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

Purified by Fire, Dancing with Fairies

Chapter 17

Blue and gold banners flew in a stiff breeze, rank upon rank of men in arms standing in disciplined lines, blood splattered on their weapons and armor. Knights were formed up in formation, their steeds' flanks likewise stained in blood, all staring down at the battlefield before them.

The dead covered the ground, Saxon invaders made to pay the price for their unjust coming, faces and bodies slack and eyes hollow and blank in death. Broken and abandoned weapons were everywhere, but nowhere to be seen was the price in blood that the Britons had had to pay for victory.

And yet, that was the whole point. The Britons were victorious, and they had taken their dead away for burial, leaving their enemies to lie on the field for the carrion birds and beasts.

The King of Britain stood at the head of his army, his armor and his steed splattered with the blood of the invader like the rest of those who followed him. But his sword remained gleaming and immaculate, the fey-forged metal unable to be stained by mortal filth.

Abruptly, King Arthur turned his steed around to face his army, and riding closer raised his sword in triumph and to honor of those who had fought under his banner. The Knights of the Round Table raised their swords in salute, as the triumphant shouts of the men at arms filled the air.

Ayame woke abruptly, glancing sideways to where Saber had shaken her awake. "Hey there," he said with a small smile. "Sleeping on the job? Didn't you say you were going to work on that spell the fairies showed you before?"

The young woman stared up at her Servant's face, which briefly overlapped with the face she'd seen in the dream she'd just had. Mounted on a white horse, followed by brave and noble nights in armor and on horseback, and a great host of men at arms, fighting and winning to protect their country from barbarian invaders. Such heroism…such bravery…

…but that pile of corpses on the field…

That was war. That's what it's really like.

A real war…not like this glorified contest that passes for one.

Ayame looked away, and then up at the clear blue sky above. History lessons came to mind, of the last war her country had fought, the Great East Asia War as it was known in Japan, or the Pacific War by the rest of the world.

Millions of people died in that war, on battlefields across the Pacific, from the jungles of Indonesia to the deserts of Mongolia, amidst the waves of the oceans, and even here, in the cities of our country…so many people died…

…this war…this pathetic war that magi started for something as selfish and meaningless as a wish machine…

…it's such a bad joke by comparison.

It's not a war, not really.

"Ayame?" Saber asked, and causing Ayame to look back at him. "Is something the matter?"

"No, not really." Ayame said, shaking her head. Saber nodded slowly, clearly seeing she wasn't being very truthful.

"If you say so." He said before smiling reassuringly. "If you want to talk though, I'm here."

Ayame blinked, and then smiling, shook her head. "Thanks for the offer," she said. "But I'm not sure you can answer the questions I'm suddenly asking myself."

Saber shrugged. "Maybe not," he admitted. "But, I might be able to shed new light on what's bothering you, and that might just be enough to help you find the answers you need."

Ayame didn't answer, only nodding slowly, and a few moments later Saber patted her on a shoulder before walking off. "Hey, Saber." She said just as he was about to get out of earshot.

Saber glanced back at his Master. "What is it?" he said.

"Have you ever had any regrets as King of Britain?"

Saber didn't answer at once, instead looking away in thought, eyes distant and staring at things only he could see. "Plenty," he finally said. "So many things I could have done better…so many other choices I could have made…people I could have helped more…done better for…I…"

The King of Britain sighed and shook his head. "No," he said. "While there are many things that I regret, I do not, would not, and should not dwell upon them. Indeed, if I had the time to do that, then I should use that same time, the same effort wasted dwelling upon them, to think and do better in the future."

"…I see."

Saber stood silent, sensing his Master's troubled thoughts, and knowing she was debating with herself whether or not to open them to him. It was her decision to make, and one Saber would not influence her on, and simply awaited her choice.

"You know," Ayame said after a couple of minutes. "Back when my dad first started teaching me how to use magic, we decided to find out my basic potential. How many magic circuits did I have? How good were they? Did I have an elemental affinity? Which one? What was my origin?"

