724AN: I own nothing! Just like last time, there are probably some mistakes here and there, as well as parts that may seem dull, but I'll fix them when I see them since I'm the type who rereads a chapter to look for mistakes or is unsatisfied with a part and then rewrite it. Fight Scenes aren't my strong point, so I leave what happens to your imaginations too. Please read and review :D
Chapter 3:
The First Night
Earlier that day... within the Castle of Yggdmillennia.
"Damn you Rider!" Berserker cried out.
"Ahahaha~!" Rider laughed. "There's no need to be such a sore loser Berserker~!"
Just like Rider had suggested, both he and Berserker had a singing contest between the two. Needless to say, Rider won by a landslide after receiving the votes of Fiore, Archer, and most of their homunculi audience. His opponent was not amused.
As a result of that, Berserker was now chasing Rider about within the castle with the intent to hit him hard.
"You only won because you're cute! Don't let it get to your head...!"
"Really? But I thought it was a fair judgement. Isn't that right everyone~?" Rider asked as they passed the homunculi who watched them. All nodded in agreement to his words much to Berserker's growing annoyance at her fellow pinkette.
"Geez, I feel like I'm watching a comedy show right now."
Caules sighed as he watched the chase unfold. Such carefree people his Servant and Rider were. Because they didn't have any real duties at the moment unlike Saber, Archer, and Caster, they were allowed such freedom.
That said, Rider had gotten his vote. There was no denying he had better singing abilities than Berserker did. Though, he secretly kept it to himself since most likely Berserker would throw a tantrum if he did.
"Now that I think about it, why are you so cute!? You're a man aren't you!?"
"Haha! Cuteness has nothing to do with gender~!"
Truer words had never been spoken before in that castle, something that all those who watched the ongoing chase agreed upon.
*CLANG*
Sparks flew as Saber fought against Lancer, an exchange of blows happened between their respective weapons, it was a clash only few in the world had the ability to keep up with.
"Saber...!" Jeanne called out as she moved to help him.
*WHOOSH*
She quickly stepped back in time as an arrow flew past her head. She glared at Archer who merely had a determined look on her face.
"I am you opponent!"
"Why you...!"
The two females began their own clash, and soon, began to draw themselves away from Saber and Lancer's own conflict. Although the former was worried about Jeanne being by herself, he knew she was a capable fighter on her own. And he couldn't allow himself to be distracted at the moment either.
*CLANG* *CLANG* *SLASH*
Parrying every single one of his opponents strikes with his invisible weapon, Lancer then swung his spear in a wide arc, causing Saber to jump back in order to avoid being hit. Lancer quickly moved, stopping just in front of where Saber would have landed and swung his spear once more.
*CLANG*
Saber quickly blocked as he was sent flying, hitting his back up against a tree. As he regained his footing, Lancer came up once more and swung his spear again, slicing the tree in half as Saber ducked. He needed to be careful. Somehow, Lancer's spear was imbued with flames each time he swung it.
The White Knight then seized his chance to retaliate, swinging his sword at his opponent. Each blow he made however was once again parried by the the latter, and the ones that actually did connect weren't causing any significant damage towards Lancer himself.
'What is this...? My attacks are connecting but they're not working...?'
*BAM*
"Argh!"
A powerful punch was directed at Saber's gut, causing the latter to flinch. Lancer then directed several more punches and kicks, each of which connected, before swinging his massive spear at Saber.
"Tch...!" In spite of his current state, Saber quickly reacted and swung his sword hard.
*CLANG*
The moment the two weapons clashed, a small shockwave was emitted that caused pieces of the surrounding area to fly. Lancer backed up after Saber parried his blow, the latter of which only stood his ground as he wiped away some blood that dripped slightly from his mouth.
"Hmm... I see now. You are of the Saber class, there's no doubt about it." Lancer muttered. The way the White Knight moved throughout their exchange, as well as judging from the way their weapons collided, his opponent was indeed a Saber. He could have also been a Rider-Class or perhaps Assassin-Class, but his movements and combat style just led Lancer to Saber instead.
He was also impressed that Saber was able stand up after being punched by him quite hard. Not many were able to do so, especially after a dozen hits.
"And what of it Lancer?" Saber replied. He was taken aback by how tough an opponent Lancer was. It just showed that the Son of the Sun God Surya was not one to be taken lightly. His knowledge of him was little, but it was enough for him to get a grasp of what his opponent could do.
"Nothing. It just means I now have an idea of how you will attack."
*CLANG*
Before Saber knew it, Lancer was in front of him and swung down massive spear upon him. He quickly reacted, blocking it with his sword. The force of the impact caused the ground beneath the White Knight to crack.
"Tch...!"
"...!"
*SLASH*
Suddenly, Lancer found himself being pushed back and another exchange of blows happened between the two.
Sword met spear as sparks flew from every clash between the two weapons. Lancer noted that for some reason Saber's attacks and speed had increased by a larger margin of what he was able to do before.
Earlier, he was on the defensive. But now though, Saber was somehow making a stand. His blows were heavier, faster, like somehow something was propelling them at incredibly fast rates in short bursts.
It was a technique that Lancer himself was all too familiar with, and at the moment, he couldn't use. Not yet anyway.
Saber on the other couldn't believe how strong his opponent was. He was both incredibly fast and strong, and none of his attacks seemed to be affecting him at all. Not one motion performed by Lancer was wasted, all were made to try and counter him, and it was working rather effectively.
By far, Karna was one of the strongest opponents he had ever faced. No one during his own life even came close.
*CLANG* *CLANG*
Both swung their weapons simultaneously at each other, creating a deadlock between the two as they stared each other down.
"You're quite good, Saber."
"And the same to you, Lancer."
Both had mutual smiles on their faces, a sign of their respect for one another.
*WHOOSH*
"...!"
