With another grunt, Ruler finally managed to make her way back where she had originally been. Hearing the sounds of war cries and the occasional roar, loud booms filled the air with the ground trembling. Once she walked over some debris, Ruler found the cause and reason for all of this. It certainly made her smile.

"Hmph. Not bad." Though Ruler felt a bit bitter at how she had been smacked away like a fly, the sight she's seeing made up for it. Observing how countless individuals, including some monsters, were facing off against Rider as a group. A small army at that.

'And for how, must be Saber.' A Noble Phantasm that called upon those he knew or needed. Maybe both. Very well-thought out. It meant that Saber wouldn't face Rider alone with his chances of victory being possible.

Although the explosions caused by missiles brought a new worry. If she tuned out the sound of battle, of the various screams and sword meeting metal a distance away, Ruler could hear the sound of a helicopter coming close. Very close.

That wasn't a good thing. 'Rider is one thing, but I doubt people will believe these guys are cosplayers.' That wasn't even mentioning the goblins and whatever species that lizard-guy , Ruler has a solution.

Closing her eyes, Ruler concentrated on using her Noble Phantasm. Granted, it wasn't a Noble Phantasm that could be used consecutively in a row. Calling the other members of the Dogmatika, excluding the hateful ones she hoped she didn't need, could only be used one time before needing a few hours to reuse.

"By this Command Seal, my Noble Phantasm can be used once again." Thankfully, Ruler could use the Command Seals the Grail gave her on herself if she desired it. Immediately the cooldown for her Noble Phantasm vanished. So without waiting Ruler called out the name of her Noble Phantasm. "Noble Phantasm, Dogmatika Call!"

Immediately she felt someone reach out and take hold of her offer. Light formed beside her which took the shape of a person she knew very well. As the light vanished, by Ruler's side is one of the few people she could consider a friend from back when she was affiliated with the Dogmatika church.

Dogmatika Adin, the Enlightened. Tall, wearing wonderful unblemished white vests, with garments covering his body, and a magical book held in his hands. While he wasn't as powerful as he could be were he truly summoned as a Servant, the magical energy he gave off wasn't weak. Adin blinked before smiling.

"Well, this is quite the sight."

"I'm sure it is." Giving him an endearing smile, Ecclesia was glad she could see a more friendly face. Someone who she could rely on instead of worrying they'd stab her in the back like Maximus. "Nice to see you Adin."

"Nice to see you too, Ecclesia." Amazing that even after death friends could meet once again. Sadly, now isn't the time for a conversation between them. "Wish I could say we met under better circumstances."

"Yep." On that Ecclesia could agree. "Look, long story short, I need your help to ensure the Holy Grail War isn't revealed."

"Isn't it…" Adin tilted his head. "A bit late for that?" In front of them, another round of explosions happens. More soldiers dying while an equal number march forward with their weapons.

"...perhaps." Ruler admits, her face becoming serious. "However, despite Rider's reveal, her Noble Phantasm can be stretched as advanced technology. Nothing that risks the reveal of magecraft."

"That is true. Which leaves the other problem." It was easy to figure out what said problem was. The soldiers that clearly were magical. Even if they looked ordinary, the fact that their deaths amounted to vanishing in golden light along with the goblins and a lizard-creature working alongside them is more incriminating than Rider's Zeke.

Thankfully, a solution easily presented itself before any humans could discover the more supernatural aspects of this fight between Rider and Saber's reinforcements. "Adin, your book has a few spells written in it, no?"

"It does." Now he knew why Ruler summoned him. His book opened up, its contents full of spells that would make any practitioner of magecraft drool at sight. "To be clear, you should know that despite the Class I'm in, I never considered myself a real Caster." His book did all the work for him.

"And last I checked, Riders should ride mounts. Not giant-sized robots." Like the Class System ever made sense. "Now get to it, bud."

"Always the pushy one." What good days they had in Dogmatika, before everything fell apart. "Alright then, I'll have this under control soon." His book pulsed in light as he began chanting. A spell began to form, overlapping the battlefield with none but Ruler being the wiser.

Granted, the spell wouldn't harm anyone, let alone impede the ongoing fight. Instead, it was a spell that placed an illusion over them all. As for what kind of illusion - one that could fool both the eyes of people and even their technology that he thought only the Spriggans and Tri-Brigade had, well…


"Is this really happening?" There was only a few minutes left before Taiga and the rest of the Fujimura family left their home. Already boxes full of supplies were grabbed including a few personal objects like her games and shinai.

