The Greater Grail

A few minutes have passed since the training session and everyone resumed their journey. The four Chaldeans followed Caster to where the Greater Grail was supposed to lie. Mashu and Fou looked around the area, trying to keep a look out for any potential ambush spots while Ritsuka and Tatsuko walked alongside Olga at the director's request. The silver haired woman clicked her tongue in annoyance as the two teens remained silent, would it kill them to say some-wait, why did she care? They were merely her subordinates, not friends, so it wasn't like she NEEDED to know them on a personal level, but something bothered her. She took a deep breath and exhaled, if they weren't going to break the silence, then she would.

"Mr. Fujimaru and Ms. Tachibana, I have a question for the both of you," She said calmly. "How is it that you both speak the English language so fluently?"

The two Masters stopped in their tracks and looked at her curiously.

"Is it so strange that we can?" Tatsuko asked.

Olga shook her head. "No, but usually those who speak English as a secondary language usually have an accent, no matter how minor. Yet neither of you have one. I was just curious, nothing more."

The two Masters looked at each other and shrugged. It was surely a strange question, but for some reason, they were curious as to how the other did as well. Besides, they could tell the director meant no harm when asking, so it wasn't TOO problematic.

"Well, the person who owned the clinic that I grew up in was British," Ritsuka answered. "Doc taught me English since I was very little, so it's practically a second language to me."

"As for me, English was one of my best subjects in school," Tatsuko chimed. "The sensei who taught the class said I had a knack for it, and I just continued practicing."

"But why are you still speaking it?" Olga asked. "Mashu knows how to speak Japanese, and Caster should too considering he was summoned here, so why continue with English?"

Ritsuka and Tatsuko looked at each other and shrugged. They had a suspicion that Mashu already knew due to her continued use of the title Senpai she gave Ritsuka, but Olga's statement pretty much confirmed it. They looked back to the silver haired woman with bashful looks. They knew she wanted an answer, but how to best put it….

"I guess we just didn't consider it considering the situation we're in." Tatsuko answered.

"Not to mention…..we weren't sure if you knew Japanese, so Tatsuko and I agreed earlier that we would speak English instead of Japanese," Ritsuka explained. "We didn't want you to think we were making fun of you."

Olga stared at them in slight shock. They were right that she did not know the language, but she was surprised by Ritsuka's statement. They didn't want to make fun of her? Why would they be that courteous to her? Considering she slapped one of them and took both of them off the mission, she couldn't fathom why they wouldn't mock her behind her back. The director shook her head and stared at them calmly. Now wasn't the time to dwell on such things, that could come later.

"W-well I admire your honesty, the both of you." She said while trying to keep her composure. "Now, let's get back to the task ahead, shall we?"

"Um, Director Olga? We're still following Caster, so we aren't really getting sidetracked….." Tatsuko answered.

Olga gulped as her face became flushed. She pouted and stamped her feet as she walked in front of the two teens. "I-I knew that! I was just saying we shouldn't lag behind them!"

Ritsuka smiled and nodded. "Of course Director!"

Olga sighed, thinking as to how she had almost lost her composure at that moment. What had happened to her? A small smirk formed on her face. Maybe she wouldn't fire them after all…..

"Um, Ritsuka, don't you think there's something off with her?" Tatsuko said as she walked close to the boy.

"Yeah, she looks a bit nervous… Well more than she has been ever since we found her here."

"I know right? It's weird, makes me think that there's something she might be hiding…"

Ritsuka nodded. "Well, I don't think we should pry too much. It would be very inappropriate for us to ask about her personal life."

"You have a point," Tatsuko said cheerfully. "We girls do like to keep our secrets afterall!"

"I-is that so?"

Tatsuko raised an eyebrow at the question. It was already obvious that Ritsuka seemed uncomfortable about something, and given how he was acting earlier…the female Master gasped and looked at Ritsuka with curiosity.

"Twig Boy…do you even know how to talk to girls?"

Ritsuka's face flushed crimson for a moment before recomposing himself. "Well I'm talking to you, aren't I?"

Tatsuko snickered. "Oh, so you DO know how to talk back! I thought you were just a boring stick in the mud."

