Prologue

Fate/Twilight

Prologue: The Summons

"Okay, just a little bit more...there, perfect." Twilight Sparkle grinned eagerly as she looked down at the latest product of her research. The floor of basement laboratory of her library home was clear of clutter. All of Twilight's usual instruments and lab equipment had been pushed to the sides of the chamber to make room for the impressive circle that now filled the center of the room. Taking a moment, the lavender unicorn checked her work over, carefully going over the arrangement of runes and glyphs, looking for any sign of error. If she was going to try this potentially risky procedure, she wanted to make sure that everything was perfect.

From his position near the stairs leading up to the library, Spike looked up from a thick book and inspected the circle from his angle. "Everything looks set from here," said Spike, "Are you really sure you want to test this on yourself first?"

"Oh, Spike, you worry too much," said Twilight, humming cheerfully as she came over to inspect the book herself. Everything was lining up with her calculations so far, but she wanted to be doubly sure before she fired up the array.

Spike was only slightly reassured by Twilight's placating comment. When it came to trying out new kinds of magic, she tended to rush forward with an eagerness and, dare he say, recklessness that would have been more fit for a certain rainbow-maned pegasus of their mutual acquaintance. He was even more concerned because personal experience had taught both of them that there was a difference between working magic out on paper in the form of careful calculation and theorizing and actually shaping that energy with one's will. The fact that this spell necessitated a physical array to act as a device in addition to Twilight's own horn did not put the little dragon's mind any more at ease. This was unfamiliar territory to them both.

Spike turned his nervous gaze to the circle itself. He did have to admit that the elegant curves and angles that filled it made the entire construct a thing of beauty. But he wasn't sure that Twilight was ready to try her newfangled long-range teleportation spell. It was all very simple according to the theory. Twilight was something of a master of teleportation magic already, even if she did occasionally forget to use it during important moments. It was an advanced application of magic that few unicorns were able to master. Even then, using teleportation for anything other than relatively short distances was virtually impossible. Even Twilight Sparkle, possibly the most powerful unicorn in Equestria and Princess Celestia's personal student had a maximum range of a couple of miles at most. Anything more than that was beyond the reach of even the most powerful ponies. Even the Princesses Celestia and Luna didn't use teleportation for anything more than short hops.

But after who knows how many months of research, Twilight had apparently found an answer to the problem. She had done so by practically redefining the concept of space. Spike didn't fully understand all of the terminology that his adopted older sister had used in her explanation, but he got the basic gist of it. Basically, Twilight's new spell would use the circle that would open a door of sorts into a separate space that, in some way, was equidistant to all other points of space and then travel from there to her destination. According to this theory, teleporting from Canterlot to Manehatten would have the same demands on the spellcaster's energy as teleporting from one end of Ponyville to the other. In theory, it was brilliant. But Spike was terrified of all the possible ways that this spell could go wrong. To be able to exit the other-space accessed by this spell, one needed to have exact knowledge of the coordinates of the intended destination. At one point, Twilight had mentioned some mumbo-jumbo about "11th-dimensional calculus" or some such thing.

Fortunately, Twilight's solution to such difficult calculations had been elegant in its simplicity. By creating a second circle at her intended destination beforehand, all Twilight had to do was use the spell to link the two circles and she would appear in the preset location without having to do the slightest bit of extra work. For the purposes of this experiment, the destination circle for her spell had been inscribed in Princess Celestia's private study, where the Princess was eagerly awaiting the arrival of her student. If this spell worked, then similar circles could be established across the width and breadth of Equestria, allowing for the movement of ponies and goods across the country instantaneously where previously, such journeys would have taken days at best, or even weeks. Twilight Sparkle's research would revolutionize long-distance travel for ponies everywhere.

That reason, the fact that his beloved caretaker's name would be entered into the history books for some reason other than just having the luck to be Princess Celestia's personal student or being the Bearer of the Element of Magic, was why Spike was keeping his fears in check. While both of those distinctions were important, Twilight had never truly felt that she had actually earned either, feeling that some amount of predestination had factored into her obtaining both those honors, prestigious as they were. But here was something that Twilight had created through her own efforts, the product of her studying, all the sweat, blood and tears, something that was truly her creation and hers alone. Spike just wasn't sure if he was ready to let Twilight take that risk.

"Okay then, it's all set," said Twilight, moving to the center of the circle. Technically, she didn't need to be in the circle to activate the spell. All she had to do was channel her prana into the circle itself, with minor adjustments to set the destination, and the spell would activate on its own. This way, a moderately talented unicorn could send objects or even other ponies to different destinations. That was what made this spell so potentially useful. But since she was sending herself, Twilight stood in the center of the circle as she prepared to activate the spell.

"Are you absolutely sure about this, Twilight?" asked Spike again, for good measure, "I mean, shouldn't we test it on an inanimate object before you try this spell on yourself, and then maybe on a small rodent of some kind for good measure."

To his surprise, Twilight broke out laughing. "Oh Spike, I didn't know you were worried about that," she said after a moment, "The Princess and I already ran those tests."

"Really?" asked Spike, raising an eyebrow and wondering when this had happened.

"Yeah. But you weren't here fore either of them. You were on that date with Sweetie Belle when I tested the spell on Mrs. Smartypants."

"Huh? And it worked?"

Twilight nodded. "Yep. And then Fluttershy let me test it on Angel Bunny."

That made Spike's eyes widen. "She let you do that?"

Twilight nodded again.

"And it worked?"

Another nod.

"When the heck was this?"

A grinning smirk graced the lavender unicorn's face. "That was while you were on your date with Apple Bloom you little Casanova you."

Spike's face flushed. "You uh...you knew about that, huh?"

Twilight's eyes narrowed. "That's right, so you'd better watch your step. If you break either of their hearts, I'll let Rarity or Applejack, whoever's sister it turns out to be, handle your punishment."

The little dragon gulped nervously at the prospect. "Um, okay.". He felt it wasn't the time or place to tell Twilight that he had been out with Scootaloo too. In actuality, dating all three of them in turn had been the Cutie Mark Crusaders' idea. But that was neither here nor there. So he decided to change the subject.

"Were there any problems with Angel Bunny?"

Twilight shook her head. "Nope. Fluttershy gave him a clean bill of health so I approved the spell for pony testing."

Again, Spike gulped nervously. "Okay then. Good luck." Hesitating for a second, he jumped down from his step and ran across the floor to Twioight and threw his arms around her neck in a tight hug. Twilight blinked in surprise before leaning down to return the embrace. "Be careful," he whispered.

Twilight smiled, "I will."

"Okay then," said Spike, slowly backing out of the circle, "Go and make Equestrian history...again."

"You've got it Spike." Twilight's horn began to glow. Beneath her hooves, the runes and lines of her magical array began to shine as she poured her prana into the circle itself. She could feel space beginning to distort and shift around her. Then, the library was gone.

Twilight's senses couldn't process what was happening, which was fine. For better or for worse, the spell had been cast and the rest of it was out of her hooves. All she could tell was that she had no idea of where or when she was. She couldn't be certain how long she would be in this space or that she could be appropriately cognizant of the passage of time itself. She just had to put her faith in the fact that she would end up where she was supposed to.

There...she could feel the distortion around her again. This must be the second part of the spell, she thought as the the feeling of the warping fabric of reality enclosed her once again. Then she heard it.

"A foundation of iron and silver.
Gem and the archduke of contracts are the cornerstone.
And above them is the great master Schweinorg."

Twilight blinked, wondering what this was. It was a low chant that was thundering through the void, as though being spoken by many voices across many times. Now the distortion of reality around her was changing. In her eyes, she could see the beginnings of her arrival in Princess Celestia's study. She could even barely make out the shape of the princess amongst the mystic energies that swirled between them.

"The alighted wind becomes a wall,
The gates of the four directions close,
The three-forked road leading to the the kingdom bursts forth from the crown."

Twilight felt panic rising in her gut. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. Even as she felt her own spell nearing completion, ready to deposit her in the study, she felt something else grabbing at her being and pulling her back. Twilight could make out the expression on Celestia's face and see the worry in her eyes. Neither of them understood what was happening.

"Shut shut shut shut shut.
It is repeated five times.
Once filled, is shattered."

The world was fading now. Twilight couldn't see her mentor at all. She was being pulled back to that space outside of space. And she knew she wouldn't be able to return. She opened her mouth to scream.

"I hereby announce,
Your soul is under me and my fate rests on your sword.
In accordance with the Holy Grail, if you abide by this feeling, this reason, then answer."

The chanting was growing louder and louder. Twilight Sparkle knew that she was getting closer and closer to the source. And she dreaded finding out just what that source would be.

"This is my oath. I am the one who embodies all that is good in creation,
And I shall become the sword that destroys all that is evil.
You who hails from the seven heavens and clad in the three great words,
Come forth and heed my call, GUARDIAN OF THE SCALES!"

And Twilight's world was engulfed by brilliant light. With a loud thud, she found herself dumped unceremoniously on the hard ground...or was it a floor of some kind? She shook her head to clear it as she tried to get her bearings. After that overwhelming assault on her senses, she suddenly realized that everything was very dark and very quiet. Oh no! I haven't gone blind and deaf have I?

Then she realized that she was neither. It was simply dark around her. As her eyes began to adjust, she even began to pick out details of the world around her. For the most part though, everything was slightly obscured by some sort of mist that was probably a result of the spell that had brought her here...if indeed it was a spell. She was in a room of some kind, but all the lights were out. In the distance, she could hear faint rumbling noises, different from that of thunder. Looking around, she could spot all the usual accoutrements of a living space, a lamp here, a table there, a couple of couches. Twilight stood up unsteadily to get a better look around and felt something wet and slick under her hooves. Looking down, she saw a circle that was virtually identical to the one she had devised for her spell. It had apparently been inscribed with some kind of dark liquid, which was now running slightly.

Looking up, Twilight suddenly noticed an unfamiliar figure looming over her. Whatever it was that stood before her, it was clearly no pony. Aside from Spike and the diamond dogs that she and the others had encountered once, she knew of precious few creatures that stood up on their hind legs. He was dressed in strange garments. Where they didn't cover his form, she noticed bare skin with only the slightest suggestion of a coat of fur. Its forelimbs ended not in hooves, but in strange spider-like appendages consisting of a central appendage and five smaller appendages spreading out from it. Aside from that, she couldn't make out any other particular details of the creature in this low light.

And then...it spoke. "Well, this is unexpected."

"Hmm. Shut shut shut shut. It is repeated four times...oops, five times. Let's see...Shut shut shut shut shut. There we go."

The young, red-haired man finished his work drawing the circle with blood. He had had difficulty the other times he had tried this. The other times, his attempts to get a perfect circle had resulted in him running out of blood before he could finish. Therefore, this time, he decided to kill a little extra to make sure that he had enough. Standing back, Uryu Ryunosuke admired his handiwork.

Turning, he smiled as he surveyed the living room. It had been easy to sneak into the house and murder three people in their sleep. But there were four people in the house, which was perfect, as he wanted at least one other person alive. His eyes came to rest on the television in the living room, which he had turned on to kill his boredom while he worked on the tedious task of drawing the circle. An amused grin came across his face as he saw that the news was talking about him again. The infamous Fuyuki City Serial Killer. Ryunosuke had to keep himself from chuckling as he thought about that.

Continuing his survey of the room, his eyes settled on the sole other living occupant. A small, grade-school aged by lay in the corner, bound and gagged. The perfect offering. Smiling, Ryunosuke made his way over to the boy.

"Hey, do you believe in demons?"

The boy didn't answer, couldn't answer, as he was gagged. That suited Ryunosuke just fine. "You know, the people on the news keep calling me a demon, but that's kind of silly. I mean, a stick of dynamite could kill more people at one time than I could."

He paused and tilted his head slightly before returning to his usual grinning self. "Nah, that's all right. I don't actually mind being called a demon." Lunging forward suddenly, he put his grinning face mere inches from that of the terrified child. "'Sup? I'm Uryu Ryunosuke and I'm a demon. How's that for an introduction?"

Standing back up, Ryunosuke continued to beam down at the child. "I'm trying to find out if demons are real or not. Anyway, if this works and a real demon comes out of that thing..." Ryunosuke lifted his hand in a gesture of supplication, as though he were asking a favor of a good friend. "...Let him eat you, okay."

Naturally, this did not go over well with the child. Even with the gag over his mouth, he shrieked with all his strength and struggled against his bonds. It was futile, of course, but his mind was driven by little more than pure panic. Meanwhile, Ryunosuke was dancing around with glee.

"I wonder how a demon would kill. What would it be like? Oh this is gonna be so cool!...Ow!"

The pain flaring up from Ryunosuke's hand prompted him to look down. He saw the formation of a strange pattern on the back of his hand. At the same time, he felt something cold slip between his ribs. "Eh?"

"If you're so eager to meet a demon, then why don't you go to Hell and see for yourself whether they exist or not." The strange voice barely registered to Ryunosuke. Right now, his attention was taken up by a simple knife, one that might be found in any kitchen and was probably plucked from the kitchen of this very house, that had been thrust through his ribs and straight into his heart. The burning feeling on his hand subsided and the pattern faded, as did all other feelings.

"Huh?" The confused serial killer toppled over.

The child's wide eyes gazed up at the figure in a mix of confusion and terror. The man standing over him was considerably older than Ryunosuke. His wavy hair would have been dark brown, had the lights been on. Dressed in simple clothes, he was the kind of person who would be unnoticed walking along the street. He looked down at the boy with disinterested eyes.

"Seems you got lucky," the man observed blandly. He knelt down. The child tried to recoil but was unable to. The man reached out and slowly began to undo the child's bonds. "Are you able to stand?"

The confused boy nodded and slowly got to his feet. The man nodded down at him. "Wait for a moment and I'll call the police." The man moved to reach for the phone but stopped short as a burning pain flared up from the out reaching hand.

"What? No! Why?" Looking down, he saw a pattern burning itself onto the back of his hand, looking like a simply drawn eye.

"Is it because I interrupted the summoning?" The man turned to regard the circle, just in time to see it flair with light. A gust of wind swept the room, knocking over objects and knocking loose the television, causing it to turn off. The boy recoiled from the sight in fear while the man looked on, his face colored by a mixture of confusion, curiosity and despair.

The sound of something heavy dropping on the floor echoed through the room. For a moment, a cloud of steam and mist filled the air, obscuring what had appeared in the circle. His curiosity overcoming him, the man stepped closer to the circle and looked through the steam to try and get a glimpse of what had appeared, while the boy cowered as far away as he could. Finally, the clouds cleared enough to reveal that in the center of the circle was...a small, purple pony?

The pony (it looked maybe like some kind of unicorn) lifted its head up to gaze back up at the man. It's expression was much easier to read than any earthborn equine, easily revealing that the pony was just as confused as he was. For a moment, the two of them simply stared at each other. The man could only find one thing to say. "Well, this is unexpected. Welcome little one, to the Holy Grail War."

And so begins my great crossover between MLP:FIM and Fate/Zero. May Celestia have mercy on my soul. This is more in the spirit of a preview than anything else that I decided to get off my chest. I probably won't be updating much at first as I want to get further along on my other story before I really get cracking on this one. Also, I still need to map put the plot of this story a little more. I know how I want it to end, but I'm still working on how to get there. This is mainly because Twilight is, of course, replacing the original Fate/Zero Caster, who was the main source of conflict for the better part of the series. I have some idea. Of what I want to do, but like I said, working out the details is gonna take some time. So I hope that this whets your appetite and you can all hold on long enough for me to put sme work into figuring this out. Enjoy.

Difficulty Understanding

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Chapter 1: Difficulty Understanding

This is...inconvenient. This was the thought at the foremost of the mind of Aaron Styx as he stared down at the unusual creature standing in the center of the summoning circle. He directed a glare down at the silent corpse of Uryu Ryunosuke. Even when he's already dead, this trash seems to screw everything up. Aaron wasn't disappointed in the Servant that had been summoned. That wasn't a problem yet. After all, he didn't yet have a definitive understanding of his Servant's capabilities. No, what really upset Aaron was that something had been summoned at all. Was the Grail truly so desperate for placeholders that it picked me?

To say that the magus was reluctant to participate in the Holy Grail War was an understatement. Aaron hadn't come to Fuyuki City with the intention of participating at all. Rather, all he desired was to observe. That was all he ever desired. Even before he had finished his studies in the Clock Tower, Aaron had earned something of a reputation. Ultimately, he was a natural observer. Even before he graduated, Aaron had earned himself the moniker, the Witness. Some went as far as to accuse him of being a voyeur, but Aaron cared little for such things. Ultimately, all he had wanted to do when he came to Fuyuki was to watch.

What could have been more exciting? This was the Holy Grail War, where competing magi summoned Heroic Spirits as familiars, their identities drawn from the annals of myth and legend to compete against one another in an epic battle. It was an event the only occurred once every sixty years and Aaron counted himself blessed to have an opportunity to see the epic contest with his own eyes. Hours had been spent researching the history of the Grail War, learning about its nuances. He had even gone so far as to carefully gather information on the various Masters, the seven magi that would be competing for the privilege of wishing upon the sacred chalice.

Of the Three Families of the Beginning, the most obvious participant had been Tohsaka Tokiomi, waging battle for the name of his family. An accomplished magus, Tokiomi's intimate knowledge of the workings of the Grail War along with his own substantial talents marked him as a formidable competitor with an excellent chance of victory. Then there were the Mato's, the fallen ones among the three families. Having originally come from foreign-born stock, their bloodline had withered almost to nothing, a problem compounded when the first child naturally capable of magecraft to actually have been born in the family for many years had abruptly abandoned them. But for some unknown reason, Mato Kariya, the prodigal son, had returned and was also preparing for the battle. Finally, there were the Einzberns, the mysterious mages of the North. Aaron had managed to discern little about their plans for participation until he heard whispered rumors that the Einzberns had recruited a most formidable agent to serve their interests; Emiya Kiritsugu, a man whose name was whispered amongst the members of the Mages Association with equal parts fear and contempt, the Mage Slayer.

Among the others participating, the most notable name to pop up had been that of Kayneth Archibald, known as Lord El-Melloi among the magi; the ninth head of the Archibald house and a prodigy regarded as the most accomplished among the magi participating. Among the other participants, the only other standout had been the man known as Kotomine Kirei, a former Executor for the Church who had cut his ties with it in order to study magecraft under Tohsaka Tokiomi, only to abandon him as well once the Command Seals that marked Kirei's position as a Master had appeared.

Of the remaining two participants, Aaron had found little. He had heard some rumors that an apprentice at the Association had actually been as bold as to steal the catalyst that Lord El-Melloi had originally planned to use for his summoning. But Aaron wondered if a mere apprentice would be so bold as to actually step onto the battlefield himself. As for the seventh...that was the problem, now wasn't it?

Looking back on it, Aaron reflected that he had been lucky to learn the identity of the seventh Master. It had only been through sheer coincidence that he had learned about Fuyuki's infamous serial killer while watching the news in an idle moment, news that had shown the killer's early attempts at creating a summoning circle for calling a Servant. Realizing who he was looking for, it had taken a a magus with Aaron's skill set virtually no time at all to divine the location of the soon-to-be Master.

One could easily imagine Aaron's disgust upon learning that Uryu Ryunosuke was to be the final participant. The piece of filth wasn't even a magus. Worse still, as Aaron soon discovered, the trash wasn't even aware of the Grail War itself but rather thought that he had been summoning some kind of demon. The fact that he was doing so merely for his own amusement was what ultimately drove Aaron to action, not wanting to watch such a sacred and magnificent event be sullied by such filth. Aaron Styx didn't want to watch such a disgraceful competitor.

And yet, here he was, now having been dragged into the very conflict he had been so intent on observing. Aaron could say that such a notion did not sit well with him at all. Right now, the purple unicorn was staring back at him, her expression remaining innocently confused after his brief words earlier. For a moment longer, the two of them continued to stare at each other.

"So, um..." said the unicorn in a soft voice, "What are you?"

Aaron tilted his head slightly. "A human. Were you expecting something different?"

The unicorn frowned at his words. "A human? I have no idea what that means. Is that your species?"

Unable to think of a more appropriate response, Aaron nodded. "Yes. That is correct. But I thought you would know that already." An uneasy feeling rose in his gut, which was impressive as he was feeling plenty uneasy already. "Are you not a Heroic Spirit answering the summons to do battle for the Holy Grail?"

The diminutive equine seemed to mull over his question for a moment before Aaron's words struck a chord in her (and Aaron wasn't entirely sure how he knew the creature was female) mind. She looked confused, as though she were wrestling with unfamiliar concepts and ideas.

"Yes, I think so...but I don't understand why. I was at home performing an experiment then suddenly I was here. I have all these strange things in my head...things I didn't know before, but somehow know now. Only, I still don't understand what they mean."

That information made Aaron take a step back. That couldn't be right. "Are you saying that you were alive before you were called here?"

The unicorn actually had the audacity to glare at him. "Of course! Why wouldn't I be?"

Aaron pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling the beginnings of a headache coming on. From the moment he had laid eyes on the little pony, he had realized that what he had managed to summon was not a typical Servant, as evinced by the fact she wasn't even human. But this was just too much. This was completely outside the boundaries of what he knew the Holy Grail, which provided the means to actually summon Servants in the first place, should have been capable of.

"Then we have a problem," he said simply. A soft sound behind him prompted Aaron to notice the child, still in the room and still staring at the whole situation, even more lost than the other two "people" in the room. "Oh, there's that too."

"What?" asked the unicorn, taking a hesitant step away from where she stood, bringing her around the barrier afforded by the back of the couch and giving her a clear view of the room. She clearly found what she saw unpleasant.

Twilight gagged and fought back the urge to vomit at what she saw when she came around the back of the couch. There were five other humans in the room, but only one of them was still standing. And from the unnatural stillness and what was clearly blood leaking out of the others, the other four were obviously dead. Worse still, Twilight realized that she had nearly tread on one of the corpses as she came around. Looking down, she found herself gazing into the unseeing eyes of the corpse right in front of her, a human with a more slender build and smoother features than the one she had been talking to, to say nothing of his bright red hair. Twilight couldn't fight back that urge anymore and looked over, spotting a conveniently placed potted plant she could reach before unloading the, thankfully small in quantity, contents of her stomach (previous experiments with teleportation having taught her that attempting anything new or different with a full stomach was ill advised).

"Hmm, I didn't think equines were supposed to do that," came the disinterested voice of the human she had been speaking to.

Shaking, Twilight lifted her head and backed away from the human, seeing him in a new light now. "D-did you do this?" she asked, not entirely sure what she would do if his answer was yes.

"Not these three," replied the human, sweeping his arms to indicate the three corpses seated in the room, "They were the work of this trash." Looking down, he directed a contemptuous kick at the red-haired corpse. "However, I did do for this one." Twilight saw the handle of what she recognized as a knife sticking from the man's ribs.

Seeing her confusion and wariness, the man simply shook his head. "We will discuss this in more detail in a moment. First..." He turned his attention to the sole other living person in the room. Twilight's eyes widened when she saw how much smaller the other human was. He was short enough to look her in the eyes. The proportioning of his limbs suggested that he was immature. This then, must have been a human foal.

The tall one, the one she had been speaking to at this time, knelt down in front of the child and looked him in the eyes. The boy met his stare for a brief moment before his eyes slowly glazed over. The next instant, the child toppled over and sprawled limply across the floor. Seeing the human foal's stillness, Twilit directed a furious glare at the tall one, just wondering what he was up to.

"What did you just do?" she demanded.

"I wiped his memory of the past few hours just to be on the safe side. I can't afford to allow him to speak of what he saw here. With any luck, the authorities will attribute the gap in memory to trauma from seeing his family slaughtered in front of him."

A shiver went down Twilight's spine. She couldn't believe the flat, casual manner in which the man had related the child's experiences. The tone was completely devoid of sympathy. "How could you?"

The man looked at her once again, something unrecognizable in his gaze. "He can't be allowed to talk about what he saw tonight. The secrecy of the Grail War and magecraft itself is one of the most strictly enforced edicts of the Association. If the boy remembered and started talking, they wouldn't allow him to live for much longer. And as the one who allowed him to witness this, my life would be forfeit as well. If anything, I'm being merciful. Most other magi would have killed the boy on the spot. It would be simplest arrange and tie everything up quite neatly."

Twilight gulped nervously. Just what in Celestia's name have I gotten myself into?

The man continued on without regard for her reaction. "In any case, I'm going to summon the authorities in a moment. We should continue this conversation in a better location. You should dematerialize and follow me."

Twilight blinked for a moment. She didn't understand what the man said, but suddenly realized that whatever it was he had asked, she couldn't do. "I...can't."

The man turned his gaze back on her. "You can't enter spirit form."

Twilight shook her head gently. "I-I'm not even sure what that means. I just know that I can't."

He closed his eyes, clearly trying to think. "That's problematic. We can't let other people see you...let me see. First, what class are you?"

The answer came out of her mouth before she realized it. "Caster."

The human's eyes snapped open and stared straight at her own. "You're a magus?"

Twilight thought this over for a moment, trying to process the foreign information in her brain. "Yes...I think."

"I see," said the man, leaning back and folding his arms, "That may make things easier. "Do you know a spell for invisibility."

Finally, a question she could answer for herself. "Of course," she replied, a hint of haughtiness creeping into her voice.

"Then you'll want to use it," said the man, smiling with an expression that looked like relief to the unicorn, "You'll follow just behind me. Keep close and mind your position and the position of others. It's late at night, but our destination is in a section of the city where it tends to be crowded, even at this hour."

"Okay," said Twilight uncertainly.

"Wait for me by the front door," said the man, pointing to a door that led into the hallway, "I'll be with you momentarily."

Twilight lifted a foot to follow his instructions. "Wait." She paused at his voice. "Before we go any further, we should exchange names. What is yours?"

Twilight looked up at him, not sure of how she felt at this moment. "Twilight Sparkle."

For the first time, a smile played across the human's face. "That's...fitting. I am Aaron Styx."

Aaron was fortunate that they did not have far to travel to reach his current residence. While the two companions had been forced to travel away from Miyama, Fuyuki's suburban district, the section of the Shinto district where Aarong was staying was not very far away. As they traveled, Aaron was mindful of his Servant's presence. When they finally entered Shinto, he navigated carefully to avoid large crowds to keep Caster from being tripped over. Even with her invisibility spell, it wasn't difficult for Aaron's finely honed senses to pinpoint her location and guide his steps accordingly. Much to his relief, they made it to their destination, the lobby of a small hotel, without incident.

Moving carefully, Aaron walked through the sparsely populated lobby, grateful that the soft carpet prevented the unicorn's hooffalls from echoing through the evening stillness. A short elevator ride later and The two of them arrived at Aaron's room. While he would have liked to have been higher up, the seventh story was as high as this hotel could go. It was unfortunate, but Aaron knew better than to attract attention by purchasing a room in one of the taller, more expensive hotels in Fuyuki's urban district. He might have been mistaken for a participant, rather than a mere observer. It was ironic then, that his precautions were serving him doubly well now that he actually was a participant in the Holy Grail War.

Closing and latching the door behind him, Aaron turned his attention to the pony, still concealed by her spell, standing in the middle of his room. "You can drop the spell now. We won't be disturbed. Though if anyone comes in, you had best have it ready to cast on short notice."

The air shimmered to reveal the unicorn, who immediately trotted to the window that dominated one side of the room. Being someone who spent his life watching others, Aaron had naturally picked a hotel with large windows in its rooms. Perhaps it was foolish to occupy a space that was so open to the outside, but Aaron's aesthetics overrode his pragmatism in some areas. Even so, it may not be wise to stay here much longer.

Resting his hand on the window, Aaron closed his eyes and activated a single magic circuit. The simple spell altered the window to give a static image of the empty hotel room to anyone who might look in from the outside. It was best that a random passerby didn't suddenly spot a small, purple unicorn staring out of the window.

Their privacy ensured, Aaron turned his mind to the problem at hand as he looked over at his Servant. Now that the opportunity, he decided to check her status and parameters. This was a feature available to the Masters who participated in the Grail War. A Master, looking at a Servant would be granted knowledge of that Servant's basic abilities. For their own Servant, Masters could generally get a more in depth idea of what their Servant was capable of.

Analyzing Caster's parameters, Aaron found himself impressed. For a magus-type Servant, some of Twilight Sparkle's parameters were impressive, not at all what he expected from a Caster. Her physical abilities were unusually high for a member of the Caster class, with her agility, at least, actually close to being on par with members of one of the three Knight Classes. Most shocking was the immense prana she had available to her, an amount that was clearly leagues above the magi of the present world.

"Now then," said Aaron, moving to a nearby chair and reclining gratefully, "Why don't we iron out some of the issues that we have."

The human world was amazing. Walking down the streets, Twilight Sparkle had seen strange vehicles completely different from the carts and carriages of Equestria, buildings that rose higher than Canterlot's mightiest tower. Even though, according to Aaron, the crowds were sparse due to the late hour, Twilight knew that she was unlikely to see such crowds during the day back home in Equestria, even its busiest cities. Even at night, the streets were lit so brightly that it might as well have been day out. From her new vantage point afforded by the hotel room, she could see the site around her glittering like the starry sky. Looking up, she found herself frowning. The lights on the street were so intense that she couldn't make out any but the brightest stars in the night sky. Clearly the human world had its own problems.

She found herself turning to look at Aaron, at the sound of his voice. As she did so, she took her first proper look at the hotel room. The furnishings weren't exactly luxurious. There was a single bed with a blanket and sheets. In one corner, there was a large chair (Twilight wasn't sure how she recognized that piece) that allowed the one sitting in it to lean back, extending a footrest as it did so, which Aaron was currently resting in. There was a desk with a considerably less comfortable looking chair in front of it. On top the chest that dominated the side of the room opposite the bed was a black box that Twilight identified as a television (again, uncertain as to how she knew that). There was also a large mirror along one wall. Strangely enough, hanging in front of the mirror was a wind chime consisting of several crystalline pieces of glass suspended from a crossbar suspended in the ceiling. She suspected that Aaron was responsible for this amenity; it clearly being out of place in the room.

"I'm still fuzzy about what's going on," said Twilight softly, "I mean I know, or I feel that I should know, bit I don't understand much of it."

Aaron cupped his chin and stared at her. "Perhaps you should tell me where you're from."

Twilight blinked, not sure what he was getting at, but acquiesced to his request. "Like I said before, my name is Twilight Sparkle. I'm a unicorn from the land of Equestria..." Over the next few minutes, she gave Aaron a basic description of her homeland and its residents.

Aaron listened carefully as she explained about the three tribes and the Princesses, asking questions where he needed clarification. Finally, he nodded. "Interesting," he said, "I believe that I have a better understanding of the situation now."

"What do you mean?" Twilight tilted her head in confusion.

"Essentially you have not merely been displaced in your world or from some place in my world. The world you described clearly acts according to a set of fundamentally different laws than this one, indicating that you hail from a separate world, or parallel dimension as the case may be, altogether. This answers a few of my questions but introduces several problems."

"Like what?" asked Twilight.

"I'll start at the beginning. You have been summoned to take part in a contest known as the Holy Grail War. In this contest, seven magi, who assume the position referred to as Master, utilize the means provided by the Grail itself to summon forth a Servant, a Heroic Spirit venerated by humanity through myth and legend. These spirits are the heroes of ages past, their legends preserving their existences in a place beyond the mortal plane known as the Throne of Heroes.

"Every sixty years, the Grail allows for the Masters to call these Servants down. While the Grail itself does the summoning, it is the Master who supplies the prana to give the Servant a form and body for what is otherwise a shapeless spirit. Because, by the laws of the world, such bodies are phantasms, which must be maintained via the supply of the Master's prana to ensure that the world's laws do not erase them from existence."

Twilight listened to his words, finding that she was beginning to make sense of the foreign information in her head. "I think I see. But I'm not one of these Heroic Spirits you talk about."

Aaron nodded. "Which brings us to our first set of problems. You are an anomaly to be sure, something that should not have been summoned by the Grail and yet, here you are. For example, you've already noticed that you are in possession of knowledge that is not your own; things you know but don't fully understand. When Servants are summoned, the Holy Grail supplies them with all the pertinent knowledge of the era in which they are summoned. This way, heroes from the more primitive eras of human history (which is more or less where they all hail from, come to think of it), don't find themselves completely overwhelmed by the present world. The fact that you are an anomaly means that while the Grail has clearly given you the knowledge it has every other Servant, most likely, your nonhuman perspective and understanding of the world means that this knowledge is difficult for you to understand and process.

"The other problem is that, since you are not a spiritual being, you were called here with a purely physical form, not a vessel fashioned from my prana. In fact, I was surprised to note that you are not drawing any prana from me to maintain your presence in this world."

"Of course not," snapped Twilight, "Why would I want to stay here? Not that the human world is bad or anything, but I don't belong here."

Again Aaron nodded. "Which brings us to the primary problem. How to get you back to your world. I'm assuming, of course, that you will wish to return in one piece and with as little harm as possible."

"Of course," muttered Twilight, glowering at him.

"The way I see it, there are three ways you could conceivably return to your home. However, they have different degrees of risk attributed to them. I'll start with the easiest, which also happens to be the riskiest and go from there."

He held up one finger. "Your first option is to die."

"What?" The casual tone with which the magus suggested this idea made Twilight's mane stand on end. She backed away slightly.

Aaron continued as though she hadn't said a word. "When a Servant dies, his or her existence is erased from the world and is stored in the Holy Grail to power it's activation. Once the Grail has served its purpose, the Heroic Spirits contained within are returned to their place of origin.

"The obvious problem with this method is that you are not a Heroic Spirit. There is absolutely no guarantee that you would receive the same treatment. At best, I suspect that you might very well reach your own world in the state in which you left this one, which would defeat the purpose of killing you to send you back."

Twilight's knees felt weak.

"Our second option is to use these..." Aaron held up his right hand to display the markings etched along its back.

"The Command Seals," said Twilight, recognizing them in spite of herself, "You can issue an absolute command with them, right? How does that help?"

Aaron smiled. "Yes, the Command Seals can be used to issue absolute orders to a Servant. In other words, if I told you to do something, as long as I used a Command Seal, you would be unable to disobey me even if the act in question was completely against your nature."

A lump caught in her throat.

"However, that's only in the Command Seal's capacity to force a Servant to obey their Master. A Master only receives three Command Seals from the Grail and must use one for each command, which makes wasting them on such things a poor idea.

"The true potential of a Command Seal lies in their ability to reinforce the action of a Servant, even if that action would normally be impossible for the Servant in question. Furthermore, the effects of multiple seals can be stacked to produce a greater effect."

"So if you used all three of those Command Seals," said Twilight softly, "You could order me to return home and they would provide me with the means to do so."

"Perhaps," answered Aaron, "But that would depend on your full capabilities, and mine. We do not know the exact circumstances of how you came to be summoned. From what you told me, what you experienced should have been truly impossible except for the appropriate practitioner of what we in this world refer to as True Magic, of which, to my knowledge, there is only one. Even with their fullest power, the Command Seals do not allow a Servant to accomplish the truly impossible unless that was already within the scope of their abilities."

"So basically you're saying that it's a gamble as to whether those Command Seals would work or not," summarized Twilight.

"And if I used all three of them, it would end our only chance of sending you to your home through this option. Furthermore, it would nullify the contract established between us upon your summoning, the consequences of which I couldn't even begin to predict."

Twilight sighed and lowered her head. "Well, that leaves out the easy ways. Although I guess we can always try gambling on that last one if worst comes to worst. So, what's the third way."

Aaron slowly leaned forward, coming out of his recline so that he rested his elbows on his knees, lowering his chin onto this clasped hands. "The third way is unquestionably the most difficult of our options. But it is also the one with the highest probability of success."

"And that is...?"

"We must enter the Grail War in earnest, defeat the other competitors and seize the Holy Grail for ourselves. Then the Grail can be used to fulfill your wish of returning home."

Aaron carefully gauged Caster's reaction as she processed the information he had just given her. From the confusion of her expression, it was clear she didn't fully understand what participating in the Grail War truly meant. He found himself suppressing the urge to chuckle in amusement. She would get her chance to see soon, he was sure.

"What is this Holy Grail thing about anyway?" asked Caster after a moment.

"The Holy Grail was created by three families of magi working together. Simply put, it is a miracle machine, capable of granting the wish of whoever successfully obtains it."

Caster raised an eyebrow. "What kind of wish?"

Aaron shrugged. "Well that depends on the one making the wish."

Caster looked pensive for a moment. "Then do the other Masters have wishes of their own?"

"Of course," answered Aaron, "And their Servants as well. In fact, a Servant will answer the summons specifically because he or she has a wish that is desired of the Grail."

Caster slowly slumped all the way to the floor. "Then that means that getting to the Grail means trampling over the dreams and wishes of all those other people and destroying what they worked so hard for?"

Aaron was taken aback by that. That's what she's worried about? "I'm sorry to say that hurting your opponents' feelings is hardly our greatest concern at this juncture."

Caster looked up at him, her eyes wide. "What do you mean?"

Aaron had to stop himself from grinning as he imagined her reaction to what he was about to say next, much less what she would probably see for herself before too long. "What I mean is that those other Servants and Masters are eagerly advancing, seeking to trample each other's dreams, yours included. If you hesitate because you sympathize with your enemy, you stand no hope of succeeding in obtaining the Holy Grail. In fact, if you aren't careful, we might find ourselves testing the first solution I proposed to your problem whether you like it or not.

"The Holy Grail War is a seven-way battle royale. All the participants are competing with one another and only one pair will have the privilege of reaching and using the Holy Grail."

"But how do you win?" asked Caster.

Aaron's eyebrow twitched. She can't really be this naive...can she? "You have a sharp mind, I'm sure. Take a moment and think a out what I've told you. First, there are seven competing Servants. When a Servant dies, their soul is taken into the Grail, which will activate and fulfill its function once six Servants have passed into it. Put those facts together and..."

Caster's eyes widened in horror as the realization hit her. "You mean, in order to win, we have to kill the other six." Caster began to back away from him. "No. I can't do that. I could never do that. That's horrible!"

"Technically you may need to kill only one other Servant," clarified Aaron airily, Caster's revulsion being of no real concern to him, "After all, the other six will hardly being waiting in line for you to face them when they could so easily be tearing away at each other. If we kept well clear of the conflict then we could theoretically wait until they whittle one another down and only have to deal with the last one remaining." Not that things are likely to work out that neatly.

"That's awful!" exclaimed Twilight, "No! It's worse than awful! It's downright evil! I can't go through this if that's the price! I'd much rather put my hopes on your second plan."

"Calm down and think rationally about this," said Aaron, "Keep in mind that whatever you do, the other Servants will continue to slaughter one another regardless. From the moment they answered the summons all but one of you are destined to lose your lives in the coming battle. I suppose we could also debate the ethical issue of whether or not Heroic Spirits are worth your concern, considering that they are otherworldly spirits given temporary bodies in this world, with you as the sole exception to that. But that is a mere technicality.

"At the very least, postpone your decision for the time being. We can always rely on the Command Seals as a fail safe if you ever decide you've had enough. But at the very least, watch the opening engagements with me. You might find something to catch your interest."

Aaron kept his smile to himself. He had already observed enough of Caster to know her primary weakness. She was an academic, a student with an insatiable lust for knowledge, desperate to find and understand things that she couldn't yet comprehend. Appealing to her sense of curiosity was the surest way to stave off her reservations about participating in what was sure to be a bloody conflict.

At the same time, Aaron found himself wondering exactly why he was convincing the lavender unicorn to remain. He had never wanted to take part in the Grail War, only to observe it. And yet, here was Caster, practically begging him to take a free ticket out of the conflict so that he could return to his preferred position on the sidelines and enjoy the show. Aaron could have simply given in to Caster's demands and thrown away his Command Seals. One way or another, she would be out of his hair and he could have enjoyed the coming battles, although it would have been slightly less exciting with one of the players off the field before it could even get started.

He was supposed to be the one who watched and observed. He was here for the spectacle of seeing heroes from myth and legend clash against one another. Aaron had actively laughed at the notion that he might participate. He had no reason to seek the Grail.

And yet, the Command Seals had appeared on his hand. His Servant had been summoned. So clearly, he had some purpose for fighting in the Grail War, even as a mere placeholder to fill the remaining slot. Taking a moment, the magus looked down at his hand. The Seals, drawn in the form of an eye, looked back at him, almost chiding him for breaking one of his few rules; to never meddle in what he was supposed to be watching. You made this mess, they seemed to say, Now clean it up.

In other words, through the very act of disrupting Uryu Ryunosuke's summoning and accidentally summoning this Twilight Sparkle as Caster instead, Aaron had inadvertently given himself a reason to compete, namely doing all that was within his power to send Caster to her home, which specified that he default to the method most likely to succeed, wishing on the Grail itself. Certainly, he could discard that responsibility easily, but at the same time, there was a certain eagerness in him. He had never been an actual part of the events he was observing. Perhaps this unique perspective would show him something even more interesting than what he would observe otherwise.

If Caster remained at his side, Aaron might get to see more interesting things. He already found himself curious about the Equestrian and the nature of her magecraft. How did it differ from that of humans? What was she capable of? Perhaps that was how he had come to understand Caster as well as he did, they had more in common than they had first thought. The two shared the same insatiable lust for knowledge and answers to their questions.
Finally, after taking a long moment to consider Aaron's suggestion, Caster sighed and looked up at him. "Fine," she huffed impatiently, "I'll wait."

Aaron could barely conceal his grin.

The next day was spent making arrangements for Caster's stay in the hotel room. Clearly, she wouldn't be able to dematerialize to accompany her Master without being noticed. Even relying on her invisibility spell would be unreliable in the long run. It would have only been a matter of time before someone accidentally tripped over her. In any case, Aaron was already looking for a new venue, into which they could move. The hotel, while perfect for an observer, did not fit Aaron's criteria, now that he was a participant. They needed a more secure space, where they could minimize the likelihood of encountering the other Master's and their Servants.

Aside from food to nourish her physical body, the only request that Caster had made of Aaron was for books detailing more about the human world. She was beginning to reach the limits of the information that the Grail had supplied her and now she was eagerly looking into the history of this strange new world. Aaron felt it was a minor price for keeping his Servant placated and compliant. For the time being, Aaron was happy that she could be satisfied so easily.

On the evening of the second day, the two of them retired to the room for the night (or rather, Aaron retired as Caster had been there all day). Aaron was quietly relaxing in the chair, while Caster lay across the bed, another book open in front of her, scanning and turning pages at her usual, phenomenal pace. Looking over, Aaron noticed that even as she was reading, she appeared to be lost in thought. Perhaps the wait was getting to her. He understood her impatience. Unlike him, Caster's experience went beyond simply being in a foreign country. Being alone in this strange world, where nothing like her lived, would tax her mind and body far faster than the average human's experience of culture shock. And matters were only exacerbated by the fact that she had been confined to just one location for almost the entirety of her time here.

His musings, as well as Caster's were interrupting by a series of tones from the chimes strung in front of the mirror. Aaron listened to the sequence of notes before grinning. "That was certainly fast."

"What are you talking about?" asked Caster as she watched him warily. While Caster, having to deal with the constant waiting might not agree, Aaron hadn't expected the conflict to begin in earnest yet. In all likelihood, all of the Masters and Servants had not yet even assembled in the city. Then again, it wasn't as though there was some kind of formal declaration to the beginning of the conflict. The Holy Grail War began when the Servants met and began their battle. It need when only one remained. It was as simple as that.

The magus got to his feet and walked around the bed to reach the mirror. "One of the other Masters has started to move. When I first came here, I laid down surveillance spells around certain areas of interest that were likely to become places of conflict during the Grail War. The music you just heard indicated activity at one of those sites. And from the series of tones, I believe it means that something is occurring at the Tohsaka mansion."

"Tohsaka...?" The unfamiliar word rolled off Twilight's tongue with disturbing ease, supporting what Aaron had told her earlier about the Grail supplying her with the knowledge to interact with the current human world, including the language, which she was fairly certain wasn't Equestrian.

"The Tohsakas are one of the Three Families of the Beginning," said Aaron, reaching up to flick the lowest crystal on the wind chime. The crystal produced a clear note that caused the image of the room reflected in the mirror to ripple like a stone had been thrown into a pond. "Their ancestors were one of the three families that collaborated around two-hundred years ago to create the Holy Grail and begin the Holy Grail War. Because of this, a member from the Tohsaka family as well as one from each of the other two, is guaranteed a slot to participate in the Holy Grail War every time it occurs. This time, the current head of the family, Tohsaka Tokiomi, has been designated as the Tohsaka family Master."

The ripples disrupting the reflection of the room resolved into a new image. And suddenly it was like they were looking out a window into a completely different place. Twilight saw a massive mansion surrounded by a garden of decorative flowerbeds, the property bordered by a rather dense stand of trees. She could see that at the center of each flowerbed was a stone pedestal of some kind with a glowing jewel set into it. There was a taller sculpture in the yard between the garden and the house with a similar jewel set into its top.

Twilight was just about to ask what they were when her attention was drawn by a black figure leap from the forest. She barely saw something flicker from its right hand before several of the jewels in the flowerbeds shattered. The sound actually coming out of the wind chime. The figure seemed to float like a ghost before dropping into one of the flowerbeds that it had attacked earlier.

"Assassin," murmured, Aaron, stroking his chin.

Twilight watched as the figure stepped out of the flowerbed. It was human in shape. But it either had coal-black skin or wore some tight, black garment. Even more terrifying was the face. It was bone white, with a shape troublingly familiar and yet slightly alien. It looked like a mask of some kind. "Is that a Servant?" she asked nervously, already knowing the answer.

"Yes. The Assassin class specializes in stealth, espionage and infiltration...and assassination as their name might suggest," answered Aaron, not taking his eyes from the image in the mirror, "Statistically, they are one of the weakest classes in a direct confrontation, but make up for it in their skill at striking from concealment with precise and deadly blows."

"What is he doing?" asked Twilight, her eyes wide. She did not like where this was going. As she watched, Assassin once again seemed to flick a hand, this time in the direction of the taller sculpture in the yard. Her eyes could barely pick out several small objects fired by a deft movement of the Servant's thumb...rocks. She then saw them shatter against an invisible force in the air ringing softly as they did so. A barrier?

"Presumably, he is attempting to infiltrate the Tohsaka mansion in hopes of killing Tokiomi," stated Aaron calmly. The ripples of the rocks' impacts crated distortions in the barrier. With deft and graceful movements, Assassin moved between the distortions in a roundabout path carrying him ever closer to the sculpture in the center.

"Then that sculpture is the anchor," said Twilight, her knowledge of magic being supplemented again with a certain degree of understanding of human magecraft provided by the Grail.

Aaron nodded again. "Yes. He will disable the barrier and then move in to kill Tokiomi."

Assassin's dodges forced him to drop to all fours on the ground. As he did so, he fired off another series of rocks, these breaking apart just before they impacted against the stone sculpture's embedded jewel. With a chiming sound, the entire barrier was dispersed enough for Assassin to approach the keystone directly.

Twilight had a new question and she was just about to ask when everything changed. With a scream of splitting air, something slammed into...and through Assassin's hand just as he touched the stone. She could hear the Servant scream with agony. To Twilight's shock, she saw that it was an ornate spear that had rammed straight through Assassin's hand, pinning it to the stone sculpture. Something on the roof of the Tohsaka mansion blazed with a golden light.

Twilight looked up at the source at almost the same time Assassin did. And then she heard him.

"Who told you that you could raise your head, worm?" The air shrieked and suddenly dozens of projectiles rushed down upon the immobilized Servant. It was almost too fast to see, but Twilight's eyes picked out swords, axes and other vicious-looking and yet terrifyingly beautiful weapons hurtle downwards. She only barely saw one of the swords pierce right through Assassin's head before his entire body vanished in a series of explosions, throwing up a cloud of dust and smoke as the unending stream of blades continued to hit home, gouging their way into the earth.

Yet again, Twilight found herself fighting the urge to throw up. This wasn't a battle, or a brawl, or even a murder. The attacker's next words made that clear. "You dared to look upon me. A worm like you should die as it lives, crawling and wriggling in the dirt." It had been an extermination, an effortless snuffing out of a human life as though it were no more than an insect's. Finally, Twilight saw the perpetrator clearly.

He was human, but in such a way that he was clearly more than human, his features too perfect, his presence too great. For a moment, she actually felt she was looking upon Princess Celestia, cloaked in her power as the Princess of the Sun as she beheld the blazing, golden radiance that surrounded the Servant, matching his spiked, blonde hair in color. But that was where the comparison ended. Where Celestia would have radiated warmth and compassion, this Servant showed nothing but the purest, cruelest disdain, his glittering, crimson eyes glaring balefully at the smoking crater where Assassin's remains lay. Behind him hovered an entire arsenal of weapons emerging from a wall of golden light that made it seem as though the sun itself had descended to Earth. Everything about him conveyed an air of authority and arrogance, from his cold, hateful expression to the casual manner in which he stood, his arms folded across his chest, as though he couldn't be bothered to do the killing with his own two hands.

Aaron's words, tinged with an almost cruel amusement at her horror and revulsion echoed through the empty room. "And that is what it means to fight in the Holy Grail War."

I have to say that I was surprised at how much interest there was in this story. For those of you not in the know, Fate/Zero is a prequel to the visual novel, Fate/Stay Night. If you are not familiar with Fate/Zero, then I suggest you read the novels. An unofficial translation can be found at http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Fate/Zero. Or, if you want, you can watch the first thirteen episodes of the anime, which are available for free at Crunchyroll.com (the anime is still in production and the second season of thirteen episodes will be released in April). Thanks for all your interest and feel free to leave some feedback. I'd love to hear from everyone.

Caster:

True Identity: Twilight Sparkle
Master: Aaron Styx
Alignment: Lawful Good

Parameters:
Noble Phantasm: Unknown
Strength: C
Agility: B
Mana: A++
Luck: C/ E*
Endurance: C

*Luck stat is treated as rank E for incidents involving Pinkie Pie.

Resolve

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Chapter 2: Resolve

Twilight Sparkle's legs folded beneath her, dropping her unceremoniously to the floor. Her heart felt like had been dipped in ice water. Was this what she had gotten herself into? Her breath came faster and faster as her fear spiraled out of control. Even facing up against Nightmare Moon and the living embodiment of chaos itself, Discord, was nothing compared to this. They had been frightening in their own ways. But even that paled in comparison to the casual ease with which this Servant snuffed out a life. This...thing, this golden idol of a human being exuded malice and murderous intent as naturally as breathing. Did Aaron truly expect her to fight against this?

Twilight's shaking was distracted by a low whistle as the image faded from the mirror. Looking over, she saw a strange expression on Aaron's face. He looked...enthralled. It was the exact kind of expression she had seen on Rainbow Dash whenever the sky-blue pegasus was plowing her way through a new Daring Do novel, the look Twilight suspected that she got whenever she discovered a new or interesting spell. Dear Celestia! This was Aaron's passion, the kind of thing he did, not as a hobby or out of a need to earn a living. This was his calling. If he had been a pony, Twilight openly expected that his cutie mark would be a pair of binoculars or some similar device.

"That was impressive though," Aaron admitted with an excited grin.

"Why?" asked Twilight. Once again, she had the nagging feeling that this was something she did know the answer to, but wasn't understanding it properly because of the unusual nature of her summoning.

"I believe that Tokiomi managed to pull...what's the term I'm looking for? Oh that's right, a ringer."

"What does that mean?" asked Twilight, wondering how horseshoes fit into all this.

"It means that he somehow found a way to summon a Servant that is stupidly powerful, even by the standards of Heroic Spirits."

Twilight blinked and looked back at the mirror. "How do you know that?" This wasn't good. Twilight wasn't Celestia's personal pupil just because she had enormous magical power (only mostly). Even in plain academics, Twilight's achievements had always been at the top of her class and had actually set multiple records at The School For Gifted Unicorns. And her experiences in friendship in Ponyville gave her new insight into how ponies thought and acted (several psychology texts as light reading probably helped). Humans didn't seem to be all that different in a lot of respects, which was probably the reason she was understanding any of the information she received from the Grail at all.

The crux of the matter was that it hadn't taken her long to realize that Aaron was manipulating her. Already, she could feel the shivering fear leaving her body as pure curiosity took its place. She could tell that Aaron was goading her with cryptic statements, prodding her to ask questions to clarify his meaning and appealing to her desire to have those questions answered. The magus had clearly clued into Twilight's passion for learning and was using it to keep her from running away from the situation altogether. And Twilight realized she was falling for his ploy. Even worse, Twilight felt she couldn't stop. Now that Aaron had given her a teaser, she had to read the whole story or she wouldn't be satisfied.

She turned her attention back to Aaron, who was answering her question with another question. "You understand about Noble Phantasms, right?"

Twilight nodded slowly. "Yes, they're important weapons and abilities for a Servant. They are really powerful things that are something like a trump card."

"It goes further than that," said Aaron, once again frustrating the unicorn with the gaps in her understanding, "Noble Phantasms are emblematic of their wielders. The knight does not become famous without his sword, the king does not rule without his regalia. A Noble Phantasm, aside from being a powerful asset in its own right, is tied directly to the identity of the Heroic Spirit that wields it. For nearly every Servant, to use your Noble Phantasm is akin to directly stating your name before your enemies."

"And Servants are supposed to keep their identities a secret," said Twilight, "Because if they don't, it gives a great deal away about what they can do."

Aaron nodded. "Because Noble Phantasms are so crucial to their identity, most Heroic Spirits rarely have more than one or two. Some have used three on occasion; more than that is practically unheard of."

"So?"

Aaron gestured to the mirror. "Take a look." The scene from earlier replayed and Twilight once again got to watch Assassin's death in all it's gruesome, bloody detail. While she felt sick seeing it happen, the image didn't carry anywhere near the amount of same amount of shock the second time around.

"What am I supposed to be seeing?"

"Aside from the fact that they are clearly priceless treasures, what do all those weapons the golden Servant is throwing around have in common?"

"I don't see anything that..." Twilight's voice trailed off as the realization hit her, "Nothing! Those weapons have nothing in common with each other!"

Aaron dismissed the image. "Yes. Countless weapons of peerless quality, each a Noble Phantasm that would be coveted by any Heroic Spirit in its own right and no two alike. That Servant possesses an unheard of number of Noble Phantasms, none of which give us any clue as to his identity. Although, I have to say that this mode of attack clearly suggests that the golden Servant is of the Archer class."

Twilight mulled the issue over. As she worked through it, something occurred to her. "Maybe it's not the weapons themselves, but the fact that he has so many of them..."

Aaron's eyes widened as he stared at her. "You're suggesting..." his eyes napped back to the mirror, "That's brilliant. I couldn't see the forest for the trees! You're absolutely right. Archer's identity isn't embodied by the weapons themselves, but of the ownership of those weapons. And the casual manner in which he launches peerless blades as mere projectiles...impressive Tokiomi. If that's the case, he really did call in a ringer."

"What did you figure out?" asked Twilight, her tone getting irritated.

Aaron chuckled and smiled down at her. "I don't think I'll tell you yet, Caster. I want to confirm my theory first. For that to happen, I need to see Archer in action at least one more time."

Twilight huffed, glaring up at her Master. Fine! Be that way.

Aaron clenched his mouth shut to keep more laughter from escaping at the frustrated expression engraved on Caster's features. He had her hook, line and sinker. Disarming her initial horror at the violence she had witnessed had been childishly easy. Even more amusing was that Aaron could glean that part of Caster's frustration came from the fact that she knew she was being manipulated. This Servant wasn't some idiotic brute. She had a brain on her and she could use it. That knowledge almost made Aaron giddy at the thought of seeing what she was capable of when she really put that mind of hers to use. He was beginning to lose his reservations about being forced into the Grail War now that he was faced with the prospect of the interesting things Caster might show him as she was goaded into putting more of her abilities on display.

Any further attempt to continue the conversation was stymied by a low gurgle that came from the Unicorn's stomach. Apparently fear did a number on the unicorn's metabolism and she needed some food to assuage her anxiety. A quick call to room service and one invisibility spell later had Caster working her way through a rather substantial salad.

"You have ponies in this world, right?" Caster confirmed between bites.

"That's correct, although they are just small horses."

"You didn't need to ask any questions about pegasi or unicorns, I noticed," commented Caster, referencing what she had told Aaron about Equestria

"Yes, although those are a different sort of animal altogether.". Aaron had no desire to get into a full discourse about monstrous and phantasmal beasts at that time.

"Do ponies...or horses I guess...talk at all?" Aaron realized that Caster held out hope that she might find something akin to what she had in her own world. She was desperate for some sort of familiarity that she could latch onto.

"Unfortunately no," replied Aaron, "There are no such things as horses or ponies that can speak." Underneath his breath, he added "Except for Houyhnhnms."

"Pardon?"

"Nothing!"

"I have another question," said Caster as she lifted her head away from the food.

Aaron raised his eyebrows, silently promoting her to continue.

"What made you so certain that Assassin was going after Archer's Master?"

That took him back. He would have figured that given what she knew about the Grail War and the Master-Servant relationship that she would have figured that out already. Once again, he found himself marveling at how incredibly naive the lavender unicorn was.

"That is Assassin's specialty," explained Aaron, "Because he is weak in a direct confrontation, placing him against any of the other Heroic Spirits in open battle would be sending him to his death. Assassin's speciality lies in evading detection completely. While he could kill a Servant if he successfully used his talents at stealth to create the appropriate opportunity, that is difficult against enemies of the caliber he is likely to fight against. Instead, you could say that, because of this, Assassin is a dedicated Master-killer class."

"But that doesn't make sense," Caster protested, "That doesn't do anything about the enemy Servants at all."

"Remember what I told you about the relationship between a typical Servant and his Master?"

"Yes, the Master supplies the Servant with prana so the Servant doesn't fade away from the world. That prana also grants the Servant the ability to move and use their abilities, including their Noble Phantasms."

"And what will happen if that source of prana is cut off?"