As for why they were leaving in a hurry, well, all one needed to do was simply check the local news or hear the sounds of impending doom if you happened to be close to the warzone occurring in Fuyuki city. Every television in Fuyuki shows what's described as a full-blown terrorist attack. One that has changed and evolved to reveal that this time, whoever is causing them, isn't fooling around anymore.

"-annot risk getting any closer, but, you can still hear the noise from the Shinto district." More than just noise. Taiga and her friends were hanging in the former's home when suddenly there were loud voices coming from the living room. Deciding to check it out, Taiga and her friends discovered just what all that commotion was about.

From the moment when they saw the screen, Taiga briefly wondered if what she saw was a trailer for a new movie.

The men that worked for her grandfather corrected that notion.

Fuyuki was under attack by a clearly advanced terrorist group. One with a machine that befitted a manga or anime more than real life. Yet here they were, on-screen, where she and everyone else could see from home, watching as a giant machine had sliced apart countless buildings in Shinto while killing anybody in its way.

It already destroyed the mall along with anybody nearby. Part of a group called Spectra from what the news said. Wherever it came from, while it wasn't close to where Taiga and everyone else is at, her grandfather called and made the decision that everyone should leave until the crisis was over.

Already Taiga sent her friends away, having some of the men stationed here drive them home after a quick good-bye and a hug for safety. Now, Taiga had finished packing some of her stuff while the news kept going. Apparently someone or something is actually fighting the giant robot.

Something about a satellite attack and a 'Karma' group, or whatever it is.

Now, it seems the giant robot is attacking something else.

"It's difficult to spot, but we'll zoom in and-" As the newsman spoke, the camera zoomed in as expected. Naturally, even if the news crew wanted more information on what's happening, no way would the chopper get closer unless it wanted to get shot down by a missile. So zooming in is the best they can do.

One that revealed the giant robot attacking…other robots?


"Really?" Sounding incredulous, Ruler didn't sound or looked impressed.

"Well, not like anybody would believe a bunch of normal soldiers can do anything." Adin defended himself. "The spell can only go so far, and besides, it's more believable that a bunch of machines are fighting than a bunch of magical soldiers and goblins."

"Well, when you put it like that…." It probably was for the best.

Now, to anybody's eyes all that would be seen were countless robots facing off against the bigger robot. True, it would probably get people to raise a brow along with many questions that couldn't be answered, but it still hid the existence of magecraft in general. And so long as magecraft is hidden, then Ruler couldn't care how many arguments the people in both the mundane and moonlit world argued. She'd be long gone by then.

"Still, the spell won't last forever. We have about half-an-hour, and something tells me that there's more going on in this situation since you haven't commanded Rider to just kill herself."

"You're right." This was something Ruler couldn't avoid. "I don't know how, but my Command Seal was ineffective. That shouldn't happen." Even if a Servant was severely strong-willed, they would only resist for a few seconds at best before their body is taken over by the Command Seal.

Rider had somehow managed what should have been impossible. Maybe if Ruler had been vague in her wording, it would have been plausible. But she hadn't. Meaning something else is afoot here.

"Hm." Something that Adin easily caught onto. His eyes, which could see much further thanks to being a Servant, spotted Rider inside her machine as he made a conclusion. "Ruler."

"Yeah?"

"Did Rider have that dress on before?"

"Huh?" Hearing his words, Ruler turned and narrowed her sight. Where, inside the machine, Rider is there with her teeth grinding while she wears…a white dress.

"I can sense magical energy from it." Adin told her, giving his opinion. "That's a magical item."

"And I doubt a girl from the future would wear such a thing." Her history is unveiled to the Ruler. The Grail told her all about Rider and some of her actions in her world. And no way is it conceivable that Rider would have some dress over her combat outfit. It didn't even match her aesthetics.

"You think that it's interfering with the Command Seals?" It was the only conclusion Ruler could come up with.

"Potentially." Even though he didn't know Rider, Adin felt it was odd for a Servant with scientific belongings would suddenly have a magical item. "If anything, it doesn't suit what she's using now."