Lancer felt a strong gust of wind release itself from Saber's invisible weapon, and quickly he was blown back by the sudden force. He regained his footing as soon as he landed on the ground, and he looked to see what just happened.
Saber's weapon was no longer invisible. It was shown in its full glory.
To describe it simply, it was a broadsword of ornate design. The blade was covered in a myriad of patterns with a halo-cross just near the hilt. Said hilt and as well as pommel were golden in appearance, strange markings were imprinted upon the former.
The moment he laid eyes on it, Lancer was able to identify the blade despite its origin. Any Heroic Spirit worth their existence would never mistake that weapon for anything else. It was something ingrained into their very being, both for the ones born in the past and those born in the future.
"I can no longer afford to hold back against you Lancer." Saber began. "As a Servant, I have sworn to protect my Master, the very person whom you and Archer are aiming to kill. I shall not stand by idly while you do so... thus, prepare yourself!"
With that, Saber charged. The Holy Sword Excalibur glistening under the moonlight while in his hands.
"Hah...!"
*SLASH*
Not too far from Saber and Lancer's own battle with one another, one more was occurring between Jeanne and Archer.
The blonde haired Saint sliced down every single arrow aimed at her vital spots. Archer was movements could be summed up as moving in circles, but at the rate she was doing it was simply something else entirely.
In line with her legend, Archer was very swift-footed. Even with her abilities, Jeanne couldn't truly compete with her speed and could only rely on her own instincts to guide her through their battle against one another.
And at such a close range, she couldn't afford to be careless. A few of Archer's shots had already grazed parts of her body, though none of said wounds were bleeding that much for some reason. Still, she could only increase her guard in response.
'Perhaps I should use my banner...? No, it's still too early use it like that.'
*SLASH*
She cut down several more incoming arrows, and it was at that point in time Archer spoke.
"What's the matter Ruler? Am I moving to fast for you?" She questioned her boastfully all the while maintaining the stoic expression on her face, and the blonde knight couldn't help but feel annoyed at that.
"You may goad me all you want Archer, but I will not fall for it." Jeanne calmly replied as she carefully watched Archer's movements.
It was at that moment, clarity struck her mind.
'There...!'
*SLASH*
"...!"
*CLANG*
Jeanne's sword made contact with Archer's bow and audible sound occurred as both bounced off each other, the former having taken the latter by surprise by suddenly appearing in her path without any warning.
"Hah...!"
She summoned her standard with her free hand, and aimed it towards Archer, the golden-haired female quickly twisting her body to avoid being stabbed as well as avoiding Jeanne's sword as she swung it.
"...!"
Archer raised her leg and tried kicking Jeanne in the face only for the latter to dodge by mere inches. Seeing this, Archer once more twisted her body, performing a roundhouse kick as the blonde raised her arms to shield herself.
She was forced back a small distance, and by the time Jeanne looked at Archer once more, she was already aiming several arrows at her simultaneously.
*SLASH* *SLASH* *SLASH*
Once more, she cut down Archer's assault. Though one got past her and grazed her cheek in the process. Blood now began flowing slightly on the right side of her face, though Jeanne wasn't too bothered by it.
The two stared each other down as they both took a moment to collect themselves from their brief exchange. Archer didn't know how, but from the way Jeanne had moved just now, it was like she was able to predict her actions.
'Hmm... perhaps I really should have taken point farther away from here.' She noted to herself, an idea that she had already entertained just before she and Lancer had encountered Ruler earlier. However, she was curious to see what kind of person would be summoned as Ruler, and she was also wondering whether or not she really was able to summon a Servant of her own. She could have done that from afar, but she wanted to see them both up close.
Jeanne on the other hand was thinking of new ways to deal with Archer. She was quite fast, and her combat and archery skills surpassed that of Robin Hood.
As was to be expected of the Chaste Huntress. Had it not been for her Revelation Skill, which allowed her to see somewhat into the future in a sense, Jeanne would have had a more difficult time with her.
"Hah...!"
Without any more delay, the two quickly resumed their bout.
*SLASH* *SLASH* *CLANG*
The sound of two metals colliding with one another echoed throughout the area as Saber and Lancer parried one another's attacks. Each one of their respective blows had a force that was strong enough to cause the Earth beneath them to start breaking apart as they moved.
"...!"
Lancer quickly moved before stopping right in front of Saber.
*CLANG*
Their weapons collided, metal skidding across each other.
*SLASH*
Saber raised his sword for a diagonal cut. However, Lancer's once again took his blow without any major damage. He quickly followed up with a second attack, only for his opponent to counter at that moment.
*CLANG*
Their respective attacks canceled each other out, which then caused to the two fall back momentarily.
'Curse it all... this is getting me nowhere.' Saber thought. 'Just what is with that armor? Is it truly granting him invincibility just like in his legend? There has to be a limit...'
The two then quickly charged against one another, trading blows with their weapons once more.
While doing so, Saber pondered on releasing the power of Excalibur against Lancer. Some of the conditions were already met, which meant he could now use a portion of its full abilities. Lancer was someone who was stronger than him, there was no denying that fact, satisfying the first condition. And the fight itself was a one-on-one bout, which satisfied the second condition which dictated that the battle must be honorable.
However, there was one problem to Saber's plan. With such close vicinity of the city, launching such an attack even at a lowered output could result in hundreds of innocent casualties, and he was not about to let his desire to win to overtake his own sense of morality.
"Saber!"
It was at that moment that he noticed Jeanne appearing with Archer on her tail. Both looked appeared to be fine aside from the occasional cut and dirtied up clothes.
"Do not run away!" The latter declared as she took aim with her bow.
"Grr...!"
*SLASH*
The young Saint cut down a slew of arrows heading her way. Before he knew it, Lancer turned away his attention from him and directed it towards Jeanne. Seeing this, Saber reacted as quickly as possible.