Ritsuka sighed. "I just don't like causing unnecessary conflict. So please, can we try to be civil?"

Tatsuko's smile faded. She saw the look in his eyes and could tell she was upsetting him. A hint of guilt flashed upon her face, it was clear to her now that Ritsuka wasn't as sociable as he let on when she met him earlier, and it bothered her. The female Master gave Ritsuka an apologetic look and sighed.

"I'm sorry," She said quietly so only he could hear her. "I didn't…"

Ritsuka put a hand up in reassurance. "Hey, don't think too much about it, it's fine. Now, let's keep going."

Tatsuko flashed a mischievous grin. "Sure thing… Twig boy."

The male Master sighed. "How did I know you were going to call me that….."

Tatsuko continued to giggle at Ritsuka's slight annoyance as they walked passed Olga. The director drowned out their conversation, and continued to do so in order to focus. Unfortunately she didn't pay attention, otherwise she would have stopped before she walked right into Mashu and Tatsuko. The director opened her mouth to chastise them, but couldn't as she saw that Caster stopped everyone in their tracks. She looked around and noticed that the pavement ended right where they stood, and in front of them was what looked like a vast wilderness. Ritsuka stared at the trees with a curious look, it was strange that the forest seemed to be intact while the city burned behind them. He looked at the woods themselves, and raised an eyebrow. Whatever was inside there, he had a bad feeling about it. His thoughts were shaken as he heard Caster clear his throat.

"Okay, so in this forest lies the location of the Greater Grail." He explained earning the confusion of everyone else present.

"Really? Just like that?" Tatsuko asked. "We just go into the forest and we'll find it?"

Caster chuckled and shook his head. "No, it's not that easy. I took us away from the most direct path of getting there."

"Why?" Olga asked in irritation. "Can't we just sneak in and-"

"Fat chance." Caster answered. "Archer is guarding the entrance. If we take that route, he will ambush us."

"But Caster, I thought you said we could beat him." Mashu countered.

"Well yeah one of us could do it," Caster answered. "But there's one tiny problem. We have two Masters, and another Mage here. Against a Servant they'd be sitting ducks, and if the two Masters die, then we are screwed."

The two Masters and Olga looked at each other and nodded. While Mashu and Caster could beat Archer theoretically, Caster was correct in that the three of them were walking, talking targets ready to be picked off. It would seem that this was definitely the best way to get to their destination.

"Okay, so what should we be on the lookout for?" Tatsuko asked.

"There's this temple where Boudicca and I scouted out a few hours before her death," He answered. "The amount of mana flowing from the leylines there was astronomical. I can say without a shadow of a doubt that the Greater Grail is there."

"Temple?" Ritsuka's eyes widened. "Oh you mean Ryuudou Temple?"

Caster raised an eyebrow. "Familiar with the place, kid?"

"Well no, but it's one of Fuyuki's most famous landmarks. Everyone who lived here knew about it."

"So do you know how to get there?" Olga asked.

Ritsuka shook his head shyly. "Not really, it's my first time going there."

"Well in that case, just stick behind me," Caster said calmly. "There's no telling what we'll find in here."

Everyone nodded as the blue haired Servant faced the forest and beckoned them to follow him inside. The moment they entered, the four Chaldeans immediately felt uneasy about the forest. It was completely silent. There was no sound of flapping wings, nor the sound of any woodland creatures. It was as if the whole forest was devoid of life. Mashu felt Fou shiver, and she scratched the back of the critter's head to calm him down. Ritsuka couldn't help but smile at the sight as he watched Fou wag his tail from receiving attention from his caretaker.

"How long have you known Fou again?" He asked curiously.

"It has been about a year now," Mashu answered as she continued to play with Fou. "He just showed up one day in Chaldea. No one knew how he got in, but they could tell he meant no harm."

"Really? Why would anyone think this adorable fluff ball could hurt anyone?" Ritsuka asked as he scratched the critter's chin.

"I mean, you never know. After all, otters look super cute but they're actually…"

"Ms. Tachibana! I don't think you need to finish that statement!" Tatsuko was promptly cut off by Olga, while Mash and Ritsuka looked confused.

