-37:31:43
Since its construction centuries ago, the basement of the Matou residence had always been its darkest area. One torch on each side of the foundation pillars spaced off from each other: no more was lit up. The hundreds of thousands of Crest Worms it housed needed little light to navigate their surroundings, their appetite more than sufficient for that purpose. Zouken's eyes could peer easily into any darkness even without magecraft, and any other humans who went down into this pit… well, seeing little was actually a blessing.
But now every corner of this room of shadow and torment was illuminated in sparse intervals as red struck blue and green again and again.
Were he in a calmer setting, Avenger X would've openly admitted to this room being the best place he could've hoped for in a place of battle. Aside from the residual mana and spiritual placement, every single stone in the basement sang a tale of agony, misery and fear. He drank it up with each passing second and let it rush through his limbs. Oh, he felt invincible down here!
Unfortunately, this was not a calmer setting, and his current company made some rather strong arguments against his sense of invincibility.
The Son of Dathomir roared as he lunged forward, Crimson Dawn slicing through where Lancer X's head had been an instant ago only to be stopped by Glamdring. Edenian Sojourner Staff was in turn thrust against his left knee with a metallic clang ringing out before the horned Servant lurched forward. He sank into a crouch and spun to fend off the attacks that followed, Berserker diverting the red energy for a riposte that nearly sliced off Avenger X's ear. He rolled to a safe distance before rising.
He didn't reach his full height, though, having to duck under a green whirl of death that clipped one of his horns. Lancer X caught Promise Keeper even as she lunged for him again, and the Sith parried her Staff, his own weapon a crimson blur that burned her shoulder even through the verdant energy flaring up there. Yet it failed to cut through the Staff itself. Fierce though its blade was, Crimson Dawn in its current state answered to the principles of all Noble Phantasms. Any armament or spell of at least equal rank couldn't be broken. Instantly, that is.
Lancer X took no chances, however. She weaved and shifted through his attacks like a sparrow among wind currents, striking with her weapons and limbs whenever she could. The Edenian's other Noble Phantasm was folded into a single blade and thrust at an opening, but Avenger X flicked his wrist to stop it with his lightsaber. The plasma should've melted Promise Keeper to slag, yet it flashed green under the touch. She's reinforcing it with her magic, Maul determined frustrated before kicking her away just as his other foe approached.
If Jade was a dancing sparrow, Lancelot was a ferocious hawk. Even without Mad Enhancement, he struck hard and fast, forcing Avenger X back. There was no carelessness in his attacks, though. Glamdring sang through the air as it met both searing blades in perfect, graceful steps that probed for faults. When the Son of Dathomir retaliated, he found his blows matched by a flawless guard. Even a surprise kick couldn't slip by the black knight's alertness. What's more, For Someone's Glory continued to veil his body, muddying Avenger X's attempts to read him even with The Force.
Moreover, Lancer X wasn't idle, either. As her ally locked blades with Avenger X, she sprinted low at the enemy's left while hurling Promise Keeper simultaneously. The spinning tri-blade arced in midair, aimed at the right side of Avenger X's neck, even as its wielder came in from the opposite side and Berserker pressed on from the front.
None of this escaped Maul despite his struggles against Berserker's strength. Gritting his teeth, he summoned The Force into his legs, the ground shattering beneath him as he leaped above the twin-pronged attack. At the apex, he shifted his leap into a forward somersault with a bloodthirsty howl, Crimson Dawn a flash of death all around him.
Jade flipped nimbly out of range while recalling Promise Keeper to her hand, and Lancelot repelled the twenty slashes aimed at him with a single stroke each. Avenger X landed scowling on his feet, frustration bubbling inside the hot black cauldron of his core while he pivoted in a fraction of an instant to meet his enemies yet again.
The Worms huddled away from the light and sound of weapons clashing against each other. Glamdring's blade shining blue was among the few clues to their presence. They had stirred momentarily upon sensing these new arrivals, these beings brimming with mana that had wandered into their home, but none dared to approach. What instincts each tiny abomination possessed warned them that any one of the three was too powerful to be consumed without wiping out half the horde. And Crest Worms aren't known for being self-sacrificing.
Besides, they all cowered from a fourth presence not far from the others, one that made every single sense of every single Worm scream: DANGER! THREAT! HIDE!
The tentacles of a Crest Horror lashed out to ensnare their prey, but Caster X battered them away with his flame-enshrouded staff, giving Kariya the chance to stumble out of reach. "Stay back," the Servant of Spells advised his Master. "I shall handle this." He then unleashed a burst of light that burned two more Horrors attempting to attack from the air.
Kariya nodded in bitter acceptance; for all his desire to see his "father" erased from the face of this world, he couldn't actually contribute much to this goal. His body was too crippled to take on your average street delinquent let alone one of these monsters crawling/buzzing/lurching about, and when he first tried to let loose Blade Wing Worms, Zouken had shut him down with a laugh. It made him realize that even with Gandalf's presence keeping those damn things from gobbling up his insides, they wouldn't ever turn on their sire. All Kariya Matou could do for now was watch.
At least he still had a Servant close by. Tokiomi Tohsaka had tasked Lancer X to deal with Avenger X alongside Berserker, believing the rogue foreigner to be a greater threat than Zouken. Now, as he grunted under the strain of shielding himself from a Horror's charge, Tokiomi considered the possibility of having miscalculated. It seems to be a bad habit of mine, he huffed to himself before setting his shield ablaze. The creature darted screeching away.
But then another lumbered over to his left, an unholy cross of a stinger and a tentacle aimed at his chest. The red-clad magus pointed his left hand and fired a Gandr right into its misshapen eye, frowning in disgust at the liquids that burst from it. "Intensive Einäscherung." His cane unleashed a concentrated fireball that incinerated the Horror's entire left side.
Whatever satisfaction he felt at it toppling over, thrashing in agony, was short-lived upon recalling that it wasn't alone. Tokiomi's frown deepened at the even dozen of Crest Horrors swarming the ante chamber, Zouken standing quite smug behind them at the far side, Sakura slumbering beside him. His turquoise eyes narrowed at her once radiant black hair, now violet. When I get my hands on him…
He stopped and took a breath, adjusting his defenses as the next Horror approached. Always elegant, the head of the Tohsaka family schooled himself. Such was their way in life. Always elegant… even while immolating your hated enemies.
Zouken's smile grew despite the glare shot his way. Putting on such a dignified front as usual, and yet Tokiomi was so easily pulled along by his passions. Like so many other youths the five-hundred-year-old had dealt with at one point or another, and a recurring trait in particular among Tohsakas. Credit where credit was due, Tokiomi had earned his status as proven by how his latest experiments had yet to kill him, but it was only a matter of time before they overwhelmed him. Kariya wouldn't even last three seconds against the Horrors.
Alone, that is. Zouken ducked instinctively as two of the beasts sailed overhead to crash through the walls. They would come down from the first floor soon enough, he'd made sure to increase their aggression above that of average Worms (so no being cowed by you-know-who), but the fact they'd been sent flying in the first place was a matter of concern. The Crest Horrors had been created and nurtured through the pilfered mana of an A+-rank Noble Phantasm, making the eight of them deadly to even an average Servant.
His smile fell away, however. There was nothing "mere" about that Servant.
Caster X returned the black-pitted glare bearing down on him with a coldness belying his own fury. He sidestepped the lashes of one Horror before unleashing another telekinetic burst that blasted it into two more, then struck his staff's crown against a fourth. Mana rippled through the wood and into the putrid body, blowing it to pieces too tiny to regenerate from. Counting the one Tokiomi had just finished incinerating, that meant two down, six to go.
And then the Matou patriarch rapped his cane against the carpet, an additional dozen Crest Horrors scuttled, slithered or otherwise surged out of various places to join their brethren. These were less developed specimens, Caster X noticed; some were of smaller size, others lacked features such as wings or stingers, but they were in no way less malicious.
With a chant, Gandalf struck his own staff against the ground, calling forth a massive bubble of light that forced back the monsters before they could rush the trio. Tokiomi took the opportunity to move over to the Servant's side, Kariya hanging close as well. However, this respite allowed Zouken to regroup his forces as well, all twenty wriggling and thrashing against one another to tear the humans apart and feast on the being brimming with magic.
If such a task weighed in any way on the Gray Wizard, one look at his companions, both Kariya and Tokiomi repeatedly glancing towards the young girl in that cretin's clutches, blew away the load from his shoulders. He simply squared them, gathered the forces bestowed to him by The One, and set about his newest mission.
The entire Matou mansion continued to tremble from the forces battling within.
So great was the twin clashes inside the Matou residence that their Magical Energy reverberated across Miyama Town. Waver Velvet got up from his bed and quietly walked over to open the window. He couldn't help but find this prickling against his Magic Circuits familiar. They would've rushed heads over heels to join the bloody fight…
Not that the ex-Master was going to do that. Just because Waver had been galvanized by the three heroes that had been his Servants didn't mean he'd inherited their stupidity.
Kirei Kotomine actually stopped his car for a moment, the Einzbern homunculus unconscious in the passenger seat, as he felt the sensation wash over him. Impressive that even someone like me can sense the conflict despite it being far away, he wondered. It must be quite intense… Or perhaps the Dark Energon heightens my awareness for this sort of phenomenon. Looking for more things to pollute, maybe…
He spared a glance at the "prize" an Assassin had hurriedly delivered in just before its competition would've caught it in the act, and a little sleep spell had sufficed to keep the woman from attracting any attention. The priest noted the large gaps between her pulses, her labored breathing: Her time was running out, just as sir Tokiomi had explained to him.
Tokiomi… his teacher. Kirei could feel his presence within the ripples of mana, a sort of personal Tohsaka signature, he supposed. Lancer X as well, but not Archer, that much was astonishingly clear to his enhanced perception. Well, the King of Heroes' presence would've been more surprising than the lack thereof. His Master active in Miyama, by contrast, that wasn't what Kirei had anticipated; Tokiomi had told him little more than there being a "small but important matter" he needed to see to personally.
Looks like he isn't as transparent as you believed him to be, Megatron, Kirei smirked to himself even as he continued towards his destination. He couldn't risk taking the Einzbern to the church, it was too obvious and Kiritsugu Emiya wouldn't let a little thing like sanctity stop him. Fortunately, he had another place in mind.
And whether or not his dear teacher survived whatever ordeal he had gotten himself and Lancer X into, Kirei Kotomine's mind was made up.
His airborne Servant held similar thoughts even while he deftly adjusted his flight to a blast of Strike Air. Judging from the glare aimed at him, Saber hadn't noticed the signs of battle, and it seemed even her partner, annoyingly astute though he was, was too preoccupied. That suited Rider X, though. Better they don't realize their little friend isn't around anymore and rush off to assist Tohsaka and the Matou brat. Megatron wouldn't shed many tears over the passing of Zouken or Avenger X (assuming he had tears to shed), but so many Servants united would pose a significant problem.
Conversely, he couldn't break off to assist his business partner. The ruse he'd concocted wouldn't work on those two forever, and Kirei needed more time to reach the hiding place. Of course, if Zouken let himself, his Servant and his foul little experiments be bested by a gaggle of Servants, a cripple and an aristocrat, then it meant one less complication for the Decepticon.
Meanwhile, Gilgamesh, King of Heroes, sauntered along Miyama's alleys in spirit form, eyes drifting lazily from one area to the next, wondering who would be left standing to face him.
-36:29:18
Green flashed beneath Avenger X right before his lightsaber pierced the floor where Lancer X had been standing an instant ago. He freed his right hand to block the kick that followed and slashed, but Berserker was there to block his attack while she flipped out of range again. That accursed tri-blade came in spinning again, nearly taking Avenger X's eye out. He snarled as he forced away his foe's blade and slapped a palm against the floor. Concrete and stone rippled like water from The Force flowing through it, buying him seconds to breathe.
Neither of his opponents were shaken long enough for him to exploit, though; they were far too skilled for that. And he'd already determined during their lengthy battle that direct application of The Force had no effect on Lancer X. The fallen Sith thrust his hand upwards, tearing up the ground beneath her, but the female herself was untouched as she flipped backwards and pulverized the rocks hurled her way. He'd tried pushing her, reeling her in, snapping her neck, all for nothing. No doubt because of that irksome Magic Resistance the knight classes were blessed with. It was probably equal in rank to his own Skill, and as he was reminded by deflecting a bolt of green energy, this one had her own magic tricks.
Jade's arms whirled about with magic dancing along her fingers, firing more magik blasts from the tips of Edenian Sojourner Staff at her enemy. Avenger X's own Noble Phantasm became a circular blur that redirected them at her or across the basement, but it allowed Lancelot to close the distance once again. As much as the Edenian warrior took pride in her skills, she couldn't deny the knight was her equal in melee combat, if not superior.
The Son of Dathomir backed away with a growl, blood trickling from his side where he'd been too slow to parry a thrust. His arms were beginning to ache from the many strikes of their weapons, so he channeled that pain and frustration into his anger, his desire for destruction. Crimson Dawn struck again and again, its blade trying to find an opening and increasing in ferocity when it couldn't. Then Avenger X remembered this knight wasn't technically of the knight class.
Sidestepping a lunge, he forced the sword down and kicked out against Berserker's chest. The armor absorbed most of the impact, but it still made him stagger back. Avenger X seized the chance and made a lifting motion, The Force curling around his prey to send him flying…
Then the jewel centered on his sword's guard lit up, and The Force promptly dissipated. How?! It should've worked on him, I saw-! Avenger X was left with no time to be shocked as the black knight charged him anew, but his sight drifted to the blade pressed against his lightsaber, the intricate details seemingly glowing…
Maul snarled anew upon recalling just who this weapon's original wielder was. The wizard… He must have placed a protective enchantment on the sword before passing it on. I will have to destroy that blade then. But even though Crimson Dawn's fury clashed against the white steel of Glamdring, such a feat was by far easier said than done.