"Hah...!"
"...!"
*CLANG*
Using Mana Burst, he quickly overtook Lancer and swung his sword at him. The latter blocked said incoming strike from Saber and skidded across the ground. With this, Master and Servant stood with their backs to one another.
"Are you alright?" Jeanne asked telepathically in a concerned tone. It was an ability given to a Master and Servant to as to facilitate better communication between them, and Jeanne and Saber were no different in this regard.
"I could ask the same about you, Jeanne." The White Knight replied while eyeing the blood on Jeanne's cheek.
"Archer isn't making it easy. I suppose the same goes for you and Lancer, no?" She took a moment to glance at the weapon in Saber's hands.
The Holy Sword Excalibur, one of the finest blades to ever exist. For her to be able to lay eyes on it, there was no greater honor for her as a Heroic Spirit. Saber had also released Invisible Air, the Noble Phantasm which covered his sword in wind that allowed it to remain unseen. For him to do such a thing meant only one thing.
"To do battle against one such as Lancer... there are just no words to describe it. Had I not been quick enough, I would have died at least 17 different times."
If Saber was saying this, it only meant that her prediction about Lancer being dangerous beyond compare was true.
"Alright... I suppose that's enough games." Lancer spoke up as he took a stance. "I'm sorry Saber, as much as I enjoyed our battle with each other, I still must go through with my Master's orders."
Immediately, red flame like energy began surging from the spear in his hands, and both Knights realized that he was going to release his Noble Phantasm! And judging the amount of mana they could sense, it was something that was incredibly powerful.
"Stop it Lancer! Should you release something of that level here, then the people of this city will-!"
"I know. However, I must eliminate Ruler." He replied. There was no hesitation in his voice. He was going to go through of it regardless of what could happen.
"If that's the case...!"
There was only one response to such a situation, and that was to release his own Noble Phantasm. With that, Excalibur began glowing brightly, causing Archer to raise her bow and take aim at Saber.
"I won't let you...!"
Seeing the situation grow out of hand, Jeanne summoned her standard and held it with both hands as it too began glowing.
*SLASH*
"...!"
The four warriors all widened their eyes in shock as out of nowhere a fifth Servant appeared wielding a greatsword and struck Lancer hard, the latter of which reacted just in time and parried the blow with his spear. Said Servant was a tall male with long platinum-blonde hair that verged on being light grey. He wore ornate heavy armor over black clothing that for some reason exposed his chest that itself was covered by a glowing green sigil.
They all immediately realized that the one before them was a Servant, and Jeanne was quickly able to identify the man as one of the fourteen summoned to take part in the Holy Grail War of Trifas.
He was a Saber-Class Servant, and his identity was none other than Siegfried, the hero of the Nibelungenlied epic. A legendary dragon-slayer famed for his killing of the dragon known as Fafnir. He was a hero who could be compared to King Arthur in terms of fame within Europe and parts of the world.
*CLANG* *CLANG* *CLANG*
Following up his initial attack, the newcomer briefly traded blows with Lancer. One blow from the former was so strong that the moment his blade once more met with the latter's spear that Lancer was sent skidding against the ground, with the demigod never losing his stance despite that.
"I believe that is enough of this farce!"
It was then that a rather portly fellow with blonde hair and wearing a white outfit appeared right beside the new Servant. It was quite obvious to them all that he was the Master of the newcomer given the way he had appeared and presented himself. He also turned his eye towards Jeanne and Saber, specifically the former.
"I take it that you are Servant Ruler? And I also take it that man by your side to be the Servant that you have summoned for yourself?" He questioned, noting to himself that Ruler's Servant was most likely Saber-Class due to his weapon of choice.
There was something strange about said sword though, like it was something he should know about...
"Indeed we are. And you are?"
"An honor to meet you Ruler, I am Gordes Musik Yggdmillennia." He introduced himself before gesturing to the Servant beside him. "This is Saber of Black, my Servant."
Saber of Black nodded silently in acknowledgement of Ruler's presence before turning his attention back towards Lancer and Archer. Both Saber and Jeanne noted that he was someone of great power to be able to wield a sword powerful.
Gordes himself turned his attention towards the said Servants, giving them rather unpleasant looks.
"Vile Servants of Red...! You both would dare to attack the mediator of the Holy Grail War that was appointed by none other than the Grail itself!? Such audacity cannot be allowed to stand! Prepare for the retribution about that shall be wrought upon you by both Ruler and her Servant, as well as Saber himself!"
Both responded by merely raising their weapons as Gordes made his declaration. His words were not only an accusation, but also a proposal of cooperation towards Ruler. In his eyes, Lancer's Noble Phantasm could not be ignored. Working together with Ruler and her Servant was the most logical conclusion he came too at that moment.
Lancer's previous strike was most certainly aimed for the two of them, so it would only be natural that Ruler would accept his proposal...
...Or so he had assumed. The young Saint only narrowed her eyes after he spoke. While there was logic in cooperating with him, there was just too many unknowns at the moment for her to make a decision such as that.
The first was that as far as she knew, both Lancer and Archer were Servants who held no connection to the Grail or to her. While for some reason the Command Spells on her back were inactive at the moment, she still felt a connection to every single one of the Servants summoned through their connection to the grail.
However, those two lacked that same connection. She needed to know why. Were they actually rogue Servants just as she had been suspecting? Or was there more to it? And, working with the Black Faction, as Gordes called his Saber to be a part of, could be seen as breaking her neutral stance despite it being caused by Lancer and Archer.
Thus, there was only one conclusion she could arrive at as the mediator of the war... even if did go against her personal code of ethics, she must remain neutral until the situation became clear to her.
Before she decided to act however, she looked at Saber who noticed her gaze. He understood what she was trying to convey and then spoke telepathically.
"Whatever is your will, I shall follow you as your Servant."