'Then where did she get it', are the words left unsaid by Ruler. Frowning at how Rider managed to possess an item that must have some form of arcane properties from what Adin told her. If it really was allowing Rider to ignore her commands, then Ruler needs to either tear it off her somehow, or deal with Rider the old-fashioned way.

"Try and keep safe." Bending her knees, Ruler gave Adin a small grin. Her voice full of excitement. "I have some skull-bashing to do." She then shot off as if she were a human-shaped missile.

"Heh." Adin could only find her amusing. "Even as a Ruler, you can still find joy."

Of course, that joy came in the form of a Servant with a big war-hammer. One that's positioned and aimed for one person in particular.

"!" Zeke turned its head, detecting a reading from the side with Rider turning her head as well. Zeke immediately began analyzing what was coming.

"Hi!" Only for the faceplate of Zeke to crack like glass as Ruler smashed her hammer as hard as she could against Zeke's face. Zeke outright bent backward from the blow as Rider is then hit with countless warnings and errors from the damage Zeke took.

Landing on the ground, Ruler adjusted her stance as she faced the surprised army who didn't expect a newcomer.

"Ruler." Only Saber recognized her, with Ruler glad to spot a familiar face.

"Hellow, Saber." Turning away now, Ruler told him, "Due to circumstances, I'll be playing a role here against Rider. I trust you have no objections." Or rather, he really shouldn't object at all. If Saber proved that he'd interfere, Ruler would get rid of him. While she may show characteristics that are friendly and kind, as a Ruler, she is somewhat influenced by the class and would be more stern towards those she doesn't know. A trait that Saber recognized by men he once worked under before when he was alive.

"I have no problem working with you." It'd be foolish for Saber if he denied Ruler's aid. He may have had companions and friends with him, but they won't be here forever, even with the boost he got from was also the fact that they were dying in droves in their fight against Rider.

They were regular soldiers, not heroes. Heroes would always triumph against an army of normal soldiers, that's how the stories go. So Rulers' help would be greatly appreciated. Helped that his comrades showed no problem with Ruler's words, threatening as they were, towards her.

"If Saber says so, then why not." Plus, always nice to see another fine warrior on the battlefield. At least, that's what Freed thinks.

"It'll be nice working with another girl." The young lady who came from a wasteland adjusted her hat snickered. She rarely met normal people in that blasted place she sometimes called home, which includes fine women who knew how to fight.

As for Gagagigo, he had no problem at all.

"Very well then, continue on." Ruler then joined with the other soldiers attempting to bring down Zeke. Some had actually managed to climb onto the mechanical weapon, only for their rather mediocre weapons that they slammed over and over against the hull leaving no marks whatsoever. Ruler leapt up at the bottom half and slammed her hammer down, leaving a good-sized dent which got some cheers.

"Can't let her outdo us." Filled with vigor, Freed ran with the fine Warrior Lady joining him. As for Saber, who watched them off along with some goblins that dressed like him, he found himself pausing for just a bit.

His feet were not moving while the sounds of the fight slowly turned dull as he took a good long look at Rider. It was a ridiculous action, one that could get him killed. Even now Rider kept on fighting, having Zeke pry off the soldiers on her while continuously shooting out a seemingly endless supply of missiles. While most no longer could hit the soldiers, it's clear Rider was getting desperate. Her aim was off, the damage done on the faceplate causing errors in the guidance systems.

But for all the attacks she caused, when Saber looked at the body behind the advanced weapon, he saw not an enemy…but the girl he tried being friends with, grinding her teeth and screaming. A hand occasionally gripping her head as if she were in pain.

He knew that look.

He recognized that type of expression.

Why wouldn't he? It was a face he met back when he was just a bit younger. From a time when he met something that could only be described as a monster, when really, all the 'monster' needed was just a friend. Someone to show them the right path.

"Bad memories?" From afar, Waver asked his question. Bits of concern over his Servant who gave a grim nod.

"I…I know Rider must be defeated. She can't be allowed to continue existing." She already grabbed the massive sword that Gagagigo had torn from Zeke's grip before. Now held, she swung it down and countless friends died. He should have been enraged. Fueled by a desire to avenge them.

"Gruagh!" Wearing cybernetics, with madness consuming him, an even bigger and stronger Gagagigo, now known as Gogiga Gagagigo, rampaged towards Marauding Captain. Who only watched in abject horror at the one who once sought justice as he did could only attack with ferocity and a hate for all around him.