The "Foehammer, Bright as Daylight" had been forged by Elvish hand in Middle-Earth's First Age. Turgon, King of Gondolin and High King of the Ñoldor himself, had wielded it against the forces of darkness, countless Orcs cursing and fearing it as "Beater". For over six thousand years, this sword had been lost to history, yet when its current wielder found it among a filthy treasure hoard, its blade had not dulled in the least. Gandalf the Gray would go on to further its legend with his own adventures, right up to when he slew the Balrog of Morgoth, an empowered Glamdring delivering the final blow.
Now as a Noble Phantasm, this sword continued to serve the Gray Wizard well. Still, while he certainly stood leagues above most Casters in swordplay, Gandalf as Caster X limited Glamdring's base strength to C-rank. It would rise to B in the hands of a Saber, though.
And in the hands of Lancelot du Lac, one of the greatest and most renowned knights this world had ever known?
No mere plasma would ever suffice to melt the B+-ranked blade of Glamdring.
A fact an increasingly irked Avenger X was beginning to find out as his twin-bladed swordplay continued to be perfectly countered by that single length of sharp steel. Not a single Jedi, Sith or pretender to either he had crossed lightsabers with throughout his old life could hold a candle to the darkness-enshrouded Servant of Madness.
Madness… He drew upon The Force and studied the Heroic Spirit before him more carefully, ducking under a swipe in the process. Yes, the darkness did not just surround him, nor was the fury of a Berserker truly gone. It still lay within him, sedated and caged in the deepest part of his soul. All it would take to reignite the blaze and burn down the bars was a few sparks. And as one taught in the ways of the Sith, plus some very interesting conversations with Zouken about the tales of this particular Servant… Darth Maul knew where to strike.
All he needed was an opportunity. One that was soon provided for him.
Tokiomi Tohsaka had worked hard to master this world's ways of Thaumaturgy. He'd cultivated his affinity for fire, the many burning streams he directed at these loathsome creatures opposing him. The red jewel adorning his cane, carving magical lines into the air that summoned barriers to repel attacks, was a crowning achievement of perfecting the Tohsaka jewel magecraft. He tossed out a few more gems from his coat pocket, and with a chant of, "Kettenzerstörung" the mana within connected with each other to form a chain of power excruciating to anyone touching it. Two more Horrors were incinerated and another split in half from this sequence, a further tribute to the success of the magus' studies.
And yet he still felt like a newborn with second-rate Magic Circuits when he glanced over to Caster X.
They had been forced to separate about twenty minutes ago due to the battlefield's damage. Small fires had broken out splattered over this side of the large house. Rubble was strewn across the ground, parts of which had been ripped open, the ceiling itself was splintering from the onslaught. Electricity sparked from sockets and exposed cables, the brief sparks swiftly being drawn along with the flames and debris towards the Gray Wizard's staff. They swirled together into a great mass around him and Kariya; it was as though the duo had been enveloped by a miniature hurricane. Neither suffered so much as a scratch, though, so fine was Gandalf's control as he directed this storm at their enemies. Horrors were battered, burned, blinded and shocked with each sweep of his staff.
Gandalf swung once, twice, thrice, then he held the staff aloft, gathering his collection into a swirling orb above the knotted wood, before snapping it forward. Seven Horrors were vaporized from the typhonic assault even as it carried their remains straight through the house and out the other side. The grounds' Bounded Field remained intact, however, a testament to the Servant's restraint and thankfully keeping others from noticing the house's destruction.
The latter Kariya had assured his friend repeatedly and vehemently about not minding one bit.
Any other time, and Tokiomi would've felt… impotent in the face of such Thaumaturgy. Right now, staring at the old man catching his breath, he was just very relieved the two teams never actually came to blows. Such thoughts were then put aside for the sake of priorities.
Different though the respective family heads were, Zouken was having similar thoughts. Of the twenty Crest Horrors he had lovingly spent time and mana cultivating, only six remained, and they all showed signs of wear and tear despite their regenerative powers. He couldn't reinforce their numbers anymore, either, it had nearly burned out his body getting the ones ready to become cannon fodder. Not to mention his base crumbling around him… Who knew what condition the basement was in with three Servants using it as their damn playground…?
He took a breath and hissed it out. The game wasn't over yet, and the opposing players weren't in top condition, either, after an hour of fighting for their lives. And Zouken had taken precautions in case the Matou home were to become compromised. You didn't live for five hundred years without setting up some emergency provisions.
And as his black eyes traveled up to the severely unstable ceiling, he decided the best course of action was to vacate the premises while his "guests" were still being entertained. Besides, he still had two Command Seals left with which to recall Avenger X, and with a little sweet-talking, Megatron could be convinced to assist in a retaliatory strike… at a later juncture.
But as his bony hand curled around the arm of the unconscious young hostage by his side, Zouken had neglected to factor one crucial detail into his decisions: his own family.
Kariya Matou had grudgingly accepted his limited ability to contribute to the monster-crushing, so he left that to Gandalf and focused on keeping an eye on dear old "dad." He therefore knew immediately what Zouken was up to when he made to snatch up Sakura. Oh, no, you old cockroach, you're not getting away after everything you've done! Kariya's body raced ahead of his thoughts, his right arm rising. He was still a Master, after all… Then he paused. His first instinct to summon Lancelot would mean leaving Jade alone to deal with Avenger X, and if Zouken sent him a power up in turn, that could mean trouble. Gandalf couldn't be in two places at once, though, and…
As though he could read his Master's thoughts, the Gray Pilgrim turned for just that moment in between tossing Horrors around telekinetically to look back at him. He didn't say a word and soon had to realign focus again, but that look gave Kariya the nudge to his next decision.
"Tokiomi!" The other Master staggered away from a tentacle cracking his shields, Magic Circuits burning slightly. This was proving to be a busier night than he'd expected, but he pushed aside his exhaustion and spared a glance to Kariya. I'm a little busy at the moment were the words on his tongue, but he held them upon registering the raised index finger. He followed its trajectory to Zouken and frowned at Sakura being dragged. "Call her!"
It took Tokiomi only an instant to realize who Kariya meant with "her." And given the circumstances, he couldn't disagree; Lancelot could surely handle Avenger X one-on-one, especially if Kariya would do as he suspected next.
Thus, Tokiomi reinforced his defense and lifted his hand to beside his face. Some of his ruses had worked in this Grail War, such as having Command Seals to spare. And even if calling a disinterested Gilgamesh into battle would be riskier than setting off a nuclear bomb, Tokiomi had options. His left hand shined with vibrant red mana. "By the power of my Command Seal, protect Sakura at all costs, Jade!"
At the same time, Kariya Matou crossed his arms over his chest, his own two sets glowing brightly. Good thing I've managed to save them. "Gandalf, Lancelot, by the power of my second Command Seal," he intoned with all of his strength, "defeat your enemies!"
The Knight of the Lake continued to pressure Avenger X, providing Lancer X an opening to move in and aim a low strike at their foe's foot. The Edenian Sojourner Staff cracked loudly against Avenger X's right ankle, sparks flying from the suddenly warped metal. He howled in fury; he felt no pain from the damaged prosthetic, but it threw off his balance. A fact Lancelot wasted no time in exploiting by batting his lightsaber away and ramming his shoulder into his stomach. Jade followed up with a pole-vaulted double kick that sent the Servant of Vengeance sprawling.
No sooner did the Edenian Heroic Spirit land on her feet than did fresh energy wash over her, a sensation she had only experienced once before in this Grail War. A Command Seal. What fatigue that might've begun to settle in her limbs was washed away, but in its place came a drive, an urge for her to step away from this battle and protect. Jade could think of only three people proud Tokiomi would want her to protect, and one was upstairs.
She hesitated despite the pull; they were finally seeing tangible results for their efforts, but this horned fiend was not one she liked leaving alive. "Go, Jade," a distorted voice shook her out of her worries, and she turned to see Lancelot similarly invigorated. "I can handle this alone from here." He spoke with all the confidence and integrity of a noble warrior.
I think you would've liked this one, Kotal. Lancer X smiled beneath her mask before nodding. "Don't take too long, sir."
She teleported away, and Maul couldn't help but bare his teeth at this golden opportunity dropped in his lap.
Lancelot's grip tightened around Glamdring at the expression. "You're a strange creature to smile in the face of your own demise."
"In many cultures, warriors are expected to meet their deaths with a smile." Avenger X rose somewhat unsteadily to his feet, calling Crimson Dawn back to his hand with The Force. He didn't reignite its blades yet, though. "It is considered the highest strength, a sign that you face the end of your life with no regrets." He chuckled. "Of course, a man like you can hardly make such a statement, no?"
That dark human-sized shape blurred for a moment before appearing right above him. The Sith leaped away from the sword as it carved a deep rent in the ground. "…So, you've read of my past, have you?" Berserker straightened at his new spot, visor aimed at the ground. "Reminding me of my failings will aid you little, fiend," he warned calmly; with the Holy Grail War this late in its stage, deducing his identity wouldn't be too difficult if one took his interactions with Saber, King Arthur, into account. And Sir Lancelot's stories could easily be researched as they stemmed from this world. He and his allies had anticipated this outcome. There was no point worrying about it.
But an observer with the right awareness would notice his posture growing taut.
"Ah, but such harrowing tales they make, Sir Lancelot." Naturally, Avenger X's grin only widened even as he used a Force-enhanced leap to evade another attack. Berserker's Master had obviously invoked a Command Seal, but that had the side effect of stirring his madness. No matter the circumstances, Mad Enhancement was the fundamental aspect of a Berserker. A spark had been born, the kindling was provided, and without an outside voice like that of Lancer X, there was nothing to stop Maul from feeding the flame.
He began to circle his prey, halted though the steps of his damaged foot were. "The great knight who fell victim to passion and betrayed his King and brothers-in-arms…" Another calculated laugh, and he evaded two more swings, the second less controlled than the first. He still didn't activate his lightsaber. "Now here you stand… hoping one good deed may restore your honor?" Maul breathed in his enemy's rage delighted. "How very heroic of you."
"If you put more energy into fighting than you do babbling of things one like you could never understand, you might yet live to see the morning," Lancelot snarled unable to stop himself. He knew what this devil was up to, taunting your opponent into making a mistake was one of the oldest tricks in the book. Besides, it shouldn't matter, he'd made peace with his King, with himself.
…Hadn't he?
Avenger X easily weaved around the many slashes aimed at him, his smirk never wavering. As temperamental as that Lancer… he chortled to himself. For such celebrated figures, this world's knights are so easily provoked. Crimson Dawn's top blade finally blazed to life in time to preempt a blow to his neck, locking the sword in place. This close to the dark soul, he could practically inhale the anger emanating from him, his own strength returning. But this fire could burn hotter yet. "Oh, but I do understand," he whispered despite the struggle of blades. "Discipline warring with passion inside of you, the constant strain from the shackles with which you bind yourself: honor, duty… how guilty the joy feels when they break."
With a flick of his fingers, a large chunk of rock was ripped loose from the floor. Another flick, and the boulder smashed against Berserker's back, causing him to stagger. Darth Maul let him fall forward and slashed with his lightsaber. Top-notch as Lancelot's armor had been forged, it stood no chance against the energy blade, and reflexes were the only thing that saved its wearer from losing an arm again.
The black-enshrouded warrior rolled to his feet, a familiar shudder rippling through his body. Avenger X didn't bother hiding his glee anymore, the dark side permeated the atmosphere of the basement. The tip of Crimson Dawn melted rock as he dragged it along the floor, reveling in the agitation of his opponent. Even his mangled ankle was no longer a deterrent. At the sight of Berserker hunched over, guttural sounds escaping his helmet, gauntlets practically strangling his sword's handle, any Sith Lord would've rubbed their hands in delight.
And still he sensed more to come. That wizard's got quite the hold on you, doesn't he, Berserker? Such a meddlesome creature… No wonder Zouken wanted him dead at the first sight of him. Maul was beginning to understand why his old master had been so determined to mold the Jedi's precious Chosen One into his own apprentice. What better way to spite the light?
Berserker strode towards him, sword poised to thrust, when Avenger X began his final taunt. "Are you so certain you wish to continue? Oh, there is a chance yet you may defeat me, but what then?" The nominally Heroic Spirit spread his arms wide. "Where do you go next, back into the cage of virtue your partner and Master would see you trapped in anew? What of your King?" He held out his Noble Phantasm in mock salute. "Will she continue to escape your wrath up to the point of her death?"
The Servant of Madness froze, his rage battered aside by other emotions for a moment. "…King Arthur is not so easily felled," He bit out despite knowing words were pointless. The only way to talk with an animal like this was with steel. "Even if you kill me, you will have no hope against her."
Avenger X barked in amusement. "Such faith even now in the one who condemned you to what you've become!" He sidestepped a lunge that came more from a beast than a man. "And perhaps you're right, sir. I have seen the height of the great King Arthur's power, and it was... impressive." He hissed at the memory of that sword of vibrant light burning away all darkness. He didn't dwell on it for long. "But I am not the only danger out there. Or even the worst, for that matter."
Berserker hesitated for just a split second, and Crimson Dawn pierced his right leg. He managed to evade the worst of the attack, but now Avenger X was on the offensive even with only one blade active. "Archer has taken interest in her, Rider X seeks her destruction. Can you really waste your time dueling me when your precious King might be falling to her knees in defeat this very second?"
They locked blades again, the light from Crimson Dawn and Glamdring bathing the Zabrak's predatory smile in light. "And if she dies before you face her again, what then?" His nostrils flared at the emotions wafting from Berserker. "Ah, you still wish to be judged by her blade, don't you? After all you've done to her, all of your failings, you hope for absolution by your King's steel? An end to your torment?" He pushed him away and summoned multiple rocks of varying sizes to hover around him, delightedly watching his prey stumble. "Poor fool. There is no justice, no peaceful end for you or her. The tale of King Arthur is carved into this world's memory as a tragedy."
