Sakura's fear prevailed, and in a few moments, all she could do was run. Run away without looking back at the powerful servants and their masters who watched her with sadistic glee and triumph. She had the strongest servant standing by her side, and yet she still failed. She was not ready for this war nor for any other. After all, she spent ten years running from her past. How could Sakura possibly hope to rise up and take on the battle?

Gilgamesh created a golden aura that masked their magical presence; all they could do was to get as far away as possible, but Sakura did not want to go home just yet, not when Angela could potentially trace her. Instead, Sakura simply rushed far away, hiding in the shadows of the city. Soon, people would flock to the fighting place where the servants clashed; she had to get away; Angela and Hector must have, too. However, one raging voice would still fester within Sakura, for a disappointed servant remained by her side in spirit form.

"You made a fool out of me, girl, both of us!" Gilgamesh's ranting voice echoed in her mind.

"It…" Sakura took a deep breath, finding refuge in a narrow alleyway to which she retreated. "It was necessary. We had no chance of winning!"

"No chance?" For a moment, Sakura heard genuine disbelief in Gilgamesh's voice. The servant materialized before her, once again drowning his surroundings in a golden glow. "I did not even utilize half of my power, and you say I had no chance? The King of Conquerors was already trembling, and a mere Archer is not enough to turn the tide."

"Listen, this Archer…I couldn't recognize him." Sakura explained. "I read about so many servants, but this man is nowhere to be found in those records!"

"And?"

"We don't know what he is capable of! What if the reason no one made a record of him is because no one survived a battle against him?"

"Unlikely. Are you seriously suggesting that a lone servant who hasn't even made a name for himself can defeat me?"

"With Iskandar with him, perhaps he can…"

"A highly irrational fear." Gilgamesh sounded disappointed, but the anger slowly faded from his voice, allowing Sakura to be at relative ease.

"I have to be careful…Surely you understand. This war is no game."

"It makes no difference for me."

"Of course…Your survival isn't at stake here; you're already dead." Sakura sighed and crossed her arms. "But I just got a peaceful, stable life. I'm not going to lose it by being careless."

"You think you were being careful? "Caster raised his eyebrow and chuckled. "Not in the slightest. What you did is refuse an opportunity to eliminate two servants at once while they were exposed, therefore setting us back. That is hardly the action of a leader."

"But how you can be so certain that the enemy can't defeat you even when you don't know who he is?" Sakura spoke up, shocked at Gilgamesh's determination. How could he be so confident in his victory every time? Never weigh the risks and always put his opponents down like they were nothing? He was an embodiment of boldness and commanding power, reminding Sakura of Rin but going above and beyond. Gilgamesh paused for a moment, but Sakura didn't have to wait long.

"You are right; I cannot know for certain. But I also know that if I were to run from any danger and threat I faced instead of challenging it, I would have never become king."

"And what if you challenge someone you can't defeat?"

"I never thought of failure. Success was the only option, and this mindset got me this far. I fought, learned the opponent's weaknesses, and exploited them. You would never get this knowledge without a proper fight. You made an emotional decision based on your fear and showed weakness in front of an opponent who clearly preys on it. You won't deny that, correct?"

"It's…" He was right, Sakura retreated too early and wasted an opportunity, all while making a fool of herself in the process. "Fine, you're right. I acted rashly and made a mistake…Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"Yes," Gilgamesh said shamelessly, only annoying Sakura more. "But moving onto more pressing matters, we still have to win this war."

"I told you already…Survival is my victory."

"I remember. I hope you are not expecting to survive by simply waiting for the war out, do you?" Once again, he was right. Fighting was inevitable. If Sakura tried to hide, someone would find her and initiate a battle on their terms.

"I don't…But I am not sure what to do; I'm not a good leader or master."

"Then maybe you trust the judgment of someone who is?" Caster smiled with pride.

"Your judgment doesn't seem all that rational to me, either, sorry. We should…We should work as a team. We have different goals, but they are compatible. I can let you lead and give advice on when you are going too far, just like you can tell me if I hesitate too much. It will only work if we both genuinely listen to each other."