"Then the Servant will eventually lose the ability to fight or even move until they fade away..." Caster's voice finally trailed off as she put together the knowledge in her head.

"Yes, in this war, the Master's are viable targets as well. Killing a Master cuts off the Servant's capacity to remain in this world and they...forfeit. That is why the Assassin class is so potentially dangerous."

Caster's face screwed up as she wrestled with this knowledge. She looked very uncertain. Before she could respond, the wind chime sounded off again, this time with a different sequence of tones. Aaron looked up in surprise, not believing what he was hearing.

"The Church?"

Before the chime had gone off, Twilight had been quietly wrestling with her thoughts on the matter. Something was off about this whole Holy Grail War. She understood the idea of the Master's summoning Servants and sending them into battle. The mechanics of what Aaron had just explained were perfectly simple as well. It made perfect sense that eliminating the Master meant that the Servant was unlikely to remain in the world for very long. But then why have the battle at all? Why summon Servants and send them into battle if all that was needed was to eliminate the Master? It seemed...superfluous somehow. Aaron said the souls of the Heroic Spirits were necessary to power the Grail's activation, but surely there was something that could serve just as appropriately. Then the Master's could just fight it out amongst themselves. There was just something missing, some piece to the puzzle that Twilight could barely grasp.

All of these thoughts retreated to the back of her mind at the sound of the wind chime. As Aaron got up, Twilight found herself taken aback by the confusion in his voice. At first, she thought to ask what was the matter, but she decided to reserve judgment until she saw what was happening.

Again, Aaron flicked the crystal, sending ripples through the mirror's reflection. This time, the ripples resolved into the shape of a stately stone building, a church, just as Aaron said. The realization occurred to Twilight that the surveillance spells that Aaron had laid down were all tied to that wind chime, with the particular sound the chime made indicating which of the sites required his attention.

Twilight recognized the church immediately. The priest presiding over this church was the secret overseer of the Grail War; something like a referee, she guessed. Then this was neutral ground. A shiver went down her spine when she realized the violation Aaron was committing just putting this surveillance spell up. The Masters were not to interfere with the church. Steeling herself, Twilight stared at the image with grimacing resolve, expecting some new scene of carnage to greet her vision. Instead, she was treated to the picture of two men standing before the church doors.

"My Servant has been slain, leaving me defeated," said one, clearly the younger of the pair. From the angle they were viewing, Twilight got a good look at him...and felt a shiver travel down her spine. For some reason, this man frightened her.

There wasn't anything that remarkable about him. His close-cropped hair and handsome face were hardly threatening. There was no trace of malice in that dull expression. All the same, there was something wrong about him that put her on edge.

"As per the rules; I, Kotomine Kirei, hereby request the protection of the Church," the man continued. Then this must have been Assassin's Master, coming to the church to seek sanctuary after losing his Servant. Initially, Twilight would have thought this a pointless exercise. But now that she knew that the Masters were also viable targets, she understood why it was necessary.

"Understood," said the older of the two men, "Without violating my role as the mediator, I promise you sanctuary. Come inside."

As the two of them began to head into the building, Twilight took one last look at Kotomine Kirei's face and finally realized what it was that so disturbed her. There was no trace of life in the man's eyes. The realization colored everything she had seen about him, from his too straight posture, to his empty expression, to his complete lack of motion aside from what was absolutely necessary to do whatever it was he required. Kotomine Kirei didn't seem at all like a living being. He seemed...dead, like a lifeless puppet. His movements were smooth, fluid and automatic, as though he gave no thought to anything. Never in her life had she seen someone, human, pony, or otherwise, look so empty and devoid of feeling.

The image faded out. Twilight sat back, thinking that in spite of the uneasy feeling she got from Assassin's former Master, nothing of note had really happened. Then why did Aaron continue to look at the mirror so intently?

"That was too soon?" muttered Aaron.

Twilight tilted her head to look up at her Master. "What do you mean?"

"Even if his Servant was defeated, it's strange that Assassin's Master would come to the Church so quickly," explained Aaron, not taking his eyes off the mirror, which was now returning to normal, "Normally, I'd expect it to take longer before he came in. The way he showed up so soon after his Servant's death indicates he wasn't very far away from the church when it happened. And he reported in almost immediately. It's as though he expected Assassin to fail."

Twilight looked away, back at the mirror where the image had been. She shivered. "There was something wrong about him," she said softly.

"Pardon?" asked Aaron, looking down at his Servant. Now it was his turn to be confused.

"He seemed dead," continued the unicorn, "Like he had no reason for living."

The magus's eyes narrowed and he turned back to the mirror, stroking his chin as he did so. "Despair, perhaps. He did just lose his Servant in the very first engagement of the war...except..." Aaron's hands fell limply to his sides. "It was Kotomine Kirei...that can't be a coincidence!"

"What do you mean?"

Aaron rushed to the chest and opened one of the drawers. Pulling out a small briefcase, he reached in and removed a thick folder. He took a moment to seat himself on e bed before opening the folder and pulling out a packet of papers. Taking the packet, he dropped it onto the bed where Twilight could see it.

Using her magic, Twilight lifted up the packet and began to turn the pages, carefully reading its contents. It was a dossier on Kirei's life. Then the rest of the file must contain information on the other Masters, she realized. It wasn't until near the end that she found the information that Was clearly in the forefront of her Master's mind.

"He left the Church to study magecraft under Tohsaka Tokiomi. Then one year ago, they parted ways because his Command Seals appeared." Twilight looked up at Aaron. "Is that so important? It's obvious he wouldn't be able to stay with his teacher once they became rivals in the Grail War."

"There's another factor that you need to consider," said Aaron.

Twilight frowned as she looked through the report again. Then she understood. "Kirei's father, Kotomine Risei is the supervisor appointed by the Church!"

That must have meant that the old priest she had seen in Aaron's scrying spell was Kotomine Risei, the father of the man that he had just given sanctuary.

"But what's so wrong?" asked Twilight.

"Think about it in sequence. Kotomine Kirei was no ordinary priest. He was a member of the Assembly of the Eighth Sacrament, a special branch of the Church and was even an Executor, a heretic hunter, for a time. And yet, he abandons the Church three years ago to join up with a magus from the Association, the Church's bitterest rivals. Said magus is a member of one of the founding families of the Grail War. Then, Kotomine Kirei's Command Seals just happen to appear and he severs ties with his teacher, just like that."

"And then the first thing Kirei does is send his Servant to kill his former teacher," Twilight finished, the pieces assembling in her head, "His Servant is killed instead and he shows up at the church immediately afterwards and is taken into sanctuary under his father."

"All so perfectly timed," Aaron mused, "Like clockwork. Not only that, but this brings to mind several inconsistencies with Assassin's death. Archer's response was too prompt and the entire event was too obvious. Tokiomi had to be aware that the other Masters are keeping his home under surveillance, just like I am. And yet, he puts his Servant and his Noble Phantasm on display for all the world to see."

"You're saying that he wanted us to see that," exclaimed Twilight, "But why? If Tohsaka and Kotomine are working together, why would they kill off a useful Servant like that?"

"That's the missing piece," agreed Aaron, "All of this would be the perfect ploy for tricking the other Master's into thinking that Kirei has been taken out of the war while he isn't, except for that one major fact."

With his Servant gone, Kotomine Kirei really would be out of the Holy Grail War. Perhaps Tokiomi planned to make use of Kirei's skills as a former Executor to kill one of the other Masters and usurp their pact with their Servant. But that seemed...wasteful, especially given the potential uses a Servant like Assassin had.

"No, there's still a piece missing," muttered Aaron, "And until we know what that is, we can't tell what Tokiomi and Kirei are planning." In any case, it was clear that that the piece known as Kotomine Kirei had not yet been truly removed from the field.

Aaron took a moment to look down at Caster. Now that the opening shot had been fired, it wouldn't be much longer until the other Servants and their Master's began to move. With this, the Holy Grail War had begun in earnest. Am I ready for this? He thought, looking at his Command Seals once again. The temptation was still there, of course. Just use the Seals and get rid of Caster. It's that simple. I have no place fighting in this war. I'd be no match for the other magi in a confrontation. And it's not like Caster will be able to handle herself in a battle. No matter how impressive some of her stats might have been, the fact remained that Caster clearly regarded violence of the caliber that was soon to become commonplace in the coming conflict as something completely abhorrent. In all likelihood, any magecraft she possessed would be more or less useless on the battlefield, no matter how impressive it was. All the same, Aaron resolved to wait. Perhaps a solution would present itself eventually. And even if it didn't, he could sever his ties with Caster at any time.

Opening another drawer on the chest, Aaron withdrew a small, metal case. Its construction was thoroughly modern and rugged, perfect for a magus who lived on the move. Its lock was uniquely designed not to open unless Aaron ran his prana through it, a security measure that would have been child's play for any magus. Thus, Aaron knew that the lock was unlikely to keep even a lowly apprentice at bay. However, the case's modern construction would throw most magi off of trying. As a general rule, magi showed little but disdain for modern technology. They kept their important items in cases and boxes carved from rare or expensive woods with ornate decorations. Yes, this case was design to be overlooked by magi with the hope that they wouldn't bother trying to open it.

Disengaging the lock, Aaron lifted the top of the case, exposing the object within. Lying inside, cushioned by foam, was a long knife in a sheath. Taking the object out, Aaron drew the knife and examined its length. The entire thing, from the blade to the handle, looked as though it had been carved from a single piece of transparent glass, its finish so clear that, in holding it up to the light, it became nearly invisible in its owner's hand. This was Aaron's Mystic Code, a magi's weapon. It was something he had created a while ago for those times where he knew he had no recourse but to fight. It had seen him through a few difficult situations, but the clean lines and lack of wear showed that the weapon had hardly been used at all. It was nothing impressive and wouldn't stand up to the mysteries that could be invoked by any of the other magi he would be up against, but Aaron felt just a tiny bit safer knowing he had an extra option for future difficulties.

"You know, there's something I've been wondering," said Caster softly as she looked up from Kotomine Kirei's dossier.

"And that is...?" Aaron replaced the knife in its sheath and deposited the whole thing back in its box. Another bit of prana re-locked the case.

"Why is the Church overseeing the Holy Grail War if they're enemies with your people?"

Aaron raised an eyebrow. "My people?"

Caster shrugged, "You know, the Association."

Aaron had to stifle a sigh. He could hardly call the Mage's Association his people. Given his natural tendencies as an obsessive observer, he was generally poorly regarded. It wasn't so much for his lack of achievement in magecraft. In fact, Aaron could easily claim to be unmatched in the field of divination, having developed spells unrivaled in their capacity to view what should have been otherwise impossible to see. But that was also the problem. Magi were, by their very nature, a secretive lot, practicing their work in secret, desperately trying to keep their secrets and mysteries locked away within their family lines and Thaumaturgical Crests. The Mage's Association, while supposedly an organization dedicated to the development and progression of thaumaturgy through cooperation, was actually a nest of vipers where individual magi competed for resources and influence solely for developing their own magecraft. To them, someone like Aaron, whose specialty and passion was seeing that which others desperately sought to keep hidden, was regarded as a severe threat. Aaron had made his fair share of enemies at the Association and the few times he had been forced to use his Mystic Code had been to deal with situations where he was labeled as "someone who has seen too much."

Aaron chose to hold off on clearing up Caster's misconception and instead focused on her actual question. "The Holy Church and the Mage's Association haven't openly been enemies for some time. Officially they have a nonaggression pact with us, although confrontations do sometimes happen.

"As for why they oversee the Grail War, it is simply because no one from the Association could be trusted to maintain their neutrality in this conflict. So the Association appeals to the Church to provide an impartial overseer for each Grail War to ensure that the rules of the conflict are observed."

"I don't mean to be a bother," said Caster, "But an you explain why the Church and the Association would be enemies?"

Aaron actually laughed at that. "It mostly comes from the belief that the study of magecraft infringes upon God's domain. Even in this day and age, with the pact between the two organizations, magi are still largely looked upon as heretics by the Church."

"God?" Caster's expression was completely befuddled.

Again the difficulties caused by her unique nature were clearly asserting themselves. Remembering Caster's explanation of her home, Aaron realized that God would be a foreign concept to a creature such as her. In Caster's world, a pair of immortal princesses had not only created the Sun, the Moon and their associated systems, but were also responsible for their lowering and raising. He remembered Caster's description of some kind of forest that apparently operated according to natural laws and conditions that were considered universal in the human world. But in Caster's world, such a place was considered an aberration where, everywhere else, ponies oversaw everything from the animals, to the weather and even the changing of the seasons. To such a creature, it would be difficult to articulate the concept of the incomprehensible being humans created to serve as a combination of governor, ultimate parent, and ideal scapegoat.

He made a good try at the subject. As a magus, Aaron had little but disdain for the Church. Nonetheless, he did his best to explain its underlying ideas to Caster, who only looked more confused with every sentence.

"I don't get it," she said with a deadpan tone, "Some invisible person up in the sky controls everything and is all-powerful. But when he wants to save everyone, he goes through the trouble of sending his son, who's himself...somehow, who's supposed to save everyone by dying. That makes no sense."

Aaron could only shrug. "If it's any consolation, it makes little sense to me either. I always thought that the Church's beliefs sounded like ridiculous, but..."

"But what?"

"But I just summoned a talking purple pony from another dimension. So when it comes to ridiculous concepts, I'm not one to talk anymore. It's hard to throw stones when someone drops a glass house on your head."

Seeing that Caster had no idea what he was talking about, Aaron sighed. "Anyway, we should get some rest. Now that hostilities have been officially opened, I suspect that we will have busy times ahead of us."

It was late in the afternoon the next day before something else happened. Laying across the bed, Twilight was busying herself by pushing through yet another book about the human world. Aaron appeared to be sleeping in the chair. The battles of the Holy Grail War were carried out during the night out of prudence as that was the best time to avoid the eyes of ordinary people. This kind of nocturnal schedule was difficult for Twilight to adjust to, but at least she had. The experience of pulling successive all-nighters to draw upon.

It came as a surprise when Twilight felt a surge of prana shivering down her horn. It had not gone unnoticed by Aaron either, who opened his eyes and sat up as though he had been completely alert the entire time. It didn't take them long to realize the source of the sensation.

"A Servant," Twilight observed.

Aaron nodded.

"But why would they release their prana like that?" she found herself wondering.

"It's a provocation," answered Aaron, "They are moving through the city while revealing their presence to draw out challengers."

"What do we do?"

An eager grin spread across the magus's face. "What else? We watch and see who takes them up on it."

Aaron got to his feet and began rummaging through the drawers once again, pulling out several small cases. From one he withdrew the sheathed knife he had been examining the previous night and hooked it onto his belt. Another, smaller case he simply slipped into one of his pockets. Several other items were stowed in a similar manner. Slipping on his coat, Aaron strode towards the door. "Prepare your invisibility spell, Caster."

Twilight found traveling along the streets much more difficult in the early evening. She supposed that it was only natural. After all, the crowds were greater. More than once, she had to move creatively to avoiding getting stepped on accidentally. Following Aaron, they carefully tracked the prana of the unknown Servant. For the time being, Aaron led them on a path that ran parallel to the enemy's movement, slowly pulling ahead so that they could get a look at the Servant as he or she approached.

As they stopped at an intersection and waited for a light, Twilight took a moment to concentrate, grateful that the invisibility spell hid the telltale flickers of light given off by her horn. Completing the spell, she allowed herself a smile as she communicated with her master without words.

"I'm having trouble understanding why this Servant would be trying to provoke the others," she thought at her Master.

Aaron jumped as though he had been shocked. "This is a new trick," he thought back, "I hope you didn't just give us away by doing that."

"Relax. A prana expenditure that small couldn't be picked up unless they were within ten feet of us."

"Did you feel that talking like this is really necessary?" While Masters could direct their Servants remotely, they could do little but convey their intention through thought. Engaging in a silent conversation with one's Servant like this required specialized magecraft.

"Would you rather be talking out loud to an invisible pony that no one else can see?"

That brought a wry smile to Aaron's face. "I suppose I would be considered a little old to be having conversations with an imaginary friend."

"Good. Now can you answer my question?"

"Well, the battles have to start sometime. If we are constantly circling one another, then the Grail War can have no proper resolution. It also gives the Master of that Servant the opportunity to evaluate the other Masters by watching how they respond to this provocation. It's likely that this Servant is from one of the three Knight Classes, which specialize in combat. That means that they have faith in their ability to win in a direct confrontation."

As they "spoke," Aaron and Twilight finally cut across the unknown Servant's line of movement and came to the same street said Servant was currently moving down. Coming around the corner, Aaron stopped and pressed himself up agains the wall of the building they currently stood in front of. Twilight joined him and pressed herself up against the wall as tightly as possible to avoid being tripped over.

Reaching into a pocket, Aaron pulled out the small case from earlier and opened it. From inside, he drew out a pair of ordinary looking glasses and put them on. Twilight realized that these must be a Mystic Code of some sort, although she had no idea what they did. However, knowing what she did about her Master, Twilight suspected that they enhanced his vision in some manner.

Closing her eyes, she concentrated. Through the connection between Master and Servant, a Master could enable himself to look through his Servant's eyes as though they were his own, using an ability called Shared Perception. The skill had obvious advantages for some Masters, who preferred to direct their Servants from a distance. It required complete concentration to execute properly and was difficult to pull off in a situation where the Master might be in danger. Because of its nature, the ability would normally have been of little use for Caster's Master as the Caster class was not meant to go into direct confrontations while the Master observed remotely.

However, Twilight, thanks to the information provided to her by the Grail itself, knew of this ability. Applying her own intelligence, she was able to reverse it so that she was now observing the world through the senses of her Master. It was the kind of trick that only a member of the Caster class would be able to pull off.

She found that the glasses were indeed enhancing Aaron's sight, allowing him to easily view objects several hundred meters distant. The current object of interest was a pair of people. One was a beautiful woman with silvery hair and crimson eyes. These, combined with her pale skin, gave her a resemblance similar to that of a finely crafted doll. The metaphor was different from the one Twilight had come to with regard to Kotomine Kirie, as it was a reflection of the woman's flawless beauty, rather than any indicator that she might have been a lifeless shell. In fact, as Twilight watched, she saw the woman looking around with wide eyes that practically overflowed with life and emotion, taking in everything around her with the same childlike wonder Twilight herself experienced her first night in the human world. Perhaps because of this, Twilight felt a certain degree of kinship with this woman.

She was linked arm in arm with a handsome young man with blonde hair and a slim figure, dressed in a black suit. Even as the woman looked around with awe and wonder, the man's emerald-green eyes were also moving, but differently. His expression, while pleasant, was watchful, the expression of someone on the lookout for danger. He was also the source of the prana Twilight and Aaron had sensed. This man then, must be the other Servant. Twilight narrowed her focus, trying to discern anything she could. As she did, she saw the man visibly tense. Before anything else happened, she was locked out of Aaron's mind entirely.

Moving casually, but quickly, Aaron ushered the invisible unicorn back around the corner before slumping against the wall. "That was nerve wracking," he muttered.

"What happened?" asked Twilight through their mental communication spell.

"That Servant proved pretty formidable," explained Aaron, "I got a good look at his parameters just now and they were impressive. Even more impressive is that this Servant has top notch instincts. I normally pride myself on being difficult to detect when scrying, but he noticed."

"Actually, that might be my fault," suggested Twilight, glad that Aaron couldn't see the blush and sheepish grin on her face, "I was watching him through your spell and I may have been a little...intense in my focus."

"We'll fall back for now," said Aaron, replacing his glasses into their case, "We should just tail them from a distance and see if anyone answers their challenge."

They allowed the enemy Servant and Master to travel past them and followed their progress from a parallel street. As they did, Aaron went over what he had seen. From what he had seen of the enemy Servant's parameters, he was fairly certain that this Servant had to be Saber. What luck, meeting the strongest one right off the bat, he thought wryly, although he immediately reconsidered his assessment when he remembered the Servant that had slain Assassin. Then again, there was no definitive way to tell which was stronger until he got a better look at both of them. This would be difficult, given that the presumed Saber had an incredibly heightened awareness of his surroundings.

And then there was the Master to consider. Aaron had honestly been shocked by the sight of that Master. He had done a substantial degree of research into the Holy Grail War and the contributions of the Three Families of the Beginning to its creation. Even without this extra research, the Einzbern family was famous for their skill in producing homunculi, artificial magical constructs with human features. And there was no mistake. With that silvery hair and red eyes, that too perfect appearance, that woman was clearly an Einzbern homunculus.

A frown spread across his face. Aaron hadn't expected the Einzbern Master to be a homunculus, especially not after he had heard what the family had done in their desperation to finally obtain the Holy Grail after losing every war since its creation. Where was Emiya Kiritsugu? Where was the trump card the Einzberns had taken such great pains to acquire to ensure their victory?

Aaron took a moment to think over all the information he had gathered on the man known as the Mage Slayer. Emiya Kiritsugu was not a magus, at least not in the traditional sense. Rather than spending his time refining the magecraft he had inherited from his ancestors in the Emiya family, Kiritsugu's actions made it clear that he viewed magecraft as just another tool in his arsenal. Aaron's assembled dossier had compiled a very long, very extensive list of Kiritsugu's victims. The higher-ups of the Association had not considered themselves beneath using the man's skills a number of times to dispose of troublesome individuals.

Emiya Kiritsugu's effectiveness came not from some great secret of magecraft, but because he was a true pragmatist. As a man who clearly did not care about magus tradition, he was free to use methods clearly unsuited for magi to dispose of magi: poison, bombs, bullets, and countless other methods utilizing modern weapons, even once bringing down an entire plane because his target was a passenger on it. As magi typically held little but disdain for the modern world, they rarely considered that their death could be delivered by anything other than that akin to the mysteries that they wielded. Emiya Kiritsugu was a man who exploited this psychological blind spot to its fullest

In a way, this made sense to Aaron in light of the situation. A man like Emiya Kiritsugu would not stroll down the street with his Servant in plain view. Aaron took a moment to consider the actions a pure pragmatist like Kiritsugu would take. If Kiritsugu wasn't the Einzbern Master, then he was most likely working in concert with that Master. In that case, then this pair's true purpose wasn't merely to provoke the other Masters and their Servants into action. Aaron stopped and closed his eyes in concentration.

Emiya Kiritsugu's methodology revolved around effectiveness and efficiency. His actions showed that he would do whatever he felt was necessary to dispose of the target, clearly choosing methods for their likelihood of success and what offered the lowest risk of failure. If that was the kind of man Emiya Kiritsugu was, then Aaron felt he could predict the Mage Slayer's actions the way one could predict the course running water would take by mapping out the path of least resistance. In all likelihood the, Kiritsugu would prioritize the elimination of the Masters, which would be more likely to take Servants out of the conflict with less risk to himself or his allies while at the same time reducing the pool of candidates that could make new contracts with Masterless Servants.

Then, the actions that the Einzbern Servant and Master were taking we're not solely for the purpose of provoking a challenge. A man like Emiya Kiritsugu would instead be using them as decoys, maybe even without their knowledge, and in doing so would draw enemy Masters out of hiding and into a position where he could...

Aaron froze, a chill running down his spine as his mind collapsed into a gibbering panic for a moment. What if, in his curiosity, Aaron had inadvertently given himself away to the Mage Slayer? If the Einzbern Master and her Servant were only a few blocks away, then there was a very real chance that the Mage Slayer was close at hand as well. Aaron knew little about the potential of modern weapons due to his disinterest in such things. His understanding of the situation threw a glaring light, illuminating this very threatening gap in his knowledge. For all he knew, he was the one being watched right now. For all he knew, Emiya Kiritsugu could be prepared to snuff out his life this very instant.

"Aaron?" Caster's voice, laden with concern, filled his head. "Aaron, what's wrong?"

"We need to get off the street...now!"

Not bothering to tell Caster anything else at this juncture, Aaron instead resumed walking at a casual pace as he tried to discern a location where he and his Servant could leave the street. If Emiya Kiritsugu was near and hadn't spotted him yet, Aaron didn't want to engage in anymore suspicious behavior until he was out of sight.

Fortunately, Aaron had one advantage that he was fairly certain of. As one who made watching and observing others his passion and study in life, Aaron was well aware of the mechanics of not only how one watches, but how one is watched. Countless times in the past, this knowledge had saved him from having to deal with magi and other people who would have liked to have dealt with him for "knowing too much," allowing him to slip through the openings in their methods of searching and escape without being seen.

In this respect, Aaron's knowledge of modern technology was much more substantial, as his views were not guided by tradition, but, as always, by his interest. He had always been happy to consider modern methods of surveillance as options. In a sense, he supposed, he was like Emiya Kiritsugu, not caring so much about the magecraft itself as he did about using it to fulfill his interests. Aaron could only be considered a magus because he continued to develop and polish his magecraft for that purpose.

Carefully, Aaron slid into the interior of a nearby office building, Caster following along beside him. Taking a moment to look around them, Aaron let out the breath he wasn't even aware he had been holding and slid down into a bench in the entryway. He could sense Caster's curiosity, but shook his head to forestall any questions for the time being. With a groan, he got to his feet and led the way to the elevators, plotting a path to the building's roof.

Twilight sighed in relief as they stepped onto the roof of the office building. Aaron had told her that she could release her invisibility spell and relax a little. With no people around, the two were free to continue tracking the other Servant and his Master as they moved through the city. They now appeared to be making their way to the seaside, not far away from a set of shipping warehouses and a harbor facility. From where they were, Twilight could see the scaffolding of a derrick crane and the layout of the rows of shipping containers.

"What was that all about?" asked Twilight as she looked around.

"I wasn't expecting the Master we were following to be from the Einzberns," said Aaron, "Once I realized that, I remembered that they had acquired the services of a particularly dangerous individual." He then took the time to give Twilight an explanation of the man known as Emiya Kiritsugu.

As she listened, Twilight again felt the bottom drop out of her stomach. The thought that a person such as this Kiritsugu could exist was horrifying to her. She hated to think that anyone would think of employing murder as a career. She shivered at the thought that they might run up against this person.

"Why would he do that?" Twilight asked, "Spend his life ending the lives of others?"

Aaron shrugged. "It isn't as uncommon as you would like. The human world is a volatile place and there is a thriving market for people who specialize in killing. That said, I believe Emiya Kiritsugu is unique. When he wasn't hunting down troublesome individuals at the Association's behest, he was moving around between trouble spots, civil wars, revolutions and the like, always popping up when the fighting was at its fiercest. From what I've read, his actions seem much too driven to be those of a person killing solely for profit. Given how hard he apparently pushed himself at times, I have to wonder if the man has some sort of death wish."

Now that was a term completely alien to Twilight Sparkle. She couldn't even begin to comprehend why someone would want their own life to end. She resolved to review the information Aaron had gathered on this Emiya Kiritsugu when they returned to the hotel. She pondered over the day's events as the sun slowly slipped below the horizon.

Abruptly she found herself jumping from the sense of another presence. This one was completely different from that of the Servant they had been following all day. She saw Aaron grin as he oriented on the new arrival. "It looks like someone has finally decided to answer our friends' challenge."

The new Servant had appeared within a hundred meters of the pair Twilight and Aaron had been tailing that evening and was slowly moving away from them. At first, she found herself wondering why this Servant was moving away from the other one after appearing. But then she realized that he or she must have been leading the Einzbern Master and her Servant to a suitable place to fight.

"There!" said Aaron, pointing in the direction of the harbor facility, "I can sense the beginnings of the barrier. The new Servant's Master must be isolating the place in preparation for the coming battle." As the secrecy of the Grail War was paramount, it was considered standard procedure for a Master to isolate the area of conflict to keep bystanders from wandering in. By setting up this barrier, the new Servant's Master was marking the dockyard as a battlefield for the Holy Grail War.

"Should we get closer?" asked Twilight.

Aaron shook his head. "Not with the Mage Slayer on the loose out there somewhere. Lets watch from here." Once again he pulled out his glasses. "If we use these, the distance will not be a factor."

Twilight frowned with uncertainty. She decided to just follow along for now. She plunged her mind into the connection between them and once again shared his perception. She was shocked to find that Aaron's boast had been more true than she had expected. It wasn't as though they were watching from a distance, but instead were within a few meters of the target area itself. It was a completely different experience from looking through the lenses of binoculars or a telescope. It was as though she and her Master were there on the battlefield themselves.

There, standing in the open lane between stacks of shipping containers, was a single man. His tall, slender figure was adorned with dark green armor that still revealed his finely muscled figure. For a moment, Twilight panicked as her and Aaron's perspective began to shift, until she realized that her Master was the one responsible. He was moving the vision around to view the Servant from other angles, which should have been impossible from their current position. She found herself in awe of Aaron's skill with this particular kind of magecraft.

The Servant's face was clearly handsome by human standards. His black hair was mostly slicked back, save for one strand that dangled in front of his face, enhancing his appearance rather than making him seem disheveled. Beneath his right eye was a simple beauty mark. Twilight felt there was something distinctly odd about they way that simple blemish seemed to draw everything about his face together. She felt a shiver as a foreign sensation ran through her and realized that whatever the effect had been, it had been thrown off by the simple fact that she wasn't human. As she went over the sensation in her head, she realized that there appeared to be something similar in the strange magecraft that had almost affected her and the Want-It-Need-It spell she had once used in one of the more embarrassing episodes of her life.

"Charm magecraft?" Twilight found herself asking.

"It looks that way," agreed Aaron, "It seems to be centered on that birthmark on his face. I suspect that it affects human women. It doesn't seem especially powerful, so it likely won't affect Saber's Master when she arrives."

The only other things remarkable about this Servant were the two objects he carried. Twilight recognized them as spears. The longer of the two was over two meters and was resting casually on the man's shoulder. In his other hand, he clutched another spear that was only a third of the length of the long one.

"Two spears?" she heard her Master murmur, "Well, he's clearly of the Lancer class. But I never expected to see any such Servant wielding two spears."

Indeed, from what she could see, Twilight figured that the two weapons, especially the long one, would be exceptionally difficult to wield with anything less than two hands. To wield both at the same time seemed like a ridiculous idea.

"Can you figure out his identity?" asked Twilight.

Through her link, she felt her master stroking his chin. "It's hard to say. The concept behind that face of his rings a bell. And there are plenty of heroes who have wielded more than one kind of weapon. Right now though, I just can't think of one who would wield two spears simultaneously. If we watch the fight, we might get some clues, especially if he reveals his Noble Phantasm."

"Then one of those spears is his Noble Phantasm?"

"At least." The two spears were wrapped in some kind of talisman cloth, probably to keep their identities secret.

Two shadows stretched across the ground, reaching towards Lancer. Here came the other Servant and his Master, the silver-haired woman. The two of them strode forward with all the conviction of duelists arriving at the appointed hour. The handsome man took the lead.

For a moment, Twilight's hearing went dead. Then, the sounds of the wind blown rooftop were replaced by the soft sound of the waves intermingling with the creaks of settling steel containers and sleeping machinery. She realized that Aaron's glasses allowed them to do more than just see the battle. Little by little, their senses were being transplanted from the rooftop to the site of the battle itself. Twilight felt a twinge of trepidation. Earlier, Aaron had been almost overwhelmed with paranoia at the prospect that the Mage Slayer might be lingering somewhere nearby. And yet, here he was, distancing his senses from his present location to perceive something elsewhere. Both he and Twilight could no longer see or hear what was happening on their rooftop. If an enemy found them in that state, they would be in grave danger and have no warning until far too late. It seemed that Aaron's eagerness to watch the unfolding battle was overriding his usual pragmatism. She resolved to abandon the link every few minutes to keep an eye on their more immediate surroundings. As it was, she did break the link long enough to lay down some alarm spells across the rooftop so that they would know if anyone intruded.

Twilight returned to the Shared Perception just in time to hear Lancer give out his greeting. "How nice of you to come. The two of you were parading around the city today and were the only ones to answer my invitation." His voice was cheerful and his tone welcoming. It seemed as though he was speaking to a pair of newly arrived friends, rather than enemies with whom he would soon be fighting to the death. It gave Twilight an uncomfortable feeling. Was this man enjoying the prospect of the coming fight?

Lancer continued. "And that valorous spirit...am I correct in assuming that you are Saber?"

The young man nodded and then answered in a youthful voice. "And with those spears, you must be Lancer."

"Correct." Lancer paused for a moment before looking away with a sigh. "Even though we are about to battle to the death, we cannot even give out our names as is proper. That dampens my enthusiasm somewhat."

"Even so," replied Saber, "You raise your spears for the sake of your Master so that you might win the Holy Grail."

Lancer nodded solemnly, turning to once again look at Saber and his Master. Seeing them stiffen, Twilight realized that they also must have noticed the charm emanating from Lancer's face.

"Charm magecraft," said Saber's Master with reproach, "That is improper to use on a married woman."

Lancer blinked, then let out a bitter sounding chuckle. "Sorry. There's nothing I can do about that. This is a curse that I have been afflicted with from birth. Moreover, you should be blaming yourselves for being born women."

"Women?" Aaron's voice mirrored Twilight's confusion at the use of the plural.

Saber stepped forward, the Servant's face bearing a tight smile. "Surely you don't expect that handsome face to dull my sword Lancer."

Twilight felt Aaron smack his forehead...hard. "Saber is a woman! How could I have missed that?"

Twilight had to stifle a laugh. At least she had the excuse of not being familiar enough with humans to notice the difference on sight.

"You aren't affected? The Saber class's Magic Resistance is impressive. Excellent. There is no way I could have enjoyed this battle if your skills were weakened because of my face." Lancer did indeed seem genuinely pleased by the fact that his charm had failed.

"Oh, you are a Servant who seeks an honorable battle?" observed Saber, her smile now eager, "Then I should count myself lucky to engage in battle with such a proud opponent."

Lancer lifted the long spear off his shoulder. Hefting both weapons, he spread them like wings. Saber took one step forward and seemed to disappear into a whirling cloud of prana. When it disappeared, the suit was gone, replaced with a dress of royal blue, clad in silver armor. There was no longer any question of Saber's gender as she strode onto the field of battle. But the revelation did not make her seem weaker. Rather, she had cast off her trappings as her Master's escort and strode forward clothed in the essence of a true Heroic Spirit.

Saber raised one hand. In it, Twilight could see something twisting and shifting in the air. That must have been Saber's weapon. But Twilight could not see any of it's features, or anything about it at all. Its shape and features were completely indecipherable. It was, for all intents and purposes, invisible. Twilight realized that the concealment made it impossible to tell the weapon's length, which would make it hard to counter in battle. It also probably meant that the sword was critical to learning Saber's identity as she went to such lengths of hide it.

"Saber." The focus shifted to Saber's Master, who stood with a look of hardened resolve behind her Servant. "Take care. I can support you with healing magecraft, but that's it."

"What?" Aaron's whisper cut through the tableau like a knife, forcibly reminding Twilight that they weren't actually on the battlefield. She wondered what it was about the statement made by Saber's Master that had caught him off guard.

"Understood," replied Saber, as though she already knew this, "I am worried. Lancer's Master has yet to show himself. I fear he may be working on some plan. Please be careful, Irisviel. I am entrusting you to watch my back."

So that's her name, thought Twilight, pleased to have something to call the silver-haired woman aside from Saber's Master.

"I will Saber. Go forth and bring me victory."

Saber nodded firmly. For a moment, it seemed as though the world itself had frozen into place. The two Servants faced one another at the ready. Neither of them moved a muscle. Then, all at once, Saber exploded forward into motion, rushing headlong at Lancer, who prepared himself for her onslaught. Steel crashed against steel, their sounds ringing out across the abandoned harbor. With that, the next battle of the Holy Grail War had well and truly begun.

So, for those chafing a little that all Twilight and her Master seem to be doing is watching from the sidelines, I have to apologize. There's going to be at least one more chapter's worth of developments before Twilight Sparkle enters the fray. Hopefully, it will be worth your while. On a separate note, for those of you who were confused by my use of capitlalization when referring to the church/Church, that was mostly for the purpose of differentiation. The church (lowercase) refers to the church, the building, whereas the Church (uppercase) refers to the Church, the institution. Just clearing that up for anyone who was confused. Once again, feel free to leave your comments and I look forward to hearing from you.

On a separate, more humorous note, has anyone else noticed that one of fimfiction's advertisers is apparently the Tea Party, which is hilariously ironic when you think about it.

Special Ability: Shared Perception
This is a Master's skill that allows them to perceive the world through the senses of their Servant. It is especially useful for Masters of the Assassin Class as it allows them to observe with their Servant without compromising their Servant's ability to remain hidden. It is also useful for Masters of combat oriented Servants who wish to send their Servants into battle while observing from a safe location. This ability does not actually belong to Twilight Sparkle, but rather, her Master. However, due to her intelligence and skill, Caster is able to reverse the application of the skill and observe with Aaron's senses.

All Gathered

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Chapter 3: All Gathered

Twilight Sparkle could scarcely believe what she was seeing. There was nothing even remotely like this in Equestria. It was terrifying, monstrous and barbaric. And perplexingly, it was one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen. A footstep crushed solid concrete. A glancing blow sliced clean through the metal column of a street lamp. The slightest poke punched right into the steel wall of a container. It was like watching a cross between a typhoon and a dance. Twilight realized that she wasn't the only one enthralled by the spectacle. Aaron's gaze, which she had been using to watch the battle, was fixed near constantly on the two Servants' exchange, only occasionally flicking to other parts of the battlefield, mainly Saber's Master, who was clearly as taken by the sight as everyone else.

And what a sight it was. Even as she quailed in horror at the thought of two living, thinking beings in a struggle to the death, Twilight couldn't deny that there was also something engaging about the fight. Lancer and Saber moved with grace, precision, and the smoothness possessed only by those who spent a lifetime polishing their skills and abilities. Twilight recognized that grace all too well. It was the same grace she saw in Rainbow Dash whenever the pegasus performed a stunt that she had perfected through weeks of practice. The one major difference was that these two Servants had polished their skills in the art of violence and murder, not stunt-flying...oh and they weren't pegasi; there was that too.

At this point, both Servants were carefully feeling each other out. Neither had a full handle on what the other could do. In spite of what normally would have been an awkward configuration, Lancer wielded both of his spears with ease. While Twilight might not have been familiar with human fighting styles, she could deduce how they would normally be used from what she observed of human physique and anatomy, as well as the characteristics of the weapons themselves (and possibly with additional information provided by the Holy Grail). It was clear that Lancer's fighting style was unorthodox and it showed in how Saber responded to his attack and defense. At a distance, she was forced to parry and dodge thrusts and slashes from the long spear. But when she closed in, her attacks were quickly deflected and countered by the immaculate defense of the shorter spear.

But Saber wasn't the only one having difficulties. Unable to see her weapon, Lancer obviously found judging Saber's range to be difficult. Even if he could tell the line of her attack by the movements she made when she swung that invisible sword, he couldn't gauge her reach well enough to set up the perfect counter. The two of them were in a complete stalemate.

Twilight yelped as Aaron wrenched his vision away from the fight and began to cast it all across the area. "What are you doing?" she demanded, surprised at her own reluctance to stop watching the fierce exchange.

"The straight-up fight between Servants isn't the only battle being waged here," replied Aaron cryptically.

Aaron swept his scrying spell systematically across the whole of the dockyard, searching for anything unusual. To a magus, the way in which this fight had been set up had been anything but subtle. Lancer had revealed himself quite grandly and announced his presence to any and all Servants and Masters who might have been nearby; a good number of which, had probably already been following Saber and her "Master." And while he was hidden, Lancer's Master was clearly somewhere on the scene as he had been the one to set up the barrier that would keep regular humans from noticing.

There were other oddities of note. The statement of Saber's Master at the beginning of the battle had aroused Aaron's suspicions. While one of the primary support functions of a Master was to heal their Servant's damage, that was far from all they could do, especially when the Command Seals were brought into play. Irisviel's claim that healing magecraft was all she could do to support Saber had immediately set off alarm bells in his head. If that was the case, then maybe the homunculus wasn't really Saber's Master. But if she wasn't, then who was? Again, Aaron's mind returned to the Einzbern Family's rumored trump card.

There! On the western bank of the dockyard, kneeling on some scaffolding, was a single person. Aaron didn't have to look very closely to identify him. It was easy to recognize the man's appearance from his files; that wavy black hair, the long coat billowing in the wind that buffeted his perch, and most tellingly of all, the very modern weapon that he was using to scan the battleground. This was Emiya Kiritsugu. Aaron felt a cold shiver run down his spine. The weapon the Mage Slayer cradled in his hands with practiced ease looked decidedly...lethal.

"What is that?" Caster asked nervously.

"It's a gun," replied Aaron.

"I know that," replied Caster flatly, "But what kind of gun is it?"

Aaron frowned. His knowledge of modern weaponry was far from substantial. "Unless I'm mistaken, I think it's what they call a sniper rifle. It's a special kind of gun that's meant to deal a precise blow from extreme distances."

"Why on earth would he use that?" gasped Caster, clearly appalled by the notion.

"Even for someone familiar with such things, it would be a terrifying weapon," explained Aaron, "But for magi, such a thing would not even enter their consideration. They would put little thought into defending against a weapon like that because it is the kind of thing a true magus would never use. In other words, there could be no better weapon for one who is a Mage Slayer."

Aaron used his scrying spell to get a closer look at the weapon. Even if he would never contemplate using a weapon like that (if only because he would never contemplate fighting in general if he could avoid it), Aaron was still intrigued by it. Immediately, he realized something was off. Being in expert in seeing things and how things are seen, Aaron was all too familiar with how to gauge line of sight. For a weapon meant to deliver a precise attack from a substantial distance, the aiming mechanism would have to be carefully calibrated so that the shooter could hit what he was aiming at. Thus, what was clearly a telescopic scope of some kind mounted on top of the gun and aligned perfectly with the centerline of the barrel made sense to Aaron. What didn't make sense to him was the second scope, slightly bulkier in shape and size, that was attached to the side of the first. Even taking into consideration the awkward positioning of the second scope, which would have made aiming difficult or even impossible, the main question was still why were there two scopes?

To a practiced observer like Aaron, the answer was obvious. The two scopes must have had different functions. Aaron was well aware that typical magecraft geared towards concealment was generally concerned with two potential means of observation. The first was detection by scrying and search spells, much like the one Aaron himself was using at the moment. The other was what could be seen with the human eye. Most so-called invisibility spells were not designed with the realization that there were a myriad number of ways people could be "seen" aside from mere eyesight. In particular, Aaron knew from his experience in experimenting with modern methods of surveillance and observation that magi were especially easy to detect with the use of thermal cameras, the presence of active magic circuits increasing a magus's body temperature beyond the range of normal humans. Perhaps Emiya Kiritsugu had made a similar realization and now was employing it in his typically lethal fashion.

Something else that unnerved Aaron was Kiritsugu's choice of position. While the elevated scaffold was an excellent position to observe the battle from, it wasn't the best position by far. That position belonged to the derrick crane, which towered thirty meters above the ground. From there, one could have surveyed the entire area with ease. It was exactly the kind of location Aaron would have picked had he wanted to watch the battle with his physical eyes. So why wasn't Kiritsugu there?

Aaron's thought process was derailed when Kiritsugu paused in his sweep of the dockyard. The Mage Slayer appeared to fixate on a single point, checking through one scope and then the other. He's found something. There was one especially likely candidate.

"It seems that Emiya has found Lancer's Master."

Without waiting for any response from Caster, Aaron began to trace Kiritsugu's line of sight. It eventually intersected with the roof of a large warehouse, another elevated point with a commanding view of the battlefield.

"I don't see anything," said Caster.

"Me neither. That probably means that Lancer's Master is hiding behind an invisibility spell." That would be the natural course of action for most magi. If anything, the woman standing behind Saber was being exceptionally bold for stepping onto the battlefield with her Servant. Aaron sighed. There was no way he could affect the means to break through the spell at this distance. He had experimented with spells that allowed him to see beyond the visible spectrum. However, marrying those spells to the remote viewing application of his Mystic Code had proven too complicated for him to finish any adjustments by the time the Grail War began.

Normally, he would simply have shrugged and given up. Leaving the identity of Lancer's Master a mystery was the kind of thing that would have appealed to him as a watcher. He would have had fun deducing which of the participating magi was the guiding hand behind Lancer's movements through a variety of deductive processes. However, now that he was a participant, the knowledge of this Mast's identity was critical to his survival. He simply could not let the issue lie.

"Hmm, maybe if I..." Aaron was surprised to hear Caster speaking up next to him. Aaron felt her prana being released and...streaming into him. She had gone beyond reversing the Shared Perception to borrow his senses, she was now using her magecraft to affect his senses directly through the link. Aaron's jaw dropped. Even more amazing, her magecraft was now interacting with the spell employed by his Mystic Code. The image of the warehouse roof began to blur and distort, as though he was looking at the scene through glasses with the wrong prescription. But then, the center of the distortion began to clear and Aaron was able to make out the shape of a single man standing on the warehouse roof.

Caster had gone beyond borrowing his senses. She was now manipulating Aaron's own spell. Technically, it was the spell he had built his Mystic Code for. A Mystic Code like Aaron's was a support time designed to perform a given mystery when it was activated by his prana. It wasn't the same as casting a spell, but rather simply activating one that had been prepared and cast in advance. Because of this, a Mysatic Code could be modified and refined. What made Caster's action so amazing was that she was doing so on the spot, carefully adjusting the spell's properties without interfering with its original purpose.

But even more amazing was the result. From the distortion occurring, Aaron suspected that Caster's modifications were functioning as a sort of thaumaturgical lens, filtering out the invisibility spell being used by the other Master. In other words, she had been able to discern the exact form of the interference in the world caused by the opposing thaumaturgy and modified Aaron's own spell to filter that interference out. It was a feat that would have probably taken most magi hours to accomplish and only after careful observation and analysis. But Caster had done this in mere seconds.

It took Aaron a little longer to get his feelings back under control. His heart was thundering in his ribs and he could barely control his breathing. To help, he focused on the image of the newly revealed Master, as Caster's efforts snapped the rest of the scene back into focus, so that the view around the enemy magus wasn't swimming and swirling anymore.

"Do you recognize him?" asked Caster, a tinge of nervousness in her voice.

"Yes," answered Aaron coolly. There was no mistaking that swept back blonde hair, green eyes and that smug, haughty expression. "Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi."

Something was off. Aaron and Caster had only found Kayneth because Emiya Kiritsugu had spotted him first. Given how ruthless the Mage Slayer was, he should have already used that impressive weapon of his to attack Lancer's Master. It would have quickly put an end to the battle unfolding below. Curious, Aaron turned his attention back to Kiritsugu, only to find that Kiritsugu was no longer pointing his weapon at Kayneth. Rather he now had it focused in a completely different direction, pointing right up at the derrick crane.

At that moment, Aaron got his first taste of the ultimate pragmatism that was at the core of Emiya Kiritsugu's philosophy. As he followed the Mage Slayer's line of sight, Aaron realized that Kiritsugu had chosen not to watch from the derrick crane precisely because it was such an ideal location for observing the battle. Emiya Kiritsugu had realized that and had instead chosen a position where he could monitor both Saber's fight and the derrick crane. If Aaron had been foolish enough to go to the battleground in person and had followed his instincts, he would have put himself right into Emiya Kiritsugu's sights. He would have practically gift-wrapped himself for the Mage Slayer.

However, more ominous still was the truth about exactly who Emiya Kiritsugu was observing. Crouched on top of the derrick crane was a familiar looking figure. Those black clothes, that crouched, animalistic posture, and above all else, that stylized skull mask made the figure's identity clear beyond question. "Assassin?"

"Why is he here?" asked Twilight, unable to process what she was seeing. Hadn't this Servant been killed already? She had seen him be wiped out by the barrage of that golden Servant.

"He seems to be different," Aaron remarked.

That much was true. Unlike the one who had died trying to infiltrate the Tohsaka mansion, this Assassin was clothed in flowing black robes that billowed in the evening breeze. His stature appeared to be shorter than the one they had seen die earlier, although it was hard to tell with him crouching like that. But that was impossible. There couldn't be more than one Assassin. The Holy Grail only allowed for seven Servants to be summoned and only one from each class.

"I guess that we should assume that this is somehow related to his Noble Phantasm or some special ability of his," Aaron remarked casually.

But there was one thing that was certain. If Assassin was still in play, then that meant that Kotomine Kirie was not actually out of the war, meaning that he had only been pretending to be defeated. The only remaining question was whether or not Tohsaka and his Servant had been in on the ruse or if they were dupes as well.

The sounds of clashing steel echoing from below paused, causing Aaron and Twilight to redirect their attention to the fight between Saber and Lancer. The two Servants had separated momentarily and appeared to be sizing one another up. While Aaron and Twilight had been focusing on Kiritsugu, Kayneth and Assassin, the duel between Saber and Lancer had apparently intensified. The asphalt around them had been torn up for several meters in every direction. With a low groan, a container collapsed, letting the container on top of it slide to the ground. Both Servants ignored this development, choosing to remain focused on one another. In site of the intense battle, they were unscathed. In fact, neither of them looked so much as winded.

Finally, Lancer broke the silence between them. "Even though there's no honor in battling without giving out our names, I should complement you. To come this far without even breaking a sweat, you truly are a formidable opponent."

Saber smiled. "There's no need for modesty. For a man of your skill to compliment me, I am honored."

Twilight couldn't even begin to understand. The two of them had just been trying to kill one another. But however she looked at it, Twilight couldn't overlook the realization that the two Servants seemed to enjoy the battle. They weren't competing for points or a title. The only judge in this competition existed primarily to make sure that normal humans didn't find out about the battle. The loser would die. That'all there was to it. This wasn't like the Iron Pony competition between Rainbow Dash and Applejack. Before Twilight's (or rather, Aaron's eyes) stood two paragons of human strength and excellence. But in her mind, she could only see them as monsters, aiming to devour one another.

For the first time, Twilight Sparkle truly felt the alien nature of the human world. Was this one of their qualities as a race? Did they revel in conflicts such as this? Did any of the Servants or Masters realize that this competition, this Holy Grail War, was nothing more than ritualized murder? Surely someone had to realize that killing, no matter what decorations you put on it, was still killing.

Her hopes were shattered as a cold voice swept across the battlefield. "Enough of this foolishness Lancer. Don't waste time paying pointless compliments to your enemy. Saber is a formidable opponent. Finish her now. You may use your Noble Phantasm."

Twilight felt a familiar shiver run down her spine. She knew it had been Lancer's Master who had spoken. He seemed familiar to her. It was in the way that Kayneth stood and held himself with that expression of disdain, even while watching his own Servant battle for his sake. Even his voice reminded her of the golden Servant that had slaughtered (or seemed to slaughter) Assassin. In many ways, this Kayneth seemed like a lesser version of that golden Servant. This man was clearly one who was accustomed to elevating himself above others.

In response to his Master's order, Lancer's smile merely widened. "As you wish, my Master." With that, he dropped the short spear in his left hand, letting it clatter against the ground. That done, he switched his single-handed grip on the longer spear two a more conventional two-handed one.

Then he unraveled the cloth wrapped around the spear. As the cloth fell away, it revealed a shaft and tip of vivid crimson color. Even though it was a tool of murder, Twilight couldn't help but find the spear's design to be quite beautiful. It was a work of art, even if it was a killing tool.

"So he's going to be using his Noble Phantasm," observed Aaron, sounding uncertain.

"What's wrong?" asked Twilight.

"It's just...I didn't think he would abandon his other spear."

"Couldn't that have been a decoy to keep Saber from figuring out which was his Noble Phantasm."

"Yes, but simply dropping it like that kind of defeats the purpose. A more appropriate strategy would have been to unbind them both and continue wielding two spears to keep Saber guessing so that she doesn't realize when the actual Noble Phantasm is going to hit. Just dropping the spear like that makes it obvious which of them is the Noble Phantasm."

Hearing that, Twilight began to have doubts of her own. In spite of being a decoy, the short spear had been shown to be capable of withstanding clashes with Saber's weapon, which made it a very well-made decoy. But the biggest tell was that Lancer had dropped the weapon at all while calling attention to the long spear. It was as though he wanted to make his opponent forget about the shorter spear altogether.

"This is it, Saber. From here on out, I'm coming at you with intent to kill," declared Lancer as he leveled the crimson spear at his opponent. The prana emitting from the spear's tip made the air shift like a mirage. "And one other thing. You are using some form of magecraft to conceal your sword. I'm guessing that that's because you don't want your enemies to recognize your blade and realize who you are."

"That might be true, Lancer," replied Saber grimly, lifting her weapon into what looked like a guard position, "However, I will strike you down long before you get the chance to see my blade."

"Hmm, I wonder," said Lancer, a teasing smile stretching his lips, "I believe that I can lift the veil on your invisible blade."

With that, Lancer lunged forward, thrusting his spear straight for Saber. Compared to the dazzling techniques he had employed earlier, this was a much simpler attack, one that was easily blocked. Saber reacted quickly and naturally, bringing the invisible blade across her and parrying the thrust, redirecting the tip of the spear to the ground.

A cyclone exploded forth from the clash. For a moment, Twilight forgot she wasn't actually present on the battlefield and reflexively leaned away as screaming wind tore through the open space, tossing about loose debris. And at the center of that intense, unexpected storm, Saber's sword appeared. Twilight felt her heart skip a beat. She saw it only for an instant and the whirling cloud of dust and debris kept her from perceiving any great detail. But what she saw moved her in a profound manner that she was unable to understand. There was something...inspiring about that blade. Looking at it made Twilight think of the Elements of Harmony, although they were clearly different from that deadly weapon. Something about that sword elevated it above other weapons, even Lancer's magnificent spear or the grand treasures hurled by that golden Servant. It was a blade that stood in a class of its own.

But the instant was over. Saber had disengaged her weapon and stepped back, aghast at what had just happened. It was obviously as much of a shock to her as it had been to everyone else except Lancer.

Lancer grinned, clearly pleased with himself. "There it is, your precious sword. Now that I've seen it with my own eyes, I won't misjudge it's reach anymore."

With that, he leapt into the attack. It was clear that his efforts from earlier in the battle had been child's play. No longer troubled by the uncertainty of Saber's reach, Lancer launched a furious barrage of attacks, forcing Saber into the defensive. Lancer employed his weapon's impressive reach to the fullest, always forcing Saber back and never giving her the opening she needed to step in and engage him. Every time she parried the tip of that spear, a burst of wind briefly illuminated the shape of her sword. It was as though each hit was slowly shaving away the concealment wrapped around it.

"I think I've got it," said Aaron over the roar of the wind and the clash of steel, "Saber actually appears to be using some kind of wind magecraft. She's using a barrier of compressed air to refract the light and render her sword invisible."

Twilight ran some mental calculations and gulped. The density of the air and the amount of prana needed to compress it to such an extend that light was refracted to such a degree was immense. If Lancer's spear was disrupting that somehow, it was no wonder that a small tornado sprang up every time their weapons clashed.

Twilight was distracted by the shriek of metal. Retreating from Lancer's onslaught, Saber rushed straight up the side of a shipping container. Kicking off, she managed a leap that took her over Lancer's head, just as his spear ripped clean through the container's steel shell withe ear-splitting screech that had gotten her attention. Lancer turned about as Saber set herself once again, twirling his spear with impressive dexterity, before lowering it to point at Saber once again. The two of them faced one another briefly. They both surged forward at the same time. Saber had her weapon raised overhead, having apparently abandoned any thought of parrying Lancer's next thrust. Instead, she angled her body as she closed. Her armor! Twilight realized. Saber must have been planning to deflect Lancer's thrust with her silvery armor before catching Lancer with her follow-up attack.

As they watched, Twilight suddenly noticed Saber's eyes widen, as though a sudden realization had occurred to her. She abandoned her charge and began to throw herself to the side. She wasn't fast enough. The blade of Lancer's spear met her armor...and passed clean through it, as though it wasn't even there. Blood arced and splattered across the pavement. Saber rolled to put some distance between herself and the spearman, raising her blade to ward off a quick followthrough by Lancer, who apparently chose not to pursue.

"Saber!" Irisviel released a pulse of prana, which was absorbed by Saber.

Saber, who had been cradling her side, straightened and looked up. "It's alright, Irisviel," she said, "Your healing spell is working."

Taking advantage of the lull in the battle, Saber inspected the area of her injury. The armor had not been damaged in the slightest. The only sign that anything that had happened at all were the splashes of blood around. The area where Lancer's spear had made contact.

"So if Masters can simply heal their Servants so easily, what's the point in fighting like this?" asked Twilight.

"In a normal fight, even small wounds can add up. But Servants are beings with bodies composed of materialized prana, so healing them is a simple matter for a competent magus," explained Aaron, although Twilight already knew that much, "What it means is that a decisive blow is critical to victory. If. Servant's body is sufficiently damaged, then no amount of healing magecraft can restore them, especially if the Servant's core, their heart basically, is damaged. A Command Seal can be used to bolster a Servant's ability to recover, but even that has its limits.

"What all this means is that a decisive blow is much more important than in regular fights. A Servant faced with an opponent supported by a competent magus is more likely to resort to using their Noble Phantasm to get that critical hit. Meanwhile, the magus doing the supporting is putting himself forward as a potential target that can be taken out to disable his Servant. It simply adds a wrinkle to the conflict."

As Aaron finished his, somewhat unsatisfactory to Twilight, explanation, Saber looked up at Lancer. "I've figured your weapon out. That spear severs prana and pierces through magecraft."

Lancer smiled, clearly enjoying the battle. It was not the cruel smile of one who enjoyed torturing his enemies, but one who enjoyed seeing his foe rising to the challenge before doing the same. Twilight had seen that same kind of smile on Applejack and Rainbow Dash when they were on one of their their competitive streaks. Lancer had that same eager smile. The fact that he was betting his life on the outcome of this battle only seemed to make him more excited. "From that, I'm assuming that your armor is a magical barrier. You're right. Before my spear, you might as well be naked."

"Do not get too full of yourself just because my armor is of no use," replied Saber, "If it won't help me, then I will simply get rid of it." Saber's armor flashed and dissipated into particles of light, leaving her clad only in her azure dress. Saber lowered herself into a wide stance, leveling her weapon behind her.