"But she…"

"Die! Die! Die! Die!" Now repeating the same word over and over, Rider had Zeke continuously swing down her sword again and again. Behind that visor wasn't the Servant that Saber spoke to with respect. Only a Servant that just wanted everyone around her dead, overdoing it as the surrounding area began to break apart from her blows and refused to relent.

Ruler went behind her back and leapt up, once more slamming her hammer on Zeke's back. The machine tumbled down, allowing more soldiers and goblins to hop on and bash the machine with what they had. Minor sparks and pieces of metal falling off as Zeke struggled to get up.

"Yeah." Waver could see where Saber is getting at. "Honestly, while I still have my doubts…it's probably safe to say that something happened to Rider and Irisviel." This kind of rampage is pointless. Sure, the Noble Phantasm is strong, terrifying even! But releasing it in the open without any regard to the rules and just attacking the surrounding area? Unless she's a perfect actor, Irisviel showed no hints in having such a horrible desire.

"But there's nothing we can do." Already having a hint of what Saber wanted, cruel as it might be, Waver had to dissuade him from what Waver knew would be a bad idea. "Whatever's happening with her, she'll sooner kill you than hear any plea you have."

Saber would already be dead if he didn't use his Noble Phantasm to gain an advantage over her. And with Ruler here, while the Saint provided a great help that would surely bring Rider down, there was little chance Ruler would allow Saber a chance to speak with Rider. The idea that Ruler would risk Rider to continue her rampage just for the chance at snapping her out of this trance she's in is foolhardy.

All the same, Saber still wished he could do something. But there was only one thing he could do.

"If I'm to fight, it won't be out of vengeance." Running forward, Saber held out both his blades just as Zeke finally got up. It was looking more of a mess compared to before. Dirt and dust, cracks across its body, small little pieces hanging off of it.

"Ughhh!" With Rider becoming more enraged than ever.

As she had Zeke twist around into a spin with her blade cutting down anybody in her way, her hub informed Rider that Zeke was experiencing loss in motor function, lodges in the weapon system, and inefficiency in the fuel lines. Damage was piling up. Zeke could still function, but not for long at this rate.

She needed more power.

'Power. Power. But where?' As she tried ignoring how that aggravating Ruler kept slamming her hammer over and over in Zeke, leaving dents all over. Rider tried to come up with an answer to her predicament. Anything that can give her an advantage.

'Need power! Need to destroy! Destroy! F-For Spectra! Power!' It was then Rider recalled something while some goblins tore off a small chunk of Zeke's hull. A blurry memory of what the woman (Master?) told her.

How Servants can get stronger by using a Command Seal.

'Yes! Power! Power to kill!' As her mouth formed a frown, her eyes simply found their answer. She needed her Master's Command Seals. But would that woman give a command at all? She hasn't heard from her in a while.

'Wait…' Rider then realized, why did she need that woman's permission? A Master is a Master because they summoned a Servant. Had them do their bidding. Make them fight under them.

Still…nothing would come from this if the Servant didn't exist in the first place.

If anything, the Master needed the Servant more. The Servant was the one doing the fighting. Risking their lives in battle. Gave the Masters the chance at a wish through their efforts! The Master doing barely anything but giving the occasional command. If anything, one could say the Master must follow the Servant! That the Master is owned by the Servant, not the other way around.

Granted, such poor logic would never hold up in truth. It was faulty, with Rider only thinking this because her mind could barely hold a coherent thought that didn't involve attacking her enemies. All the same, it was these imperative thoughts that allowed the brainwashed Servant to utilize Zeke's secondary ability.

It was a distorted power that Zeke never had in life, just like the sword's banishment ability. Where Zeke could increase its power through sacrificing what Rider considers is hers. And right now, she was certain the Command Seals her Master had are hers.


"?" As Kirei slowly made his way where the leyline is at, he paused when he saw the Einzbern's Command Seals flashed and one vanished away. This didn't go unnoticed by Lancer either, who tilted her head and got a good look at the sole remaining Command Seal.

"Now that's odd." What could have caused that?


"Hm?" Warrior Lady of the Wasteland landed on a broken car and flinched. Her warrior instincts telling her to stop, as she felt the machine shudder as the outlines, including the faceplate, glow bright.