"They're actually… Super close to their families, yes, that's what I meant to say." Tatsuko said with a sheepish chuckle.

Olga huffed and walked away towards Caster. "Now that that's out of the way, I suggest we keep moving."

As they continued advancing, Ritsuka approached Tatsuko and whispered in her ear. "Are we talking about when they get near food?"

"Trust me, not something you want to know." Tatsuko muttered. "Don't ask me how I know."

Ritsuka opened his mouth to say something, but a quick glance from Tatsuko was enough for him to know not to ask. He nodded at the female Master and looked at the woods in front of him.

Olga sighed in irritation. How can that Tatsuko girl be so carefree? It was as if she made it her life's mission to treat almost every conversation as a joke! A gust of wind blew her hair, causing her to growl in frustration. As the wind died down, she looked to her left and her eyes widened in surprise. She saw a grand castle amongst the trees. It was European in origin, making it stand out more. What's more, she could feel a familiar presence as she stared at the castle. Caster, Mashu, Ritsuka and Tatsuko stopped as they noticed Olga staring at the fortress.

"Who in the hell built a castle out here?" Tatsuko asked.

Olga turned to her in complete shock. "That's Einzbern Castle!"

"Yeah, so?" Tatsuko asked in confusion.

"Ms. Tachibana, you are a Mage, correct? How can you not know who the Einzberns are?" Olga asked in disbelief. "They are a very well known family in the Clock Tower!"

"Then that's why I never heard of them," Tatsuko answered. "I never really paid attention to the Clock Tower before coming to Chaldea."

Olga's mouth stood agape. This girl was once again pushing her buttons. The director sighed and stomped away. "Nevermind! I'll inform you about them later!"

Tatsuko shrugged. It didn't really matter to her what she was told. She didn't really care about who belonged to which family, so it would probably just go out one ear and out the other. Then again, she could try to pay more attention to that subject. Olga did seem like she would be a good teacher, so maybe she should try to be a good listener, like Ritsuka suggested.

A few minutes later, they continued to make their trek to the temple. Caster remained silent as the others made small talk about what they could find on the way. Mashu smiled as she and Ritsuka played with Fou, but the male Master's eyes started to dart back and forth. Ritsuka suddenly felt dizzy and light headed. Mashu gasped, and caught him before he could fall to the ground.

"Senpai, are you okay?!"

Ritsuka groaned in slight discomfort as everyone rushed to him. "I'll be okay Mashu. I just got a little light headed."

"Hey Caster, maybe we should take a break." Tatsuko suggested. "My partner here is going to need it."

Caster nodded. "I'll agree to it if he does."

Everyone turned to Ritsuka with curious expressions. The male Master closed his eyes and weighed his options. If they continued to move now, then he would exhaust himself further. But if they took a break, he would feel like a burden, but at least he would be better rested. He exhaled sharply and nodded. His mind was made up.

"I think I'm going to need a few minutes."

Everyone nodded and gave him some room to rest. Mashu and Fou stayed by his side to talk to him more and check up on him, while Tatsuko walked towards Caster.

"Thanks for that," She said quietly. "For a minute I thought you were going to tell us to keep going."

Caster chuckled. "Nah, it wouldn't do us any good if he fainted on us before we reached the temple."

"Well I'm thanking you regardless buddy!" Tatsuko said with a wink. The two of them laughed at the joke and kept watch for any potential danger. A few minutes later, a slight tremor was felt beneath them. Caster looked around for the potential source. Another tremor shook the ground slightly.

"Is anyone else feeling that?" Olga asked.

Caster closed his eyes, and focused on the sound and vibrations. Another tremor shook the ground….no, these weren't tremors. These were footsteps. Caster's eyes widened in fear, and his skin lost all its color. He turned to the others frantically, causing them to stare at him in bewilderment.

"We need to move. Now." Caster said.

"But Senpai still needs to-"

"Just carry him then. We have to go!" Everyone's eyes widened as they saw the absolute fear in Caster's eyes. They looked at each other and nodded. Whatever has him scared, they probably don't want to mess with.

The sound of Ritsuka's communicator made them jump in slight surprise. The male Master turned it on and saw Roman's face twisted in concern.