Lancer's eager smile melted into frowning concentration. "An all or nothing strike is it?" Slowly, he began to back away from the woman, setting himself up for a defensive posture. "You've turned your weakness into a strength. But still, that won't help you."

Something's wrong. Twilight's mind rewound the battle, taking special care to note of the Servants' positions. They were almost at the positions they had been in when the fight had first started. In fact, Lancer was standing in the very position...where he had dropped his second spear earlier.

"It's a trap!" she gasped.

"Huh?" Apparently Aaron hadn't realized this and was confused by Twilight's exclamation.

Before she could explain, Lancer's foot suddenly broke through the ground weakened by the chaos of battle, throwing off his balance. In that instant, a loud bang echoed across the battlefield as Saber surged forward at a speed that would have impressed Rainbow Dash, practically flying in fact. Twilight understood what the sword-wielding Servant had done. She had released the densely compressed storm that concealed her blade while pointing it behind her, apparently boosting it with her prana in the process. The recoil of releasing that tremendous gust sent her hurtling forward like a bullet. Her brilliant sword was no longer concealed as Saber closed in for the lethal strike, intent on dealing a killing blow to Lancer before he could do more than merely wound her with his spear.

But Twilight already foreseen what Lancer was planning, her mind piecing everything together just as Saber charged. She saw toes of the foot that had slipped digging into the ground. With a kick, he launched the second, shorter spear into the air from where it had been lightly buried by the pavement crushed into gravel and dust. The talisman cloth around the short spear dropped away to reveal a beautiful gold shaft and blade, which swirled with prana matching that of the crimson spear. Indeed, Lancer had two Noble Phantasms.

Catching the kicked spear, Lancer leveled it straight at Saber's heart as she rushed in. Already, she was straining to change her course, but it was too late for her to avoid the golden blade. The two rushed past one another and crimson splashes blossomed in the night.

Coming to a rest, the two of them took stock of their injuries. While Saber had avoided a fatal blow, Lancer's spear had made its mark on her left arm. Likewise, when she had thrown all her strength into avoiding Lancer's attack, Saber had thrown away any thought of dealing the spearman a mortal injury and had instead scored his left arm in turn, causing him to drop his short spear for the second time that night.

Massaging his arm, Lancer grimaced, but still maintained an amused smile. "You just won't let me win, will you?"

"You should have finished her already, you idiot," snapped Kayneth from his hiding place, "Hurry up and bring this battle to a close."

Lancer's wound shimmered with prana and closed on itself. Rubbing where his injury had been, Lancer hid a grimace at the scolding he received. "Many thanks, my Master." A quick kick returned the golden spear to his grip.

Saber glared at her opponent and replaced the veil of wind around her blade, making it disappear from sight once again. "Irisviel, heal me." A steady trickle of blood was running down Saber's arm. Her left hand appeared to be shaky.

"Must've cut the tendon," muttered Aaron, "If she can't use her left hand properly, then she can't use that sword with her fullest strength. And if she's who I think she is, then that's a major problem for her."

Twilight was about to ask what Aaron meant, although she suspected that he had just realized Saber's true identity. However, she was interrupted by a distraught voice from Irisviel, who was apparently agitated.

"I can't," she said, looking around uncertainly, "I tried healing your wound Saber, but my spell keeps telling me that you're already at full health."

Saber looked down at her injured arm and back up at Lancer. It must be the ability of that short spear, Twilight realized. Saber had apparently come to the same conclusion.

Thunder rumbled ominously in the distance as Lancer grinned. "My Gáe Dearg had convinced you that your armor was useless. However, you cast it away much to quickly, for that left you vulnerable to my Gáe Buidhe." The thunder rumbled again, seeming to get closer. Twilight frowned. She hadn't noticed anything that looked like a storm coming.

"I should have recognized you sooner," said Saber, appearing to be getting excited as well, "A crimson spear that pierces through magecraft and a golden spear that inflicts wounds that cannot be healed and a spot on your face that confuses the hearts of women; the first among the knights of Fianna, Diarmuid of the Love Spot. It is an honor to face an opponent like you."

"Is that right?" asked Twilight.

"I guess so," replied Aaron, "I've had a hard time with Irish and Celtic mythology, so many damn cycles..."

Lancer grinned and hoisted his long spear over his shoulder. "That's the way the Holy Grail War works," he said ruefully, "But really, the honor is all mine." Lancer pointed at Saber with his other hand, still clasping the golden short spear. "As one who has been summoned from across time and space to participate in this war, there is no mistaking that golden sword. I can't believe I've managed to score a hit on the King of Knights. Clearly, I'm not to be underestimated."

Lancer settled back into his default stance, spreading both his spears like a pair of wings. "In any case, now that we know one another's names, we can finally have an honorable battle. Will you come, King of Knights? Or are you upset over your injury?"

Saber returned Lancer's cocky smile. "Surely you jest to think that I would be upset over such a minor injury." With a flick of her wrist, Saber put her weapon into a guard position, holding it with both hands, although the grip of her left hand was clearly lacking.

"Prepare yourself Saber, this time I will take your life."

"Only if I don't take yours first, Lancer."

I don't get it at all, thought Twilight, irritation warring with fear and revulsion, Saber just got pretty badly wounded and she actually looks more excited than ever. There's absolutely no question...all the people in this war are CRAZY! And in her own mind, her Master was certainly not least among them in this respect.

Closer still, the thunder rumbled.

Aaron was more than a little shocked by the revelations of the battle. He wasn't that surprised to find out Lancer's true identity. He hadn't been able to figure it out until Saber had spelled it out for everyone there. But it seemed a suitable identity for Lancer. No, what had really shocked him was the revelation that the King of Knights, the wielder of the legendary Excalibur: The Sword of Promised Victory, Arthur Pendragon, was actually a woman. Aaron had realized this the moment Lancer's crimson sear had revealed that fabled blade within its sheath of wind.

Given that she's relying on a Noble Phantasm to conceal the sword itself, it's safe to say that Saber doesn't have Excalibur's original sheath, thought Aaron, Thank God for small blessings. Although it was possible that Saber could just be concealing Excalibur's true sheath (which might have been as revealing as the sword itself), Aaron doubted it. Legends held that Saber had lost Excalibur's sheath at some point during her life. It was difficult to say whether that would have had any bearing on whether or not she carried the sheath as a spirit on the Throne of Heroes. The concept of ownership was a finicky thing when it came to Heroic Spirits. How they were perceived by the people who shaped their legends supposedly affected the final product of the summons as well. It could just be that the sword was considered a more integral part of Saber's identity than the sheath.

Aaron's thoughts turned to Lancer. There was a Servant who would be a problem. Having gotten a reading on Lancer's stats, Aaron found that they were not as impressive as Saber's. Initially, he would have predicted that Lancer's parameters would have put him at a rather strong disadvantage against Saber. The last thing he had expected was for Kayneth's Servant to get the upper hand in this fight. Having gotten a taste of Saber's natural instinct on his first sighting of her, Aaron fully understood how difficult it would be to surprise a Servant of that caliber. However, Lancer had been able to lay a trap that even Saber had only been barely able to avoid, and had given her a debilitating injury in the process.

But above all else, Aaron's concern was that crimson spear. Gáe Dearg's ability to cut through prana constituted a severe threat to a magically oriented Servant like Caster. On top of that, his other spear could deal injuries that were impossible to heal. Together, the two weapons were a lethal combination. Combined with the issues presented by Caster's flesh and blood body, these spears meant that of all the Servants they had observed so far, Lancer presented the most direct threat to Caster. We'll just have to hope that either Saber or one of the other Servants deals with Lancer before we have to fight him.

Saber and Lancer stood poised to resume their battle. As he watched, Aaron was suddenly aware that the sound of thunder had grown unusually close to the battlefield. Strange, there isn't supposed to be a storm tonight.

With a low roar, lighting crashed down between the two Servants, who both drew back in surprise. Both looked up, Aaron with them, to witness a shocking and magnificent sight. A massive chariot, drawn by two huge bulls was descending from the heavens. With each stride, the beasts hooves created a carpet of thunder for them to trod upon, which also supported the wheels of the chariot.

Standing at the reins was a mountain of a man. He was clad in leather armor that was obviously intended more for battle than as a mark of status, although the cape trailing behind him was a fine piece of work. Most striking, we're his eyes, wild and overflowing with ambition and desire, they were framed by his bright red hair and beard as he descended, grinning, straight into the middle of the battlefield below. There was no question; this was another Servant.

For a moment, silence reigned; a silence that was occasionally broken by the lowing of one of the magnificent bulls that drew the chariot. Both Lancer and Saber stared at the newly arrived Servant, neither of them certain of what to do. With an abrupt motion, the giant flung his arms out wide, as though welcoming the two Servants into his embrace.

"Cease your fighting, for you are in the presence of royalty!" the newly arrived Servant roared, "I am Iskander: the King of Conquerers, summoned to participate in this Holy Grail War as the Servant, Rider!"

The jaws of everyone watching the spectacle dropped. The same thought was clearly running rough all their heads. Is this guy nuts? It was clearly a sentiment shared by the small figure crouched in the chariot next to Rider, currently goggling at his Servant with an expression of shock and horror.

Like everyone else watching the suddenly interrupted battle, Twilight couldn't help but gape in shock at the new arrival's proclamation. She was well aware of the need for the various Servants to conceal their identities to keep others from discovering their weaknesses. They went so far as to contrive elaborate means to conceal their Noble Phantasms, the weapons that represented them in life. Lancer had bound his in cloth and Saber had gone as far as to have a separate Noble Phantasm primarily for the purpose of concealing her true one. And yet, this Rider had not only swooped in with his magnificent chariot for all to see, but had immediately shouted forth his true identity within seconds of his arrival. Twilight couldn't be sure whether he was being exceedingly bold or impossibly stupid.

"Rider you idiot! What do you think you're doing?"

The voice drew Twilight Sparkle's attention to the other passenger of the chariot. Crouched next to the colossal figure that Rider cut, was a young human boy. His dark hair ran down to the level of his jaw, framing a face that Twilight, to her surprise, found rather cute. She was especially enamored by his dark-green eyes, eyes that were currently staring up at his Servant with a look of shock and anger. The boy clutched Rider's flowing cape tightly with his hands even as he continued to scold his Servant.

"You can't just come down and..." The boy's tirade was cut short as Rider raised a single massive hand and...flicked the poor boy in the forehead with a meaty finger. The force of the blow was enough to send the young magus tumbling with a startled and pained yelp. Twilight had to force herself not to giggle, even though she found herself sympathizing with the young man's plight.

Not even bothering to look down at his Master, Rider continued with his overtures. "Obviously I am your enemy in this war. But before we commence battle. I would like to ask..." Rider paused dramatically while the other two Servants looked on expectantly, still too shocked by his utter disregard for the basic conventions of the Holy Grail War to do much else. "...Would you consider acquiescing the Grail to me? Do it and I will welcome you as allies so that you might savor the fruits of conquest together with me!"

For a moment, silence reigned. Twilight was at a complete loss as to what to think about this. It seemed utterly impossible to consider. Only one Servant could remain standing at the end of the Holy Grail War. This wasn't a simple matter of tradition or "how it was always done." The Holy Grail War, by it's very design, necessitated the deaths of six of the seven Servants in order for the Grail to even appear. Rider's proposal wasn't merely imprudent. It was impossible.

Aaron seemed to come to the same conclusions. But instead, he seemed rather amused, chuckling quietly at what Rider had said.

Lancer was the first of the other two Servants to answer Rider's proposal. He also seemed slightly amused by the boisterous man's idea, but shook his head. "I have entered into this war to win the Holy Grail for my lord who has summoned me here. And you are not he, Rider." Lancer's smile faded and he now leveled the full intensity of his glare at the huge fellow.

Saber's expression was stony as she gave her response. "You interrupted my duel with Lancer merely to spout such gibberish." Her good hand clenched tightly around the handle of her weapon. "For a knight that is a grave insult."

Rider appeared confused that the other two would turn him down so easily. He scratched his head for a second before turning to look at Saber. "I could make it worth your while..."

"Enough!" Saber and Lancer snapped out identically, both of them apparently thinking the same thing.

But Saber had something more to say. "Furthermore, I am a monarch as well; the king of Britain. And a king can never bow down before another."

Rider's thick eyebrows rose as he looked in surprise at Saber. "The king of Britain eh? I had no idea that the King of Knights was a small girl."

Saber's glare intensified. "If you really think that, then you should let this small girl give you a taste of her steel." Saber raised her weapon in preparation for battle.

Looking befuddled, the large Servant merely muttered to himself. "So negotiations broke down..."

Finally regaining his wits, Rider's Master lifted himself off the floor of the chariot and let a scream of frustration explode forth from his lips. "RIDERRRRRRRRRR!"

Aaron was laughing now. Had she not been busy looking throu what were technically his eyes, Twilight would have spared the effort to raise an eyebrow in his direction. "What's so funny?"

"I'm sorry, it's just that Alexander's idea is so impossible isn't it?"

Twilight was a bit confused. "Alexander?"

"Oh, sorry, I forgot about that. Iskander is the Arabic rendition of his name, but Alexander is how he's more widely known."

Twilight shook her head. "What's so funny about his idea? I mean, I know it's impossible, the Holy Grail War just doesn't work that way."

"It's just...that's exactly the kind of idea that Alexander would have. That's the kind of man he is. So when he suggests it, I can't help but think that maybe he could do it."

Now she was very confused. Still, Twilight figured she could ask her Master the details about what he means later. In the meantime, she turned her attention back to the battlefield, where Alexander's Master was still berating the man in question. Once again, she giggled at the almost comical look of outrage on the boy's face as he pounded futilely on the slab of muscle that was his Servant.

"So, it was you after all." the air seemed to chill palpably as Kayneth's voice cut through the battlefield. Rider's Master froze, his pupils dilating in fear as he turned to look around for the source of the voice. The outrage was gone, replaced with what could only be described as pure terror. Twilight was fairly certain that she had had a similar expression when she had witnessed the "death" of Assassin not so long ago.

"I was wondering who had been foolish enough to steal my relic. But I had never thought that you would have the guts to enter the war yourself...Waver...Velvet."

The boy's eyes grew wider as Kayneth stated what was obviously his name, spitting each word out as though he were trying to expel something unpleasant from his mouth. Waver's body was completely rigid. Barely audible squeaks seemed to be the only sound he was capable of making. Yes, this was the position of a boy who was clearly in over his head. Twilight felt her heart going it to him.

"Since it can't be helped, allow me to impart a very special lesson to you," continued Kayneth, a hint of amusement creeping into his voice as he clearly took delight in the young magus's fear, "You will learn what it is for two magi to battle to the death. You will experience all the pain and terror that this battle entails. This will be my final gift to you as your teacher."

"Hmm," mused Aaron as Waver sunk down into the chariot, clutching the sides of his head and trembling, "I heard rumors that an apprentice had stolen Kayneth's original catalyst. I guess those rumors were true."

Twilight said nothing, wanting nothing more than to go down here herself and wrap for forelegs around the poor boy. He was clearly terrified and out of his depth, seeming so alone on that unforgiving battlefield. Thus, she was surprised when a massive hand descended from above to rest gently on Waver's shoulders. Surprised at the comforting touch, he looked up. Rider was gazing down at the terrified young man with a warm smile that looked surprisingly natural on his face. It seems like a lot of different expressions are natural to him, thought Twilight.

For all his boisterousness and brutishness, the one of her friends that Rider most resembled was Pinkie Pie. Even though she didn't know the context, Twilight realized the meaning behind what Aaron had said about Alexander earlier. The King of Conquerers was indeed a man who seemed to delight in doing the impossible and illogical.

"Oi magus!" shouted Rider, snapping his gaze up into the sky, his warm smile now a taunting one, "It seems that you were originally intended to be my Master instead of this boy! Let me just say that the very idea makes me ill! Only one with the courage to ride into battle beside me is fit to be my Master; not a coward who hides in the shadows and is afraid to even show his face!" With that, the giant broke into a roaring laugh that echoed through the night. The anger of Lancer's Master was practically tangible.

Without waiting for a response, Rider changed gears almost immediately. "And the rest of you! I know you are out there hiding in the darkness!"

"What are you talking about?" demanded Saber, who was taken aback as Rider gave her an enthusiastic thumbs up.

"Saber, your duel with Lancer was fought fairly and with honor. I cannot have been the only one drawn by the ringing and clashing of your blades." Rider raised his fists into the air as he shouted out to the heavens. "Heroes summoned by the Holy Grail, let us gather! And to those of you afraid to show your faces, know that Iskander: King of Conquerers holds you in utter contempt!"

"So, want to go?" asked Twilight, realizing that she was one of the "heroes" Rider was shouting his challenge to.

"Definitely not," replied Aaron, "The last thing we want to do is show up in this situation, especially with the Mage Slayer nearby. If I can help it, I won't let that man catch a single glimpse of me."

As though reminded of that statement, Aaron apparently decided to check up on Emiya Kiritsugu. A look showed that the Mage Slayer was currently observing events from his position. "Why isn't he doing anything?" asked Twilight nervously, "Weren't you saying that he would try to kill the other Masters to end the fight quickly?"

"That might have been his plan," Aaron agreed, "He certainly looked ready to execute Kayneth earlier. I'm guessing Assassin's arrival threw a major wrench in his plans." Aaron's gaze shifted to check if Assassin was still on the derrick crane. He was.

"Why not kill Assassin then?" asked Twilight.

"He's probably not equipped for it," replied Aaron, "Even when materialized, Servants possess spiritual bodies that cannot be harmed by mundane weaponry. It would either take the weapon of another Servant or potent sorcery to harm one. Besides, until he can understand how Assassin managed to survive in spite of being killed by Archer, he probably wouldn't want to try anything until he's absolutely certain that Assassin will stay dead."

Before their conversation could continue, a brilliant golden glow filled the air and drew their attention back to the main battlefield. Shifting his spell, Aaron and Twilight watched as a cloud of golden motes descended out of the air, gathering on top of one of the few remaining, intact lampposts. The light took form and morphed into the visage of that terrifying golden Servant that Twilight and Aaron had seen the other day.

Even though she was only watching through Aaron's spell, Twilight could feel Archer's malice settle over the entire area like a sickening blanket. She wanted nothing more than to skitter off and hide under the nearest piece of cover, trembling like one of Fluttershy's woodland friends.

"Not one, but two insolent fools dare to refer to themselves as kings and ignore my presence." Archer's vivid crimson eyes settled on Rider and Saber with the full force of his displeasure.

"That's an odd thing to quarrel over," said Rider, his expression surprisingly amiable for someone who had just been insulted in such a condescending manner, "I am Iskander, known far and wide as the King of Conquerers."

"Ridiculous," snapped Archer, "I am the only true king to stride this Earth. All are commoners and animals before me."

Twilight found herself reminded of Kayneth. Lancer's Master had indeed been a scaled-down version of this Servant in terms of personality. They both had that same arrogant attitude that regarded others as too lowly to be worth their consideration as people. But Kayneth's was but a pale imitation of Archer's attitude. It was like comparing a cheap, store-bought reproduction of a piece of art to the original; a tiny, plastic replica compared to the full-sized piece hewed from flawless marble. Archer didn't merely think he stood above others. He didn't even know that he stood above them. It was something that went well beyond thought or knowledge, a truth so absolute as to be utterly unquestionable.

And it was this truth that clearly multiplied Archer's rage at Rider's casual attitude as he asked, "Then state your name. Surely a fellow king wouldn't hesitate to reveal his identity."

"You dare to issue such orders to me...to your king. Blessed with the honor of basking in the glory of my presence and yet you still do not recognize me. You are uncivilized animals unworthy of your lives!" Light flared up behind Archer, a portal in space opening. From that opening emerged two weapons, a sword and a spear, both of them ornate treasures of unquestionable value and power.

Saber quickly rushed to get between the weapons and her Master, clearly bent on guarding the woman, with her life if necessary. Twilight blinked as she realized the true degree of Archer's arrogance. He had readied two weapons, for two enemies, the two kings. But there were three Servants currently arrayed against Archer. Since his arrival, Archer had not acknowledged the presence of Lancer even once. Even if he wasn't a king, Lancer was still a Heroic Spirit, a man who had won glory through great deeds that had echoed across history to elevate him well beyond the realm of ordinary humans. And yet, this man did not even appear in Archer's sight.

"I guess that settles it," muttered Aaron, "Archer's identity is beyond question now."

"Who is he?"

"The world's first king, whose legend is related in one of the oldest written works known to mankind, he is Gilgamesh: King of Heroes. Tokiomi really did manage to secure a ringer for this battle."

"Is he really that powerful?" asked Twilight nervously.

"The older a mystery is, the more powerful it is. Gilgamesh is eldest among the heroic spirits and the clay tablets that relate his tale are among the oldest written works ever found in human history," explained Aaron, "All told, he's probably leagues above the other Servants in terms of sheer strength. The real question is how well he makes use of that strength."

Turning her attention back to the battle, Twilight watched as a sneering Archer leveled his weapons in preparation to strike down the two Servants who so insulted him. Two weapons? Something was off about Archer's behavior. When he had struck down Assassin, Archer had unleashed a barrage of weapons too numerous to count. And yet, while facing down Saber and Rider, two Servants who undoubtedly outclassed Assassin as warriors, Archer used only two. But what did that mean?

Twilight put her questions on hold as a storm of prana erupted from the ground. Rising up from the center of the maelstrom like a vengeful demon was a massive figure. It was a knight, clad from head to toe in ebony armor, howling wordlessly as he arose to his full height. On every level, he was completely different from the other Servants. Where as the others were paragons of human existence, he seemed to be something of a negative existence, at once familiar but also completely alien to the other fighters. Black mist swirled about him, obscuring his form and making his outline shift and waver. Just looking at him made Twilight's eyes hurt, and she wasn't even using her eyes.

"This must be Berserker," Aaron observed, "That's strange. I can't get a reading on his parameters at all. It looks like there's some kind of enchantment that blocks even a Master's sight."

"Is he here because of Rider too?" asked Twilight.

"Perhaps, perhaps not," said Aaron, "As a Servant with a strong affinity for madness, he might not respond to, or even recognize for that matter, Rider's provocation. I've heard that the Mad Enhancement of the Berserker class is activated at will, either by the Servant or the Master. That feature greatly increases their Servant's strength at the cost of their capacity for thought and reason. I normally wouldn't expect either the Servant or Master to resort to that until the battle actually began. But that scream of his probably meant he was frothing at the mouth even before he got here. For some reason, either Berserker or his Master is keeping him in that state."

Down on the battlefield, Berserker twisted around and looked directly up at Archer, who had barely acknowledged the black knight's presence. But Berserker's glare got his attention. Not even turning to face him, Archer snarled, barely doing Berserker the honor of turning his head to look back.

"You dare to look upon me you mad dog. There is only one punishment for such insolence. Try to see that your final moments provide me with some amusement." The weapons Archer had summoned changed their orientation, now pointing down at the silent black knight. The blades began to shimmer with prana, quivering in their positions as Archer built up enough of a charge. Then, without warning or preamble, the sword and the spear leaped forth, arrowing towards Berserker at a speed much too fast for Twilight to follow.

An explosion engulfed the crazed Servant, completely obscuring him from view. For a moment, Twilight was certain that he had been destroyed. But then she heard Lancer's shocked murmur. "Is he really a Berserker?"

"Hmm," Rider's voice joined Lancer's, "That's certainly a technique beyond one who is supposed to have lost all rational thought."

"What happened?" Twilight asked, staring incredulously as the smoke slowly cleared to reveal that Berserker was completely unharmed. His hands had been empty when Archer had attacked. But now his right gripped a sword. It took a moment for Twilight to realize that that sword was the very one that Archer had fired at him before. "Did he really...?"

"Snatch the sword out of midair and use it to deflect the spear in the same instant," interjected Aaron, finishing her thought, "Sure looks that way. Rider's right. There shouldn't be any way for a Berserker class Servant to be capable of such a move."

Archer wasn't happy with the result either. For the first time, he turned to face Berserker full on. "You dare to soil my treasures with your filthy hands. Do you really wish to die that badly? Let's see how long your petty thievery can sustain your life." There air behind Archer blazed once again. This time, it wasn't two weapons that emerged, but eight. It wasn't merely swords and spears this time, but halberds, axes and other weapons that defied description.

Berserker merely lifted his head and stood ready. Eight weapons launched forth. Without hesitation, or even the appearance of difficulty, Berserker snatched a halberd out of the air with his free hand. Working in tandem with the sword he had already acquired, Berserker used his new acquisitions to deflect the incoming blades with flawless technique and skill.

Archer responded with another barrage, this time of sixteen weapons. Berserker merely continued to swat them out of the air with contemptuous ease. Every so often he would drop one of his weapons and seize an incoming one, probably because it was stronger. Twilight was stunned. By all rights, Berserker should have been at a loss, even if he was still sane, to wield such different weapons. They should have been unfamiliar to him, swung awkwardly and uncertainly. And yet, when he grasped a blade with his hand, he moved with such grace and ease that he seemed to have sent a lifetime perfecting the use of that one weapon.

At the end of Archer's barrage, Berserker drew back his arms and flung the two blades he held. They whirled through the air and sliced through the lamppost Archer was perched on. Archer easily jumped clear of the collapsing post. But when he landed on the ground, he was beyond angry.

"You dare to make me stand upon the same ground as a mad dog such as yourself!" snarled Archer, unfolding his arms for the first time since he had arrived, "I will obliterate every atom of your corpse until there is nothing left!"

The gate of light behind Archer widened even further, this time, thirty-two weapons emerging. "Just how many does he have?" asked Twilight in shock.

"Who knows?" replied Aaron airily.

Suddenly, Archer froze. His anger dissipated completely as he cocked his head, as though listening to someone speaking to him. "You dare to order a king's retreat. A bold move, Tokiomi."

With a wave of his arm, Archer dismissed the gateway behind him. At the same time, the weapons scattered around the area vanished as well. "Your life has been spared today," he snarled at Berserker. Turning his head, Archer cast a casual glance back at the other three Servants. "As for the rest of you, make sure you thin your numbers. Only true heroes are worthy of appearing before me." With that, Archer strode off, vanishing into his spirit form as he did so.

"Well, that was unexpected," muttered Aaron, "Tokiomi must have used a Command Seal to force Archer to retreat."

But why? wondered Twilight. Even with Berserker's unique ability, she could tell that Archer hadn't even begun to use his full strength. At any moment, Archer could have summoned forth a barrage like the one that had ended Assassin's attempt to infiltrate the Tohsaka manor. Such a salvo would have left even a dexterous Servant like Berserker hard pressed to survive. And yet, he had opted to instead start with the two weapons he had originally summoned and then incrementally increase their numbers with each barrage.

Twilight remembered Aaron's doubts about the conflict between Archer and Assassin. It was as though they wanted us to see it. If that was the case, then the way Archer had attacked at that time had been decided by his Master. If that was true, then the way he fought tonight, incrementally increasing the power of each succesive attack, was something more closely matched to this Servant's personal inclinations. Had Archer merely been standing guard over the Tohsaka manner, he would have attacked Assassin in a similarly dismissive fashion as he had tonight. Then the only reason Archer would have used such an overwhelming attack against Assassin would have been because his Master had ordered him to. That would mean that Tohsaka Tokiomi would have been aware that an attack would occur that night, possibly well in advance, and had commanded his Servant to dispatch the enemy with a grand display of power.

Aaron is probably right, Twilight realized, Archer's Master is probably allied with Assassin's. She suppressed a shiver at the thought of that lifeless man, Kotomine Kirei.

Twilight snapped back to reality as a savage roar echoed through the night. She realized that even though Archer had retreated, the fight was not over. Berserker, having been deprived of his original opponent, had apparently opted to focus on one of the other Servants present. The lavender unicorn found herself gasping as Berserker's entire body trembled with the force of his scream, black mist erupting from within the creases in his armor, as though Berserker's rage was on the verge of making him literally explode.

This was a far cry from the tightly controlled Servant from earlier, only defending and retaliating against Archer's attacks. This seemed to be Berserker in the true grip of his madness, even below the level of a wild animal. As they watched, the black knight burst into a charge that carried him across the battlefield. His movement intersected with a piece of the lamppost he had destroyed earlier and he picked it up without even slowing. Striking the shaft into the ground, Berserker propelled himself up into the air before coming down while swinging the improvised weapon...straight at Saber's head.

The clash as Saber intercepted Berserker's weapon crushed the ground again. The lamppost should have been shorn in two by Saber's invisible sword. But instead, it held together. Focusing on it more closely, Twilight saw black lines invading the post from Berserker's gauntlets. The lines split and spread throughout the impromptu spear like the veins of a leaf.

"It looks as though anything Berserker wields becomes his Noble Phantasm," observed Aaron. Under the din of the battle, Twilight could hear Rider arriving at the same conclusion. As Saber and Berserker continued to clash, Aaron resumed his observations, "In all likelihood, that trick, like Saber's wind, is actually meant to conceal the Noble Phantasm that would reveal his true identity. Even though he's clearly insane, Berserker is fighting flawlessly. It looks like Mato Kariya picked a good one as well."

"You know who Berserker's Master is?"

"Through the process of elimination, it's the only possible choice. We've already determined that Saber is the Servant of the Einzburns. Kayneth is Lancer's Master. Assassin moves at the direction of Kotomine Kirei. Archer is Tokiomi's Servant. And Rider's Master is that apprentice, Waver Velvet. That leaves only one remaining possibility for Berserker's Master."

Their conversation was cut short as Berserker's assault was brought to an abrupt end. Lancer had leapt between Saber and the black knight. With a single stroke of his crimson spear, Lancer cleaved Berserker's weapon in two. It seemed that the spear's ability to cut through prana was the perfect counter to Berserker's Noble Phantasm.

"Enough with your pranks, Berserker," declared Lancer, "I already have an engagement with Saber and I won't allow anyone to intervene until we have completed our duel. If you persist, I won't stand idly by."

"What do you think you are doing Lancer?" demanded Kayneth, "This is the perfect opportunity to eliminate Saber here and now."

A hint of desperation crept into Lancer's voice. "Saber will fall by my hand." He leveled his spear at Berserker. "So let us first dispose of this mad dog and then you will see this duel..."

Kayneth's chilly voice cut him off. "With this Command Seal, I hereby order you..."

"Master!"

"Join forces with Berserker and finish Saber off."

Lancer froze, his body going rigid.

"Watch closely," Aaron whispered to Twilight, "This is what a Command Seal can do."

Saber looked on, her expression troubled as Lancer trembled, as though he were struggling against invisible bonds. Slowly, his body turned in her direction. In a single explosive instant, Saber leapt back to avoid Lancer's spears as he slashed at her. It seemed as though he had broken through the chains binding him. It was then that Twilight understood. The force that had ever so briefly held Lancer in check had been that of his own will. His body's control had been wrenched away from him, leaving this magnificent Servant as nothing more than a fighting puppet. It was horrifying. Even when Archer's Master had used a Command Seal to force his retreat, it hadn't been this bad.

"Saber, I'm sorry," whispered Lancer, his face twisted in anguish. Berserker strode up to stand next to his former enemy, still carrying half of the lamppost that had been destroyed by Lancer's spear, now grasping it as though it were a large sword.

Something felt wrong. Twilight realized that this feeling wasn't coming from the battle, but something closer at hoof. Briefly, she broke her connection with Aaron's perception and checked the area around her. None of her alarm spells had been triggered, which should have reassured her. But instead, she felt even more troubled. Expanding her awareness, Twilight extended her magical senses to examine the spells themselves. There, in the outermost layer of the warning spells she had laid out to keep her informed of any approach, were openings in her spell where none should have been. Something had disturbed her magecraft to create holes in her spell without her noticing. It was only the outermost layer of her protections. But Twilight realized that this meant that something was approaching her and Aaron.

"Aaron," she said, "We have company."

Her Master gave no response. Twilight realized that his sight and hearing were both still down on the battlefield. Without their shared perception, he couldn't hear Twilight even though she was standing right next to him.

"Aaron!" she almost shouted, rejoining the link, "We have company! I think we should go!"

"Not yet," said Aaron in a distracted tone.

Lancer and Berserker had begun their charge at Saber, who was readying herself for their onslaught.

Twilight was about to break their link again in order to check on her wards when thunder boomed. With a war cry, Rider sent his chariot barreling straight into the middle of the exchange, heading right at Lancer and Berserker. Lancer's agility saved him, allowing him to leap clear of the powerful charge. But Berserker could only look on helplessly as the chariot, drawn by the two bulls, bore down on him.

Rider rolled right over the black knight. As Rider's rush carried him clear, the mad Servant was left sprawled out across the ground, struggling to get to his feet. "Oh, it seems you won't be felled easily," observed Rider. After a few more seconds of struggling, Berserker dematerialized, clearly retreating from the battle.

Rider lifted his head, probably to address Kayneth, who was still in hiding. But Twilight broke the link again to check on her wards. The next layer of her defense had developed holes. Whoever was coming was getting closer.

"Aaron!" she hissed, "We need to get out of here!"

"Not yet," Aaron repeated, still focusing on the battle.

Twilight suppressed a groan. Aaron was too wrapped up in watching the fight conclude. To save them both, Twilight Sparkle would have to take things not her own hooves. I think the hotel room is still in range, she thought, concentrating and gathering her prana. She would just have to get Aaron out of here, whether he liked it or not. Her horn blazed and in a flash of rich violet light, the two of them were gone.

Silence descended on the rooftop as two figures materialized out of the darkness. One moved silently to stand on the spot where the man and some strange creature had been standing only seconds earlier. Kneeling down, he inspected the empty space for any traces of their target. A second later, he lifted up two strands of dark purple hair.

"Teleportation magecraft," he whispered before turning to his companion. The two of them were eerily similar. Though their bodies were differently shaped, they were both clad in black, both wearing that same white skull mask.

"It must have been Caster then," observed the other, "Magecraft of that caliber is on par with high thaumaturgy in this era."

"Survey the area," commanded the first, "I will go and report to our Master."

With that, the two of them disappeared into the night.

Author's note: So the end of this chapter marks the point where the story really jumps off the rails. It'll probably be a little while before my next update, since Ihavent finished fully planning things out. It's kind of funny how the change of a couple of characters really alters the whole dynamic of the story. A warning for those of you reading beyond this point. Whatever else this story may be, it is still Fate/Zero, which means that at the end, things are going to be at appoint where Fate/Stay Night can pick up from there. Unfortunately, this means that those who weren't saved in the original story won't be saved here. In fact, some characters may actually end up worse off than they were in the original Fate/Zero. The real issue will, of course, be whether Twilight can be saved or not. I'll let you find that out for yourselves.

Servant: Caster

Personal Skills:

Equestrian Magecraft: A+

Enhanced Intellect: A

Physical Form: NA

Equestrian Magecraft is the ability to utilize the magecraft native to the land of Equestria and is a natural ability of all unicorn ponies. Because Equestrian magecraft follows its own unique set of rules, many feats of magecraft that are commonplace in Equestria are equivalent to high thaumaturgy in the current era of the human world. This is akin to the Fifth War's Caster being able to utilize magecraft from the Age of the Gods in the modern era when she is summoned.
Rank A++: The rank held by divine beings. Besides being capable of unicorn magecraft in nearly all it's forms, the wielder's magecraft has the power to shape the earth and even create celestial bodies and guide their movements. (Celestia and Luna)
Rank A+: The wielder stands at the pinnacle of magecraft in Equestria, second only to the Princesses themselves in power. At this rank, the wielder's capacity is not limited to a single school of magecraft or type of spell and has the potential to obtain full mastery of virtually any and all branches of Equestrian Magecraft. (Twilight Sparkle)
Rank C: The wielder has complete mastery over a single branch or school of Equestrian magecraft and is able to execute all especially specialized spells in their field in addition to a complete understanding of the most basic elements of Equestrian magecraft. (Rarity's rank is C+, indicating that she has the capacity to advance her mastery of her specialization and create new spells and abilities within her field of expertise.)

Enhanced Intellect is an enhanced ability to process and understand information.
Rank A: The level of true eggheads. The wielder is able to process new information at high speeds and quickly formulate solutions of unique problems beyond the scope of what normal humans (or ponies) are capable of. For example, Twilight Sparkle is able to formulate an understanding of an unknown magecraft and develop a means to counter it within a matter of moments of seeing it for the first time.

Physical Form means that the Servant has a physical flesh and blood body as opposed to the purely spiritual bodies held by regular Servants. Twilight Sparkle does not require a supply of prana in order to remain or function and can theoretically operate indefinitely without the support of a Master. She is also able to generate her own Od, without requiring any input from her Master. Finally, a physical body renders her vulnerable to mundane weapons, such as ordinary guns or knives and also renders her incapable of dematerializing. This is an ability so much as it is the result of Twilight being and aberration, having been summoned from a different world rather than being a Heroic Spirit.

Escalation

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Chapter 4: Escalation

Aaron groaned as he fought his stomach for control. One moment, he and Caster had been standing on a rooftop, enjoying the night air while watching the epic clash of heroes from across the ages in what had grown from a simple duel to a five-way battle-royale that really left him wishing he had some popcorn. But then Caster had started insisting that they leave. Aaron had been understandably reluctant. As he regained his senses and took stock of his surroundings, the only conclusion that Aaron could come to was that Caster had decided to make them leave.

They were back in the hotel room. Caster stood slightly in front of the bed, between it and the dresser, her body tense with nerves. Her lavender coat showed some black streaks and smelled faintly of ozone.

"Teleportation?" asked Aaron.

"Yeah," agreed Caster, sounding a little hoarse.

Aaron groaned and settled down into the chair. "You could have warned me."

Caster glared at him. "I did. I told you someone was coming but you were a little too busy treating this whole thing like its some kind of action movie that you're the audience to."

Aaron winced at that. It had gotten him into trouble in the past, after all. While normally pragmatic about the arrangements he made to accommodate his "hobby," Aaron had to admit that he occasionally forgot about his own safety when he found something that really caught his interest. The few times he had been forced to rely on his knife and actually kill had been the result of such occasions.

"Sorry," he said, "I get carried away at times."

Caster huffed. "You know, you're gonna get yourself killed doing that someday."

Aaron could only shrug. "I figured that was going to be the case a long time ago."

Caster raised an eyebrow at him. "And you're okay with that."

Aaron chuckled and leaned back into his chair. "As a great man with a fake mustache once said, 'If that's the way I'm gonna go, that's the way I wanna go.'...or something to that effect."

Caster shook her head. "What am I going to do with you?"

Aaron yawned. "You can figure that out later. Shall we go over the very interesting results of our outing?"

"I guess," muttered Caster, "I was a little distracted, so I missed what was going on there at the end."

"Luckily, you didn't miss a whole lot. Ironically, the battle was already in its final stages by the time you pulled us out of there. It seems that Rider intervened. He disabled Berserker and forced him to retreat and called upon Lancer's Master to do the same, threatening to join Saber if Kayneth didn't back down."

"Did it work?"

"That was about the point you pulled me out. But I'm guessing that Kayneth obliged. Lancer would have been in a hopeless position if Kayneth had forced him to continue fighting."

"What about Rider and Saber?"

"I suspect that they withdrew as well. The reason Rider intervened in the first place was because he didn't like how Kayneth was forcing Lancer to join forces with Berserker against his will. Most likely he plans on waiting for Saber and Lancer to resolve their own battle before fighting the winner."

Caster frowned in concentration. "Why would he want to do that? I mean, it's pretty mean, but Saber was at a serious disadvantage given that cursed wound on her left arm. I'm guessing that if she kills Lancer or destroys that golden spear, the curse will go away and the wound will be treatable again. Am I right?"

Aaron nodded.

"But that would put Rider in the position of facing Saber at her full strength. It's the same situation situation if Lancer wins. Why would he want to do that?"

Aaron scratched his head. "If I had to say, it's out of a sense of honor and fair play. First, this whole battle started out as a duel between Saber and Lancer. Apparently Rider would like to see that resolved before he fights himself. He also doesn't want to face an enemy with a disadvantage she received from someone else for the same reason."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that even though Saber is wounded, it's a wound she received from Lancer. Therefore, it's only fair that the only one who should be allowed to take advantage of that wound is Lancer. So the fair thing for Rider to do is wait for them to finish their duel. Then, either Saber's wound will have been healed, or she'll be dead and he can fight Lancer instead."

Caster shook her head vigorously. "This doesn't make any sense. Honor, fair play...they're all trying to kill each other!!! This is absolutely insane! And believe me, I've done some crazy things in my life, so I know what I'm talking about. What is it with these people?"

Aaron almost burst out laughing. "Well explaining chivalry and other martial codes of honor would be a little tedious. I can try to find you a book or two on the subject, if we have time tomorrow. But the basic gist of it is that some people got together and decided that if they were going to kill one another, there was no reason they couldn't be civil about it."

"Huh?"

"I may joke about the subject, but I suspect that people like Saber and Lancer take those things very seriously. To them, it's what differentiates them from mere murderers and bloodletters."

"But it's still murder!" protested Caster.

Aaron held up his hands in surrender. "I'm not really the one you should be arguing with this about. You're just going to have to take it up with Saber or Lancer, if one of them doesn't take your head off before you can get a word in edgewise."

Caster sighed. "I don't like this at all. I just want to go home."

Aaron raised an incredulous eyebrow. "I don't know. You were getting pretty passionate there about setting the other Servants on the straight and narrow."

"But there isn't any point to it," murmured Caster, "I'm just a pony from Equestria. This isn't even my world. It's not like I can change it or anything."

"You could," answered Aaron, a smirk emerging, "You could save the world and bring an end to humanity's history of bloodshed."

Caster's ears perked up and she looked back up at her Master. "How, or are you just pulling my leg?"

The smirk became a grin. "If you don't like the way the world is, then change it by wishing on the Holy Grail. But, in order to do so, you would have to give up your original wish of returning to your own world."

Twilight stifled another groan, irritated that she had risen to Aaron's bait. Of course, that was the answer to everything, some kind of magical wish-granting device. Every outlet, every path led to Twilight being forced to take part in this ridiculous farce of a conflict. "If this Grail is such a wonderful thing, why hasn't anyone made that wish already?"

Aaron shrugged. "I'm not sure that it occurred to any of the participants in the past three Grail Wars. Magi tend to be self-centered individuals by default. So the idea of using the power of the Holy Grail to benefit anyone besides themselves is an alien concept to them. That said, I couldn't find totally accurate accounts of the past wars. From what I did manage to gather, I don't think any of the previous Grail Wars ever reached a proper conclusion."

"Why is that?"

"No idea."

Another groan escaped from the lavender unicorn. The insanity of this whole situation was beginning to get to her. She had to admit, she had been dazzled by the other Servants; their magnificent skills, beautiful weapons and the bearing that elevated them above the other humans she had seen. Those things had entranced her. But her innately logical mind was always quick to assert the truth. They were people who had evolved into legends through murder. Their fame was carried on torrents of blood, their monuments were built on mountains of corpses. Their very names festered with the stench of rot and decay that only Twilight seemed to smell. Did humanity really revere such qualities? Is that what they looked for in their heroes, to be the only ones standing amidst the cries of the dead and dying?

Aaron's voice, called Twilight out of her bitter reverie. "Well, ethical issues aside, we still need assess the tactical situation."

Looking up, Twilight sighed. "So what is it then?"

Aaron stroked his chin for a moment. Standing up, he proceeded to the mirror and pulled out his glasses, resting them against the glass. Once again, images manifested upon the mirror. The entire battle had been recorded in its entirety. Twilight suppressed another outburst as she once again watched Lancer and Saber clash.

"Things are pretty bad for us, to say the least. I can say with some degree of certainty that we are pretty well outmatched by all five of the remaining Servants."

"All five..." Twilight's voice trailed off, "What about Assassin?"

Aaron turned back to look at her. "I'd say that our theory about what happened at the Tohsaka mansion was correct. Assassin and his Master are in league with Tohsaka Tokiomi and his Servant."

Twilight thought back to the conclusions she had drawn from watching Archer and passed them on to Aaron.

"That further affirms my theory," remarked Aaron, nodding at Twilight's words, "Archer's pattern of attack when intercepting Assassin differed when he was threatening the other Servants. If you're right, then the only reason he was at that battle at all was because he was answering Rider's provocation. Given that Archer is Gilgamesh, it doesn't surprise me that he would be riled so easily."

"How so?"

"Remind me to get you a copy of his epic. He's quite the character." Aaron frowned as he mulled over the situation. "Figuring out how Assassin was able to fake his death so effectively is another thing we need to do. There's no way that could have been a decoy or a fake. So how he managed that is also an important clue."

"But if Assassin and Kotomine are working with Archer and Tohsaka, what do they plan to do?" asked Twilight.

"It's hard to say. Assassin is versatile and his skills in the art of stealth and subterfuge mean that he could get into plenty of places where he isn't wanted. While he's undoubtedly weak in a direct confrontation, if he attacks from hiding, he could potentially be more lethal than any of the other Servants we've seen so far.

"But reviewing Assassin's actions, I think I have a notion of what Kirei and Tokiomi are planning. Now that Assassin has been 'killed,' the other Masters will write him off as being out of the game."

"I get it!" exclaimed Twilight, "So if he starts killing other Masters and Servants, the rest are bound to notice and will realize the ruse."

Aaron nodded. "The possibility of a botched attempt carries the same risk. In that case, Kirei is likely using Assassin as a spy to gather intelligence on the other Servants and their Masters. Then Tokiomi plans on using that information to deploy Archer to his greatest effect to wipe out their enemies."

"That seems...risky," Twilight murmured, thinking about Archer's demeanor.

Aaron nodded. "The fact that Tokiomi was forced to use a Command Seal indicates just how far Archer's actions tonight fell outside his plans. He must have been planning everything out so carefully in order to ensure his victory. Impulsive actions by his Servant only serve to put his plans in jeopardy.

"And speaking of Masters who have trouble with their Servants, let's turn our attention to Lancer."

Twilight directed her eyes to the battle being replayed on the mirror. Her eyes fixated on Lancer's crimson spear as he wielded it against Saber. "A spear that cuts through prana. I don't like the look of that."

"Indeed. Out of all the opposing Servants, Lancer could be considered your natural enemy. A spear that can pierce through magecraft is the ideal weapon against Caster. We do have some advantages though."

The mare's eyes blinked. "What advantages?"

A grin spread across Aaron's face. "It seems I overestimated Kayneth Archibald. As a magus, he is unquestionably the most accomplished of our enemies. But as a Master, he is quite lacking."

"I don't...I don't understand."

"Kayneth may be an expert in magecraft. But he doesn't understand how to properly wield his Servant."

Twilight bristled at Aaron's observations. Given her initial thoughts about the "heroes" participating in this war, she might have been at ease with Aaron's assessment had she been an outside observer. But she was a Servant as well. And yet, here was Aaron, speaking as though she and the other Servants were nothing more than tools. "What do you mean by that?"

Aaron seemed to notice the edge in Twilight's voice. "Don't be upset. From a magus's point of view, nearly everything and everyone is a potential tool. Servants are but a tool in the arsenal of their Master for the sake of winning the Holy Grail.

"I'm not denying that Servants aren't people in their own right or that they don't have feelings and wills of their own. But that is a part of their nature as tools. Understanding that is the key to wielding them effectively. You wouldn't wield a saw the same way you would wield a hammer. And yet, Kayneth apparently doesn't realize this truth. He spends the entire battle scolding Lancer for not instantly winning. And the moment Lancer dares to disagree with Kayneth's orders, Kayneth uses the Command Seal to force him into line."

"But that's one of the things a Command Seal is for," Twilight pointed out.

"Of course it is. But forcing a Servant to obey your order is about as unimaginative a use as you could put it to. The Command Seals are so much more. In addition, the consequences of such an action outweigh the benefits."

"How so?"

Aaron met her gaze sternly. "If I used one of my Command Seals to order you to murder an innocent person in cold blood, what would you do after the fact?"

Twilight shivered at the thought, but understood what he meant. "I'd be furious. I wouldn't be able to trust you at all after that."

"Exactly! By forcing his Servant to act against his natural inclinations, to say nothing of his will, Kayneth has driven a wedge between him and Lancer. Even if Lancer faithfully follows Kayneth's orders without hesitation afterwards, the distance between them means that the trust between them has been compromised. Lancer is more likely to force Kayneth to use his other Command Seals. Each Seal can only be used for one order and now he only has two left."

Twilight thought for a moment. "But the payoff might have been worth it," she mentioned, "If Rider hadn't intervened, Saber could very well have been eliminated. And she's supposed to be one of the most dangerous Servants."

"But Rider did intervene," Aaron pointed out, "And besides, directing Lancer against Saber didn't look like the most prudent course of action to me. Saber had already been wounded by Lancer's curse and will remain disabled until either he or his golden spear is destroyed. On the other hand, Berserker was uninjured and operating at full strength, and of all the Servants, barring one, the one with the greatest number of unknowns. Of the Servants that showed up tonight, his is the only one whose identity we haven't been able to deduce. More importantly, Gáe Dearg seems to be the natural enemy of Berserker's Noble Phantasm. Combining that with Saber's assistance, the two of them might have been more than a match for Berserker. And Rider was less likely to intervene given his views on how honorable battle should be conducted."

"I guess that makes sense," Twilight conceded, "I have one question though. You said that barring one, Berserker is the Servant with the greatest number of unknowns. But who is that one?"

Aaron grinned and Twilight felt distinctly uncomfortable. "I thought that would be obvious. The answer is you, Caster."

Aaron watched as Caster mulled over his assessment. At this point, she still didn't view herself as a participant in this battle between Servants and magi. Aaron couldn't exactly fault her in this respect, given that his habits as an observer had nearly placed them in a dangerous situation just earlier. They would both have to shed that particular naïveté before long. One way or another, Caster would have to enter the war and obtain victory if she wanted to open the way back home.

Aaron decided to keep some of his other assessments of the events that night to himself. He was aware that, had Rider not intervened, Kayneth's efforts to destroy Saber still wouldn't have borne fruit. In fact, they could have instead spelled his end. Emiya Kiritsugu, who might well have been Saber's Master if the homunculus Iriesviel wasn't, had Kayneth dead to rights early on in the battle. Kiritsugu had obviously chosen to hold off on killing Kayneth in order to avoid provoking Assassin's intervention. But by forcing Saber into a corner like he had, Kayneth had probably forced Kiritsugu's hand and the Mage Slayer would have risked exposing his position to Assassin in order to avoid losing his Servant and by proxy, his primary hope for winning the Holy Grail War.

Rider's actions could not be overlooked either. Aaron had been taunting Caster earlier with his assessment of Rider's views on honor and fair play, knowing at Caster would object on the basis that murder was murder. In truth, of all the opposing Servants, Aaron regarded Rider as the most cunning.

For all his boisterousness, Alexander was a man whose intellect couldn't be overlooked. While his initial actions had seemed ridiculously, even suicidally, reckless, there was a method to Rider's madness. The two greatest conventions of the Grail War were "Do not reveal your Noble Phantasm unless it is necessary," and "Above all else, do not reveal your identity." From the moment of his arrival, Rider had cast aside these conventions, displaying his treasure openly and shouting out his true name for all to hear. Even more shockingly, he had also displayed his contempt for the ironclad rule of the Holy Grail War that "There can only be one victor" by inviting Saber and Lancer to ally with him. By doing so, he had declared that the typical logic of how the Holy Grail War was conducted could not be applied to him. Thus, his actions became impossible to predict and every future encounter between him and his opponents would be tainted by that uncertainty.

But even that did not express the full extent of Rider's intelligence. By provoking the other Servants to arrive, he had also placed himself in the position to gather valuable data on the rest of his potential opponents. Archer and Berserker had answered Alexander's summons, allowing him to gain information on four of the five remaining (at least from his perspective) Servants, leaving Caster the only complete unknown.

Finally, there was Rider's intervention in the final phase of the battle. Aaron hadn't been lying when he explained that Rider's sense of fair play had prompted him into intervening. But that wasn't the whole truth of the matter. Rider had also probably acted to spite Kayneth who had originally been the one intended to be Rider's Master. But it had also dealt a severe blow to Kayneth's ability to continue fighting in the Grail War.

Kayneth had expended a Command Seal to force Lancer to act against his will and join with Berserker in attacking Saber. By forcing Kayneth to order Lancer's retreat, Rider had also forced Kayneth to retract his original order, thus nullifying the Command Seal. In the future, should a similar or even identical situation arise, Kayneth would be forced to use another Command Seal to re-issue that order to Lancer. Thanks to Rider's intervention, Kayneth had expended one of the three precious Command Seals without realizing any gain from the action. But the damage done by forcing Lancer to act against his will would remain. In other words, Rider had not only taken Kayneth's actions and turned them to his advantage, but he had also transformed them into a wedge driven between Master and Servant, undermining their ability to fight together in the future.

Truly, that man makes no wasted moves.

"What does that mean?" Aaron was drawn from his musing by Caster's response to his previous statement.

"It means that of all the Servants, you are the only one who has not revealed yourself in some manner. Even if it was for the purpose of conducting some ruse, Assassin still revealed himself at the Tohsaka manor, knowing full well that the other Masters were likely watching the place.

"But you, my little pony, haven't shown the slightest hint of your existence to the other Servants or their Masters, making you a complete unknown to them. This could be a problem for us."

Caster blinked. "Why? Wasn't our plan to sit out the fight and wait for the other Servants to deal with each other?"

Aaron nodded. "Initially. The real question is how long the other pairs will permit us to rely on that strategy. We humans are creatures of contradictions. On one hand, we are all too happy to disregard something we know nothing about. But on the other hand, we are also deeply fearful and suspicious of the unknown and will frequently resort to extreme measures to lay those fears to rest."

Caster's eyes narrowed. "From the way you're talking, I'm guessing our situation falls under the latter."

"The deciding factor is ignorance. People who aren't aware of the gaps in their knowledge feel no need to fill those gaps, whereas being aware that you don't know something important can drive you to extreme lengths to find out. There is no question that the other Masters are aware of our existence. After all, the Grail War cannot begin until all seven Servants have been summoned. That means that they are fully aware that the Servant Caster is out there somewhere, lurking. But they have no idea of her capabilities or her plans. It doesn't help, in their eyes, that the Caster class is the most difficult to predict in terms of abilities.

"So, from their perspective, there are two possible explanations for our inactivity. Either you are a weak Servant who has no hope of victory in a direct confrontation and must therefore rely on the remaining six to whittle down the number of opponents, or you are an especially canny opponent, who is merely biding her time for the proper moment to strike a decisive blow."

"Well, I'm obviously the former," Caster muttered.

"But in the minds of our enemies, until the latter is proven to be a false assumption, it is a very real possibility, which means that assuaging that uncertainty will become their priority before long. Such is the nature of the devil that beguiles their path."

"So what can we do about it?" asked Caster nervously, "If they realize that I'm weak, then won't they simply try to take advantage of that?"

"There's a good chance that might not be the case," mused Aaron, stroking his chin, "After all, if you are judged to be weak, then there is no reason for our opponents to prioritize gaining knowledge about you and they can safely write you off until the final stages of the war, where your death can be simply dealt with as a matter of completion rather than a serious obstacle."

"So I'm just a point on a checklist," muttered Caster petulantly, apparently finding some sort of irony in that statement.

I wonder... Aaron blinked, "Of course, getting them to leave us alone could also be our best opportunity to find a way to turn the tables. If we are waiting until the final stages of the war to act anyway, we should ensure that we can best make use of the time we have until most of the other Servants are eliminated." Something clicked in his mind. "OF COURSE!"

Caster cringed at his exclamation. "I'm a little worried by your enthusiasm," she admitted. While Aaron had his quirks, he certainly wasn't the kind of person to gravitate towards such...loud behavior.

She cringed further when Aaron's eyes and grin began to glimmer with the signs of mischief in the making. "I just had the idea to practice some new magecraft. I generally focus my divination skills on the present and, occasionally, the recent past. But perhaps it's time to try my hand at some future reading as well."

"You're going to think up a new spell?" asked Caster, her voice gaining some eagerness, "One to tell the future?"

Aaron's grin widened as his own excitement bubbled up within him. He hadn't done something like this in years. It was reckless and completely outside the pale for how he normally acted. "In a sense."

In truth, there was no new spell, at least not in the sense that Caster was thinking. It seemed that, just like the magi of the human world, she was to fixated on the concept of magecraft purely in the sense of one's magical circuits. In his own mind, Aaron was convinced that such patterns of thought were one of the reasons magecraft had degraded in the modern age. In a sense, Aaron still felt as though he were a magus, even though he typically never considered magecraft as anything more than a means to an end. But then again, why did magecraft and, indeed, even Magic have to be limited to the product of interference brought about by one's magical circuits. Magic encompassed the world of miracles beyond rational explanation. Could something so awesome be defined merely by things such as prana and mana?

This was a frame of mind that Aaron often entered when he was confronted by a particularly difficult challenge. By bringing about the execution of perfectly mundane phenomena, a completely new "magecraft" could be created. Even though it wasn't magecraft by the true definition of the word, if it fosted the achievement of Aaron's objective, then it was a spell to his mind. In a sense, he thought that Emiya Kiritsugu's mind might work in a similar manner. After all, what was a gun but a Mystic Code that launched a piece of metal at supersonic speeds towards its target. In the end, magecraft wasn't vanishing, but rather changing. All a true magus had to do was learn the new parameters that defined its usage.

"In some cultures, there is a form of fortune telling where stones, sticks or bones are thrown to the ground and the pattern in which they land is used to predict the future," explained Aaron.

"That doesn't make a whole lot of sense," muttered Caster.

"Well, rather than bones or stones, we'll use something that will give us a great deal more pertinent information."

"And that is..."

"The disposition of the other Masters and Servants."

Caster sat abruptly on the floor. "I don't follow."

"We shall reveal ourselves to the other participants in the Grail War and everything about you; who you are, why you are here and what you seek. That shall be our cast. The way the stones land will be decided by how the other Masters and Servants respond to the revelation."

