong. That she would be proven wrong.

That all of this was something Kiritsugu just had to do, nothing more than that. Perhaps an enemy had gotten too close and…and ….it was just a plan of his. Nothing more. No need to think any further than this.

It was then Irisviel felt something welling up in her, which was't her emotions. It came in like a wave, just as powerful as the emotions that clung to the foremost front of her mind. Not just a normal wave though, a magical wave.

A Servant had just died.

Irisviel nervously bit her lip as she shut off any more thoughts. Any more doubtful ideas. She just needed to…focus on something else. Anything else. Such as the condition her husband could be in. He was probably just hurt. Injured. She would need to focus on ways on how to heal him depending on his injuries.

Yes, that's it. That's all she should focus on. Just on how to help Kiritsugu.

All the while Saber had finally made his way to their destination. Trees were soon seen, followed by Saber carefully landing on the ground before running as fast as he could across the ground, making his way to where the fine lady asked him to head towards, a favor to a woman who seemed so hurt. Still, he didn't run to the point where his two passengers would fall from his arms as he carried them. Looking at Irisviel, Saber asked, "Is this the correct path?"

Waver turned to Irisviel to hear her answer for Saber. She remained silent instead.

"Um, miss." Saber cleared his throat. "Is this…the right path?" He repeated himself.

He received the same result. Nothing.

'Just what is she thinking about?' Waver found himself asking himself as he saw that Irisviel wasn't even confirming any facts. She told them what direction to head to after making her request, but afterwards, she fell totally silent.

It was clear as day that whatever was going on was something of great concern to her. Her expression may as well screamed that she was facing some kind of turmoil. Her Servant vanishing also didn't help matters.

'Though why did she send her Servant away?' If anything, sending her Servant away was, tactically speaking, a horrible decision. If Waver had been any more brutal, or if someone else had been with Irisiviel, chances were she wouldn't be standing here at all. It was just so confusing.

Still, questions like these didn't mean much. It was getting answers that was. Answers that Irisviel wasn't exactly giving, given her current state of mind. Thankfully, Waver had that covered.

"Just focus a little and you should sense the bounded field up ahead." Even if Waver wasn't the greatest magus out there, he could still do things like detecting a bounded field. Saber nodded and did as his Master told him, quickening his step as the three got closer and closer.

At that time, Irisviel finally seemed to snap out of her own thoughts. The smell of trees and the changed scenery at last caused the homunculus to realize she was in the forest where the Einzbern castle was. A base made for any Einzbern Master to live in during the duration of the Holy Grail War.

Thanks to being an Einzbern, Irisviel allowed the two with her proper entry so that they couldn't get lost. The bounded field was made to not only detect intruders, but had certain functions to keep others out by using illusions, mental interference, and so on.

Though before the two Masters and Servant could continue on, all three then suddenly felt a presence nearby. One that wasn't even hiding itself.

The sign of a Servant.

"Over there!" Irisviel pointed to her left. While she wasn't connected to this Servant, she knew deep down who it was. A Servant that had all the answers she wanted. To confirm that the worst fears Irisviel had were in fact, wrong.

"Understood." Saber followed Irisviel's directions and headed towards the location where the Servant was. It felt rather weak. Still, it didn't take long for all three to find themselves before where the Servant's presence was at.

"Ah." They found Rider with another body laying near her, neither of them showing any response to the three arriving at the scene. From the looks of things, Rider was focused more on the woman near her, saying nothing.

"Maiya!" Irisviel held no such silence. Dropping to the ground, Saber letting her go, Irisviel found herself running towards the two girls in a panic. Waver and Saber watching silently, simply observing the scene before them without making so much as a remark to the situation at hand, allowing Irisviel to run to Maiya and fall to her knees.

"Maiya!" Irisviel, worried sick, grabbed Maiya's shoulder. "A-Are you okay?" She shook Maiya's shoulder, hoping to get a response. Not so much as a peep left Maiya's lips, though her face was facing another direction, meaning Irisviel couldn't see it. "Maiya." Irisviel repeated. "Maiya!" Gripping the woman's shoulder, Irisviel pulled.