Hearing this, she made her decision.
"I-"
Before she could even speak her mind, something unexpected happened.
*CRACKLE*
The loud sound of lightning echoed throughout the air as a bolt struck the ground that acted as the center between herself and Saber, Gordes and Saber of Black, and Lancer and Archer.
Looking up, she saw what had caused it.
"A chariot!?"
It was a flying chariot being pulled by two large bulls. It floated its way down to their level as the lightning bolts began to die out.
On said chariot was a man with a rather large build with red hair and a matching red mantle with fur trimming. Beside him stood a man wearing a suit with red scarf. He had long black hair, the expression on his face being rather stoic.
"All of you, sheathe your weapons. You are in the presence of a King!" The larger man began, smiling as he noticed that all were looking at him. "I am Iskandar, King of Conquerors. I also go by the name Rider of Red in this Grail War."
Performing such an entrance, those who witnessed looked on in shock at how brazenly Rider of Red had declared his identity to them. The man beside him, most likely his Master, was only sighing at this as though it was something he knew would happen.
"The King of Conquerors...?" Saber was honestly surprised to meet a famous figure and a fellow King like himself.
"Why is it that I feel a sense of deja vu?" Rider's Master muttered to himself while massaging his temple.
"You told me before that I did this once during our last partnership right? It's only natural for me to do it again!" Rider replied with a big smile as he turned his attention back towards the others. "I have been watching you all closely for a time now, and I feel I must declare this."
He looked directly at Gordes who flinched in response at Rider's stare. Saber of Black quickly stood in front of his Master just in case.
"You there! Don't you go accusing us of anything you hear me!?" Rider declared while pointing a finger at both Lancer and Archer. "Those two aren't part of our team, so don't go running your mouth unless you have your facts straight!"
The plump man was taken back by this. He was being accused of being a fool by a Servant of all things!
"Wait, you blew our cover for something like that?"
"We would have been found out sooner or later. Might as well make a big entrance right?" Rider smiled. "Besides, being accused of things we never even had part in wouldn't do us any favors with Ruler now won't it?"
While he said this, he glanced at Jeanne herself.
"Worthless little...! Do you honestly expect us to believe-!" Gordes began but was interrupted.
"No, I can most definitely vouch for Rider's statement." Jeanne spoke up as all turned to her. "As Ruler, I have an innate connection towards all Servants who have been summoned to participate in the Grail War of Trifas."
She glanced at her would be assassins, both of whom were looking more and more concerned with the current situation.
"However, both Lancer and Archer are Servants whom have no connection to me whatsoever. I suppose you all can understand that for what it means."
Gordes looked honestly surprised at that, as did Saber of Black along with Rider's Master.
"So what Kotomine said was true..." The latter muttered to himself. He would need to discuss this with the others later. Rider on the other hand had other thoughts as he gazed at Ruler.
"Speaking of which, greetings to you Ruler." He greeted and smiled at the young Saint. "I've heard good things about you. Mind joining my army once you're done with the Grail War? Someone of your nature can help inspire my troops."
Jeanne did not expect such a question, as did those around her except for Rider's master.
"It's an honor to meet you as well, King of Conquerors." She began. "However, I will have to decline on that offer. My role is only to ensure that this Holy Grail War is held correctly. Other than that, I have no wishes to be anything else other than who I am."
"Well that's too bad. Hey, you two! How about you both join my army?" Rider asked as he looked at Lancer and Archer, much to the astonishment of those around, most especially the two he had asked in the first place.
"Wait, what kind of logic is that!?" His companion quickly began. "First you declare that we're not with them, and now you're suggesting they join you!?"
"Well its not like I'm lying now is it? I mean after all, we weren't allied with them during their attack on Ruler." Rider casually explained. "I also happen to like them. They're both good, they'd make fine additions to my army!"
"Why am I not surprised?" The man sighed as Rider turned back to look at both Lancer and Archer.
"Well what do you say? Wanna join up with me?" He asked with a big smile, causing both to shake their heads at the situation presented before them.
"I refuse." Lancer was the first to respond. "I have already pledged my service to another, and I will not break that oath no matter the circumstances, King of Conquerors."
"I too refuse. Much like Lancer, I intend to keep the oath I've made as a Servant to fight alongside my Master." Archer stated.
It was then that the Chaste Huntress turned around and began walking, quickly catching the attention of her companion.
"Are you planning on abandoning the task we have been given, Archer?"
"We've already failed it." She replied as she turned to look at him. "At the moment, we're in the presence of four different Servants. We can't possibly complete it in the way our Masters would wish it to be finished."
For a few moments, Lancer remained silent as he contemplated Archer's words.
"Indeed, I suppose you do have a point." The massive spear in his hands dissipated as he began following Archer.
"Wait a minute the both of you!" Gordes began. "We're not done here-!"
"If you wish to follow us, then by all means." Lancer interrupted him with a stare, causing the portly man to freeze in place. "However, be sure that it shall be your final decision, for both you and your Saber will not be allowed to retreat afterwards."
With that, both of them jumped into the air and dissipated into spirit form soon after.
"Tch...! Of all the brazen audacity..." Gordes cursed. He was then reminded there was still another problem he had to deal with.
Both he and Saber of Black turned their full attention towards the Master and Servant duo of the Red Faction.
"Hmm? What is it? Do you two want to fight?" Rider said, noticing their stares. "Do you both honestly believe now is the time for that kind of nonsense?"
"Why not? We are enemies after all." Gordes replied as he looked at Rider's Master. "Waver Velvet, I know why you and your people are here. Just to make it clear now, none of you shall be laying a hand on the Greater Grail."
"Hmph. Arrogance doesn't serve any use for anyone Gordes Musik Yggdmillennia." Waver replied curtly.
"Hah! As if Alexander the Great can defeat my Saber! He was a King, not a warrior! He can't possibly defeat Saber of Black!" The former boasted.