He leveled his lightsaber's tip at the trembling knight. "There is no salvation for beasts like us, not even as Heroic Spirits."
Thus began the Sith's bombardment even as Berserker leaped at him with a primal roar. "HRAAAAA!"
Caster X was in the middle of blasting a Crest Horror to pieces when a chill swept up along his spine. His eyes darted downward despite the creature trying in vain to crush him, drawn to the dark presence beneath the floor. No, it wasn't quite one, but two clashing against one another… and one of them he was thoroughly familiar with. "Lancelot…"
He grunted as a buzzing above him grew louder. Zouken had loosed more of his regular beasts to compensate for the depleted Horrors. Alone, the misshapen insects were no threat, but as a swarm and with the larger monsters' backing them, they were keeping the Servant of Sorcery preoccupied. Too preoccupied in fact to lend a hand to his once again irate partner.
But despite the seemingly imminent return of Berserker, Gandalf the Gray felt no panic in the face of this. He simply voiced a silent prayer before burning away the Blade Wing Worms with his renewed mana. Sometimes a single drop can make all the difference…
Spurred on by the dark side of The Force, dozens of rocks hurtled towards the Servant of Madness. He swiftly cut apart each that came within range, but then more would follow, some smaller, some much larger. The Servant's arms fueled by Mad Enhancement and tempered with Eternal Arms Mastery allowed him to continue to counter the shower, but it soon became omni-directional, and in his fury, he began to lose track. One stone the size of the fist struck his left shoulder, another no bigger than an egg shattered against his abdomen.
Still Berserker pressed on, cleaving in half a massive boulder that came from above… only for both halves to halt above the ground and hurtle at him with blinding speed. "Arrrh!" He bounded up and over the rocks before they collided into one another… and barely stopped Avenger X from driving his blazing weapon through his head.
The red light seared his arm, but he registered neither pain nor the smell of burning flesh. He was too busy trading blows, trying to break through the enemy's stance, but it seemed as though he knew every move before Berserker made it. The second blade lit up, and Berserker barely noticed it, so focused was he on the smug face of the enemy. He attacked again and again and again. The King would live! He would see her again! They would- would-
None of that mattered! Kill him now! Tear him apart!
A familiar sensation swept through Berserker, like his limbs were beginning to burn from the inside. He wanted nothing more than to drive his sword through that wretched-
Lancelot instinctively parried another slash, the flash between blades capturing his eyes.
Something sparked inside the fog of his thoughts, drawing him back to the last one. …His…sword?
No… the sword he wielded right now, the one whose handle his fingers were wrapped so tightly around? It wasn't his sword, not really. It belonged to Gandalf.
Gandalf, who had loaned Glamdring to him in the belief his partner could put this fine blade to better use than he could. Who had done so much for him, their Master and even King Arthur. Who had continued to treat him like a person even at his most broken. "I believe you can be better." That statement, a small yet poignant affirmation of the wizard's faith in him, echoed inside his being. His inner fire bristled initially against its touch but did not die out. Yet it ceased to consume him… No. He won't let it consume him.
"Serve your Master well!" Artoria's voice echoed in his mind. "Complete your mission with Gandalf the Gray! Protect your comrade! Prove yourself worthy of redemption!" Even hours later, in the heat of battle, Lancelot could still see his King's smile. "And once your task is done, return to me alive. Then we shall determine once and for all what your fate shall be."
That's right… He had made a promise not to one, but two friends. The King he had proudly and happily served in life; the wizard who had pulled him inch by painful inch out of the madness… They still believed in Sir Lancelot. And like hell was he going to fail them again.
Avenger X spun around for a three-strike combo, his smile dimming. Something felt off about Berserker for just a moment, but he couldn't be sure. Rage still emanated from the Servant. He leaned away from a slash and backflipped across the ravaged basement for the chance to drink in a little more-
He barely got his lightsaber up in time to defend. One instant, Berserker had been stooped over halfway across the room, the next he was standing four meters behind Avenger X, sword held in post-swing. While the Sith tried to process this development, blood spurted from his chest. "Wha-" The cut was deep and ran down from his left shoulder; if it hadn't been for Crimson Dawn, he would've been split in half. Again.
Staggering slightly from his attempt to staunch the bleeding, he turned around to glare incredulously at his prey now straightening. "Do not be so quick to discard your smile, Avenger X," Berserker's voice rumbled towards him with decidedly un-Berserker-like calm. That dark helmet tilted back just enough to peer over his shoulder. "You'll need it."
That dark shape blurred again, and Maul believed for just a moment he had blocked the slash properly this time. Then a new wound emerged along his right bicep. He fought back with a growl, plasma blades spinning about to shred Berserker to pieces. He was back to full strength and had toyed with this one long enough.
But just as before, not a single strike came even near the knight. Instead of simply blocking the strikes, however, Berserker's sword battered the lightsaber hard enough for tremors to ripple down Avenger X's arms, and he was forced to jump away on his good ankle.
This effort netted him little respite, for no did his metallic feet meet the floor again was the Knight of the Lake already there, blade swooping in. Their Noble Phantasms met one another no less than forty times in three seconds. It took all of Avenger X's Force-provided precognition just to defend against this relentless assault, and even then, he did not escape unscathed. A nick of his chin, a cut beneath his left armpit, a gash atop his right calf. Maul's aggression resulted in scoring a few blows himself, but between the knight's armor and speed, the damage was practically negligible.
In a reflection of what had happened only minutes ago, Crimson Dawn's blade was twisted and forced down against the ground, molten shards springing up from the impact. Berserker switched to a one-handed hold and smacked Glamdring's cross guard against his cheek, rattling his thoughts. He twirled his lightsaber and finally gained a little breathing room.
Yellow eyes glared at the distorted shadowy shape standing before him. That red visor stared right back at him, but no shudders, no snarls, no delightfully permeating hatred. What had happened to his fire? Did the wizard somehow snuff it out from afar? No, it was still there, Avenger X was sure of it. He just needed to stoke it a little more. "Such a spirited display-"
The shadow shifted, and Avenger X gagged. He wondered briefly if Berserker had suddenly learned to imitate the Force Choke, but then a hand reached up to his throat and found something that didn't belong there. With a pained wheeze, he pulled free a black rock shard dripping with his own blood. Part of it appeared nearly melted.
"We've talked enough, Avenger." Berserker's hand remained outstretched for only a second longer before it joined its brother at the sword. "There's nothing left to be said."
Maul seethed as he clamped a hand over his perforated throat, trying to staunch the wound. There it was again, that damnable calm. And yet… how could Berserker have thrown the shard too fast for him to intercept without Mad Enhancement? Had he stifled his burning fury or not?
His eyes narrowed at that form again. Yes, the fire continued to burn… but it was different now. Instead of raging about like an inferno, it was now being focused into a single point. Like a laser beam aimed squarely at the one who had been fanning it this entire battle!
The Dathomirian Servant's own fury swelled and erupted inside him at this development. Spurred on by his pain and a Sith's desire to prove himself superior at wielding such power, he lunged roaring at the knight who once again countered his blows with a loathsome cross between rage and serenity. He couldn't even score a glancing hit this time, and then Berserker sliced off his left foot.
A kick sent Avenger X crashing against the wall, but he pulled himself up on his remaining leg, The Force supporting his balance. He reared back and hurled Crimson Dawn into a spinning bloodred arc of death at his approaching foe. Berserker knocked it easily off course and it returned quickly to its wielder's hand, but Maul had something else in mind.
The Sith raised both of his arms, fingers clawing towards the ceiling that had already developed a few sizable cracks from the battle waged above. He reached out with The Force, and the cracks became chasms as his power ripped through the heavy stone. That wretched sword may protect you from The Force directly, Avenger X raged mentally, but I can still turn this room INTO YOUR TOMB! A guttural roar escaped his ravaged throat as over half of the basement's ceiling was ripped free. Crest Worms skittered desperately away. He swung his arms down, and the mass plummeted like a meteor to where his hated enemy stood.
Lancelot simply raised a glowing Glamdring with both hands over his head, steadied his stance, and swung.
Then he swung again. And again. And again. Each and every slash of the legendary sword of Middle Earth traveled through the air itself until it reached the Force-propelled stone, cleaving clean through it like butter. The entire chunk was sliced apart before it could complete its descent halfway, and Berserker continued to swing.
Three seconds later, Darth Maul could only watch in furious shock as countless tiny pebbles rained around the Knight of the Lake. Two or three pinged harmlessly against his armor. Such grace… Such power… No more than needed… Even when gripped by the throes of the dark side… How?!
"What happened to your smile?"
Those five little words sheared through the last bits of restraint Avenger X had left in him, and he launched himself off on his final leg howling like the beast Sidious had always seen him as. Crimson Dawn's blades ignited for the final time to end this duel. High he flew before hurtling towards the one who should've nourished him, not humiliated him!
Berserker tracked the descent of his enemy and stabbed.
Glamdring pierced through the lightsaber and continued straight into the Servant's chest. Gravity forced the red-and-black body to continue falling, and so the blade traveled further in. Avenger X gasped as he nearly reached its guard, glaring up at that helmet wreathed in a darkness he could draw no power from. "H-How…" he rasped out, both arms swinging up with the halves of Crimson Dawn. He could still-
The Knight of the Round wrenched his partner's sword free, spun a full three-hundred-sixty degrees, and the head of Darth Maul, Servant Avenger X of the Fourth Holy Grail War, flew off into some distant corner of the basement. The Worms there scattered from its landing, and the headless body collapsed while Berserker swung Glamdring clean before sheathing it.
"I am a Berserker, yes," Sir Lancelot's voice rumbled from his helmet, calm as a millpond. Mad Enhancement was sealed away again. "My fury will always be a part of me." His shoulders slumped a little as the injuries and exertion of the battle finally caught up with him, yet he squared them all the same. The night was not over yet. He turned from the dissipating body and made for the stairs with a final statement. "But I refuse to let it define me."
While the duel between Knight of the Round and fallen Sith Lord had been underway, Zouken found his escape attempt thwarted by a new obstacle. An obstacle in the form of Lancer X teleporting into the anteroom (narrowly dodging a Horror in the process), locking her glare on Sakura in his grip, and promptly appearing in front of the magus before he could blink. Zouken instinctively released a collection of Blade Wing Worms at her, all of which were vaporized with two swings of her radiant Staff. "Release her," she warned. "Now."
But Zouken only shifted his hold to the girl's neck, two insects buzzing close to her face. Keen eyes could notice a sickly liquid dripping from their stingers. "Mind yourself, familiar," he crooned as Lancer X stiffened. "We wouldn't want to do anything rash now."
If looks could kill, Jade's eyes would've disemboweled the shriveled fiend on the spot. "If she dies, you will have nothing to shield yourself with." As she uttered the warning, she subtly twitched a finger along her Staff.
"Oh, and it would pain me to see such a promising young soul waste away," Zouken snickered as the Worms drew closer to her face, "after all the loving care I put into her. But I am a petty, petty old man." The stingers had nearly reached her cheeks while the Servant watched, and a set of tentacles inched around her legs…
Lancer X's mask had hidden her own smirk. "And a careless one as well."
Her finger flicked out, and Promise Keeper whirled out from nowhere to bisect both Blade Wing Worms and slice through Zouken's wrist in an impossible arc. Sakura fell for only a moment before an arm curled softly around her waist and pulled her to Jade's side. Edenian Sojourner Staff smashed simultaneously down on the Crest Horror trying to ensnare her, its tip lodging itself in a bulbous eye as green mana was pumped through it. The monster's tentacles/legs twitched furiously about before it exploded.
Jade spared a glance to the unconscious girl in her arm, finger by her neck. She huffed a little in relief at the steady pulse, then her expression fouled upon registering other things underneath the young skin. We can save her, she assured herself while pulling the girl closer. Gandalf can find a way to remove these things from her safely… The Servant's glare sharpened at the one who had inflicted such perversions upon this poor girl. First things first.
While he wasn't screaming in pain, Zouken returned her glare with equal venom. No blood but Worms spilled out of the hole where his right hand had been. Those little wretched things writhing about on the wood made her stomach turn; this elderly creature before her seemed to be the unholy offspring of Shang Tsung and a Kytinn. "You…" said creature hissed, all humor erased from his voice. "You think you've won, do you? All it takes is that girl in your arms, and you believe yourself victorious?" Swarms of buzzing, crawling things began to gather around the Matou family head like a dark cloud of evil. "You think you've stopped me, quim?!"
"That's no way to address a lady." Tokiomi Tohsaka walked over to his Servant's side brushing some slime off his jacket with a frown. He was leaning a bit more on his cane than usual, but it hardly affected his aplomb. "Especially in the presence of a young girl." He flicked up his cane, and with an elegant twirl, ribbons of flame danced from the crown in centric motions to form an incandescent circle trapping Zouken inside with them.
Lancer X gave a small hum at the display. 'Has a bit of an Edenian touch, your casting.'
Her friend half-smirked in response. 'Exotic cultures can be quite inspirational, or so I've heard.'
Neither allowed themselves to enjoy the mirth more for they still had a bit of pest control to take care of. Zouken Matou glared about at his flaming surroundings like a cornered rat. He dropped his cane, the wood splintering apart and shifting into yet more winged obscenities while he reached into his robes. Promise Keeper flashed out again, and while he managed to keep his hand this time, the book containing his spare Command Seals went flying.
Lancer X deftly caught her Noble Phantasm despite holding her other in the same hand. "No tricks will save you now."
Rather than back away from the danger, the old magus took a step closer to the duo, the swarm continuing to enshroud him. Soon, it was nearly impossible to make him amongst all of the buzzing mass. "And what of your tricks, Tokiomi my boy?" Zouken's voice rippled out to them even, both bracing for the next attack. "What exactly do you have in mind once you're done with me? Take little Sakura back home, win the Grail, reach Akasha and bask in your accomplishments as one big happy family?" A cackle. "Oh, what a perfect fantasy you must believe in. Tell me, what place does dear loyal Lancer X have in it?"