Ayame paused and laughed. "All in all, the answers we found to all those were quite average." She said. "I wasn't special in any way as far as magi were concerned. Or at least, I shouldn't have been. But I had a Sorcery Trait, something that caught us both by surprise. Things like those…"

Ayame paused again and shook her head. Again, she fell silent, only to continue after several long moments. "We didn't quite know what it was," she said. "Only that it was connected to…spiritual, stuff. So eventually, my dad gave me a drug, which put me in a trance-like state, to help me figure out what it was and what I could do with it. Kind of like how shamans and witches and the like do when they deal with spirit stuff."

"Is that when you learned you could summon the fey?" Saber asked.

Ayame nodded. "Yes." She said before sighing. "Did you know? Fairies are Phantasmal Beings, existences beyond Human comprehension. In this Age of Man, they cannot exist within the World, and along with others like them have withdrawn to the Inner World that no Human being could ever possibly reach. To even see one of those beings…it's a miracle comparable to True Magic."

Saber was silent, and so was Ayame. After a minute though, Saber spoke up. "And?" he asked.

"Last night," Ayame said. "While I was fighting Zouken…the thought came to me. I was fighting a monster…but at the same time…I…"

"Ayame…?"

Ayame sighed. "Did you know?" she asked again. "Those who can use True Magic are considered by Gaea and Alaya – the subconscious of the World and of Humanity respectively – to be criminals of the worst kind against them, and are even seen by the vampire lords as monsters even worse than they are. And last night…when the fairies saved me from Zouken's ambush…I think they might be right…"

"…what?"

"It's more than just being able to summon and control beings that are considered miraculous existences on par with True Magic." Ayame said. "When they saved me…I…I shared what they felt about Zouken and the Matou. Such hatred…such revulsion…such…inhuman anger at what they were…and the most frightening thing of all was…it felt right. It felt right to feel to that degree, and it felt right that I should feel that way…and…"

Ayame flew forward off the veranda onto the ground as Saber flicked her with a finger on the back of the head. "W-w-w-what was that for?" she asked, turning to face Saber while rubbing the back of her head.

Saber rubbed at his eyes, his expression one of exasperation. "Let me get this straight," she said. "You think, because you somehow share the mind of your summoned fairies for just an instant, that you don't feel anything wrong with feeling as they do and in fact should feel as they do, and have the ability to summon and control them, you think you're a monster just like if not worse than your enemies? Or the vampire lords whatever they're called?"

Ayame looked away, and Saber sighed, shaking his head. "I just have one response to that." He said. "That is fucking stupid."

Ayame's jaw dropped in shock and disbelief, the young woman staring incredulously at her Servant, who just looked completely unfazed at her reaction. "Tell me," he said. "What do you know about Merlin?"

"W-w-w-what?"

"What do you know about Merlin?"

"W-w-well, he was a magus, one of the most powerful ever." Ayame said. "A magus on the level of a magician, said to be equaled by only one other in history, by Princess Medea of Colchis. He was also your good friend, a mentor to you even as a child, an advisor to your court who remained loyal to the very end. Was tricked and imprisoned for all eternity by Nimue."

"Hmm, not entirely incorrect," Saber mused. "Generally accurate though, which is enough…anyway what do you know about his heritage?"

"Heritage?"

"Oh, so you don't know? Merlin was a half-demon."

"…what?"

"His mother was Human, but his father was an incubus." Saber said, crossing his arms and coming closer leaned down over Ayame with a raised eyebrow. "So…half-Human, half-demon, had a connection with the fey far greater than yours, and would be remembered as being on par with modern Humanity's dreaded sorcerers…do you think he's a monster?"

"Well, that's…"

"Come to think of it," Saber interrupted, looking away and beginning to pace. "The Grail provides us Servants with information about the modern age. Interesting things…including that big war nearly a century ago, and which countries and kingdoms exist in this day and age. Even prominent people too, for good or ill…like say that German fellow, Adolf Hitler, a man behind the deliberate murder of tens of millions of innocents, all out of a personal belief in their…inferiority."