"I see. Well, considering that we are bound by the Grail, I see no reason to start any feuds."

"So…Partners?" Sakura asked with hope.

"Yes, but I have a condition. You used a command seal to bend my will… Don't even think of doing that ever again."

"It's a deal…But that means that I'll expect you to always keep my safety in mind." She said with a newfound confidence in her voice, something Gilgamesh picked up on.

"Ha, that's spirit! Perhaps I'll make a worthy leader of you yet. Now we know who our enemies are, and something tells me they will attack again. Next time, we do not hold back."

"Yes…We won't hold back."

…

It was Hector's first encounter with an enemy master, yet it was enough to make him feel the strongest adrenaline rush he experienced ever since the flood. The young woman he battled seemed so normal, so calm and full of humility…But her servant made Hector's heart skip a few beats.

The King of Heroes is a powerful and merciless servant, the one whose ego and confidence could match his powers. Even Iskandar was not as powerful as the oldest hero. As always, it was Angela who arrived in the nick of time and saved her student. If not for her, he would have fallen to one of Gilgamesh's spells. It was not until they returned to the Einzbern castle that Hector realized the scale of what was occurring in Fuyuki. This was the place where history converged, where heroes fought against each other for a prize that transcends time and space, the representation of magic, an all-powerful being ready to spread its wings.

"Oh, what a performance!" Angela said with joy and pride as the two of them walked through the halls of the castle. "A long-lost child returning to her roots. I expected Angra Mainyu to avoid someone like her, a woman who abandoned her past, but he knew that she would return to fight."

"She wasn't fighting to her fullest…If she wanted, she could have Gilgamesh annihilate us both."

"So unnecessarily dramatic, there is absolutely no need." Angela shook her head as she sat on the nearby sofa. "Gilgamesh is a powerful opponent, but we will be prepared to crush him next time. Speaking of, I am quite sure you held back, too." She said with an undertone of judgmental concern in her voice, making Hector's hands shiver. "You could've forced Iskandar to attack Sakura and end one of the masters on the first night of the war."

"Gilgamesh would have protected her."

"Perhaps. Or perhaps he expected you to play fairly, and this move would've caught him off-guard. You should consider all possibilities."

"I…I didn't want to escalate. She seemed like she could be convinced. And we did convince her, right?"

"Perhaps…" Angela pondered. "She will certainly be terrified for a time. But it won't be enough."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Hector said. "Hopefully, she will decide to abandon the war and not risk her life. Surely, your message was clear to anyone who's not insane."

"Come now, Hector, you're smarter than to spout this idiocy. Even if she gives up on it, she has a servant who would never accept such a simple and pathetic defeat. He would push her to fight, and with her being so reserved and easy to influence…You could see it during the battle. It was almost as if Gilgamesh was the leader. Not to mention Sakura herself. Do you think she is as honorable as she seems? That there are no dark, disgusting secrets she is hiding? She was raised by Zouken Matou, a magus as vile and treacherous as the worm magic he was using. Do you think he would raise a person with any conscience? And not to speak of the nature of his demise. One day, Zouken simply 'disappeared,' leaving only Sakura."

"Are you saying…She backstabbed him?"

"Of course. The student surpassed the master but strived for more violence instead of standing by his side. She is the new Zouken, and whatever she pretends to be, she is a threat."

"I didn't feel any threat from her. She was just defending herself."

"You will know soon enough, and it will not be pretty." Angela scolded him. "Perhaps sooner than both of us expected…"

"What do you mean?"

"I must stay behind to begin the communication ritual, but that doesn't mean we have to waste time. We know the identity of Caster's Master, which means she will be an easier target than others. I want you to go back to the city, find Sakura Matou or whatever she calls herself nowadays, and kill her." Angela said it so calmly and confidently as if she was saying something completely mundane. The casualty of her words made Hector reflexively recoil. "What? That's not fear I sense, is it?"