While she should be more gentle, concerns and apprehension had long since left Irisviel ever since the Command Seals came to her. Rational thoughts could barely even get a word in Irisviel's decision making, so she pulled Maiya onto her back to see just what was wrong.

"!" A small noise escaped her mouth, followed by shock. Her right hand shooting to her mouth, covering it. Behind her, still watching, both Saber and Waver flinched. The former because he could tell that the woman's condition was bad, while the latter knew what condition the woman was in.

Pale. Ghostly pale. One that could be mistaken for a corpse. Strands of white hair could be seen while skin that may have once appeared as ordinarily fine now looked wrinkled in some places. A quick check to her pulse showed how weak it was, close to just going out.

Everything was moving too fast. While it had only been a few minutes, about maybe over nine minutes at best, Irisviel couldn't help but feel this way. The world around her is blurring, the sounds of her heartbeat slamming against her chest. It was almost like she was drunk, having simply drank too much and was experiencing vertigo as her husband called it. Everything around her felt so unbalanced right now.

"...Master." All the while the only ones not experiencing this sense of disbelief are Saber and Waver. The two merely stood there, watching, with Saber looking upon this scene with resignation, having witnessed this sight countless times. Slowly, Saber began speaking quietly so just his Master could hear. "That woman, she is…"

"Dead." Waver replied, calmly. Perhaps too calmly one might say, though the slight quiver at his fingertips said otherwise. "Or…close to dead, anyway. I-I heard…stories like this."

"Stories?"

"Y-Yeah. Yeah." Breathing in, Waver explained, even as his eyes continued to settle onto the three girls. "It's, um…well-her life force. Um." Gripping the fabric on his pants, Waver released a breath, closed his eyes, then opened them again. "Spirits, like wraiths, or, like you guys, come with different abilities. One of them being the consumption of a soul, human soul."

"Human…soul." In Saber's eyes, for a brief moment he no longer saw three girls, one expressionless, another looking fragile, and the last nearly dying; it was soon replaced by something else.

A place in a different world. A different dimension.

All while laughing in the dark was nothing more but a creature of despair to all others.

With corpses all around it.

"Wait," Saber sounded shocked by all this. "I-we…Can eat human souls?!" That was…sickening in so many ways, as much as it was heinous. A crime only the most despicable would even consider committing.

"Yeah." Waver answered back. "Servants can eat human souls, for mana consumption." And it seemed Rider did just that. Although, 'Why does she look so…dismayed ...by it?' I mean, Rider had to have purposely done it, right? No, wait, that didn't even make sense.

Without realizing it, Waver said aloud, "But…she has a Master. Rider shouldn't even need to eat souls." Sure there were times when a Servant might need to eat to compensate for the lost mana with their Master lacking in giving them said mana, but as far as Waver knew, Rider was okay.

"Something happened." Saber became aware of it. The missing time. "It took us only around maybe nine, ten minutes to get here. During that time something must have occurred the moment she vanished." Saber then lifted his hand and pointed at a part of the forest.

There were broken trees, alongside giant indentation marks on the ground, which clearly didn't belong in this area. The current condition of this part of the forest and Rider's current state clearly spoke of a battle occurring here, though where was her opponent? It was then that Waver realized he was sensing…a lot of mana around them. But it felt different from normal mana. If anything, it didn't feel like a defined presence, but more…residual.

A look at Irisviel and Rider, Waver briefly struggled on what he should even do.

Naturally, he should just kill them. That is what a proper Master should was a chance any master would jump at, a chance he should take now. This would get Waver a step closer to victory, and given what he's seen what Rider could do, it would be foolish to let her live. Besides, it wasn't as if the alliance they made was even official, seeing as Irisviel still hadn't agreed to it.

"...let's check it out." Even so, Waver turned away with Saber following him, heading further into the forest. A brief look at the two women and the body before Waver looked back, conflicted. Guess he really was an idiot.

Walking further in the forest, it was also now Waver realized how quiet the forest was. Too quiet. No animals like birds or even sounds made by insects could be heard. Like everything had been commanded to stay silent. It was unnatural.

Although all of it would soon make sense when the two finally arrived, where deep down, Waver started to get a vague understanding of what may have happened here. "That's…" With the sight of a certain body making things much clearer.