"Hey, I'm standing right here." Rider complained before eyeing Saber of Black. "That said, how about you Saber of Black? Would you like to join us?"
Saber shook his head in response, causing the larger man to sigh in disappointment.
"Hahaha...! Do you truly plan on trying to recruit every Servant you see?"
A voice cut through the air as gold mist formed in the air and slowly descended down towards the ground. A man appeared from it wearing golden armor of ancient design and feel. On the back of his armor were two long swords. He had blonde hair swept back except of a single strand that dangled in his face and red eyes. He outfit gave a view of his muscular body.
Using her abilities, Jeanne tried identifying the man in front of them. She widened her eyes once she was finished. She could only stare at the golden-clad man in shock. She didn't think that someone as old and powerful as him would be summoned as a Servant!
"Hoh? You're a little late Goldie." Rider quipped. "And here I thought you were going to miss out on the fun."
"Fool, the only reason I've arrived as late as I did is because you and your Master left without even notifying us first." The man in gold replied, giving off an annoyed aura. "At any rate, the little girls, and that barbarian looking man are on their way towards that villa you spoke of. Though when they arrive is not much concern to me."
"I see. Thank you for the information Archer." Waver said in response. He was slightly wondering as to how Archer was able to so quickly catch up with them.
Archer of Red didn't reply as he then turned his attention fully towards Ruler, the blonde knight putting up her guard as he did so.
"Hmph. So you are Ruler?" He said in distaste, quickly identifying her as he stared her down.
While he admitted that she was quite a beauty, he could tell from one glance that she was someone of common background. That all the more made her existence as the Ruler-Class Servant to be quite insulting for him, the King, to acknowledge.
"Tell me, woman. Under whose authority do you act as Ruler?" Archer began.
"No one. I act only as a mediator for the Holy Grail War, to ensure that it be fought properly." Jeanne replied, not at all taken back by the Golden Servant's stare.
"Hoh? Is that right? Well then, tell me something. Do you know what it means to be a Ruler?"
"What it means...?" Jeanne muttered, somewhat confused at Archer's words.
"If you do not know what it means... perhaps I should show you!"
"...!?"
*CLANG*
Before Jeanne even noticed it, Saber stood in front of her and deflected an incoming projectile. She looked to see what said projectile was, and she saw a finely crafted blade instead of the arrow she had expected to see.
"Is that... a Noble Phantasm?" Gordes muttered to himself as he saw the weapon dissipate into air soon afterwards.
"Have you no shame, Archer?" Saber questioned as looked the one responsible. "Even if that blade was only meant to scare her, that's still no excuse to attack her."
"Hoh? You have good reflexes... and you even managed to guess my intent." Archer replied as he observed the sword in Saber's hands. "Hmm, that sword... it's not something I've seen before. Who are you? Something of that caliber, only a truly special being can ever hope to wield it."
It wasn't so much of a question that it was a demand. Nonetheless, Saber fully intended to reply.
"I am Arthur Pendragon, King of Britain. I am the Saber-Class Servant that Ruler has summoned."
All, save Archer of Red and Jeanne herself, looked on in slight awe but at the same time expected his answer. After all, who else could wield such as magnificent blade and use it quite efficiently? And there was only one sword in the world that he wielding, for no other could give off such a powerful sensation as it did.
"My, my, no wonder that sword looked familiar!" Rider whistled in honest surprise. "I never expected to meet the King of Knights here. This is quite the honor!"
"And the same holds for me as well, King of Conquerors." Saber nodded in acknowledgement of the larger man's presence. "Since you declared your identity, I felt that it would be shameful of me to hide my own should I be questioned."
"Indeed, indeed." Rider nodded. "No true King should be ashamed of their identity. It's as shame Goldie over here is so tight lipped about his though."
That caught Saber's attention. So the man in gold was also a King himself?
"Fool. I've already mentioned that you all should figure it out for yourselves." Archer replied with an annoyed look on his face. "What hope is there for fools if they continually must seek answers from others?"
"I suppose you have a point." Rider commented. "At any rate, sorry about Goldie over here. He's a little twitchy at the fact that there's a Ruler-Class Servant."
Jeanne nodded in understanding, though she gave Archer of Red a cautious look as she did so.
It was at that moment something came to mind, and the current situation presented her with the ability to bring it to fruition due to a Master from each faction standing before her.
"Twitchy!? He tried to attack her!" Gordes suddenly exclaimed. "As I thought, you members of the Red Faction cannot be trusted. I-!"
"Please wait a moment!" Jeanne called out as everyone stared at her, causing the blonde saint to flinch at the sudden attention.
"A-Ah right." She began, clearing her voice somewhat. "As the mediator of the Holy Grail War, I hereby declare a temporary ceasefire that shall begin from this moment onward until the next three days."
"What? Explain the meaning of this woman!" Archer demanded of the other blonde.
"There are several anomalies in the Holy Grail War that I have noticed since my summoning as Ruler." She began. "One of those anomalies were the two Servants that had left before you arrived Archer. You can ask Rider and his master for more information regarding that subject."
The golden-clad man looked at said duo for a moment before turning his attention back towards Ruler.
"I would like to have a day or two of investigation so that I may be able to ascertain the situation better before any battles between your two factions truly commence. I fear that there is more to this Holy Grail War than what I myself know, and I may need the aid of both factions should the occasion arise. Which is why I urge you all to remain civil for the time being."
"Very well." Waver replied as everyone looked at him. "Your reasoning is sound, as such we shall hold a ceasefire until then. Is that alright with you?"
He looked at Gordes as he spoke. The plump older man was starting to get weary of the events that were happening before him.
"I shall have to take this up with Darnic." He replied. "But I believe he will agree with the ceasefire Ruler has issued. We shall send a message to you should we agree to it. Come Saber, let us take our leave."