"What in the world?" Freed, who's the closest, also stopped right in front of Zeke as he felt the machine's magical energy actually rise.

"This is?" As for Ruler, who stops and observes from across a wrecked street, she also felt the increase in magical energy. More than that, this energy felt like… a boost from a Command Seal. "Crap."

"Command Seal consumed." Zeke then spoke as its systems and energy output strengthened. "All attack functions efficiency increased by 100%. Now processing to all subsystems." The sword Zeke had glows.

Then, faster than anybody could see, including Ruler, the sword from one second was raised-

Swish!

-and then settled across its chest.

"...?" Looking around, Freed was the first to be confused. "Wha-" Before he knew it, blood burst out of his mouth, his nose, then his chest. The last of which separated apart as his upper half fell onto the ground with a wet splat.

All who had been in range of Zeke's attack immediately repeated the same action as Freed. Their bodies fell apart in two pieces, having been bisected with a single slice so fast that only now did the effects happen. Certainly there were survivors who weren't in range of the strike, who managed to escape from such a blow.

"Ah!" Only for the same serrated discs to rain from above and finish off the remaining soldiers and assorted allies. Cutting through their armor and flesh with little problem, Zeke, having calculated the perfect time to eliminate all those who hadn't been in range perfectly thanks to the increase in the targeting system.

As such, while those such as Warrior Lady may have escaped the fate of those who've been sliced, being cut through the serrated discs ensured they wouldn't be coming back either. Only Ruler, thanks to her Personal Skill: Interdimensional Protection, survived. Where all around Rider everybody else vanished in a golden light.

"Haha…hahaha!" With a cruel laugh, Rider found herself enjoying that at long last those pests were gone. All that remained is Ruler, who she could just get rid of by simply throwing her away. If her attacks couldn't end the arbiter, then simply throwing her across the city should do for now.

Having Zeke position itself, Rider grinned as her headache grew worse, having Zeke reach out to grab Ruler and toss her away like trash.

"Hraa!" Only for Saber to jump right where Rider is at.

"Geh!" Baffled, Rider froze with Zeke doing the same. Completely confounded how Saber was even here. Even if Zeke hadn't cut him down like the others, the targeting system should have predicted Saber's position and ended his life through her discs. So how was he alive?!

"Your," Saber said, as he's merely a few feet away from Rider. "Attacks were too predictable." Just like when they first fought.

Unable to counter, all Rider could do was watch as Saber sliced through the control pit she's in with both blades. As wires and metal were cut, errors and warnings consumed Rider's hub while an electric shock streamed against her body from the damage, causing her to scream.

"There we go! Finally!" Not wasting this chance, Ruler used Saber's attack with a follow-up of her own. "Take this!" With a single swing, her hammer once more met with Zeke's head, with a startling crackling as the entire faceplate shattered while the head bent to the point where metal tore itself apart, unable to hold the machine together.

Falling onto the ground, Saber attempted to leap back as Zeke smashed onto the ground. The machine sparking as it was unable to function properly anymore. Twitching uselessly as it dropped its sword while countless pieces of the machine fell apart.

"You!" Only to feel a blade pierce right through him before he could go. Saber had damaged the controls of Zeke, yet he had deliberately avoided hurting Rider. That was a chance the brainwashed Servant didn't miss as her sword went through his chest and out his back.

"Ugh!" Only for the cord connecting her to Zeke to snap, clarity slowly returning back. Getting out, Rider launched herself from her Noble Phantasm and landed outside sloppily, pushing Saber aside as she escaped the falling machine. Like Zeke, she also fell onto the ground, her head throbbing with a sharp sensation, yet was slowly soothing away. The discomfort was no longer constant, freed from Zeke's brainwashing aspect with orders no longer filling her head.

Only for Rider's eyes to settle on her blade, which had blood on it. Now, free from Zeke's control, it only took a second for Rider to remember what she had done just seconds prior.

A foot stomped in front of her, Rider looked up.

Standing tall, if a bit hunched, sweating, Saber simply glanced at her. Still holding a sword while the other hand held his wound, a wound caused by her. Still bleeding as his hand is covered in blood like her blade. Worse, Rider can now see just where she had hit Saber.

His hand covered where his heart would be.