"A battle happened here." It couldn't be any more obvious, but clearly it was bigger than what Waver had imagined. What could only be the Einzbern castle was half-wrecked on the front part of it, as if something had demolished it. Giant footprints could be seen, made by who knows what.

Waver could also see countless crushed trees that he didn't before. Almost as if whatever had arrived had broken them down to make its way to the castle. As for what caused this, Waver couldn't even fathom. Though it was clear to him that his teacher was involved. Kayneth's dead body, which he saw, giving Waver his answer.

Lying in a pool of blood motionlessly. His body looking a bit mangled, and judging from the cracks on the ground, potentially fell from the sky somehow or was slammed into the dirt. Whatever the case, Kayneth was dead.

Nearby the dead body was something that could only be described as clothes with attached flesh on it, or what little flesh it had. Looking flattened with nothing to describe what it once was other than a bloody mark.

It must have been a Master though, once. Waver could picture it, what happened here. For whatever reason, Kayneth had fought with all his might, bringing destruction for whoever his opponent was. Ended up killing them one way or another, though must have been killed himself by the other Master.

Of course, that still left unresolved answers like who the Master was, how Kayneth caused this much damage in the surrounding environment like the trees, along with the mystery of why Irisviel sent Rider here. Grabbing his head, feeling a minor headache, Waver turned to see Kayneth's body. With a single step he got closer, taking another and another until he was almost in front of his body, just a few feet away from the blood that had seeped out of the remains of his teacher.

Kayneth was smiling.

"...Slowly, Waver grabbed his own two hands and looked at the body, dispassionate.

Here Kayneth was, dead. His teacher. A powerful magus. Skilled and strong, one of the strongest who joined this war. Full of achievements where it wouldn't have surprised anyone had he continued to earn a higher position in the future. If he had lived anyway.

But instead of joy, happiness that he outlived the man that mocked him, relief that he wouldn't have to face such a strong foe, all Waver could feel was…displeasure. The sound of a boot is heard, followed by a low voice.

"So," Saber's voice came behind him, standing next to him now, arms crossed. "How does it feel, to know your enemy is dead."

"Enemy?" Waver turned to Saber, who showed no emotion. If anything, right now, he didn't look like a Servant at all…but a soldier.

"He was your enemy, no?" Saber waved a hand down at the corpse, showing no signs of dismay at the body. "If anything, one would think they'd be pleased that their foe is gone and the survivor can live on, to set out for what they desire to accomplish. I mean, isn't that what you were after?"

Stern eyes looked at Waver's own, the young magus feeling like he was put under the spotlight. Questioned not by one man, but by countless. Though, said countless people weren't those he knew of but of his own inner conscience. All asking questions of what he had wanted, what he desired, and more importantly, did he feel satisfied by the outcome?

"No." He didn't. Not even a little. With his head down, Waver said, "I…I didn't want this…kind of end, for Sir El Melloi." Funny how that was, wasn't it but it was the truth. Waver didn't feel accomplished, hell, he didn't feel like he won at all.

"Hm, I see." Voice even, Saber turned to Kayneth's dead body. "So…you wanted him to live?" At his question, Waver tapped the side of his body, momentarily thinking through Saber's question.

Breathing in before saying, "No. Maybe?" He spoke sincerely, eyes still settled on the body. "I…I wanted to be the one to prove him wrong. To show him that his statement about me was incorrect. That I was right." That smiling face etched itself into Waver's mind. As if it were taunting him, making him tell the truth. A small snort escaped his lips. "Now…now I just feel stupid."

"You're not stupid." Saber rebutted Waver's words, to the boy's surprise. "You were just foolish. Fueled by your ego. Your desire to be recognized." Saber and Waver looked at one another, the Servant continuing his words. "What you wanted was respect, if I recall." Waver nodded. "Yes. Such a simple desire, nothing wrong with it." Saber waved his hand to Kayneth, then to the splatter of blood with clothes, then to the destroyed manor.

"What was foolish was you going off in a war like a child, believing everything would go your way." Closing his eyes, Saber breathed out, opening them again with a stern appearance. "I've seen some men who entered a war, not because they had someone to protect or for defending others, but because they wanted to prove themselves. Fuel their ego. Many of them died when they realized fighting others is much different than how they envisioned it."