Saber of Black nodded, giving one last look towards all the other Servants, specifically his fellow Saber-class. The two exchanged nods at one another, the King of Knights giving his fellow class member a sign of his thanks for stepping in earlier. Soon afterwards, both men were gone.
"Alright then, I suppose that's settled." Waver commented.
"Tch! Spoiling my fun as a King... such insolence!" Archer muttered as he sheathed his blades. Just when he was getting quite excited about fighting for the first time since his summoning, his brief exchange of blows with Saber of Red not withstanding.
"I thank you for your understanding." Jeanne said as she walked up to Waver, holding out a hand. The man took it and they shook.
"Well I suppose a ceasefire isn't so bad. That amount of time, I could probably get the rest of the Black Servants to come work for me by then!" Rider thought aloud with a smile on his face, clearly dead serious with his plans.
"Were you born an idiot?" Archer couldn't help but state.
"Perhaps. But, it doesn't change the fact that I'm the King of Conquerors now does it?"
"Hmph. Foolishness." The golden-clad Servant stated as he began dissipating into spirit form. He exchanged one last look with Saber and Ruler just before he did though.
We're far from finished yet. Those where the words that came to mind when they looked back at him, the words that Archer was most likely thinking of himself.
"Well I suppose that wraps up our meeting for tonight." Rider began as held the reins of his chariot. He then gave one last look towards Jeanne and Saber himself.
"Though our meeting was somewhat short, I suppose it couldn't be helped." He said before he broke out a smile. "I hope our next meeting will be much more enjoyable, King of Knights, Saint of France. Farewell!"
With that, lightning burst forth as his chariot flew into the air.
Jeanne only smiled in response at his words. From the way Rider had spoke and bared himself, he was a man worthy of respect. Saber too had the same thoughts. He was curious to see what would happen with someone like the King of Conquerors being summoned as a Servant in the Grail War.
"I suppose we should be taking our leave as well?"
"Yes, let us-"
Jeanne suddenly fell forward leading to Saber catching her before she hit the ground. The armor she wore disappeared and in its place was the school uniform Jeanne wore as her civilian clothes.
"I see," Saber began as he realized what had happened. "Your body is already at its limit, isn't it?"
"I'm sorry. But fighting against Archer with Laeticia's body already tired out from travelling all day... this was the result." She muttered, her eyes barely open. She was pushing it quite closely during that fight.
"No need to apologize." The White Knight replied in a gentle tone. "Sleep for now, I will take care of the rest."
Jeanne dozed off at Saber's words, leaning closer into him. With her like this, he noted that she really did look different. She didn't look like the proud and dignified Saint who took up arms in order to defend her country against foreign invaders, but the young maiden that she was before all that.
Carrying her piggyback style, he thought aloud his next move.
"Now then... to find somewhere to stay for the night."
"Hmm... how interesting."
A woman spoke as she watched the events of that night unfold through a crystal ball. She wore a black and purple dress that was mostly concealed by the black hooded cloak that she wore.
"Did something happen Master?"
A young boy questioned as he appeared beside her. He had orange hair and blue eyes, and he wore an outfit that signified his membership to the Yggdmillennia clan, otherwise known as the Black Faction. The only difference between his outfit and the rest was that he wore shorts instead of pants.
His name was Roche Frain, and the woman beside him was none other than Caster of Black.
"No, no, nothing has happened." She replied before giving him an amused smile. "And what have I told you about calling me Master? I am your Servant after all. Call me Teacher instead, it's much more appropriate."
"Ahaha, I'm sorry. It was force of habit." Roche smiled in response while scratching the back of his head. "So what exactly did you see Teacher? Was it something good?"
"Perhaps. It's quite too early to say at the moment." Caster replied as she turned around and began walking. "Come, we have to finish preparations before our enemies decide to come and strike at us here."
"Yes!"
Her master spoke with joyful enthusiasm, which was not that surprising considering that he was a child of about twelve years old. She was also grateful that she wasn't summoned by someone of lesser character, and with the allies she had as a member of the Black Faction, perhaps her wish could come true.
'Still... to think she would appear.'
What surprised her tonight was the appearance of Archer. She hadn't expected to see her, much less as an outsider of the grail war. She also took note of both Ruler and Saber, the latter in particular interesting her due to his identity. If she could Archer and him to fight on their side, then perhaps...
No, now wasn't really the time to distract herself with such thoughts. She had other duties to fulfill, and that was to create a solid defense for their castle.
With that, Servant of Magic continued with her tasks.
"So this is going to be our base of operations for the time being?"
Kairi questioned as he, along with Reines, Gray, Saber, and Lancer, stood in front of a rather luxurious villa on a side of a mountain, having just arrived there that night. Waver and Rider had gone on ahead to Trifas without warning to do a little reconnaissance, leaving them a note on where to meet up, with Archer having apparently chased after them on his own much to Reines' annoyance.
If Kairi had one thing to say regarding such places, it was that he felt like a sitting duck. He much preferred simple homes and caves for that matter.
"Does that trouble you Mr. Shishigou? This is a villa my family had taken off the hands of a Magus who had been indebted many years ago. Though the building is old, the magecraft that protects it should still be working even to this day." Reines said.
"No, it's not that really that at all. I just feel like we're a little exposed where we are." He replied as he pointed to the Yggdmillennia Castle in the far distance. While at this range one wouldn't be able to make out any of the people living there, a Servant could easily do so. However, it was mitigated slightly by the trees that covered them as well as the boundary field that was set up.
"And why would you say that we're exposed?" The blonde girl questioned, gesturing to said features that Kairi had just noted down himself.
"Well I once knew a guy who could easily bypass any of these defenses from a distance." He began. "I don't know if he's dead or alive, but if he was here, anybody who didn't know about him would be easy pickings."