Saber snorted in disgust and shook his head before looking at Ayame. "And for all that," he said. "He was perfectly Human wasn't he? Born of Human parents, with not a drop of creature blood in him, no supernatural powers or attributes whatsoever. And yet he had the blood of tens of millions on his hands."

Saber paused and sighing, held out a hand to help Ayame up. "We are who and what we choose to be, Ayame." He said. "What we are born with…what we are born as…what we are capable of doing…it's how we choose to live and do with all those that defines what we are."

Ayame stared, wide-eyed, and as she hesitantly reached forward and took Saber's hand, he smiled and firmly helped her back up onto her feet. "We are who we choose to be." He finally said, before patting her on a shoulder.

And with a nod, Saber left Ayame to step back inside her house. Standing alone in the Sun, Ayame took a deep breath, and placing a hand on her shoulder smiled to herself.

"We are who we choose to be?" she said. "Wise words…thank you…Saber…"

Neither Saber nor Ayame mentioned their earlier conversation when they met for lunch later that day. Saber did however, stare down at the platter of sandwiches Ayame put on the table between us. "It's not that I'm complaining but," he began. "This seems to be a…departure, from your usual diligence in the kitchen when preparing meals. Did I perhaps upset you…?"

"…what?" Ayame interrupted in surprise. "No, no, nothing of that sort. It's more that it looks like Matou and Rider have left their house for the day, so I'd like to follow them into town."

"I see." Saber said with a nod. "And? What do you plan to do afterwards?"

"We wait until nightfall and ambush them again." Ayame said before stroking her chin. "Considering his state last night, Matou recovered quickly. They must have used magic of some kind to patch him up so quickly, and enough that he's confident leaving the relative safety of his family's property so soon. Anyway, we need to go after him soon before the trail gets cold."

"Hence the light lunch." Saber said with a nod. "That makes sense. That said however, if Rider's Master has managed to recover so quickly and enough to be confident in taking the initiative, is it wise to confront them so soon? They may have prepared countermeasures against us, even more so, as they know we are now targeting them following Archer and Tohsaka's defeat."

"Which is why we have to eliminate them quickly," Ayame countered. "Before they can finish their preparations, or enough of them, essentially evening out their incomplete preparations with our speed and decisiveness of action."

Ayame paused and then chuckled. "I'm talking big, aren't I?" she asked.

Saber smiled and shrugged. "Maybe," he admitted. "But I don't mind. It's quite nostalgic, actually."

"Really?"

"Gawain was of like mind." Saber said with a fond smile. "He was always one for swift and decisive action, believing in sweeping the enemy away before they could consolidate against us. And it worked more often than you might expect, despite seeming rash and imprudent."

"I…I see."

Saber nodded and took a sandwich. "Anyway," he said. "At the very least your plan is worth trying. If it works, then all well and good. If not, then we'll just have to try differently in the future."

Ayame nodded in agreement before also taking a sandwich and biting down into it.

"I should have known it. Damn that perverted bastard."

"What?"

Ayame and Saber discreetly looked around a corner, watching as Shinji and a pair of middle school girls walked into a love hotel. "So that's what he's planning." Ayame said, stepping back into the alley and leaning against a wall with arms crossed over her chest. "He's planning to use tantric rituals to replenish his prana."

"Tantric…rituals?"

"Basically he's going to have sex with those sluts and the pleasure he gets doing so will cause his magic circuits to make prana on overtime."

"…prostitutes?" Saber said softly, looking around the corner again before retreating to join Ayame in the alley. "Why?"

"Huh?"

"From the look of things, those girls are well-to-do." Saber said. "I can understand if young women or even older girls from poor families who wouldn't be able to eat otherwise selling their bodies if only to put food on the table and clothes on their backs, but…those girls…they didn't look as though they were that desperate."