"I heard everything. Do as he says, because I'm getting a Servant signature heading towards you!"

Mashu nodded and gently lifted Ritsuka in her arms and made her way towards Caster. Maybe he would-

CRACK

Everyone turned their heads to see what flew past Tatsuko's head. Not a few feet away was what looked like a stone slab in the shape of an axe-sword. The female Master looked back and gasped. That….thing completely destroyed every tree in its path, and it almost took her head with it. The Chaldeans blood went cold as the next thing they heard was a mighty, terrifying, bloodcurdling roar.

"RUN!" Caster shouted.

The Chaldeans didn't even need to answer. Mashu held Ritsuka tightly in her arms as Olga and Tatsuko ran behind her trying to catch up. The crashing footsteps grew louder and louder, as did the roaring. Caster beckoned them to follow him left of the next treeline, which ended up being a smart decision as the axe-sword came back, and cut through the center like paper. They continued to zig-zag, trying to shake off their pursuer. Ritsuka turned his head to see what was following them, and his heart immediately caught in his chest as he saw the pursuer leap passed them, and grabbed the axe-sword.

Despite the dark aura around him he could tell that it was a man, colossal in stature with black hair and olive-colored skin. He wore hide bracers on his wrists, and red tattoos on his upper body along with a lion shaped medallion worn around his chest. His elbows had frightening blade-like protrusions. His feet were completely bare, save for hide bracers around the ankles. The most terrifying thing about him though, was the way he looked at the Chaldeans. It was the look of absolute fury.

The pursuer leapt into the air and swung his weapon downward, only to miss Olga by a hair, earning a shriek from the director. The man roared again, and charged towards them, but Caster quickly fired a shard of ice at him. It did not do much to hinder the man, but it slowed him down enough for the five companions to get a better headstart. The pursuer growled and ran towards them, smacking trees aside so he could have better vision. A fireball, courtesy of Caster, hit the man square in the face, merely infuriating him.

"Damn, this guy just doesn't quit!" Caster said in irritation. He flung another fireball to try and slow the Servant down, but it wasn't working like he had hoped. The colossal Servant merely roared in anger, causing the two Masters and Olga to cover their ears from the volume alone.

Caster clicked his tongue and stopped in his tracks. He raised his staff, and aimed it at their pursuer. A second later, spectral wolves charged at the large Servant and attacked. The Servant roared and swung his weapon at the specters and killed two, but the three remaining ones bit into his skin, keeping him in place as the others ran. As they gained more distance, the last Ritsuka saw of the Servant was him fighting off the wolves.

A few minutes after they made sure they weren't followed, Caster casted a spell to hide their tracks. The five of them stopped to catch their breath from such a terrifying ordeal. Tatsuko looked at Caster, taking deep breaths to get some air.

"What was that….thing?" She asked.

Caster exhaled sharply, his skin regained his color as he gripped his staff.

"That was Berserker."

The group stayed put for a few minutes to get some much needed rest after Berserker chased them. Caster walked around, making sure to see that his wards were still in place in case the shadow Servant found them. It was agreed that they should get moving soon, but they didn't want to put any unnecessary strain on Ritsuka right now.

"Okay, so I'm pretty sure we got off course a bit because of that little incident," Caster said nonchalantly. "But I can still find the way to the temple. We just need to be a little more careful how we conduct our business. We never know when we might run into an enemy again."

"My heart… Is still beating… So fast..!" Tatsuko said while she was resting under a tree, tired and scared like never before.

"That wasn't a Servant, that was a monster… No doubt in my mind about that." Olga said, terrified like Tatsuko was about the situation that had happened.

Ritsuka meanwhile didn't say a word. The boy was in shock about the situation, while Mash was at his side trying to calm him down.

"You're right about that, missy. Berserker right now isn't a Servant, he's a mindless monster that destroys anything in his path. We got lucky on that one, we couldn't have hoped to win a direct fight against him." Caster explained to everyone.

"Yeah, he plays the role of monster quite well." Roman said through the communicator. "I mean did you see him? He looked more like a crazed animal!"