"Oh? How would he go about it?"
"He'd probably get something like a rocket launcher and just blow the cap of the mountain. After all, boundary fields are more in line to protect against magic, not against nature itself." Kairi replied.
"A rocket launcher? You mean he's not a mage?"
"Oh no, he's definitely a mage. He's just more like a mercenary like myself." He once again replied. "Anyhow, that's something that's in the past. Too long to talk about without a drink in my hand."
Reines gave him a look before heading into the villa, and both the other two Masters were about to do the same when suddenly...
"I feel like doing a little exercising." Lancer muttered to himself as he began stretching. "Say Saber, to pass the time, why don't we spar a little?"
"And what would be the point of that?" Saber replied in an annoyed tone.
"Come on, don't be so cold." The green-haired spearsman said with a smile. "After all, you can't honestly tell me with a straight face that you're not the least bit bored doing basically nothing all this time."
A few moments of silence passed as Saber contemplated his words.
"Fine, have it your way." She replied, before glaring at him suddenly. "However, if you hold back on me because you see me as a woman, I will hurt you."
'Whoa, such a dangerous stare.' Lancer flinched comically, his male senses telling him she was completely serious. "I swear on my good word that I won't."
With that, both began walking into the forest to find a decent spot for a spar. They both stopped in their tracks when suddenly...
"Oi, don't just go on making decisions on your own!" Kairi exclaimed while pointing a finger to himself and Gray. "What happened to asking for our permissions first?"
"Ah, that's right." Lancer spoke up in realization. "Say Master, can we spar?"
"You may, but please don't go on ahead and try to kill each other." Gray spoke quietly before heading into the villa. Kairi could only stare at the girl's back incredulously as Saber and Lancer went on their way, the former not even asking Kairi for his permission. Only giving him a look which only made him nod.
"Christ, some people..." He muttered to himself as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"Ah, Shishigou."
The sound of lightning and thunder in the air and as well as his own name being called out caused said man to look up into the sky to see Rider and Waver riding on a chariot being pulled by two bulls, which itself descended on to the ground.
"El-Melloi, you're back sooner than I thought." The necromancer said. "Something happened?"
It was at that time Archer appeared in physical form with both his arms crossed and with a rather sour look on his face. He walked past Kairi, heading straight for the inside of the building. Kairi could only wonder what would cause him to have such a look on his face.
"What's the deal with him?"
"A lot happened." Waver replied as he got off. "Where are the others?"
"That blonde kid and that girl you call your apprentice are inside the villa. Saber and Lancer went sparring in the woods. And that Kotomine kid and Assassin took off somewhere else for some reason. He said that they would be bringing a trump card to the city."
"A trump card? And that would be?" Rider spoke up, honestly curious.
"No clue." Kairi replied to the giant man who looked disappointed. "And now that we're by ourselves, I gotta be honest. I don't trust him that much, everything about him just screams wrong to me."
If he had to be honest with himself, if the kid was the one leading them, he would have had second thoughts about joining up with the group.
"Believe me, I have my suspicions of him as well." Waver nodded in agreement as he crossed his arms. "But for now, he hasn't actually done anything. Let's just keep him at arms length for the time being."
"You mind if that arm be my shotgun?" The sunglasses wearing man smirked.
"By all means, go right ahead."
"Hmm... I didn't expect for Saber of Black and Rider of Red to interfere."
Inside a room sitting on a chair was Shirou Kotomine. Beside him was Assassin, standing near him with both hands on his shoulders.
"See? Did I not say that sending Lancer after Ruler instead of Archer and Berserker that day would have been more ideal? Now we don't even have the element of surprise regarding both him and Archer." She said.
"It's already too late to wallow in the past, but I see your point." Shirou replied.
"Now, what do you plan on doing next? With a ceasefire declared, we won't be able to do anything for the next three days." Assassin inquired as she leveled her head near his, all the while directing a smile at him.
"Just like before. Wait and see what happens. Another opportunity will rise once more, that much I can assure you." He said as he stood up. "Let us check on Berserker and Caster shall we? We can plan our next move then."
"Ugh, that mad writer?" Assassin groaned while crossing her arms, a frown appearing on her beautiful face. "How is it that man came to be considered a Heroic Spirit is beyond me. He's nothing more than a raving lunatic who thinks every person around him is a character in a story!"
"Hehe, I suppose that's part of his charm isn't it?"
"Why anyone would even want him as a Servant..." Assassin began as they both left the room together.
The next day...
"Ugh..."
Sitting up slowly, Jeanne awoke from her slumber as rays of sunlight shined down upon her face. She felt quite rested, especially after the events of last night, her wounds now having healed.
Looking around, she noticed that she was on a bed inside a room made up of wooden furnishings. She also noticed that Laeticia's bag was in the corner, laid out on a small desk. She noted to herself that most likely Saber retrieved it for her. She would have to thank him for that later.
Getting up, she put on her shoes and walked out of the room and into a hallway. There she came across someone.
"Ah, it looks like you're finally awake."
It was an elderly woman wearing a nun's habit. She had a kind expression on her face as she smiled at Jeanne.
"I am Alma Petresia, I am a sister of this church." She introduced herself. "You were asleep when your friend came by with you on his back seeking shelter last night."
"Oh my, my apologies for intruding on you like this." Jeanne bowed her head.
"Now, now, God teaches us that we must show kindness to those in need. Isn't that right dear?"
"Yes, I suppose it is indeed." The blonde haired girl smiled in response.
"Besides, your companion was kind enough to help us out this morning."
"Help out?"
"Ah, it's good to see you awake Jeanne."
"Saber...?"
Jeanne and the sister walked towards a room in the church which contained a dining table and a kitchen in one part. There, she saw her Servant wearing his casual clothes sans his black longcoat. In its place instead was an apron of all things.