"But…I don't understand!" Hector spoke up, unable to hold his emotions back. "You warned her and gave her one chance to retreat; she took it! She ran away, and if she won't attack again, there is no reason to kill her."

"Why do you cling to this optimism? I just explained who Sakura is. We can't trust her. She ran because she got overwhelmed, but she will come back and try again. After all, we revealed our identities, as well. Would you wait for her to strike first? That's a self-defeating strategy, and for what? A minuscule chance that she could have been genuine?"

"But…"

"I don't want to hear your excuses, Hector! Those are the most important days in our lives, perhaps in the lives of every mage living in this world. We are risking the Grail's destruction, Angra Mainyu's death, and the annihilation of Einzbern legacy any time we show weakness, and I won't allow your sentimentality to ruin this. You will Kill Sakura Matou, or perhaps I might have to reconsider having you by my side." She spoke mercilessly and cruelly, making Hector's heart sink. If she rejects him and stops training him, he will have no one and nowhere to go…

"I'm sorry, Angela, I truly am." He spoke and kneeled in submission. "I will do everything that is needed for our cause, and I…I will hunt her down, I swear."

"Good, that's how I need you to be."

Soon after, Hector heard Iskandar's voice in his mind.

"I understand now…She holds you down, and you allow her because of your 'debt.' In a way, we are both her servants."

"You understand nothing!" Hector shouted out loud, making Angela raise an eyebrow. The man didn't realize that only he could hear Iskandar in spirit form until it was too late. "I… I'm sorry, I didn't mean it…It wasn't meant for you!"

"I see…" Angela chuckled. "Let me guess, Rider decided to chime in with some 'advice,' didn't he? Well, since he can be near me, I'll tell him this. You are a servant and should know your place. Our hunt is our business and ours alone; you have your own reasons for being in this war, so follow Archer's example and stick to them.

"Hah, what a feisty woman!" Rider cackled. "If she were my opponent on the battlefield, it would be a glorious achievement to bring her down by piercing her heart!"

"Eh…" Hector sighed. "He says he'll drop it."

"Let's hope it stays that way."

Before they could discuss something else, the crimson servant appeared before them, entering the castle through the window. Archer, Angela's loyal hunter, helped Hector and Rider out earlier today. He was a mysterious servant; even after studying heroic spirits, Hector still couldn't identify him, only because he looked Asian and was in his prime age. Angela didn't tell him Archer's name, either. Did she keep it a secret, or was it a mystery even for her? It was hard to tell, but he was surprisingly loyal and efficient.

"I checked every possible route to the castle, but we weren't followed."

"Wonderful," Angela said with a smile. "Incredible work, Archer. Now we can have more time for the ritual."

"Do what you want with your rituals, but I want to know when we are getting to action."

"Patience, that will come in due time. If you are so thirsty for blood, you can help Hector hunt down the girl we fought earlier."

"She isn't the main threat. Shirou Emiya is."

"Yes, I've heard that before…" Angela sighed. "And I told you that you will get your wish as long as you show some patience."

"Wait, who are you talking about?" Hector asked with intrigue and confusion. "The name rings a bell, isn't it the 'hero' Japanese media was talking about in recent years?" The moment he said the word 'hero,' he could see Archer's face reflexively contort in disgust.

"Maybe that's who he was…" Archer responded. "But now he is the most deranged and dangerous master to take part in this war."

"A ma…How do you know he is a master? That's the first time I've heard of it. Did you fight him, Angela?"

"No." The woman shook his head. "It is mine and Archer's little secret."

"We don't need to fight him to know he is a part of the war," Archer concluded.

"Then how do you know?"

"That's the only reason I was summoned," Archer responded, confusing Hector even further.

"But this…This makes no sense; servants don't work like that!"

"As if you have any idea on how servants' work,' even the smartest of mages don't know everything," Archer said arrogantly. "It doesn't matter, mow, you know, and you both need to be prepared."

"Maybe you can explain to Hector what makes Shirou Emiya so dangerous to Hector."