"They weren't." Ayame said. "It's called 'compensated dating'. A very fancy way of describing selling your body so you can put some money into your pocket to spend on petty things like flashy accessories and expensive designer clothes when your parents can't or won't dole out the cash."

"That's…that's so…" Saber stammered out, unable to comprehend why girls who already want for nothing would lower themselves just for something so petty.

"Maybe I'm being too judgmental," Ayame admitted while scratching her head. "After all, I'm not exactly what you'd call poor or even middle class…I own a big house, an even bigger property, and plenty of cash left by my dad…but…"

"No, I don't think you're being judgmental." Saber said with a sigh. "You would be if those girls were from poor families and they needed the money…but since that didn't seem to be the case…"

Ayame nodded slowly and then sighed before turning to go. "Come on," she said. "Let's get going. I have a familiar keeping an eye on this place for when Matou leaves, in the meantime let's go someplace else to wait at."

Saber took a last glance in the direction of the love hotel, and then with a nod followed after Ayame.

"This is a very dreary place."

Saber and Ayame stood in the middle of a park, or at least a large stretch of land trying to pass itself off as one. The ground however was hard and dry, the grass and other plant life stunted and patchy, and the very atmosphere itself one of forbidding desolation. And it wasn't just the appearance of the place: there was…something, troubling about the whole place, something that Saber felt in his bones, only he couldn't really place it.

"Do you really think so?" Ayame said, walking forward without a care.

"Yes," Saber said. "I mean, just to look at this place. If this is supposed to be a public park, then I daresay they didn't put up enough effort into it, or if they did, then the place is unsuitable for it."

"The latter actually." Ayame said. "They tried, but it couldn't work."

"…what is this place?"

"This?" Ayame echoed, pausing to turn full circle with arms spread as though to indicate the whole park. "This is all that's left of the Great Fire from ten years ago. A scar, you could say, left by that disaster."

"I…see…"

Ayame and Saber didn't say anything more as they continued on their way, before finally stopping at what looked like a memorial of some kind. Ayame just stared at the obelisk for a few moments, and then glanced at Saber.

"You're probably wondering why I'm not affected by the bad air of this place, aren't you?" she asked.

Saber tilted his head at her. "That's because I'm used to it." Ayame answered, looking back at the obelisk.

"Huh?"

"Well you don't get just about every last trace of who you once were burned out of you without getting numb to it." Ayame said with a small shrug. "…okay, maybe that's not completely accurate…but it's close enough. I think."

"…what happened to you?"

"I used to live around here." Ayame said, gesturing at the park. "Not this park specifically, but this whole area of the city that got blown to bits and then burned to ash by the Great Fire ten years ago. I like there with my parents no doubt…but then the fire happened. They died. Just about everyone who lived and worked around her died. A few survived, all of them horribly scarred one way or another."

"Is that why you have white hair?" Saber asked softly.

"Yes." Ayame said with a nod. "Though, I'm luckier than the other survivors. Hair turned white was the only physical reminder that I'm a survivor that magic couldn't remove."

"…you said your parents died…but your dad…"

"I'm adopted, you see." Ayame explained. "My dad found me in the ruins after the fire. I was dying, all my skin burned off and in some places my flesh had been eaten away by the flames down to the bone. Magic…it's such a terrible thing…a tool that shouldn't exist…but it also saved my life. No wonder it's so addicting to use for magi, with all the wonders it could do…"

Ayame trailed off, and Saber didn't say anything. "I don't remember anything from before the fire." Ayame eventually said. "The earliest things I can remember is excruciating pain, fires all around me, screams and the pleas for people not wanting to die and calling for help…"

Ayame sighed and shook her head as she trailed off again. "I might have no physical scars," she said, leading the way away from the obelisk towards a bench nearby. "But on the inside…I will never forget…"

Saber was silent, following Ayame and joining her at the bench. "You once wondered what I wanted when I joined this war, right?" Ayame asked. "Well…I still don't know what to wish for, but I do know that I don't want to see this war end like the last one."

