Sakura could not hide for much longer, but it was difficult to accept the inevitability of battle.
Every time she thought she braced herself enough to challenge opposing masters and rise up to the call, the woman felt her heart sink as she remembered how Angela and her servant gazed at her during their encounter. There was no consideration nor mercy in their gaze, only determination, a desire to claim what they wanted and annihilate everyone in their way. Even when Sakura safely hid in her home, those horrifying memories would still emerge, making her hesitate and avoid this confrontation. However, she would always have a voice emerge in her head, nudging her to fight this fear.
"I believe we had an agreement, girl," Gilgamesh spoke in an annoying tone, emerging on the sofa beside Sakura, this time dressed in casual black clothes. "And yet we have not taken any action at all. Are you that keen on allowing our enemies to win?"
"I'm not wasting any time," Sakura said defensively. "I need to work on a strategy so the next time we meet any of the masters, we will be ready. I think we can try to reason with Hector, but Angela…No, she is not the kind of person we could hope to convince."
"Very well, and what's your strategy?" Caster asked casually, stumping Sakura, who hadn't come up with a clear answer yet.
"I…"
"You're not stupid enough to think that the best way to create a strategy is to wallow in your self-pity in the middle of this flat. So, why the hesitation?"
"You…Do you have to be so rude?"
"So you can bite back? Great, but I suggest you save it for our enemies."
"I know you don't feel it, being a demigod and all, but I told you that it's dangerous for me to go out there and fight without careful planning. Otherwise, it will just make everything worse."
"Your fear is just a pathetic, cancerous anchor that holds you back. Treat it like a nuisance it is, and the battle will become easier."
"You know what would also make the battle easier? You using your strongest attacks first instead of posturing." Sakura crossed her arms.
"Hah, don't expect me to open the Gates of Babylon for someone unworthy. First, I have to determine my enemy's strength and valor, which brings us back to the topic of going out and doing something." Gilgamesh paused, pondering something. "Remind me, what is it you would ask of the Grail?" He wondered, making Sakura freeze in her tracks and have her eyes wide open in shock.
"What…What do you mean?"
"I believe I made myself clear."
"I don't want anything from the grail; if anything, I want to help that mage who tries to destroy it so no one can ever unleash its destructive darkness again."
"This can't be all of it." Gilgamesh rejected her assertion, calmly yet with confidence.
"Why's that? Do I look like someone who would use the Grail and hurt people?" Sakura couldn't hide her annoyance.
"No, you don't. That's exactly what makes me curious. Think of it logically, judging by what that mongrel told you. This war is the last resort for the Grail to defend itself…I believe those were his words. And if the Grail has a mind of its own that's developed enough to make such decisions, why would it grant command seals to someone whose only intent is to destroy it? Don't you realize the contradiction?"
"I am not going to change my mind; you can't tempt me…"
"I am not trying to, I simply want to know this; if you were to stand before the uncorrupted version of the Grail, knowing that it can fulfill your wish without causing any death or destruction, what would you ask of it?" This question felt like a spear piercing Sakura's heart as she was forced to see this grotesque image before her eyes again. She saw life fading from her friend's eyes as the white-haired girl lay down in Sakura's arms, begging her to fulfill a promise Sakura abandoned because of her cowardice.
"I wouldn't toy with powers like…"
"Don't waste your time lying, everyone has a wish they want to fulfill."
"I…I had a friend." Sakura admitted after taking a deep friend. "She was very kind and did what was best for me, and I wasn't always grateful for this. She didn't tell me until it was too late, but she…" Sakura felt a few tears emerge in her eyes as she looked down in shame; even thinking of her was agonizing. "She didn't have long to live, and what little time she had, she sacrificed to save me from a very dark place, I saw her die in my arms…If I could ask the Grail of anything, it would be to bring her back…And let her live. As long as any normal human would." As she said those words, Sakura witnessed Gilgamesh's expression changing, if only slightly. The arrogance in his eyes faded, and another emotion emerged on his face.
"A friend, then…Perhaps I misjudged you."
"What do you mean?" Sakura said as she wiped her tears.
"When I first laid my eyes upon you, I thought you were a naive idealist. The kind who would hold the Grail in her hands and ask to end all the world's suffering and agony, the kind to think that all wars could be ended in the blink of an eye. I find this type of fool incredibly amusing, but no…Your urges are far easier to explain. More rational, perhaps even in the realm of possibility were the Grail uncorrupted."