"It's simple and complicated at the same time." Archer began. "Emiya is broken…He doesn't think the same way most people do, or I suppose the better way of putting it would be to say that he lacks certain natural instincts. He is not bound by self-preservation or any personal desires; all of this energy has long been transformed into his dedication to his concept of heroism, the idealism that makes him forge ahead." Archer explains in a very judgmental tone. "And his idea of heroism involves annihilating the holy Grail among the malcontents Angela spoke of. He can't be reasoned with, cannot be convinced that what he is doing is foolish, he won't submit to fear or threats…He is like a machine with a goal that will destroy him. He will throw himself at the Grail if he decides it is necessary. And unlike most others, he has a chance to succeed…To be the key to their victory. Shirou Emiya must die." Archer said with determination. "And I will be the one to kill him."

"Was that your deal with Angela, then?" Hector wondered.

"Yes. She has her goal, I have mine. No need to overcomplicate this."

"And you have yours, Hector," Angela added sternly. "Be on your way when you're ready, I expect you to return with Sakura Matou's head."

"I…"

"Are you capable of doing as I ask?"

"Yes, Angela, I am." Hector looked down in submission.

It was time for him to go, to prove his worth. To become the worthy inheritor Angela needed him to be.

"You walk a perilous path, boy." Iskandar's voice echoed in Hector's head as he walked towards the gates.

"You aren't in a position to judge, not after your own conquests. Angela is a conqueror, too…And I, her soldier."

"You are not her soldier…"

"Not. Another. Word."

"You are her slave

…

"Shirou…"

Her beautiful voice rang out in his ears, making the young man open his eyes. He could feel the flame beneath his feet, the scorched, devastated earth, the mark that Kiritsugu Emiya left on Fuyuki. The eternal scar that Shirou had to bear up to this day. Even after letting go of his pasts, he would still sometimes find himself amidst the flame, desperately reaching for air and trying to grasp for air.

It was no different today.

Shirou knew that wherever he went, the fires would follow, creeping like shadows all around him, slowly breaking his mind and body. They would not hurt in a traditional way, though Shirou hoped that they would, for their actual effect was worse. They gained a conscience. They whispered into his ear, each word hurting him more and more. It was simply too much to handle, to resist and fight without end…All while hearing those voices, he was reminded of other ways. They reminded him that he could have abandoned his path and rejected his right as a master all those years ago. He could have lived a safe, peaceful life, protecting himself and those close to him, not wasting any energy thinking of what could have been and the people that he could have saved. He chose another path, the path of endless self-sacrifice, toiling with blood, sweat, and tears in an attempt to save more people each day. Nevertheless, the desire for absolution beamed within him. A part of him wanted to wake up one day, free of those self-imposed burdens, and look into her angelic eyes once again.

"Shirou…Hold on." She spoke in a quiet, soothing tone, allowing the young man to close his eyes and look into himself, to take a deep breath. "It will be over soon, and I will be there…I will always be there for you."

How could those words not ring hollow when they were centuries apart?

When Shirou opened his eyes, he was calm, lying down and watching the ceiling in silence, all while Artoria's image still flashed before his eyes. He was in a bed amidst a large, comfortable room, a very fitting place. Shirou and Rin arrived at Waver's hideout soon after escaping the battle on the outskirts of Fuyuki, and he had a few hours to sleep while Waver was finishing his research. After that, another chance would not come for a long while.

Just as Shirou was dressing up, he heard a sturdy knock on the door.

"Are you awake, Emiya? Our 'lord' here is getting a bit impatient."

"He won't have to wait for much longer."

"So you are awake, good. May I come in?"

"If you want to."

Rin opened the door and promptly entered Shirou's room, immediately staring at the hero.

"Had a bad dream, huh?" Shirou was impressed by Rin's ability to read him like an open book.

"And how did you know?"

"No offense, Emiya, but you aren't hard to read."

"Even for someone who last saw me a few years ago?"