Twilight couldn't believe what she was hearing. She had been in the human world for a scant few days and she already knew better than to show weakness to their adversaries. Hadn't Kayneth gone so far as to force Lancer to act because Saber was at a disadvantage? Hadn't Aaron suggested that Emiya Kiritsugu would pounce on the first sign of weakness with decidedly lethal results? Revealing themselves to the other Masters and Servants meant revealing to the other magi that Aaron, who by his own admission would be sub-par on the field of battle, was her Master and that Twilight, as a Servant, was equally lacking in that respect. She had seen enough to know that to do so would be to ring a dinner bell for a swarm of parasprites.

"You're insane!" she found herself exclaiming, "How will that help us at all?"

"There is a lot of information to be gleaned from how they react to our appearance," replied Aaron, "And in the best case, may lead to a more immediate and reliable solution to our most pressing problem."

That got Twilight's attention. "Alright, what are you planning?"

Twilight found herself distinctly unsettled by the grin that spread across Aaron's face.

Settling back into his chair, Aaron stole a bemused look in Caster's direction. The little pony lay under the bed's covers, fast asleep, the events of the day an evening having drawn out all her endurance. She hadn't been very enthusiastic about their plans, but that was to be expected. Given their position and their lack of skills, anything that might bring forth a confrontation before they were ready was a serious risk. They could easily lose everything.

But from Aaron's perspective, they had already lost. Caster was unquestionably at a disadvantage to the rest of the Servants. Barring Assassin, the weakest among the other Servants, statistically speaking, was probably Lancer. But in a one-on-one confrontation, there was no question that Lancer would win easily. And that was assuming that Lancer was the one who made it to the final round. If the final remaining Servant was Archer or Saber, Aaron would probably have to consider using the Command Seal to take Caster's life and save her the trouble. No matter how he looked at it, they had already lost.

Thus, winning by conventional means was clearly out of their reach. That left approaching matters through unconventional means. Eliminating the other Masters might be an effective approach, but Aaron knew that he was outclassed by them in the same way that Caster was against the other Servants. Even pitting Caster against the opposing Masters was a long shot, assuming their own Servants weren't running interference.

Then the only chance we have left is to roll the dice. When all the variables are against us, there's nothing to be lost by resetting the equation.

Aaron didn't know how long he sat there, plotting and planning while waiting for sleep to take him. However, he abruptly became ware of the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. A shiver rand down his spine. It was a sense he had rarely encountered, but one he was intimately familiar with nonetheless. They were being watched.

As an expert in divination, Aaron was strongly attuned to magecraft with a nature or purpose similar to his own. It had developed into an innate awareness that warned him of scrying magics targeted on his person or area. If he focused, it was generally within his ability to even gain an idea of where he was being observed from and track the opposing magecraft back to its source.

Closing his eyes, Aaron activated his magic circuits and began to carefully isolate the interference caused by the unknown scrying spell. It only took him a few seconds. Once he did, he began to trace the spell back to its point of origin, only to have his eyes snap wide open in shock as he lost track of the unknown spell's origin.

Was the one doing the observing better at divination than him? Had he finally met his match? Forgetting all subtlety, Aaron latched onto the scrying spell, activating all his magical circuits and pouring the entirety of his prana into the trace.

If one were to describe tracing a scrying spell in terms of space, then tracing the spell was little more than finding the line that connected the point of observation to the point of origin. A skilled observer, such as Aaron, could bend or fold the line and even branch it into multiple directions to baffle attempts to follow it back to where it came from. In such terms, the line of the spell that Aaron was attempting to trace twisted at an angle that he couldn't follow, causing him to lose it entirety. It was the creation of a twist or angle that shouldn't exist in this world.

Then perhaps, Aaron mused, the source of this spell is not of this world. Then the point where he lost the connection with the unknown magecraft would be where it connected to the world of its origin. There should have been only one thing that was capable of an effect like this.

Deciding that attempting to trace the spell was futile, Aaron opted to examine the working itself and found he was not surprised. Similar to how a person's place of origin can be discovered by how they spoke or subtle social cues they exhibited, magecrafts belonging to particular families or schools could also be placed. And there was no question that the unknown magecraft that Aaron was currently examining was of a similar nature to Caster's.

I see, so she might not be as alone as we thought.

"Thank goodness! We've found her."

A collective sigh of relief exploded within Princess Celestia's study as its occupants released the breaths they weren't even aware that they had been holding.

"And she's unhurt," added Rarity with a graceful sigh as she settled back, "I was terrified that something positively horrid had happened to her." The elegant, white unicorn flopped back onto a nearby couch in her usual dramatic fashion.

"Now that we've found her, you know what this means...." murmured a bright pink earth pony sleepily as she began to nod off, "...a p-" Her voice dropped off into snores before she could finish her sentence.

"Ah'd be all fer that," muttered Applejack, her signature hat slipping down in front of her face as she began to follow her friend into the land of dreams, "But Ah think we should wait until Twi's back with us to celebrate."

"You said it," agreed Rainbow Dash with a shadow of her usual energy, "It wouldn't be much of a party if the most important guest couldn't make it. Right Fluttershy?"

If the canary-yellow pegasus had anything to add, her voice was completely inaudible as her eyes fell closed. It was no surprise, of course. The past few days had been filled with worry, anxiety and sleepless nights as the five mares and two princesses worked desperately to find their missing friend (okay, it was the princesses who had done most of the heavy lifting, so to speak, but never underestimate the value of moral support), the end result being nothing short of complete exhaustion on the part of everypony except for Luna and Celestia, who, with their immortal bodies, were able to handle the strain a great deal longer than regular ponies.

Hiding a smile as the five mares began to drift off at the sight of their much-missed friend sleeping soundly under her own circumstances, Celestia turned her attention to the small dragon who was also in the room. Spike had passed out almost instantly at the sight of Twilight Sparkle. He had taken her disappearance the hardest, not having even given a thought to trying to rest or sleep until they had found her. The relief at seeing her unharmed had knocked him out just as decisively as a buck from Applejack.

"Truly I am relieved, Tia," remarked Luna as she lowered her head to the portal that allowed them to observe the lavender unicorn. It had been Luna's idea to use the array Twilight had created as the focus for their sorting spell to help them track her location. The resulting work had been complex and had forced Celestia to revisit some tutoring from an old guest, but had paid off in spades.

"But truly, I am shocked," continued the Princess of the Moon, "I had never expected Twilight Sparkle to end up in that world of all places."

Celestia found herself nodding in agreement. She had only gotten brief glimpses of that world herself, thanks to the assistance of the same visiting friend. From what she had seen, she knew the world of humans to be layered with complexities beyond her wildest imaginations. Given her vastly greater experience, Celestia couldn't help but be uncomfortable not knowing how Twilight was coping.

Her train of thought was derailed by a surprised gasp from Luna. "Sister! I think the human that is with Twilight Sparkle is attempting to trace our spell."

Blinking, Celestia turned her attention back to the spell. She realized that the human had come awake at some point and was now attempting to track the spell back to its source. However, he kept losing it at the point where it crossed the intangible boundary between their worlds.

Then, both the human and the Princesses were distracted as a series of tones danced through the air.

"Wha? What's going on?" asked Twilight blearily as she sat up in bed. The resonant sounds of the chime suspended by the mirror forcing her into wakefulness.

Aaron didn't answer her as he stood up and strode to the mirror. Twilight followed his movements with half-lidded eyes. I don't think I could take watching another battle tonight, she thought mournfully as Aaron flicked the chime, causing the image in the mirror to ripple.

The reflection of the room was replaced by the image of what had to be the tallest building in the entire city. "What is that?" asked Twilight, astonished by the tower of glass and steel.

"The Fuyuki Hyatt," answered Aaron, "The current residence of Kayneth Archibald, Master of Lancer."

Twilight felt Aaron manipulating the image in the mirror as he made subtle changes to his surveillance spell. Slowly, the image wavered and changed. "I set up my surveillance spells to alert me under certain circumstances," he explained as he worked, "I key the spell to the signatures of the individual I expect to spend the most time at the sight, such as Tohsaka at his manor or Father Kotomine at his church, and set to spell to warn me if a magus or Servant from outside those parameters approaches."

Twilight nodded, understanding his reasoning. Aaron would have hardly wanted to have been notified every time Tohsaka Tokiomi entered or left his house (although, given the current state of affairs, that information could be crucial to their survival). So he had set up his surveillance spells to activate when the assembled circumstances indicated a high chance of conflict between the Masters or their Servants.

As the image shifted, Twilight blinked as she saw a shimmering mirage engulf a massive portion of the hotel. Aaron let out a low whistle at the sight. "Kayneth beefed up his defenses since I last checked."

"What is that?" asked Twilight.

"It's a bounded field, a barrier."

"So it's like the one he used on the battlefield?"

"Not even close," said Aaron, "That was just something Kayneth set up to keep normal people from noticing the fight between Saber and Lancer. This thing is in a class of its own."

"How does it work?"

"The basic principle of a bounded field is for a magus to use his magecraft to isolate an area and make it his own. Within that field, there are probably countless traps and summoned spirits and apparitions besides Lancer, as well as Kayneth himself. An atelier like that requires a substantial quantity of of prana, even more than Kayneth should be able to produce even if he weren't supporting Lancer right now. He must be using a mana furnace, possibly more than one." A grimace crossed Aaron's face.

"Is a mana furnace what I think it is?" Asked Twilight.

Aaron nodded. "As the name suggests, it's a furnace that produces not heat, but mana, sort of an artificial leyline. They're ridiculously expensive to build and operate, the kind of equipment that would only be obtained by someone with the resources of a Lord in the Association."

Twilight frowned as she turned her attention back to the image. "But isn't it kind of reckless to leave it so obvious," she said, referring to the bounded field, "I thought magi were supposed to be about subtlety."

"Towards normal people, yes," agreed Aaron, "But when it comes to each other, that subtlety often goes out the window. Rather than trying to hide his position, like we are, Kayneth is stating his position openly and in such a way that it dares anyone who sees to just try and breach his defenses. From the perspective of a magus, Kaymeth's territory is like an impenetrable citadel. The bounded field is so comprehensive, even my scrying spells can't get through it."

"So what set off your surveillance spell?"

"A good question," Aaron murmured as he adjusted the view again. Once again, the image shifted as he began to search for individuals with active magic circuits. As he did so, Twilight noticed something odd.

"Is that smoke?" Just as the question jumped out of her mouth, crowds of people began to stream out from the building. A single individual appeared to be highlighted as he made his way into the crowd.

Not answering Twilight's question, Aaron brought his spell's view in as close to the individual as possible. Both Master and Servant let out a surprised gasp as the magus's face came into focus. "Emiya Kiritsugu."

Saber's presumed Master moved seamlessly through the crowd as they were herded away from the building by the hotel's staff. "Was he the one to set fire to the building?" asked Twilight.

"Probably. He must be using the flames to force the regular people out so that they won't get caught up in the coming battle."

"Why?"

"It's obvious. Kiritsugu must want to remove Lancer's curse from Saber and the best way to do that is for them to finish their battle. By forcing an evacuation of the hotel, he and Kayneth can have their Servants fight it out without interruption."

"That's not it!" exclaimed Twilight as they watched Kiritsugu soeak with one of the hotel attendants holding a clipboard, "If he's there to fight, then why is he leaving the hotel like everyone else?"

That made Aaron freeze. Aaron blinked as they saw Kiritsugu pull a cell phone out of his pocket. Twilight watched him intently as a an expression of dawning comprehension flowed across his face. "He wouldn't..."

From within the hotel came the sound of multiple explosions. A low rumble filled the air as the building shuddered and then collapsed on itself. Twilight was distracted from e image by the vibrations that ran through her hooves and made loose objects around the room rattle along with the window. Suddenly it hit her. She was hearing the actual sound of the skyscraper's destruction, not just the sounds relayed through Aaron's spell.

"No!" she whispered, "How could he? All those people..." she wanted to look away as the building collapsed, but morbid fascination kept her eyes glued to the scene playing out in the mirror. After a moment, she realized that rather than showering the surrounding streets with debris, the building was instead collapsing in on itself. The only thing being thrown out at the former residents of the building was an impressive cloud of dust. A soft sigh escaped from Twilight as she realized that there was little likelihood that any innocent civilians had been badly injured by the otherwise monstrous act. If he used the fire to get people out before he did that, then maybe he has a conscience after all.

Aaron sat limply back on the bed, ignoring Caster's indignant squeak as she scrambled to avoid being sat upon. He was hardly even paying attention to his own spell as his mind whirled. I thought I understood Emiya Kiritsugu's mindset. I can't believe that I underestimated him to this extent.

When he had first realized that Kiritsugu was approaching Kayneth's base, Aaron had been excited at the prospect of seeing what skills and tactics the legendary Mage Slayer would bring to bear. How would Emiya Kiritsugu penetrate Kayneth Archibald's seemingly impenetrable defenses. As it had turned out, Kiritsugu decided not to penetrate them. Instead, he opted to destroy the building itself. Kayneth's bounded field would be less than useless as the entire skyscraper crumbled around him. It was an act that was utterly incomprehensible to a magus. But even as he understood the reasoning why Emiya Kiritsugu had taken this course of action, Aaron couldn't help but marvel at the blind spot existed in his consciousness.

I underestimated him. Forget being a magus or even a magecraft user. This isn't the work of a human being. For the first time, Aaron felt that he truly had a handle on what kind of person Emiya Kiritsugu was. But that understanding only served to terrify him. Kiritsugu wasn't a man. He was a machine, a machine whose sole purpose was to eliminate all opposition in the most expedient manner and claim the Holy Grail using whatever means necessary. There was no line that he wouldn't cross, no low that he wouldn't sink to, no trick he wouldn't resort to if it meant moving closer to succeeding in his objectives.

It sunk in on a visceral level for Aaron how woefully unprepared he was to face this man. He had thought he could predict Kiritsugu's actions by taking a pragmatic view of the situation and he had still been taken by surprise that the Mage Slayer would resort to something this extreme, even having read the man's dossier.

"Aaron? Aaron, are you alright?" The magus was jarred back into the present by Caster's voice as she gave him a plaintive look.

Turning to look at her, Aaron sighed. "We have no choice now. We need to follow through with the plan. If we don't...if things stay the way they are, there's no question that Emiya Kiritsugu will be one of the final combatants. None of the Masters stand a chance against that man. The only hope we have of winning is if we utterly upset the current dynamic of the Holy Grail War."

Twilight frowned at Aaron's proclamation. No matter how he explained it, she didn't like their current plan one bit, even if he had convinced her of its necessity. The truth of the matter was that, no matter how Aaron schemed and planned, certain things would remain unchanged. The weak would remain weak and the strong, strong. Even if their actions completely shook the disposition of the other Masters, it wouldn't help in the end unless Aaron and Twilight did something about their own situation.

Twilight felt like she was suffocating. The situation itself was smothering her. She couldn't stand the way things were. In this world, she was surrounded by enemies on all sides. Even the man that was supposed to be her staunchest ally was more than a little suspect in her view. This was not a situation she could tackle the way things stood. She needed something more than power or weapons. To truly turn the tide of this war, Twilight realized that only one thing would do. She could only turn to the thing that had utterly transformed her life in the past. She needed friends.

Luna was so stunned by what she had just watched that she briefly forgot to breathe. Even Celestia was looking rather troubled by what they had just witnessed, although clearly watching the human's scrying spell through their own scrying spell didn't begin to do those events justice.

"Tia, just what has your student gotten herself into?"

"I wish I knew," replied the Princess of the Sun, "But all that I can tell is that she has gotten involved in a human conflict of some sort. Until we learn more, we have no choice but to wait and watch."

Morning came and Aaron found himself traveling they and streets of Fuyuki once again at Caster's request. As he had promised, he visited the bookstore in order to get the volumes on the information she desired, namely the different heroes they were up against and their legends, as well as texts on the concepts of chivalry and knighthood. What confused him was Caster's other request, a bolt of purple cotton. He couldn't imagine what the unicorn wanted with the fabric. They had to make their visit to the church later in the day, so the last thing they needed was for Caster to suddenly take up a new hobby.

Twilight lay on top of the bed's covers. She had used an invisibility spell to hide herself while she waited for the hotel's staff to finish cleaning the room. Now that she was sure that she would no longer be disturbed, Twilight closed her eyes and delved deeply into her own consciousness as she dredged up all her knowledge on magical theory to make sure that this new magecraft of hers was going to work.

In spite of her nearly encyclopedic knowledge of a variety of subjects (including actual encyclopedias), Twilight Sparkle did not actually possess an eidetic memory. She did however reread texts frequently until she had the contents practically memorized, often in a single sitting. That said, her k owl edge of magecraft was beyond that of simple memorization. It lay at the core of her being, the very factor that defined who she was as a pony. Magic was her special talent after all.

Twilight pulled forth all of her knowledge as she began to develop one of the most complex spells she had ever created. She would by casting this spell without focuses or arrays, nothing but her horn and her own concentration. To make things even more difficult, she would be supplementing this by casting a second spell simultaneously. Fortunately, the second one would not be so difficult, Twilight having easily gotten the hang of it after seeing Rarity perform it once. Trixie's visit to Ponyville had been good for more than just boosting Twilight's confidence after all.

A grin grew on Twilight's face as she finished her preparations. She was sure that her fashion savvy friend would be overjoyed if she ever got the chance to see the end result of Twilight's labors. Even if it was by the human world's standards, Twilight Sparkle was absolutely sure that she would look fabulous.

Aaron closed and locked the door before turning to Caster. He had to rub his eyes for a moment. The unicorn looked ecstatic, a rather drastic change, given the more subdued attitude she usually displayed as a being displaced from her home in an unfamiliar world.

"Did something good happen while I was out?" he asked.

An eager grin spread across Caster's face as her horn glowed and yanked the roll of fabric from Aaron's grip. "I just finished a new spell and I can't wait to try it out! Now we won't have to worry about keeping me from being noticed and I won't have to cast that invisibility spell anymore."

Chuckling at her enthusiasm, Aaron could only favor his Servant with a wry smile as he shrugged. "And here I was thinking, since we were going to the church, that you could turn yourself pink while you were at it."

"What?"

"Nothing," replied Aaron quickly effort turning and muttering on his breath, "Might as well ask for a spaghetti monster."

Caster had apparently stopped paying attention to him and was instead focusing her concentration on the roll of fabric. Her horn began to glow, lifting the cotton up and unrolling it. The material began to stream around her body, even as a second glow in a different tone appeared on Caster's horn, incasing the glow of her first spell.

The light from her second spell flowed over her entire body, before causing it to shine, hiding it from view. The silhouette of light began to change and morph as the fabric surrounding her continued to whirl through the air. Aaron's eyes watered as the glow filled the room, worrying him that it might even burn through the spell he had cast on the window.

Fortunately, after a few seconds passed, the glow faded and Aaron got a good look at the end result of Caster's efforts. Twilight Sparkle stood before him, a lavender unicorn no longer. Instead, she now stood upright as a human girl her body adorned with a simple purple dress. Her eyes remained the same color as those of her original form, while her hair matched that of her mane, dark purple with a hot-pink streak that ran along its length. By human standards, she was quite attractive. Not that Aaron cared about that last part. It was ironic that, in spite of his reputation, his libido had been one of the first things he had lost as he became consumed by his interests. He was amused to note that Caster's human form looked to be approximately the same age as Rider's Master. He found himself wondering whether or not that was a conscious choice on her part.

His heart thudded alarmingly in his chest. The one thing that did excite him was the feat of magecraft he had just witnessed. Long ago, stories of magi being able to transform their bodies into completely different forms, changing gender and species at will, had been almost commonplace. Needless to say, such magecraft had been lost to modern magi. Even more impressively, Caster had launched another sell at the same time in order to create her clothes. Given that taking human form had removed her horn, Caster's second spell should have been disrupted as she completed her transformation. But instead, she had somehow found a way for the spell to complete itself free of her conscious input, another feat that would have left the Association's top members drooling.

Caster let out a slight giggle at his stupefied expression before heading towards him. Aaron was surprised to see that, for someone who had probably spent her whole life on all fours, Caster was adapting surprisingly well to her new status as a biped. "I guess the spell does more than just change your shape," he observed.

Caster nodded eagerly. "Yeah, I actually patterned it off of the way the Grail provides us Servants with information regarding the current era and, in my case, your species. It's a bit hard to describe, but my transformation also encoded everything about being human into my new form."

I can die a happy man, thought Aaron wistfully. "So...if you're functionally human, does that mean you'll give being omnivorous a try, or are you going to remain a vegetarian on principle."

Caster grimaced. "I'm not about to start eating meat just because I'm temporarily a human," she said.

The magus shrugged. "Just thought I'd ask. In any case, this brings up a new problem. You might be human, but I am registered as the only occupant of this room. Leaving the room with a pretty young lady, considerably younger than me I might add, who was never seen entering the room with me could gain us some unfortunate attention."

Caster frowned. "I never took you for the kind of person to care about those kind of things."

Aaron let out an irritated sigh. "That would be the case normally. But I'm about to out myself as a Master. Our greatest hope in surviving right now relies on keeping our base hidden from the others. I don't have the power or resources to pull off what Kayneth did, and even if I could, Emiya Kiritsugu would have about the same lack of difficulty that he did last time." Aaron got some small measure of satisfaction from seeing Caster shudder.

While the attention being garnered by being seen leaving with Caster wouldn't have been a matter of concern most of the time, it was the kind of move that would attract attention to him. Aaron had already packed his belongings, along with Caster's book collection, in preparation for changing their base of operations. While most of the other Masters would be unlikely to take notice of such mundane affairs, it would be exactly the kind of discrepancy that the Mage Slayer would be looking for. The last thing Aaron wanted to do was give Emiya Kiritsugu even the smallest lead towards his whereabouts, even if that lead only to a led to a place where he had been previously.

Caster cupped her chin for a moment as she wrestled with the problem. Then her eyes lit up as some kind of realization hit her. "I've got it. I'll just cast an invisibility spell while we're moving out and lower it once we're in a safe place."

Aaron blinked. "Wouldn't you have to return to your original form to do that?"

He was taken aback as Caster gave him an amused smile. "It's true that I can't use my unicorn magecraft in this form. However, when I planned out this transformation, I also included a set of human magical circuits, so I am technically a human magus. All I need to do is cast the appropriate human spell and I can become invisible. Luckily, I got a good look at one such spell last night, so I think I can imitate it."

There were no words that could describe the absurdity of Caster's notion. Because of the uniqueness of a magus's magical circuits, the way in which those circuits differed individually meant that no two magi could perform exactly the same spell, even if they were utilizing the same thaumaturgical principles, unless those magi were of the same family line. Unless Caster had taken the time to understand how her magical circuits interacted with the world, there was no way she could figure how to produce the necessary interference that would allow her to replicate Kayneth's invisibility spell.

But then her form rippled and vanished from sight, leaving Aaron gaping at the empty space where Caster had been standing. "What?"

A giggle sounded from right next to him. "Let's get going," said Caster, making no effort to hide her amusement.

Aaron let out a low sigh and bent to pick up his suitcases. She got me.

Twilight was grateful that the invisibility spell kept Aaron from getting a good look at her face, because she was grinning from ear to ear. It felt invigorating to have the upper hand in their relationship for once. Before, Aaron had been the one leading her on by hooking her through her curiosity in order to manipulate her actions towards her desired outcome. But now that Twilight understood how Aaron's mind worked, she could turn the tables on him. The only problem was, aside from generally rattling his cage, Twilight had no idea what outcome she desired.

Her smile wavered a bit. Being the one in control wasn't nearly as invigorating if you had no idea of where you were going...

...But it was still fun.

It was just past midday when the pair arrived at Fuyuki's church. They had first taken a taxi to the location of their new safe house to deposit their belongings. In preparation for the Grail War, Aaron had made arrangements in case any of the involved parties took exception to his presence and had laid out a few other bolt holes he could run to if things got dangerous. However, his funds were not unlimited and he had been forced to satisfy himself with a small, rundown, western-style house in Fuyuki's foreigners district. In spite of this, Aaron was satisfied with his choice. Such a house was less likely to be noticed, which would enable him to keep from being discovered by the other Masters.

It was going to be a critical advantage before long. As the taxi slowed on its approach to the solemn building, Aaron leaned over and whispered to Caster, "Remember, not a word about Assassin."

Twilight nodded, her eyes betraying her nervousness. She had seen the other Servants the previous night. Soon she would be face-to-face with the magi that controlled those powerful heroes. She was horrified at the possibility that they might be similar to Kayneth in some way. He had been bad enough.

While Aaron paid the driver, Twilight stared up at the looming structure of the church. It's size was certainly modest compared to the towers that dominated the skyline of Fuyuki's urban district. And yet, the architecture gave it a sense of foreboding that was completely absent from the relatively unadorned skyscrapers.

The two walked to the door in silence. Raising his hand, Aaron grasped the handle and pulled one of the heavy wooden doors open. Together, they stepped into the church's cavernous interior and began their journey along the lines of pews, slowly approaching the alter. Light filtered in from the stained-glass windows, providing the only source of illumination in the empty space.

Twilight was about to inquire if anyone was actually there when an older-looking man stepped out of the shadows. He was dressed in simple black with a priest's stole over his shoulders. Twilight immediately recognized him as the man who had allowed Kotomine Kirei to take sanctuary in the church. This must have been Kotomine Risei, Kirei's father.

"Hm, I haven't seen you here before," the old priest observed, "If you've come to make a confession I'm afraid that you will have to come pack later this week."

"Actually, it's rather ironic that I have come to make a confession of sorts," replied Aaron with a smirk, "I would like to confess that I am the seventh Master in the Holy Grail War and that this," he gestured to Twilight, "Is my Servant, Caster."

Risei's welcoming smile changed to a frown as he absorbed this information. "Is that so? I was beginning to wonder when the seventh pair would be revealed. Now then, seeing as you have brought your Servant with you, I can safely assume you haven't yet been defeated. What then brings you here?"

Aaron's smirk faded. "I have come to request a temporary ceasefire, Father. I would also like to speak with the other Masters, particularly those representing the Three Families of the Beginning. An anomaly has occurred that I need to consult them on."

"And the nature of this anomaly...?"

Aaron stepped aside to give the priest a view of Twilight. "Go ahead and show him, Caster."

So she did.

Twilight scuffed her dangling hoof against the worn floor of the church. Looking up, she glanced along the length of the pew she was resting on towards Aaron, who sat in silence, leaning back with his eyes closed as though he were asleep. Twilight had expected many things from this situation. She had anticipated traps and trickery, fear and anxiety as they waited for the other Masters to find out the truth about the two of them. What she hadn't expected was absolute boredom.

I should have at least brought a book to read, she thought sullenly. Glancing up towards the windows, she idly wondered if she should try to calculate how much time had passed through the change in the angle where the light filtered into the building. It would at least give her something to do and the lack of a clock within the worship space left her with no concrete idea of how long it had been since Risei had disappeared.

He had taken Twilight Sparkle's revelation with remarkable composure, all things considered. The fact that he was not a magus, nor one of the participants in the war probably had some role to play in that. He had retreated in order to "Meditate upon the best way to address the problem." Although, if Aaron's theory about The Church's affiliation with the Tohsakas was true, then it was possible that he was trying to consult with Tokiomi in some manner.

After Risei had left, Aaron had simply settled back in silence, his intent clear. Even though the church was supposedly neutral ground, they both knew that they actually stood in enemy territory. Assassin was still around somewhere and might even be in the dark shadows around them, watching. That thought had alleviated Twilight's boredom at first, replacing it with a surprisingly welcome shudder of apprehension. But as time marched on and nothing happened, she found herself thinking that if Assassin was indeed watching them, he must have been as bored as she was.

As the silence wore on, Twilight found eyelids drooping. Her lethargy was disrupted when she felt a faint breeze stirring. Lifting her head, she blearily wondered if someone had opened the door again. But it remained tightly shut. Turning her head, she looked around for the source of the strange wind. Ultimately, she tracked the source down and realized it was coming from Aaron. He was casting some sort of spell.

Twilight's body went rigid and she had to do her best to avoid squeaking in panic. They were in the center of neutral ground, however dubious that distinction might be. For Aaron to be applying his magecraft inside the church was disrespect of the highest order, whatever's his suspicions might have been. If he was caught, Twilight was fairly certain any goodwill Father Risei held towards them would evaporate in an instant.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Twilight consoled herself by recognizing that aside from the wind, there was no other sign of Aaron's spell-casting, not even the slightest flicker of prana. Whatever he was up to, he probably wouldn't be caught, given his expertise in that particular area of magecraft.

Twilight's train of thought was interrupted by the groan of hinges. Looking up, she saw the door that led to the sacristy, as well as other areas of the church, swing open to admit Father Risei. The priest's expression was carefully neutral and Twilight wondered if he had noticed Aaron's spell. Looking over, she saw Aaron's eyelids slide smoothly open, not giving the slightest indication that he might have been distracted.

"After thinking the matter over carefully," declared Risei, "I have decided to grant your request. I can directly communicate with the Three Families in order to summon them in person. For the other Masters, I shall issue a general summons in order get their attention. They will most likely send familiars, but it is the Three Families who will be able to provide us with the best insight on how to deal with the situation."

Aaron gave the priest a thin smile. "Understood. Thank you for your cooperation, Father."

Risei nodded sagely. "Good. While you are waiting for their arrival, perhaps you should walk through our grounds. I'm afraid that they don't look like much this time of year, but they are probably more interesting than spending all your time in this space." He gestured to the empty church around them.

Aaron got to his feet. "That sounds like an excellent idea. Come, Caster. You should probably take human form to be on the safe side.

Twilight frowned, but did as she was told. The two of them made their way outside and began to pace the church's perimeter. Nervously, Twilight cast her eyes around, looking for some kind of threat. She paused when she felt a gentle hand come to rest on her arm. She looked over to see Aaron giving her an amused look before shaking his head.

A sigh escaped from her as she tried her best to let go of her nervousness. Even if Assassin was here, he was unlikely to try anything out in the open like this. Or Twilight hoped that was the case. There was a strong argument to be made that she and Aaron had been sent out her to die, after all. If Kotomine Risei was in league with the Tohsakas by virtue of his son's affiliation, then this would be the perfect place to set up the elimination of Caster and her Master. After all, here on church grounds, no one but Tokiomi's allies were guaranteed to be present. Their deaths could easily be covered up, along with Assassin's involvement.

Twilight's nervous train of thought was brought to a crashing halt as a figure stepped out from the shadows in front of them. Her first thought at the sight of the black-clad man was that it might be Assassin, but then she realized that he wore no mask. Instead, his black clothes were slightly less elaborate of the clerical vestments worn by Kotomine Risei.

Twilight shuddered. No, this was even worse than Assassin. There was no mistaking that rigid stance and those lifeless eyes. This was the man whose very first impression had struck a chord of fear in her heart. Aaron had spent the entirety of the war so far fretting over the threat of Emiya Kiritsugu. And yet, Twilight thought that this man might be more dangerous by far.

Kotomine Kirei, Assassin's Master.

Author's Note: Ugh. I'm sorry that took so long to get out. I just recently started a new job, which is eating into a lot of my time and making it hard for me to get any writing done. It may be a while before the next chapter is up and I hope everyone can be patient with me. I have plans for starting another fic, possibly two that might render my updates to this one even less frequent. Please be patient.

Now then, I have a request for any of my more artistically inclined readers. I am looking for someone willing to do a piece of cover-art for this story. So if any of you would be willing to do that, please let me know.

And now for an omake. I've been planning out Servant stats for the other members of the Mane Cast. Up first is Pinkie Pie. While all of these stats are on the humorous side, ironically, it's Pinkie's stats that I put the most serious thought into as she is the only other member of the group that I felt would fit into a Servant class. So, without further ado...

Berserker
True Identity: Pinkie Pie
Master: NA
Alignment: Chaotic Good

Parameters:
Noble Phantasm: C+
Strength: B+
Agility: A+
Mana: C
Luck: A++
Endurance: EX

Class Skills:
Mad Enhancement Alter: EX

Personal Skills:
Clairvoyance: A
Cupcakes: NA
Earth Pony Magecraft: C
Lucid Madness: NA
Metabolic Conversion: A

Class Skills:

Mad Enhancement Alter is the alternate form of the Mad Enhancement skill typically applied to members of the Berserker class. Rather than raising a the affected Servants parameters, this skill produces external effects unique to the identity of the affected Servant, allowing the existence of phenomena normally not considered possible because the affected Servant's mind is incapable of recognizing said phenomena as impossible.
Rank EX: At this rank, the effect is similar to that of an omnipresent Reality Marble, where phenomena can be realized by the user, even if said phenomena is not normally allowed by the rules of The World, enabling the performance of feats comparable to high thaumaturgy and even true Magic.

Personal Skills:

Clairvoyance is superior perception of one's surroundings through one or more of the five basic senses. The fifth war's Archer utilizes his clairvoyance in the form of enhanced visual perception, while Pinkie Pie's Pinkie Sense is processed via the sense of touch. At high enough ranks, it is possible to perceive future events.
Rank A: Pinkie Pie is able to perceive events in the immediate future ranging from the than a second to several minutes in advance. She is also able to sense events outside the limits of her physical perception up to a distance of several kilometers. The sense manifests in the form of twitches and spasms throughout her body, with individual twitches as well as several different ones occurring in conjunction with one another foretelling specific types of events. Pinkie's understanding of this sense is not intuitive and she relies on previous experience to understand what particular signals mean. Furthermore, the significance of the event being sensed is reflected by the severity of the twitches on her body, which, in severe cases can reduce her agility rank. At doozy-level, Pinkie's body can be almost completely immobilized by the resulting spasms.

Cupcakes is...never mind.

Earth Pony Magecraft is the ability to utilize magecraft unique to earth ponies. Earth Pony Magecraft is passive in nature and typically manifests in the greater strength and endurance possessed by earth ponies. Its connection to the land allows earth ponies with greater levels of proficiency being able to effluence and enhance the growth of vegetation, particularly that which cultivated. In contrast to Unicorn/Equestrian Magecraft, which is all but entirely drawn from the caster's Od, Earth Pony Magecraft is drawn almost entirely from mana. It is this complete mastery of mana that ensures earth pony control over farming and food production for Equestria.
Rank C: At this rank, Pinkie has access to the enhanced strength and endurance common to all earth ponies.

Lucid Madness is an unranked skill that serves as an accessory to the Mad Enhancement of the Berserker Class. Instead of losing higher cognitive functions in exchange for the effects of the Mad Enhancement, the affected Servant is instead afflicted with a skewed and/or distorted perception of reality that is often incomprehensible to those not experiencing it. Because of this, the affected Servant is able to think and communicate, but their manner of doing so can be impossible to understand through typical human or pony logic.

A Servant with the Metabolic Conversion ability has an enhanced metabolism that is remarkably efficient at converting the nutrition of ingested food into usable prana. The degree of efficiency is reflected by the rank of the ability and the nutritional value of the food being consumed.
Rank A: At this rank, the efficiency of Pinkie's metabolism gives her approximately five-times as much prana generated through food intake as regular ponies, to the point where the effect is similar to the Mana Burst skill and allows her to increase her agility to ranks matching that of Rainbow Dash. Furthermore, as a side-effect of Pinkie's Mad Enhancement Alter, the potential energy value of the food is determined by Pinkie's preferences, rather than any actual nutritional value the food may have.

Noble Phantasm: Party Cannon
Rank: C+
Type: Decor/Anit-Army

The Party Cannon is Pinkie Pie's unique creation and the ultimate in party-creation magecraft. It actively shapes and converts the effects of Pinkie's Mad Enhancement Alter, allowing her to decorate a convention-class venue with just three shots, distributing decorations and party-favors with perfect accuracy. In times of danger, this mighty tool becomes a formidable weapon, with Pinkie being able to utilize it to subdue a platoon of enemies with a few well-placed shots.

The Council of the Magi

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Chapter 5: Council of the Magi

The only audible sound was the faint stirring of the breeze through the branches of nearby trees, rustling their leaves slowly. The setting sun washed everything with an orange hue that tinted everything in sight. The glimmering light seemed to settle like a mantle on the priestly vestments of the man standing before Twilight and her Master. Almost instinctively, the disguised unicorn took a step back, sheltering herself behind Aaron, reaching out and gently grabbing his sleeve. The act gave her little reassurance or security as Kotomine Kirei continued to stare at them, his body unmoving, much like a statue.

Looking over at her Master, she saw that Aaron seemed to regard Kirei with something that resembled amusement. That sent a shiver down her spine. They had only just met face to face, having not yet exchanged so much as a syllable or gesture and yet, Twilight already knew that Kirei was an extremely dangerous man. More importantly, considering the man's background, he was more than capable of killing both of them without needing the assistance of his Servant.

"So." Twilight unconsciously jumped as Aaron's voice cut through the silence like a knife. "What reason do we have the pleasure of making your acquaintance, Kotomine Kirei?"

For a brief second, it seemed as though Kirei had no response. But then..."I merely wanted to extend my greetings to another of the Masters participating in the Holy Grail War."

"Is that all?" asked Aaron, tilting his head slightly, "While this seems inappropriate, my Servant seems particularly frightened of you." He jerked his head back towards Twilight, who winced as Kirei's attention settled on her. "Would you have any idea why?"

Again Kirei paused, seeming to consider what his answer would be. "No. I do not know why she is frightened of me." His eyes narrowed. "And now I would ask a question of you, Witness. Why are you, one who never involves himself in the affairs of others, entering into this War?"

Aaron raised an eyebrow. "You're curious about why I'm fighting in the Holy Grail War? How interesting. It never occurred to me that any of the other Masters would take such an interest."

Kirei said nothing in response, his face set in stone, giving absolutely nothing away.

To Twilight's surprise, Aaron grinned. "Well this is interesting. I never expected someone like you to be a Master...no...wait..." Aaron paused to rethink his statement, "Rather, it's almost too perfect that you were chosen by the Grail to be a Master in this War."

For the first time since Twilight or Aaron laid eyes on him, Kotomine Kirei demonstrated a genuinely human reaction, his eyes widening in surprise. Then he caught himself and forced his mask of inhuman composure back into place. "What do you mean by that?"

A chuckle rolled its way out of Aaron's throat. "If I were to sum you up in the simplest way I could, I would say that you are an empty vessel."

"An empty vessel?" Kirei echoed.

"My Servant has been strangely wary of you ever since we laid eyes on you for the first time. But now I have an inkling as to why." Twilight shuddered and backed away from Aaron as his grin widened, his expression becoming almost maniacal. "Human beings can be compared to vessels. And what fills those vessels is purpose. You could call it your natural inclinations or your deepest desires. I have always been partial to the term True Will."

Kirei said nothing, but something about him suggested he was being more attentive.

Aaron continued. "You have spent your life being filled with the purposes and desires of others. But they cannot fill you the way that realizing your own True Will would. After all, a bottle for fine wines would be hardly appropriate for carrying simple water. You asked me before why I participated in the Grail War. I will now turn that question back on you. Why do you think the Grail chose you as a Master in this war?"

Again, Kirei was silent, but Aaron answered for him. "What I think...is that the Grail did not choose you." Again, Kirei's expression flickered, betraying another hint of surprise. "No. Rather, you were the one who reached out to the Grail, perhaps without even realizing it. You called upon the Grail with your wish, the desire to know and understand the truth about yourself."

"You presume a great deal," said Kirei, finally speaking, "But you have not yet answered my question."

Aaron's grin faded into a simple smile and he shrugged. "To be honest, it was not my intention to join the fray. Unfortunately, I seem to have made a poor choice based on an impulse and now find myself pressed into the conflict." He turned around, resting a hand on Twilight's shoulder to guide her away from Assassin's Master.

"One other thing," said Kirei, not moving from his spot, nor moving a single limb. Again, Twilight felt a shudder run through her. There wasn't a single superfluous movement or gesture, just as though Kotomine Kirei were some kind of lifeless machine. "You mentioned people having a purpose, this True Will...what is yours?"

Looking over his shoulder, Aaron once again grinned. "You called me the Witness didn't you? I must admit, I'm surprised the Church has bothered themselves with me. Or maybe you heard about me from Tokiomi...Anyway! My purpose is to watch and see things that I haven't seen before. That is what I've always wanted to do." Even as he turned away, Aaron continued speaking. "This world is full of things that I haven't seen, so all I have to do is keep watching and I will never feel empty."

Not bothering to wait for any kind of response, Aaron continued to guide Twilight away. Once he was fairly certain they were out of Kirei's range of hearing, Aaron spoke, his voice barely a murmur. "I may have to reevaluate my assessment of him."

"Why?" asked Twilight.

"As a man who holds to nothing, he is truly capable of anything," answered Aaron, "That puts him in the same class as someone like Emiya Kiritsugu. Those two will be our greatest obstacles in this War."

They returned to the chapel, but Twilight remained in her human form for the time being. The benches were better suited to human bodies anyway. Aaron handed over one of the books he had acquired to satisfy her curiosity. Being able to read to pass the time did a great deal to soothe Twilight's nerves as the two awaited the arrival of the Masters who would be their enemies.

So engrossed was the disguised unicorn, that she failed to note the sound of an approaching car engine, or the sound of its doors opening and closing. Twilight only realized that someone had arrived when the doors swung open, the creak of their hinges echoing through the chamber, to admit the new arrivals.

Looking up, Twilight's eyes widened as they met a pair of steely red ones, framed by long locks of silvery hair. Irisviel, the Master of Saber. Beside was the Servant herself, once again dressed in black, looking to all the world like a particularly handsome young man. As Irisviel strode resolutely forward, Saber followed a bare step behind, her emerald eyes sweeping over the cavernous space, taking in its every feature, including those of the people already present within it.

Twilight found herself gulping nervously. She saw no trace of the girlish innocence that she had seen the previous day in Irisviel's face. Instead, she saw the resolute expression of a Master, meeting with her peers and enemies. At precisely halfway down the aisle leading up to the altar, she stopped. Kotomine Risei had emerged from the inner sanctum of the church and had come to stand before the altar.

"I am Irisviel von Einzburn," declared the woman, "Representative of the Einzburn family in the Holy Grail War, Master of Saber. I have come in good faith, trusting that the Church will oversee this meeting and that no harm shall come to me or my Servant while we are on these grounds."

"I am Kotomine Risei," replied the priest, obviously used to such formalities, "According to my responsibilities as the representative assigned to oversee this War, I give you my promise of safe passage while you remain on these grounds."

Irisviel nodded. Risei gave her a friendly smile. "You are the first from the Three Families to have arrived. Please take a seat and wait patiently. I suspect the others will not be long." His eyes came to rest on Saber. "Normally, I would ask that Servants wait outside while the meeting is being conducted, but given that this matter concerns and anomaly regarding the Servant Caster, who will need to be present herself, I will permit you to remain so long as you do not brandish your arms in this sacred space."

Saber nodded wordlessly in agreement to Risei's instructions. As Irisviel moved to take a seat at the pew across the aisle from Aaron and Twilight, Saber moved to stand in the row behind her, fixing her gaze forward and becoming motionless as a statue. Had the situation not been so dire, Twilight might have giggled, seeing as she was strangely reminded of the Royal Guards who spent their duty standing motionlessly at attention in the Canterlot Palace.

This was the first time Twilight was able to look on a Servant with her own eyes, rather than through one of Aaron's scrying spells. Right now, Saber still had the appearance of an ordinary person, seeming so masculine that it was easy to mistake her for a particularly youthful and effeminate man. Right now, even though she wasn't actively set to fight, Twilight felt Saber's presence acutely. There was definitely a regal quality to her bearing that reminded Twilight somewhat of Princess Celestia, unlike Archer, Twilight felt that there was a deeper similarity between the two. She sensed none of the casual malice that Archer did (which Twilight hadn't even needed to be present in his vicinity to sense).

Abruptly, Saber's eyes shifted in Twilight's direction. The disguised unicorn flinched back as Saber's eyes settled on her. All of a sudden, something shifted across her expression. Twilight wasn't sure what it was, but it might have been the barest hint, the slightest suggestion of a gentle smile, that regal mask flickering all too briefly before settling back into place. Without any further indication that she had taken notice of Twilight's presence, Saber once again shifted her gaze back to the front.

With a low groan, the doors once again swung open. Looking back, Twilight's eyes took in the newest arrival. The new arrival was a tall man, looking a little older than Aaron. He was dressed in an impeccably tailored red suit that would have made Rarity swoon. His dark brown hair was finely groomed and the goatee neatly trimmed. Everything from his stature to his movements suggested control; not a single hair out of place, not one wrinkle to be found, not one misstep made. In a sense, she was reminded of Kotomine Kirei in the way that neither seemed to take any superfluous actions. But where Kirei's tendency appeared to stem from some sort of emptiness within him, this man's came from an overbearing degree of self-control. This man was a paragon of order and control who tolerated nothing out of place in his life. Then her eyes were drawn to the glimmer of red; a ruby set into a wooden staff gripped in his right hand.

As he began to walk down the aisle with perfectly measured steps, Twilight noticed that he did not require the staff to walk or maintain his posture. Rather, he retained a firm grip upon it and carried it at his side, just like...

A weapon, Twilight realized, That must be his Mystic Code.

Like Irisviel, the man stopped halfway down and addressed Risei. "As head of the Tohsaka of the Three Families of the begining, I, Tohsaka Tokiomi, have answered the summons by the Church. I trust that you will honor your position as overseer and promise to maintain your neutrality during this dialogue."

Risei nodded. "As the overseer of the Holy Grail War, I give you my promise of safe passage upon these grounds so long as no attempt is made to initiate bloodshed in this sanctuary."

So this was Archer's Master then. He certainly seemed a man suited to commanding such an imperious Servant. But still, Twilight couldn't help but wonder if Tokiomi felt too secure to come without his Servant.

Just as that thought ran through her head, a tremendous weight descended on her shoulders. The air itself hummed with barely contained power and Twilight suddenly had to fight to breathe. Before her eyes, golden motes of light collected in the back of the church, coalescing to form the familiar image of Archer. He was no longer garbed in his ornate golden armor, but rather wore a simple white shirt and black pants. His hair, which normally stood in spikes on his head now settled into an unruly mop. His wrists, neck and ears were adorned with golden jewelry that, even in the absence of his ornate armor, announced him as a man of tremendous wealth and power. His crimson eyes swept the assembly, his visage chiseled with an expression of royal disdain. His arms, folded, Archer had materialized leaning casually against the wall, as though he had been there the entire time.

Out of the corner of her eye, Twilight could see Saber visibly tense as she focused on the new arrival, turning to face Archer directly and moving subtly to ensure that she stood between the golden Servant and her own Master. A flicker of amusement washed across Archer's face. At this point, he seemed to notice nothing else, his gaze focused entirely upon Saber.

Turning away from the spectacle of Archer's arrival, Twilight grit her teeth and stared down at her knees, her hands gripping the skirt of her dress so hard that her knuckles turned white. She had gone unnoticed by Archer and had only watched from the periphery as he made his entrance. Even though his awareness was focused on Saber, Twilight still found his presence terrifying. Even worse, she knew that once the council began in earnest, those glittering crimson eyes of his would alight on her. The thought of bearing the gaze of this Servant frightened Twilight more than the prospect of a rematch with Nightmare Moon.

She barely noticed that Tokiomi had begun to speak again. "Seeing as we are all assembled, we should convene this council."

"We must wait a little longer," replied Risei, "The representative of the Matos has yet to arrive."

Looking up, Twilight saw Tokiomi frown ever so slightly. "Mato Kariya may be a Master, but I assure you that he is not qualified to speak as the representative of his family. He has spent too long away from them and has shunned his heritage."

Risei gave Tokiomi an agreeable nod. "True, but a representative from the Matos has still been summoned. We must await his arrival."

As though summoned by Risei's words, the doors to the church opened yet again. This time, the labored groan was accompanied by the rhythmic clack of wood against stone, beating a slow tempo against shuffling footsteps. Turning to look back to the entryway, Twilight had to stop herself from gaping in surprise at the sight of the man who made his entrance.

He looked positively ancient, especially with his wrinkled face contrasted with the youthful ones of Saber, Archer and Irisviel. More than anything else, Twilight found the man vaguely toad-like. He was dressed in rather traditional japanese clothes, his posture slightly hunched so that his bald, wrinkled prune of a head perched at a slight angle at the end of his neck out in front of him. His eyes were pools of black with dots of white, clearly unnatural for humans, yet looking quite natural on his face. One gnarled hand clutched a short walking stick that he used to aid his movement as he took slow, hobbling steps toward the front of the church.

To Twilight's surprise, it was not Risei who greeted the new arrival, but Tokiomi, who turned to face the man, his face betraying an iota of surprise before melting into a polite smile of greeting. "Zoken-dono," said Tokiomi, bowing in a rather courtly fashion towards the old man, "You honor us with your presence."

The old man, Zoken, let out a laugh that sounded more like a series of wheezing coughs than anything else. "Tokiomi-kun, surely you didn't think that I would entrust a matter of such importance to Kariya, did you?" To some degree, Twilight thought the man sounded almost...grandfatherly as he spoke to Tokiomi.

"Of course not," replied Tokiomi, "And yet, neither did I anticipate your coming in his stead."

Again came the hacking, wheezing laugh. "Let us say nothing more then." Zoken shuffled past Tokiomi to announce himself. "I, Mato Zoken, am here as the representative of the Mato family. Though I am not a Master of the Holy Grail War, I hope that you will still pay heed to this old man's council."

Risei nodded. "You are welcome here. It is an honor to be graced with your presence this day. With your wisdom, I am sure that our dilemma will be easily solved."

Zoken nodded and began to proceed towards one of the pews to take a seat for himself. As he did so, Twilight leaned over Aaron and whispered softly, "Who is that?"

To her surprise, Aaron appeared quite tense and nervous for the first time since they had arrived. "Mato Zoken," he answered, "Head of the Mato family. His nephew, Kariya is their Master in this War."

As Zoken took his seat, Risei took a moment to survey the magi and Servants in attendance. "Representatives of the Three Families of the Beginning, you have been called here to address an anomaly that has occurred in the course of this War. The Master of Caster has come forth to announce both himself and his Servant in order to explain the situation to you. He is asking for your input in how to approach this phenomena." Risei gave Aaron and Twilight a nod. The two of them got to their feet and proceeded up to the alter to stand before their audience.

Aaron began simply. "I am Aaron Styx, a magus of the Association." A flicker of recognition passed over Tokiomi's face with Aaron's introduction. "I originally came here with the intent to observe the Holy Grail War. However, in the process, I determined that the seventh Master chosen by the Grail was the Fuyuki Serial Killer, a man by the name of Uryu Ryunosuke. He was completely unaware of the true nature of what he was attempting and instead believed that he was summoning some form of demon for his personal amusement. Incensed that such a man would be participating in such a distinguished affair, I moved to eliminate him before he could complete the summoning of his Servant. However, when I struck him down, the Holy Grail apparently chose me to be a Master in his stead. As a result, I have become the Master of the Servant Caster."

"And the anomaly?" asked Tokiomi.

Aaron turned to look at Twilight and nodded. Gulping nervously, Twiliight released her transformation, returning to her natural form.

Aaron had to fight to hide a grin as the violet light faded to reveal the small lavender unicorn that was his Servant. Even Tohsaka Tokiomi's fabled composure couldn't hold up to the shock of such a strange creature being introduced as a Servant. It was at least three whole seconds before he caught himself gaping and forced his normal stoic mask back into place.

Irisviel displayed no such compunction to save face, staring in unconcealed shock at Caster, her eyes wide and betraying a combination of surprise and wonder. Aaron almost smirked when he realized that she was desperately fighting the urge to squeal like a little girl over his admittedly adorable Servant.

In contrast, Zoken's face displayed undisguised curiosity. He looked at Caster as though she were a specimen in a jar, studying her carefully, his expression betraying nothing of his thoughts regarding what he saw.

The reaction among the other two Servants in the room was also interesting. Much like her Master, Saber gaped freely at Caster, apparently unable to reconcile the fact that this utterly unthreatening creature was a Servant, an opponent whom she would have to fight and kill in order to obtain the Holy Grail. Archer, on the other hand, seemed pleased about something, a slight smile spreading across his lips.

"What manner of creature is this?" demanded Tokiomi.

Aaron gave Caster another nod, prompting her to introduce herself. "H-hello. My name is T-Twilight Sparkle. As you can see, I am a unicorn. I come from another world, a land called Equestria. For some reason, I have been called to this world as a Servant."

"Can you give us more details?" asked Irisviel calmly, her expression softening considerably in the face of Caster's nervousness.

Caster bobbed her head slowly. "I was experimenting with a new kind of teleportation spell..." Aaron tuned her out, having already heard the circumstances of Twilight's transition from her world to this one. Instead, he focused his attention on observing the reactions Caster's story elicited from the other Masters. How they responded would determine the course Aaron and his Servant would have to take if they were to have a prayer of surviving the Holy Grail War.

Tokiomi looked surprisingly tense. He appeared to be deep in thought. Aaron wondered if he was more concerned with the implications of Caster's story than her situation itself. Zoken was staring at her with intense curiosity, a light smile on his face. Turning his attention to Irisviel, Aaron was surprised to see her wipe a tear away from her face. If there was one word he could use to describe the homunculus's expression at this point, it would be overwhelming despair.

Having taken in the reactions of the Masters, Aaron looked to the other two Servants in the room. Saber's mask was firmly in place, though he could tell she felt distinctly uncomfortable with the situation. Archer looked...amused. Aaron wasn't sure what to make of that.

Beside him, Caster finished her explanation with finding herself in the room where Uryu Ryunosuke's final atrocity had taken place. Silence descended on the church as her voice faded into echoes around the chamber. The other three Masters appeared to be deep in thought.

"My fellow Masters," Aaron said softly, "Have you been able to divine anything about our situation."

"If anything, wouldn't that be your area of expertise?" scoffed Tokiomi.

Aaron chuckled, taking the jab in stride. "True, but even then, I am hardly omniscient. You Three Families were the ones who created the Holy Grail. Surely there is something you know about its operation that can explain the situation."

To the surprise of everyone in the room, Irisviel got to her feet. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice barely audible, "But the involvement of the Einzburns had the least to do with the Servants themselves. I am afraid that I know nothing that can contribute to this discussion." Turning about, she walked rather hurriedly towards the exit. Saber hesitated for only an instant before following her. As they passed through the doors, Saber and Archer's eyes met briefly. Then the two were gone.

Looking over and down, Aaron saw Caster staring forlornly at the door, like she had wanted to say something. Aaron's lips twitched slightly. "Caster," he said gently, "Your part in this is done. Why don't you head outside and get some fresh air. I will call for you if you are needed."

Caster nodded and trotted through the church and out the doors, her pace just as hurried as Irisviel had been.

"Why did you dismiss your Servant?" asked Tokiomi, "We will need to know more about the magecraft she used in order to understand what brought about the current state of affairs."

"That can come later," said Aaron, "For now, I want to see if we can come to some preliminary arrangements. I also want to hear your thoughts on the matter. Then we can use Caster's knowledge to arrive at a solution."

Another rasping chortle came from Zoken. "You certainly have a cavalier attitude about the situation, especially allowing your Servant to roam so freely after you so graciously revealed how weak and vulnerable she is. The non-aggression pact currently applies only to those of us on the church grounds. The other Masters will not be so quick to restrain their hands if Caster supplies them with the opportunity."

Aaron shook his head. "In spite of her naïveté, Caster is extremely intelligent. She knows that even the other Masters would not dare harm her so long as she does not leave the grounds." He had to hide a grimace as soon as the words were out of his mouth as he sensed through his contract that Caster had done exactly that. She hadn't strayed very far though, just beyond the gate that led to the road in fact. But there was certainly no need to let the other Masters know that. "In any case, your thoughts on the matter?"

Zoken hummed as he stroked his chin. "For whatever reason, the Grail appears to consider her a viable option as a Servant, given the fact that a contract was formed between you two. Have you experimented at all with your Command Seals to see how they interact with her."

Aaron slowly shook his head. "I have kept the Seals in reserve as a fail safe in case none of our other ideas work out. Given the fact that it was her magecraft that put her in position to be ensnared by the Grail (however that happened), it seems feasible that reversing the process might be within the realm of possibility."

"So then, you intend to try and use all three Command Seals with the intent of fulfilling a Command to send Caster back to her home world." Zoken turned to look at Tokiomi. "Tokiomi-kun, given your master, perhaps you have some pertinent information to volunteer about this."

Tokiomi lurched back, as though he had just been snapped out of a daze. "I am afraid I have little to offer in that regard," he replied, "My master did participate in the Grail's creation. However, to my knowledge, the Grail is a function primarily of the Third Magic of the Einzburns, not the Second of my master."

"And yet, calling a creature from another world is most certainly not within the domain of the Third," mused Zoken idly, "Given the circumstances, I'm surprised the representative of the Einzburns chose to withdraw. Any information she had to share on the nature of the Third Magic that might have led to this situation would have been useful."

"I am not," said Tokiomi, not even bothering to hide the disdain in his voice, "The Einzburns have grown obsessed with obtaining the Grail at any cost. They no longer even care why the Grail was created in the first place. That should be obvious given who they brought into their family in order to advance that goal."

"You mean Emiya Kiritsugu," said Aaron, "The Mage Slayer."

Tokiomi nodded. "In all likelihood, the Einzburn representative withdrew because she had determined that Caster was a vulnerable target. She is probably on her way to Emiya Kiritsugu in order to plan their attack on you." His eyes met Aaron's. "You should take care in the future."

Nodding, Aaron couldn't help but notice the subtle hint of malice from Tokiomi himself. In spite of his words, it was fairly clear that the Tohsaka magus had not joined his cause. So his phrase also considered a hidden threat, whether Tokiomi was aware of it or not. "I have already taken that possibility into consideration. The fact that I have no hope of surviving against an enemy of the likes of the Mage Slayer is one of the primary reasons I called for this conference."