Caster chuckled. "Yeah, I'm surprised he hasn't found us yet. The damned bastard is tenacious."

Ritsuka snapped back to attention and stared at Caster. "Is he that bad?"

Caster nodded. "Remember when I said Boudicca fought him and the other three corrupted Servants so I could escape? He was the reason she was so mangled. He just didn't stop attacking until she was dead."

The four Chaldean's shuddered at the statement. Whoever this shadow Servant was, he certainly wasn't someone they wanted to mess with. Caster took a look at the four Chaldeans and took note that their breathing seemed to be back to normal. He looked at Ritsuka with a knowing look.

"Think you're going to be okay kid?" he asked curiously.

Ritsuka nodded. "Yeah, sorry for holding everyone up like this."

Caster chuckled. "Don't sweat it! Now, let's get going."

"You can say that again!" Tatsuko shouted. "Time to end this nightmare once and for all."

Olga nodded in agreement. She could not wait to return to Chaldea and sort everything out. She turned to Mashu and Ritsuka with a neutral expression. "I hope you're prepared, because this is the final stretch."

The two teens nodded. Olga smirked at them and walked towards Caster, leaving Tatsuko to come towards Ritsuka and Mashu. The female Master looked at her male companion with slight concern. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Ritsuka gave a soft smile and nodded. "I'll be fine Tatsuko, but thank you for asking."

Tatsuko grinned. "Well, no use standing around, let's get to it!"

Ritsuka and Mashu nodded, only to jump in surprise as Fou leapt into the air, and landed on Tatsuko's shoulder, licking the female Master's cheek, and then nuzzling her. Tatsuko's mouth formed an open smile as she looked at the others. "Oh my god, he actually came to me! I think he's starting to like me."

Mashu couldn't help but giggle as Tatsuko played with Fou as they walked. Ritsuka looked at the female Master and the critter with interest, causing Mashu to stare at him curiously. "What is it Senpai?"

Ritsuka shook his head. "Sorry, I'm just remembering something. Tatsuko said Fou was a squirrel but he sure doesn't look like one. What IS he exactly?"

Mashu's eyes widened. "I….am ashamed to admit it, but I'm not sure. He doesn't look like any animal I have seen."

Ritsuka scratched his chin in deep thought, but a moment later he merely shrugged. "Well I'm sure we'll find out one day. Let's treat it like a mystery to be solved."

Mashu nodded in agreement, her eyes beaming with excitement unbeknownst the male Master. She couldn't wait to find out the answer herself.

The five companions continued to journey towards the temple with utmost caution. Caster warned them that Archer could ambush them at any time, so they had to keep their eyes peeled for any signs of a potential trap. Even with that however, the journey was rather calm… Too calm one might say.

"Hey… Is it just me or did things get too quiet all of the sudden?" Tatsuko said.

"She's right. Things feel off… Something's not right" Ritsuka followed up. Both him and Tatsuko knew that something was off "Caster, I think…"

"I feel it too. Someone's watching us…"

"Oh god, is it Berserker again!?" Olga asked in a panic.

"Can't be, he wouldn't be able to sneak up on us twice. No, this is someone else."

Mashu felt a chill up her spine as Fou returned to her. "You don't think it's him do you?"

Caster didn't even give her an answer as they continued walking. It was clear they were being followed, and that frightened them. The five of them continued to be on the lookout for any potential places Archer could appear from, but so far, nothing stood out. The trees would have been a good place, but they would have seen him by now. The eerie silence made it more tense for everyone, but it was necessary to make sure they weren't distracted from their objective.

A few minutes later, the group saw something up in the distance, a small pathway led up to a large staircase, most likely the way up to the temple. Caster grabbed their attention by silently beckoning them to follow him. He continued to lead them towards their destination, making sure to keep quiet as possible. Their patience was rewarded when Caster stopped and pointed at something. The four Chaldeans stared in shock as they saw a giant cavern right behind the temple.

"The Greater Grail is somewhere inside that cave." Caster said quietly. "We just need to get inside and we'll be able to find it."

"Actually Caster, there's been something I've been meaning to ask," Olga said calmly. "Do you know Saber's True Name?"