"Yes, precisely. You look like you've seen a ghost. It doesn't take a genius." She wasn't entirely wrong…After all, who was Saber, if not a ghost of the past, both for Shirou and the world as a whole?

"It's nothing…" Shirou took a deep breath and stood up from his bed.

"If we weren't in a crisis, I would've recommended taking a break and some good rest, but…We know that's not an option."

Shirou has not taken any breaks for a long time now; he has become addicted to his lifestyle. It was his routine, the very core of his being, and taking even a little reprieve felt unnatural. Every minute he wasted, a person that he could've saved died out there. He could not stop this battle…

Soon, Rin and Shirou came to the living room, where Lord El-Melloi awaited them.

"Ah, you are just in time." The mage said as his eyes caught Emiya. "We have to act before the rest of the masters discover our plans."

"I'm ready when you are," Shirou said with an echo of enthusiasm. "What's our next step?"

"That's what I wanted to ask you. After all, I wasn't the one who saw two masters and servants on his way here. Rin gave me her account already; I would like to hear yours."

"Very well." Shirou nodded. "Saber's master was, as we all expected, Everec Kammerer, with Jeanne d'Arc as his servant. Strong and loyal, few could defeat her in an open duel. His goals seem straightforward, to raise his status and use Angra Mainyu to force the Association into submission."

"I see. My old teacher once entered the war with similar motives. And what are weaknesses?"

"They are not compatible as master and servant." Shirou hated calling honor or valor a weakness, but years of heroism taught him to think rationally and pragmatically. "Jeanne refuses to attack masters directly or resort to other dirty moves, and it caused Kammerer's temper to implode."

"Exactly," Rin added. "He makes rash decisions, like wasting his seal essentially for nothing."

"And what of Berserker's master?"

"A maniacal sadist who thrives on chaos. He called himself Iseri." Shirou said with disdain. He met a master like this and even called him a friend once, Shinji Matou. He once naively believed himself to be a good person at his core, but the grail war and the atrocities he committed in their own school showed his true colors. It was not until after his death that Shirou realized that there were countless warning signs he had ignored back in the day. This mage, however, was far more skilled than Shinji and thus more dangerous. "He wants to use Angra Mainyu to unleash destruction on the mages he feels wronged him and the entire world by extension."

"A murderous lone wolf…Not the worst contender." Waver concluded. "He likely won't ally with other masters and maybe even take some of the more politically charged ones out."

"But if he reaches Angra Mainyu, he might actually grant his wish," Shirou said sternly. "Not to mention all the chaos he will cause on his way to his goal, I won't ignore it!" Shirou spoke up and clenched his fist.

"I never suggested we do. Calm yourself." Waver responded commandingly.

"I told you pretty much everything you need to know of his servant," Rin added. "Hermes, Greek god, the messenger and lord of the wind. He would normally be an Assassin, but Iseri chose to make him a Berserker. I wonder how the Association is going to cover a string of tornados around Fuyuki."

"It's getting increasingly harder to cover the truth, all the more reason to stop this cycle," Waver concluded. "Either way, now we know of Berserker's master. That leaves three masters unaccounted for, and one of them is almost certainly Angela von Einzbern. Once we know of them all, the war will become simpler."

"But they are not our goal. The Grail is." Shirou said.

"Most of them are a threat to our task; we would inevitably have to deal with them. As we know, the Grail gets closer to the point of materialization with each dead servant, so we will have to focus on them, as well…"

Before Waver could continue, the assassin emerged from before the trio.

"Apologies for the interruption, but this cannot wait." He said and looked at Shirou. "There is a visitor at the door. She demands to see you, master. And she has the command seals."

…

By the time the trio came to the door, they were ready for an encounter. A master showing up at their door was an immediate danger, but between three mages and one servant, they could defeat a lone due…They should be able to. Shirou led the charge with Rin and Waver beside him and Hassan lurking in the shadows and slowly following them.

"I know someone formal enough to arrive directly at the door," Waver said in a curious tone. "If I'm right, perhaps we can talk this out."

