Taylor breathed slowly, focusing on her bugs, watching over the warehouse as she questioned her own sanity. But with whats happened ever since she woke up? It was ether a Master power she had no chance of defeating without getting closer, or it was... Actually connected to her new abilities.
Her mind felt clear, clearer then it had ever been in the last few years. She could crush steel in her grip with ease, her eyes could see miles away, she could notice the most minor of sounds. It felt like she'd Triggered again, but instead of soul crushing despair, it was a quite strength that filled her with a warmth that made her think of a desert. Even her connection to her insects had increased, letting her control them with even more ease then before.
She glanced to the sky, the full moon shined in the sky. Unconsciously, she found her insects spreading out to observe the others she found. She recognized Armsmaster, proudly out in the open with a... Sword? in his hand. It certainly looked like a sword at least, but it seemed to old fashioned and fantasy to belong to a serious man like Armsmaster. The teenager standing by his side, Amy Dallon, better known as Panacea, was another surprise, but she seemed... Twitchy? Although that may be the presence of the massive snake.
It was... Gods, how did she describe such a thing? Larger then even Armsmaster in his armor, it stood with the strength of a confident apex predator, lazily watching both the heroes. The fact it would occasionally stare at her bugs with far to knowledgeable eyes filled her with dread, and she honestly hoped Armsmaster would cut down the Apophis damn snake-
'Another one...'. Taylor shivered, why the hell did she keep thinking of egyptian things? She hadn't even heard of Apophis before today! Yet now she had the exact knowledge of what it was and what it did.
"Skitter, can you see anyone else?". The voice of Tattletale asked through the headset they'd managed to attach to her costume, and the bug-themed cape quickly replied back.
"Just Armsmaster, Panacea, and the massive snake- Wait, someones coming!". Taylor, no Skitter went quite as she heard the click-clack of heels, a blond haired girl entering. She seemed to be somewhere between her teens and adulthood, her clothing was a simple black cloak with a basic tragedy and comedy mask hiding her face, and a pair of heeled boots.
"Identify yourself". Armsmaster demanded, drawing both his strange sword and the more familiar halberd he was known. "Are you the Master who-".
"Call me Archer, and guessing from your sword, your Saber. The twitching girl by your side is ether Rider or Berserker, and that snake is probably a summon... Hehehe". Archer began giggling, her use of video-game like terms confusing the watchers. "I-it really is like a video game! Hahaha! Oh wow, I can't wait to begin, when are the others showing up!?".
Skitter was tense, Archer seemed... Unstable, she had a fly land on the unknown's shoulder in an attempt to-
Taylor blinked in confusion, the connection to the fly had disappeared, but she hadn't even... No, if Archer really was like Taylor, then her abilities may have been enhanced, or even completely new abilities.
Armsmaster and Panacea seemed just as uncomfortable, looking ready to fight. Although the sight of Panacea looking like she was ready to throw a punch certainly threw the fake villain on a loop.
"Tattletale, Skitter needs information now". Grue spoke through the headset, she knew a recently installed camera let them observe what she could. The Undersiders mysterious boss had spared nothing in ensuring they could find out everything they could about this meeting, how they knew Taylor had that dream or these powers... She shivered, she needed to check her house for bugs (Ironic for her to say).
"Gimme a minute, these freaky Second Triggers are hard to read... Archer's gleeful, she's not insane, she's just so happy that she's gone hysterical, but she's also good at figuring things out, a strategist? I can't see any weapons on her, so she probably summons it...". Tattletale slowed down at the end, seeming to realize something. "Dammit! Her name, her abilities are related to archery, she's probably noticed you Skitter. Don't show panic, don't reveal yourself no matter what".
Taylor did her best to listen to her... Friend's, advice. She heard a swear from Grue on the other end, before asking for information for the rest of the people gathered here.
"Armsmaster is the most disbelieving here, he thinks its a villain group trying something, but his sword... Guuuuh, its just. My powers are barely able to get anything, the staff wasn't like this. I keep getting a warning of danger and then it fails to give me any information".
"Panacea's twitchy and defiantly classifies as a Brute, but she's also suffering the most mental stress. Its almost like one half of her is conflicting with the other, she wants to go heal people to an absurd degree, but hates the idea of healing people at the same time. She's also got a handgun and a couple grenades in her outfit, do NOT get close".
"The snake isn't actually a snake, its made of some type of energy... I can't make heads or tails of it. But its probably one of those 'Familiar' things the dream said you could take, someone seriously has a massive D fetish...*
For a few more minutes things were tense, until they heard the clanking sound of a warehouse door being forced open, glances were shared, before Archer happily ran into the room, the rest following her while Skitter sent some bugs, even the snake carefully followed them in.