Saber's words slashed down at Waver, who felt his head limp down. Staring into the dirt as his fingers gripped the fabric of his pants, with shame filling him. He remembered how he had acted before, the way he talked when he first came to Japan with Command Seals. How confident he was.

'But it wasn't confidence.' Waver realized. 'It was just me being cocky.' He thought he was ready. He thought that if he played it 'smart', he could win. The past few days showed otherwise. From the destruction wrought to how quickly he fell into panic when things didn't go as he imagined. And now, the observation of one of the best magus he knew was dead.

Kayneth may have been a jerk, but Waver wasn't blind to the skill he had. The fact he was dead showed that if someone on Kayneth's calibur could die, then what about Waver himself? Would he live, or would he die? If the second happened, then Waver doubted he'd die with a smile like his teacher. If anything, he'd probably die screaming.

All of which made Waver come to one conclusion that he didn't want to admit. Painful as it was. "I'm an idiot."

His Servant said nothing, not that he had to anyway. He knew it was true. Waver knew it was true. It was what Kayneth knew as well, as he told Waver directly when they met. What Waver had done was no different than a child trying to act like an adult simply because they thought they could do anything their elders could. A child couldn't understand everything though, in fact, a child knew nothing at all.

With a moan, Waver could only feel his once optimistic (naive) feelings plummet to the ground. Looking up at the sky, Waver said, "I guess you must be regretting having me as a Master, huh?" Wouldn't even be a surprise. It was clear Saber was some kind of soldier with that armor of his.

A soldier summoned and made to follow the commands of someone who didn't even know tactical warfare. It made Waver internally cringe at how he's acted before.

As for Saber, he looked away for a bit, silent. Then he spoke and said, "Mmm, no, not really."

That was a surprise.

Turning to him, he waited as Saber resumed, explaining himself. Admitting, "When I was younger, I was a bit like you." Chuckling, Saber gave a humorous smile. "Cocky. A bit arrogant. Thought that just because I was a little stronger than the other boys back home, I had what it took." Saber snorted. "Going to the military to train really taught me otherwise. A few push-ups and a day of running had me wishing I could go back home."

"Were you really that weak?" It felt surprising seeing as Saber was, well, a Servant.

"Not everyone is born strong." Just as the saying, 'Not everyone is equal' is true, the same went to one's birth. Some people had innate skills. Perhaps some kind of magical potential. "I trained with many men, and I can tell you, I was considered…a bit above average at best. My strength and intelligence, nothing noteworthy. If anything, I'd like to think it was my determination and experience that saved me, and even then I needed help countless times."

Inpachi. Terrorking Archfiend. Reign-Beaux. Saber faced many beings that would have him killed had he not been allied with someone else. Hell, it amazed him how he survived all those times.

"Honestly, I'm more amazed that I'm even considered a hero." Now wasn't that funny? "All I did was serve in the army of some tyrant, and he wasn't even a good tyrant."

"That sounds like a pain."

"Oh it was."

"Really?"

"He kept yelling at me." That got a chuckle out of the two of them. Saber even found those days hilarious even as compared to the monsters he had to face and his travels in the different dimension, being yelled at was nothing compared to them.

"If anything, Master, just fight to survive for now. Respect? That can be earned later." If anything, it was how Saber went from a captain to a general. Because he earned the respect not by trying to get it, but simply by surviving, learning, and even helping others without seeking a reward. Well, other than a warm meal.

As for Waver, he considered Saber's words. Nothing really special to them, but then again, he's a soldier, and soldiers didn't always have unique inspiring speeches aside from the ones in films. Still, maybe these were words that Waver needed, rather than some sparkly sentence meant to inspire him. Besides, Saber was right. Best to survive first and worry about everything else later.

With all that sorted out, Waver felt himself feel a bit more at ease. Slapping his hands together, Waver nodded. "Alright then. Survive first, anything else comes second. Though, we do have to fight sooner or later." Waver found himself shuddering. "Much as I'd like to, we can't stay away from the battles forever… Can we?"

"Perhaps we could, but we might get caught off guard later. Besides, we won't be alone, assuming our alliance works out." Saber reminded Waver of Rider and her Master. Though instead of feeling assured, Waver felt uncertain.