Turquoise eyes narrowed at the implications. "Does she know, I wonder?" If anyone outside of the Tohsaka family would know what their wish upon the Grail required, it would be Zouken. Tokiomi moved forward, cane crackling with energy. "Have you told your friend what her true role is to be?" He launched a bolt of fire that burned a hole through the spot he'd seen Zouken in, but there were only bugs, and the hole closed up quickly. "Or are you waiting for the right moment to tell her… maybe just before your knife goes into her back?"
Tokiomi Tohsaka glared into the insect cloud. "You have no idea what my intentions are, so don't you dare mock them or my partner!" He swung his cane, fire weaving out in its arc to incinerate what it touched. But for every Worm it burned, another hovered in its place.
"Partner, eh?" He berated himself for letting his temper slip as that damned cackle echoed in what was left of the room. "Oh dear, have you actually come to care for a Servant? What would your ancestors think of such sentimentality?" The insects' buzzing grew louder, then Tokiomi realized too late he was surrounded. "Ah, youth. So spirited… so reckless."
The Worms zoomed in on their prey, only to be met with unbreakable green. "He can afford to be reckless, creature." Edenian Sojourner Staff danced around Lancer X even as she kept one arm around her unconscious passenger. The verdant weapon tore through multiple beasts with each swing and so swiftly, it was as though a barrier surrounded her and Tokiomi. Once they were clear, she stopped to side-eye him. "Need I remind you, though, I am here too?"
Tokiomi sighed adjusting his tie. "Apologies, I suppose tonight's events have taxed my patience a little." He paused. "And… Jade, whatever this wretch says, I-"
"Come now, Master." She eyed him pointedly but somehow also gently. "Why would I listen to any rubbish that comes from such scum's lips? Why should you, for that matter?" The Master smiled briefly at the trust offered to him. This only reinforced his decision earlier tonight to adjust his final plans. But first things first, he reminded himself, cane at the ready.
Inside his swarm, Zouken sighed to himself. He'd been hoping to rattle the Heroic Spirit a little, given her greater power than Tokiomi, but it appeared she wasn't so easily shaken. "What a beautiful team the two of you make." He spurred two separate flocks of Blade Wing Worms on for a two-pronged assault. "I'm sure my darlings will appreciate the tandem feast." Once Tokiomi was consumed, the circle of flames would die down, and Lancer X would lose her supply line. From there-
Light flashed through his thoughts and the attacking Worms, dispelling them even as they screeched in pain. Zouken didn't need to look to know where the flare had come from. He didn't want to look, but even so, he did. And of bloody course, he saw that execrable Caster X marching towards him, the flames shrinking aside to let him and Kariya through. Behind him, the final Crest Horror shriveled up into dust. So that's why they didn't come to me…
Gandalf didn't lower his staff even a little, keeping his glare on the swarm seemingly shrinking away as he moved to Tokiomi and Jade's side. Both nodded to him before the female Servant passed her precious goods over to Kariya. He cradled Sakura as best as his dilapidated arms could manage, gaze drifting briefly from where his "father" was to her sleeping face. "I'll break the spell on her once we're done," Tokiomi preempted his question.
"Then what are we waiting for?" The Gray Pilgrim took a long stride forward, and again, the swarm inched away from him, exposing Zouken Matou in the process. He grumbled a curse; from the moment this… this graybeard being had come forth into his world, he had been an endless source of trouble for the family head. Always propping frail Kariya up, interfering with his plans, cowing his creations merely by standing next to them.
"Avenger X was right," Zouken spat out in pure loathing. "I should have erased you the first time we met."
"And I you," Gandalf replied, his words rumbling above the Worms' noise like distant thunder. The storm was already swirling over this lot, though. "But now I will set about what I began here long ago." The knotted crown of his staff glowed brightly as power gathered in its midst.
Kariya nodded eagerly at what was to come. "And this time, I've got no objections. Still," he tilted his head towards the other Master and his Servant, "a deal's a deal. Care to join in?"
"How could we say no to such a generous offer, Jade?" Tokiomi's lips curled as he moved to Caster X's side, his Magic Circuits practically humming in anticipation. Lancer X soon joined him without comment, but as she stowed away her tri-blade, he noticed a slight skip in her step. Well, who could blame her?
Zouken fumed at the sight of the trio standing so smug before him. To think they could just barge into his home, meddle in his affairs and threaten his life! Worst of all, they were actually pulling all of these impossible feats off! In a last attempt for control, he tried to reach out telepathically to his Servant…
Only to sense Avenger X on the cusp of death. The Berserker that should've pulled Kariya down into darkness was killing his final weapon. So be it. "You utter fools…" Zouken Matou forced all of his mana and willpower onto the gathered Crest Worms behind him and beneath him, spurring them on to his side, battering away their fight-or-flight instincts for the singular task of tearing these intruders to shreds. Save for a select few…
Insects surged up from cracks in the floor to gather with their brethren. An endless mass of swarming Crest Worms of all variations now hovered ready to attack at their master's behest. "You have no idea what lies in wait for you…" And with that final taunt, Zouken spurred the horde on into a colossal wave of chittering, buzzing, thrashing things to devour his enemies.
Neither Heroic Spirit nor human wavered by so much as half a step.
The magus, the wizard and the guardian leveled their weapons as one at the approaching swarm, mana swirling around the tips. Streams of concentrated magic shot out and struck the Worms, bathing them in scorching waves of green, red and white. Watching the display in gleeful awe, Kariya humorously wondered if he could consider this an early Christmas miracle. If so, it's the best one I've ever heard of, he decided as Zouken's screams rang out over the dying screeches of his pets.
Tokiomi bit back a hiss, his Magic Circuits aching from the mana they had to provide. Still, he pressed on with his contribution to the assault. He could've stepped back and let Jade and Gandalf handle this magic pest control, maybe even spurred the former on with another Command Seal, but… Zouken had made this personal. He wouldn't forgive himself as head of the Tokiomi family or as a magus if he didn't put his own effort into settling the score.
Before long, the entire swarm was either ashes or on their way there. A foul stench permeated the field that made Kariya and Tokiomi's stomachs turn, but they wrinkled their noses and didn't look away. The Servants for their part ignored it entirely, Caster X shifting the individual streams into a singular wave to encompass every last Crest Worm. Another fifteen seconds, and all were eradicated, but the three maintained their magic for another ten just to be on the safe side.
After the circle of flame dissipated, Kariya rolled his eyes at Tokiomi trying to keep himself from slumping. Heaven forbid anyone sees a Tohsaka all tuckered out. He then glanced worried over to the Servants; Jade was propping herself up on her Staff and willpower much like her Master, but Gandalf was openly panting. And yet neither looked away from the scorched spot where a horde of creepy crawlies had been a moment ago. He could make out a few specks of clothing, too, and a cane that was more ashes than wood now.
"…That was far too easy," Lancer X finally said, a scowl beneath her mask.
The other Matou turned to her in shock, but Caster X nodded. "He escaped in the midst of his creatures' attack." He shuffled over to the spot, poking his staff among the embers and ashes. "He must have transferred his consciousness to a select few and then flown off." Anger tinged his normally gentle baritone as he shook his head. "Still, he expended the bulk of his Worms and energy into rallying this final assault." The Heroic Spirit of Spells smiled a little. "And I sense Avenger X has fallen."
That news swept away much of Tokiomi's exhaustion. He eyed their surroundings, the entire mansion looking as though three separate disasters had passed through, before declaring, "Which leaves him without his Servant, his territory, or most of his resources. Even if Zouken has managed to scuttle away, it'll take him years to regain some measure of power."
Edenian Sojourner Staff folded into itself before Lancer X stowed it away. "Not to mention he's lost all bargaining power with his ally. Megatron doesn't strike me as a charitable being, and with everything he had up in smoke, Zouken is left with nothing to offer him."
Tokiomi nodded at that; their excursion had wider benefits encompassing the Grail War, too. Rider X was now left without Zouken's support. Even if he managed to survive whatever conflict with Kiritsugu Emiya's team, he wouldn't be able to return here or call up Avenger X for backup. He was the last rogue left, and with everyone out for his head…
Kariya hobbled over to them, clearly thinking the same things. A tired laugh escaped him. "Alright, I guess I can live with Zouken being wounded and on the run." He sighed at a gimlet eye from his own Servant. "Trust me, Gandalf, I know better than anyone else on the planet how dangerous that old cockroach is. But like you've been telling me these last couple days," he adjusted his hold on his little passenger, "it's best we keep our priorities straight."
The father's expression softened then as Caster X huffed a chuckle. Indeed, despite Zouken managing to flee with his worthless life, the main objective of this venture had been reached. Tokiomi passed Jade his cane before beckoning with both arms towards the other man. Kariya eyed him for only a moment, then for the first time in… dear Lord, for the first time in years, Sakura rested curled up inside his arms.
Kariya stepped away with another sigh, this one carrying a melancholy taste. He didn't want to let Sakura go even if it was to help her. Part of him still couldn't help but feel bitter about this moment right now: All this fighting, and Tokiomi gets to walk away with both daughters again, everything that should've-
He closed his eyes. This wasn't the time for thinking about stuff like that. What mattered most was Sakura being alive and heading back to Aoi and Rin. Anything else was… pining after lost chances. A hand clapped down on his shoulder, prompting him to turn to his savior. "I understand this is not everything you'd hoped for, Kariya," Gandalf began, squeezing his shoulder a little, "but do not doubt yourself. It takes strength to place trust in another."
"A month ago, I would've never trusted him with Sakura's safety." The Matou defector confessed, nodding over to Tokiomi. He stared at the man fussing over Sakura, then shook his head. "…I really need to grow up."
Gandalf patted his back. "Acknowledging our faults is the first and greatest step for overcoming them." He nodded towards the other Master whose Servant had joined his side. "Your contributions tonight won't be forgotten, not by those for whom they mean the most." He returned the grateful smile Kariya shot him, then directed it at the one approaching them. "Ah, who are you feeling, Sir?"
Lancelot removed his helmet and inclined his head to his Master and partner, a humble smile playing along his lips. "Like for once in a long time, I may deserve being addressed as such." He sobered before reporting, "Avenger X is no more, and the basement is reduced to scree."
"Good news all around, then," Kariya muttered. Zouken still being out right rankled him no matter in how pathetic a state he was in, but this house and that damned breeding ground for the Crest Worms being smashed to smithereens? That was one heck of a consolation prize.
Meanwhile, Tokiomi was concentrating on determining his daughter's health. Daughter… it felt strange simply thinking of Sakura like that after an entire year of telling Rin (and himself) that she wasn't family anymore. He took a breath. Focus. He had passed her to Jade briefly in order to check her with both hands and no worry of dropping her. From the way she cradled Sakura, he knew such a possibility would never happen. The Edenian woman's posture was stiff, though; she could no doubt tell with her own perception how something was very wrong. Her troubled eyes didn't leave Sakura's face; not the best first sign.
So, first things first: The Crest Worms still remained inside of her. He could feel them shifting beneath her skin, and it made his blood boil a little. Who knew what sort of damage they might've done to her Magic Circuits, her body, he wondered while rubbing some purple hair between his fingers… It used to be dark… …Isn't this one of Rin's ribbons? Oh, that rascal… He'd have to schedule a thorough examination, and quickly, too.
Sakura hadn't stirred at all throughout this, but considering she slept through the entirety of the battle, Tokiomi easily diagnosed the reason for that. A sleep spell powerful enough to put her out despite her wonderful gifts, but he could dispel such magecraft with a snap of his fingers. Which he did.
The sharp sound mixed with a spark of mana in the air made Sakura's eyelids scrunch up, then they slowly peaked open. The first thing they saw was Jade staring back at them, brow furrowed beneath her hood, then they shifted over to him. Tokiomi's breath hitched at the eyes once as turquoise and bright as Rin's, now a beaten purple. What has happened to you?
The eyes blinked, almost fearfully, he noted with a pang in his chest, then he heard a murmur. "…M-Mister Tokiomi…?" His entire body felt like it had spontaneously frozen over from those two words. …What have I done to you, Sakura?
Jade was looking between her Master and Sakura almost pityingly, her own limbs stiff. Then another showed up, and Sakura immediately relaxed at seeing him. "Uncle Kariya…? Are you… okay?"
"I'm fine, Sakura," Kariya immediately took on a smile while stroking her hair, "I told you, I'd come back for you, didn't I?" He slipped her gently out of Jade's hold and lowered her to the floor. She stood somewhat unsteadily, prompting him not to let her loose. "Gosh, you look so thin, we'll have to treat you to something first thing in the morning." He ruffled her hair. "How about a little mochi?"
While Sakura replied to his comments still a bit dazed, Lancer X turned to a still Tokiomi. She almost felt like crying herself; this poor girl had been put through utter hell for an entire year, and such pain wouldn't just disappear so quickly. She may never be fully free again… Jade nearly hit herself for thinking that. She took a breath and nudged Tokiomi who'd been staring at his daughter being fussed over by another man. "You made a mistake," his gaze dipped in shame, but she wasn't done, "and now you can make it right. Do so for her sake."
Tokiomi Tohsaka met his friend's gaze, then nodded to her and himself. He knelt down to his daughter, clearing his throat. She made to look at him before hesitating, but an encouraging nod from Kariya made her follow through. Tokiomi couldn't help but smile in thanks. "Sakura, I…"
Then she started screaming.
Something chittered in a dark little shed with a disproportionately powerful Bounded Field. Rustling could be heard inside a man-sized wooden box, then the lid flew up until it crashed against the ceiling. A pale woman's hand reached out, fingers clawing at air, then it slapped against the box's side. Flesh shifted and warped as the fingers grew even more spindly, and with a groan, Zouken Matou rose in his newest body.