Inside was a man, he seemed ordinary and yet..
"Greetings parahumans, and welcome... To the Holy Grail War". The man smiled, and inside her heart, Taylor felt something die. "I am the Overseer of this war, and will happily answer any of your questions".
In a blur of movement Armsmaster was in front of the man, holding a blade to him.
"You will be coming into PRT- GRUH!". Suddenly, purple strings appeared around the PRT cape and squeezed tightly around him. As golden sparkles of light appeared besides the Overseer, forming into a cloaked woman.
"What a foolish man, not realizing what he speaks of...". The unknown woman giggles, as the man by her side simply keeps the same expression the entire time.
"Ruler". The man warns, and the woman holds out her hand as the purple strings fade away. "I have little interest in wasting time, so do not make me do it, Saber Candidate".
Panacea quickly rushed to her allies side, checking him over for injuries.
"Alright! So you said your the Overseer right? What exactly is this Holy Grail war thing?". Archer asked uncaring to the hero's pain.
"It is as it says, a war for the Holy Grail, an omnipotent wish granter... Capture or kill six Demi-Servants, be the last one standing, and you shall acquire the Holy Grail". The Overseer explained with a dead smile. Kill or capture?
"You want us to play a part in a death game!? Not a chance you sick bastard!". Panacea near-growled out, helping support a still pained (At least from what Taylor could see of his mouth) Armsmaster.
"Me? No child, you were chosen by the Grail itself. Your strong wishes responded and allowed you to merge with existences beyond humanity, Heroic Spirits, heroes and villains of both legend and myth". The Overseer then turned to smile to 'Ruler'. "A true Servant is summoned as a Ruler, ensuring the public will be protected from out of control Demi-Servants. As the Overseer, I am to give aid to Ruler in this duty".
"What lunacy... You expect us to believe we're in some mystical death game and the woman by your side is a ghost? The Holy Grail is nothing more then a legend". Armsmaster growled out, like actually growled. Skitter frowned in confusion, now that was weird.
"I cannot force you to believe in anything, the proof is already within you... If you wish to leave the Holy Grail War, you may give up now and Ruler shall separate you from the Heroic Spirit you have bonded with... Any takers?". The Overseer waited, yet nobody stepped forward.
Taylor was frozen in thought, a wish... If this was real, could she really get whatever she wished for? The others were also frozen, even if this was all a big trick.
The mere idea there was truly a prize, it could change the world and depending on who acquired it...
"I see you all are staying then... Very well then". The Overseer held out his hands, almost seeming like a holy figure. "The Holy Grail War is something to be fought in secret, if you reveal this information to the public, then you will be removed from this competition by force. Reveal it your allies if you wish, but beware of backstabbing, a rather common thing in Holy Grail wars.
To win, you need only be the last one standing. You take out your rivals by killing or keeping them captured long enough for myself and Ruler to arrive and separate the Heroic Spirit. Tear these cards in half to send a message to us, for those who are watching, you may come grab your cards after the others have left".
The Overseer began handing out small red cards, seemingly taking joy at Armsmaster and Panacea's glares, while Archer and the snake quickly took their own cards (How the snake was holding it so gently with its tail, Skitter couldn't figure it out). Once the cards were handed out, 'Ruler' spoke.
"The war will increase in danger the longer you take, with the possibility of more Demi-Servants being created and joining the battle... Saber, Archer, Lancer, Rider, Assassin, Caster, and Berserker. When the clock strikes twelve, the battle shall truly begin". Ruler smirked. "So I suggest running along now so you may report whatever you wish to your superiors, and so those who haven't may acquire their capture cards".
An hour later in the safety of her bedroom, Taylor looked over the red card as a thousand thoughts swirled in her mind. She didn't trust the Overseer and Ruler, both were obviously hiding things, but the Holy Grail...
If she got a wish, she could become a hero, she could help her father, she could deal with the Endbringers...
In her chest, dark determination surged.
I figured it would be interesting to have the Interlude from Taylor's perspective, because without even realizing it a lot of her mental issues have actually been fixed by becoming a Demi-Servant... I say most, she's still the Queen of Escalation and a mess.
I will say something here, there's as much hints as who's not shown up as who has shown up for you to at least get an idea of who the other players in the war are. Armsmaster is confirmed Saber, some hints to Archer, and someone having snakes, but we've got a LOT of snake related Heroic Spirits.
(I will still write Aleister's respective when I do the next chapter, but since he'll be able to recognize Armsmaster's Heroic Spirit, this will be the last chance for people to guess who it is).