"What?" Saber asked, looking at Ayame in surprise. "Then, the Great Fire…"

"I'm not too sure." Ayame interrupted. "It's a big assumption on my part. But…the Fourth Holy Grail War was only ten years ago, at about the same time as the Great Fire. Not just the same year, but the same season and month as this war is. And the Holy Grail Wars are cyclical…if my assumptions are right, then…"

"I see what you mean." Saber said with a nod. "And I also understand. It's very noble of you, Ayame."

Ayame smiled sadly. "Thanks," she said softly. "But not really. I just want to pay my debts, that's all."

"You owe them, that's what you think, isn't it?" Saber said. "You owe those who didn't survive like you did, to make sure that what happened to you all wouldn't happen again, not when you have the power to keep it from happening. Isn't that right?"

"Is it wrong?"

"No, I think it's quite admirable."

Ayame didn't say anything, and just smiled. They sat in silence after that, the afternoon breeze blowing cool in the warm afternoon Sun, Master and Servant staring up at the sky and the wispy clouds drifting past. Slowly, Ayame's eyelids began to droop, and slumping down her head fell against Saber's shoulder as her eyes closed shut in sleep.

Saber glanced at her in surprise, almost made to wake her up, but seeing the white-haired girl peacefully sleeping beside him…

…as inappropriate as it might seem, to let her sleep against her shoulder like so, Saber ultimately decided to just let her sleep. No doubt, once night fell, she'd need it.

The morning breeze blew cool and crisp over the hilltop, the green grass flowing with the wind, as did the golden hair of the adolescent young man standing before the stone. Gold, steel, and blue enamel shone in the morning Sun, the Sword in the Stone pristine and untouched as it was when it was first placed there years ago, to await the coming of the rightful king.

The young man stepped forward, a hand rising to reach out for the sword, when an older man seated on another stone nearby spoke up. "He who takes the sword from the stone shall be the King of Britain." He said, watching from beneath a white hood that shadowed most of his face. "Arthur, take heed. Once you draw that sword, you won't be Human anymore."

Arthur smiled softly, and briefly closed his eyes. "Maybe," he admitted before taking the sword with both hands. "Maybe not…either way, I'll take responsibility. Both for myself…and for our country."

And with that, King Arthur pulled the sword from the stone, and raised it into the air.

Ayame jolted away, leaping up from the bench to look up and around her. "What's wrong?" Saber asked, looking at Ayame in concern, and also getting to his feet. Night had fallen, and aside from the stars and the Moon above, the faint glow of the surrounding city, the only lights were the lampposts standing at regular intervals along the paths that ran through the park.

"Matou's on the move." Ayame said before glancing resolutely at Saber. "Let's go."

Saber blinked and then nodded, donning his armor with a flash of light. Rushing through side streets and back alleys along with Ayame, they finally emerged into an empty square, staying in the shadows as they watched with narrow eyes as Shinji walked whistling down the sidewalk.

"Something's not right here." Saber said.

"Agreed," Ayame said. "He's much too relaxed. A trap, maybe?"

"Perhaps," Saber agreed. "But if so, what do you plan to do?"

"If you want to break a trap," Ayame said, pointing her finger at Shinji in the distance. "Then you have to spring it first."

Saber narrowed his eyes, and then nodded once. At that, Ayame fired, the beam lancing out towards Shinji…

…and was blocked by a dark form that quickly positioned itself between him and Ayame. A dark form that moments later resolved itself into the grinning visage of Zouken Matou. Bounded fields fell around the square, and then Ayame found herself getting thrown out of the shadows, rolling over the ground and then up to her feet, flames blazing around her.

Sparks flew as Saber and Rider crossed blades, once, twice, three times, and then feinting, Rider kicked at Saber and drove him back a few steps with a grunt. "Saber…thanks…" Ayame said, and rubbing at her neck. If not for Saber throwing her out of the way, it was likely she'd have lost her head to Rider's ambush.

