Chapter 67

By the time they reached the temple gates, there were already no signs of the intruder. However, Saber was already there, dressed in her armor and holding the invisible sword in her hands, looking down the stairs vigilantly.

"Saber, did you see anyone?"

Saber shook her head while keeping her eyes locked on the dark steps below them.

"When I woke up and headed here, it seems that they sensed my presence going towards them and swiftly departed."

Shirou took in her words, then started going down the stairs, two steps at a time

"What do you think you're doing?"

Caster grabbed the back of his uniform jacket before he could move further and stopped him in his tracks, her small, dainty hands carrying enough force to haul him backwards.

"Shouldn't we give chase? Saber has woken up after all, so it should be fine if I go after them with her."

Kiritsugu had told him about the values of mages and how they acted, so he was anxious to find out if any of their opponents in the war was willing to resort to any measures to win. For example, he knew that magi could use humans as mana batteries to provide more energy for themselves, or in this case their Servants. If there was, he would have to put a stop to it, no matter how difficult it would be.

Looking at Saber, she seemed to be fine, but Caster knew that with the amount of mana Shirou was giving her, she would be hard pressed against any opponent. It was possible for even Kuzuki to defeat her if she Reinforced him, with the state she was in.

"No, you won't be able to handle an enemy Servant if they came at you seriously."

Shirou gritted his teeth in frustration, stepping up to Caster to convince her.

"We managed to fight off Berserker last night…"

Caster shook her head.

"That wasn't her fighting seriously, judging from what you and the Master told me. Besides, you couldn't do anything back then. As you are now, you'll barely be able to assist Saber at all."

Clenching his fists, Shirou found that he had nothing to retort with. If it wasn't for Kuzuki's plan, they wouldn't have been able to escape with their lives. Illya could have attacked him at any time while Saber and Kuzuki were busy with Berserker, yet she didn't. Berserker also hadn't used her Noble Phantasm, whatever it was, so she hadn't fought with everything she had yesterday. He was woefully incompetent as a magus as well, he knew that, and could barely do anything with magecraft. There was no way to convince Caster to let him go right now, because she was right in saying that he'd just die.

"Then-teach me how to use magecraft!"

Shirou bowed to Caster at a ninety degree angle, his voice determined. The younger Artoria was slightly taken aback by his sudden actions, but she recovered and placed her hands on her shoulders to straighten him again. Her strength as a Servant was enough to pull him upright again, though he tried to resist in vain.

"I was planning on doing that anyways, don't worry. After all, I can't have you dying in the middle of battle while making an artificial circuit for absolutely no reason."

Caster looked at the shining lights of the Fuyuki in the distance.

"Besides, I don't think the other Servants will do anything drastic this early in the war."

It was easy to tell what kind of person Shirou was, despite having only known him for a day.

He nodded in acceptance, then moved his legs one step at a time as he went back up the stairs. Saber, who was watching their exchange from the sides the whole time, simply lowered her sword and followed him back through the temple gate.

It would probably be for the best if she started training him tonight, since there was no telling when they'd have to fight again. Drafting up a training scheme for him, she failed to notice the golden motes of light drifting around the center of the main courtyard.

"Caster?"

Saber's voice reached Caster, making her look up and notice the strange specks of light hanging in the air. Immediately, she accessed the link to the leylines and noticed them fluctuating wildly, the energy surging in response to a ritual being conducted.

"Emiya-san, Saber, stay back!"

Summoning her staff and battle dress, she cast her magcraft on both Shirou and Saber, a refreshing feeling like a spring breeze going through them as the enchantments settled into place. She activated the Bounded Field she had set up earlier, causing all the monks to fall under a trance induced by her illusion magecraft to avoid them noticing what was happening in the entrance courtyard.

Slowly, the winds stirred to life, the air that was formerly still picking up speed until gale winds were whipping around in a vortex around the center of the courtyard. On the ground, a ritual circle of golden light formed, squares laid over each other to form eight pointed stars, the ancient language and symbols of a language long dead appearing in the small circles within and encircling the boundary. The glow went from a weakly flickering lightbulb to a blinding floodlight, the motes of golden lights like fireflies in the air increasing until it was almost a solid pillar, the winds reaching a frenzy around the circle. All Caster, Shirou and Saber could hear at this point was the wind, and the leaves on the trees nearby rustling wildly with it.

*Shoom!*

The winds burst outward like they were released to freedom from bound fetters, pushing the trio near the gate backwards, Caster creating a shield before Shirou was blown off his feet. The lights coalesced into one solid body of light as Caster and Saber watched, forming the curves and lines of a female human. In particular, Shirou watched as two long sticks of light formed above what should be the head.

Then the glow dispelled, revealing the Servant in all her glory.

"The invincible dealer and owner of Casino Camelot, Artoria Ruler, has manifested."