"I mean, would they?" Looking at where they came from, Waver leaned forward a little. A small breeze went past him with some leaves while ignoring the smell of blood coming from the ground. "Because it seems things are…tense, around all of them."

"That is true." Glancing at the somewhat destroyed manor, Saber considered on what to do before coming to a decision. "Well, no need to make this complicated. Let's just simply go to them and ask."

"Ask?" Waver raised his left hand. "Like, just straight up ask them after whatever is going on with them?" That felt like a bad idea, and a little insensitive.

"We could always wait a little, but standing around won't get us anywhere either." Besides, with how weak he was and Waver holding no real ability to defend himself if caught, an alliance is what they needed most. One enemy may be down, but five remained.

She lived, barely.

Her pulse was severely weak. The life looked drained out of her, which may as well be a literal case seeing as Irisviel could see what had happened. Healing spells would do little beyond stabilizing her condition, if only a little. Still, if Maiya didn't get help, she wouldn't be waking up ever again.

Placing a hand on Maiya's own, Irisviel could only wonder just what had happened here. "Rider, what happened?"

It was best she asked now rather than later. Facing Rider, Irisviel saw she wasn't even paying attention. "Rider." She spoke louder, maybe a touch meaner than she should, but she got Rider's attention. "What. Happened?"

Rider's eyes refused to look at hers. All she did was grip her legs, covered in her usual armor. The armor then vanished, revealing her military-like outfit and hat, an expression of guilt wrapped around her face.

Her lips parted and Rider spoke. "Kiritsugu summoned me." She began her story, looking none too pleased. Her hands shaking as she tightened her hold onto her skirt. "A Master had come. Him and his Servant, Caster."

Caster. The strange metal Servant that acted more like a common familiar than a Servant, if Irisviel recalled properly. According to Kiritsugu and Maiya, it held some unique ability to transform itself into others. A rather strong power, especially when given its incredibly durable form.

But that wasn't all to the story, as Rider continued on. "I…I don't know how, but it was different. Stronger. More powerful than anything I've ever seen." It put to shame even the most advanced technology Spectra had. The only thing that might have rivaled it was the final weapon Azalea used, though Rider doubted it could handle an attack from that monster.

"It held some strange power as well." Remembering how she slammed into it, including attacks from both her and Kiritsugu, Rider felt sick. "Nothing we did could properly aim at the Master, only his Servant. And it was even more durable than before. It managed to…" Swallowing, Rider finished her sentence, doing her best not to let those memories get to her. Of how she suffered greatly when she was sent away. Painfully. "...get rid of me."

"...and Kiritsugu?" It was a question that didn't even need to be asked. The answer was ever so obvious. Like a billboard that outright showed what new building would occupy some plot of land as it was being constructed.

But she had to ask. Small as it was, there was still hope in her heart. Irisviel holding onto the small strand of possibility that Kiritsugu was…that he was…

"He's dead."

The strand snapped, proving itself to be false. Just like hope.

Maiya's hand seemed to twitch as if she overheard those words. Not as if Irisviel would have felt it, as her dreams and heart simultaneously shattered apart. The memory and image of the man, who meant more to her than his own dream, fading away.

Just as quickly as the promise he made to their daughter, Illya.

As tears started forming and crawling down her face, an eerie calm hit Irisviel. By no means was she happy, let aside feeling any good to come out of this outcome. Admittingly, a part of Irisviel may have accepted this end result. This was a Holy Grail War. A fight between seven Masters and Servants. Once one joined, the guillotine hung above a person's head, just waiting to be let loose. All it took was one mistake, one dash of misfortune, and the blade would fall and take its victim.

Kiristugu had not died because he was unprepared.

He died simply because things didn't turn out as he expected.

With a sniff, Irisviel wiped her tears as Rider watched. Honestly, Irisviel very much considered just crying even further and letting loose a scream. Even if a part of her expected this, that didn't stop the agony building up in her chest. One she wanted to let loose while pounding on the ground and throttling reality for letting this happen. For letting Kiritsugu die.