He lifted himself out of the box, stumbling slightly about with a curse until he reached his spare cane. If there was one lesson the magus had learned in walking this Earth for five centuries, then there was no such thing as taking too many precautions. Hence his squirreling the ripe body of Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Spohia-Ri away; even after the Command Seals for Lancer had been spent, her Magic Circuits were far too delicious to let rot away. It wasn't as if her family had really needed them, anyway.
Zouken's new eyes focused experimentally on his surroundings. This dusty, slightly rotting shed was a couple blocks from the main house, a location he'd set up shortly after the Second Grail War and far away enough to hold emergency supplies. Of course, no one ever wanted an emergency to actually happen, but here he was.
He threw open the door and staggered out into the night air. His strength had been severely depleted from that last-ditch move to escape. Dark pits burned at the demolished state of his manor, rubble falling from the ruined ceiling, so many of his Crest Worms burned, crushed or otherwise eradicated. Even the Crest Horrors had been wiped out; Zouken still had a few little larvae set aside, but it would take months now to cultivate them! The girl who would've been the key to the Matou's claiming the Grail, his ultimate victory, in the hands of a useless fool. Everything he had built over the last five hundred years, now crumbling apart in one night from the tantrum of a rival brat, his own ungrateful spawn and a handful of familiars!
No… ultimately, everything that had been stripped from him was the fault of one familiar in particular, one he, fool that he was, had actually helped Kariya summon to this world! "Gandalf the Gray…" he spat out the name like it was rancid milk. If only Megatron or Maul or Caster had ripped that meddlesome head off those senile old shoulders-!
Zouken's grip tightened on his cane. He knew he couldn't hope to kill Caster X by himself even if he weren't reduced to such a pitiable state, and now that all of his bargaining chips were up in smoke, Megatron wouldn't bother performing this little errand now. Like it or not, the Matou family had lost this Grail War. All he could do now was remain in hiding and wait out the fallout. At least nobody was going to get what they wanted from the Holy Grail, what with its current condition…
He grinned. Come to think of it, there was one little trick he had up his sleeve. "Me losing won't sting quite so badly," he cackled to himself while sending out a command over the network of what Crest Worms still lived, "if nobody else wins.
"Congratulations, brats, you've saved your precious little princess. For about three minutes!"
Tokiomi and Kariya both reached out to Sakura with her first scream, their arms briefly bumping into one another. Then she tipped forward, and it was her father kneeling in front who caught her. His touch did little to soothe her though, for she continued to scream, a high, piercing wail of pure agony. "Sakura! My flower, w-what's the matter?!" Tokiomi tried to steady her as her arms swung about with each cry. Her eyes were scrunched so tightly, and yet tears of water mixed with blood slipped through to drip on the floor.
Jade was quickly by his side, grabbing Sakura by the wrists to stop her from hurting anybody or herself. She glanced desperately between her and Tokiomi, praying for an answer. "What can we do? What's happening to her?!"
As he got down too to help, Kariya could've sworn his heart had stopped. "Oh no…" He knew exactly what the cause for Sakura's suffering was: the same one it had been for him and her this past year. "T-The Crest Worms…" He gasped at watching one vicious little leg peek out of her screaming mouth. "They're eating her alive!"
Sure enough, they could all see the vicious spawn of Zouken Matou scuttling about underneath her skin, breaking it in some places. Glowing lines emerged all over Sakura's body, flickering about like faulty lights as they were bitten into. "Her Magic Circuits…" Tokiomi muttered in horror. "With every bite they take, th-they're ripping her very life apart!"
"W-well, do something, damnit! Please!" Another time, and Tokiomi would've been irked at some commoner snapping at him like that. Right now, he splayed one hand upon Sakura's thrashing head, Jade doing her best to gently hold her steady, and fumbled for some gems with healing mana stored inside. "Blut und Leben, erklinget mit meinem Gesang." Thus, he cast the strongest restorative spell he knew. Mana streamed from the jewels into her…
Only to be devoured promptly. He cursed to himself; of course, those damnable Worms wouldn't pass up more mana when it was served to them on a silver platter! Particles of magic sparkled over Sakura's body, and he looked up to see a pale Gandalf casting his own spell. Sadly, the result was the same. "We have to stop the Worms in order to heal her body."
"How?! They're inside of her!" Kariya snapped at the questioning look he received. "You really think Zouken would've told me how to get them out? I'm not sure it's even possible!"
"There must be a way!" Jade released one of Sakura's arms, leaving it to flail helplessly about, and offered her hand to Tokiomi. "T-take my power, pour it into her! The overflow would surely destroy the Worms-"
But he shook his head. "And her along with them, her body's too weak to handle a Servant's power, Jade!"
"Then what do we do?!"
That shout coupled with Sakura's cries sucked the strength out of everyone in the room. Tokiomi's mind raced through every last scrap of information he knew, trying to find something that could work only to come up short; Jade tried in vain to stop what bleeding she could, mentally praying the Elder Gods for a miracle; Kariya rubbed little Sakura's head wishing he could take her place, wondering why this had to happen to her and not him; and Lancelot stood above them, cursing his own uselessness. Great knight that he was, and he couldn't stop those things from violating a little girl. Desperate to find a solution, he turned to the last occupant in the room.
Gandalf's head was bowed down, and Lancelot's spirit plummeted. This one had done so much for him, his King, their Master and so many others, he'd always had an answer for any problem. But now, it seemed like there was nothing even the wise wizard could do. The Crest Worms, normally so cowed by merely his presence, seemed to have been worked into a berserker fit-
Presence.
Caster X started at Lancelot grabbing his shoulder, and his partner saw a glimmer of insight in those blue eyes. "Your Noble Phantasm, Gandalf… It's her only chance."
Wallowing in their grief as they were, the three on the ground heard Berserker's words. Kariya found his voice first. "R-right… that light, that p-power you used on Caster's monster! I-it can wipe them all out!"
"Well, yes," Caster X joined them on the floor, rare hesitation in his posture. "But I cannot be certain it will only destroy the Worms, Kariya." He hurriedly explained at the many stares sent his way. "Please understand, they have nested inside Sakura for an entire year. The Flame may consider her so tainted it would burn her away as well!"
"But you can control it, can't you?" Jade implored. "It's your Noble Phantasm, you stopped yourself from unleashing all of it before!"
"Restraining its full release and controlling it are not the same, milady! My power is not a scalpel that can purge evil at precise levels, it burns all evil in its path! Forgive my friends, but what you expect of me has never been done before."
Call it hope, call it despair, but Tokiomi Tohsaka wasn't about to give up. Not what he saw a sliver of a chance. "Gandalf, you are without question the single greatest practitioner of magic on this planet." For once, his Tohsaka pride kept its mouth shut despite his uttering the statement. "If anyone can do this, if anyone can save her life, it's you."
The Istar looked at them, then at Sakura, her screams and movements slowly growing weaker. Anyone could see she was running out of time. "You never doubted in any of us," he turned to see Lancelot kneeling beside him, absolute faith in those dark eyes. "How could we doubt in you now?"
Gandalf took a deep breath and passed his staff to his friend before promptly returning to the dying young soul. "I will need your help, Master." Kariya blinked at that before realizing why his mentor and savior had addressed him like that. Blue eyes peered at him, specifically his hand. "Do you trust me?"
What a ridiculous question for someone so wise, he thought to himself. "W-with all the power of my final Command Seal, Gandalf the Gray…" Kariya Matou's left hand flared with mana for the third time, "Please save Sakura's life!" Then the hand was bare.
For the second time tonight, Caster X felt energy surge through him anew, but what spurred him on to try wasn't the almighty authority of the Seal, but four pairs of eyes staring pleadingly at him… and the young soul's cries. Thus, he closed his own eyes and drew into himself. Flame of Anor, hear my call once again. He placed his hand upon the wailing girl's head, her agony rippling through her skin to his, but though his core wrenched, he continued his prayer. Deliver this girl from a fate she did not deserve.
A great light shined from his center, bathing the group in its splendor. It traveled quickly to his palm, and from there, it reached Sakura Matou, the darkness inside her attempting to fight back against the intruder. Even so, "The Sacred Flame, Comforter of Life" forged on…
Darkness surrounded her.
She could feel it on her arms, her legs, her stomach, in her mouth… She only saw black everywhere she tried to look, and she could barely move her neck at all. She couldn't move so much as a finger, and even if she could, what would be the point? There was nothing here for her to touch.
Nothing that didn't hurt her.
Bitten, crawled on, scratched, burned, ripped apart and pulled back together; that was how she felt every second. This was her nightmare, the same one she'd come back to every time she closed her eyes, for an entire year now. After … and … had given her up.
Why? Why did she have to come here? Why did she have to go down into that dark place with all of the crawling things that hurt and went into her? Why did they let this happen to her? What did she do wrong?
It wasn't fair. … would grow up and be the big magus she had always dreamed of being, just like …. She never cared about that. She had been happy enough just being … sister. Uncle Kariya would come by to visit all the time, she'd play with him and … while … laughed at their antics… why did they just throw her away like that? What had she done wrong? Was she not good enough, not eager enough like …? It wasn't fair!
She squirmed a little as the darkness wrapped tighter around her. Uncle Kariya, he'd promised to take her away and they'd be back together with … and …, but what if he got hurt? He hadn't been looking good at all, and it was her fault. She'd seen him just now, with …, what was … doing here? … didn't want her anymore… right?
She wanted to cry. She wanted to scream, but every sound she tried to make got stuck in her throat. It was starting up again; she could feel it under her skin and in her bones. She hated it and feared it. Why did her life have to be like this? Why was she alone in the dark? One little tear managed to squeeze out her eye, stinging the bitten flesh of her cheek. It hurt so much…
She looked around one final desperate time in the dark for Uncle Kariya or … or ...ther or Rin or anyone, but it was impossible to see anything. Even with the light, all she could make out were blurry shapes, and they reminded her of the worms-
…
…She blinked. Light?
Her eyes shifted so it felt like she'd be looking ahead: Yes, there was a little light now. A ray, small but bright, so wonderfully bright. Where did it come from? She could've sworn it hadn't been there before, but there it was, shining down on her. Well, it felt nice for a change. Probably wouldn't last long, she knew while sadly dipping her head at this truth… before snapping it back up.
Yes, she could move her head again. She blinked, and the light felt bigger now. She wondered if it was maybe that light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel-thing she'd heard about, when people were about to die. Well, living hadn't been that great for a while now. Dying like this wasn't so… bad…
Blinking again, she opened her eyes to find something… fluttering in front of her. She focused on it, sweeping and darting about… like a moth or a butterfly. It fluttered closer to her, its yellow wings brushing against her nose, and something about the touch made her giggle. Sweet little thing. It flapped away a little, and she saw it had friends. She reached out her right hand before realizing she could, and one of the butterflies, a green one, landed on her finger. It felt warm… So warm, so soft. Her skin wasn't hurting so much anymore.
In fact, the more butterflies popped up, the less she felt of the crawly things inside her. Soon, hundreds of butterflies were flying around her, and she giggled again at being the center of many circles. She spread her arms out and threw her head back, closing her eyes not out of pain but relief at the sheer lack of it. No more crawling beneath her skin, no more gnawing on her nerves, it was as if all of the pain and misery inside her had been washed away.
The dark was gone, too, burned away by the light all around her and maybe inside her, too. If this was what dying was like, she didn't see why anyone should be scared of it. Although… She patted her arms, wiggled her legs, rolled her shoulders. She didn't feel that weak at all. Was she not dying, but… dead? Had it happened so fast she didn't even notice?
No, a little voice told her, and she wondered briefly if it might've come from a butterfly. But the more she watched them dance around one another and her, the surer she grew. She couldn't be dead. Not yet, even though she had never felt so at peace before in her whole life. She could sit (or was she standing? Could be either…) in this… place forever, just watching these sweet, beautiful creatures celebrating life and letting the light warm her.
Then it felt like someone was standing before her, offering her a hand. Part of her hesitated; so many people had hurt her before, and she didn't want to leave. But even as she thought that, she began to remember them: Uncle Kariya… Rin… Mother… Father. She hummed, a veil lifting from her mind as images of her family swam to the front.
She missed them. She wanted to see them again.
Sakura reached up and grasped the hand, smiling at the warmth tickling her skin. Then she felt a slight pull, not hurtful but encouraging, and she began to walk hand in hand forward, all the time in the world…
Zouken beamed to himself in vicious joy. Even this far away, he could feel his sweet little rascals ripping Sakura's body apart from the inside out. Oh, if only he could see the horror on their faces as the precious prize they'd been fighting for so wholeheartedly was devoured. Kariya would be next, and what a treat it would be, mingling the Worms' eating him away with the despair of utter failure! A fitting end for that sanctimonious little coward-
He frowned. One of the Worms had registered an odd sensation. Another reported the same, then three more, and more…
A presence swept through Zouken Matou, and as he doubled over into the grass, eyes so wide open the little black orbs might've dropped out of their sockets, a primal sound rocketed out of his throat:
"AAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGHAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH-!"
His mouth clamped shut hard enough to crack some teeth, cutting off the scream, but it offered no respite. Agony wracked every last cell of his parasitic fresh body. He thrashed about on the ground, clawing at mistreated skin while the Crest Worms within screeched and raced about against his organs and one another, some even trying to burrow out. The worst of his suffering, though, came from the deepest corner of his being, his ancient, twisted, black soul. It was as if someone had driven a pump through him and injected acid into his core!
Or in his case, holy water-
Wait. What little remained of his mind discerned this was not an attack, but the final thing his Worms inside her had registered. Zouken soon came to a chilling realization even while he lay weeping in the dirt. He knew something had transpired with the girl, and he knew who was responsible: Who it always was, always! "D-damn you… wizard… DAMN YOU…!"
-36:00:00
Despite the severity of the task before him, Gandalf couldn't help but open his eyes and frown. Something felt… off.