Caster nodded. "Oh yeah, I know it well. That bastard's Noble Phantasm defeated every Servant besides me and Boudicca, and anyone who's struck by it, or sees it once, will know the True Name of Saber immediately."

"Really?" Tatsuko asked. "What's their True Name?"

Caster opened his mouth to speak. "Their name is-"

"Something you won't utter."

Mashu gasped as she slammed her shield to the ground, and was pushed back by an unknown force, cutting Caster mid sentence. The blue haired Servant scowled as he saw the arrow bounce off Mashu's shield. Mashu kept her shield up as another arrow hit the shield again, pushing her back slightly. Another arrow was fired, but Caster shot a fireball, incinerating the projectile.

"I had a feeling you were tailing us," Caster said in annoyance. "How about you come out and fight like a man already Archer."

The statement was rewarded by another arrow, but Mashu got in between and blocked it with her shield. Suddenly, a barrage of arrows came straight for them, but Mashu dug in her heels and did not falter.

"Lord Chaldeas!"

Her Noble Phantasm caused all the arrows to bounce off the field like rain on an umbrella. The moment the volley ended, Mashu got down on her knee to rest.

"Now that's an interesting Noble Phantasm right there." Archer said as he leapt from a nearby tree. The group got a better look at the shadow Servant, and were surprised with his…..interesting appearance.

Archer wore a red coat, with a black shirt underneath along with black pants. His hair was white, and swept back. Like the other corrupted Servants, his eyes were golden. As he aimed his bow, he had to leap back as Caster fired an ice shard at him, before shooting pillars of light at Archer to keep him off the four Chaldeans.

"You guys, go on ahead," Caster said. "I'll take care of this one."

"But Caster, what about Saber?" Mashu asked in surprise.

"Don't worry about that. Just think of defending your Master, instead of beating Saber." He said calmly.

"If that's the case, I'm staying here to help." Tatsuko answered.

"No, you go with them."

Tatsuko stared at him in shock. "But I'm your Master! Shouldn't I be helping-"

"You'll be more helpful to them than me." Caster said with a grin. "I'll be right behind you, so go!"

Tatsuko opened her mouth in protest, but was cut off as Ritsuka put a hand on her shoulder. "Have faith in him, just like you and I have faith in Mashu."

Tatsuko stared at him in surprise, then looked to Caster as he continued to distract Archer. She clenched her fists, and nodded with reluctance. Ritsuka, Mashu and Olga ran towards the cave, but Tatsuko stayed for a moment to give Caster a knowing look.

"Caster? As your temporary Master, I have a request." She said calmly. "Kick his ass."

Caster laughed in amusement. "Will do! Now get to the others."

Tatsuko nodded and ran for the cave. Archer shot an arrow at her, but Caster burned it to a crisp with a fireball. "Sorry to burst your bubble Archer, but you're stuck with me now."

Archer huffed. "It doesn't matter. They're not going to be a match for Saber."

"Then why are you acting as her guard? Or would a knight be more appropriate?"

Archer chuckled. "I don't remember ever being one. I'm just here to drive out unwanted guests."

Caster smirked. "Well, that's mighty big talk Archer. I don't know why you're helping Saber, but I'm putting an end to it."

"You can try."

The shadow Servant fired a volley of arrows, only for Caster to dodge and weave through them with ease. Before another volley could be made, Caster summoned spectral wolves to distract the shadow Servant, but clicked his tongue in frustration when Archer simply put his bow away, and summoned two small curved swords into his hands. The shadow Servant launched himself against them, only to be blocked by Caster's staff as one of the wolves bit his left arm.

"Well would you look at that, looks like I have the advantage." Caster said with a smirk.

Archer scoffed and tried to launch a second attack, but was kicked to the ground, with the wolves quickly surrounding him and pinning him fired multiple ice shards at the pinned Servant, but Archer twisted his body, and slashed the wolves quickly, then rolled out of the way of the shards. Archer threw his blades at Caster, but the blue haired Servant deflected them with his staff. Archer took his bow out again, and resumed firing a volley of arrows. Caster made a quick chant and incinerated the arrows before they reached him. He smirked for a moment, before feeling a sting on his cheek. Caster touched his face, and saw a small amount of blood in his hands.