By all intents and purposes she even briefly imagined taking her own life just to see him on the other side. Family prestige. Third magic. She didn't give a crap for any of that. Her own father allowed her to be attacked by wolves and wouldn't have cared if she had died that day before Kiritsugu saved her, so why should she care about his goals? If anything, there was only one reason why she didn't end her life here and now, and sadly, it wasn't for Illya.

Considering that she will die before this war ends, the truth was she was never going to see her daughter by the time this was over. No. She had another reason.

Kiritsugu's dream.

"Make a contract with me." Rider looked up, seeing Irisviel's tear-stained face. She looked ready to cry further, but she didn't. Instead of sorrow, only a steadfast resolve is shown in her eyes, even if there was pain accompanying that determination.

Blinking, Rider could only say, "What?"

"Make a contract with me." Irisviel repeated herself, stretching her hand out and gripping Rider's own who found herself flinching, as if she was scared.

Irisviel had no time for this, telling Rider immediately, "You have maybe a few minutes at most before you vanish. Unlike Archer, you don't have Independent Action. You will vanish…Unless you make a contract with me."

She wouldn't be the best Master, of course. According to her father, they had at last managed to find a way to make a homunculus to be the best Master that would provide wonderfully for the Servant, but they had been a generation too late. Instead of Irisviel, it would be her daughter that held the potential needed to become the most powerful Master for the next war. Still, she had enough potential to be a decent enough Master, even if she couldn't defend or fight for herself as Kiritsugu would. Meaning being Rider's Master wouldn't hinder the Servant any less as Kiritsugu.

"Be my Servant. Work with me. Together…I will accomplish Kiritsugu's dream." This would be her resolve. A final decision to be as persistent as possible to accomplish what Kiritsugu couldn't. Set out to fulfill what he wanted most. World peace.

It was a dream that many would want.

"Why?" For Rider, it only confused her. Who was unable to even fathom why Irisviel was even going this far for one man. "Why do…why do you even continue on for that man?" Her question had no ill-will, let aside insulting her former Master. It was just that she couldn't understand Irisviel's reasoning for doing this.

To help a man who acted more machine than human. Who showed no emotion for much of the time she spent with him. It was as strange as it was curious why this woman would even go so far for this man.

Irisviel, who could tell Rider was being genuine, simply gave her an answer from the heart. "He saved me."

"?"

"When nobody else was there, he saved me." In spite of the grief she felt, a touch of warmth could be found, spreading across her body. That particular day came to mind. "I'm not a human, you know. I mean, sure I look like one, talk like one, but I'm no human."

Homunculus were seen as nothing more than slaves. The current terminology was servant, but everyone knew that was just a fancy word for what they really were. Living slaves, puppets, creatures that were made to obey those that created them.

The Einzbern family was no exception in that regard. Certainly they treated their homunculus with a tad more respect than others, but that was only through ensuring everyone knew how good the homunculus they made were. How they functioned. How they processed things.

Her own father tossed her out in the wild just to prove how durable she was. The wolves coming to her with their sharp teeth and hungry stares, an opportunity to validate this reasoning. In the end, nobody would feel bad for the death of a homunculus that couldn't even connect with others emotionally, including themselves.

"I was actually like a doll when I started out. Made to be nothing more but a container." A homunculus made to serve as the new container for the Holy Grail. That could move around instead of being stationary, where it could potentially defend itself instead of being struck. "I had no desires. No will. I just lived with no sense of self."

Rider's eyes widened. That life, it sounded so…familiar. Almost like…

"Kiritsugu then came, entering my life." Irisviel found herself giving a sad smile. Her grip on Rider's hand tightening just a tad. "He saved me when nobody else did. Taught me when he didn't have to. Let me…experience what I never could before. So much different when I was just told to be what I was made for."

"You are Spectra's greatest weapon." Rider understood those words. Greatly. More than she could ever imagine.

It was the very thing that made Raye shine so bright when she didn't. That made Raye so special. It was something that Rider…couldn't hate.

Irisviel's mood improved a bit. Telling Rider these old memories made the homunculus realize that even if Kiritsugu was gone, at the very least some of his presence remained in her. She could take some solace in that. Pride too.

"I wouldn't be who I am without him." Grabbing both of Rider's hands, Irisviel cupped them with her own, lifting them. "I'm only sorry you never got to see those sides of him properly. To see the man that gave me a life, instead of the killer who would break himself if it meant saving the world."