The current undertaking was nothing like he'd ever tried before, of course. He knew channeling the Flame of Anor inside a human body was dangerous, more so for such a young, fragile vessel like Sakura's. It took all of his focus to make the process as slow and careful as possible lest he finish the vile Worms' work for them. Even so, he had believed the purging would be met with resistance, but… The creatures were of no issue. Quite the contrary.
It was as though his power was being drawn in.
Unbeknownst to him, there was one factor Caster X had not considered. Tokiomi Tohsaka had told him and his Master two nights ago how Sakura, like her sister Rin, had been born with exceptional potential for magic, but the father himself hadn't fully grasped how exceptional she was.
Her "transition" to a Matou changed her natural affinity to Water, but originally, Sakura Tohsaka had not leaned towards any of the five natural elements. Her affinity, her Attribute, her Origin itself, was Imaginary Numbers, a concept only partially comprehensible to this world's magi. If she had been trained in a more regular setting, she would have surely rocked the thaumaturgical world. Alas, Zouken Matou had only seen her as a tool for his plans. His Crest Worms tarnished Sakura's potential, beating her down into a human Mystic Code and eating away her gifts.
But now the Worms inside her had been annihilated. Her body was being restored; her soul cleansed. The Flame of Anor, a sliver of both divine and benign essence the Heroic Spirit Gandalf the Gray retained from his original identity, had traveled into her very being… and once there, found something… harmonious.
The odds of these factors coming together were approximately one in eleventy-one million. What their amalgamation would result in, even the very wisest of the Istar could not have foreseen.
Fearing for the girl's life, Gandalf the Gray tried to stop the unique pull coming from her. He channeled all of his will into damming the Flame of Anor's flow, and just when he sensed his own soul caught in the tide, it came to an end. The wizard slumped forward, weakness washing over his old bones, as his partner hurriedly reached out to support him. His eyes remained trained on Sakura, though, as were the others', hoping for some sign of life.
They didn't need to wait long.
Her whole body flared up with light that surprised but didn't blind the speechless audience. Rather, it was the same as when Gandalf had first released the Flame of Anor against Gilles de Rais' Gigantic Horror: Warm, comforting. Protective. They could therefore see clearly the unnaturally dull purple of Sakura's hair fade away to reveal a white purer than that of any Einzbern homunculus, a white only Lancelot had seen before…
Then the light dimmed again, and they found it to be the same shade of black as Rin's hair; the way she had been before she had been sent to the Matou family.
First one eyelid fluttered a little followed by the other, then they slowly peaked open jointly. Tokiomi's heart stopped and Kariya gasped as two eyes of beautiful turquoise, not the wretched purple what was more proof of how Zouken had violated her, peered sluggishly at a very still Gandalf. The ancient Heroic Spirit's surprise lasted for only an instant before his mouth shifted into a tired but relieved smile.
Sakura Tohsaka returned it and maintained it while her gaze traveled to Gandalf's left, a tiny murmur escaping her, "Uncle Kariya…?" then she glanced to his right, "…Father?"
Tears gathered in both men's eyes even as hers fell closed again. Kariya hurriedly reached out to catch her head when it lolled back, Tokiomi checking her arm and chest before sighing in relief at the steady pulse against her fingers. "She's alright, she just fell asleep again."
"Thank God…" Kariya laughed, crying more happily than he had in his whole life. He shook his head. "No… Thank you, Gandalf."
The wizard for his part would've collapsed on his back if Jade and Lancelot hadn't caught him. He managed to wheeze out a soft, humble laugh, though. "Do not… be so quick… to dismiss… higher powers… Kariya. There are… other forces… at work… besides the will… of evil."
"Indeed," the sole female Servant agreed patting his arm. "And one of them surely sent you."
Lancelot nodded to her, the two helping their friend to his feet. He passed him his staff with one final comment. "And all of this happened thanks to you, Gandalf. Do you regret it?"
Gandalf sighed, feeling every bit the aged man he appeared to be. "Not for a moment… Lancelot." He smiled again at the sleeping young girl. "Not for a moment."
Tokiomi was busy checking Sakura to be sure of her health, but he swore to make his own gratitude clear before the night was out. For now, though, he marveled at what the foreign sorcerer's power had done for his daughter. It wasn't just her eyes and hair that was back to normal, she was physically fit as a fiddle; not a blemish on her skin or any signs of broken bones or ruptured nerves. This "Flame of Anor" had restored her perfectly, right down to…
Gandalf, of course, noticed first the father's brow furrowing. "Is something the matter with Sakura, Tokiomi?"
"I… I'm not sure," Tokiomi admitted, tracing a finger along her exposed arm. "Her Magic Circuits…"
Kariya leaned closer with a frown. He didn't want to think this crazy miracle was too good to be true. "Right, those da-arn Worms would've chewed them up first. Are you telling us they're still damaged?"
"…No, Kariya, there's nothing wrong with them, per say…" he muttered, his confusion plain to see. "…Except they're no longer there. It's as though they never existed in the first place."
Kariya Matou blinked. "…Wait, what?"
Slowly, everyone stared at Sakura Tohsaka while her father delivered the shocking truth:
"Sakura's Magic Circuits… They're… gone."
Roughly nine thousand kilometers from Fuyuki City sat a certain little store in London, right across the street from a certain complex respected and feared across this world's magic community. The store itself was rather mundane in appearance, more of a hole in the wall, its sign barely legible due to the passage of time. But its goods were of such high quality that quite a few from Clock Tower, students and faculty alike, would pay a visit.
Today had been a relatively slow day, roughly a dozen regulars as well as one or two tourists popping inside to have a quick look and purchase something that caught their eye. That left the owner, an… eccentric man not to be underestimated, with plenty of free time to spend on his most recent project. He was currently seated before an odd device inside a tiny private room, eyes narrowing at the displayed readings. A hand reached up to scratch messy blonde hair while a whistle echoed through the room:
"…Well now. Didn't see that coming."
…Darth Sakura? Really? Did you guys honestly believe I intended to make poor Sakura even more miserable than in canon? I know Vonnegut's advice is, "Be a sadist," but that there? That's way more than I could stomach. Just typing the words of Zouken's last revenge attempt was horrible enough for me, I swear, it was the absolute hardest part of this chapter for me to visualize, let alone put into words. So, sorry if it comes off as a little short, but give me a break! She's six years old for God's sake!
Gandalf saving her life (and ripping Zouken a spiritual new one as a side effect) was all that kept me going.
I've been planning this moment since I first decided Gandalf the Gray would be Caster X. Yes, Sakura is one-hundred percent Crest Worm-free now, and well, things are going to be a little bit different for her from here on out.
Glamdring would be an A-rank sword, BTW, if wielded by Turgon. Or if Lancelot, Artoria or another sufficient famed swordsman were to wield it on Middle-Earth.
P.S.: The title of this chapter originates from a quote by Leonard Cohen: "There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in." I felt it appropriate given what transpires here.
…
…
…
…Oh come on, you guys didn't seriously think I was done yet, did you?
-35:36:06
The trip to the Tohsaka manor was thankfully uneventful. No Servants like Rider X or an Assassin (Tokiomi gritted his teeth at the thought) attacking out of nowhere, no exploding houses, nothing that threatened the weary group of five and one child.
At the front gate, Tokiomi considered for a moment, then willed the Bounded Field to allow Kariya and his group in. He knew the man wanted to spend as much time as he could with Sakura, and after tonight… the father couldn't fault him for that. He was already deliberating ideas for a family trip after the Grail War was done, somewhere relaxing and for Sakura to feel like she was with her real family again.
Archer was somewhere on the grounds or in the house, but that barely bothered him. He was too happy to feel frustration with his Servant's lack of cooperation.
He glanced to his little girl peacefully slumbering in Jade's arms. The Servant seemed to have made Sakura's safety her personal mission, and from the way she toyed with dark locks of hair, Tokiomi pitied any fool that tried to harm her charge. "Are you sure you've never been a mother?" He asked chuckling while they walked down the path.
Jade returned the laugh while shaking her open face; she'd pulled down her mask, allowing Tokiomi to see her levity fully. "Outworld wasn't exactly the most inviting place to raise a child. Though, I wouldn't say I avoided all opportunities for it." She winked before adjusting her hold on the slumbering girl a little. Sakura in turn burrowed into her shoulder mumbling. "Still out like a light, but her pulse remains strong. The last time I've ever seen anyone sleep this deeply, it was Kitana after fighting for five days and five nights nonstop."
"I'll have a doctor examine her in the morning, but so long as her vitals are stable and she keeps waking up, I say we shouldn't worry." Despite his words, Tokiomi's eyes didn't leave her peaceful, healthy face, his mind drifting back to his discovery.
He had checked and double-checked in every way possible outside of a workshop, but he received the exact same result: Of the thirty-eight main Magic Circuits and thirty-four subs Sakura had possessed, not a single one remained in her body. In fact, it was almost as if she had never had any in the first place.
Tokiomi's eyes drifted behind them to the girl's guardian angel being helped along the path in his tired state by Berserker and Kariya. Gandalf had been as much at a loss as he with this discovery, perhaps a little more due to his lack of familiarity with Magic Circuits. After some thought, he offered the theory of them having been so damaged and tainted by the Crest Worms, his Noble Phantasm had deemed them hazardous to Sakura's health and erased them along with the Worms. Moreover, even the wizard had no idea on how to restore them, either.
Under normal circumstances, Tokiomi Tohsaka would've been appalled and horrified. Such a loss was terrible for any magus, and in Sakura's case, the top-notch key to potential only equaled by that of her sister, potential her father could've never hoped to reach in ten lifetimes… just gone, never to return?
…And yet, he had felt oddly… at ease with the loss. It had been Kariya who voiced his thoughts: "Sakura only got into this whole mess because of her Magic Circuits, right? If they had to be sacrificed so she can have a good life, then I'm fine with that." And surprisingly, so was Tokiomi. Her loss of magecraft was a shame, but now she was at less risk of being claimed by the Magus Association. And an ordinary life in a family of magi, well… It was still leagues better than Sakura's alternative.
No, Tokiomi found he had little complaints. He just needed to amend his preparations a little.
As for Kariya, he couldn't help but look up at the grandiose mansion before him with token bitterness. Seeing Sakura alive and healthy was definitely worth a hundred years of the pain he'd suffered so far… but letting her go back to Tokiomi… seeing the other man with the woman and the two girls that should've rightfully been-
"Steady, Kariya," Gandalf's voice cut through his thoughts, and he turned to see his friend nodding down at the ground. "Mind your footing, you nearly stumbled there for a moment."
He looked down at his feet even though his attention wasn't on the path. And his gut told him Gandalf knew exactly what he'd been thinking. Don't know if he's a mind reader or if I'm just that much an open book… But he settled for joking, "What can I say, the stones are a little uneven here and there. Not quite as perfect as advertised." Yeah, it was a little petty, but Kariya settled for sharing a laugh with his Servants. Take what good you get, you idiot…
Lancelot stood between them, supporting both men easily. Kariya's condition fortunately hadn't gotten worse (the Master liked to imagine Gandalf's Noble Phantasm had lacerated Zouken so thoroughly he was too scared to try anything else) but the knight's partner was still drained from his efforts. He was practically draped over Lancelot's shoulder, his staff tapping heavily against the ground with every step, and as he'd confided to his friend privately on the way, Gandalf had a feeling his strength wouldn't return, not completely, in this War.
Still, the Gray Wizard clearly didn't lament his fate, and the Knight of the Lake was more than happy to assist him now. It was the least he could do for him, and he was certainly in good spirits. They had helped save their Master's little girl (blood be damned), another rogue was dead, and Lancelot had actually succeeded in controlling his rage instead of the opposite.
His strength was also just about back to normal (non-Mad Enhancement-normal), so the trio didn't lag too far behind the owner of the residence and his Servant. But as Tokiomi inserted his key into the lock and picked up on the second layer of his Bounded Field, his smile dipped. Someone was already inside. The Field hadn't been breached, so it wasn't an intruder waiting outside his office.
And he had a very good idea of his "guest's" identity. Still, Tokiomi didn't let his musings show as he unlocked and opened the door. He beckoned for Jade to enter first and Kariya's group to follow, befitting a good host. Well, I was planning on having this little discussion. Didn't think it would be so soon, but no time like the present, I suppose.
So, he cleared his throat once everyone was inside, gesturing towards another door. "Apologies, but there are a few important matters I must deal with, and I think it best to deal with them as quickly as possible. Please make yourself and your friends comfortable in the parlor, Kariya." He hesitated before adding, "If there is any… trouble of any sort," his gaze flickered to Sakura, "let me know immediately. I shall be in my office."
The other Master momentarily fought the urge to chew him out; he'd just gotten his daughter back and was now running off to handle a little paperwork? But a look from Gandalf and some clear thought made him stop. Right… different way of thinking, that's just how magi were. And he knew the smug prick's top priority was Sakura. "Alright, it's not the first time I've babysitted for you and Aoi." He tried not to wince, mumbling, "And I wouldn't say no to a chance to sit down…"
"Nor would I, and perhaps something to drink." Despite his words, though, Gandalf paused on the way to the parlor to send Tokiomi a concerned look. Something felt… wrong from the first step he'd set in here. Lancelot noticed his expression, and they wordlessly agreed not to let their guard down.
Then Lancer X spoke up. "I can provide some tea if you permit me a few minutes, gentlemen." She passed Sakura over to an eager Kariya, the men agreeing with her offer, while transmitting a private message to her Master. 'Kirei is waiting for you up there, isn't he?' She didn't need to wait for an answer. 'If what Emiya said is true, it could be a trap. I'll come with you-'
'No, I'll have Archer join me in my office. I need you to stay by Sakura's side.' Out loud, Tokiomi casually added, "As one who's enjoyed it exceedingly, I can only recommend Jade's ginseng tea. One sip, and you'll feel like your strength never disappeared."