He looked behind him, and saw an arrow on the ground. He turned to see Archer smirking at him in amusement. Apparently the shadow Servant was wanting him to burn the other arrows away, while he fired another one when he couldn't see it.

"It never ceases to amaze me at how cocky you are," Archer said. "Now, I think it is time that someone teaches you a lesson in humility."

Caster smirked. "And here I thought this was starting to be more fun."

Archer shot another arrow at Caster, but the blue haired Servant deflected the projectile, and charged at Archer. The shadow Servant dematerialized his bow, resummoned his swords back to his hands, and charged at Caster.

The four Chaldeans made it into the cavern easily enough. Now it was only a matter of finding where the Greater Grail resided in the cave. Before they proceeded any further, Olga suggested that Mashu should be at the front of the group to defend them from any potential threats. With no objections from the three teens, they proceeded forward, with Mashu keeping an eye out for any signs of their target. With the potential danger looming over them, Mashu had Fou leave his perch, and the critter decided to stick with the two Masters for safety. Of course, Tatsuko took this as an opportunity to shower him with affection, amusing the male Master.

"I'm getting a little worried about you Tatsuko. You seem awfully attached to Fou there."

"Can you blame me?" Tatsuko asked. "He's like a stress reliever!"

Ritsuka chuckled. "You have a fair point. Honestly I'm kind of jealous, he was all over me back in Chaldea, but now he's just fawning over you…."

As if understanding what the boy said, Fou leapt out of Tatsuko's arms and landed on the male Master's shoulder and licked his face. Ritsuka couldn't help but smile at the gesture while Tatsuko giggled. "Looks like Fou heard you."

"Yeah, I guess so." Ritsuka answered as he scratched Fou's chin.

"Fou, fou!"

The four of them continued their trek around the cave, but something felt….off about it. How could a cave run so deep under a temple like this? Curious as to why, Tatsuko and Ritsuka walked up to Olga with a curious glint.

"Director, I was wondering if you could explain something," Ritsuka said calmly. "What IS this cave? It feels like a natural one, but also man-made."

"That's because it's both." Olga answered. "It would seem that this was an underground workshop for mages over the years."

"Well that explains it," Tatsuko chimed. "This place seems to be filled with mana, so it's like drawing moths to a flame."

Olga nodded at the statement with a grin. It would seem Tatsuko knew more than the director thought. "Now, are there any other questions?"

The two teens shook their heads. "Okay, good. Now, how about we keep a lookout for any-"

Ritsuka's communicator buzzed, making the male Master turn it on, allowing them to see Roman's stern face. "Everyone, I'm getting an energy spike a little further up the cave."

"Yes, I'm feeling it too doctor," Mashu answered. "It has to be the Greater Grail."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Tatsuko asked. "Let's go get it!"

"Wait, let's not get ahead of ourselves here," Olga countered. "We can't just walk in there and take it. It's too risky."

"Director Olga's right Tatsuko," Ritsuka said calmly. "We need to make a plan."

"But our ticket out of here is right there."

Ritsuka nodded. "But Saber might be there too. What if she's planning an ambush?"

Tatsuko opened her mouth to protest, but the looks on Olga's and Ritsuka's faces told her she wasn't going to win this argument. She sighed, and nodded in defeat. Olga turned to Mashu. "Mashu, I want you to keep your eyes peeled for Saber."

Mashu cocked her head to one side. "But I thought we were making a plan?"

"We are," Olga explained. "The cave seems to have only one pathway, so we have no choice but to move forward anyway, but that doesn't mean we cannot be stupid."

"Then what do you suggest Director?" Roman asked.

"Well first of all, not going in directly would be a good idea. I suggest we first examine the place and make a route where we can guarantee a surprise attack, give us an advantage."

"That seems like a good idea on paper, but… Based on what I'm seeing here, the scans of the cave show that there's no good place for that, it's just a giant chamber with the Grail."

"Looks like we can't avoid a direct fight, since Saber is probably going to be there, simply waiting for someone to come." Ritsuka explained.

"We can still make a plan, we're not going in, yelling and screaming right?"