Rider could feel Irisviel's hands shake. Even with all those words, her Master's wife is afflicted with such sorrow. Yet would she not feel the same if Raye had perished? Maybe. She didn't feel much joy either when Zard perished, even though he had treated her as nothing more but a living weapon. But if Raye had perished…

Letting loose a small breath, Rider said, "I…suppose I was too harsh on him. Never gave him a chance." Perhaps if Raye had been here, she'd have done so in her place.

Irisviel didn't seem to take much insult from her words. Only giving a small humm. "It is a shame that you two couldn't talk to each other when you had the chance." Another tear fell from her eyes. "Still," Irisviel then brought Rider's hands to Irisviel's chest, asking, "With Kiritsugu gone, his greatest wish is at stake. Which is why I have to ask, will you help me in making his wish come true?"

So much went through Rider's mind. Feelings surged through her, all while still wondering what Raye would do in her place. But Raye wasn't here, she had to accept that. It was her and only her. She had to make the decision.

It was a decision that was actually easier to answer than she thought.

"I will."

Irisviel smiled.

The pain was still there, Rider suspecting that later on Irisviel would likely deal with her grief away from prying eyes, along with getting the woman, Maiya, to safety. For now though, it was now replaced with something else. The only thing she had going for her at this moment.

A new hope to finish what her husband started.

"Thank you." There was more Irisviel wanted to say. Much more. But she needed to get Maiya to a hospital and make a contract with Rider, fast.

Leaves being stepped on were heard, the two girls turning.

"..." With puckered lips, trying his best to stay quiet, the two saw Waver looking a little awkward with Saber beside him, the two hiding behind a tree. With a gulp, Waver looked at Saber, then the two looked back.

"Um," Waver pointed at Maiya. "Want us to, you know?"

"...ah, yes. Yes please!" Irisviel stood up with Rider following her lead. "If you can."

"We will." Saber went to Maiya and lifted her up. "I ensure my Master and I can bring this woman to safety."

"Y-Yeah. You can count on us since we're in a …you know." He wanted to say alliance but didn't know if they would even accept what with all the heavy stuff going on. Plus, Waver felt rather rude that he and Saber overheard such a sensitive topic, making things awkward just by being here.

Thankfully, Irisviel seemed to understand and smiled at him. "We can talk more afterwards, but yes, I will be grateful if you helped us out and we can continue our conversation when this is all done."

"O-Of course! Saber!"

"On it." Grabbing Maiya carefully, Saber held her close to his chest. "Master." Responding, Waver got behind Saber and reluctantly grabbed hold and wrapped his arms across his neck and adjusted his legs. He'll have to go piggy-back style.

"Ladies," Saber nodded, as if to assure that Maiya was in safe hands. Irisviel bowed in gratitude alongside Rider, both paying their respects.

Saber then left, jumping up with Waver crying out in shock, leaving the two girls behind who watched them off. For a few seconds Irisviel looked at the sky, as if that was all she wanted to look at for the remainder of the day.

"Now then," That would have to wait for later. As Kiritsugu would sometimes say, why put off something you plan on doing for later. Best to do it now. "Are you ready, Rider?"

"I am." Standing just a little taller, Rider felt herself feeling more at ease than she did before. Where she didn't feel any of her former contempt for Irisviel, seeing only someone who just wanted to grant her love's last desire. Holding her hand out, she and Irisviel shook hands. "And…" Rider did her best not to show the light tinge of red on her cheeks as she looked away from Irisviel. "Call me Roze."

That was something Irisviel didn't mind. "Of course, Roze." Even though they hadn't even made the contract official yet, Irisviel felt as if her Command Seals hummed in agreement.

While there was no denying that death could still come for them, Irisviel had no intentions of dying, not until she accomplished what Kiritsugu set out to do. Where it would all start with a simple chant to connect the two together. As Master and Servant.

Seems like Roze won't be going away for now. Now all that's left is to see if the same can be said for Tokiomi, who's life hangs under the jaws of a mighty dragon. That's not even mentioning what Number 96 is doing while his monstrous half is more or less out and about.