"You're far too kind, Master." But Jade's inner thoughts were far less at ease. 'You and I both know Archer can't be trusted to guard a pair of chopsticks, much less your life, Tokiomi! If you think I've taxed myself, you still have two of my Seals, and maybe we could ask them to aid us again.'
'It's enough we needed their help to save Sakura, I can't let someone like Kariya interfere with my family's affairs.' If word got out of that, the Tohsaka name would lose respect, and that wouldn't do any good in the long run. 'I still have three Seals left for Archer, I can handle him.' His expression softened slightly; they were now alone in the chamber. 'But I know my daughter will be safe if you're by her side, Jade. Please.'
The two friends stared at each other before the Heroic Spirit of the Spear finally sighed. 'Very well, but don't let your guard down, Tokiomi. And if you sense danger, call me.' She shifted partially towards the kitchen. 'I promised your other daughter I'd keep you safe, you know.'
Warmth fluttered inside the Master's heart at the mentioning of Rin. To think his little girl worried so much over him… Still, those thoughts would be for later. He made to march up the stairs but only got past the first four before pausing. Tokiomi then turned back to the Heroic Spirit with a smile he reserved only for those closest to him. "…Thank you, Jade. For everything you've done for me and my family."
Lancer X looked back at her Master, the past days flowing along her thoughts, before smiling herself. She'd thought she knew exactly who this man was going to be -a cool, confident, aristocrat with a hint of naivety… and he still managed to surprise her. "Call me a fool, Tokiomi," Jade smiled back, "but for all your faults, I believe you would do no less for me."
He chuckled at that, shame creeping into him at those words as he continued up the stairs. Would Jade still have helped him if she had learned the original conclusion to his plans? How he had intended to betray her…?
His stomach churning at such a possibility was all the more incentive to see his… revision through. Nagato Tohsaka had theorized that it would take the sacrifice of all seven Servants for the Holy Grail to fulfill their wish of Akasha. In this unusual War, it would most likely take fourteen to see it through.
But… technically, Avenger X's death could serve as a substitute sacrifice… so Jade may have a chance of having her own wish granted.
Tokiomi knew he was swimming in uncharted and volatile waters. Cheating the Grail had only been attempted once before, and that failure continued to haunt the Tohsaka name. It would no doubt require further preparations… but in terms of mana, he still had ample jewels he'd been stockpiling in anticipation of the Grail War. The one adorning his cane could certainly help to… jump-start the Grail and convince it to see both his and Jade's hopes realized. Risky though it was, Tokiomi had to try. He owed the Edenian that much.
Archer was a tool, a weapon for a specific purpose and best disposed once that purpose was complete. But Lancer X… Jade was a loyal friend to Tokiomi and the Tohsaka family. She deserved better than a knife in her back. And a magus, a Tohsaka always paid his debts.
He reached the upper floor, his face settling into neutral upon the sight of his pupil waiting patiently beside his office door. "Kirei," the taller man turned calmly to him at being addressed, "apologies for making you wait." 'My King, would you be so kind as to join me in my office?' he issued the telepathic request in nearly the same breath.
'Oh, very well,' the King of Heroes's disinterested tone rippled inside his mind. 'There's nothing particularly diverting transpiring outside, anyway.'
"Not at all, sir. Forgive me that I come to you at so later an hour." He sounded and appeared just the same as always: Unflappable, ready, dependable. All traits he had deeply impressed Tokiomi with over the course of his apprenticeship, and from the way he acted now, not all the chaotic circumstances of this irregular Holy Grail War, including the death of his own father, had fazed him. "But there are a few things I need to tell you before I depart Fuyuki."
"Ah, of course, the church has requested you head off, then." Tokiomi restrained himself from letting Emiya's warning show on his features. "A shame our goodbye has to happen like this."
And it was a shame; Kirei had been a diligent pupil and great contribution to his efforts in this Grail War, especially as he had objectively little to gain from the experience. In fact, he'd lost a fair bit with Risei's death. "My plane for Italy is scheduled this morning so as to deliver my father's possessions," Kirei explained smoothly. "It will probably be some time before I can return to Japan, so this seemed like my last chance to speak with you." Taking into account the many responsibilities placed upon him and shock, Tokiomi was willing to give him the benefit of doubt. For now.
"Then step inside with me." The Tohsaka Master opened the door to his office and gestured to a chair in the far corner. "Please have a seat, I'll be with you in a minute." Kirei did so, his eyes never leaving his teacher.
Unrest continued to grow inside Tokiomi's mind even as he stepped over to his desk and retrieved some very important documents from his safe. He sat down, pen and paper in hand, and began to write (though the part of the desk Jade had smashed yesterday presented a little difficulty) down his amendments. The scribbling sound before shoved all concerns of Kirei aside for the moment, the documents for Sakura taking precedence.
He only needed to make a few adjustments there, but the other file he'd collected gave him pause. After staring at it for a few seconds, he stood up and stowed away the amended papers in his safe; its combination was something he'd shared only with his wife, but Tokiomi still cast an additional enchantment over the door so only he or Aoi could touch it.
That done, he collected the remaining document and a small box from a drawer before walking over to his guest who hadn't moved an inch. A crackle of mana signaled to him that Gilgamesh had entered the room, too. Good. When Tokiomi sat down across from him, Kirei finally spoke. "Pardon me, sir, but I can't help but notice Kariya Matou and his Servants appear to be downstairs. May I ask why you permitted an enemy team entry here?"
Tokiomi put on a cordial smile. "Very astute of you, Kirei, though I suppose it's to be expected from a former Executor. But there's no need to worry about them. Kariya Matou and I reached an… understanding not long ago, and this very night, we cooperated to deal with a…" His mouth twitched. "…Significant matter. Most of all, I have his word he and his team shall relinquish the Matou family's claim to the Holy Grail in exchange for reclaiming my daughter."
One of Kirei's eyebrows rose, the biggest sign of his surprise. "You mean Sakura? Is she to return to your family?"
"For good," Tokiomi confirmed with an absolute tone. "Apologies that I did not inform you of these developments, this all happened so quickly I'm ashamed to admit it slipped my mind." He chuckled in self-deprecation, carefully watching his student's features, but he simply closed his eyes and inclined his head in acknowledgement. So, he tried for a different topic. "You know, the closer your departure seems, the more reluctant I feel in letting you go, Kirei. I do hope you will continue to follow in your father's footsteps and aid the Tohsaka family, no matter this War's outcome or other factors…"
He intentionally left those last two words open to interpretation, but Kirei simply replied, "I would do so gladly, for you have provided me with so much as my teacher, sir. More than you may realize…" Tokiomi blinked; Kirei seemed to be emulating him now. Accident, or a taunt?
He couldn't be sure, and he didn't believe in calling for someone's head because of some vagueness. Only barbarians conducted themselves as such. "…Well, even if we only met due to circumstances brought about by Heaven's Feel, I thought myself very fortunate to have you as my student." Kirei's mouth twitched so briefly Tokiomi nearly didn't notice it. He pressed on. "You showed exemplary dedication to your lessons, and as your teacher and patron, I could only hope you assist my house with the same level of dedication." He shifted a little in his seat to retrieve something. "I even hoped my children could learn from you, which is why I had written this."
He held up the document he'd retrieved from his safe, flicking it open so Kirei could read its contents. The priest's dark eyes scanned them, widening with each passage. "Sir, this is…"
"A sort of final testament, yes." Tokiomi's own eyes didn't dare leave the other man. He knew what he'd written, after all. "I drew this up in the extremely unlikely event of something happening to me in this Grail War. In which case, Rin succeeds me as head of the Tohsaka family and Second Owner of Fuyuki once she comes of age. You would be her guardian until the latter, of course, and I would amend this to include you being Sakura's guardian now that she is with us again. Simply turning in this letter to Clock Tower would suffice to make it official."
The results of this test: Kirei staring at him in what appeared to be pure shock before bowing his head to him again. "I am honored you would trust me with these responsibilities. Though I am hardly perfect, I would do everything in my power to aid your daughters the best I can."
A strong, carefully worded declaration, Tokiomi noted, and he knew from Father Risei that being offered heavy responsibilities was of the highest honors a priest could receive. And yet, he felt a heavy pit in his stomach for some reason. "You know, I had hoped that would be your answer," he put away the paper and retrieved the box, "which is why I had this made for you."
Rather than give it to Kirei, though, Tokiomi opened the box himself. He reached inside, feeling the sides lined with rich velvet, and withdrew a silver dagger, a work of art from the sleek engraved blade to the vibrant ruby-like jewel in its hilt. Kirei stared at it in awe as his teacher held it almost reverently up to the moonlight. "The Azoth Sword… Forged with utmost precision and Tohsaka jewels passed down through generations. Charge it with mana, and it can become a most versatile Mystic Code." He muttered while lowering the dagger to waist level. "I had intended this to be a gift to you, Kirei, as a symbol of your graduation in Tohsaka magecraft."
Yet he made no move to hand this gift over. Visibly puzzled for once, Kirei stared at him without saying anything or reaching for the Azoth Sword. Then Tokiomi's smile faded as he fixed him with a cold stare. "So, in light of all my hopes and belief in you, Kirei Kotomine… would you mind explaining to me why an Assassin was spotted this very night?"
Even in the dim light, Tokiomi thought he saw something flash across the priest's face. He couldn't see it clearly enough in time, but whatever it was, it nearly drew a shiver from him. Then Kirei's brows furrowed and his mouth shifted into a perfect frown. "Assassin? Alive…? Are you sure this sighting wasn't referring to Kiritsugu Emiya's Servant, the other Assassin?"
"Oh, I doubt that…" At this point, the Azoth Sword's tip was centered on the other man's chest. "You see, Kiritsugu Emiya is the one who reported this sighting to me."
Another flash, and this time, Tokiomi knew he had glimpsed something. A grin. But Kirei continued to wear his perpetual stoicism. "With respect, sir, you were the one who warned me of treacherous Kiritsugu Emiya is." And now that he was paying attention, there was this odd inflection whenever Kirei said the mercenary's name. "You tell me you believe him?"
"I wouldn't, Kirei, if it were only him speaking against you." Of course, Tokiomi knew better than to trust the words of a man like the infamous "Mage Killer." He didn't want to trust them over Kirei, a man who had assisted him so much these past three years. It was why he hadn't burned the "will" for Rin yet, why he was giving Kirei a chance right now to explain himself right now. He had earned that as well. But with each passing second, the doubts continued to grow.
"Irisviel von Einzbern mentioned that you had been… hounding her team since the beginning of their activities in the Grail War. When I negotiated for an alliance with her, she agreed on one condition: That I cast you," he pointed with the Azoth Sword, "out of Fuyuki City for the remainder of the Grail War."
He ran his finger carefully along the dagger's edge; razor sharp, as he'd instructed. "And promptly after this, she and Emiya run off with their Servants saying that Assassins, your Assassins that should be long dead and returned to the Grail by now, had abducted an associate of theirs." Tokiomi hid his frown no longer. "Now it could all be some convoluted lie, but then, why go through so much effort to shatter my faith in you, Kirei? You may be my student, but why show this interest in you? Better yet, why do you have interest in them?"
He hoped for fervent denial, a concise, logical argument that delivered irrefutable proof that Emiya and Einzbern had been playing him for a fool. Such a fact would've been irksome and eroded his respect for the Einzbern family totally, but better that than the alternative that grew more plausible with each passing second of watching Kirei sit in his chair so nonchalant.
Jade had warned him, too. She'd told of how something had felt… off about Kirei ever since the murder of Father Risei. A telling timepoint. Despite having known her for barely a week, Tokiomi trusted her instincts now more than ever; she'd had to have been sharp to survive the Darwinistic nature of Outworld. Furthermore, she'd earned his faith.
Whereas it became increasingly apparent Kirei Kotomine had abused said faith. And now, in light of all these facts presented to him, Tokiomi Tohsaka retrieved his cane while his other hand continued to grip the Azoth Sword, his gaze locked on his pupil. "Well, Kirei? If you have any plausible rebuttal against your accusers, I await it most anxiously."
The priest didn't even cringe against the iciness aimed at him. Instead, he shrugged slightly. "I'm afraid anything strong enough to convince you is currently beyond me, sir. I will reiterate, though, how grateful I truly am for everything you taught me and especially the doors you opened for me. When I first joined the Holy Grail War, it was indeed as your student. I lacked any ambitions of my own and would've settled for walking away once the tasks you'd given me were complete."
In that moment, the grin Kirei had been hiding finally emerged, and the sight of it made Tokiomi nearly as uneasy as when he'd first learned about Sakura. "Regrettably for both of us, I encountered a… complication along the way."
The Tohsaka magus' frown deepened. "A complication going by the designation of Rider X, I presume." Now it was all starting to make sense; Kirei's shift, the difficulties of him controlling that wretched titan… "He turned you against me, then. You've been on his side."
"Not quite, sir." Kirei tilted his head just so, an odd gleam in his eyes. "I won't deny he is a very persuasive speaker, but to say I've joined his side wouldn't be accurate. More… I've chosen my own side, and it just happens to bridge well with his."
Both cane and Sword now pointed directly at Tokiomi's enemy. "In that case, I don't think you owe him any particular loyalty, Kirei. So, unless you want to learn just how harshly a Tohsaka punishes betrayal, you will surrender and tell me where Rider X is this instant. Call him here, for I suspect you retain his final Seal even now." The magus hadn't admittedly recovered all of his strength from the battle at the Matou house, but he could surely handle his fallen pupil even now.
But Kirei's grin only widened despite the danger before him. "No need for that." He nodded to his left. "He's standing right there."
Tokiomi scoffed, not even bothering to look at the empty space in front of the bookshelf. "I am not in the mood for jokes, Kirei Kotomine. Tell me now or-"
"Kirei doesn't need to make any jokes, Tokiomi."
He sprang up in surprise, keeping the Azoth Sword aimed at Kirei, as the gigantic metallic body shimmered into plain view exactly where had been indicated. Rider X sneered down at him, broad arms folded behind his back. "For you are truly the greatest joke in this War."