"No one was saying that we'll do that, Director…" Tatsuko said while noticing the attitude that Olga was taking. "Maybe we should wait for Caster?"

Roman shook his head. "I don't think that will be a good idea."

"But he could help with Saber," Tatsuko countered. "He encountered her before, so he could help us find a way to-"

"Tatsuko, he has his hands full with Archer," Olga said. "He's not going to be able to help us if he's too injured."

Tatsuko clicked her tongue in irritation. The director had a point, Caster might end up not being able to help if things go badly. "Then what do we do? Saber has us dead to rights!"

Olga's eyes widened in realization. What if…..A small smile formed across her face. This could work, but they had to be very careful.

"Okay, here's the plan," Olga said confidently. "Masters Fujimaru and Tachibana and I will huddle behind Mashu, while she stays in the front, and hope for the best!"

Silence filled the cavern, the only thing that could be heard was the sound of drops of water hitting the ground. The three teens and Fou looked at the director with surprised expressions at the plan itself. Olga chuckled to herself in victory.

"Director, no offense, but that's a terrible idea…" Roman chimed.

"Oh shut up!" Olga shouted. "What else can we do?"

"Director Olga's right," Ritsuka said. "Staying close to Mashu is our best bet right now since we have no other options."

Roman sighed. "Yeah, you're right. I don't like it, but there isn't much room to maneuver right now."

"Believe me, this is the only idea that I think can work right now." Olga said calmly. "Okay you two, get behind me and Mashu."

The two teens nodded and immediately got close behind Olga, and followed her and Mashu to the source. Not a moment later, they all saw what looked like a red light shining in front of them. They saw an entrance to the source, and quietly walked in. The moment they stepped inside, they stopped in their tracks in absolute shock at what they saw. The cave seemed to have a large cliff, and on top of it was something large, and inhuman. It looked like an enormous blob, swaying slowly. Behind it was an enormous red pillar of light, making the object even more monstrous looking.

"What….. Is that thing?" Ritsuka asked.

"I think that's the Greater Grail." Tatsuko answered flatly.

"Tatsuko is right, I'm sensing an enormous amount of mana coming from that thing. It is without a doubt, the Greater Grail." Roman said in confirmation. They all stared at the newly confirmed Greater Grail in complete silence. How could something be so grotesque? Just what is going on here?

"It would seem some insects found their way inside."

Mashu gasped. She raised her shield high, blocking an incoming strike from above. The sheer weight almost caused her to collapse, but her will remained strong, and pushed back. The assailant seemed to relent, and allowed Mashu to catch her breath from the strike. The Shielder and the others saw someone land a few feet in front of them, giving them a better look at their assailant.

It was a woman, her skin was incredibly pale. Her hair was a very light blonde, and was done up in a bun. Her eyes were golden, like the other Servants they encountered barring Caster. The armor she wore was pitch black with a matching black dress underneath. The one feature that made the Chaldeans uneasy, was her sword, black as night, with red patterns running across.

"Well, looks like we found Saber." Ritsuka said quietly.

"Doctor Roman, can you give us an idea who this is?" Tatsuko asked.

"Give me a second, I need to do a scan on her."

"Make it quick, I don't think she's going to wait on us forever…" Olga said frightfully.

Mashu gripped her shield tighter, and readied for a potential attack from the assailant. But the woman did not move an inch, as if she really was going to wait for them. Why is she doing that? What is she waiting for?

"What the hell?!" Roman shouted. "How is this possible?"

"Doctor Roman, what's wrong?" Mashu asked.

"That sword of hers is obviously her Noble Phantasm, but the reading I'm getting from it says that it's Excalibur!"

The Chaldeans stared at Roman in shock, only to return their attention to Saber as she gave a light chuckle. "I commend you for your discovery. You are right, this is Excalibur."

"No, that can't be right….." Mashu said in disbelief. Her eyes widened in shock and horror as she stared at Saber. There was no way it could be true. "If that is Excalibur, then that means…."

"I see you have figured it out, strange girl." Saber said with a calm, yet dismissive tone.

"In history, I am known as King Arthur Pendragon. But my real name is Artoria Pendragon, the King of Camelot."