Tokiomi gave him an amused smirk. "We have not decided to be your allies yet, so is that the sort of admission you should be making in front of us."

Aaron returned the smirk. "I certainly don't mind admitting Emiya Kiritsugu is too much for me. Isn't it the same for you, Tokiomi? I notice that this is the first time you've even left your house since the Grail War began."

That wiped the smile from Tokiomi's face as he stiffened. To add to his irritation, Archer chuckled softly from the back of the church. Even Zoken looked mildly amused at Tokiomi's discomfort.

Not that Aaron minded lowering his enemies' regard of him. The more disdain they held for him, the less stringent their preparations for conflict against him would be and the greater the likelihood that they would underestimated him. Aaron knew that he needed every advantage he could scrape together.

"In any case, trading barbs isn't useful at all to us. So I have a proposition to give you. Father Risei has agreed in principle with my plan, so there shouldn't be any concern about it violating the rules."

"Is that so?" mused Tokiomi.

"And this proposition also concerns the Masters who are not present but still watching with their familiars," added Aaron, who had already noted the presence of those familiars (Although their number seemed to have strangely dwindled. Perhaps one had wandered off.), "My offer is this...help me find a way to return Caster to her home world and I will turn over my Command Seals to the one who succeeds in this."

Tokiomi's eyes widened at this. "All three of them?!"

Aaron nodded, presented the seals that decorated his hand. "My primary reason for participating in this War is to enable Caster to accomplish exactly that. If that goal is met, then I no longer have any stake in the Holy Grail War and my Command Seals will have no value to me, so I will gladly relinquish them to the one who achieves this."

"Hmph," snorted Zoken, "Don't be a fool. You cannot trade Command Seals so easily. They are the mark of the covenant between you and your Servant and that covenant alone. You can't simply trade them away. The Grail will just reclaim the Seals once your Servant is gone."

"True," interjected Kotomine Risei, reentering the conversation, "However, once the Holy Grail War ends, the unused Command Seals are placed in the possession of the Overseer appointed by the Church." Drawing back the sleeve on his right arm, Risei displayed a series of numerous Command Seals etched into his forearm. "Once this War ends, all I will receive those unused Seals as well.

"So this is the arrangement. Whoever completes this task shall receive three additional Command Seals from myself to use as they please. A tempting proposal, don't you think?"

Tokiomi's eyes narrowed as he considered Risei's offer. Zoken also seemed quite thoughtful about the matter. Aaron knew that it wasn't the kind of offer that could be rejected lightly. Command Seals, besides their uses for controlling Servants, could be used to enable one's Servants to accomplish incredible feats. Masters guarded their appointed three jealously. The worst thing a Master could do during the Holy Grail War was squander a Command Seal uselessly, as Kayneth had done during the opening battle. Aaron's offer meant that the Master who helped him reach his goal would effectively double the number of Seals at their disposal, completely transforming the dynamic of the conflict. Said Master would gain an overwhelming advantage over the others.

That was a risk in and of itself. After all, none of the Masters would be able to stand the thought of one of their rivals obtaining such power. At the same time, they still coveted such power for themselves. Aaron kept the smirk from his face as he watched Tokiomi and Zoken ruminate over the matter. Magi were selfish and covetous as a rule. They would never turn away from such a treasure.

Finally, Tokiomi leaned back and looked up at Aaron. "Very well. Call Caster in. We will need all the pertinent details before we can begin."

Twilight looked around frantically as the doors closed behind her. She figured her window of opportunity to confront Irisviel and Saber was short. Not far away, she saw Irisviel and Saber getting into a car parked just inside the gates. The machine was a work of art to Twilight's eyes, its silvery chassis seeming to match Irisviel's hair. The rumble it made as its engine came to life hummed in her very bones. She had no doubt that the machine was extremely well made and expensive.

She was too late. The vehicle lurched into motion and began to proceed out the gates. Twilight knew that once it got onto the road, she would have no hope of catching it. Even with her teleportation skills, it would be difficult to catch up with a moving object. Even worse, her actions could be interpreted as hostile. And after leaving Church grounds, Twilight's life would no longer be protected by the nonaggression pact.

Not being able to think of any other way, Twilight lit her horn and vanished in a blaze of violet light. When she rematerialized, she was directly in front of the car, which screeched to a halt before it could hit her. It was a near thing though, with Twilight flinching back as its front bumper came within scant inches of tapping the end of her muzzle. Twilight took several steps back as the doors on either side of the car opened.

Saber looked distinctly displeased to see her there. Even without her silvery armor, the powerful Servant cut an imposing figure as she strode to the fore. Behind her, Irisviel stepped out of the car as well, taking up a position behind Saber. Twilight got the impression that this was something Saber had instructed Irisviel to do in order to protect her.

"Just what is the meaning of this Caster?" demanded Saber irritably, "We have said our piece and have no further business with you."

"Please," said Twilight as loudly and forcefully as she dared, "Please. I need to talk to you." Her eyes were fixed Irisviel as she spoke making it crystal clear exactly whom she was speaking to.

Saber strode forward, her movements harsh and her face lined with anger. "You are no longer on the grounds of the church," she said. Twilight blinked and looked around, realizing that her teleportation, followed by her backpedaling, had placed her beyond the gates that marked the boundary of the church's grounds. "If I were to strike you down here and now, the overseer would not be able to make any objection. But there is no honor in that. So leave before I change my mind."

"I can't," said Twilight, "Not until I've talked to you." Again, her eyes never left Irisviel.

Saber's eyes narrowed. "So be it." Twilight began to feel the weight of her prana as Saber prepared to strike.

"Saber!" Irisviel's voice cracked like a whip, freezing the Servant in her tracks, "Stand aside."

Hesitating, Saber looked back at Irisviel. "But..."

"Please," pleaded Irisviel, smiling gently.

Sighing, Saber stepped back and to the side, leveling a warning glare at Twilight as she did so. Irisviel stepped forward and looked down at the small lavender unicorn. "What is it that you wished to speak with me about?"

"It's just..." Twilight paused, finding herself averting her eyes, "Why are you fighting in this War? Why are you so desperate that you would turn to a person like this Emiya Kiritsugu? Why are you all willing to cause so much pain and misfortune for this? And why..." Twilight sank down, "Why am I caught up in this?"

Though Irisviel continued to smile, Twilight saw a rising sorrow in her eyes. She recognized that pain. She had seen it before. She's grieving. She had seen that look in Celestia's eyes on occasion during her time as the Princess's student. At the time, she hadn't understood the reason Princess Celestia's eyes had gotten like that whenever the subject of the Mare in the Moon or Nightmare Moon came up, or why she hid herself away in her chambers during Nightmare Night. It was only after the Elements of Harmony had cleansed Nightmare Moon and returned Princess Luna that Twilight had truly understood the fact that the Princess was still mourning her loss, even hundreds of years later. Who is she grieving for?

"Please," said Irisviel, "Don't disparage my husband so."

Husband?! Twilight's eyes widened and her rump thudded to the ground. "Emiya Kiritsugu, the Mage Slayer...is your husband. Why...? How can you...?"

Irisviel's smile brightened, apparently amused by Twilight's confusion. "Kiritsugu is a difficult man to understand. To someone like you, he seems like a ruthless monster. But..." Irisviel knelt down to look Twilight in the eye. Saber visibly tensed at the sight of her charge getting so close to an enemy Servant. "Once you know him, you'll grow to understand that Kiritsugu is like that because his heart is kind...far too kind. He bears the pain of others and weeps for every life he has to take, even if it is in the silence of his own mind. He kills because he hopes to create a world where he need not do so, where no one has to."

"What...?" Twilight couldn't even begin to understand what Irisviel was getting at. How could someone become a ruthless killer out of kindness. She understood that Irisviel was saying that Kiritsugu was fighting for a truly peaceful world. But what kind of peace could be bought with rivers of blood? "I don't understand."

"That is the wish Kiritsugu will make of the Grail," said Irisviel, "And end to all war, bloodshed and hardship; a truly peaceful world where no one has to be hurt."

"That's..." Twilight stared in stunned awe at Irisviel, scarcely able to comprehend her words. It was naive beyond belief. Such a world was impossible. Twilight Sparkle was from Equestria, which was practically a paradise compared to the human world from what she had experienced, and even she knew that such a world was an impossible hope. "That's ridiculous. It's impossible."

To her shock, Irisviel giggled. "Isn't it," she agreed, "It's the kind of world that we would need a miracle to bring about. It's a good thing then, that we have a device here in Fuyuki capable of doing exactly that."

Suddenly, Twilight understood. Of course they would turn to the Grail if they wanted this wish granted. And yet, there was still one thing she wished to understand. Throughout their conversation, the sorrow had never left Irisviel's eyes. Even though her words overflowed with a seemingly impossible hope, her eyes still held an absolute sadness. Twilight entertained the thought that Irisviel might be grieving over the fact that the other Masters and Servants would have to be sacrificed for this goal to be accomplished. But there seemed to be something deeper than that.

Doubt still raged in Twilight's heart. She had to know, just what was driving these people who seemed at once both noble and terrible. "May..." she hesitated, "...may I cast a spell on you?"

"What?" snapped Saber, who moved to drive Twilight back, only to stop as Irisviel held up a hand.

"What spell would that be?" she asked simply.

"A spell to...a spell to see your memories," explained Twilight, "I still don't really understand you or this man called Emiya Kiritsugu. Why are you so desperate that he would abandon his humanity for such an impossible dream?"

Time seemed to stop, as Twilight and Irisviel looked each other in the eyes. Twilight found that she was loosing herself in the woman's gaze and struggled to maintain her resolve. Finally, Irisviel spoke. "I will allow it," she said gently, "Please look and see for yourself just what it is that we are fighting for."

"Thank you," Twilight whispered and leaned forward to bring her horn gently into contact with Irisviel's forehead. Just before the horn made contact, Twilight felt the faintest stirring of the fur on her neck. Glancing up, she saw Saber's arm extended, holding the blade of the invisible sword ever so lightly against the unicorn's neck.

"I will give you only one warning," said Saber, her expression as hard as steel, "If I detect the slightest ill intent, the barest whisper of a thought about bringing harm to Irisviel, I will strike your head from your shoulders before you can blink."

It was not an idle threat. With her powerful Instinct, Saber would be able to tell the instant malice entered Twilight's thoughts and would kill her before Twilight would not even be able to begin casting a spell.

Turning her focus back on Irisviel, Twilight lit her horn, calling on the same spell she had once used to save her friends from the influence of Discord, a spell that would bring forth memories. The spell activated and the world Twilight knew vanished.

Everything was white. There was no sense of up or down, forward or backward, only stark white. Then the world began to swim into focus. The floor came first, then the walls, then pillars and the ceiling, all carved from flawless marble. As the room opened up before her, Twilight was reminded of Canterlot castle. However, as more details came into focus, that resemblance faded away. The room seemed mostly featureless, devoid of any furnishings or decorations save for the ornate frames of the windows lining one wall. Outside, waves of snow lashed against the windows as a blizzard raged. In spite of its ferocity, the room itself somehow seemed colder still, feeling empty and lifeless. The only furnishing of note was a single massive four-posted bed resting up against the windows so that they ran behind its headrest. The bed was enormous, completely oversized and dwarfing the lone woman who occupied it...

Or was she alone in the bed? She sat up against the headrest, her arms gently cradling a small bundle wrapped in cloth. A child? The woman stared at the infant, her eyes practically glowing with love and affection. As its features swam into focus, Twilight began to understand the sentiment. The infant was the picture of innocence. Her features were mostly obscured by the wrappings, but the cherubic face was enough to make Twilight's heart melt as she observed the tiny human infant breathing slowly and easily in her sleep. Around the edge of the wrappings that encompassed her head, save her face, tiny wisps of hair poked out, a silvery color matching that of the woman who held her, clearly marking the relationship between mother and child.

"Isn't she beautiful?" asked Irisviel, her voice barely above a whisper, "Look Kiritsugu, she has your eyes." Irisviel turned her head to one side as she spoke, her gaze finding the figure of a man standing at the bedside.

Twilight followed the gaze and saw clearly the figure of Emiya Kiritsugu. He looked a little younger than he had when she had seen him on the battlefield, but even so, his eyes seemed as old and weary as Princess Celestia's in her moments of weakness. He stared silently out the window he stood in front of, not daring to look away and make eye contact with Irisviel for even a moment. Even though he stood straight and resolute, in some way, his back seemed bowed by the weight of an incredible burden. Worse still was the look of absolute despair that lined his face. It was the face of someone who had seen and lost more than Twilight could imagine had she a thousand years to think.

"I'm so glad that I could have this child," said Irisviel, again staring lovingly at the bundle in her arms.

"Iri," he whispered, "You're going to die because of me."

Twilight felt her heart freeze in her chest. What did he say?

Irisviel's smile faltered only briefly. She looked more burden now. "I understand," she said, "That is the purpose of my existence after all, the fondest wish of all the Einzburns."

Her smile widened and she cradled the child even closer. "But even so...even if I was made a doll to be used then discarded, I still managed to bring something this beautiful into the world."

"And yet," said Kiritsugu softly, "I will take you away from her. I will be the monster that destroys her mother. Iri...I have no right to hold your...our child."

Once again, Irisviel turned eyes back to her husband. She gazed at him with a love so absolute and pure that Twilight felt an alarming pounding in her chest. "And thanks to your wish, this child will be able to live without knowing the hardship and pains of the world. You taught me everything I know and gave me an existence beyond that of a mere puppet. You won me with the beauty of your ideals. I now hold the same prayer in my heart that you do.

"Do not turn away from this Kiritsugu. I knew full well that this was to be my fate from the moment I came into this world. Do not despair. The Holy Grail will grant your wish and give you salvation. So...please take your daughter into your arms and show her your love, as any proud father would." Leaning towards him, Irisviel extended her arms, holding up the tiny bundle that was her daughter.

Slowly, agonizingly, Kiritsugu turned to face his wife. Reaching out, he took the child from her and held the tiny bundle close to it, looking intently at the infant's face. Though he didn't smile, the despair and pain in his eyes seemed to fade away ever so slightly...as did the world itself, Twilight's spell running its course.

The world around her came back into focus and Twilight was once again on the ground before the entrance into the church. Her horn remained gently resting against Irisviel's head. Irisviel's eyes were closed, although they began to open as she too left the phantom world of the mind Twilight's magic created.

As her awareness of the real world returned, Twilight was conscious of the fact that he cheeks were damp...no...they were soaked. Tears streamed from her eyes, cascading down and leaving dark patches on the dirt beneath her hooves.

Twilight's mind reeled at the implications of what she had seen. Her assumptions, her understanding, everything she thought she had known about humanity had been shattered by a single memory. Through her experiences with Aaron, she had seen the selfishness and callousness of what humans were capable of. In watching the battle between Saber, Lancer, and the other Servants, she had seen how they could elevate the act of murder to an art that was as breathtaking in its beauty as it was terrifying in its intent. She had seen in Kotomine Kirei, how dangerously empty a human life could be, completely devoid of meaning. And now, she saw the depths of Irisviel von Einzburn and Emiya Kiritsugu, who loved each other more deeply than anything she had ever seen or experienced. The affection between Shining Armor and Cadance, which had driven the monstrous Changelings out of Canterlot seemed shallow by comparison.

Irisviel fought, knowing full well that, no matter what course the war took, it would be end with her death. She fought knowing full well that it could be her husband, the man she loved more than life itself, who brought about her end. And she did so gladly and without the slightest regret, even knowing that she would be leaving her daughter behind, a child who would grow up without a mother. And she did so because she loved her husband and her daughter, willingly giving up her life to save them both. She didn't love just Emiya Kiritsugu, but Emiya Kiritsugu and everything he stood for. It was a love so absolute and all-encompassing as to dwarf everything Twilight thought she had known about love.

Twilight opened her mouth to speak, only to be silenced by a gentle fiinger against her lips. Irisviel maintained the physical contact between her forehead and Twilight's horn. "Please do no say anything in front of Saber." Twilight blinked, her sorrow momentarily forgotten as Irisviel used what must have been her version of the silent communication spell Twilight had used with Aaron the previous day. "She is not aware of my role in the Grail War or my ultimate fate. I don't wish to burden her with that if I can avoid it."

"But how can you go through with this? How can you do this knowing that you're leaving everything behind?" Twilight thought back frantically.

Irisviel gave Twilight her saddest smile yet. "Even if I were to give up...even if I fled far away and avoided the Grail War entirely, my fate would not change. I was created by the Einzburn's specifically for this purpose. I was not made to last beyond it. That will hold true regardless of whether or not I follow through.

"And even though I will die, at that moment, I shall become the embodiment of my husband's prayer and my daughter's future. I will be the one to grant the wish he desires and create the world he hopes for. With that to look forward to, how could I ever despair?"

Twilight all the way to the ground, sobbing. The connection between her and Irisviel was gone. Twilight couldn't help but weep. She was a stranger here, lost in this alien world, where even such a fundamental power as love could give rise to something so tragic. I don't want to be a part of this! I just want to go home!

At the same time, Twilight was sickened by her own selfishness. Kneeling before her was a woman who would forsake her entire existence to grant the wish of the one she loved. And behind her, unseen, was a man who had killed his heart, sacrificing the one he loved for the sake of a better world. These were two people who had every reason to fight for their own happiness, for their own love, and instead they fought towards something much higher, much greater. It humbled and sickened Twilight. What right did she have to stand in their way, to block their hope of a peaceful world? How could she live with herself in her own world knowing that, in this one, she had robbed two such people of such a noble wish?

She barely noticed the gentle hand slipping under her chin. Slowly, Twilight felt her head lifted until she gazed up into Irisviel's gentle eyes. To her shock, those eyes that were filled with such determination and resolve, now filled with tears as well. Is she crying for my sake?

irisviel gently guided Twilight back into a sitting position. Before the unicorn could do or say anything, Irisviel threw her arms around Twilight, pulling her into a tight embrace. "I am so sorry," she wept, "You have no reason to be here, no stake in this. You are an innocent soul who was pulled into a battle you could never understand. All you want is to return to where you belong."

Irisviel pulled back, though she kept her hands resting on Twilight's shoulders. "Looking at you makes me think of my daughter. I can't help but see her in your eyes. But even so, we will still fight for this, for my husband's sake, and for Illya's."

Letting go of Twilight, Irisviel stood up and stepped back from her. She wiped away her tears and met Twilight's gaze once more. "When next we meet, we will be enemies. I will give no quarter, nor will I ask Saber nor Kiritsugu to give any. But I want you to promise me this." She clenched her hand into a fist over her heart. "Fight with all your strength, with all your heart and soul. Do not hold back for my sake or anyone else's. Give everything you have to this battle so that you might return home. Fight as hard as you can. This is the only thing I can do for you."

Slowly, Irisviel turned and walked back to the car door she had stepped out from. Following suit, Saber returned to her side of the automobile. "Goodbye Twilight Sparkle," she whispered as she ducked into the car and shut the door behind her.

Wordlessly, Twilight stepped aside as the car engine started. With a rumble, the vehicle pulled onto the road and accelerated away into the gathering gloom of night. Twilight silently watched it go, her eyes tracing its path as the car's lights vanished into the distance.

Part of her wanted to break down again, to collapse and wail at the unfairness of her whole situation. She had a selfish monster for a Master, a man who lived only to draw satisfaction from his almost fetishistic desire to watch. The kindest, sweetest person she had yet met in this world was an enemy who would ruthlessly cut her down the next time they met. And hemming her in from all sides was a veritable gauntlet of other enemies, some whose powers beggared description, who sought to end her life in order to satisfy their own ambitions. The weight of Twilight's situation descended upon her, threatening to steal away her reason as it truly sunk in just how alone she really was.

I'm going to die here, she thought despairingly, I'm going to die alone, with my friends a world away.

Shaking her head vigorously, Twilight chased the negative thoughts away. It wouldn't do to stew in sorrow. She still knew that there was a way home. She owed it to he friends to come home to them. She even owed it to Irisviel to do as she had been asked and fight with all her strength to make that dream come true.

Then, through her contract with Aaron, Twilight sensed that she was wanted back in the church. Turning around, the lavender unicorn made her way towards the doors, plunging back into the churning nest of monsters that was the Holy Grail War.

"We're going."

"Hmm? To where? I thought you were playing around with your familiar again."

"There's no time for that! The meeting will end soon. We need to get there before they leave."

"Oh-ho! Where has all this resolve and determination come from all of a sudden? You seem a little taller already. Perhaps you don't need to make that wish anymore."

"Shut up! Anyway, we need to go now. Get your chariot ready."

"Hmm, such initiative is appropriate for the one who would be my Master. Very well, let us go forth. Tonight seems a good night for a jaunt."

The sky glittered with stars as Twilight and Aaron were leaving the church. The meeting had run late into the night, with Tokiomi and Zoken asking particulars about the theory behind Twilight's spell and her qualities as a Servant, as well as the nature of her contract with Aaron. She couldn't help but feel that Aaron had given them a great deal of information that would be critical to their survival. Even though they claimed otherwise, Twilight couldn't shake the feeling that these two men were not planning to truly help her. And throughout the whole council, Archer continued to watch, his crimson eyes glittering with interest, his stare making her gut churn.

At least she had managed to keep her feelings in check. The pain and sorrow she felt from her conversation with Irisviel still weighed heavily on her mind, but at least she had managed to keep the other Masters from catching on to it. Aaron probably sensed that something had disturbed her through the contract, but had refrained from bringing the matter up during the council.

"Well," he said as they approached the gate, "This is it. Beyond this point, it's every man...or every mare for herself."

Twilight cringed at the horrible pun. The last thing she felt like right now was making jokes. She wasn't sure that even one of Pinkie Pie's parties could cheer her up at this point.

"We'll need to call a cab," said Aaron, drawing a cell phone from his pocket, "You should assume your human form."

Before Twilight could begin, a crash of thunder made her jump with a startled squeak. The sky lit up and a magnificent chariot drawn by a pair of mighty bulls descended from on high. Rider had arrived...in his typically over the top fashion.

Twilight tensed, readying her horn in readiness. Given the situation, her best bet was to teleport Aaron and herself away should Rider decide to attack.

"Hold! We are not here for battle, but rather to parley with you Caster!" Rider's voice boomed in the otherwise silent night, making his presence seem even more powerful than it had the first time she had seen him, albeit at a distance.

Then, to her surprise, Rider dismounted from the chariot. Behind him, the slender form of a young man, Waver Velvet, also descended to the ground and the two of them approached on foot. Rider's sword remained sheathed at his side, but given the fantastic speed most Servants seemed capable of, Twilight suspected he could draw and strike faster than she could react should he come into range.

Apparently thinking the same thing, Aaron held up a hand just before Rider could bring them within his reach. "Stop there," he said firmly, "We will speak from here."

If Rider was offended by their suspicion, he didn't show it. Instead, he smiled appreciably. "Ho, you show such prudence, even in a situation such as this. You have excellent judgment, Master of Caster."

"So, what do you wish to speak of?" asked Aaron smoothly.

"Ah well," mused Rider, folding his arms and casting his eyes upward in deep thought, "I can't say for certain. It was my Master who was so insistent about coming out here to speak with you. He should say for himself what his desire is."

Rider reached out and slapped Waver across the back with a meaty paw, sending the young man stumbling forward with an indignant squawk. Stumbling into the space between the two parties, Waver found his feet and stood up, shuffling about nervously now that he was the center of attention. "Um, well..." he stammered, looking about, as though he wasn't sure what he wanted himself. Twilight had to stifle the urge to giggle at his unease, realizing that, to a certain extent, he reminded her of herself back when she was still uncertain of her social skills.

"I came here because..." Waver hesitated, apparently genuinely unsure how to put his intentions into words.

"Stand up!" Rider's voice barked through the night, straightening Waver's back with the force of pure reflex. "Now!" he snapped, "Say what it is that you want clearly! A man states his purpose boldly!"

Twilight, remembering Rider doing exactly that the previous night, felt a wry smile spread across her face.

Waver steadied himself and took a deep breath. Letting it out slowly, he looked, not at Aaron, but at Twilight. "I came to offer my assistance to Caster in returning to her home."

Rider blinked, apparently taken aback by Waver's sudden display of boldness, or perhaps he was confused by his Master's intentions. In spite of this, he said nothing, his expression having become strangely neutral and composed.

Aaron stroked his chin. "Interesting. I never expected such a bold show of support from another Master. Still, even if your intention is to help us, it's meaningless if you have yet to divine a method by which Caster can be returned to her dimension. You won't be getting any Command Seals that way."

"Command Seals?" Waver looked baffled by the statement.

Aaron frowned and crossed his arms. "You didn't know about that. You clearly were one of the Masters attending the meeting by familiar, so you should have known about my offer...unless..." Suddenly, his eyes widened. "Aha, so you were the one who wandered off in the middle of the proceedings. Let me guess, you decided to follow Caster when she went outside."

Twilight stared at Waver. "You were watching me?"

Waver averted his eyes slightly, an embarrassed blush on his face. Twilight tried moving her head in order to meet his eyes, only for Waver to continue to shy away from her. It was just like trying to introduce herself to Fluttershy all over again. While this went on for the better part of a minute, something seemed to occur to Aaron and Rider at the same time. Aaron started chuckling softly. Then Rider seemed to find the whole affair amusing, joining Twilight's Master in subdued hysterics.

Twilight and Waver directed confused and irritated looks at their respective companions. Grinning slightly, Aaron regained some control and turned back to Rider and Waver. "I see no reason to spurn your offer right now. Why don't we adjourn to elsewhere so we can make arrangements. I doubt we'll be able to finish everything tonight, but we can get started at least."

"Hmm," agreed Rider, nodding grandly, "In that case, as our new allies, I will be happy to bid you ride with me." Turning around, he strode back to the chariot, but rather than moving around to board at the open rear, he instead reached out with one hand and grabbed the rim and vaulted into the vehicle with speed an agility the belied his bulk. With his free hand, he grabbed up the reins and, once his feet touched the floor, stood ready to crack them and send the mighty device on its way.

Waver sighed at his Servant's antics before looking at Twilight and Aaron. Twilight looked to her Master, wondering what his decision would be. Instead, Aaron turned his attention back to her. "This should be your decision," he said, "It is, after all, your life that hangs in the balance."

He says that like his life doesn't, Twilight thought irritably. Turning back to Waver, she studied him intently, looking for any hint of betrayal or deception, not that she was any expert at spotting such things. However, she found a surprisingly steady resolve in his eyes, as though this was something he had committed himself to deeply. Twilight was surprised to find that she saw something...encouraging in him, something that made her want to trust the young magus.

Perhaps it was a flaw in judgment to do so, but Twilight was beyond caring at this point. She was tired of the deception, of the hidden motives, the behind the scenes dealings that flowed like a grimy undercurrent to this whole ordeal. Just once, she wanted to put her trust in someone, to be able to take what a person said at face value. She decided it was worth the risk to put her faith in Waver. Giving him a happy smile, Twilight nodded. "Alright, we'll go with you."

Aaron nodded, apparently not taking issue with her decision and moved to join Rider on the chariot, as did Waver. "Now that we're off the church grounds, it's probably best that you reassume your human form," suggested Aaron.

Twilight nodded and activated her spell, surrounding her body in a blaze of light. In human form once more, Twilight moved to get aboard the chariot. Aaron had paused to take a closer look at the bulls that pulled the elaborate contraption, so Twilight moved to get aboard ahead of him, just behind Waver.

As she alighted, Rider gave the slightest tug on the reins, causing one of the bulls to start, startling Aaron back. The movement also caused the chariot to lurch slightly, throwing Twilight off balance before she could get a proper grip on the side and causing her to stumble out the back. However, Waver immediately reached out with one hand to grab hers and pull her towards him. In doing so, he inadvertently caused Twilight to overbalance in the opposite direction and stumble towards him. Quickly, he reached out with his other hand, catching her shoulder and stopping her from knocking them both over. Instead, Twilight was brought to an abrupt halt, her face coming to a stop mere inches from Waver's own. Their eyes locked and, for an awkward second, they both simply froze, staring at each other.

Then the moment passed and the two broke away from each other, the gazes quickly finding the surrounding dreary scenery much more interesting than anything else, so long as it kept each from noticing the other's almost luminescent blush.

"Um...thank you," murmured Twilight.

Waver grunted in acknowledgment and bobbed his head.

Aaron, recovering from his part in Rider's little prank, decided he had better climb on before the Servant decided to leave without him. As he walked towards the back, his eyes met Riders. Aaron gave him a questioning smirk, to which Rider answered with a playful grin.

With the last passenger aboard, Rider let out a mighty shout and cracked the reins. The bulls surged into motion with bellowing calls and pulled it into the sky, leaving the crackle of lightning and the rumble of thunder in their wake.

Kotomine Kirei stood rigidly before the device. It resembled an old-fashioned gramophone, a gemstone mounted on the tip while the open bell was oriented directly at him. This was one of Tohsaka Tokiomi's creations. The gemstone was connected to another, located on an identical device in Tokiomi's basement laboratory back at his mansion. It was a perfect way of maintaining a secure line of communication while the overt rules of the Holy Grail War necessitated their separation.

Risei stood just behind Kirei, waiting expectantly. "Father Risei, why did you agree to Aaron Styx's offer without consulting me?"

"I believed it the best way to facilitate your victory," replied Risei, "I know that you were distraught that you had been forced to use your Command Seal to force Archer's retreat in the previous battle. With this, you would have regained the one you lost and two to spare."

"You are operating under the assumption that I will follow through with this," replied Tokiomi coldly, "But Caster is a Servant and her life is required to enable the Grail's activation. Sending her back to her home world would mean bringing the Grail War to an end. Victory would be pointless if that was the case."

Risei's smile vanished. However, Kirei spoke up. "On that note my lord, I would point out that given the ambiguity of Caster's nature as a Servant, we cannot guarantee that the Grail would react to her as it would a true Servant. She might not facilitate its activation even if she was sacrificed to it."

"That is a pointless argument," snapped Tokiomi, "We do not know for certain that that is the case. We will act under the assumption that Caster will not be rejected by the Grail. If we are wrong, then my successor will succeed in the next ritual. Accepting your conclusion would be tantamount to giving in to defeat!"

Both Risei and Kirei tensed. Tokiomi's voice was getting louder and his tone more agitated. The Tohsaka's valued their composure and self-restraint above all else. It wasn't like Tokiomi to lose his temper like this.

"And even if that were the case, it is still better than allowing Caster to leave after she has disrupted things to this extent! No matter what else comes of this, Caster...no...Twilight Sparkle MUST BE DESTROYED!"

Risei reeled away as Tokiomi's monologue ended in a shout. The final words of his rage were accompanied by the sound of shattering glass and splattering liquid. Kirei's eyes widened. "My lord? What is going on? Are you injured?"

For a moment, there was silence. Kirei, straining his ears, could hear a faint panting coming from the other side. A few seconds later, the harsh breaths abated and Tokiomi spoke once again, his voice level, but with a strained quality to it. "It is nothing," he said, "A broken glass is no cause for concern." A faint clink of crystal sounded, followed by the sound of liquid being poured out of some vessel into another.

Kirei's eyes widened as he pieced together what he was hearing. Turning to his father, the two shared an uneasy glance before turning back to the communication device. "My lord...are you drinking?"

While Tokiomi, given his class and rank, was no stranger to the finer things in life, including alcohol, as a magus, it was imperative for him to keep his indulgences separate from his work. Tokiomi never partook of wine when he was about to work his magecraft and, even more importantly, ever drank in his sanctum. It was extremely dangerous for a magus to be inebriated, particularly when it might lead to the destruction or disruption of his projects. Tokiomi had been especially stringent about not allowing spirits of any kind into his workspace, except when they served as components in his workings.

"That is no concern of yours," said Tokiomi, his voice once again under control.

Father and son shared another glance. "I sense that this is not just about the Holy Grail," commented Risei, "Tell me Tokiomi-kun...what is it that has you so vexed?"

Initially, Kirei thought that Tokiomi would deny being upset. But it seemed that his friendship with Risei overrode his need to maintain the image of perfection that the Tohsaka's were supposed to represent. "This may be somewhat difficult to explain...I realized what happened when I heard Caster's explanation. The magecraft she was working on was meant to be a form of teleportation magic that overrode the limitations the typical spell used by the species she belongs to, which are constrained by linear distance. To do so, she sought to shift the subject of the spell into a space equidistant to all places and from there shift the subject to their destination."

Risei and Kirei nodded, having heard Caster's explanation for themselves. They were content, however, to allow Tokiomi to continue without interruption.

"When she tested the spell, she was intercepted by the summoning issued by the Grail and drawn into our world. Servants are summoned from the Throne of Heroes. Given that Caster described the space she had been drawn from as being equidistant to all spaces, as well being close enough to the Throne of Heroes to interfere with the summons means that she was at..."

"The root," said Kirei softly. The ultimate ambition of all who called themselves magi, their ultimate goal, their highest aspiration...their Holy Grail; and Caster had waltzed into it without even realizing. No wonder Tokiomi was furious beyond measure.

"...Or close to it," said Tokiomi, "Perhaps closer than any magus currently alive, maybe even my master. I had intended to move much more carefully, but this affront to me and all the generations of my house cannot be borne. At the first opportunity, I will use Archer's full strength to smite Caster down!"

Tokiomi's spell cut off, leaving Kirei and Risei silently staring at the device. Both of them were uncertain what to make of the situation. While it was inevitable that Tokiomi and his Servant would take the field at some point, they had originally planned to hold their action until after Emiya Kiritsugu could be neutralized as a threat.

"What will you do Kirei?" asked Risei.

"I will send Assassin," replied Kirei flatly, "Our priority will undoubtedly shift to locating Caster's base of operations. Once we do so, Tokiomi can use Archer to finish the battle and we can move back to our initial plan."

Turning to his father, Kirei seemed to slacken. "I will need to meditate on this. I shall speak with you later father."

Risei gave his son an encouraging nod. "Do as you must Kirei. Bring victory to the Tohsakas."

The church presided over by Kotomine Risei was a bit more robust than it initially seemed. Naturally, the hub from which the affairs of the prestigious Holy Grail War necessitated elements of design and architecture not normally found within a church. As such, it was afforded with chambers and structures hidden from the eyes of mundane humans. One such amenity was the quarters provided for defeated Masters seeking sanctuary. As could be expected, Kotomine Kirei stayed in one of the chambers provided for this purpose.

Or rather, it was his room and home within the church from the moment his father had been appointed overseer. Given the expectation that he would come here, Kirei had already taken steps to furnish the room with the amenities he had acquired over his life so that, even though he had only just come to the church recently, it was still his room. Given that Kirei was a man of few attachments, such furnishings were sparse and uninteresting. Bland and characterless, they reflected the nature of their owner rather effectively. Even though he had exerted the extra effort to make this room into his home, Kirei attributed no particular affectation of significance to returning to his chambers.

Which made it quite strange indeed when, upon walking through the door, Kirei gained the sense that he had walked into a palace. An aura of magnificence permeated the room, imbuing the rather mundane furnishings with a sense of opulence not found in the rooms of commoners. As he felt the change, Kirei's eyes found the source of of the aura, a familiar figure who had recently been hanging around the back of the church, listening to the council of the Masters.

"Archer?"

Gilgamesh, ancient Babylon's King of Heroes lounged on the couch across from the door as though the room belonged to him and not the man who had just walked through the door. Looking at the table set before the couch, Kirei's eyes took in more details, namely the bottles of wine and the multiple glasses set out across the table. Looking over, he saw the cupboard where his collection was amassed, open and empty.

Evidently, Gilgamesh had taken to sampling the wines of Kirei's private collection.

"You have a rather pretentious nature Kirei," remarked Gilgamesh, opening a fresh bottle and selecting an unused glass, "Your collection surpasses that of your master in quality."

Inwardly, Kirei boiled. He had the habit of acquiring wines that were said to have an exquisite quality. In spite of this, he never imbibed them, nor did he serve them to his guests. The bottles of peerless vintages lay in the cupboard, gathering dust as Kirei continued to only add to their numbers. However, it was still an affront to have someone invite themselves into his room and help themselves to his property.

Gilgamesh was a troublesome sort of Servant. His overbearing spirit and arrogance, combined with the Archer class's capacity for Independent Action, meant that he could move freely, regardless of whether Tohsaka Tokiomi wished it or not. As the events of the previous night had proven, only a Command Seal could rein in Gilgamesh's actions without failure.

Sensing Kirei's anger and frustration, Gilgamesh smiled as he poured himself a new cup of wine. Swirling it about the glass to warm it, he lifted it to his nose and inhaled the rich bouquet rising from it before sipping deeply. With a satisfied sigh, he set the glass down and turned his full attention to Kirei.

"What do you make of this situation?"

"The situation with Caster?" asked Kirei.

Grinning, Gilgamesh lifted another glass and inspected it as he spoke. "I have never seen Tokiomi so furious. Before now, I had always marked him as a dull and boring man. He may be the one who summoned me here and who provides me with prana, but I found him insufferably dull."

Kirei stiffened. "It sounds as though your opinion has changed."

With a chuckle, Gilgamesh shifted into an upright position. "Tokiomi is far too concerned with appearances. But the situation with Caster has chipped away at his mask and now I can see the passion of the true Tokiomi that lies beneath the facade. I find him much more interesting than before, even if his goal is a trifling thing."

Dismissing the aspiration that consumed all who called themselves magi as trifling was something only someone with the bearing of a true king, like Gilgamesh, could do so lightly.

"Tell me something Kirei," said Gilgamesh, turning his attention back to the man in front of him, "What is it about Caster that incenses Tokiomi so?"

Kirei, resigning himself to the fact that Gilgamesh wouldn't be going anywhere anytime soon, decided to take a seat in the chair sitting at an angle to the couch. "While you may dismiss the Root as a trivial thing, the fact is that the Tohsakas, indeed all magi, seek it. They spend their lives and then prepare their heirs to continue the pursuit in the hope that, one day, one of them will succeed. Tokiomi is burdened with not only his own purpose, but that of the entire Tohsaka line. He has been groomed for this task since his birth as his parents and their parents were so groomed and he continues to prepare his own heir to continue after him should he fail. He has given his life to this endeavor and even gone so far as to give up one of his precious daughters to maximize the chances that one of his line will someday succeed in this task."

"Hmph," snorted Gilgamesh, "Pitiful. So how do Caster's accomplishments fit into this?"

"For Tokiomi to have sacrificed so much only for Caster to show that she nearly succeeded in that, and by accident no less, fills him with anger. To make matters worse, Caster was developing her spell with the purpose of propagating its usage amongst the masses. To magi of this world, such a thing is practically heresy. Magi guard their secrets jealously because the spread of their secrets would reduce their significance and power."

"Oh?" mused Gilgamesh, "Magi certainly hoard their knowledge zealously. I find it amusing that they concern themselves less with how their power can be applied to the world than how to leave it."

"That is one of the reasons the Church is supporting Tokiomi during the Grail War," replied Kirei, "While there is no telling what the other competitors will do with the wish provided by the Grail, we know that Tokiomi will use it to seek the Root. Because that goal falls outside the boundary of the world, while the Church's concern falls within it, they are happy to leave it to Tokiomi."

"And what of you?" asked Gilgamesh, "What do you make of this situation? We have spoken of Tokiomi's stake in this, but don't you have your own thoughts upon the matter?"

Kirei eyed Gilgamesh warily. There was no denying that he did have his own thoughts, but there was no question that Archer was still Tokiomi's Servant. He acted of his own volition and cared nothing for Tokiomi's goals beyond idle curiosity. And yet, Kirei knew he couldn't trust the Servant before him.

Gilgamesh chuckled at Kirei's silence. "You know, compared to that dull Master of mine, I find you much more interesting Kirei."

"What do you mean?"

"You claim to faithfully serve Tokiomi, and yet, you ventured out when you were supposed to remain in hiding here. You went out last night for some reason and, earlier this evening, actually confronted Caster and her Master, even though you risked giving away your true status in this war. These certainly don't fall within the boundaries of one who is solely concerned with enabling his master to win. What is it that you seek from these encounters?"

Kirei frowned. The previous evening, he had gone out to try and confront Emiya Kiritsugu when he destroyed the Fuyuki Hyatt. Using what he had determined about the man, he had narrowed down the most likely sight for Kiritsugu to be observing from, only to find a woman there instead. Kirei sought Emiya Kiritsugu because...

"Why did the Grail choose you?" Gilgamesh's words cut through Kirei's musings like a knife. "That is the question that torments you, is it not?" His crimson eyes narrowed. "Being chosen by the Grail means that you have a wish to make of it. And yet, you do not have one to speak of...or rather, you do not know what that wish is."

Kirei felt a shiver go down his spine. First Aaron Styx, and now Archer...both of them had cut through the impassive wall he presented and honed in on his deepest insecurity. "My purpose is to serve as a hound of Tohsaka Tokiomi. I need do nothing more than that."

"Again, your recent actions suggest differently," countered Gilgamesh snidely, "You speak of loyally serving Tokiomi and yet strike out on your own to fulfill some unknown goal. Why must you limit yourself to such a dull course of action?"

"It does not concern me whether or not you find my choices dull," Kirei snapped.

"I am king," replied Gilgamesh, "I have taken an interest in you and wish to know about your reasons. That means I will learn them. Tokiomi has been too hesitant so far. Even though that might change in the near future, thanks to Caster, I am still tasked with amusing myself until he sees fit to finally take action." He leaned forward. "So I will ask you once again, what are your thoughts on Caster?"

Kirei tensed. He could dodge the question again. But Gilgamesh was implacable, he would simply steer the conversation back to it again and again, until he got what he wanted. Closing his eyes, Kirei gave his answer.

"She is a lost child, nothing more. A lost child yearns to return to her home. I feel that the Grail War might be a lost cause already. As something that is clearly not a Servant of the kind meant to participate in this battle, it is highly likely that defeating and killing her will not enable the Grail's activation. Therefore, continuing the battle is pointless."

"Oh?" Gilgamesh raised an eyebrow. "The logic of your words certainly runs counter to what Tokiomi believes. Let me ask you...aside from what Tokiomi wants, what are your intentions towards Caster?"

Kirei opened his eyes and stared down at his tightly clasped hands. "I want..." he said, his voice soft, "I want to save her."

Author's Notes:

Oh boy...where to begin...

First off, I am so so so so sorry it has taken me so long to get this out. A few things delayed me a bit.
To start with, this is where the story really starts to go off the rails with regards to the original plot of Fate/Zero. I didn't want to simply walk through all the set pieces from the original story with Twilight inserted into them simply because her presence changes things up. Hopefully I can take this story in its own direction without making everybody and everypony break character too much (if at all, if I can help it). Hopefully I've at least marginally succeeded so far. This chapter is a little rough in my opinion, so feel free to point out any issues it may have.
The other major reason for this delay was writer's block. Not the typical kind of writer's block mind you, but a special kind. You see, while I was working on this story, I got an idea for another, completely unrelated, story. And that idea wouldn't leave me alone until I actually started working on it, making focusing on this story a difficult task. So I took a break on this story. Over three-hundred pages of writing later, I finally had gotten enough of it out of my system to get back to work on this story.

So there you have it. Once again I am very sorry for how long it's taken me to get this chapter out and I hope that you can find it in your hearts to forgive me.

Propositions

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Chapter 6: Propositions

"You wish to...save her..." Gilgamesh's eyebrow raised a slight increment higher. Such a gesture conveyed the same weight an expression of gaping astonishment would on a lesser man. "Why?"

"Every human born into this world," began Kirie, looking up at the ceiling, "Comes burdened with the weight of Original Sin. From the moment of their birth, no human is truly or wholly innocent.

"But Caster...she was not born of humanity. She does not bear the weight of their sins. She is a pure existence, a being of true and absolute innocence. She should be protected from being sullied by this world."

"Hmm..." mused Gilgamesh, idly toying with an empty glass, "Why should she be protected?"

"I..." Kirei hesitated for a moment, "It is my duty to preserve such purity."

"Is that so?" Gilgamesh's smile widened slightly. Then he began to chuckle. Then he began to laugh. As Kotomine Kirei watched, speechless, Gilgamesh threw himself back against the couch, cackling with amusement.

"Oh Kirei!" exclaimed the radiant Servant as he began to calm down, "I knew you were interesting to me. But this is beyond compare. To think that a jester could wear such a serious face."

"You mock me." Kirei's hands clenched tightly into fists.

His mirth fully subsiding, Giglamesh returned his crimson gaze to the priest, a condescending smirk on his face. "You emphasized Caster's purity and innocence, speaking of how it set her apart from humanity. In other words, you focused immediately upon the fact that she was not human...not sullied as you would say. Your fixating upon that indicates that you see being her salvation as a hope for yourself, perhaps to find that which you lack in this world."

Kirei's grip on the arms of his chair relaxed slightly. He could hear the truth in Gilgamesh's words. Perhaps he had been onto something after all.

"What struck me as so hilarious was the question that, since you see hope for yourself in Caster's salvation, what of those who you have already saved?"

Kirei froze, his entire body going tense.

Gilgamesh's smirk widened slightly and he continued. "By implying that protecting Caster's purity and innocence could bring about the fulfillment you lack, you are laying the blame for your hollow existence at the feet of those you saved before. You remain empty because those you saved in the past were neither pure nor innocent enough to provide what you need."

Kirei slumped in his seat as comprehension of Gilgamesh's words descended upon him like a pile of masonry. In the end, he was merely pushing his emptiness onto others, blaming them for his failings. Am I truly such a despicable creature?

Then, before his eyes, Gilgamesh's look of condescension melted away into a genuinely warm and companionable smile, one that Kirei believed he would never see on the face of one such as the King of Heroes. "However, in this, I see the key."

"What do you mean?"

"When you spoke of Caster, you described her purity, her innocence. You mentioned her being sullied by this world. In truth, I think this is because your interest is not in her salvation, but rather something akin to mine." Gilgamesh selected yet another bottle and began to pour a glass.

Kirei's eyes narrowed. He knew, from the way Gilgamesh had been questioning him, that the King of Heroes also held an interest in Caster. He had analyzed the reasoning behind Tohsaka Tokiomi's fury, discovered the holes in Kirei's logic, all of that by focusing the conversation on Caster. Yes, Gilgamesh too was fascinated by the strange creature in another world.

"And what is your interest?" asked Kirei.

"As you pointed out, she is pure," said Gilgamesh as he swirled the wine in the glass, staring intently at it, "Rather like an empty canvas; beautiful in the purity of its own emptiness, but at the same time, I cannot help but want to paint it with my colors." He looked over at Kirei. "You too, are fascinated by that blank slate before you. You wish to leave your mark upon it in your own way. And the nature of that mark may finally teach you what you yourself lack."

Kirei's jaw clenched. "What use would the King of Heroes have for a single creature from another world?"

"Exactly that," replied Gilgamesh, "A single creature, not of the world. Her existence here is truly singular, unique. Even if either of us lived a thousand lifetimes, we will probably not see her like again." He paused to sip his wine. "That makes her a peerless treasure in this world. And that a treasure exists is proof enough that it belongs to me."

"She is not something from your vault," Kirei pointed out.

"Do not fixate upon that, Kirei," admonished Gilgamesh, his expression hardening, "The notion of treasure cannot be constrained to the baubles and trinkets you have seen me wield before. This world is my garden, which means that all that I deem to have value is a treasure and therefore belongs to me, whether it be sword, spear, a creature from another world, or this Holy Grail that our rabble of enemies is clamoring for."

He set the glass down. "But a truly great king is gracious to the worthy. In my generosity, I bequeath this priceless treasure to you because I too desire to see the mark that you will make upon her. So here is my advice to you. Use Assassin. Investigate Caster thoroughly. Find out all that you can about her and then speak to me of what strikes you. In addition, monitor the other Servants and their Masters. See how they respond to Caster and consider how you will respond to them. All of these things will lead you along the path to your conclusion."

Slowly, Gilgamesh's form began to dissolve into motes of golden light, his mocking voice resonating in the air around the executor. "Show me the light of your truth, that I might be entertained. This is an order from your king."

With that, the sense of opulence that Archer's presence had infused into the room faded away. No longer did Kirei have the sense of sitting before the throne in a mighty palace. Instead, he was back in his room, in the church, the scattered remnants of Gilgamesh's wine tasting on the table before him; empty and alone.

The doors to the Mato family mansion swung open to admit Zoken, his shuffling step taking him to the entryway, where a bent and bowed figure awaited.

The plain clothes did very little to hide the gaunt figure who struggled simply to remain standing. His sunken cheeks were accentuated by the stretching of his lips into a silent snarl at the sight of the family progenitor. The unruly mop of dirty white hair did nothing to conceal the malice of the man as he glared at Zoken through his single functioning eye, the other blank and useless. He smelled of garbage, which did nothing to hide the stink of rot, as though the man was a walking corpse, already wasting away even though he had not truly died yet.

"Such impertinence," croaked Zoken, brushing away his descendent's anger with all the concern that one might show a entangling cobweb, "Is that how you show your appreciation for an old man who came out of retirement to represent you amongst all those distinguished magi."

"I did not ask you for that," growled Mato Kariya, Master of Berserker, the Mato Family's representative in the Holy Grail War, "Why did you call me back? Why did you confine me to the manor while you went to meet with Tokiomi?"

Zoken's lips curled in a sneer as he tottered past the wasted shell of a man. "If you had gone, you would have had nothing useful to contribute. Furthermore, if you had gone, would you have been able to restrain yourself from attacking with your hated adversary before your eyes?"

"I could have crushed him!" raged Kariya, bloody spittle flying from his lips, "There, in front of all the Masters, I could have given Tokiomi the humiliation he deserves!"

A wheezing laugh escaped from Zoken's desiccated form, his entire body quaking with unrestrained mirth. "In attacking Tokiomi upon neutral ground, you would have brought an end to your participation in the Grail War. No one would be able to stand such a blatant violation." He turned and grinned at Kariya. "So you would put your desire to humiliate your enemy above your desire to save Sakura? Perhaps I was mistaken. You may yet have the makings of a true magus."

The anger vanished like the morning mist from Kariya's expression as Zoken's words hit home. The old man's approval filled him, not with pride, but with disgust and loathing. At that moment, his hatred for Zoken redoubled. Not only had the family head's remarks cut him deeply, but Kariya now realized that Zoken had saved him from being disqualified from the Grail War. Zoken had kept him from foolishly squandering his chance to save Sakura from the horrors of the Mato household. It was sickening.

Zoken let out another hacking chortle. "Now that you understand your position Kariya, I have an offer to make, one which you might find appealing."

"Out with it old man," snarled Kariya, his right hand clenching hard, the shape of his veins standing out in stark relief on his pale skin. Except that veins did not normally writhe and squirm as his grip tightened.

"As you have not doubt learned by monitoring our meeting with your familiar," began Zoken, "Caster has revealed herself to be a magus from another world, one that appears to operate on different thaumaturgical laws than ours. The spell that she conceived, the one that brought her to this world, even went so far as to bring her within reach of the Root."

"Is that it old man?" asked Kariya, unimpressed, "You think that Caster can devise a means of reaching the Root so that you no longer have to seek the Grail? I thought you planned to wish for immortality."

"There is time for that later," said Zoken dismissively, "What interests me is a different matter. Caster created her spell for the purpose of being used in her world by other magi of her kind. In other words, she intended for knowledge of her magecraft to be disseminated amongst the masses. More importantly, from her words, this is not an uncommon occurrence."

"So what?"

Zoken huffed irritably. "I sometimes forget that, as a makeshift magus, you're an idiot when it comes to the particulars of magecraft. In Caster's world, disseminating ones magecraft does not diminish its potency. If she could be studied, we might find the secret to that quality of her world. It might even be possible for the very course of magecraft in this world to be reversed."

Even Mato Kariya, who had forsaken his heritage and his responsibilities as the heir to the Mato family understood the implications of this. Human magecraft had degraded since the Age of the Gods. Human advancement in science and technology transformed the world, taking root where the arts of the magi once dwelled. Words, once holding a power in and of themselves lost their strength. Magical lines like the Matos themselves slowly dwindled in number and strength. Even Magic, the performing of true miracles, had dwindled to a mere five practitioners.

If Zoken was right, then Caster might carry a secret that would rock the world to its very foundations. And yet...

"How very unlike you grandfather," taunted Kariya, "Since when have you concerned yourself with such things?"

Zoken didn't rise to his taunts. Instead, the old man showed Kariya a mocking grin. "What should concern you is this, Kariya. If I am able to uncover that capability, even reversing the thinning of our own bloodline would not be outside the realm of possibility. I could potentially use the secrets within Caster to restore our line to its former strength. And if that is true, then I would no longer have any reason to keep Sakura here."

Kariya froze. Beneath his skin, something slithered and undulated, betraying his excitement and interest. Zoken's grin widened. "Think about it Kariya. For a impromptu magus such as yourself, obtaining victory in this War has always been a near impossibility, even with a Servant as powerful as the one you command. By capturing a single Servant and bringing her to me, you could secure Sakura's release. What do you think? A much easier task than trying to defeat every one of the other Servants and their Masters no?"

Blood trickled down from Kariya's mouth as he bit his lip. Zoken turned away and began to climb the stairs leading to the second floor from entryway. "Or you could always go back to pursuing your vendetta against Tokiomi," he taunted, "If that is what you value more than Sakura's freedom."

Kariya simply stood there as Zoken's malevolent chuckling faded into the darkness above.

The ancient magus closed the door behind him, turning to the sitting room where he had met Kariya when the young man had returned to demand Sakura's freedom. Zoken had left Kariya in the entryway below. But that did not mean that he was alone yet.

"Are you comfortable?" He asked his guest, the first he had entertained in many decades.

"Quite. I admit, I am grateful that you would extend your hospitality to us after all that happened."

Zoken's chuckle had a wheezing, grandfatherly quality to it this time, quite unlike the mocking one he used with Kariya. "Even though you say that, I can understand if your pride is injured by an offer of charity, especially after all you have lost."

"No. Even though I lost a great deal in that disaster, it is still an honor to be granted asylum by one of the Three Families. There is one thing that concerns me though."

"And what is that?" inquired Zoken.

"Why would you take us in when your grandson is a participant in the War himself?"

"Ha!" croaked the old magus, "You needn't worry about that. Kariya is a fool, a deserter who abandoned his heritage as a magus only to come crawling back to me now for a chance to fight in this War. From the very beginning, I have set none of my aspirations on him. Instead, I have plans in motion for the next War, so the outcome of this one is irrelevant. I merely permitted his participation for the sake of my amusement, so that I can watch him squirm and suffer."

He flashed a toothy grin at his guest. "So feel free to make full use of Kariya and his Servant as you see fit. He will be the perfect tool to keep the other Servants busy while you seize the Grail for yourself."

"And what of when he learns that you betrayed him."

"Kariya will not turn his sword against me," scoffed Zoken, "If he should turn against you, simply draw the battle out. Berserker's prana consumption is enormous and an ad-hoc magus like Kariya will not be able to hold out for long."

Zoken took a step deeper into the room and smiled up at his guest. "So, do we have an accord, Lord El-Melloi?"

Reclining in the sofa that was a far cry from the luxury of his suite in the Fuyuki Hyatt, Kayneth Archibald favored Zoken with a thin-lipped smile.

The keys on the laptop clicked as Kiritsugu's fingers typed furiously. It had taken several hours since the meeting at the church had concluded, but one of his agents within the Association had finally managed to acquire the files he requested. Printing out the information, he distributed it to the others.

"This is the data that I was able to obtain on Caster's Master." Before him on the table was a complete dossier of the magus known to the Association as the Witness.

Saber glanced at the information, barely acknowledging it, while Irisviel picked up the file and scanned it, her expression impassive, but her eyes betrayed her concern. In spite of her words, she couldn't help but feel worried for Caster's sake. "Divination, specialized in remote viewing, wind element alignment..." She looked up at her husband. "You seem rather concerned about this Master. Is he dangerous?"

Kiritsugu shook his head slowly. "He is not a direct threat. However, he might prove troublesome. His specialization is in viewing events from a safe distance. He is one of the top magi in the Association in terms of developing divination magecraft. It would not surprise me if he were even able to spy through the castle's bounded field without detection."

Irisviel pulled the papers against her chest and looked around suspiciously. Emiya Kiritsugu seemed unfazed by the notion though. "I doubt he is watching now. Even if he could penetrate the barrier, Saber's Instinct would still be able to detect him.

He tapped the screen of his laptop before settling back and mulling over it. "The problem arises from the fact that he is well aware that his skills make him a dangerous element in the eyes of other magi. I would go so far as to expect that, had I not been brought into the Einzberns when I was, he would have eventually found his way onto the list of individuals the Association would want me to deal with.

"The difficulty comes from his skills at evasion. Because he is fully aware that he is one who has seen what others do not want to be seen, he has developed exceptional skills at evading detection and avoiding confrontation. With him directing Caster's movements, the two of them are likely to be extremely difficult to corner and eliminate. To make matters worse, he has probably already familiarized himself with my methods and could even predict my actions to a certain extent. The information from the Association also indicates that he is not adverse to learning about modern technology, which cuts down the number of ways we can monitor him."

Saber nodded. "From what I have seen with my own eyes, along with Caster's own description of her capabilities, her magecraft can be counted as equivalent to high thaumaturgy in the human world. However, she is both naive and inexperienced in the ways of battle. If we can eliminate or counter her teleportation, then bringing her down will be a simple matter."

Irisviel's already pale skin seemed to grow slightly whiter still as she listened to Saber's words. Kiritsugu saw this and noted it. In spite of her words, he suspected that his wife was not yet able to put her heart behind Caster's destruction. It was a position with which he could identify.

"So how do we deal with Aaron Styx?" asked Irisviel, "If he is so difficult to pin down, how do we find him?"

"I think I have a way," replied Kiritsugu, smiling slightly, "For all that Aaron Styx may be cautious, he is still a magpie at heart. Even though the chances of getting caught in the crossfire were high, he still came to observe the Grail War. If we arrange for a sufficient spectacle to catch his interest, he will come out to observe, regardless of the risk. From there, it is a matter of anticipating where he will be observing from and then intercepting him."