On said table was an array of food ready to be eaten. A few other members of that church were already seated and ready to eat.
"Saber? I thought your name was Arthur?" The sister questioned.
"Ahaha, it's just a nickname that stuck." Saber replied while smiling. "I happen to be quite good with a sword you see, and that's why I'm called Saber."
"Ah, that makes sense."
Later, all were now seating around the table. The sister called for a short prayer, to which everyone participated in. Afterwards, they began eating.
That is, all except Jeanne. The girl couldn't help but stare somewhat at her breakfast for that day, as well as the meals the others also had, and then looking back and forth between said meals and Saber.
"Hmm? Is something the matter?" He asked, noticing the looks she had been giving him.
"Eh? Ah...! Nothing is wrong. I'm just surprised that's all." She began, embarrassed at being caught. "Saber, you can cook?"
The young Saint was honestly and completely surprised by this fact. Never had she expected King Arthur to know how to cook a meal during the 21st Century.
"Somewhat. My father and brother didn't know how to cook at all, leaving me as the responsible one in our family after mother passed on." Saber replied as he began reminiscing somewhat before turning his attention back towards Jeanne. "And in order to compensate for our stay here, I offered to help out in anyway. The cook for the day was sick, so I volunteered."
"Besides, thanks to the knowledge given to us by the Grail, I'm know enough on how to make a healthy meal by modern day standards." He telepathically added.
"I see." Jeanne nodded in response. That seemed logical enough, and the two men Saber was talking in his family were most likely Sir Ector and Sir Kay, his foster father and brother respectively. She was curious to learn more about them, but decided to drop the subject for now as she took a bite.
She froze when she did however.
"My, my, Arthur, this isn't half-bad." Sister Petresia commented. "For someone who says he hasn't cooked a meal for years now, you've managed to retain some of your skill. This is even better than what Francis usually makes."
"Not at all. I only followed the notes I found in one of your recipe books. It's easy to understand if one knows what they're doing."
Saber replied in a humble tone for it was true. While he knew how to cook, he would be the first to admit that he wasn't good, a result of following through with the idea of "quantity over quality" from his time. However, thanks to the cook book owned by the church, he was able to learn more about the topic and improve himself, resulting in what he considered a good meal. A sentiment shared by the others by the looks of it.
Unbeknownst to him, his Master on the other hand couldn't help but sulk for some reason as she continued to eat. Something inside her felt like it was defeated, and she wasn't even sure if said feeling came from either her or Laeticia!
"Ah, this is so much better than sleeping inside a cave."
Saber of Red sighed in relaxation as she lazily laid on the bed inside the room where she and her Master stayed.
"That Lancer, what is he made of?"
Her thoughts went back to last night during her spar with Lancer of Red. Despite giving it her best, almost none of her attacks made him flinch even a bit. She found it insulting to say the least, especially since during that time the green-haired spearsman had a mocking smile on his face while they fought.
Once their enemies were defeated, she'd turn her attention towards him first after she settled her business with the Golden Archer.
"Now that I think about it, where is Master?"
Heading out, she walked throughout the villa. Since it wasn't that big, she was easily able memorize which rooms were what and who they belonged to.
Saber kept walking, to which she then came across another room. It was at that point she sensed the presence of her Master inside. Satisfied at having found him, she reached out to the doorknob.
"Hey Master, I-"
"You're kidding me... You mean to actually tell me that Ruler's Servant is King Arthur himself?"
Saber of Red froze as she heard her Master speak aloud a name she was all too familiar with.
"Lord Darnic."
Darnic looked up from his desk as female homunculus stood at the door to his office.
"What is it?" He questioned.
"The Master of Assassin has arrived." She replied. "He is waiting just outside the door."
"Ah, bring him in."
The female homunculus did as told and opened the door. At that, a young man entered the room wearing what looked to be a brown Japanese school uniform for some reason. He had black hair and eyes, and he also wore square-framed glasses.
"It's about time you finally arrived Julian, I was expecting you to have been here yesterday."
"My apologies." Julian replied. "My flight was delayed."
"No matter then." Darnic said as he walked over to the teen. "And your Servant?"
At that, several figures appeared inside the room. All of them wore black clothing and had black skin, and all of them wore somewhat identical skull masks. They all had the presence of a Servant.
"Ah, Hassan-I-Sabbah, or rather, the Hundred Face Hassan." Darnic smiled. "With this, the Servants of Black are now together at last."
While Darnic was quite pleased with Assassin's arrival, he didn't notice the look that Julian gave him.
'Indeed. With this, we are one step closer to our goal...'
END
Author's Notes:
With that, the first night of the Holy Grail War is done. Once again, I've already said that I'm not good at fight scenes, so I leave the rest for you guys to imagine.
Just in case some of you guys are wondering why Proto-Saber can cook, there's a good reason for that. During my free time looking into Fate/Prototype, I've come across several official images, I think, that for some reason depict Arthur wearing an apron and armed with a spatula or a frying pan. And if memory serves right, in F/P: Fragments, I read a summary of a chapter which says that Proto-Saber can cook. So, knowing that, I took it from there and included it here.
And I also decided to put a bit of Emiya Shirou in him too (Especially since Arthur is more like Shirou than Altria to begin with) in that he's kinda good in the kitchen, mostly thanks to learning a bit more about it, unlike the F/P: Fragments novels where apparently it's only "meh" or something. Well, it's a least better than Altria who does nothing but freeload off Shirou in F/HA XP. That said, I won't make Arthur a "food god" that so many authors end up doing Emiya Shirou that it's not even funny.
Anyway, Iskandar's entrance in this chapter was more or less inspired/taken from his F/Z intro to Saber and Lancer. In F/A, Siegfried and Karna fought each other from night until the sun came up, but here they only traded a few blows, and this time Atalanta joined in on the fun.
That's it for now. Please review :D