Soon, they saw a short, European-looking woman with black hair and glasses. Her face seemed familiar to Shirou, but he couldn't quite identify her. Waver, on the other hand, got the clue immediately.

"Marianne Taylor…" He said quietly. Shirou knew this name, an esteemed member of the Association, the Lorekeeper, and the one Rin and Waver identified as a master before. "I never expected you to come to Japan to partake in what the Association considers a barbaric ritual."

"Times change, Lord El-Melloi the Second." The Lorekeeper said calmly. "I was chosen by the Grail this time. What excuse do you and Ms. Tohsaka have?"

"Easy," Rin interjected. "We are here to end this war and make sure no one wins the grail." She spoke threateningly while preparing a spell of fire. "If you make a single wrong move, I won't hesitate to strike!"

"I would not recommend that." Marianne shook her head. "Lancer!"

A tall, bulky figure materialized beside her. A strong man clad in golden armor, his threatening crimson eyes gazed over the trio, and a sturdy spear in his hand could tear any enemy apart.

"Romulus…" Waver whispered. "The founder of Rome. So that's who your servant is."

"What are your orders?" Romulus said in a cold voice as he looked at Marianne. "I shall obliterate those fools the moment you say the word."

"No need." Marianne shook her head. "I hope for a more civilized discussion…And it's not with the mages who seek to disrupt the war without a servant at their side. I came here to talk to you, Shirou Emiya."

"What do you want?" Shirou asked coldly.

"I know you are a master, a fitting role for a modern hero, and I congratulate you," Taylor spoke with admiration. "But I am concerned over your associations. Am I correct that you are fully aware of their intentions and that you support them?"

"I do."

"And what of your servant? Do they support this dedication?"

"They will fight to earn freedom from this cycle of bloodshed, I think it is a fitting rewards for both us and servants."

"With all due respect, I think your zeal is misplaced. You join with the radicals in an attempt to destroy something that has barely been studied. Mages from all over the world will do their best to utilize the Grail to make it worth saving. I seek the same thing, to find a way out of it that is not wasteful."

"I've seen what Grail can do, and that's enough for anyone to want to destroy it," Shirou said snappily. "There is nothing that will make me change my mind."

"I doubt that is the case." Marianne shook her head. "Otherwise, why would the grail choose you?"

"I…" Shirou paused. "The Grail has always made questionable choices in regards to masters; some of them can even be meaningless."

"Yet, in this case, there is a pattern. I received my seals the moment I argued to save the Grail before the Association. Angra Mainyu seeks to survive and picks those who can ensure its survival. It chose you for a reason." She made sense, as much as Shirou hated to admit it. Why would the Grail reject Waver and Rin but grant its seals to Shirou, the one who seeks the same thing? Did the Grail make a mistake, or did it know about Shirou's desires? He wanted to see Saber, to absolve himself of burden, and to finally be free from the dark, unseen force that was dragging him down. However, Shirou would never ask for it when dealing with a destructive power; he would never sacrifice others to save himself.

"The Grail chose wrong."

"Perhaps." Marianne sighed. "Whatever you do, Shirou Emiya, allow me to urge you to reconsider your current course. You think you are doing the right thing, but you are sabotaging the Association's work. I want to cleanse the Grail and use it to change the world for the better. That's why I came here because I believe that someone as heroic as you will understand taking this risk for the sake of thousands."

"Perhaps I would've…If only my parents did not burn in the flames of the Holy Grail. If only my adoptive father did not deteriorate because of the Grail's influence. If only I didn't see evil people command their power to bring chaos to my home. If only I didn't see a young girl turned into a weapon and a vessel, a sacrificial lamb for the Grail…If none of this happened, then I would consider stopping, maybe even siding with you. But that is not the life I led for years. And that is why I will never stop."

"I see…" Marianne took a deep breath. "It seems like we both have strong reasons to hold on to our beliefs. Have a good evening, Shirou Emiya. I'll leave you in peace this time. When we meet again, we will be enemies."