The door to the room opened, admitting a slender woman, dressed in black, with short black hair. Her sharp eyes swept the room before turning her gaze to Kiritsugu. "I have a report," she said.

"What is it Maiya?" asked Kiritsugu.

"One of the familiars we had stationed at the church observed the departure of Caster and her Master. They were approached by Rider and his Master and departed together."

"I see..." Kiritsugu stroked his chin in thought. "From that, we can determine that some form of alliance has been struck between Rider, Caster, and their respective Masters."

"But why?" asked Irisviel.

"It's difficult to say," admitted Kiritsugu, "We still know very little of Rider's Master, save he was apprenticed to Lord El-Melloi. The most recent information we have was that he may have stolen the original relic Kayneth was planning on using to summon his Servant. From what we heard on the battlefield the other night, I believe we can safely assume that information is valid. Considering that, Rider's Master is probably nothing more than an apprentice-level magus. It's clear that he has little to no control of his Servant's actions."

"Then we don't have anything to worry about, do we?" asked Irisviel.

"No," interjected Saber, "If anything, this concerns me even more than the situation with Lancer." Unconsciously, her right hand reached out to touch her left wrist. Irisviel's spell had stemmed the bleeding, but the wound was still there. "The master of the sword fears not the second-greatest master of the sword, but the inexperienced novice, for that is the person most likely to produce an unexpected result.

"And this seeming alliance between Rider and Caster's camps is a perfect example of this. Most would never expect two such disparate parties to form any kind of alliance, especially when you consider Caster's extremely cautious approach to the War and contrast it with Rider's exceedingly reckless one."

Kiritsugu said nothing, not even glancing in Saber's direction as he spoke. After a moment, he looked up at Irisviel. "We will need to watch the other Masters carefully," he said, "They may very well decide to take advantage of this situation, now that Caster has revealed how weak her position is. If they do, we will move to take their backs."

"How dishonorable," Saber scoffed, angrily looking away.

"I-Is that really necessary?" asked Irisviel.

"It's the best way to deal with the other Masters and their Servants," answered Kititsugu, "And that may well have been Aaron Styx's intention from the very beginning."

Kiritsugu had been observing the meeting at the church with his familiar. He knew that the other Masters were aware of his presence. Of all of them, Aaron exhibited the best understanding of how Kiritsugu operated. It was ironic, but by exposing the vulnerability of himself and his Servant, Aaron had turned Emiya Kiritsugu, the Mage Slayer, into the strongest shield. The other Masters might well be hesitant to act if they knew that Kiritsugu would move to flank them should they try to attack Caster or her Master. A frown crossed Kiritsugu's face. Yes, Aaron was not particularly dangerous as a magus, but he would prove to be a troublesome adversary all the same.

The park was deserted, which wasn't really a surprise at that hour. This made it the perfect scene for a meeting between the parties of the Grail War. Putting up a barrier would help keep their conversation private, but it might also advertise their presence. And with Assassin lurking about, it would not be a good idea to attract attention.

"Should we tell them about that?" asked Twilight quietly, her voice barely a whisper to Aaron.

"Not yet," replied her Master, "The fewer people we tell right now, the better. It might help them to know that Assassin is still a factor, but it might also give away to Assassin that we know, which would be dangerous." He smiled down at her. "Don't worry, I have a plan to seal Assassin."

Twilight gulped nervously, wondering just what it was her Master was planning. However, her plans to ask were cut off by Waver and Rider returning with drinks they had gotten from a vending machine.

"I told you not to just go and smash things!" protested Waver irritably.

"Hm, but it is foolish to leave stockpiles of food sitting unattended in the middle of the night," replied Rider with casual ease, "If they are unguarded, it is only natural to go and take them for yourself. If you'd allowed me to do things my way, then we wouldn't have to worry about you spending your money."

"You don't need to worry about my money!" exclaimed Waver, his voice shrill.

"Huh? But that's not what you were saying earlier. Why were you so upset about me using that mail-order thingy?"

Twilight couldn't help it. A light giggle escaped her at the look of consternation on Waver's face. Waver's face flushed bright red and he pointedly avoided Twilight's gaze for a moment, distractedly handing her a can of juice. She gave him a grateful smile as she took the can in her hands and opening it. Gulping it down, Twilight was surprised by the flavor. It was a little sweet for her tastes, but acceptable all the same.

"So, now that we have drinks, we should conduct negotiations," declared Rider, settling himself on the brick pathway without any difficulty. Aaron smirked, choosing to lean casually against a nearby tree while Twilight and Waver sat next to each other on the bench, both self-consciously perching on either end.

"I think this arrangement will do for now," said Aaron, "We should continue to meet in places like this to avoid giving away our bases of operation. That way, if one of us is found out, then it is less likely that the others' base will be discovered."

"Hmph," snorted Rider, "Such caution borders on cowardice. Allies should not be afraid of one another. How are we to march into battle together if know nothing of each others' whereabouts?"

"I think he's right," said Twilight, "If we don't know where everyone is, then it'll be difficult to coordinate our actions. Any signals or signs we try to work out to set up these meetings could be intercepted."

Aaron mulled this over for a moment. "True enough. Even if we resorted to using phones, that wouldn't be foolproof. Most other magi probably wouldn't think of it, but such a thing would not be overlooked by Emiya Kiritsugu."

"I'd heard a few things about him back at the Association," said Waver softly, "And at the meeting, all the Masters seemed wary of him. Is he really so dangerous?"

"More than you think," said Aaron, "He used bombs to drop your teacher's own atelier onto his head. He's the kind of man who will resort to any tactic in order to achieve victory."

Waver shivered, clearly feeling out of his depth. "Perhaps," he suggested, "We should decide which Servants to focus our efforts on."

"Hmm, Saber and Lancer are out," said Rider, "It does not feel right to try and fight them before they settle their own duel."

"That leaves Archer and Berserker," Aaron pointed out, "Both of which are absurdly dangerous foes, Archer in particular."

Rider directed a curious glance at Aaron. "Have you deduced his identity then?"

Aaron nodded. "Yes. Did you want to know?"

A wide grin spread across Rider's face. "Not yet. Half the fun of this battle lies in learning the secret behind your opponents' identities for yourself. Besides, I already have an idea as to who Archer may be."

Waver let out a strained groan at his Servant's cavalier approach to the battle. "You could stand to take things more seriously Rider."

"Ha!" scoffed the towering man, "Against a foe like Archer, even knowing his identity does not guarantee our victory." He grinned, crossing his arms. "Fortunately, I have confidence in my strength. Fear not my friends, we shall claim victory yet."

"And Berserker?" asked Waver, turning back to Aaron.

"We know that Berserker's Master is Mato Kariya," replied Aaron, "Berserker himself is a formidable opponent. That skill of his enables him to utilize virtually anything that can even be conceptualized as a weapon. Even stranger, despite his class and his Mad Enhancement, he's still somehow able to fight with such finesse and skill..."

"Do you have any idea as to his identity?"

Aaron shook his head slowly. "I'm still drawing a blank on that. The skill of being able to wield almost any object as a lethal weapon is something you're more likely to find amongst the legendary martial artists from the legends here in the East. And yet, Berserker's armor clearly indicates that he is a knight from somewhere in the West. To make matters more confusing, that black mist surrounding him completely obscures his parameters, which makes it impossible to get a read on what he's capable of.

"While his ability is impressive, what worries me is that his Master might attempt to arm him with modern weapons. In Berserker's hands, such weapons could be used to much more devastating effect than a mere lamppost."

"Hmm, yes," agreed Rider, "But I think we have little to worry about. From what I've learned about this country, such armaments are extremely difficult to maintain."

"Perhaps," agreed Aaron, "But we shouldn't underestimate the resources available to a venerable family like the Matos."

"I don't think so," said Waver, "If the Matos are like most magus families, then they have nothing but disdain for modern technologies. They would not sully their hands with such weapons."

Aaron shook his head. "I would agree with you normally, but Mato Kariya is not a traditional magus. He initially spurned his heritage and left the family. I would not put it past him to turn to unconventional methods in order to succeed."

"Wait," interrupted Twilight, "If Mato Kariya abandoned the idea of becoming a magus, how did he manage to become a Master."

"Of that, I'm not certain," admitted Aaron, "Since he hasn't put any effort into developing them, Mato Kariya's magical circuits are probably severely degraded in quality. Normally, someone like him wouldn't be able to sustain the prana output needed to manifest a regular Servant, much less one from the Berserker class. I'd assume that it's some secret of the Mato Family magecraft that enabled him to become a Master. After all, in spite of the fact that the sorcerous potential of the line has withered away almost to nothing, the Matos have managed to maintain their prestige over the years."

"What do you think they did?" asked Twilight.

Aaron shrugged. "I have no idea. Very little is known about the Mato Family magecraft. The only information that I've been able to uncover is that they are insect users. If Kariya himself is capable of offensive magecraft, it may take that form. But it's an incredibly long shot on his part."

Twilight opened her mouth to speak again, only to find herself yawning widely instead. Waver's own eyes were drooping. Aaron and Rider exchanged glances. "We should probably adjourn for now," suggested Aaron, "Caster and I have one more thing to take care of."

"Very well," agreed Rider, "How should we arrange our next meeting?"

"How about dinner?" suggested Aaron, a smirk spreading across his face that made Twilight shiver, "I know this nice place in Miyama that serves good Chinese food..."

"Farewell!" Rider shouted with a boisterous wave as he guided his chariot into the sky, Waver clinging to the rim for dear life. Twilight couldn't suppress a giggle as she watched them leave.

"You seem to have cheered up," Aaron observed sardonically.

Twilight wiped her eyes. "I'm a little relieved that not everyone in this whole thing is some sort of double-dealing liar with a hidden agenda."

This raised an eyebrow. "That hurts," Aaron lied, not even trying to hide his amusement, "But keep this in mind. According to the information on his background, Waver Velvet stole the relic he used to summon Rider from his teacher, who is currently Lancer's Master. Since that little bit of larceny is responsible for him being in the War in the first place, I wouldn't put my trust in him completely."

Twilight stiffened, looking angrily at her Master, who merely smirked and shrugged. "From what I've seen of this boy, I suspect that it was an impulsive move born more of spite than premeditation. He and Kayneth don't seem to have been on the best of terms, even before they ended up as enemies. Perhaps you should ask him about that next time."

Twilight frowned and then sighed. He just has to ruin everything doesn't he.

Aaron reached out and lightly rapped her forehead with a finger. "Hey now. Chin up. Not everything is bad news or bad news disguised as good news. Remember what I told you earlier?"

"You mean about something to seal Assassin?"

"That's right," agreed Aaron nodding, "You will want to assume your true form. We will need to travel fast, which means making use of your teleportation."

A flare of light enveloped Twilight as she returned to her natural form. "Where are we going?"

She trembled as Aaron showed her a grin not unlike the one Rider had been flashing around so freely a little while ago. "Back to the church."

Kirei stared up at the ceiling from his bed. Thanks to the amenities of the church, which allowed even the rooms meant for defeated Masters like him to be kept a constant comfortable temperature, he needed neither sheets nor blanket. Sleep was elusive for the former Executor, not because he dreaded what lay behind his eyelids when they closed, but because there was little difference from the world he left behind. Kotomine Kirei's sleep was untroubled by dreams. Even though he had heard that Masters often experienced dreams that showed them aspects of their Servants' original life, he had experienced no such dreams from Assassin. Of course, that was most likely because, for Kirei, his dreams were a void. His time asleep was as empty and meaningless as his time awake.

Something else kept him from letting his eyelids drift shut. Gilgamesh's words had struck a chord within him. Does Caster truly hold the key to understanding myself? If she does, what will I discover? For some reason, he dreaded the answer. All his life, he had walked the path of the faithful and the righteous. But that had brought him nothing. If acts of kindness or gallantry held no meaning to him, then what did?

Perhaps I have known the answer all along, he thought, Am I merely afraid to confirm it as truth?

Slowly, his eyes closed and his lips began to twitch...upwards, the barest beginnings of a smile starting to form. Perhaps, if Gilgamesh's words troubled him so, then perhaps he sleep would be troubled as well. That seemed like a welcome change.

"Okay..." panted Twilight, gasping for breath and sweating profusely as she and Aaron watched the church from the nearby forest, "...Now what?"

Aaron shot her a confused look. "Are your reserves holding out."

"Yes. But teleporting so many times in succession, not to mention taking two people at once..." Twilight took a deep breath to steady herself. "It's making my horn hurt to use so much magic at once."

"So it's not unlike a human's magical circuits," mused Aaron, stroking his chin thoughtfully, "Regardless of your resources, using too much prana at once or casting too many spells in sequence can cause them to break down. This could be troubling. If this doesn't work, we'll need to make a swift escape."

Twilight glared at him. "Maybe you should have thought about that before you had me bring us here."

"Relax," said Aaron, waving his hands placatingly, "If worse comes to worse, we can always use one of these..." He flipped over his hand to show her the Command Seals.

Twilight's eyes narrowed dangerously and Aaron went back to trying to calm her down. "Right right...We wouldn't want to squander your second-best chance of getting back to your world on a failed scheme. So what then? Do you need to rest before we begin?"

"Just a little," replied Twilight, "I've already set up a chain using my previous teleports as waypoints. I think I can take us all the way back to the house if necessary, but I need to let my horn cool down first."

"We can't take too long," said Aaron, "The area close to the church is bound to be monitored. While Kotomine Kirei might be using Assassin to keep tabs on the other Servants and their Masters, there is also the chance that he could be having Assassin watching the church grounds while he rests."

"Then keep an eye out," growled Twilight, "Aren't you supposed to be an expert in watching?"

Aaron chuckled and shrugged. "I can try. But the Assassin class's specialty is Presence Concealment, up to the point of complete invisibility. Seriously, it's nothing short of a miracle that we were able to spot him at the last battle. I can at least make preparations though. I've already laid the groundwork."

Reaching into his coat, Aaron produced a tube. Removing the cap off the end, Twilight was surprised to see him draw out a large, blank sheet of paper, which he unrolled and spread on the ground in front of them. Reaching back into his coat, he next produced a vial of a dark substance, ink most likely. Uncapping the vial, he poured the contents in a steady stream onto the paper.

Normally the ink would have soaked into the paper and turned into a shapeless blot on the otherwise pristine sheet. But, before Twilight's eyes, the ink began to run, forming lines and shapes, spreading out across the paper to create a drawing...no...a diagram, an extremely detailed diagram. As more details came into focus, the unicorn's eyes widened as she realized it was a perfect diagram of the building nearby...the church.

"But how?" she asked, staring aghast at Aaron, who grinned at her.

"I told you I already laid the groundwork for this," he explained, "I think you even noticed it at the time, back when we were waiting inside."

Twilight's memories drifted back to the time when they had first entered into the building and were waiting for Kotomine Risei to make contact with the other Masters. She remembered the faint stirring of breeze from around his body. "So that's what it was!" she exclaimed, "A magecraft to map the church!"

"And more besides," replied Aaron, pulling out a small number of ball bearings. With a casual motion, he tossed them onto the map. Most of the bearings rolled aimlessly about until they fell off the paper entirely. But two of them animated and rolled with surprising speed to specific points on the diagram, one to a room on the church's ground level, and the other to a room below ground-level.

"Now then," said Aaron, "There's a very real possibility that, if Assassin is in the church, my magecraft can't break through his Presence Concealment. Or it simply can't pick up Servants in spirit form, which is a possibility since I don't have quite enough data to compensate for that. But this..." he pointed to the bearing on the upper level, "...is most likely Risei. Those are probably the priest's quarters. And if I were a betting man, then I would bet that these..." he pointed to the line of identical rooms on the lower level, one of which was occupied by another ball bearing, "...are the quarters for the defeated Masters, which makes this..." he pointed to the second bearing.

"Kotomine Kirei," Twilight Sparkle breathed, both impressed and frightened. In one visit, Aaron had obtained a comprehensive knowledge of every nook and cranny in the church and the capacity to monitor the position of the people within it. Had he been in control of a more combat-oriented Servant, this kind of knowledge could be used to devastating effect.

She glanced uncertainly at Aaron. "What are we going to do now?"

"It's simple really," explained Aaron, "We are going to make use of your teleportation skills to make a delivery. The church is protected by a barrier, but penetrating it should not be difficult. Furthermore, once the delivery is complete, stealth will not be an issue. However, we should make a swift withdrawal, just to be on the safe side."

"And what am I supposed to be delivering?" asked Twilight as Aaron produced yet another item from his coat.

"This." It was a knife. There was nothing particularly remarkable about it; just a simple carving knife you might find in any hardware or woodworking store.

"Where do you get all of this?" asked Twilight.

"I picked it up while I was out shopping for you yesterday," replied Aaron simply, "I've had this idea in mind ever since we found out that Assassin was still active.

"The task is simple. Your job is to teleport this knife into the church, to this precise point..." He lowered the knife to let its tip come to rest right next to the ball bearing that presumably represented Kotomine Kirei.

Twilight gulped. "I hope you realize," she said, "That I can't kill him with that. Even if I wanted to, my teleportation spell is designed to avoid solid objects and living entities."

"That's fine," replied Aaron, "A lethal strike wasn't on my mind in any case. This is just a message."

"A threat?" asked Twilight, "But he's going to wonder about that. Even if I do drop of the knife right next to his head, he's obviously going to wonder why we bothered with a mere threat, which reveals my capabilities, unless I couldn't follow through for some reason."

"Not a threat," said Aaron, "A message. In this case, the "threat" is a different matter entirely. I can explain in more detail once we get back to the house, but we should focus on making sure that your accuracy is perfect." His grin returned. "After all, I don't want anything to get lost in translation."

"Master!"

Kirei's eyes had already snapped open. Even he had sensed the intrusion through the church's barrier. More importantly, he realized that he had been the target. Flicking his eyes to the entryway, he saw that Assassin, or one of them anyway, had materialized there, her face unreadable behind that white skull mask. Glancing around the room without moving his head, he took note that there were no intruders. It would have to be magecraft then.

His eyes caught the glint of metal next to his head. Turning to look, he saw a knife, embedded tip first right next to his head in the pillow. Sitting up, he turned and stared at the knife. There were only the faintest traces of lingering prana around it, an indicator that it had arrived there via magecraft. It must have been Caster then. But why would she do this? This method seems to underhanded for one as innocent as her. Her Master must have put her up to this then. But still, it's odd. Aaron Styx is too much of a pragmatist to miss the opportunity for a decisive strike and waste it on a mere threat.

While Kirei had been mulling over the questions this presented, he was surprised to see Assassin move on her own initiative, walking over to the bed and leaning over to pick up the knife. She inspected it closely before lowering it.

"I see," she said softly, "Caster was behind this."

Kirei nodded. "Her magecraft was indeed used. However, I suspect her Master was the one who put her up to this."

"He is clever then," said Assassin, "He sent his message in our language."

Kirei blinked. "And what is the message."

"In my era, the message of a knife placed like so was 'you are in our power.' However, that is not important in and of itself."

"Then what is?"

Assassin turned her expressionless mask towards Kirei. "The significance is that he chose to send his message in a language that he knew I would be able to understand."

"In other words, he sent that message knowing that you would be here to translate it," remarked Kirei. The implications were clear. Aaron Styx and Caster were clearly saying that they knew that Assassin was present and that his death at the Tohsaka mansion had been false, in a sense.

More important than that, was the other unspoken implication. They knew that the church had given sanctuary to a Master who had not actually been defeated. Even if they had no concrete proof that the observer had knowingly violated his role as a neutral party in the war, the fact that Kotomine Risei was Kirei's father would be more than enough to cast suspicion upon him. Eventually, even Tokiomi's role might be considered, given his strong ties to the church.

If the Mages Association was given reason to believe that the Church had violated its neutrality in the Holy Grail War, the consequences could reach far beyond the War itself. It would be an indicator that the Church was taking advantage of its perceived neutrality to meddle in Association affairs, which would be considered a violation of the non-aggression pact. One wrong move, and the Church and the Association would rekindle the flames of open conflict.

Kirei took the knife from Assassin and held it before his own eyes. "'You are in our power' indeed." It was amazing that such a small thing could convey such a profound message.

A dark shadow swirled through the air before manifesting itself into another masked figure. "I have investigated the surrounding area. Caster and her Master have fled," reported the other Assassin.

"I see," said Kirei, "All Assassins pursuing Caster and her Master are to withdraw at once."

"Hmm? What are you up to?" Alexander, also known as Iskander or the Servant Rider bent down to look over his Master's shoulder as Waver worked. The night passed into morning and then into the afternoon, with Waver sleeping through most of the day. It was a necessity, given that the Grail War was carried out mostly during the night.

After having woken up, Waver had gathered his alchemy kit from the belongings he had brought with him to Japan. Setting it up on the room's small table, he was now mixing a strange concoction formed from a variety of chemicals. With a small eyedropper, he added a tiny portion of one chemical to a larger vial, the color of its contents turning a sickly green.

Normally, Waver's response to his Servant's intrusion would have been a startled outburst. However, this time he barely even flinched as Alexander's voice sounded from overhead.

"I consulted some of my textbooks about magecraft," said Waver, picking up the vial and carefully swirling its contents, "While we don't know the specific details of the Mato magecraft, Caster's Master did say it was supposed to be insect based. I don't know how effective this will actually be, but it's the only countermeasure I could come up with to deal with an insect user."

"So that is meant to be a weapon against Berserker's Master," mused Alexander as he stood back upright, "It is nice to see that you are taking some initiative. What brought about this change?"

Waver did not answer. Rather, he set the vial back on the rack and pushed his chair back from the table, focusing his eyes on a blank spot on the wall. "Hey Rider..."

"Hmm?"

"Remember back when you asked me what I wanted to wish for?"

Settling back on the room's bed, Alexander stared pensively up at the ceiling for a moment before his face broke into a grin. "Aha! I see! So you've finally decided to take my advice and wish to be made taller."

"That's not it at all!" snapped Waver, whipping his head around to glare at his Servant. Alexander's grin faded to a much gentler smile. Waver sighed irritably before turning back to the wall. "I think...I would like to use my wish for Caster."

"To grant her wish then," said Alexander softly, stroking his beard.

"Are you upset that I would want to waste my wish on someone else?"

Alexander stood up, his massive form looming over Waver, his face now expressionless. Slowly, he raised his right hand. Without warning, the hand descended, slamming into Waver's back with a massive slap that knocked him from his chair.

"OF COURSE NOT!" boomed the boisterous giant, "No matter what the age, a man should always act to protect his woman!"

Waver's cheeks flushed bright red. "I-It's not like that you idiot!"

Alexander only offered a deep chuckle in response. "I've heard that in this day and age, it's more common for men to not be so overt in their affections. But really, you shouldn't waste time on hesitation. At the very least, you should let your feelings be known before this War's end. If you and Caster have your way, then she will likely return to her own world and never see you again."

"I keep telling you i-it's not like that!" Waver forced himself back into his chair. "Besides, she's not actually a human. Th-there's no way anything like that would be possible."

"Ha!" scoffed Alexander, "That is no barrier! Why, during my later years in Persia, I even officiated marriages between my officers and Persian women!"

"That's not even remotely close to the same thing!" exclaimed Waver.

"Such things are no barrier to affection," replied Alexander with a dismissive wave of his hand, "Did not Zeus make love to Leda in the guise of a Swan or seduce Europa in the shape of a bull?"

"I'm not quite sure those are good examples," muttered Waver petulantly, knowing that Alexander was going to ignore him anyway.

"As a man, you must stride forward upon the path of your own choosing, following where your passion leads you, even if others detract," continued Alexander, "To push forward and obtain your goal, to look beyond your own limitations and the limitations others impose upon you is not just what it means to be a man..." He looked down on Waver with that warm smile on his face. "...It is what it means to be a conqueror too."

For a long moment, Waver didn't react, staring silently ahead as he pondered Alexander's words. He still wasn't sure what it was that had driven him to offer aid to Caster. However, after watching her interaction with the Einzbern Master, seeing her crying inconsolably in the wake of their conversation, Waver felt the first stirrings of a desire to protect Caster, to see her smile, and to never have to watch her shed those tears again. He didn't quite believe Alexander's assertions, but perhaps there was more truth to Rider's words than he would have liked to admit.

With a sigh, he turned back to his rack of vials and carefully lifted them off their stands, depositing them into a bag not unlike the book-bags carried by local school students. Hefting the bag's strap over his shoulder, Waver stood with a grunt. "Come Rider," he said, "We need to go meet with Caster and her Master now."

Alexander's face split into that eager grin again. "Of course," he agreed, "Let us go cement our partnership with our new allies."

Three hours later, Waver's confidence was weaker than ever, though not for the same reasons.

"Ahh!" Rider threw back his head, letting out a satisfied gasp, "Now that was a fine meal!" The massive muscles of his body stretched tight the outlandish t-shirt he wore.

"I told you it was excellent food," said Aaron, his usual smirk in place, "It's a shame you never made it this far in your conquests. The food of the orient is truly spectacular."

"I can't agree more," said Rider, grinning from ear to ear, "To think that the act of eating could be a battle against one's own meal and that to consume it is a conquest in and of itself!"

"Ugh," groaned Waver as he and Twilight trailed behind their Servant and Master respectively, "How can they be fine after eating that?" Though his tongue no longer felt as though it was going to turn to ashes in his mouth, the residual effects of consuming such spicy food made it almost completely numb.

The Chinese Restaurant that Aaron had chosen apparently specialized in extremely spicy dishes. While Aaron Styx and Rider had apparently both enjoyed their food, seeming to revel in its heat, Waver had tried his hardest to find something milder...with little success. Twilight, adhering to her vegetarian diet, even in human form, had met with some success, the vegetable stir-fry she'd ordered having been a good bit more mild the the mixed dish of pork and tofu that Aaron had ordered. She was feeling a good bit better than Waver did.

Now, they were making their way through the streets of the market. For some strange reason, it was Rider who was leading the way. "By the way," asked Waver, "Where are we going?"

"I was thinking that this was a wonderful evening," said Rider, relaxing a great deal, "After a fine meal, it is customary to enjoy an evening of drinking cement our bonds of fellowship."

Waver ground to a halt. "W-wait a minute Rider!" he protested, "We're supposed to be making plans to decide the fate of the Holy Grail War! This isn't the time to go around bar crawling!"

Rider paused for a moment. "Hmm," he mused before his eyes widened, he expression snapping into one of epiphany, "You're right! Simply visiting the local taverns isn't sufficient for an occasion such as this!"

"Uh oh." Waver slumped, already feeling a sense of impending disaster, realizing that he had somehow goaded Rider into doing something even more foolhardy.

"An occasion such as this calls for a banquet!" thundered the massive Servant, "And such a banquet must itself be a spectacle worthy of the Holy Grail War!"

"Now this sounds interesting," said Aaron, his smile widening, "It would fun to see what spectacle the King of Conquerors could come up with."

Now Twilight slumped as well. She and Waver exchanged deadpan expressions.

"Can we stop them?"

"Nope."

"We're doomed."

"A banquet?" The group froze. Twilight and Waver felt a chill run up their spines at the familiar voice, a voice that filled them with dread and apprehension. The two spun about, eyes wide with fear. Behind them stood a familiar man, handsome in appearance with an unruly mop of blonde hair and shimmering crimson eyes.

The Banquet

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Chapter 7: The Banquet

An angry hiss escaped from clenched teeth. Mato Kariya gripped his right arm with his left hand, clenching so tight that he drew blood. The sight of Tohsaka Tokiomi's Servant standing in plain view filled him with loathing. He longed to order his own Servant to strike and annihilate Archer with all his strength. And yet he held back. For, before Archer, stood Kariya's true objective. Caster and her Master had apparently allied with Rider and his Master, which made obtaining her a difficult business.

Kariya was not actually within sight of the group. Instead, one of his familiars, which he had been using to scour the city in search of Caster, had found her and her companions just as Archer appeared before them. The small, black beetle was clinging to a nearby lamppost, its insectile eyes easily able to observe the affair without being noticed.

Letting go of his arm, Kariya lifted his hand and bit into his thumb. "Just a little longer," he growled, focusing all his heart and mind on the image of his true objective, "Sakura!"

"Archer!" gasped Waver in shock as the two took an involuntary step back. The regal Servant's gaze swept across them, moving dismissively over Waver, but lingering on Twilight for several uncomfortable seconds, before moving on to Rider, who had merely paused, looking over his shoulder. Aaron had stepped away silently, falling into his roll as an observer as he stood unobtrusively off to the side.

Waver's eyes whipped from side to side as he checked the streets. The evening was young, so there were still plenty of people about. The rules of the Grail War forbade allowing normal people to find out about the conflict. Naturally, starting a fight in front of so many witnesses would be a breach of conduct. However, in their first meeting with Archer, he had demonstrated a streak of impulsiveness that rivaled Rider's own. In truth, only Tokiomi's Command Seal could truly restrict Archer's actions.

"Well," said Archer, his tone filled with a contempt so natural that it inspired fear and admiration rather than resentment, "Tell me you so-called King of Conquerors, what is this banquet you speak of."

Turning about, Rider regarded the other Servant with a surprisingly companionable smile. "A banquet worthy of kings," declared Rider, spreading his arms dramatically, "What other kind would there be?"

This raised a single golden eyebrow. "Oh? Is that so? Do you really think a mere pretender such as yourself could truly host a banquet fit for a king?"

"Not just fit for a king, but attended by a king," replied Rider, "By three in fact. I have heard that Saber and her Master dwell in a fine castle outside this city. Could there be a more fitting place for such an occasion?"

Archer snorted derisively. "I see, so you intend to bring Saber in on this as well." A wry smile twisted his face as his eyes met Rider's. "Tokiomi has been showing more fire than usual lately, but he still remains insufferably cautious, so I find myself with little to entertain me while I wait. This banquet of yours sounds interesting." He shrugged. "Very well, I shall allow it."

"Ha!" barked Rider, "And of course you are invited as well. Let us reconvene at Saber's castle in the mountains. I shall secure provisions."

"So you offer me your hospitality?" mused Archer, "Very well, this amuses me. But let me warn you." His eyes narrowed dangerously. "You have the privilege of being honored by my presence. If I find that your preparations are lacking, I shall be sorely vexed."

Rider didn't even flinch at the veiled threat. "I shall do my utmost to show you how a king hosts a banquet. After all, a king's measure is in the hospitality he shows his guests."

"Very well," replied Archer as he turned and made his way back down the street, "But take care not to disappointment me."

As Archer departed and his presence faded, Twilight felt the tension drain out of her body. She slumped slightly, not realizing just how terrified she had been. She hadn't even been the focus of Archer's attention. Just his being there had pressed down upon her like a heavy weight. Movement off to her side caused her to glance over as Waver fell all the way to his knees, gasping for breath.

"Are you okay?" she asked, kneeling down next to him and placing her hands on his shoulders as the young apprentice struggled to regain his composure.

Waver didn't know how to answer her. In a sense, he had already been faced with Archer once before, during that night on the docks. But riding with Rider upon his mighty chariot had given the boy a strange sense of detachment, Rider's presence infusing him with a sense of courage that allowed him to keep the golden Servant's powerful intimidation at bay. It had helped that Archer had been quickly distracted by Berserker.

He had already seen Archer with a Master's eyes, having already noted Archer's impressive stats. However, in being this close to Archer, Waver had gotten a sense of something that went well beyond the numbers, a quality that couldn't be measured by Archer's parameters alone. But he couldn't figure out what that quality was.

Something warm and solid pressed down between Waver's shoulders. Twisting his head slightly, he caught sight of Rider's massive fingers, laying his hand down between Twilight's. Looking up, Waver saw an encouraging smile on Rider's face. "You did well boy," he said, "Stand and make ready. We have work to do."

"Where are we going?" asked Waver as Twilight helped him to his feet.

"Isn't obvious?" asked Rider, his tone uncharacteristically serious, "We must go and procure the wine for our banquet. Nothing but the finest shall do!" He thudded his chest dramatically with his right hand.

Aaron chuckled and stepped back a bit. "You three go on then," he said, "I have some things to take care of here."

Twilight blinked and stared at her Master, wondering why he was backing out of a situation like this. It seemed to her that a meeting between three of the main Servants participating the war, not to mention herself, would be exactly the kind of thing he would want to see.

Aaron seemed to notice her unasked question and smiled. "I can still watch through Shared Perception. I can also communicate directly with you through it as well. If I have any information to share with you, I'll tell you Caster."

"You're sure?"

"Absolutely," agreed Aaron, giving her a surprisingly congenial smile, "I'll still be watching, but I wouldn't miss this for the world."

Aaron watched Caster, Rider and Waver Velvet as they went off down the street on their errand. Yes, a banquet between three powerful Servants, each claiming to be a king, was something worth seeing. But, if he could avoid going there in person, it was for the best. To go meet with Saber would be to set foot on Emiya Kiritsugu's turf. Aaron had no intention of allowing himself to come within sight of the Mage Slayer. However, he hadn't been lying. There had been something that he wanted to take care of. And speaking of that thing...

On a lamppost a short distance back, a small beetle spread its wings, which buzzed slightly before the tiny insect took flight. It moved perhaps a meter or so before it was sliced in two, as though by an invisible sword. It fell to the ground twitching as Aaron walked up to it, his hand disappearing into his coat as he returned something to its place in a smooth motion. Its spasmodic twitches became frantic as Aaron stepped up and stared down at it.

"You may not be a proper magus Mato Kariya," said Aaron, sensing that the tiny familiar was still transmitting information to its master, "But I know better than to underestimate the tenacity of insects." Lifting a shoe, he stepped down on both pieces of the bug, crushing it completely.

Looking upwards, Aaron addressed his next words to the other set of eyes he sensed. "Oi! Are you sure you want to waste time on me? If you don't stay with her, you're going to miss something very interesting. Don't get distracted."

Kariya hissed in pain as his body suffered the backlash of the destruction of his familiar. An orthodox magus wouldn't have such an impression, but the beetle Kariya had been using to monitor Caster had been an incarnation of the crest worms implanted in his body. Even using the familiar to spy had caused a slight amount of pain, as did everything that required prana. The worms that writhed beneath his skin produced all the prana he needed, but, in the process, caused intense pain with every feat of magecraft. Producing that familiar and then the backlash of having it be destroyed was not unlike the pain of having a fingernail being torn out. It was not surprising that, when he needed to materialize Berserker, Kariya was left writhing in agony.

Even as he recovered from his familiar's destruction, a rush of anger surged through Kariya's chest. It had been fortuitous coincidence that resulted in him stumbling upon Caster's group. But Caster's Master had now eliminated his only lead. He would be forced to start over again, spreading multiple familiars as far as he could in order to maximize his chances of finding Caster again.

So consumed was Kariya with the problems that he faced, he failed to notice the raven perched atop a nearby dumpster in the alley where Kariya slumped amongst the garbage bags, watching him intensely. Kariya didn't even give the bird a second glance as it took to the skies, leaving him alone...for a short while.

The sound of footsteps outside the alley drew Kariya's attention. A tall, imposing figure stood poised at the entrance of the alley. Kariya's eyes narrowed as he surveyed the unknown man with his swept-back blonde hair and impeccable posture, which irritatingly reminded Kariya of Tokiomi. "Who are you and what do you want?" he growled, preparing to gather his prana. If this man was an enemy, Kariya had to be ready for an attack, or even to summon Berserker if it was necessary.

"Is that any way for you to speak to one who has graciously offered his assistance to you?" asked the man in a dismissive tone, "After all, I sacrificed one of my precious Command Seals to aid your Servant in his battle."

Kariya's eyes widened and his body tensed. This man then, was Lancer's Master, Kayneth Archibald. "Have you come to fight then?"

Kayneth shook his head slowly, smiling as one might when explaining something to a child. "Not yet. Instead, I have an offer for you. I understand that you have a reason to be pursuing Caster."

Kariya surged to his feet. "Who told you that?"

"It is unimportant," replied Kayneth smugly, "The point is, that I can help you with that. You see, I too have noticed that Caster and Rider's Masters have formed an alliance. I myself have a grievance to settle with Rider's Master. It is in our mutual interests to work together, don't you think?"

It took all of Kariya's self-restraint not to loose Berserker on the man at that moment. He utterly loathed this man already. However, a single voice in his mind whispered that this might be his chance. If Kayneth's offer was genuine, all Kariya had to do was accept it and capture Caster. If he did that, then Sakura would be free.

"What do you have in mind?" growled Kariya.

The castle of the Einzberns was thirty kilometers west of Fuyuki's urban center. Rider's chariot covered that distance in a matter of minutes. Twilight found herself slightly grateful that Aaron had chosen not to accompany them as, in addition to the three of them, their cargo was taking up a substantial amount of space, resulting in the chariot feeling quite crowded at the moment.

She and Waver clung for dear life to the sides as Rider guided the two bulls pulling the vehicle into its descent. Her senses barely registered the impending construct of prana ahead of them and she turned to shout to Rider.

"Wait! There's a..." Without slowing in the slightest, the bulls smashed through the bounded field as though it were nothing more than paper, the entire thing evaporating into nothingness. "...Barrier." Twilight sighed despondently. "Well, if they didn't know we were coming before, they know it now."

"What?" asked Aaron's voice in her mind, "You were expecting him to use subtlety?"

"Caution at least," Twilight muttered back. The soft chuckle she heard from the other end of the connection irked her to no end.

The chariot swooped low over the forest. Ahead them loomed a magnificent castle. Twilight had no frame of reference to compare it to. The closest thing she had seen had been the decrepit and rundown castle of the Royal Pony Sisters moldering in the depths of the Everfree. That castle had been larger to be sure. But this one had a stately manner that spoke freely of its owners' wealth and power.

"I read that when the Einzberns came to Japan to participate in the Grail's completion, their representative didn't have the courage to set up a stronghold on land administrated by the Tohsakas. So they picked the best space nearby and built this castle here. I've also heard that it's rather cheap by the Einzberns' standards."

Twilight frowned at Aaron's explanation. The chariot came in for a landing, the bulls lowing as it rolled to a stop. The massive doors barring the entrance to the castle swung slowly open. Saber stepped out, already wearing her silvery armor over the blue dress, her eyes cold and set, clearly prepared for battle. Keeping a short ways behind her was Irisviel, leaning out cautiously from behind the entryway. For a brief moment, her eyes met Twilight's. The two of them stared at each other before quickly looking away.

Rider grinned, his chest thrust out as they came. For a moment, Saber and Irisviel looked at each other in confusion before turning their eyes back to the massive Servant.

"Rider?" Saber asked, genuine confusion in her tone, "What are you doing here?"

"Oi Saber, I heard you staying out here and came to visit." Rider cast an appraising look up at the castle. "But you sure picked a gloomy place to set up in didn't you. And by the way, shouldn't you be wearing something more modern? When you arrived at the battlefield, you were wearing a fine suit that befits this era. Why would you be satisfied with that old-fashioned armor when such fine clothes are yours?"

Saber and Irisviel blinked for a moment, completely baffled. Rider's earnest arrival and complete lack of intent to fight stripped them of their resolve. Bending over slightly, Rider pulled out the cargo he had brought along with them, a large barrel of wine that he hoisted over his shoulder.

"Rider, I shall ask again? What are you doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious," intoned Rider, his voice suddenly as serious as though he were about to charge into battle, "I've come to drink with you Saber. Oi! Don't you have a courtyard somewhere appropriate for banquet? This is too fine a night to be enjoying good drink indoors. Stop standing there like a stick and lead on."

Saber's body tensed and Twilight was certain that she was about to attack. As Twilight and Waver moved back slightly, Saber suddenly let out a breath, her anger and frustration draining away.

"Saber, what's going on?" asked Irisviel, "Is he trying to placate you?"

Saber, who had looked at Irisviel when she spoke, turned her eyes back to Rider. "No. This is a challenge."

Twilight blinked. Inside her head, Aaron's voice spoke. "See what I mean? For all his boisterousness, Rider is a cunning one."

"What do you mean?"

"On this battlefield, this is the manner in which he chooses to approach his opponents. It's more than a matter of whimsically choosing to host a banquet. He plowed through the Einzberns' bounded field on his Noble Phantasm, an act of war by any measure a magus uses, but arrives with wine where a sword should be. It was the same thing last time. He swept grandly onto the battlefield, showing off his Noble Phantasm and stating his identity openly, things that would normally be considered unthinkable for a Servant in this War to do. And just now, he showed up with a completely different definition of battle than what his opponents were expecting. With each move, he defrauds his opponents' expectations and turns what seems to be a moment of idiotic whimsy into a brilliant strategy. Every time he acts, he turns the logic of the Grail War on its head, allowing him to 'attack' from an unexpected angle. There was a hero in this country's history who had a similar approach to battle. I think Rider would rather like him."

Twilight was silent, wondering who Aaron was talking about. She decided to ask him later. Rider was already answering Saber's words.

"That's correct. Since we can't oppose each other with swords, we shall do battle with wine. I should warn you, King of Knights, I won't go easy on you."

Saber gave Rider a thin smile. "The same to you."

"The Einzbern castle." Kirei frowned at the communications device. "Are you certain?"

"There is no question," replied Tokiomi, "I learned of the matter from Archer, though, as always, he didn't tell me directly. Even now, he is on his way."

"I see," said Kirei, uncertain of what to say. After the warning he had received from Caster's Master, Assassin had withdrawn from pursuing Caster while he tried to come up with an idea of how to approach the situation. The others had only just begun to assess the situation. It was immediately apparent that several unexpected events were occurring in response to Caster's actions.

"What's more," continued Tokiomi, completely unaware of his student's indecision, "Caster is accompanying her. This is an opportunity."

"My lord, what are you planning?"

"I cannot afford to waste another Command Seal in order to have Archer attack. Even if I could, he would probably rebel against me afterwards. So instead, we shall use Assassin and kill two birds with one stone.

"Order all of Assassin's bodies to attack en-mass. Have them focus on Rider's Master, but also tell them to kill Caster in the confusion as well."

"Why Rider?"

"He is an unstable element, something we know little about, in spite of knowing his true name. Using all of the Assassins at once should provoke him into revealing his true power, which will give us his full measure as an opponent."

Kirei swallowed. "It shall be done." Part of him had no desire to follow through with Tokiomi's order. But, at the end of the day, he was still a hound of the Tohsakas, his fangs meant to tear out the throats of Tokiomi's enemies. This was his purpose, his roll in the Holy Grail War...

...No matter what Gilgamesh might say...

The courtyard was a thing of beauty, filled with blooming flowers. Even though the night air was chilly, none of the participants in Rider's "banquet" really noticed. Rider and Saber had already settled themselves onto the stone tiles at the courtyard's center. Rider quickly pried the lid of the barrel and the fragrance of the fine wine washed through the air.

Abruptly, he turned his head to Twilight. "Oi Caster! Though you are not a king, you are still a fellow Servant. Tonight, this is our battlefield. If you truly seek the Holy Grail to fulfill your wish, then you should join us."

Twilight hesitated in confusion, her heart torn. It wasn't just her inexperience with drink. Because of her focus on studying in Canterlot, she had never joined in any of the parties attended by her fellow students or gone to any bars or pubs with them either. Even when she had settled into Ponyville, she hadn't exactly been the sort for that indulgence, even at parties. Of course, since most of the parties were thrown by Pinkie Pie, who generally set them up to be compatible for ponies of all ages (regardless of who was actually attending), alcohol wasn't a common fixture. But again, that wasn't what truly unsettled her.

Rider had named this spot as their battlefield and drinking as tonight's battle. He had invited Twilight not merely to observe, by participate. Thus, not only was he naming Saber as an opponent, but he was naming her one as well, even though they were supposed to be allies. She briefly wondered if this is what Aaron had meant when he talked about Rider's approach to battle.

Nervously, Twilight carefully settled onto the cold tiles, moving her skirt to keep it from interfering.

"Come now Caster," prodded Rider, "You are among fellow participants, there is no reason to restrain yourself. You should show your true form and face us openly."

A sly smile spread across Twilight's face as a thought occurred to her. "That's rather hypocritical Rider," she said, "Weren't you just berating Saber earlier for not wearing modern clothes instead of that old armor? Like you, I'm attending dressed in a manner appropriate for the current era."

In the silence that descended onto the courtyard, Twilight could sear that she could have heard a pin drop. Both Saber and Rider were staring at her in disbelief. She could even sense Waver and Irisviel watching her with stunned confusion. Then, Rider's mouth twitched. In an instant, he threw back his head, his uproarious laughter echoing into the night. Even Saber cracked a smile and Twilight heard a small snicker from her. In the dark corner of her mind, through the connection she shared with her Master, she heard Aaron chuckling. For a moment, Twilight thought she had made a mistake and blushed furiously.

"Ha! Well played!" boomed Rider, "I had no notion that you would be the first one to land a blow in tonight's battle Caster." Saber said nothing, but she was looking at Twilight with something approaching...approval. Twilight smiled demurely and looked down, a feeling vaguely familiar to the pleasure she felt whenever Princess Celestia had praised her for a lesson well-learned bubbling up inside.

Rider produced a long-handled bamboo ladle. "It's unusual, but this goblet is supposed to be unique to this country." No one among those attending had the will to tell him that he was completely wrong as he scooped up a serving of wine and drank it down with relish.

"They say that the Holy Grail is only granted to the most worthy and that this War is a ritual to determine the one most worthy to hold it, a war that is fought by us Servants."

He dipped the ladle into the barrel again. "However, if we can decide amongst ourselves the ranks of the Heroic Spirits participating in this war, then the battle will become unnecessary and we can end the war without bloodshed."

Twilight blinked. That...wasn't right. She remembered what Aaron told her, about the way the Grail operated. The Servants didn't fight to decide who was worthy. Their own spirits were the force that powered the grail when they were defeated. Bloodshed was inevitable. She'd thought that information was common knowledge among the Masters and Servants. Does Waver know?

Aaron spoke in the back of her mind as Rider offered the ladle to Saber. "Since he joined the War on an impulse, it's unlikely that Waver Velvet is fully aware of the Grail's true nature. I'll leave it to you to bring him up to speed on that, though you should probably wait until Saber isn't around."

"But what if she actually agrees to this?"

Her eye twitched as she heard Aaron snort. "Don't worry about that. Every Servant participating in this battle has a wish for the Grail. No one who answered the summons is going to abandon that because of some arbitrary decision by others." His tone became cold and distant. "No matter which way this banquet goes, bloodshed is inevitable."

Saber took the ladle from Rider's hand and drank from it herself, emptying it in a single swig before handing it back to Rider, who smiled at the clear challenge in the action.

"In other words, you wish to compare your strength to mine now," said Saber.

"Correct. Since I cannot challenge you to combat at arms at the moment, we shall instead turn the War for the Holy Grail into the Discussion for the Holy Grail. Which among us is truly worthy to possess the Holy Grail?" He scooped up another ladle of wine and presented it to Twilight. "The answer lies at the bottom of this barrel."

"Um..." demurred Twilight, "I'm not so sure I can fight this kind of battle." She took the ladle and stared uncertainly at it. Even though she was only smelling it, the mere scent of wine already seemed to be making her feel...inebriated.

"Don't shy away from any kind of battle Caster," instructed Rider, "Your struggle is the hardest of all."

Twilight looked up from the ladle. "What?"

Saber blinked and also looked to Rider in confusion. Rider sighed and explained. "Your wish for the Grail has already been heard. There is not one amongst all us Servants who is not aware of your true desire. You have no stake in this world and the wishes and desires of the rest of us have no meaning or bearing upon you. In fulfilling your wish, you will bring about an outcome that does not change this world, but rather brings it back to the way it was by removing yourself from it. In order to succeed, you will need to press forward and trample upon the dreams and wishes of your fellow Servants. You will have to deny them what they desire so that you can claim the Grail for yourself to fulfill a wish that will benefit only yourself." A smug smile twisted his face. "And what other name could such a path have except conquest?"

Twilight's eyes widened at Rider's words and looked at the wine for a moment. Is Rider...instructing me?

She hesitated slightly...and brought the ladle to her lips and began to drink. The wine's flavor was strong and heady. Almost immediately, Twilight was beginning to feel its affects. It's potency was too much for her to finish it in a single long swig the way Rider and Saber had. It took her about four tries, but she managed to finish the ladle and hand it back to Rider, who took it from her while smiling in earnest approval at her effort.

"Well done Caster," he said.

Twilight smiled, though she felt uneasy as the wine's effects washed over her. She definitely wasn't sure that she could make it to "the bottom of the barrel" as Rider had been saying.

Golden motes of light coalesced in the section of the courtyard opposite her, transforming into the form of Archer in his radiant golden armor as he strode forward. "Enough of your jokes, you mongrels."

"What are you doing here Archer?" demanded Saber, rising to her feet.

"Ah, we ran into him in the streets and I invited him over," replied Rider, who hadn't so much as flinched when Archer arrived, "But you're late Goldy." He shrugged. "I guess it can't be helped, since you had to walk here. Perhaps you should have taken a ride with me."

Archer snorted derisively as his contemptuous gaze swept over the courtyard, causing everyone but Rider and Saber to flinch away from him. "You chose this dull place as the site for our banquet? As usual, you have such crass tastes, calling me out here for this.

"Ha!" scoffed Rider, scooping up another ladle of wine, "Don't be so upset, first drink with us."

Archer eyed the ladle dubiously before taking it up in his hand and sipping tentatively from this. His expression became disgusted as he pulled away. "You offer me your hospitality and then have the nerve to suggest that I drink this swill."

Rider took back the ladle and eyed it in a bemused manner. "Hmm? This was the finest amongst the wines I found at the local market."

Archer smirked. "That is because you are ignorant of true wine." He gestured with a hand, causing a rippling golden haze to appear over. Given what he had used this for the last time, everyone tensed for a possible attack. However, instead of weapons, he instead produced a golden urn set with jewels. Twilight had to stop herself from gasping at the beauty of the vessel. It was the sort of thing she expected to see in Prince Blueblood's mansion. Rider showed no such restraint, letting out an enthusiastic cry as he looked at the vessel and the liquid contained within. With another wave of his hand, Archer produced a set of four cups, which Rider took from him and poured the wine into before distributing to the attending Servants, including Twilight.

Twilight took her cup and sniffed it delicately. Immediately, the rich bouquet rising from the liquid within completely drowned out the scent of the wine Rider had brought. Simply breathing in the rising fumes seemed to completely wipe her palate clean, as though the wine itself carried a small measure of Archer's haughtiness, suggesting that a tongue that remembered the flavor of a lesser wine wasn't fit for its consumption. Lifting the cup to her lips, Twilight took a sip.

The incredible flavor of the washed over her tongue, rich and full-bodied. It was like nothing she had ever drunk before. With her limited experience in such drinks, she was no able judge, but Twilight was already certain that there was nothing that she would ever drink that could rival the intense flavor of the wine before her. More than that, her body seemed to tingle with elation as the wine seeped through her system. It also made her wary, as she certainly noted that drinking too much of this wine might affect her judgment. Twilight knew that, in this "competition," she was at a disadvantage, having almost no experience with drinking. There was only so much alcohol she would be able to take.

"Amazing!" exclaimed Rider, who had unceremoniously chugged down the contents of his cup as quickly as he could, "This wine must be brewed by the gods themselves!" Even Saber was staring at her cup in amazement as she too experienced the wine's flavor.

"Be it swords or wine," commented Archer casually, swirling his cup, "Only the finest is contained within my vault. Amongst us, surely this settles which of us is the true king." Even as he spoke, his eyes slid in Twilight's direction. She shivered, suppressing the urge to cover herself with her arms and cringe backward. She felt Archer's gaze casually running over her, taking in every detail. There was no sign of malice. Rather, Archer's gaze seemed to cary a hint of...possessiveness. Twilight found herself missing his malice.

"Lets not be hasty Archer," said Rider, "Your wine is fantastic and surely deserves the finest of cups. But the Holy Grail is no mere goblet. The point of this discussion is to determine which of us is worthy to obtain the Grail."

Archer snorted. "Then this discussion is pointless. If you are speaking of a competition for this Grail, then you have already lost to me."

"And why is that?"

"The Grail is mine to begin with. Every treasure in this world can be traced back to my collection. That it exists is proof enough that it belongs to me." Archer sneered at the others.

Twilight tensed. "You're wrong," she said simply, drawing looks of surprise from the three kings before her. She half expected Archer to angrily berate her for speaking out of turn. However, he smiled indulgently. It gave Twilight a sick, oily feeling.

"Is that so?" asked Archer, "What makes you say that?"

"First, all of you should already know that the Holy Grail we're fighting over was created after your times. The Three Families of the Beginning including the Einzberns," she looked pointedly at Saber, "and the Tohsakas," she looked pointedly at Archer, though she quickly took her gaze away from him, "Cooperated in the Grail's creation. In other words, it's an item born of magecraft, so that it can have no basis for the treasures you own."

"So you say," replied Archer, "But your concept of ownership doesn't match mine. It is simple to say that, because it was created by magi, the Grail could not have come from my vault, but you do not fully understand the truth of my ownership. Saber here is a perfect example." He directed a smile at Saber, who clenched her hands under his gaze.

Again, Archer held out his hand, producing another golden ripple in the air. "Saber, you became the King of Knights when you withdrew the sword from the stone, did you not?"

"That is correct," admitted Saber tersely.

A hilt protruded from the ripple, which Archer gripped in his hand and pulled out. "But your Sword in the Stone that Chooses the King is itself descended from another sword, the Sword in the Tree that Bestows the Crown. More importantly, that sword is descended from another sword...this sword." All the gathered Servants and Masters tensed and drew back as Archer pulled the sword forth from the glowing gate in the air. It was a simple-looking blade, not gilded or ornate. But Twilight would feel her hair standing on end from the almost malevolent power that emanated from the blade. It was beautiful and terrifyingly deadly. "What exists within my vault is the original, the sword that would eventually become the basis for the blades made famous in legend. The same is true of all treasures as they are descended from the items of my vault, even conceptually. This Holy Grail as well can trace its line of descent to an item I own, therefore, by extension, it is mine as well. Anyone who would lay claim to it is nothing more than a cunning thief." Archer opened his hands and let the blade's handle roll of his fingers, it vanished before it could even fall an inch.

"Then have you seen or held the item that the Grail originates from?" asked Rider, "Do you know it by sight?"

"Of course not," scoffed Archer, "The contents of my treasure house exceeded my personal knowledge long ago. It does not matter. That a treasure exists is enough to show that it is mine, even if it comes into being after I have vanished from his world." His gaze once again came to rest on Twilight. "Something that has its value in its own uniqueness is a treasure in its own right and therefore mine as well."

Twilight felt sick. She wanted to run and empty the contents of her stomach into the white rose bushes behind her. However, she forced herself to calm. She took another sip of the wine, but its flavor no longer seemed so pleasant as Twilight was viciously reminded that Archer saw her in the same way he saw the wine or even the cup in her hands. She was a possession to him, regardless of her own will or her origins, she belonged to Archer. And it was a decision he had made as naturally as she might decide what to have for breakfast on a given morning. In one instant, Twilight had been casually robbed of her independent existence.

"So then, do you even have a wish for the Grail?" prodded Rider.

"No," replied Archer, "I simply intend to punish those who would take what is mine for their own. Although..." he smiled and took a sip of his wine, "If I were to have a wish, it would probably be to wipe this world clean."

"What do you mean?" snapped Saber.

"Tokiomi is a pitiful Master. He refuses to truly enter the battle unless he is absolutely certain of victory. In my boredom I have taken to walking amongst the people of this world and seeing what has become of my garden in the millennia since I reigned." His eyes narrowed. "It is overrun with weeds. Humanity has overrun the world, numbering in the billions. Their lives no longer hold any weight. They are as ants."

"You would kill them all?" demanded Saber.

"Not all...probably," replied Archer, "Merely cull their numbers and ensure that those who remain are worthy of my world. It is merely a pruning."

"You fiend," snarled Saber.

"In any case," said Archer as though Saber had said nothing, "Were I to have a wish for the Grail, that would probably be it. However, that is immaterial to the discussion as what I do with what is mine is of less concern than the fact that it is mine."

Rider scratched his chin for a moment. "So...in the end, you don't truly care about the Grail."

"Of course not," replied Archer, "This is merely about punishing the thieves that would raid my coffers."

"Why is that?"

"It is the law I laid down as king," replied Archer, "If you steal what is mine, then I shall punish you. There is nothing more."

"Hmm," mused Rider, "I see. I think I realize your true name now. No wonder Caster's Master figured you out so quickly."

Archer smirked.

Saber turned her gaze to Rider. "Rider? Even now, if you acknowledge that the Grail legitimately belongs to someone else, do you still intend to take it?"

"Of course," replied Rider, "That is my way of conquest. If it is not mine, then I invade and make it mine."

"But what wish could you possess that would drive you to such a thing?"

Rider paused for a moment. Twilight almost gaped as she saw him actually blush in embarrassment before taking a swig of wine to settle his nerves. "I wish to be reincarnated in this era."

"What!" Twilight jumped as Waver's voice called out from behind her, the apprentice magus rushing to his Servant, "Rider! What about conquering the world? I thought you wanted to-" Waver was cut off as Rider flicked his forehead with a massive finger, knocking waver off his feet. Twilight set her cup down and moved to help the dazed boy sit upright.

"Fool," replied Rider, "Even if I wished to do so, we are still Servants. At the end of the day, with the exception of Caster here, we are little more than ghosts who have taken on bodies composed of prana. But I want to move beyond those limitations, to take upon a body of flesh and blood and truly start anew. That is my way of conquest."

For a moment, the others were silent. Then, Archer's lips curled in the smallest of smiles. It wasn't his usual sneer, but rather something...friendlier. "Rider," he said, "I've decided. You, I shall kill with my own two hands."

Rider grinned in return. "You should be careful as well," he taunted, "I've decided to raid your coffers. You shouldn't have been so foolish as to allow the King of Conquerors to taste such fine wine." He burst into laughter.