"I…" Sakura felt incredibly awkward, unsure how much of what Caster said was even genuine. "Thank you."
"Take a compliment and at least try to pretend you like it."
"I do…I just didn't expect it, not from you."
"And what did you expect?"
"Something more rude, like…Maybe telling me that you'd handle this grief much better and that you'd get over it in less than ten years."
"Of course, I would handle it better! Do I even have to state a fact so obvious? Still, it would be in poor taste to mock someone's grief. Losing those dear to our hearts is a strike against it, against our entire bodies. Once you feel that pain, you never forget it. It is like a poison that spreads through your blood, slowly draining you from the inside, leading to a painful, agonizing death. You can either succumb to it, or adapt and live with this pain, but none escape loss unscathed…Not even I." Gilgamesh's voice got quieter as he said those words, making Sakura go silent. She wished she could dismiss his words as pretense, but he was at his most genuine.
"Thank you, Gilgamesh…"
"Do you think that mere words will be enough? I crave battle, I crave victory, and…" Gilgamesh paused, immediately turning towards the nearest window.
"What's wrong?" Sakura said with emerging worry.
"Someone is watching." Caster said and pointed at the darkness on the street. Sakura approached the window and looked into the black. All she saw was a lone shadowy silhouette atop the nearby roof. The moment she laid her eyes on it, the figure immediately disappeared.
…
Hector spent the entire night hunting down Sakura, trailing every single source of magic he could find, but his search ended up in disappointment and failure. Sakura and Caster masked their presence well, making the young mage travel in circles around Fuyuki like a fool. The city was very quiet during the rest of the night; all Hector could notice was a shadowy figure leaping from one roof to another, almost submerging itself in the shadows. This could only be the Assassin's servant, but when he tried to chase his opponent, he immediately dissipated without a trace.
Hector had no choice but to return to Angela with empty hands. Even Iskandar could feel Hector's inner turmoil.
"Do not be ashamed of this, you will try once again tomorrow. And I am sure you will try thrice as hard as you did today; none of our enemies will escape."
"I promised to hunt her down today…She might think I am avoiding my duties and trying to lie to her."
"Does she not trust you enough not to question your motives?" Iskandar wondered, making Hector pause as he walked into the castle. It was true that Angela would rarely take Hector at his word despite him always remaining loyal.
"She has to be careful as a magus…Einzberns didn't win their position and reputation by trusting anyone's word."
"I have no doubt about it, but what of your own child? You may not be related to her, but I remember you calling her 'mother' a few times. If I had that little trust in my own offspring, I would have forced the pup out!"
"You had offspring all around Macedonia. Are you really telling me you trusted them all?"
"No, of course not, but put enough effort into making them think I do. Your teacher doesn't even try, and she only has you."
"It's not the same in the world of mages, you have to be extra careful when you don't even know what can kill you, considering the variety of our spells."
"Sword, poison, spell, makes no difference!"
All Hector could do was sigh in annoyance. He was about to respond, but something caught his eye as he walked through the parade hall. Archer was there, as expected, but he was not alone. A tall man in golden armor and tanned skin stood beside him, a warrior who would match Iskandar himself in raw strength and might.
"Who the Hell is…" Hector whispered in a trembling voice.
"Another hero steps up? Hah, looks like we have our first prize, boy!"
"He isn't attacking…"
Hector listened to the dialogue between them, and Archer was the first to speak.
"As I said, the Grail does not concern me, I have seen enough of how it works to know what to expect. And you, Romulus? What would you ask of the Grail?"
"I would bear witness to the mighty Empire I planted the seeds of…And I would show it to my brother, who once foolishly rejected it."
"Ah, poor Remus…If only you knew how to hold back on that day."
"Shut your mouth, wrench, or you'll regret ever opening it."
"Easy, now…We might be allies, after all."
Hector didn't give any command, but Iskandar immediately materialized with an excited grin on his face.
"And here I thought my eyes deceive me, another hero came to light?"
"You are Rider, I take it?" Romulus wondered.
"And a king you must have heard a lot about back in your day…Alexander of Macedon."
"So this is who you are…" Romulus said with caution. "I expected you to be less…Excitable?"