"...ah." Well…maybe this shouldn't be a surprise. With a twitch, Rider lifted her head and looked around her. Saw all the fallen buildings, saw the spots where she knew where people had died. By her hands no less.

That wasn't even mentioning the living people she slaughtered, before Saber had come and prevented her from moving onward. Where she had…had…a sick feeling settling in her stomach, which then reached her throat as Rider recalled the people she swatted at and sent her missiles for a follow-up.

She swallowed the vile taste just before it could escape her mouth, yet still she felt sick. Small tears formed in her eyes at what she had done.

'Is this…is this what Raye meant?' How Raye didn't want Rider to kill her, because Raye knew how bad a person would feel if they did so? Rider couldn't be certain. It wasn't as if Raye had ever killed someone. The closest Rider had even seen death was her clone's demise, and even then that had been caused by their own action instead of her and Raye.

Either way, Rider didn't feel good at all. She was free, yet the deeds she committed remained. Burned into her mind while knowing how violent she'd been in trying the same on everyone else. Outright maniacal.

"Are you…going to…kill me?" It was a stupid thing to ask, really. The answer was obvious. After what she had done to the people he summoned, and even him, Rider wouldn't blame Saber if he killed her. If he went down, then surely he'd take her with him. Maybe it's what she deserved. After all, it was only natural a bad person got what was coming for them. And who better to punish the villain than Saber himself. Because if he didn't, well, Rider saw Ruler just a bit away, looking prepared to finish her off if Saber didn't.

Looking at his face, which looked neither regret nor vengeful, Saber sighed. "I just have one thing to say. Who made you do this?"

Blinking, Rider looked down. "Lancer." Her fingers cracked the ground, an edge in her voice as she told Saber her answer.

"Lancer?" This was startling news. The very person who offered her support against Assassin was the one that masterminded all of this?!

"She…she and her Master came." Her tone nearly a growl, Rider sounded displeased by the ones she spoke of. "Captured my Master. Had me…had me transform." It was then Rider noticed just what she was even wearing over her suit. Vaguely recalling what Lancer gave her when she summoned her Noble Phantasm. "She also gave me…this." She pinched the dress, before looking back at her Noble Phantasm, Zeke. "And put something in Zeke."

Looking at the giant machine, now lying as a wreck, Saber pondered what exactly Rider meant by Lancer 'putting something' in Zeke. It didn't look as if it were tampered with. Nothing visible like the dress Rider had on.

Still, this was troubling all the same. Lancer and her Master orchestrated all of this, the very cause for Rider's madness, all for…what? It's saddening to say that it took only a few seconds for Saber to get an idea.

A theory that perhaps all of this was simply for Rider…and any other Servant around, to fight each other. Eliminate them all in one fell swoop.

It made sense. If anything, it was a viable, if dishonorable, tactic. One that made Saber frown at how underhanded it was. Having Rider attack against her own will without getting their own hands dirty. A scheme more befitting of a liar than the woman Saber had presumed Lancer to be.

"Now that's interesting to hear." With Ruler interested by this news, her hammer still held and ready to crush the opposition. Only held back by Ruler's desire to learn more of what's going on. "You say Lancer and her Master caused all this, fully knowing the repercussions it could have caused?"

Giving a slight gulp, fearful of Ruler, Rider gave a small nod. Clicking her tongue, Ruler scowled. "Then I suppose I can't waste any time." It was tricky, but Ruler had a vague sense where Lancer is located. Without bothering to look back she ran off. Fully intending to finish off those who dared break the rules of this war with extreme prejudice.

Leaving Rider and Saber alone, with the former now confused. As the seconds passed by, Rider couldn't understand why Saber was doing nothing. He just…stood there, like nothing was wrong. Like he wasn't dying from the wound she gave him.

Feeling pressured, while still on her hands and knees, Rider slowly asked Saber, "Aren't…aren't you going to kill me?"

"Why would I?" His response was quick. Giving his answer faster than Rider expected. So fast that it took a bit for Rider to realize what Saber just said.

It was shocking. "W-What?" Just as much as it was absurd. Utterly comical considering what she had done. He had to be lying. "Is this…Is that some kind of joke?"

"No. It isn't." His swords were put away, replaced by a simple hand that reached out for her. "You weren't yourself. You were controlled. I've seen that before. If anything, killing you didn't seem right, even when I had the chance."