Twilight blinked at the sight. For a moment there, Archer and Rider seemed to be...friends. She was amazed. They had both sworn to kill one another on the battlefield, but here they were merrily sipping wine and exchanging taunts. And yet, even Archer, who had shown nothing but disdain towards them, even on the battlefield, hadn't made a single hostile move, even when Rider threatened his possessions. As she turned her eyes to Saber, she noticed that the noble Servant was downcast. Her cup sat on the tiles beside her, forgotten as Saber instead glared down away from her counterparts in this discussion. There was no trace of the small smile she had shown earlier. Only simmering anger and growling resentment remained.

"Um...Saber..." Saber looked up at Twilight's words and her expression softened. "What is your wish for the Grail."

Rider and Archer went silent, both turning their gazes upon the King of Knights, who remained silent for a moment. Then, Saber turned up her gaze and looked resolutely forward. "My wish is to save my country, to change Britain's fate of destruction."

For a moment, nothing was said. Confusion filled the air. Then, Rider spoke. "Saber, did I hear you correctly when you said you wished to change fate? You mean you wish to reverse history?"

"Yes," replied Saber.

"In other words, you wish to change the history that you yourself created?" Rider looked genuinely troubled by Saber's words.

"That is correct," replied Saber, "As the king, it is my duty to save my country, even if it means I must sacrifice everything."

Abruptly, Archer burst into howling laughter, almost doubling over. "Did you hear that Rider?" he exclaimed, "This woman claiming to be the King of Knights says she would sacrifice herself for her country."

Twilight glanced over at Saber, who was trembling with rage. She couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity towards her.

"Of course I would!" snapped Saber, "Why are you questioning me? Why are you laughing? It is a king's duty to sacrifice so themselves for the sake of their nation."

"No," said Rider, cutting off Saber's tirade and Archer's laughter, "A king sacrifices nothing. You are wrong Saber. A king does not exist for one's country. One's country exists for the king."

"No." Twilight's voice was soft. And yet, it was clearly heard by all. "She's not wrong."

Saber blinked in surprise and turned to gape at her unexpected ally.

"And what does the child from another world understand about the ways of a king?" asked Archer. Twilight glared at him. There was no disdain in his tone now. Instead, there was something patronizing about the way he spoke, like a doting father idly listening to the fancies of a deluded child.

"Because even if I am not a king, I am a student of one," said Twilight. Princess, technically, she thought to herself. There was no point in getting bogged down in semantics at this juncture. "I know because she has made great sacrifices in order to ensure that her nation can prosper."

"So in your world, it would seem that kings can be women," observed Archer, drawing a hiss from Saber. She was an exception, of course, and only because she had hidden her true gender during her rule. King Arthur was remembered by both history and legend as a man.

"The title is different, but the position is the same," replied Twilight simply.

"If you say so," said Rider, "But can you truly say that this king of yours has made sacrifices for her nation."

"Yes," replied Twilight, "But it wasn't easy. She was forced to sacrifice her beloved sister to prevent disaster. It's become a legend in our world."

"And your nation prospers," replied Saber, "It hasn't been destroyed has it?"

"Of course not," replied Twilight, "If it had been destroyed, I probably wouldn't have been around to be summoned here in the first place."

"You see!" said Saber, looking over to Rider and Archer, "A king must make sacrifices for their country if they are to succeed."

Rider snorted. "But what manner of country would such a kingship give rise to?"

"A peaceful one," replied Twilight, "It's not a country based on conquest." She gave him a pointed look. "Nor is it built on...whatever your kingship is..." she said, looking over at Archer, who chuckled.

"It is," he replied, "It simply is."

"Right. Equestria is built upon the rule of love, of harmony, of friendship." Twilight smiled softly as she reflected back on her memories of her friends and all that they had accomplished together. She realized that she could take strength from those memories, even if she was alone in this world.

"Oh!" exclaimed Rider, "Now that I can understand somewhat."

Now it was Saber's turn to look baffled. "What do you mean friendship?" she asked, "There is no room for friendship in the life of a king."

"That's not true," Twilight said, looking at Saber sadly. She was beginning to see the King of Knights in a different light now. "Her subjects are always raising her on a pedestal. But she tries more than anyone to reach out, to show us that she loves us, to draw us closer to her." She blushed and looked down. "I even see her as something like my mother at times."

"That's ridiculous!" exclaimed Saber, shooting to her feet, "The king has to represent something more than that. A king is the representation of the ideals of a nation, of its protector and savior. A true king has not place for friends, because to have friends is to burden them with the problems of the nation. It is the king's duty to shoulder the nation's fate onto himself and bear it for the sake of his country."

Twilight let out a shuddering breath as she listened to Saber. She must have tried to take on everything herself. She never knew to trust others. It's so sad. Not even Princess Celestia went that far. In those few words, Saber had made the gap between herself and Princess Celestia painfully clear. Princess Celestia may have been willing to make sacrifices for Equeestria, but she never would go so far as to take everything upon herself, to throw up an impassable wall between herself and the ones she ruled. But that was what Saber had done. And she had clearly suffered greatly for it. Twilight couldn't see Saber as an enemy at that moment. Instead, what she saw was an object of sympathy. She felt sorry for Saber.

"Perhaps the confusion we have is that you and I had different definitions of sacrifice Caster," observed Rider thoughtfully, "You speak of of your king sacrificing her happiness for her nation. But if that were true, she would not be reaching out to her subjects as you say she does. Even if she gave up her sister for their sake, she is still seeking their companionship for her sake. Therefore, your king isn't truly sacrificing anything."

And Princess Celestia truly didn't sacrifice Luna, Twilight thought to herself, Because we brought Luna back to her. So in the end, Celestia never did give anything up, not forever. The only thing she truly lost was time.

"Even so," said Saber, "It remains my duty to protect Britain from destruction, even if it means changing my fate."

"I don't think so," replied Twilight, "I've learned the hard way what trouble can come out of meddling with time." Granted, her own personal experiences were limited to a lot of pain and frustration, but she realized that things could have easily been much much worse.

"Of course!" shouted Rider in agreement, "Meddling with history, trying to undo what you have done. That's behavior that is unacceptable for a Heroic Spirit, much less one who calls herself a king!"

"Iskander," said Saber, "Upon your death, your kingdom dissolved into warring factions and ultimately disappeared into the mists of history. Are you saying that, if you had the chance, the chance to save your nation from that fate, you wouldn't take it?"

"Absolutely not!" thundered Rider, "As a king, I take full responsibility for my nation. If that destruction was brought about as the result of my actions, then I will accept it. I will mourn for it, shed tears for it, but never regret. To suggest changing history itself, erasing everything I and those who followed me have done and rewrite it would be an insult to all who lived during my era!"

Twilight frowned thoughtfully before realizing that Saber was looking at her. "What say you Caster?"

"Um..." Twilight hesitated, uncertain what she could say. Ultimately, only Princess Celestia herself could provide the answers to these questions. From her knowledge of her mentor, Twilight could guess, she could hypothesize, but she couldn't truly speak for her Princess. "I can't say for certain. I don't know if anyone has ever posed that question to her. I do know..." She took a deep breath. "Hindsight is nearly perfect. It's often easy to look back and see where things went wrong, to be able to say, 'If only I had done things this way.' I can understand the need to correct one's mistakes. However, I can't say how far you should go to do that. To go so far as to change something that has already happened, to alter the past...the consequences could reach much farther than you realize. They could even give rise to something worse than the disaster you tried to avert."

Archer chuckled dryly. "Caster makes an excellent point," he said in that irritatingly patronizing tone of his, "Saber, as the king of a tiny island nation, you cannot look any further than your own borders. Your sight is too limited to truly appreciate the reach of your own actions. However..." He stroked his chin as he directed a lascivious gaze at Saber, "It holds a certain appeal, to see you flounder about so blindly."

Saber glared, her hand clenching as though she planned to draw her sword. However, Rider's voice drew her attention away from Archer.

"And what can you save with such noble ambitions?" he asked, "A king's fate is tied to that of their nation, one and the same. You would sever those ties solely for the sake of your ideals."

"Yes," replied Saber without hesitation, "If Britain's destruction came about as a consequence of my kingship, then it is only natural that saving it from destruction would lead to the rise of someone better suited to the position taking my place."

"Madness," grumbled Rider, "To do such a thing would completely unravel your legend and erase your presence as a Heroic Spirit."

"If it is necessary, then I shall do so," declared Saber, "What would a greedy tyrant like you know about my justice? You ruled only to satisfy your own desires-"

"A KING WITHOUT DESIRE IS WORSE THAN A TYRANT!" roared Rider, his voice completely silencing Saber and making Twilight cringe back in terror. This was the first time she had ever seen Rider truly angry. He continued, unfazed by the reactions of his ally. "Those ideals you spoke of, that you clung to so desperately removed you from the realm of humanity. With ideals such as yours, you ceased to walk the path of a human being."

"That is acceptable," said Saber, "A king cannot live a normal life. I knew that from the moment I withdrew the sword from the stone. I forsook my desires, my heart, even my very identity as a woman."

"But then," gasped Twilight, "How can you ever hope for any happiness."

"A king does not seek happiness for himself, but for those he rules," replied Saber, her tone cold, chilling Twilight's heart to the core.

"You are a fool," intoned Rider, "Your path is the path of a saint, a martyr. What kind of path is that for people to follow? What can they ever hope for when they look up and see someone who has thrown everything aside for her ideals?

"A king must laugh louder, rage more fiercely and live more vigorously than any other. Every aspect, good and evil, must be magnified. A king should strive to be a man more real than any other, so that his subjects can look upon him and see inside of him something that they wish to strive for. A true king does not crush himself beneath the burden of sacrifices and obligation, but instead lights a flame in the hearts of all who follow him so that, together, they can carry the weight of a kingdom."

Twilight cringed back. For the first time, she was seeing Rider truly angry. He was furious as he glared at Saber, his gaze carrying the full weight of his anger at her words. However, Saber rallied and returned his glare with equal ferocity. To these two, who laid claim to completely different mantles of kingship, there would be no give, no acceptance, only conflict.

Rider continued to press his attack. "What can your people hope to aspire to with the example that you set for them? Who would follow the martyr's thorny path? At one time, you may have indeed saved your land. But in the end, what was the result that your ideals led to?"

All the color drained from Saber's face as she reeled back, her eyes wide with horror at Rider's words.

"At the end of the day, you are not truly a king," said Rider, "You are a child who clings desperately to fairytales who lost her way in the pursuit of that illusion you called an ideal." He sighed despondently. "Nothing more than a lost little girl."

"What are they talking about?" Twilight asked, turning to her connection with Aaron.

"Most likely, Rider is referring to the final years of King Arthur's reign," replied Aaron, "Ironically, though Arthur saved his country, several of his own retainers eventually rebelled against him. Arthur's final battles, including the one that ultimately led to his death, were against his own countrymen in the throes of a bloody civil war."

Twilight felt her heart go out to the woman in armor. She had given everything to her nation only to have everything that she had fought and suffered for tear itself apart before her eyes.

The conversation ground to a halt as Saber turned. Turning to follow her gaze, Twilight blinked when she saw that Archer was watching Saber, a thin, disturbing smile gracing his face, as though he was eyeing some morsel to devour.

"What are you looking at Archer?" demanded Saber.

Archer grinned. "I was just thinking how beautiful you seemed," he commented, "You are truly glorious in your suffering. It gives you a purity like that of a virgin."

Her previous fear forgotten, Saber glared. A rush of wind signaled the drawing of her sword. However, in an instant, that sword was not directed at Archer. Instead, it was directed at the courtyard around them. For a moment, Twilight wondered what was going on. But then a chilling tingling sensation settled at the base of her neck, directly between her shoulders, as though someone was lining up to deal her a fatal blow. An intense, murderous intent swept across the courtyard. Then she heard Waver cry out in in fear and surprise.

Whirling around, Twilight was already preparing to transform to her true form and protect Waver if she needed to. However, the sight before her eyes stopped her cold. Waver was reeling back, desperately scrambling away from the black-garbed figure that had appeared between the bed of white roses. It was a woman, tall and slender, with long, dark purple hair. However, those details barely impressed themselves on Twilight as her eyes and thoughts focused in on the most important things: black wrappings and cloth, a white skull mask.

"Assassin," she whispered in horror. She hadn't expected Assassin to show up here or now. However, something else surprised her even more.

This was not the Assassin that had fallen to Archer at the Tohsaka manor.

Nor was it the Assassin she and Aaron had witnessed observing the battle at the docks.

What's going on? Even as she thought the question, several forms congealed out of black mist around them. Looking around, Twilight suddenly saw not just one, but dozens of figures everywhere, each of them black garbed and bearing those characteristic white masks. "What is this?"

"How can there be so many Assassins?" asked Waver as he scooted all the way up to Rider and pressed himself against his Servant's back.

"We are one," said one of the Assassins.

"And yet we are many," said another, taking up the sentence.

"Together, we make up the Servant Hassan," added a third.

"And we are that one Servant's..." said yet another.

"...shadows," finished a final Assassin.

"I see," muttered Aaron over his link with Twilight, "So that's the secret of how he escaped death at the Tohsaka manor."

Twilight was about to ask what he meant, but Waver spoke before that. "Multiple personalities," he gasped, "Each of them incarnated as a Servant."

"What does that mean?" asked Twilight, mentally turning to Aaron.

"Unlike most Servants, the Assassin class can only be drawn from a single line of individuals," explained Aaron, "To be honest, there's no way an assassin could ever become a Heroic Spirit because, if an Assassin's skills were truly legendary, no one would recognize his work. To work around this, the Grail draws the Servants of the Assassin Class from the line of Hassan, the leader of the islamic sect and whose actions and the acts of those who followed after him eventually gave rise to the word 'assassin' itself. Therefore, a member of the Assassin class can only belong to one of the individuals who assumed the mantle of Hassan. Their Noble Phantasm is technically the same, yet manifests differently for each of them. This is Hassan, the Many-Faced Assassin. In life, he utilized the condition that would later come to be known as multiple-personality-disorder to accomplish something unique. By compartmentalizing his skills within different personalities, he was able to become a master of disguise and assume any role and take on virtually any task. See for yourself."

Twilight cast her eyes around the courtyard and noted what Aaron had said. The first Assassin that appeared had been in the form of a slender woman. Beyond her, numerous others sported a variety of shapes, postures and appearances. There were men, women, even children represented amongst their number.

"Furthermore," continued Aaron, "While in life, this ability was nothing more than the power to assume any identity at will, as a Servant, with a Servant's spiritual body, he has gained the power to manifest each of his identities as a separate form. Thus, even when one is destroyed..."

"Assassin won't fall until all of his bodies have been eliminated," finished Twilight. This certainly explained how Assassin remained active even after Archer had killed him at the Tohsaka manor. It was also an exceptionally effective way of gathering intelligence. With this many eyes, Assassin could be nearly everywhere at once and keep all the Masters and Servants under observation, giving Kirei and, by extension, Tokiomi a complete view of the battlefield.

But why had they shown themselves now? Twilight directed her attention to Tokiomi's spirit, who hadn't so much as flinched when the Assassins had arrived, instead surveying them with a bored gaze as he idly sipped his wine. Did Archer have something to do with this?

Archer's crimson gaze met Twilight's and he appeared to divine her question. He snorted softly. "Tokiomi lowers himself."

"R-R-R-Rider!" whimpered Waver, his gaze frantically jumping from one Assassin to the next, "What do we do?"

Just like Archer, Rider had barely shown any reaction upon the Assassins' arrival. Instead he grinned at Waver over his shoulder. "Hey now. Remember what I said before. A king's measure is in the hospitality he shows to his guests."

"You would invite these to your banquet?" scoffed Archer, chuckling in amusement.

"Of course!" replied Rider, "A king's words are meant for all to hear."

He turned his attention back to the Assassins. Scooping up a drought of wine with his ladle, Rider raised it high over his head. "Come then! If you would join us then share a drink from this cup. This wine is as your blood!"

A whining hiss passed through the air. A small knife sliced clean through the handle of the ladle, causing it to drop, spilling its contents across Rider's shirt. Even as Rider lowered his arm, malevolent chuckles echoed throughout the courtyard.

Saber drew close to Irsiviel, leveling her sword in preparation to destroy as many enemies as possible before they could attack. Archer merely sat calmly aside, as though none of this concerned him in the slightest. Twilight and Waver backed up together, keeping close to Rider as he seemed to ponder what had just happened.

"So that's it then," said Rider, his voice dropping low with a dangerous tone. Twilight gulped and looked over to see him get to his feet, his expression deathly serious. "I said that this wine is as your blood. If you insist that it be spilled...then it shall be so."

He turned to face the Assassins and a wave of burning, rippling wind rushed over the courtyard. Twilight flinched away, throwing up her arm to protect her face. Slowly, she felt someone's arm lock around hers. Waver drew her close and the two of them huddled together to weather the storm that had suddenly some from nowhere. Hesitantly, Twilight lifted her arm, trying to see what Rider was up to. She had to open them carefully. Her face was being buffeted by fine particles, much like sand. Through the whirling dust, she saw Rider, no longer wearing his shirt in genes, but once again resplendent in his natural garb. The Assassins all cringed away from him, trying to stave off the powerful gale. Over the howling wind, she heard Rider speak.

"Saber! Archer! Caster! This shall be the final question of our banquet! Must a king stand alone?"

For some reason, the question brought a smile to Twilight's face, the words calling up her fondest memories. She remembered Princess Celestia smiling as she and the rest of Twilight's friends enjoyed donuts in a diner after the tempestuous events of the Grand Galloping Gala. She remembered Princess Luna playing with the foals and indulging in pranks on Nightmare Night. Twilight shook her head silently. No. No true ruler ever had to be alone.

She heard a dismissive snort from Archer as his silence seemed to speak for itself. However, she also heard Saber's voice carry over the wind, aching with loneliness. "For a king, there is no other way."

"Wrong Saber!" replied Rider, grinning fiercely, "You have learned nothing tonight. So now it is up to me to show you."

Rider suddenly blazed with a harsh white light that washed over everything and swept the world away.

Princess Celestia slid her eyes away from the image on the floor before them as white light flooded out of it. It was hard to watch, akin to looking directly at her own sun.

"Sister?" asked Luna, currently the only other pony in the room, "What do you think...about what they said?" The others had returned to their own lives, unable to spend all of their time in Canterlot, not when there wasn't really anything they could do about Twilight's situation.

"I'm not sure," admitted Celestia. Hearing those kings speak of their rules made her wish that she could stand among them, share what she had learned and, in turn, learn from them about what it meant to be a ruler. "To be honest," she said, "We only have the barest notion of their experiences or the affairs of their nations. In order to truly debate with them, we would need to hear their stories to truly understand where they came from, as they would need to hear ours to know where we come from." She smiled at their sister.

"And yet," said Luna, "I can't help but think of what that one called Saber was speaking about."

Working out a spell to translate the language Twilight and the others with her were speaking had been a little tricky. Fortunately, Celestia had seen such a spell herself and had been able to emulate the effect with her magic...or magecraft, as the humans called it.

"There is something in her words," Celestia admitted, "But I fear that she takes things too far. Yes, we have both had to make sacrifices." She looked sadly at Luna. "I had to give you up for a time. But, in the end, if we try to take everything onto ourselves, we will be crushed by that burden. That's why I could only turn to Twilight and her friends when the time came to save you from your own madness."

Luna opened her mouth to answer. But before she could speak, the light from the image waned and the details became discernible again. "Sister!" she exclaimed, "Look!"

Celestia also turned her attention back to the image and her eyes widened at what she saw.

Twilight slowly opened her eyes, squinting at first in the harsh light. The night in the courtyard was no more. As Twilight's eyes opened fully and she took her first look at her surroundings, it was suddenly day.

The sky was an achingly brilliant blue, cloudless and clear. It seemed to extend on forever. Looking up, Twilight Sparkle felt her heart quicken, as though she were standing at the center of the world. Her feet seemed to sink down. Looking at them, Twilight realized that they were all standing on sand. Gusts of wind swirled it about, throwing up clouds of the fine grains. They stood upon an immense desert that stretched in every direction.

They were no longer surrounded. All the Assassins now stood before them, as though some giant child had swept them up like a pile of toys and set them out in ranks before Twilight and the others. From the way the black-garbed Servants looked around, Twilight figured that they must have been as confused as she was.

Looking over, she saw Waver also staring in stunned awe at their surroundings, his jaw hanging open. "A Reality Marble!" he exclaimed, staring in shock at Rider, "But you aren't a magus!"

Twilight frowned slightly, her thoughts turning inward as she sought the knowledge the Grail had imparted to her. She didn't have much luck. This appeared to be a form of human magecraft that even the Holy Grail couldn't supply with knowledge of. "Aaron?"

She could practically hear his smirk as he spoke. "As you guessed, this is a rare form of magecraft, though humans are not the only ones capable of it. A Reality Marble is a bounded field that operates inversely from a standard one in that, instead of surrounding and existing space and isolating it, it instead expands a space outwards from within its confines, creating a world within the World you could say. A magus uses it to summon a manifestation of their soul, their internal world, allowing the creation of a space where the laws of the existing World no longer apply and phenomena, not possible outside, become possible within. This magecraft is exceptionally rare and has been banned by the Association."

"But how could Rider do this?"

"If you listen, I think he's about to tell us."

Indeed, Rider was speaking. "Ha! I am no magus!" He grinned at them. "It would be impossible if I were doing this by myself."

His words sent a thrill of excitement down Twilight's spine. As Rider spoke, her ears picked picked up a strange sound. It was the sound of an impact, echoing rhythmically across the vast expanse of the desert over and over and over again. It echoed with itself, multiplying endlessly, until Twilight realized that she was not hearing one sound, but hundreds...No! Thousands! It was the sound of countless feet hitting the ground in unison.

"This world exists because it is engraved upon all our hearts!" exclaimed Rider, "This is the desert, over which we marched and shared many triumphs and sorrows. It exists in the souls of all those countless heroes!"

The sound was now coming from behind them. Looking back, Twilight gasped at the spectacle. Behind them, a massive host was approaching, countless figures adorned in the finest armors imaginable, armed with glittering weapons, swords, spears, axes. They strode forward in unison, their eyes fixed upon the way ahead, and the enemy before them. They numbered in the thousands, their ranks stretching back into the distance beyond her eyes' ability to see them. With each stride they moved forward, more seemed to be filling in behind them.

It was Waver's voice in her ear, the words he spoke, that made Twilight's heart thud alarmingly. "These are...Servants!"

Rider threw his arms wide. "BEHOLD MY ENDLESS ARMIES! Though they may pass from this world and their bodies return to dust, their loyalty endures! Even now, they answer my call, breaking the bonds of time and space to return to my side once again! My bond with them is my greatest treasure, my right to rule! Together, they make up the Servant Alexander's greatest Noble Phantasm: IONIAN HETAIROI!!!"

The soldiers cheered, their voices becoming a roar that swelled and broke over the assembled Servants and Masters like colossal wave. Twilight felt her heartbeat quickening in admiration as she surveyed the treasure that the Servant Rider displayed so proudly. It was an awesome power, one that she knew well. Here, in this place, was the answer to everything.

Twilight was distracted from her reverie by the sound of a different set of impacts. This time, the cadence was different, but strangely familiar, the four beat sound of a quadruped approaching. Looking over, she saw a creature, similar in form to a pony, but larger and grander, its build closer to that of the Princesses than anyone else from her world. She realized that this was a horse. It was a thing of beauty, its black coat shining under the desert sun, looking as resplendent as any of the soldiers arrayed behind it. Breaking his stance, Rider turned and threw his arms around the horse's neck, smiling like a child. "It's been a long time my friend."

Turning away from the horse, Rider looked upon his army. "A king carries the love and admiration of his people. By being a man more real and illustrious than any other, he becomes a shining example, a beacon to those who follow behind!"

The assembled masses of warriors let out a hearty cheer, banging their spears and swords against their shields in unison.

Rider mounted his steed. "It is commanding the admiration of these countless heroes and leading them forward that makes me a king. A king does not stand alone because his will is embodied in the heart of every single man who follows after him!" Again the soldiers cheered.

Twilight and the others stood in stunned awe at the sight of this Noble Phantasm. Even Archer, in all his arrogance, had been shocked into utter silence. Saber looked over the assembled host, despair on her face as she stared at the power that seemed to exist in stark contrast to the ideals she had sought to embody and the life she had tried to live.

Pulling at the reins, Rider turned his horse about to face the assembled Assassins, who trembled in terror before the might of his countless armies. He grinned eagerly. "Well now, are you prepared to face me Assassin? If you were hoping to turn this into a battle of numbers, I'm afraid that we have the advantage."

With a flourish, Rider drew his sword. "CUT THEM DOWN!!!"

With a deafening roar that made the air itself hum and the thunder of countless feet, Rider's army charged forward, rushing past Twilight and the others and sweeping like an unstoppable tide towards the Assassins. Some of them broke and ran, others milled in confusion, and some simply stood still and limp. Already, they had lost their sense as a Servant.

Twilight had been excited before. But what happened next made her sick with horror. The soldiers of Rider's army showed now mercy. They rushed forward relentlessly, cutting down the black shapes effortlessly, sweeping across the battlefield and leaving nothing but blood and corpses in their wake. It was the scene from the Tohsaka manor all over again, only being repeated time and time again. This wasn't a battle. It was a massacre. Assassin had died before Rider had even drawn his sword.

Unable to bear watching anymore, Twilight turned and pressed her face against Waver's shoulders, trying her hardest not to break down crying, but shuddering each time she heard the sounds of blades biting into flesh over the roar of the army's charge, the death cries of the Assassins over the the shouts of Rider's soldiers. The only relief came from the fact that it ended almost as quickly as it began. She heard Rider let out a wordless cheer of victory, one that was picked up by his countless followers.

The cheers began to fade. The heat of the desert slowly vanished, until the familiar chill off the Einzbern castle's courtyard once again surrounded them.

"Well, that was less interesting than I'd hoped," remarked Rider. Twilight heard him dipping his cup into the barrel of wine.

She couldn't stop herself anymore. Twilight pushed Waver away and staggered to the nearest cluster of rose bushes. Thinking a silent apology to Irisviel, she fell to her knees and retched, unloading the contents of her stomach into the foliage.

"Hm, it seems that Caster couldn't quite stomach the offerings of your banquet Rider," observed Archer, smirking.

Rider sighed and scratched his head. "Well, everyone has to start somewhere. This sort of thing is very new to her."

Twilight shivered at the incredible ease with which Rider spoke, in spite of all the death he had caused that night. Even after her stomach was empty, her revulsion found a physical outlet through a series of dry heaves. It took several tries, but Twilight finally managed to force her revulsion down, clenching her eyes shut so tightly that she forced out tears. She'd forgotten a simple truth about Rider. He was so friendly, boisterous, and excitable, that she'd forgotten a simple truth. He was the same as the others, a legend born from mounds of corpses, whose glory came from the death he'd sowed.

Twilight tried to stand back up, but her quaking knees quickly made her sink back down. However, she felt a hand grip her right shoulder, even as another gently wrapped itself around her waist. Looking over, she saw Waver, watching with concern as he lent her his strength to help her to her feet. On her left, a second pair of hands joined and Twilight looked over to see flowing locks of silvery hair and crimson eyes.

Together, Waver and Irisviel helped Twilight stand. Looking over, she saw Rider watching her sadly, the look on his face showing that he was fully aware of the impact his actions had on her. Saber seemed to pay her no mind, simply staring angrily at Rider. However, Archer's eyes were fixed pointedly on Twilight, the look in them making her want to turn back to the bushes again. His eyes swept over her like a gentle caress, but one that was invasive in its comprehensiveness. With a shudder, she forced her stomach back under control.

Rider emptied his goblet one last time and set it down. "Our banquet is concluded," he said, "We shall have to go our separate ways for now."

"Alexander: King of Conquerors," said Archer, turning his attention to Rider, "I hope you are prepared, because I will put an end to you myself."

Rider barked out a sharp laugh. "We'll see," he said, setting the golden cup Archer had given him on the ground, "But when we settle things, we'll have to make sure we finish off that wine of yours first."

Archer let out a derisive snort. Rider stood up and turned to Waver and Twilight. "Come," he said.

"Rider!" Saber's voice cut through the stillness of the courtyard. "Wait! I'm not finished with you!"

"Silence" snapped Rider tersely, turning to look at Saber with a dour expression, "I have nothing more to say to you. Tonight's banquet was meant to see which of us was worthy of taking the Grail. I cannot acknowledge that. I cannot even acknowledge that you are a king anymore."

"You dare-"

Rider's voice cut off Saber before she could say another word. "King of Knights, give up this foolish dream. If you follow this path, you will strip away the last vestiges of honor you have as a Heroic Spirit. The ideals you spoke of are a curse, nothing more."

He turned away and drew his sword, slashing at the air. With a crash of thunder, Rider's chariot appeared, ready and waiting. "Oy! Waver! Caster! Hurry up and get on!"

"Wait!" This time, it wasn't Saber's voice protesting, but Twilights. Waver and Irisviel looked at her in confusion. Even Rider paused to look over his shoulder and see what she would do.

Twilight took a deep breath and slowly pried herself away from Waver and Irisviel, who were still holding her up. She staggered slightly, but managed to regain her balance. Taking a second to get her bearings, Twilight stood up straight and walked over to Saber, who stared at Twilight in confusion. Without any further hesitation, Twilight Sparkle, the Servant Caster, walked right into Saber's range. It was an unprecedented move that made even Archer stare. In a single instant, Saber could have easily struck Twilight's head from her shoulders. This was an enemy Servant walking directly into the path of her blade. It was foolish. It was insane. And yet, Saber staid her blade.

Twilight reached out and, in what might have been a more foolish action still, took hold of Saber's right hand, whose fingers were still wrapped around the handle of her invisible sword. "Caster?"

What staid Saber's blade was not mercy or compassion. Rather, it was her own mastery of the sword that worked against her. In martial arts, regardless of where they are practiced, with or without weapons, one of the most critical elements is that of reach, knowing the extent of your reach and the reach of your enemy. To be able to strike an opponent, you must be able to reach them. To be able to evade an enemy's blade, you must know how far it can strike. Mastering the way of the warrior means obtaining a total understanding of one's reach, the extent of one's influence. In the martial arts practiced in Japan, this is the basis of the concept referred to as maai.

For a warrior of Saber's caliber, however, this awareness of reach between herself and her opponent had transcended to an element of her Instinct. At this level, the area described by a warrior's reach is akin to a tangible barrier linked directly to their awareness. A master of the sword is so naturally aware of their space, that they can sense an intrusion even if it comes from a blind spot, even directly behind them, even if they are normally relaxed or, in the case of true masters, even if they are asleep. Just a stepping in a pond will produce ripples that can be sensed by a person standing in its center, the slightest sense of hostility in a person penetrating a master's space will not go unnoticed.

However, Twilight Sparkle did not carry an ounce of hostility in her spirit. She bore Saber no ill will. If anything, her heart overflowed with compassion for this regal woman who had lived her life under such a terrible burden, who had given up everything for the sake of her ideals, for the sake of her nation. Twilight Sparkle reached out and took Saber's hand and Saber's own sword was unable to see her as a threat.

Deep violet eyes looked up into Saber's own, glimmering with unshed tears. "You've been fighting so hard," she said, her voice soft, yet unheard by no one, "You fought for the happiness of everyone but..." Twilight turned her eyes to Saber's hand that she held in her own, "You never had anyone to pray or fight for your own happiness."

"I told you already!" Saber protested, "That is my-"

Twilight cut her off. "No one should have to take on everything by themselves, even if they are a king. You should have someone that prays for your happiness."

Saber could no longer think of anything to say.

Twilight continued. "I can't do it. I don't belong in this world. But I hope that, someday, you find someone who will." She turned to look back up at Saber and smiled. "Even if it is as a Servant, you still deserve that. And you wouldn't be wrong to want it either."

Releasing Saber's hand, Twilight slowly backed away, sweeping an arm over her eyes as she did so. "I just wanted to say that. Goodbye Saber." Twilight turned and ran to the waiting chariot, where Rider stood. After a second's confusion, Waver followed.

Rider turned and gave Saber one last pitying look before cracking the reins, sending the chariot into the evening sky.

Celestia sniffed as she watched the "banquet's" end. A single tear leaked from her eye and she tried to rub it away even as Luna sidled up next to her. "I'm so proud of her," she whispered.

"Indeed," agreed Luna, "If her heart were not so great, she would not have been able to break through the curse of my madness. But sister, I have realized something..."

"What's that?" asked Celestia, turning to look at Luna.

"I think we may have a way to help Twilight Sparkle," she said, "I was observing the power of that one called Rider. He was able to create that inverted barrier field and summon that army because of the bond of friendship between him and his followers. In other words, the bond between him and his soldiers was strong enough to call them to his side from across time and space..."

"I understand!" exclaimed Celestia, quickly turning away from the image of her student and moving to her study's desk, where she took out paper and a quill, "Keep an eye on her Luna. I have a letter to write."

Saber stood silently, staring up after Rider and his retinue even after they had disappeared from her sight.

"Magnificent, isn't she?" Archer's words snapped Saber back into awareness as she remembered that she and Irisviel still weren't alone in the courtyard. Her eyes immediately zeroed in on the golden Servant, who smiled mockingly at her.

"What are you talking about?"

"Caster's beauty comes from her purity and innocence," remarked Archer. With a wave of his hand, the vessel of wine and the cups vanished. "I look forward to seeing the look upon her face when she is finally dyed by the colors of this world. The look of despair on her face once she realizes her fate..." He slowly, deliberately, licked his lips. "...will be beautiful to behold."

A low growl forced its way out of Saber's throat at Archer's words. He simply chuckled. "You should follow your path as well Saber. You are not wrong. If it is a path he has chosen for himself, a king can never be wrong. So continue onwards with your struggle to the very end Saber. If you do, then you too might be worthy of my affection."

Archer's form dissolved into glowing motes with a mocking laugh, leaving Saber and Irisviel standing alone in the courtyard.

"That was well done Caster."

Twilight looked up at Rider, surprised to see him smiling warmly at her.

"Tonight you met with other Servants as an equal and acquitted yourself well," he said.

"Even though I contradicted you?" she asked.

That earned a chuckle. "If you were so pitiful as to thoughtlessly agree with everything I said, then you would have no hope. But you stood for your own beliefs and spoke your mind."

"If speaking for my beliefs was right, then why were you so angry with Saber?" asked Twilight, "Even if her way of kingship clashes with yours, wasn't she speaking for her own beliefs as well?"

"Was she?" asked Rider pensively, "I cannot necessarily agree with that. From the moment she took up her sword, she cast aside her desires and crushed her own heart. I do not believe that the obligations she holds to as king are truly the product of her own beliefs, but rather something that was forced on her by that poisonous curse called an 'ideal.' Rather than being a king who rules, I would more likely to say that she is a king who is ruled."

"Is that so bad?"

"Living according to one's own will is what it means to be human," grumbled Rider, "Saber forsook her own will in order too cling to a fantastical ideal that demanded she shed her own humanity. When I think of that, the only feelings I can summon are sadness at the tragedy of it all."

Twilight frowned and turned to Waver, wondering what he was thinking about all of this. However, he didn't even appear to be listening to the conversation. Instead, he appeared to be distracted and...depressed about something. "Waver?" she asked, her voice drawing his attention, "Is something wrong?"

Waver snapped out of his stupor and turned to Twilight, blushing slightly in embarrassment. "Ah! No! Nothing's wrong!"

Rider glanced over his shoulder at Waver, but said nothing and turned back to driving the chariot.

Twilight frowned, wanting to investigate further. But their evening flight was suddenly brought to a very abrupt conclusion.

They had just crossed over the airspace of Fuyuki City, approaching from the southwest. Twilight remembered seeing a collection of large, but short buildings laid out in a square formation, a school if she remembered the maps of the city she had studied before. Behind the school, there was a section of woodland, which was then surrounded by a few sparsely populated streets. The first indicator that something was off was when Twilight encountered the sensation of crossing over an imaginary line.

A barrier!

This was not like the bounded field that had surrounded the Einzbern castle before Rider had so gracelessly plowed through it. Instead, this was more like the barrier that had been set up the night of that first battle when she and Aaron had watched Saber and Lancer meet for their duel. No! In fact, it was exactly the same barrier from that night.

That was all the warning she got before a crimson line streaked out from the woods behind the school, the bright red lance hurling through the air to bury itself into the shoulder of one of the bulls pulling the chariot. The wounded creature let out a cry of distress and the vehicle lurched alarmingly.

The whole thing had been too sudden. Twilight, who had been feeling quite secure earlier (perhaps she was just too used to the pegasus-pulled chariots she had ridden in Equestria), lost her balance. Before she could do anything more, she lost all sensation of contact and realized that she was in the air. A hand reached out and latched onto her wrist. Looking over, Twilight's eyes met Waver's as he caught her arm and tried to pull her back in.

Tried...and failed. Instead, Waver Velvet was also pulled out of the chariot and into the open sky. With a mingled cry of alarm, the two of them plummeted towards the unforgiving ground below.

Twilight panicked. Had she been in her true form, there were any number of spells that she could have used to save them from their current predicament. However, in her human form, she was more limited. She had included in her human form the potential for using magecraft, but had not found the opportunity to explore the limits of what she was capable of. So far, the only spells she had been able to do had been based off of spells she had already seen. And unfortunately, none of them afforded her a means of escaping this predicament.

Suddenly, she felt Waver pull on her arm, tugging her so that she was up against him, before wrapping his other arm around her. Letting go of her arm, he held out his free hand over his head, which, given their current orientation, meant he was holding it straight out towards the approaching ground.

"Hang on!" he shouted.

Acting on instinct, Twilight threw her arms and Waver and pulled herself as close as she could to him. Looking at his face, she saw a spark of determination in his gaze as he focused all of his attention in the direction of the ground and felt a small sense of relief well up within her. She barely heard Waver's muttering over the rush of wind, and not enough to hear what he was saying.

The winds before Waver's hand began to stir and, just as they were coming close to hitting the ground, formed a powerful blast of wind that slowed their descent. Waver shifted their weight so that they were right-side up. The wind dissipated just as their feet were a few inches above the ground, leaving them to drop the remaining distance.

The two of them collapsed, panting, the fear and shock of what nearly happened robbing them of their ability to stand for a moment. After a few seconds to recover, Twilight began to look around in order to survey their situation. They had apparently landed on a deserted section of street. She could see the woods behind the school nearby, but the school itself was concealed behind them. There were a couple of houses in the near distance, but nothing immediately next to their location. She saw a nearby intersection, complete with crosswalk, indicating that this was probably one of the roads that students walked along to get too and from school during the day. A crash of thunder drew her attention to the sky above, where she saw Rider's chariot descending towards the woods themselves. It looked as though he had regained control and was heading for the one that had attacked them.

After a moment, the two of them stood up, Waver also taking stock of their surroundings.

"What happened?" he asked.

"I think we were attacked," said Twilight, continuing to look around, "By Lancer." She had a bad feeling like this. Rider had probably seen the two of them land safely and had most likely gone to meet Lancer by himself, most likely thinking that this would be the best way to keep Twilight and Waver safe by allowing them to remain clear of the battle itself. Or maybe he expected them to find their way back to him on their own. Either way though, she didn't like the situation. She almost felt as though the attack had been coordinated for the express purpose of separating them from Rider.

She was drawn out of her rumination by the sound of approaching footsteps...if they could be called that. In reality, it was a much more disturbing sound, the sound of a single foot hitting the ground, followed by a sickening dragging sound. It was hard to determine where the sound was coming from. And in the next second, it became irrelevant as something even more pressing occurred. A storm of black prana erupted from the street in front of her, right in the middle of the intersection. When it cleared, she saw that towering, armored figure. It was the figure of a black knight shrouded in swirling black mist. As he rose to his full hight, Berserker let out an almighty roar of wordless fury.

They could barely hear the continuing sound of that dragging gait over the pandemonium of Berserker's arrival. However, Waver turned and gulped at what he saw. Someone was approaching them from the opposite direction along the street. His eyes widened at the horrifying sight. "C-C-Caster," he stammered.

Twilight wrenched her eyes away from Berserker to see what had Waver so shaken. She felt a chill go down her spine at the sight of what could only have been Berserker's Master.

His hair was an unnatural shade of white. One of his eyes was completely glazed over and clearly sightless, while the sunken shape of his cheeks and the parchment-like texture of his skin gave the impression of a corpse more than they did a living human being. He walked slowly, stepping forward with one leg, dragging the other behind it. The wind shifted, wafting in Twilight and Waver's direction, the scent of rotting flesh.

The creak of Berserker's armor drew Twilight's attention back to their most pressing concern. She and Waver stood back to back, facing down Berserker and his Master respectively.

"What should we do?" she asked, though she already knew the answer.

Waver gulped nervously. "We have to fight. At the very least, we need to hold out until Rider can get to us."

"Will he come?"

"He knows through our contract that I'm in danger," replied Waver, "So he should be coming for us." However, he didn't need to speak the problem with that assessment. If Rider was confronting Lancer, then it was entirely possible that he wasn't in a position that would allow him to come to their aid.

Frowning, Waver looked down at his hand and the Command Seal inscribed on it. Using one of these, he could immediately bring Rider to their side. However, he was torn over whether or not that was a wise decision at this point. For all he knew, Rider might already be on his way. It would be foolish to waste a Command Seal prematurely.

Waver felt a pressure on his back as Twilight pressed against him. I have to protect her, he thought. Even if it proved unnecessary, it was still worth sacrificing a Command Seal for in his mind. Lifting up his hand, Waver prepared to announce his order.

Just as the Seal began to glow, Twilight reached out and laid her hand over his. Surprised by the action, Waver looked over his shoulder, his eyes meeting hers. Twilight gave him a small smile. "Let's fight," she said, "We can do this."

Waver's jaw dropped at the last words he ever expected to hear from Twilight's mouth. "B-b-b-but-"

"I have an idea," she said, turning to look back at Berserker, who was standing unnaturally still, "I need to do this. This may be our chance."

Waver didn't get the chance to ask what she was talking about. Twilight stepped away from him and, in a flash of whirling prana, returned to her true form. The small lavender unicorn stepped forward to face the imposing form of Berserker, her expression one of determination.

Waver gulped and turned back to face Mato Kariya. He tensed. In the time he had taken his eyes of Kariya to talk to Twilight, Kariya had already begun to use his magecraft. The street around Kariya was covered with the writhing forms of worms, shaped like maggots, but the size of mice. As Waver watched, their backs split. Emerging from within the worms, giving way to shimmering, steely shells and fluttering incandescent wings. The air filled with a low hum as countless giant beetles, filling the air around Kariya. Their appearance was as dangerous as it was repulsive and Waver was immediately filled with a sense of foreboding as the beetles gathered around Kariya, buzzing angrily.

Nervously, he cast one last glance over his shoulder at Twilight, who returned his gaze, her expression nervous, but set. The two of them nodded to each other and turned back to their respective opponents. Waver reached into his bag and withdrew a trio of vials that he held between his fingers, holding them ready as his eyes met Kariya's sole functioning one.

With that, the next battle of the Holy Grail War, and the first one in which Twilight would directly compete as a Servant, began.

OMAKE:

Rider
True Identity: Rainbow Dash
Master: NA
Alignment: Neutral Good

Parameters:
Noble Phantasm: A
Strength: C+
Agility: EX
Mana: C
Luck: C
Endurance: B+

Class Skills:
Ride Alter: AA+

Personal Skills:
Eye of the Mind (True): C
Impact Resistance: B
Pegasus Magecraft: A+
Recovery: A

Class Skills:

Ride Alter is the ability to apply the equivalent of the Riding skill to one's environment rather than mounts or vehicles. Modern human examples of this skill include activities like skiing or surfing (since skis and surfboards, while equipment to facilitate the riding of one's environment, do not count as vehicles in and of themselves).
Rank AA+: With her wings, Rainbow Dash is able to ride the currents in the air to fly with incredible ease and agility, enabling her to navigate even the roughest weather with minimal difficulty, including tornados.

Personal Skills:

Eye of the Mind (True) is a heightened sense of insight that is refined through experience.
Rank C: Rainbow Dash is able to perceive the nature of her surroundings and respond instantaneously to the presence of obstacles and impediments, even while moving at extremely high speeds. This skill has been refined through her continuous flight practice through hazardous terrain, such as Ghastly Gorge.

Impact Resistance is the capacity to withstand blunt-force impacts while taking less damage than normal.
Rank B: Rainbow Dash's body can withstand substantial blunt-force trauma, including slamming into solid rock or the ground at high speeds while only suffering minimal injuries.

Pegasus Magecraft is the ability to employ the magecraft unique to the pegasi ponies of Equestria. Unlike Unicorn Magecraft, which utilizes the intellectualized formation of prana in the form of spells, or Earth Pony Magecraft, which operates passively, Pegasus Magecraft is directed through physical exertion and the direct interaction with one's environment. It applies directly to the manipulation of natural forces, the wind and weather in particular. This form of magecraft sits between the other two forms of Equestrian Magecraft in that it draws upon both the wielder's Od and the environment's mana, allowing for the creation of large-scale effects, such as storms or massive tornadoes through cooperative effort.
Rank A+: The wielder is able to create mid to large-scale weather systems through their sole effort and even greater results when working with others. Rainbow Dash is able to create and erase entire storm systems by herself with only minimal assistance from the other members of the Ponyville Weather Team. When creating the tornado responsible for transferring water to Cloudsdale, Rainbow Dash was able to use this skill to draw out the necessary output from the other participants, even though their total wingpower should have fallen just shy of the level necessary to actually accomplish the task.

Recovery is the ability to recover from debilitating injuries while minimizing the long-term consequences of said injuries. This is not a form of regeneration or fast healing in that it optimizes the body's own ability to heal itself rather than being derived from magecraft or supernatural abilities.
Rank A: Rainbow Dash is able to recover from injuries, even to relatively delicate parts of her body, such as her wings, while minimizing the risk of permanent damage.

Noble Phantasm: Sonic Rainboom
Rank: A
Type: Anti Fortress
The Sonic Rainboom is the legendary flight maneuver that is said to have been completely impossible until Rainbow Dash performed it as a filly, its execution serving as the catalyst that formed the beginnings of the bond between the six ponies who would later go on to bear the Elements of Harmony. Rainbow Dash performs the Sonic Rainboom by flying at speeds well in excess of the speed of sound until she breaks through the vaguely defined "barier" that forms during the maneuver. This results in a tremendous release of energy over a wide area, as well as massive acceleration on the part of Rainbow Dash, whose speed instantly doubles upon its completion. After the execution of this technique, the laws of intertia and momentum are temporarily suspended, allowing Rainbow Dash to perform sharp turns even though the g-forces of those turns would normally be fatal to her body, as well as being able to safely absorb the impact of multiple objects, such as when Rainbow Dash caught Rarity and the Wonderbolts duriing the Best Young Fliers Competition. The energy release takes the form of a vivid rainbow-colored shockwave that spreads across the sky. Its effects can be felt for miles and can even shatter solid rock. However, because this massive quantity of energy is diffused so quickly, it has limitted effects and could not normally be considered useful for combat.

The energy released is actually drawn from the inadvertant activation of the Multidimensional Refracton phenomenon. The barrier created and subsequently broken by the technique is actually formed by the compression of space as Rainbow Dash approaches critical velocity, temporarilly rupturing the boundaries between alternate planes and releasing the compressed energy from the point of activation. This activation of Multidimensional Refraction also ties into the alteration of history and the creation of alternate planes as governed by the Second Magic, which allows the user the capacity to alter destiny to a certain extent and is the source of the phenomenon that bound the six Bearers of the Elements of Harmony together. However, as Rainbow Dash is not a Magician, she cannot consciously utilize this aspect of the Sonic Rainboom. While this ability would normally fall under the ability of Magic, possible only for a Magician, Rainbow Dash accomplished this feat through the constant application of pure effort, her dedication overriding the laws of reality itself.

Author's Notes:

Wow, this chapter sure was a doozy. My original plan had been to release this and the last chapter as a single mega-chapter as a sort of apology for taking so damn long to update. But I'm kinda glad I didn't do that as I didn't expect this chapter to end up nearly as long as it did.

That said, I'm not entirely happy with this chapter, primarily because of how the whole "Banquet" turned out. I really feel that I could have done better at integrating Twilight's presence into the scene, instead of borrowing sections of dialogue wholesale from the book/anime. However, the events of this chapter are critical to Twilight's development as a character, so I needed the Banquet to happen. Some of my more savvy commenters have already guessed where this is heading, though I think that they'll still be surprised at the final results. But I'll probably have to come back to this chapter at some point and see if I can do better. For now though, I wanted to get this onto the way so that we can move on to Chapter 8 and Twilight's first big battle, which will be coming...soon...I hope.

Also, enjoy the Servant stats for Rainbow Dash. Try not to take them too seriously as she, and most of the other members of the mane six, isn't quite so easy to peg into the pigeonholes of a typical Servant class.

Until next time...

Summoning Salvation

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Chapter 8: Summoning Salvation

The low drone of countless insects filled Twilight's ears as she pointed her horn at Berserker. Aside from the perpetual buzzing, there seemed to be no other sound. A long moment had passed since she had resolved to fight and turned to face Berserker. No one moved. Behind her, she heard no indicators that neither Waver nor Berserker's Master had moved to fight with one another. Everyone, it seemed, had fallen into a wait-and-see briefly. However, things couldn't stay that way forever.

In spite of her courageous words to Waver, it was all Twilight could do to keep her legs from trembling as she stood before the powerful, menacing form of the black knight. Her heart told her to be brave, that she had what she needed to get through the battle alive. But her mind was calling her eleven-thousand different kinds of idiot. What the hay was I thinking? There's no way I can face off against even a regular Servant! What in Celestia's name made me think I could take on Berserker?

And yet...somewhere, deep in the furthest corners of her mind was a niggling feeling of...something. Twilight wasn't entirely sure what it was. It was something that had stirred in her mind and heart during the banquet. Something about Rider's Noble Phantasm had called out to her, given her an inkling. It told her there was something she could do, some way she could fight in the Holy Grail War; not just fight, but win. And yet, Twilight couldn't quite put a name to that feeling any more than she could articulate the vague beginnings of an idea she had gotten from watching Ionian Hetairoi at work.

But the time for thoughtful consideration was at an end. The low creaking noise was the only warning she had. Berserker's body quaked, his armor groaning, as though straining to keep an even more fearsome monster than Berserker himself confined. Black mist seemed to explode out from within the armor's joints like steam from a kettle as the black knight let out a wordless howl of fury and rage. He charged.

To Twilight's surprise, Berserker's charge did not carry him directly at her. Instead, the knight dodged to the corner of the intersection where he had been standing, the ebony fingers of his gauntlet closing around the pole of a signpost. Without breaking stride, he yanked, wrenching the entire thing out of the ground and taking a sizable chunk of concrete with it as he did so. Sign in hand, Berserker's charge angled directly at Twilight, leaping into the air with surprising agility and descending directly down at the unicorn, swinging the sign overhead like a halberd in a move not unlike how he had attacked Saber the other night.

Twilight had already responded with her first spell, a force-field, one she had learned from her brother. The sign itself hit the shield with incredible force, the force of a Noble Phantasm, which was compounded by the added strength of Berserker's weight behind it. Already, Twilight could feel the shield buckling under the force of impact. Any longer and Berserker's improvised weapon would break through it and cleave through her skull like a grape.

Thinking quickly Twilight channeled more prana into the shield, not reinforcing it, but instead over-saturating it with energy, causing its structure to become unstable. In the instant Berserker's weapon breached the barrier, the entire thing exploded outward in a shockwave that knocked Berserker away along the original trajectory of his leap.

Even as Berserker's feet hit the ground, Twilight was already on the attack, using the closest thing she had to actual battle magecraft. Condensing telekinetic energy at the tip of her horn, she fired it like a bullet at Berserker. It was a move that could lay a changeling drone low with a single hit. Twilight wasn't sure that a single shot would do that much damage against Berserker. However, given that the spell wasn't particularly costly, she could afford to use it quite frequently and she could fire it off several times in quick succession.

Berserker whirled his weapon, the blade (sign) intercepting Twilight's first attack and deflecting it cleanly. Several more shots followed, but Berserker easily spun the signpost about, knocking them away with ease. Twilight pressed her attack however. Given that the black mist that enshrouded Berserker kept his parameters hidden from the eyes a Master, including Aaron, Twilight had no idea of what abilities he might have. Some classes, like Saber, had Magic Resistance that granted them immunity to magecraft of a certain level. However, the fact that Berserker was on the defensive and blocking her attacks appeared to indicate that his resistance to magecraft was low, if it existed at all.

Twilight grit her teeth as she continued to pepper the black Servant with her attacks. The vague idea of how to seize victory had yet to crystalize into something concrete in her mind. At the moment, the only thing she could think of was to continue attacking and keep Berserker off balance until she could arrive at a real solution.

Hurry! Think!

"Hmm," mused Rider as his chariot ground to a stop before Lancer, "I must admit I wasn't expecting an attack from you. You were supposed to settle your match with Saber first."

Lancer's resolute expression did not waver as he stood before Rider's powerful war machine. At this moment, he was only at half strength, if that. The long spear was buried in the shoulder of one of Rider's bulls. That left the short spear.

"Hmm," said Rider again, "Are you sure it was wise to throw that spear. Against a mounted foe, the longer a spear, the more effective it is."

"True," admitted Lancer, "But Gae Dearg is the only weapon capable of penetrating the veil of lightning drawn about your chariot. Throwing Gae Buidhe would have been a wasted effort."

Rider grunted an acknowledgement before reaching out with his hand and reached out to close his hand around the shaft of the crimson spear. With a quick pull, he pulled the weapon free of the wound cleanly, without exacerbating the bull's injury. The poor creature let out a cry of pain, but remained standing as Rider casually tossed the weapon back to Lancer, who caught it neatly.

"Once again," said Rider, "Aren't you supposed to be settling your battle with Saber?"

Lancer sighed and looked down. "That is what I would have preferred. But my Master has given me this order. And so, I will go into battle with you."

"Oh? Has he used another Command Seal then?"

Lancer shook his head. "My Master has but to give me the order and I shall obey." He leveled the crimson spear at Rider. "I have no need for the Holy Grail itself. But I was cursed in life to fail as a knight and betray my lord and, in turn, be betrayed by him. This is my chance to regain my honor, by winning this prize for my new master."

Now it was Rider's turn to sigh. "I commend you for your valiant spirit Lancer. Your Master is not worthy of one such as you." Nonetheless, he drew his sword and gripped the reigns. "I shall have to apologize to Saber when we meet again for having defeated you before you two could settle your duel."

A slight smirk spread across Lancer's face. "Oh? You shouldn't boast of your victories before they have been attained King of Conquerors. If you're not careful, you will end up being the one conquered."

In spite of the grim situation, both warriors smiled as they faced each other. As it had been with Saber and Lancer during their duel, so it was with Rider and Lancer now. Though they were king and knight, though they were separated by the gulf of history and the distance between their respective lands, here, on the battlefield, of that vanished like mist upon the wind. Facing one another, with blades leveled, they were true equals.

And yet, Rider had a sense of unease. He was not unaware of Waver and Caster's plight. Even though his senses were focused on the battle before him, he knew that his Master and his ally needed his help as soon as he could provide it. That knowledge left him feeling a little...harried. This battle may end up being quite the challenge.

Waver Velvet breathed deeply and exhaled, breathed again, and breathed again. Only by repeating the simple exercise over and over was he able to retain some semblance of calm. If he hadn't done this, the strength would have gone out of his arms. The vials would have slipped from his limp grasp and he would have been left defenseless.

He was a magus, trained by the Association. He had refined his skills, learned spells and fully embraced his heritage as a magus. Even with a meager three generations to his lineage, his talents spoke for themselves. Though but an apprentice, Waver had successfully summoned a Servant and entered the Holy Grail War of his own volition. He was a true magus. Compared to him, Mato Kariya should have been nothing. Kariya had fled from his post as heir to the Matos, only to come crawling back to obtain a place in the current war. There was no way his magical circuits should be capable of any substantial magecraft. What's more, he was already using his prana to support Berserker. By all rights, Waver had every advantage in this situation, every reason to secure victory...and no reason to worry.

And yet, Mato Kariya stood before him, like a vision from the blackest of nightmares, looking to all the world like a corpse freshly risen from the grave. Waver briefly wondered if Kariya had gone so far as to embrace unlife. Was he, perhaps, some kind of ghoul?

No! That's unlikely! The Association regarded the Dead Apostles and their ilk with the utmost contempt, one of the few traits they shared with the Church. They would never willingly permit the participation of such a creature in the Holy Grail War and the Matos would be fully aware of that. Instead, Waver judged that Kariya had turned to some form of magecraft that ate away at his flesh in exchange for prana. That would explain the man's deteriorated state.

Again, he fought to keep from trembling. Magecraft such as that was immensely painful. The generation of prana would make the magus's nerves burn like fire. The prana to support a Servant would be agonizing, much less what was needed to support a Servant of the Berserker class. Waver imagined that the pain was maddening. And yet, Kariya's face did not seem to betray even the slightest ounce of pain.

Worse still was his intent. This was nothing like what Waver had experienced at the docks. Kayneth Archibald's taunts had been delivered with deliberate malice and filled Waver with an instinctual fear of the man who had once been his instructor at the Association. Waver had been able to sense Kayneth's hatred and desire to kill him, the desire to see Waver suffer. He sensed nothing like that from Kariya. In its own way, that was even more frightening than Kayneth.

The murderous intent emanating from Kariya was devoid of malice, of anger, of hatred. Waver understood immediately. He was nothing to this magus from the Matos. Kariya regarded him the same way a chess player might eye an opposing piece that he was planning to take. Kariya would kill Waver and then cast his corpse aside without a second glance and move on. His eyes were set upon something much further ahead. Yes, Waver was nothing to this man.