Tokiomi backed away, cane in his left hand, Sword in his right, noting dully how Kirei was calmly standing up. The Servant before him shouldn't have been there, but he was too real to be mere illusion. "You- How did- How long have you been there…?"
"Why, I've been with my wonderful Master since the beginning." Megatron's grin widened as he leaned forward. "I was standing right next to him long before you pranced up your little stairs and saw him. Yet you didn't even notice me?" He shook his head chuckling. "It appears you taught your student a little too well, Tokiomi. Or perhaps you simply thought yourself a greater magus than you truly are."
Heat flared up inside Tokiomi at the insult, but he forced it down to smile himself. "And you seem to have overestimated your own intelligence, familiar. My King!" Archer materialized next to him, dressed in that casual clothing of his, and his spirit soared. "This would-be conqueror of your garden has finally stepped out of hiding! Surely, he deserves to perish by your hand!"
Kirei's betrayal aside, this setting was perfect. One good barrage from the Gate of Babylon, and Rider X would be gone for good. "Yes, I would agree with you on that, Tokiomi…" The Master smiled broadly, turning his attention to the traitor.
"But what do you deserve?"
He froze at the words and the tone. Though he didn't dare turn to look, he knew Archer's crimson eyes fell on him now. "I've heard some rather… vexing stories from Kirei. One of which you neglected to tell me… mongrel."
A very dark and foreboding chill ran through Tokiomi, and he turned panicked his head to see Archer baring his teeth in a smile at him that screamed danger. He knows…! The Master hurriedly ran through his rapidly declining mental list of options before stopping at one. 'Jade-!'
Sh-shk.
Tokiomi Tohsaka was a man of extreme self-discipline, but anyone would have been rattled if they had experienced everything he had in this single night.
And for a trained Executor like Kirei Kotomine, it had been child's play to close the distance between them, wrest the Azoth Sword from his grip, and run it between ribs and straight through the heart.
Tokiomi could only let out a weak gasp as the priest looked him in the eyes with utter glee. "I truly am grateful for everything you have given me, sir. Now let me show you my gratitude…" Those cold, dark eyes glowed an evil violet. "With a new trick I've learned."
One floor down, Lancer X had been chatting with the house's guests while serving her unanimously appreciated tea when she stiffened and looked straight up. She could sense something wrong, a distortion in the link between her and her Master. 'Tokiomi, are you alright?' Edenian Sojourner Staff extended into her waiting hands.
Thrown off by the Servant's sudden behavior, Kariya turned to the best source for answers. But Gandalf was simply glaring at the upper part of the house as well. "Something's wrong," he muttered, readying his own staff while Lancelot drew his sword. They had both been aware of Archer's presence in the house, but only now did they notice another… sort of. Like a hazy image.
'Jade- Take her-! Safe-!' The words barely reached the Edenian, garbled as they were. She immediately began gathering her mana for a teleportation spell, then one final message flickered through her mind: 'For… Forgive… me…'
Lancelot moved warily towards his ally as she jerked and then stiffened. "Jade, what's the matter-"
"Kariya, run!" Her cry stunned everyone, then the Master barely registered Lancer X suddenly appearing in front of him, Staff swinging at his head. Glamdring deflected the blow with not a moment to spare, allowing Kariya to regain his wits and hurriedly crawl away, Sakura unconscious in his arms again.
The couch was split apart by Lancer X's Staff, then Berserker was forced to flip her onto the table, sending broken china and wood flying. She kicked out as he hesitated to bear his blade against her, then made another lunge for Kariya. This time, Gandalf intercepted her, pinning the Servant against the wall with his telekinesis. "What are you doing, milady?" He demanded in a concerned tone. "Are you under a Command Seal?"
"I… I don't know, Gandalf!" Jade struggled against the magic holding her up. Or more likely, she was fighting with herself judging by the anguish written across her face. "Something's happened to Tokiomi… I feel… I feel the drive to kill Kariya… Stop me!"
Then the wall cratered as she disappeared in a flash of green, emerging before Kariya as he limped for the exit. He stared wide-eyed at the Servant haltingly aiming her weapon at him, but she' resisted long enough for Lancelot to meet her again, Noble Phantasms clashing as they moved out into the house's antechamber. Kariya followed them as did Gandalf, the latter still more sluggish than usual.
"Get Sakura and Kariya out of here now!" Jade pleaded with them even as she flipped towards wider space. Promise Keeper flicked out in one hand, and the duo braced themselves for her next move. But then she stiffened again… and put the collapsed blade to her neck.
Lancelot's eyes widened as he rushed towards her and Gandalf raised his staff, both shouting, "No!" But they were too late.
Why…? Such was the final thought passing through the mind of Heroic Spirit Jade, Servant Lancer X of Tokiomi Tohsaka, before she slit her own throat.
Sakura was still out, but Kariya shifted her anyway as blood sprayed from the Heroic Spirit who had risked her life so much for the Tohsaka sisters. Lancelot could only catch her body from pitching over, holding the noble warrior in sorrow as she slowly dissipated into nothing. Master and Servants alike mourned her passing. As a respected ally and a loyal hero, Jade had deserved a far better fate.
"Well, isn't this a sight to behold…"
Their mourning was cut short upon hearing that voice. All three turned towards the staircase and found Rider X at the top, grinning broadly down at them. "First, I get to have a little fun with the King of Knights and her lapdog, then I am finally freed from Tokiomi's blathering, and now two of my enemies, weary though they are, grace me with their presence." He took a step down, the wood creaking under his weight. "A night of delights, this is…"
Lancelot immediately donned his helmet and made to meet him, Glamdring out to his right for a beheading swing. He wasn't about to let this metallic blackguard ruin anymore lives, let alone that of his King. But before he could ascend the stairs, light flared around him. "What-" He turned shocked to the source. "Gandalf, what are you doing?!"
But Caster X focused first on establishing the force field with his diminished powers, his mouth set in a frown. "…This is not the time or place for a battle with him, Lancelot," he finally said. "If we fight now, we put Sakura's life at risk."
"…He's right," Kariya sighed, clutching the girl he loved like a daughter as tightly as he could. "We're in no shape to fight him anyway. We'll fall back and-"
"No." He froze at the sad look Gandalf gave him. "You will fall back. I must stay."
"What?!" Master and Servant yelled as the wizard moved to the front of his barrier. Kariya shook his head fervently, a cold feeling growing in his gut. "N-No, no way in hell! W-We c-can outrun him together and take him down t-tomorrow night-"
Gandalf shook his head without even looking back. "He is a Rider, Kariya. If we run, he would catch us with little effort. One of us must stay here and delay him while the rest escape."
"Then let me face him, Gandalf!" Lancelot shoved him slightly so they could look eye-to-eye. "I'm the better warrior, Kariya has one last Seal for me, I have yet to show my full strength-"
A hand fell onto his shoulder. "All of those are reasons why you must take them and run fight another day. That, and you are quicker on your feet than I," Gandalf added with a slight chuckle before shoving him towards the humans. "Remember your duty, sir."
"My duty is to protect my Master and stand by my friends' side!" Meanwhile, Rider X's heavy footsteps drew closer.
"Gandalf, don't do this, please! W-W-We'll steal a car, w-we can all make it!" Kariya pleaded with him, tears flowing freely from his eyes. This wasn't what it was supposed to happen. He hadn't just saved Sakura only to lose the man who'd picked him up time and time again, the man who had given him more hope in a week than he'd ever known in his life! This wasn't right! "C-Come on, Gandalf!"
For the first time, however, Caster X ignored his Master's plea. "You are a knight," he reminded his loyal friend. "And your first duty is to protect the innocent, those who cannot protect themselves." Lancelot tried to protest, but Gandalf gave him another shove. "Now go!"
"G-Gandalf, no-" Kariya begged again, but the Knight of the Lake knew his friend wouldn't be budged. He turned slightly towards the approaching rumble of footsteps, then slumped. The last thing he did before picking up his sobbing Master and the girl… was return Glamdring to its rightful wielder.
Knight of Owner arose around Lancelot, the better to hide his anguish. "Thank you… for everything."
Then Berserker was sprinting down the streets of Miyama for the city's outskirts with two innocent lives secure in his arms, Kariya's fist banging down on his shoulder. Inside his helmet, hot tears streamed down his cheeks.
A tiny smile crossed Caster X's lips as a familiar phrase came to mind: "Fly, you fools…"
Then the smile faded, the familiarity shifting to when a dark presence had loomed over him, a danger so great he doubted he would survive the imminent confrontation. In fact, the malevolence he felt prickling against his consciousness seemed almost greater than that of Durin's Bane. Because of his weakened state, maybe… or because he faced a truly worse monster now.
"Do you really think there's anywhere they can hide from me? Or that you can stop me in your present state?" Megatron chuckled at the pathetic obstacle in his path. "So powerful… so wise…" He taunted as he drew closer. "And look at what you've reduced yourself to. A slave to lesser creatures."
The Gray Wizard brandished Glamdring alongside his staff and forced his legs steady. "And what are you, Megatron, but a slave to your own desires?"
As he spoke, he noticed a flicker of gold above Rider X. Archer stood with his arms crossed atop the stairs in modern clothing, red eyes staring down at them. Gandalf thought he could make an unspoken message in them, a challenge. Just as he had suspected: Temperamental as the King of Heroes was, Lancelot's presence might've provoked him into joining the fight, and then Kariya and Sakura would surely be doomed. Even now, Gilgamesh was testing him. What will you do now, apparition? Will you beg for my aid or try to face me as well and die?
Caster X met Archer X's gaze… and simply, respectfully, acknowledged his presence before returning the bulk of his attention to Rider X. Threats, demands or submission weren't the answer with the King of Heroes. This here wasn't the best solution, but it was the one he chose. "Poor, pitiful soul. You believe yourself to have seized power when in fact it holds you in its grasp. I prefer my fate to yours."
The Decepticon conqueror's optics blazed violet while his servos ground against each other. Finally, a growl deeper than the farthest corners rumbled from him: "Then let me show you precisely what your fate is, wizard."
Gilgamesh gazed back at him, four different emotions seemingly warring across his face, then closed his eyes and bowed his head slightly forward. He subsequently turned and walked back upstairs, his earlier vow resonating in the wizard's mind: I will not help you… Gandalf sensed no attempt to breach or slip through his barrier. …And I will not hinder you.
Caster X suppressed a relieved sigh. Foolish though it seemed, he trusted now Gilgamesh would not pursue Lancelot, Kariya and Sakura, his greatest concern. Thus, the final piece fell into place, and all that was left was to hold off another not nearly as principled. He met the burning gaze of Rider X who was now standing in front of his shield, visibly contemplating all the ways he could tear his enemy to shreds. His taunts had worked, then.
A plasma blast struck the barrier, and his body shook from the impact. He was already running on fumes from the earlier battle against Zouken Matou, and this time, there wouldn't be any Command Seals or support from Lancelot. Megatron by contrast had apparently recovered from whatever injuries suffered in his skirmish with Saber and Assassin X, and Gandalf could sense a cold sort of darkness gathering inside of him, about to emerge.
Whereas he couldn't even call on his own trump card anymore. The Flame of Anor was gone, expended for good. If he had known this battle would follow, Caster X lamented briefly even as he readied Glamdring, he would've tried harder to spare some of it than-
He banished such thoughts from his mind. There was no point dwelling on hypotheticals now. And whatever the circumstances or his fate, he did not regret his decision for a moment.
Not while his heart had engraved inside itself the smile of one little girl.
And right up to when the Decepticon tyrant's dark blade pierced his weary body… Gandalf the Gray, Servant Caster X of Fuyuki City's Fourth Holy Grail War, did not let him pass.
-35:07:56
At the Zenjou residence, Aoi Tohsaka would be stirred from where she'd fallen asleep sitting at the dining room table. She hurried over to the door, following the dull sound that had woken her, and opened it to gasp at the sight of a black knight kneeling in front of the house, a weeping familiar face in his arms.
His hood was down, and even with his hair now white and his features scarred and mangled, she recognized him. "Kariya!" Aoi rushed over to her old friend, barely noticing how the knight's armor rattled from his own shaking. He barely managed to look up at her, his left eye pale and not just from the tears. They locked eyes, and for two agonizing seconds, she feared the worst.
Then he shuffled about in his Servant's arms and revealed what he'd been holding, the sight robbing her of her breath anew. The mother fell to her knees, hands cupped over her mouth, as she stared with moistening eyes at her youngest girl nestled in Kariya's grip. Sakura's eyes were shut which worried her, but then Aoi picked up a peek and a little murmur. "Mother…?"
That word set off a switch in her brain, and she quickly closed the distance to stroke her daughter's hair, muttering assurances and other things barely coherent. "S-she's fine," Kariya mumbled as he passed Sakura over gently, "just a little tuckered out…" His fingers played with her hair a little, and Aoi offered no protest. Sakura was soon out like a light.
She bounced her little girl slightly against herself like so many times when she'd been even smaller. Dear God, how long has it been since I held her like this…? Rather than dwell on the answer, she raised her head to give the battered man a tearful smile. "…Thank you, Kariya."
He managed to return the smile, his gaze locked on the girl in her arms. Aoi's joy had reached its apex, though, and a chilling thought entered her mind: If Kariya and his Servant had brought Sakura here, then where was Jade and… "K-Kariya…" Her breath hitched, and she saw his shoulders tense. Both knew what her next words would be: "Where's Tokiomi?"
Kariya finally met her gaze again, and somehow, she knew this young soul in her arms was the only thing keeping either from falling into utter despair. "…I'm sorry, Aoi…" Tears trickled down his face and landed onto Sakura Tohsaka's, near her eyes. "I-I'm so sorry…" So near, they might've been mistaken for her own.
…Okay. Now I'm done.
Please excuse me, I have to go cry myself to sleep now.