"But what about those people you summoned?" Rider pointed out. "Aren't you - Aren't you upset by that!"

"A little." Saber couldn't deny it. Watching all those soldiers perish, including his close comrades and friends. He summoned them only for them to die. Unable to even have a real conversation with them from the moment they were summoned and asked to fight. "But you weren't exactly yourself, were you?"

Had Rider done it by her own will, Saber might have done as Rider thought. If anything, he could only assume Ruler thought the same. Explaining why she left instead of killing Rider, probably believing that Saber would kill Rider as she did him.

He could feel his time running out. If she had simply attacked him anywhere else, he might have been okay. Instead, through sheer dumb luck, Rider had destroyed his heart, his spiritual core. After everything, from summoning his comrades, to surviving Zeke's empowered strike, Saber would now vanish simply because he couldn't find it in himself to kill Rider at that very last moment.

"Besides," Saber added, giving a soft smile. "I couldn't possibly kill a good person, who just temporarily lost their way." Ah, he really wished he had the chance to talk with Gogiga Gagagigo. Heck, maybe even have introduced him and Rider, since they were similar in some ways.

Oh well, nothing was ever fair in life. If it was, he wouldn't have been facing monster after monster with countless tribulations and setbacks during his time alive. Heck, he joined to be a soldier, not end up in precarious situations that weren't even part of the battlefield.

As Saber's body flickered into golden motes, he turned to see someone coming his way, Waver. 'A shame.' Despite the awkward meeting, Saber wanted to know Waver just a bit more. "Take care of him for me, please."

Without even getting a say, Rider saw Saber vanish before her eyes. Gone like the wind. So anti-climatic that it was undeserved for someone like him.

"...no." With Waver feeling very much the same as he finally arrived. His expression sullen as he was too late.

He had sensed it immediately. When Saber had been damaged right in his heart. He had quickly tried making his way just so he could see Saber one last time, not wanting any last words between them in the form of a telepathic conversation, but in person. He still wanted more conversations with the Servant.

But now…

"..." Looking away in shame, Rider said nothing. Even if she did, it wouldn't amount to much, seeing as she's the one who killed Saber. Apologies were worthless at this juncture. Saber deserved much better, a just ending. Only because he spared her did he meet such a pointless death, because of her.

Breathing in, hardening herself, Rider slowly got up.

Turning, Rider could tell where Ruler had gone. Where Lancer most likely is at, which includes her Master. With a single step, Rider knew where she would head. But before she did, she faced Waver and asked, "What will you do now?"

If he started yelling at her then Rider would allow it. She may as well let him get anything off his chest before she leaves. He deserved that much, considering he's talking to the one that caused all this trouble. She won't stop him.

With his fists clenched, Waver sternly glares at her. Any prior interactions now ruined by what she had done, even if she had been brainwashed. So when Rider expected words that'd spurned her, her eyes only widened when Waver rigorously said with assertion, "...deal with whoever did this, Rider."

Then, without giving her a chance to speak, Waver turned away and walked off. His Command Seals used up, his Servant gone, Waver's time in the war is over. There was no reason in staying here any longer. Dying for revenge would accomplish nothing, both for him and Saber. Leaving Rider by herself, who said nothing as she watched Waver off who left without even blaming her.

Biting her lips, Rider looked away and hugged herself. Then moved forward in guilt where she knew Ruler is at without saying anything else. The former Master and Servant leaving the entire area empty with nothing around.

Tzzz. Tszzz.

With Rider completely unaware of Zeke continuing to exist as she left. Where in the center of Zeke's chest, something inside glew a soft yellow light, that wasn't part of the Noble Phantasm's original design.


Hmm. Not sure if I'm entirely proud of this chapter or not. From the fighting, to wishing I knew how to write emotions down a lot better. Never was good at emotional scenes. I usually suck at them.

In any case, down goes Saber. He was too nice for his own good. Dying rather pointlessly since he could have survived, but couldn't find it in himself to kill Rider at all. Granted, maybe the Forbidden Dress also played a role, since it wards its wearer from disasters and destruction. Which I imagine includes death.

Either way, Saber is down leaving Rider, Lancer, Archer, and Berserker. That number will soon go down. Since Kariya is certainly determined to make Tokiomi part of the deceased.