"What point is there in conquest if it doesn't bring joy? And what time do you come from? We couldn't be that separated."
As the two warriors were about to enter a long discussion, Archer looked at the ashamed master.
"No luck, I take it?"
"No…I couldn't find her."
"Go tell Angela while she's in a good mood. And as you probably realized, we have a guest today."
Hector walked towards Angela's room, leaving the servants to their business. As he approached the door, he could hear the distant echoes of talk between Angela and her guest. Hector saw her, a short woman with black hair and glasses, dressed officially and elegantly, which identified her as an esteemed magus of the Tower.
"I think you don't understand the forces you are challenging." The woman in glasses spoke sternly. "The Clock Tower had a referendum, the majority agreement that I should claim the Grail for all of us. You do not have the authority to give me orders, and by doing so, you are going against all of the magi."
"Giving orders? Please, I am simply trying to protect your life." Angela said defensively.
"My life? Or the Grail that you want to claim?"
"Why can't it be both."
"You are the representative of the Einzberns, the family that helped create this war. Not to mention those were your mages that once summoned Angra Mainyu."
"That happened a century ago, and why wouldn't you want to continue what they started?"
"The mages of the past didn't know the consequences of bringing Angra Mainyu into this world, but we do. We know that if we were to release it without preparation, without…Cleansing, it will only bring more chaos to anyone in this world, mage or not."
"You and your family have always minded their own business and didn't care for the business of the Tower. Why would I believe that anything has changed?"
"Do I look like a homunculus to you?" Angela said with arrogant pride.
"No, but you lived with them since your youth. Your body is human, but your mind…I can't tell."
"But there is a good reason to side with someone who knows more of the Grail than you or anyone of the Tower, isn't there?"
"I suppose…"
"Then why don't we join forces against malcontents like Emiya who would destroy the Grail and make sure no one ever uses it for a purpose greater than petty heroism?"
This question made the woman pause, and before she could reply, Hector pushed the door open.
"Ahh, look, who's back?" Angela smiled.
"You know him?" The guest wondered.
"It's Hector, my student, and Rider's master."
"Hm…I remember him. He was there during the hearing of Lord El-Melloi the Second." She explained, and this immediately made Hector remember who she was.
"Marianne Taylor, the lorekeeper…" He spoke up.
"Yes, a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
"Hector, dear, why don't you tell our guest about our first meeting?" Angela beckoned, making Hector feel uncomfortable and cold. She knew that he hated remembering it, much less telling someone else, but it was necessary. If she asked for it, there must have been a reason. "It was a monumental moment for both of us, after all."
"Of course, I…" He felt his voice breaking moments before Hector took hold of himself. He wouldn't dare embarrass himself before an esteemed mage; he simply needed to talk through it quickly and not linger on it for too long. "My town…It was a relatively small one, and it fell to a sudden flood. We weren't prepared for it, and very few managed to escape…My family wasn't among them." He looked down and closed his eyes. "My parents, I tried…I tried to save them, but…I couldn't." Hector gasped for air; he could feel himself drowning and desperately clinging to life despite there being no water around him at all. Always imagining himself there, desperately grasping for the light. "Angela saved me back then…And for that, I am forever grateful."
"I know you are, dear," Angela said in an encouraging tone. "I liked visiting the town back when it wasn't flooded, and after some research, I found our Hector's talent when it came to magecraft. I could not let such talent drown, could I?"
"I see." Marianne nodded. She didn't seem too phased by the story, likely having more pressing concerns in mind. "You've got yourself an impressive apprentice, Angela, and another master who is willing to support you…Three masters in the same room, having a peaceful discussion instead of resorting to violence. I like how times change."
"So, what do you say about my proposal?"
"I agree, for now," Marianne said. "Let's ally until Lord El-Melloi and his allies have backed down."
"Wonderful! Together, we will be unstoppable." Angela said with pride before looking at Hector. "And you? Have you found Sakura?"
"I'm afraid not, she has been hiding too well. But I managed to spot the Assassin."
"And?"
"I chased him, but he escaped…Just vanished into the night."
"So after all those hours, you come to me empty-handed? You are better than that, I know. Get back into the city and finish the job."
"I'll rest for a bit, and then I…l will find her, I promise."
"Now." She said in a cold, determined voice, making Hector freeze on the spot.
"Yes…Of course."