"You are welcome." Saber said.

Rider grinned, and then relaxed his stance. "You know Saber," he began. "What say you we take this battle elsewhere? This place feels like it'll be our Masters' battlefield, so why don't we leave it to them?"

Saber narrowed his eyes, and then reached out through his telepathic link with Ayame. "Ayame," he began. "What do you think?"

"Go," Ayame said. "I'll take care of this. But, don't hold back. Finish this fight, Saber."

Saber nodded, and then holding his sword with both hands charged. Ayame watched as Rider and Saber fought as they moved away, and then turned to both Shinji and Zouken. "Child," Zouken said. "Do you really think you can beat us both, without your Servant?"

"I wouldn't know until I try, wouldn't I?" Ayame asked back, before holding up a hand and pointing it at Zouken and Shinji, shot flames in their direction.

Gold and brown streaked up the side of a skyscraper at high speed, before together with a flash of light. Sparks flew as Invisible Air clashed against Harpe, Saber and Rider exchanging blows several times before an upward blow threw Rider back across the skyscraper's face. Glass cracked and broke as Saber leaped in, sword rising and falling two-handed, only to miss and break only glass and metal as Rider leaped up and past, higher along the skyscraper.

Saber moved to pursue, closing the distance and forcing Rider to turn and fight once more. Again, sparks flew as two Noble Phantasms clashed against each other, and then feinting Rider dropped low, Invisible Air cutting through the air his neck had been in just an instant before, and then lashed out with a foot.

It connected with Saber's chin, the blonde crying out in pain and surprise as he was thrown back and down several meters before regaining his footing, and allowing Rider to speed his way even higher up the skyscraper. Scowling up at his enemy, he leapt to pursue, quickly closing the distance but not enough to beat Rider up to the roof.

Holding his sword with both hands, Saber leapt and over the roof, landing in a solid crouch with his sword held guardedly before him…only for his eyes to widen with shock and surprise as light filled their surroundings. White wings spread out into the air, and the Pegasus neighed a powerful cry even as Rider squeezed its flanks.

Gritting his teeth, Saber swept out with his sword as Rider charged in atop the Pegasus. A powerful whirlwind surrounded Saber, absorbing the force of Rider's charge and buffeting him and his steed aside.

Undeterred, Rider rode into the open air, and then up, above Saber. "I see." Saber said, remembering the silver comet shown on television that was distant footage of Rider and Berserker's first battle. "So that's your Noble Phantasm. That's how you caused so much damage when you fought Berserker back then…and recently. A Pegasus…a beast from the Age of Gods…"

"Well, I am a Rider." Rider said with a shrug and a smile, before stroking the Pegasus' neck. "And you could say I sired this beast, so it's only fitting I ride it into battle, no?"

"What?"

Rider smirked but didn't elaborate. "You're wrong about one thing, though." He said as golden light erupted from his hands, and fashioned itself into a bridle and reigns around the Pegasus' neck and head. "This isn't my Noble Phantasm. This is!"

Rider cracked his reigns, the Pegasus screaming madly as its eyes shone red with rage. "Die, Saber!" Rider roared as he rode his Pegasus higher into the sky, a silver streak that built up speed and power as it rose higher and higher into the sky.

Saber stared up grimly, watching as Rider built up the speed and power his Noble Phantasm could unleash against him, and made a decision. Holding out his sword to the side with one hand, Saber released Invisible Air.

A/N

Dream sequences, followed by the king's wisdom after Ayame gets troubled as she realizes just how deep her connection with the fey is…completely stupidly, as Saber points out. Even if she isn't completely Human, that doesn't mean she's a monster like Zouken or worse. In fact, you can be completely Human and be among the worst monsters the world has ever seen, hence Saber's referencing of Hitler and the Nazis, who he learned about through the Grail.

Ayame and Saber witness Shinji initiate some enjo kousai, followed by some light slut-shaming, then off to the 'famous' park. More dream sequences, including a cameo by Merlin, and then the battle begins.