Though the clash of magic and steel echoed in the night behind him, Waver dared not turn his head to try and see how Caster fared. The slightest lapse in his attention would be all that Mato Kariya needed. Though the man had no true experience as a magus, his tenacity lent him the insight of a bloodthirsty beast, who could and would pounce at the slightest sign of an opportunity.

"You will learn what it is for two magi to battle to the death. You will experience all the pain and terror that this battle entails..."

The meaning of Kayneth's words became frightfully plain. This was a battle to death, two existences striving to overcome one another, end one another. Either him or Kariya, only one of them would come away from this battlefield with his life. From the expression on Kariya's face, the Mato magus was fully prepared for this. Waver was not. This fact alone completely reversed the advantages that Waver possessed. Kariya was not a true magus. He had none of the training, none of the skill, none of the knowledge that was Waver's to command...

...But he was prepared to die...

...But he was prepared to kill...

...And that made all the difference. Thus Waver was the one who had no reason to feel that he could win.

The repeated sounds of frenzied impacts came from behind Waver as Caster's battle with Berserker gained momentum. It was clear that Twilight was putting everything she had in this fight when, by all rights, she should have been less prepared for this battle than Waver. With her behind him, Waver knew he could not falter. The moment he fell in battle against Kariya would be to moment that nightmarish magus sank his fangs (or mandibles would be more appropriate) into Twilight's back. In other words, Twilight's safety and the success of her fight against Berserker hinged upon Waver not losing to Kariya.

Even though he had no reason to, Waver smiled. The one he wanted to protect, his reason for fighting, was behind him. He knew he couldn't afford to lose this fight. With that knowledge secure in his mind, though Waver had no reason to think he could win, he felt as though he had the means to reach out and secure victory.

Kariya's face faltered, betraying a grimace. It seemed a moment of weakness, but Waver realized that he was simply drawing out more prana still. The blade-winged beetles that surrounded Kariya surged forth to attack. It was time for the battle to begin. Pulling the first of the vials he held clenched between the fingers of his right hand, Waver grasped the cork in the top with his teeth and pulled it loose and spat it out. Twilight's battle was behind him, his fight was before him. He could not afford to lose.

Even though he had been running hard, Aaron's breath came easily. After taking care of Mato Kariya's familiar, he had planned on scouting out Miyama a little more before returning to the house and awaiting Caster's return. However, at the first inkling that things had gone wrong, Aaron had bolted out the door and run in the direction of the battlefield. He could sense Caster's distress, but also sensed that she had a handle on the situation for now. Now that he was on the move, there was no way he could spare the concentration for Shared Perception. Besides, from the sound of things, Rider was in a separate battle. Aaron couldn't focus solely on Caster's fight alone.

He had to secure a prime position from which to observe the battle. Fortunately, he had an idea of just the place. The fights were taking place near and within the woods that surrounded the private school that rested in the southwest section of Miyama. Climbing over the wall was the work of but a moment. Aaron didn't even pause as he used a simple magecraft to open one of the locked doors into the main building, heading quickly to the upper floors.

Aaron slid into the empty classroom, moving around the desks to a window, which he slid open. From there, it was simply a matter of making preparations. Moving to the teacher's desk, Aaron pulled out the tube and withdrew a sheet of parchment. His magecraft had already begun from the moment he had entered the building and a faint breeze was carrying his prana through every nook and cranny of the school. Now that his Servant had entered the war, Aaron realized that he couldn't afford not to take precautions. Opening a vial of ink, he poured it onto the paper and watched as the ink began to flow into lines, slowly inscribing a diagram of the school. Finally, he dropped a small number of ball bearings onto the sheet. A single one animated and rolled into position on the diagram, settling in the image of the room that Aaron himself occupied. He allowed himself a small smile. He was alone...for now.

His immediate security assured, Aaron put on his glasses and faced in the direction of the window. On the battlefield, he would have been a hinderance more than he was a help. Besides, this entire affair promised to be fun to watch.

Even though he continued to fend off each shot Twilight fired, Berserker remained rooted in place, unable to move forward. It was something of a consolation to Twilight, as she had the prana to maintain her barrage for a good deal longer if she needed. However, she knew that this state of affairs couldn't be allowed to continue for much longer. At best, it was a stalemate as the two fighters depleted their prana attacking and defending. In terms of expenditure, Twilight was certain she could outlast Berserker. But a war of attrition was costly in both time and energy.

A grimace flashed across her face. If she let up on her barrage, there was no question that Berserker would use the opportunity to immediately close the distance. Therefore, the question at the heart of the issue was whether or not she could get off a more powerful spell before Berserker could reach her.

Of course, there was another option that was open to her. But that necessitated that she abandon her position behind Waver, leaving his back unguarded. If she moved away, there was every possibility that Berserker would abandon his attack on her to strike at Waver Velvet from behind. However, it was the only option she had that seemed capable of actually changing the flow of battle. She would simply have to hope that Berserker's aggression would send him in pursuit of her, rather than take the sudden opportunity presented by her change in position.

She ended her barrage. Berserker was moving forward even as he batted aside the final telekinetic bolt, charging in to try and crush her skull with the concrete chunk on the butt end of his weapon. Twilight's horn flared and Berserker's weapon passed through empty air. She emerged from her teleport several meters away, with a larger distance between her and Berserker than there had been previously. Just to make sure she had his attention, she quickly fired off a shot at his back. Berserker's head didn't even turn as he intercepted the bolt with the sign. However, as a ploy to gain his attention, it worked.

The black knight immediately oriented on her and charged in. However, the extra distance gave Twilight the time she needed to use a different spell. Her prana ripped a chunk of asphalt clear of the ground, specifically, the chunk that Berserker had been standing on. A simple twist caused the entire section of the street she'd lifted up, with Berserker on it, to invert in the air before she slammed it back down.

The sign split the asphalt instantly as Berserker slammed his improvised halberd into its surface. At the same time, he planted the concrete lump in the crater vacated by the asphalt chunk above him. Spinning about the pole of his weapon, Berserker slammed his armored foot into one of the chunks, kicking it directly at Twilight. She intercepted it with another bolt from her horn. As the asphalt splintered into still smaller chunks, Twilight realized that Berserker was no longer there. The attack's true purpose had been to breaker her line of sight. The crunch of steel against concrete on her left was the only warning she had before Berserker's weapon swept down to split her skull in two.

The unicorn vanished in a flash of violet light, only just barely escaping the savage strike. Twilight emerged from her spell and skidded to a stop, firing off the first spell she could think of the instant she had a bearing on Berserker's position. The black knight parried the stream of light with the chunk of concrete on the butt end of his weapon, only to freeze as the burst of magical energy transformed the concrete into an orange impaled on the base of the street sign.

For a moment, Berserker simply stared at the citrus that had suddenly appeared on the end of his weapon. It seemed that, even for a Heroic Spirit who had traveled across time and space and sacrificed his sanity for the sake of power, there were some things you couldn't take in stride.

Berserker's gaze turned to Twilight.

The lavender unicorn grinned sheepishly and blushed. "Whoops!"

With another angry howl (possibly because it was the only noise he was capable of making) Berserker leapt forward and thrust downwards, trying to strike Twilight with the orange of all things. She barely managed to teleport out of the way at the last second, materializing in another location just in time to see the fruit split open against the ground, spraying juice everywhere...juice that then began to eat through solid concrete like acid.

Twilight felt queasy. She knew that Berserker's ability allowed him to wield any object like a weapon and use it as his Noble Phantasm, but she hadn't dreamed that it could go so far as to turn fruit juice into a dangerous substance. She didn't want to think of what that kind of acid would do to her body, but her overactive mind obliged her with a graphic image anyway.

Just what I needed, she thought wryly, cursing her incredibly strong talent for visualization.

Berserker stood up slowly and turned to face her. A flick of his wrist sent the remnants of the fruit sailing away before the knight raised the signpost above his head, a jagged spike of metal jutting from where the chunk of concrete had once rested no pointed directly at Twilight, who braced herself for the next exchange as Berserker charged once more.

In stark contrast to the frenetic match between Caster and Berserker, the battle between Rider and Lancer was one of overwhelming stillness. From the moment Rider had returned Lancer's spear and the two of them had taken their stances, they had not budged an inch. The only sound that could be heard was the occasional snort from Rider's bulls and the soft impact as they pawed the ground.

Rider hated to admit it, but Lancer had the advantage in this situation. Not only had he succeeded in luring Rider down into the trees and into close quarters, but by ensuring that Waver and Caster were endangered by their own respective conflicts, he had increased the pressure on Rider immensely, increasing the likelihood that Rider would be forced to act with haste and make an ill-considered move. In this situation, it was to Lancer's advantage to draw things out as long as possible.

All things considered, Rider should have had a substantial advantage. Not only was his current Noble Phantasm, the Gordius Wheel immensely more powerful and destructive than Lancer's spears, he also had his trump card that had annihilated Assassin earlier that same evening, Ionian Hetairoi. The latter was almost completely out of the question though, as using such an overwhelming Noble Phantasm against a single foe like Lancer, especially since he had used the very same ability only a little earlier that same night, was a squandering of prana that even a rather carefree Servant like Rider could not condone.

In the case of the former, while the Gordius Whell was indeed powerful enough to smite Lancer with a single blow and swift enough that it could overtake him in an instant, it was also unwieldy in these tight quarters. If the initial charge missed, Rider would not be able to turn the chariot around in sufficient time to avoid or defend against Lancer's counterattack. And, although the chariot was protected by a veil of lightning whenever it moved, Lancer had in his possession the spear that could cleave through prana and thus strike at Rider through his lightning.

Should the initial charge miss, Rider's best hope was to simply continue forward and try to escape Lancer's range before the other Servant could mount his attack. But given the incredible display of skill and speed Lancer had displayed against Saber, it was highly unlikely that even Rider's chariot could escape him before he'd turned and struck.

In the end, it all came down to the initial exchange. The first blow made between these two redoubtable warriors would decide the course of the entire conflict. Rider knew he could not fail in his initial attack, just as Lancer knew that he could not allow Rider's first blow to land. And so, the battle continued along its silent course, as each tried to be sure of his advantage over the other. When the time finally came, it would be decided in an instant.

Waver spun about, spilling liquid from the vial to inscribe a rough circle on the ground around him. The concoction spat and hissed as it touched down, quickly dissolving into a faint mist that rose up around him. Turning completely around, Waver faced back towards the swarm of blade-winged beetles that Kariya commanded, bearing down on him like a tide of chitinous death. He held his breath and waited.

The leading members of the swarm came to a halt, hovering uncertainly before Waver, as though they could no longer perceive him. The other members of the swarm quickly spread around to try and attack from other angles. But no matter where they went, the couldn't seem to approach Waver from any direction and instead hovered about, unable to close in and attack, their positions matching the boundary of the circle Waver had created with his potion. His barrier was working exactly as he hoped it would; a barrier of fumes born from an alchemical solution derived from insect-repelling compounds and held in place by a light application of wind magecraft.

Waver's ears barely caught a low groan escaping from Kariya over low droning noise the beetles seemed to make that drowned out almost everything else out. More were coming to cluster around him every second, the empty air around Waver filling with insects. Through the shifting gaps in the swarm, Waver could barely catch glimpses of Kariya.

The Mato magus was in pain. Not only was his face drawn in agony, but Waver could also catch sigh of streams of blood trickling from his eyes, nose, and mouth. Even more tellingly, as the curtain of insects shifted, affording Waver another glance at Kariya, he saw a blood vessel on Kariya's forehead suddenly burst, sending a tiny fountain of blood into the air. It seemed that the more beetles Kariya sent, the more the prana demands on his body caused it to break down. And this was on top of what he was already using to maintain Berserker and allow the mad Servant to keep up his attacks.

Waver realized that this fight was to his advantage. By settling in to wait out Kariya's attacks, he could simply wait for the combination of Berserker's efforts and Kariya's own magecraft to while away his prana.

However, there was no certainty over how much prana Kariya had at his disposal. If Kariya had sufficient prana, this could drag on for hours. So long as Kariya was able to withstand the pain of whatever horrific method he was utilizing to forcefully generate prana, he could easily continue this for a good while longer. Waver was uncertain if Twilight could hold on for that long. He needed to act.

Waver pulled the cork from the second vial. Rather than try and repeat his action from the previous time, he instead threw the vial at the edge of his circle, breaking it. The chemical solution within reacted with the solution from the first vial. The results were dramatic, to say the least.

Waver's world was engulfed in flames. The roaring of those flames did nothing to drown out the screams of Mato Kariya as his insect familiars burned.

"That must have hurt," muttered Aaron as he observed Waver's battle through his Mystic Code. It was a challenging prospect, watching three battle simultaneously, each fascinating in its own way. The frantic exchange of spells and blows between Caster and Berserker contrasted sharply with the enforced stillness of the silent battle between Lancer and Rider, while the fight between Waver and Kariya showed all the fascinating aspects of a battle between two magi who were each novices in their own way. It was hard to pull away from one and give attention to another when Aaron knew he might, in that instant, miss some critical detail that could determine the outcome. It was fascinating. It was thrilling...It was frustrating.

Even as he watched, a giddy feeling swelled up in Aaron's breast. This was the Holy Grail War, the clash of heroes and powers fantastic and impossible to magi of the modern age. This was the spectacle that had motivated him to come to Fuyuki to begin with. This was the kind of thing he had been longing to see and study with his own eyes. And here he was, doing it now, living out the exciting dream that had drawn him to this eastern island nation. And yet...it was still frustrating.

Because, even though everything he had ever desired from this experience was here before him, Aaron was not merely here as an observer. He was here as a Master, a participant, one who had been called upon by the Grail to marshal his Servant into battle. And now that she was in battle, he stood silently on the sidelines and watched. That inactivity alone wasn't what truly frustrated Aaron. He had no real sympathy for Caster. Ultimately, moving her towards winning the Grail ultimately served his desire to see something interesting. What truly frustrated him was that he was here to act in his capacity as a Master and he didn't know what to do.

It was a novel sensation in a sense. Throughout Aaron's life, it had always been relatively easy to perceive the course of action he needed to take. If what he wanted to see was guarded, penetrate those safeguards. If his actions attracted unwanted attention, elude those pursuers. If he couldn't elude his pursuers, kill them in any way available to escape. Things had always been quite simple in that regard. And yet, here, Aaron was at a loss as to what direction he should take in this situation.

After the first major battle of the War, Aaron had smugly and securely analyzed the strategies and tactics of Master and Servant alike. He'd dissected their natures and gained incredible insight into their actions and plans. And he'd been quite proud of that. Only now did Aaron realize how much he had benefitted from his position of neutrality and hindsight. Being able to securely scrutinize the events of a battle after it had occurred. However, it was a whole different matter to do so while the battle was in progress and his decisions and actions (or inaction) had the capacity to affect the outcome. It was a daunting sensation. For his whole life, Aaron Styx had avoided conflict, evading it when it sought him out and only fighting when it closed off all possibility of escape.

Aaron recognized the irony of it at all. He'd mentally scoffed at Waver Velvet for not knowing what he was getting into. And yet, here he was, the experienced magus, sidelined by indecision while the impetuous apprentice went into battle, and was acquitting himself quite well by any measure. Aaron understood now that he was the one truly unprepared for what it meant to fight in the Holy Grail War, what it meant to be the Master of a Servant.

I guess I'm not so different from Lord El-Melloi after all, he thought wryly, thinking back to his comments on Kayneth's aptitude as a Master the other day. It seemed he had no idea how to utilize Caster as a Servant either.

To his surprise, Aaron found himself smiling. It seems that even now, I continue to make interesting observations, even though they concern myself. Just acting as Caster's Master has uncovered something I didn't realize about myself. So, just as I hoped, she showed me something interesting again.

He turned his attention back to Caster's battle and pondered over what action to take. What will my part be in this battle?

Unknown to Aaron, the decision had already been made for him. He was so enthralled by the sight of the three battles, that he failed to notice his own map as one of the ball bearings discarded across its surface animated and began to move over the paper with grim purpose. Not yet realizing it, Aaron had just become the participant in the fourth battle to take place.

In the school's courtyard, the tall and slim figure of Kayneth Archibald strode towards the center. Looking around slowly, he sized up the area, eyeing the buildings with disdain and disinterest. He was not here to pass judgment on this place. He was here to carry out his role in the night's proceedings.

Though it irked him to do so, Kayneth had left the disposal of Waver Velvet to Mato Kariya. Kayneth still desperately wanted to preside over Waver's punishment himself, but took some solace in the fact that the hideous and undoubtedly painful death that awaited the foolish apprentice at the fangs and wings of Kariya's insect magecraft was a sufficiently horrific fate, however unsightly such magecraft was. Besides, there was always the chance, however slim, that Waver might even win or escape from that conflict, thus giving Kayneth another opportunity to settle affairs with him at a later date.

Regardless, his purpose here was to ensure Zoken's acquisition of Caster. He cared not why the shriveled old husk of a man wanted to capture that Servant. However, even Kayneth was forced to recognize the brutal potential of Kariya's Servant. Obtaining the aid of such a formidable Servant would give him a considerable advantage when he faced that damnable Einzbern Master once again.

The thought made Kayneth pause. Perhaps the best thing would be to make a more permanent arrangement. Lancer was a disappointment as a Servant, failing to dispatch Saber, even with the knowledge of her true identity and after having wounded her with Gae Buidhe, he still allowed her to slip away. More importantly, he had the temerity to suggest that he could still be considered loyal after contesting the orders of his Master and forcing Kayneth to waste one of his precious Command Seals just to force him to act. And then there was Sola...

Yes, perhaps it was time to dispose of Lancer and take on a superior Servant. With Sola-Ui's support from the modified contract system, the increased prana demands of the Berserker class would be no issue. And best of all, that treacherous Lancer would be out of the way. It seemed the most appropriate course. First, dispose of Lancer, then dispose of Kariya and take up the contract with Berserker. Mato Zoken had already indicated his lack of interest in the outcome and complete disdain for Kariya. If Kayneth disposed of Kariya, Zoken was unlikely to protest.

However, that would have to wait. Right now, Kayneth had a job to do. Opening the vial he pulled forth from his robes, he poured the silvery liquid from within, undoing the mass compression and weight reduction spells from the substance.

A cruel smile spread across his face. "Fervor mei sanguis."

Aaron only had a vague premonition that something was wrong. Reluctantly, he pulled his eyes away from the spectacle of the battle and looked about the room for the source of the ill feeling gnawing away in his gut. There was nothing amiss, but Aaron could sense the presence of someone observing them. Is it the one from before? he wondered, remembering the mysterious sensation of being watched by someone whom he guessed was from Caster's home plane. No, this is different.

He almost missed the tiny sliver of silver coming from the door. His eyes narrowed as he looked more closely, seeing a tiny bead of silver liquid flowing forth from the keyhole. The bead stretched down before stretching towards him ever so slightly then retracting back. Aaron's eyes widened and a momentary surge of panic swept through him. That looks like...! Uh oh!

He quickly cast his eyes down to the map. One of the ball bearings on its surface was now rolling in the direction of the bearing that marked his position. It was on the hallway of the floor below. Aaron quickly reached out and began rolling up the map, dumping the bearings off into the palm of his hand and returning them to his pocket. It was only a matter of time before Kayneth took the stairs up to this floor and came after him.

As Aaron inserted the parchment back into the tube and deposited it under his coat, a tremor shook the floor and walls around him. I guess someone of his stature can't be bothered with stairs. The floor and wall of the room and the hallway beyond fell away. Aaron's eyes only caught the faintest trace of movement.

Tendrils of that same silvery liquid from before reached up from the newly created gaping hole in the floor, setting down on its edges. Slowly, the proud and poised form of Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi was lifted into view on a platform made from the strange substance. Now that he had more than a fleeting glance at it, Aaron recognized the substance. Mercury.

This then, must have been Kayneth's most formidable Mystic Code, the infamous Volumen Hydragyrum. Kayneth's smile widened slightly as his eyes met Aaron's. "Ah, so we meet at last, Aaron Styx."

"I always thought someone of your stature couldn't be bothered with the likes of me," said Aaron calmly, his eyes looking for an opening, any opening he could get to escape. He was well aware of Volumen Hydrangium's capabilities, having observed its development at some point. In all likelihood, it was even more formidable now, since Kayneth had likely developed it further in the time since Aaron had seen it. "I'm rather surprised you even know my name."

"I make it a point to learn the names of those who have insulted me," said Kayneth smugly, "Even now, you still seemed to be consumed by that detestable habit of yours...Witness. You are supposed to be a Master in this conflict and yet here you stay, content to skulk about and watch."

A small chuckle escaped Aaron. "Funny. Isn't that the same thing Rider called you out on last time?" Kayneth's smile disappeared. "Perhaps we have more in common than either of us thought."

Now Kayneth's lips pulled in another direction, forming a snarl. "Do not compare yourself to me you rat. Even though it is beneath me, I am here as a Master in the Holy Grail War. I have come that we might stake our lives and our honor as we strive for the Holy Grail."

"A lovely sentiment," remarked Aaron, a smirk of his own in place, "But I am not the kind of magus who is suited for an open battle."

"So you intend to slink away like the vermin you are?" asked Kayneth.

"I suppose," replied Aaron, "You called me a rat. Well, if there's one thing rats are good at, it's getting out of a dangerous situation."

Aaron's right hand and arm moved swiftly, making a slashing motion in front of him. The slight distortion along the line of the arm's movement was the only warning Kayneth received. However, even this little of a warning was more than he needed. The Volumen Hydragyrum reacted instantly, rising up to shield its wielder, its surface rippling as a razor-edge of wind cut into the membrane of mercury, but failed to penetrate it.

It dissolved back down immediately, once again giving Kayneth a clear view of his target. "Hmph! Nothing more trifling than basic wind magecraft, an amateur spell." His eyes narrowed as he finally saw what was gripped in Aaron's hand, a knife carved from clear crystal, so transparent as to be almost invisible to the naked eye. Until Aaron had attacked, Kayneth had not even realized he had been holding it.

"Such a pathetic deception," observed Kayneth sadly, "Stamping out vermin like you will bring me no pride." He shook his head sadly.

Again Aaron chuckled. "Perhaps you should spend less time pretending to be Archer and get on with it."

"Very well then," snarled Kayneth, "Scalp!"

Two tendrils lashed out from the mass of mercury supporting him, lancing directly for Aaron. Partway there, their path suddenly bent sharply to the left, impacting the wall to Aaron's right. Kayneth stared in shock, wondering how his attack had been diverted. The hesitation was only momentary, but it had been enough.

Aaron was already in motion. Swinging his knife downward, blades of wind slice through the floor at his feet, creating an opening for him to drop through.

Aaron had dropped down onto the floor that Kayneth had ascended from, bolting down the hallway as fast as his feet could carry him. For a magus of Kayneth's caliber, dropping down to pursue would be the work of an instant. And yet, Kayneth did not budge as he stared contemplatively at the place where Aaron had been standing.

"So he used wind magecraft to alter the refractive index of the air between us, displacing his position before my eyes and throwing off my aim." Aaron had been lucky. Had the Volumen Hydragyrum's attack function been linked to the autonomous detection function, which tracked targets through vibrations and body-heat, it would not have been fooled by such a mundane tactic. "It's disappointing that my opponent relies on such pathetic trickery."

"If it's so pathetic, doesn't that make the fact that it worked against you even more pathetic still?" Aaron's taunting voice floated down the hallway on the wind and carried up to where Kayneth waited. "Perhaps the great Lord El-Melloi is not the great magus that he pretends to be."

Kayneth's muscles tensed sharply at the jibe. "To be insulted by such a pest..." he hissed.

"I can understand the sentiment," Aaron answered once again, his phantom voice seeming to echo from every direction, "One could say I specialize in being a pest. However, what does it say about you that someone who claims to be a Lord of the Association completely fails as a rat-catcher?"

Kayneth ground his teeth, irritation rising in his stomach as this nothing of a magus claiming to be a Master taunted him while hiding and running. However, just as his anger crested and peaked, Kayneth mastered himself and relaxed again. There was no need to get so upset over such trash. He could run, but the Volumen Hydragyrum could not be escaped. There was no hole or warren in the grounds of this school where Aaron Styx could elude detection. And speaking of escape...

Kayneth snapped his fingers, raising the barrier he had preemptively set up. This was different from the larger barrier that encircled the entire battlefield, which had been erected only to keep non-magi from intruding. This smaller bounded field encircled the entire grounds and would prevent anyone within from escaping. A skilled magus could probably force his way through or find some clever way to circumvent the barrier, but it had a secondary function of detecting interference, which would immediately alert Kayneth to the point at which the target was trying to escape.

Now Aaron was trapped in the school grounds. His own battlefield had been turned into a closed space, where he had no hope of escape. If he continued to run and hide, Kayneth would simply and meticulously root out his hiding spots one by one, until Aaron was cornered, with no other place to escape to. And then, his role in the Holy Grail War would come to an end.

Aaron felt the shiver of prana run through the school grounds as Kayneth raised the second bounded field. He silently cursed his laxity in having overlooked the barrier line as he entered the school. Kayneth had clearly set this up well beforehand, looking to trap him into this place with no hope of escape. It was all clear now.

Kayneth's intent in choosing this place for the Servants to clash was not just because it lay upon the obvious route of Rider's return from the Einzbern castle. Rather, he had also chosen it because he expected this battle to draw Aaron into the area so that he could better observe. And the school had been the obvious place for Aaron to observe from. Ironically, Kayneth had used the very same tactic that Emiya Kiritsugu had employed on the night of the first battle.

I'm gonna have to think more carefully about this in the future, Aaron mused, It's obvious that this would be the trick my enemies would employ in order to trap me. I'm just lucky that it's Kayneth Archibald and not Emiya Kiritsugu...

Though luck would be a relative term in this case. Needless to say, even though Kayneth was nowhere near as fearsome or daunting a foe as the infamous Mage Slayer, he still completely outclassed Aaron as a magus.

At present, Aaron was hiding in the girls' restroom, just down the hallway from where he had escaped. It would only be the work of moments for Kayneth's Mystic Code to track him down and renew its attack. Its capability to detect its target was presently Aaron's greatest concern. Since he had no hope of surviving, much less winning a direct confrontation with Kayneth, his only hope lay in escaping the Volumen Hydragyrum's detection function.

Aaron's eyes turned to the side and he spied his reflection in the restroom mirror. Luckily, I seem to have everything at hand that I need.

Whipping out with his arm, he slammed the butt end of the knife into the mirror, shattering it. "Time to get to work." This at least, was a situation he was quite familiar with.

Kariya's agonized scream echoed across the night as his familiars burned. Waver's eyes flicked to the cloud of burning insects around him. In all likelihood, a few had escaped the flames and would still be able to attack. But with Kariya in the throes of agony from the feedback of losing so many at once, any attack they made would be uncoordinated.

A magus of Kayneth's caliber would have probably basked exultantly in his adversary's pain. But Waver neither had that luxury or that inclination. Besides, it seemed the kind of thing that Twilight would really not enjoy. Waver had to move to the third stage of his plan if he hoped to turn this small advantage into a true victory. Only one of the three potions he had prepared remained.

So he rushed forward. Ducking his head and throwing up his arms, Waver charged through the still dissipating wall of his own flames. The heat made him wince. He grunted in pain as he brushed up against a flailing insect. A spark burned the top of his ear. But still, Waver continued forward, charging straight ahead for Kariya as fast as he could manage. The unexpected move caught the other magus off guard, especially since he was still crying out in agony. Blood was spilling from his orifices. Vessels all across his body were bursting.

A few of the bugs that had escaped the flames began to orient towards Waver, but did so slowly and lethargically, their movements hampered by the incapacitation of the one controlling them. As Waver closed with Kariya, he brought the last vial to his mouth and gripped the cork with his teeth. Pulling it out and spitting it away, Waver waited until he was a mere three feet from Kariya before whipping his arm out, throwing the vial's contents directly into his face.

Kariya's screams before were merely a preview to the shrieks of agony that resounded throughout the night now.

Berserker's foot slid out from under him as it touched the ground, Twilight's spell having completely eliminated all friction across a swath of asphalt. As the armored Servant tumbled, she let fly with another telekinetic burst, hoping to catch him off balance.

However, Berserker merely turned his weight into the fall, taking advantage of the properties of a frictionless surface and used his momentum to spin around and bring his weapon into play. The sign intercepted Twilight's attack neatly. Berserker then actually used the attack's recoil to allow himself to be knocked back off of the area Twilight's spell had affected. As soon as his feet touched back down, he entered into a leap that carried him over the slippery obstruction and at Twilight. She intercepted his descent with another shield as Berserker stabbed downward with the jagged, twisted point of iron that formed what had once been the butt end of his weapon. This time, Berserker's attack brought him down almost directly on top of her.

Twilight poured more magic into her shield, ensuring that it would hold out for a few seconds, even without her continuous input. This had the secondary effect of turning the shield opaque. Thus, as Berserker continued to exert his strength downward, he was left completely unaware that Twilight had already teleported out from within the shield's confines until if finally cracked under his onslaught.

Having only bought herself a scant few seconds before Berserker located her again, Twilight turned her focus inwards, desperately looking for something that she could latch onto to turn that small fragment of an idea into a means to win.

Think about Rider's Noble Phantasm. How does that help? Could I try to create a Reality Marble? No, that wouldn't work. That isn't what's important. The Reality Marble is just an effect. Come to think of it, so is his army. Neither of those are the Noble Phantasm.

The issue was obvious. Neither Rider's army of followers, nor the Reality Marble they created could truly be called the Noble Phantasm itself. Rather, if Twilight compared them to the examples she had seen so far in the War, then it was something else. Lancer's Noble Phantasms were his spears. Their power took effect when they pierced their targets. Saber's Noble Phantasm was a sword. Twilight hadn't seen Saber use it in its full capacity, but most likely utilizing its ability required that she swing the sword. Rider's chariot, the other Noble Phantasm in his possession had to be driven in order to be used.

In other words, the Reality Marble and Rider's army were like being pierced by Lancer's spears or being trampled under Rider's chariot. Rather than being the Noble Phantasm itself, they were the effects of that Noble Phantasm's ability, the army and the territory called into being by Rider employing the Noble Phantasm itself. If that was the case, then what was the Noble Phantasm? It couldn't have been Rider's sword and there was no object on his body that Twilight could associate with its activation. But was that the only way?

Berserker's Noble Phantasm allowed him to turn anything he touched into a weapon. But that wasn't the product of an item he held or carried, but rather an ability in its own right. Noble Phantasms did not have to be limited to tangible concepts. They also took the form of ideas and abstract concepts. Even Archer's ability to rain countless treasured blades from on high could be considered in such a manner, his ownership of those Noble Phantasms itself manifesting as a form of Noble Phantasm.

So then, it was simply a matter of identifying the true form of Rider's Ionian Hetairoi. But what? Rider had called forth across the boundaries of time and space to fight by his side, their loyalty unshakable even after death. It was more than a simple act of servitude on their part. It was also not the product of Rider's soldiers on their own. Rider's own devotion to his men and his love and loyalty to them had as much to do with their connection as theirs did. What was it about that bond that...

That's it! Twilight let out an exultant squeal at the revelation. That's the answer! The bond itself is Rider's true Noble Phantasm! The bond between the king and his subjects was the source of everything. It connected them beyond even the limits of the living the world and allowed them to accomplish the normally impossible A wave of exultation swept through Twilight as she realized exactly what she needed to. Here was her answer. Here was the way to turn the tables and actually swing the Holy Grail War in her favor.

But how?

Unfortunately, Twilight was out of time. Her whirling of mind had been able to process the careful deduction in the scant seconds since she had escaped from Berserker's attack. However, the shield had failed and the black knight realized that it as empty. Already, his visored gaze was settling on Twilight again, not even bothering to pause as he closed in for a new attack. Twilight grimaced as she retaliated, launching another kinetic blast for Berserker to bat aside.

Even as she teleported away from again, Twilight's mind settled on its current dilemma. She'd figured out the secret to Rider's Noble Phantasm and even how that applied to her. She too had a bond with her friends, a powerful one, one that had formed between them before they had even met. And the effect, the equivalent of the army or the Reality Marble, was unquestionably powerful. After all, it had defeated Nightmare Moon and had even struck down the living incarnation of chaos itself. Compared to that, a mere mortal human human, however powerful he might be, would be foal's play.

But how to use it? That was the question. In the past, her friends had been with her themselves. And they'd had the artifacts, the Elements of Harmony to channel that bond into power. But Twilight's friends were a world away, separated by a seemingly impassable gulf that Twilight herself had only managed to cross through some incomprehensible accident.

But wasn't Rider in a similar situation? He alone had been summoned to the Grail War. He didn't even have the quality of being a magus. He had been called into a world where his companions had passed into dust and been lost to the fog of ages.

And yet...when he needed them, they were at his side, even though it should have been impossible. The answer was there for Twilight to grasp. She knew that her bond with her own friends was no less powerful, perhaps even stronger. But the how still alluded it her.

With a yelp, she ducked under another swipe of Berserker's weapon. Twilight leapt away from the attack and paused to respond with her own counter, which was about as effective as it had been before as the knight deflected her blasts with casual ease. Now that she'd come close to grasping the conclusion, Twilight was becoming increasingly distracted from the battle itself. In this state, it was only a matter of time before one of Berserker's attacks connected. And frail as she was, one blow would probably be enough to slay her.

If only I had more time! I could figure out how to do it myself. If I had an hour-No! If I had just a few minutes, I could finish working this out. All I need is one last push. If I could increase my own capacity just a little...THAT'S IT!

She realized what she needed to do to find her answer. But even as Twilight realized what she needed to do, she hesitated. This meant more or less giving up on the failsafe that she'd pinned her hopes on if winning the Grail War proved an impossibility. True, there was no guarantee that she needed all three of them (and also none that even using all three of them would succeed), but giving up even one of her chances to escape from this War was a daunting problem.

However, if things continued like this, she was more likely to die at Berserker's hands than figure out the answer to her problem on her own. There was no other alternative. It seemed that this was the point of no return. Aaron!

It was the work of a moment. Using the sink as a mortar and the handle of his knife as the pestle, Aaron had managed to grind down the broken glass into a find powder. Once he judged it to be sufficiently finely ground, he reached into the sink and scooped up a small handful, silently thanking Kayneth for being willing to take his time.

Calling upon his magical circuits, Aaron breathed out a simple command. "Scatter." He blew gently on the glass dust, his prana-infused breath scattering it into the air. He continued to exhale until he had blown every single particle off the palm of his hand.

Carried on the wind of his creation, the dust seeped out through the small cracks between the door and the walls, before spreading throughout the school, the wind carrying it to every available space. In just a few seconds, everything would be ready.

In avoiding the Volumen Hydragyrum's detection function, there were two approaches that Aaron could take. The first and most obvious way was to mask his presence so that it could not "see" him. Given the Mystic Code's qualities, that meant hiding the vibrations produced by his body and masking his body heat. The first was relatively simple as Aaron could simply manipulate the air around him to prevent it from acting as a medium for his breathing and heartbeat. However, he lacked the skill to disguise his body heat, as thermodynamic manipulation fell outside of the purview of his limited magecraft.

The second way to escape Kayneth's notice was to figuratively go in the opposite direction. Aaron grinned. Now that the preparations were completed, he set his spell into motion.

"Ire: Sanctio!" Thin tendrils stretched out from the Volumen's mass, stretching along the walls, floor and ceiling, reaching in every direction. Kayneth smiled in satisfaction as a tremor traveled down one of the tentacles. Already, the mass of mercury was beginning to move in the direction of its target.

"Found you rat," he muttered, preparing to set off with his weapon. However, at that instant, the Volumen Hydragyrum froze. A shiver traveled down its tentacles from another direction.

Kayneth spun about to face the new source that had alerted the Volumen's detection function. Already, it was heading towards the new target it had detected. However, even as it did, its sensors picked up targets from several other points. The mass of mercury seemed to freeze into place, shivering as it rolled in one direction and then another.

"What?" exclaimed Kayneth. He'd ensured that he and Aaron were the only two people inside the barrier. So there should have been no one else for the Volumen Hydragyrum to detect. Now reactions were flooding in. The Volumen was picking up targets from everywhere in the building and it didn't know which one to actually track.

"How is he doing this?" snarled Kayneth as his Mystic Code picked up the presence of a new target directly in front of him. Looking, Kayneth's eyes picked up something glimmering in the moonlight, a shimmering dust that swirled faintly through the air. "Is this?" He slowly reached out towards it. Abruptly, the area reached by his hand felt warmer, he could even feel the faint pulse of something like a heartbeat. "No!"

This was the way Aaron had chosen to elude the Volumen Hydragyrum's detection function. Using the glass powder as a medium, he'd scattered bits of his prana throughout the school building. At his command, the glass particles began to vibrate against each other, heating the air around them and producing vibrations similar to the level of that which was produced by the human body. The entire building was now flooded with false positives that would throw off the Volumen's sensors, keeping it from homing in on its real target. Now Kayneth had no idea where to go in order to find Aaron.

At this point, it was only a stopgap. The barrier was still in place, so Aaron was still confronted by the fact that he needed to escape in order to truly consider this a success. But he'd bought himself time.

However, that would have to wait for a moment. Now Aaron sensed Caster's need through his contract with her. A slight incredulous smile spread across his face as he realized what she wanted from him. "Are you sure about this?" he asked, transmitting his intent as best he could, "This is a pretty big decision." Aaron lifted his hand and eyed the brands of his three Command Seals.

He sensed her determination. "If you're sure then..." He frowned slightly. "But I'm not even sure what command to give. I don't think I could articulate it properly even if you could explain it to me through shared perception."

However, an idea rose in his mind and, for the first time since the battle had begun, he knew what he needed to do in his Capacity as Caster's Master. The seals on his hand began to glow. "By this Command Seal, I hereby order you: Do what thou wilt."

One of the Seals flared especially bright and faded away.

Power and awareness immediately flooded Twilight's mind shining like a light and illuminating the truth she sought in an instant. At that moment, she realized she knew exactly what she needed to do. She could have figured it out on her own, had she a mere half-hour of time to her own thoughts. But given the degree to which Berserker had been pressing her, relying on the Command Seal's capacity to reinforce a Servant's action to accomplish that in the instant.

Normally, such a vague command would hardly have brought about any tangible benefit to Twilight. However, because she herself was a magus, she harnessed the power of the Seal and modified the command to suit her needs, allowing her to transform it into the perfect tool for her needs.

I can't believe it was so simple, she thought, The truth has been in front of me all along. All I needed to do was believe and call out to them and they would answer. I feel so silly for needing this much to realize that. Wasn't that what I learned the first time we came together?

Berserker looked as though he was moving in slow motion as he closed in. His mad howls sounded like they were miles away. Everything around Twilight slowed to a snails pace.

Softly, her lips formed the three words that were the source of her ultimate power, the means to secure victory, to survive, to return home, lay in that one simple truth. "Friendship is Magic."

Kariya's body was being torn apart. The surface of his skin squirmed sickeningly as the crest worms implanted within him writhed and spasmed, releasing the prana that they had already produced by devouring his flesh into his body, tearing him apart from within. The pain of manifesting Berserker, the pain of conjuring his familiars, the agony of those familiars being destroyed; they were nothing. The worms rampaged within, tearing at his flesh without purpose, fighting their way to the surface, forcing their way out. Kariya's one good eye fixated upon the one responsible for his pain. He saw the boy's face and could not comprehend how he had ended up in this state.

He had offered up his life for this power. It was the power to oppose Tokiomi, to punish him for sending Sakura into Zoken's clutches. It was the power to dominate the battlefield and claim Victory in the Grail War. It was the power that would allow him to save Sakura. He was not meant to fall here, at the hands of this pathetic child.

The rage that flooded through Kariya made his pain seem like a distant memory.

There was no warning. Waver looked on, torn between pity and disgust as Kariya screamed and writhed. The surface of his skin churned and then split open in several places across his body. Waver had to fight to keep a hold on his stomach as he observed the cuts opening. Kariya's insides were boiling over with writhing maggots that spilled out from within. However, at that instant, Kariya suddenly surged forward. Waver had no idea where a man in his state could find the strength to move at all, much less move so quickly.

But move he did. Before he could react, Kariya's hands latched around his neck and cut off his air. Before he could do anything, Waver was on his back, pinned to the ground while Kariya hovered over him, his face a mask of agony and pain as he did his best to choke the life out of the boy before him.

"I curse you, all of you magi!" snarled Kariya, "Tokiomi! Zoken! Kayneth! I'll kill all of you!"

Waver tried his hardest to pry Kariya's hands from his throat. But the Mato magus's grip was like a steel vice. Waver's efforts proved utterly ineffectual. As his oxygen-starved lungs tried desperately to seek air, the darkness at the edges of his vision began to close in.

Twilight Sparkle vanished into a nova of violet and white light, her body obscured by the raw power of her overflowing prana. Berserker's charge came up short, his improvised halberd raised to ward off the blow. It was useless. The burst of unleashed prana slammed him back, lifted him off the ground and hurled him through the air. The black knight slammed into the ground, his armor smashing a furrow through asphalt and concrete and then dirt as he ground to a stop off the road. Slowly, he got back to his feet and faced Twilight, who was finally becoming visible within the storm of prana.

Twilight's eyes were closed, the energy surrounding her actually levitating her off the ground. She floated in a blazing nimbus of energy that lit up the surrounding area like the morning sun. She opened her eyes, which had transformed into a fierce, blazing white. Slowly, golden lines began to materialize atop her head, forming themselves into an artful tiara, which framed a violet jewel that matched the starburst pattern of her cutie mark. Her power flooded across the battlefield, threatening to engulf everything.

"Luna! What's happening?" cried Celestia as she rushed into the study. The portal looking in on Twilight was being flooded with power, shining with almost blinding light. Princess Luna shied away from the display, even as she turned to address her elder sister.

"I'm sorry Tia," she said, "Things have escalated even further than they had when I called for you."

"What is it?"

"Twilight's power surging. The last time something like this happened..."

"She used the Elements," muttered Celestia, "But how? She's by herself right now."

"That's just it!" exclaimed Luna, "She must have figured out the same thing we did and figured out how to use it. Can't you feel it? The power of their bond is transcending the boundaries of our realities. She is reaching across time and space and more besides. And the others are answering and reaching back."

Celestia turned her eyes to the vibrant display and the mare within who burned like the light from her own sun. "I knew you could do it Twilight."

"Hmm, now to fix the hem a little. Spike!"

Spike quickly trotted over and presented his tail, which was studded with pins. Rarity's magic unceremoniously yanked one of them out, which earned a wince from the young dragon. Not even turning her eyes from her work, Rarity continued her modifications to the incomplete dress at a feverish pace.

Spike's eyes swept across the Carousel Boutique's workroom and the numerous ponyquins within. Rarity had been working almost nonstop ever since they had gotten back from the palace. She'd gone into creative overdrive and was turning out dresses with the frequency of an assembly line.

She wasn't the only one. To keep from dwelling on their beloved friend's plight, all the others had thrown themselves into work and play, doing their utmost to keep themselves busy so that their minds wouldn't be flooded by worry. Fluttershy had disappeared into her cottage, tending to an endless stream of animals that came from Ponyville and the surrounding areas. Between work sessions with the weather team, Rainbow Dash was training harder than ever, not even stop for five minutes to take one of her once frequent naps. Pinkie Pie was baking up a storm at the Sugarcube Corner, having thrown three parties and one happening since they'd gotten back. Applejack hadn't left the farm since she returned and seemed to spend all day of every day bucking apples like there was no tomorrow.

Spike was worried. They were working themselves into exhaustion. And it didn't really help. His own anxiety was no small thing, but he felt that the best thing he could do for Twilight was soldier on and try to keep their group of friends together. He also had a slight advantage. The Cutie Mark Crusaders had taken it upon themselves to keep the young dragon occupied, spending a surprising amount of time with him in various activities.

The little dragon's mind was brought back to the present as a pin slipped out of Rarity's magic and dropped to the floor. He looked up in surprise. All around them, rolls of fabric, snipping scissors, snaking ribbons, floated in an uneasy stasis as Rarity froze on the spot.

"Rarity? Are you okay?" asked Spike.

Rarity jolted slightly. "Oh!" She whirled around, as though suddenly remembering that Spike was in the room. "Oh! Nothing! I'm fine Spike. Really."

"Are you sure?" asked Spike, noting that her eyelids seemed to be drooping a little, "You look tired. Maybe you should take a break."

Rarity's mouth seemed to open in protest, but she paused. "Yes," she said quite abruptly, "Yes, perhaps you're right. I feel like I just need to lay down and close my eyes for a moment." She slowly made her way to the couch, not so much climbing on it as she did collapse upon it. "Don't let me sleep too long Spike," she instructed as her eyes drifted closed.

Spike stared at her for a second, before turning and running upstairs. He came back down with a blanket, which he pulled up over the sleeping mare, gently tucking her in. As he watched her silently sleep, he hoped that she was having a pleasant dream.

"But the cupcakes..." whined Pinkie as Mr. Cake gently molded the covers around her.

"Don't worry honey," he said softly, "I'll keep an eye on them. You just relax and close your eyes."

"But I have a party in-"

"It can wait Pinkie. You can't very well throw a great party if you're all sleepy."

The pink mare let out a small yawn and smacked her chops. "No. I guess not," she slurred, her eyes drifting closed.

Mr. Cake carefully backed out of her room, his eyes full of sympathy. Turning of the light and closing the door, he left his surrogate daughter to the land of dreams.

"AJ? Are ya okay sugarcube." Big Macintosh looked over at Applejack, who swayed unsteadily on her hooves.

"Ah'm fine Big Mac," replied the surly orange mare, "Ah just need to rest mah eyes a bit. We can't afford to get behind."

Big Macintosh shook his head and shifted the stalk of grass in his mouth. "We ain't behind AJ. If anythin' we're ahead 'o schedule with all the buckin' ya've been doin' the past couple days." He slowly began to push and nudge Applejack in the direction of one of the trees that had already been divested of its fruit. "Why dont'cha just lay down fer a spell? Ah'll take care 'o things. Ya just rest yerself here in the shade. Okay sugarcube?"

Applejack let out a loud yawn before looking blearily at her brother. "Okay then," she said before curling up under the tree, "Sure feels nice to lay down a bit."

"Sweet dreams sugarcube," said Big Macintosh softly as he nuzzled his snoozing sister. He turned his attention back to the farm.

"Are you sure?" asked Fluttershy, her normally soft voice nearly inaudible as Angel Bunny pointed insistently at the bed, "But there are still so many critters that need taking care of."

Angel shook his head vehemently and pointed behind Fluttershy, where all her woodland friends were watching intently, all of them making similar gestures indicating that the yellow mare should climb into bed.

"Alright then," said Fluttershy, pulling up the sheets while Angel fluffed her pillow, "If you insist..."

"You guys are really okay with this?" asked Rainbow as she settled her back onto the cloud.

"Yea we've got this," said Thunderlane, "You've been running yourrself ragged boss. It isn't good for you. We'll look after things while you have your nap. Don't worry about a thing."

"Okay then," said Rainbow softly, her eyes steadily drifting closed. It's funny. I've had a hard time sleeping because of Twilight. But now it feels like she's right by me and she's calling for me. Hang on Twi, I'm coming.

The voice of Twilight Sparkle called out across the immeasurable abyss between worlds, carried beyond the boundaries of space and time by a bond of friendship powerful enough to crush down demigods. It disregarded the laws of existence and transcended the limits of what humans and ponies should have been capable of. As she called out, five other voices called back in answer.

And somewhere...someone began to laugh, a malicious cackle echoing endlessly through the void.

The light began to fade as Twilight's prana died down. However, her eyes still shined with an intense, white light. She turned that gaze on Berserker as the black knight struggled to his feet. With a low growl, he lifted his visored gaze to her own. The powerful Servant was still at his fullest strength, his armor having absorbed the impact easily. However, Twilight Sparkle was no longer alone.

She heard and felt five sets of hooves settle onto the ground on either side of her. Looking over, Twilight smiled. She wasn't the only pony in this world, not anymore. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie stood to her right, grinning at her happily. Rarity, Fluttershy and Applejack waited at her left. All of them bore necklaces that were adorned with jewels matching their cutie marks.

"You came," said Twilight, her voice filling with elation as the white light faded from her eyes.

"Of course we did," said Rainbow, "We'd never leave you hanging."

"Oh I'm so fantastically happy to see you!" squealed Pinkie, immediately leaping over and pulling the lavender unicorn into an enthusiastic hug.

"Really, you've had us at our wits end," complained Rarity as she nuzzled Twilight from the other side.

"Thank goodness you're alright," whispered Fluttershy, joining in on the display of affection.

"Ya sure had us goin' there sugarcube," added Applejack.

The lovely moment was broken by two things. The first was a low gurgling noise that reached Twilight's ears. Looking for its source, her eyes widened with horror as she saw Waver twitching spasmodically beneath Mato Kariya, the gaunt magus's hands around Waver's throat. "Waver!"

The second thing that got their attention was an unearthly howl from Berserker, as the dark Servant prepared to charge once again.

"I've got your friend Twi," said Rainbow, speeding off for Waver and Kariya.

Twilight quickly turned her attention back to Berserker and her eyes began to shine once again.

The world was beginning to grow dark. Waver tried desperately, but compared to Kariya's strength born of incalculable rage, it was nothing more than pointless flailing. He was beginning to lose sensation in his limbs and couldn't make out details before his eyes anymore. Is this it for me?

"Hey!" Kariya's head snapped up at the sound of the voice. That was the only warning he received as a blur of blue and rainbow slammed into him, knocking him clean off Waver's body and pulling his fingers away from Waver's throat.

Waver coughed and gagged, forcing air down his much-abused trachea and filling his oxygen-starved lungs. Slowly, he forced himself to sit up and try to figure out who had saved him.

"You okay there pal?"

Waver's head swiveled towards the voice of his savior and found himself staring into rose-colored eyes. It was a pony, similar to Twilight. However, this one was blue and her mane was a vivid rainbow of color. Looking down, he saw that her tail had a matching look. Perhaps most glaringly obvious was the absence of a horn on her head. Instead, a pair of wings sprouted from her back.

"Um, yes," replied Waver, his voice croaking, "Thank you."

Rainbow Dash grinned back at him. "No problem."

Twilight's magic seized Berserker like a vice. Normally, breaking through her telekinesis with brute force would have been a simple thing for the powerful Servant. But now the force of Twilight's prana clamped down on him without mercy, completely overriding his meager Magic Resistance. Tossing her head, Twilight jerked her hold on Berserker and sent him flying through the air again, this time hurling him to the side, which sent him over the heads of Waver and Rainbow and straight into Kariya, who was just beginning to force himself back to his feet.

Servant and Master crashed and tumbled, rolling to a stop in a tangle of dead flesh and black armor. Twilight and the rest of her friends came up to stand next to Waver and Rainbow, the jewels on the five necklaces and one tiara beginning to glow. Once again, a massive amount of prana began to spill into the air, flooding over the battlefield, seemingly erasing everything else from its vicinity.

Waver stared with wide eyes at the spectacle. He'd never seen such an incredible phenomenon, even at the Clock Tower. Instantly he realized what he was witnessing was far beyond the limits of magecraft. This was more the phenomenon of mere human magi. This was the birth of an absolute power, a true miracle. This was Magic.

Streams of light connected the six jewels before joining together to release a brilliant rainbow that spiraled into the air. Cresting high above, the stream of polychromatic light bent and dove straight towards its helpless victims. Kariya and Berserker were only beginning to disentangle themselves and could only watch as the attack slammed home.

Master and Servant vanished in a blaze of light.

OMAKE:

WARNING: The following is not meant to be taken as canon for this story in any sense of the word. Anyone attempting to take it seriously will be mocked relentlessly while I make funny faces behind their back.

"That's it!" exclaimed the brown earth pony stallion with a darker brown mane, "I've got a fix on the signal. I have a lock on Twilight Sparkle."

"That's great Doctor," exclaimed the stallion's companion, a gray pegasus mare, "I was so worried about her when I heard what happened." She ran a hoof through her blonde mane and let out a relieved sigh.

"I have to admit she had me all worried too," agreed the stallion who strangely only answered to the name of Doctor, "Silly mare, attempting trans-dimensional travel without the proper preparations is only going to cause trouble, especially since the Time War went pear-shaped." He shuddered dramatically at the mention of the dreaded P-word.

Ditzy Doo chuckled at her friend's needless dramatics. "So where is she Doctor?"

"Give it a moment," said the Doctor, studying a console in front of him that contained, among other things, a gas gauge, calculator, and television screen. He fiddled with a couple of the dials below and pulled a ripcord. "Ah here it comes now. She's in another dimension...interesting, a human dimension...specific coordinates coming now...oh dear."

"What's the matter?" asked Ditzy.

"I found out exactly which dimension she's in," muttered the Doctor, not sounding happy about it at all.

"That's great!" exclaimed the gray mare, ignoring her friend's pessimistic tone, "Now we can go and get her out!"

"No we can't," said the Doctor, his response suspiciously quick.

"Why not?" asked Ditzy, her ears drooping.

"Because she's in that world," said the Doctor, shivering again.

"What world?" asked Ditzy, tilting her head while one of her eyes wandered off track.

The Doctor gave her his most serious and solemn look. "Only one of the single most dangerous and unnatural human dimensions in all of space and time," replied the Doctor.

"I don't get it," said Ditzy, "Doesn't that mean it's all the more important that we go in and get her out of it as soon as possible."

"No! Absolutely not! There is no way we are going to that dimension." His eyes quickly shuffled to the right and then to the left. "We can't anyway."

"Why not?"

"Article...3579 of the Shadow Proclamation: Do not go into that dimension!" The Doctor seemed to be sweating a little.

Ditzy's eyes narrowed, an effect somewhat marred by the fact that one of them was still refusing to point forward. "You made that up didn't you?"

"No I didn't," said the Doctor a little too quickly.

"Why are you so hostile all of a sudden?"

He shrugged. "Well we're all a little hostile now and then. Some people are able to sublimate, others can't adjust."

"I know, but you're still avoiding the topic. Why don't you want to go into that world."

"Because it's dangerous in ridiculous ways," snapped the brown stallion, "Nobody visits that dimension if they can help it. It's packed to the brim with ridiculous monsters that make no sense. Not even the Daleks will have anything to do with it."

"Why is that?"

"One of them wandered in at some point," said the Doctor, "It probably figured that it'd found some new world to start "exterminating." It didn't last more than a few minutes."

"Why?"

"It ran into some boy who sliced it into pieces...with a pocket knife. Seriously, an ordinary pocket knife and the kid was able to cut right through the outer shell like it wasn't even there. It's probably the most genuinely sorry I've felt for one of those tin cans in my life." The Doctor sighed. "And then there was the time one of the Weeping Angels made it in."

"What happened?"

The Doctor's eyes widened. "This one woman just blasted it into atoms. While it was quantum locked no less! I have no idea how she did that, I didn't even think it was possible to do that!"

He sighed and turned back to the screen. "And then there's that git." His voice dropped down to a growl.

"What git?" asked Ditzy, raising an eyebrow.

"That insufferable arse!" yelled the Doctor, spinning back around, "He jumps around dimensions and alternate planes like he's out on a holiday lark and whenever we cross paths, he's always rubbing it in my face about how he doesn't need some "shabby-looking blue box" to go and see the universe! Bloody Twit!" The Doctor leaned up against a console and began to stroke it fondly. "As if anyone could call this sexy thing shabby."

"So no, there's absolutely no way I'm going to have anything to do with that world if I can avoid it. I happen to think Twilight is going to be safer if I don't interfere. So let's not muck about alright."

Ditzy sighed in resignation. It seemed that this was going to be a sticking point for the stallion. "If you insist Doctor. I don't like to think about Twilight being alone on a world that's as dangerous as you say. But if you insist..."

"It'll be fine Ditzy, old girl," said the stallion, chortling and throwing an arm around her shoulder, "Now come on, we've got a universe to explore. Would you like to see a world made almost entirely out of muffins?"

"Muffins!" exclaimed Ditzy, her dejection over the conversation's previous topic evaporating.

Author's Notes:

Once again, I would like to remind my readers that the above section is written purely in jest, in particular since, when it comes to Doctor Who, I only have the barest notion of what I'm talking about (maybe less), I've only just barely begun to touch the surface of the series, so I can't honestly claim to be any kind of expert.

That said, let the obsessive power-level comparisons between Nasuverse and Whoverse characters/entities begin! I personally will be operating a betting pool on the number of posts it will take for Godwin's law to come into play once the inevitable argument breaks out.

All joking aside, this chapter was both fun and difficult to write. The big issue for Twilight is that, aside from some fairly basic stuff and some occasional novelty spell (usually transforming something into another thing), she doesn't do a whole lot of different magic for a pony who's whole schtick it supposed to be magic, so it's a little hard to think of what she could bring to play in a real battle, particularly since I'm writing her as a character who hasn't actually taken the violent use of magic into consideration when it comes to her studies.

I'm rather happy with how Waver's fight turned out. I was surprised I was actually able to come up with something he could do, since in the original series (and novel) we don't see him do much beyond the basic utility spells that almost every magus seems to have in some capacity or other. So hopefully him getting the upper hand against Kariya didn't come off as ridiculously improbable.

On other fronts, sometime later this week (probably), I will be posting a new story, completely unrelated to this one. I originally intended to wait until I was finished with this story before I began posting it, but I figured that my loyal readers should be entitled to at least see the project that kept me from updating this story for five to six months at a stretch. Savage Skies (tentative title) currently clocks in at a whopping 47 chapters, 510 pages, and 277,017 words, officially making it the longest thing I have written ever. And it's not even done yet! Now that I've gotten the urge out of my system, I am having a much easier time focusing on this story, so hopefully you guys don't have to worry about any more half-year hiatuses from me. That said, I can't guarantee that my brain won't Idea Bomb me again and send me off exploring other story ideas. It's already done that to me twice in the process of writing this chapter, which is why it took a solid month for me to get it out. Fortunately, I managed to master the impulse a little more quickly this time.

I intend to put up a blog post about some of my upcoming projects so that all of you can learn what other little things are impeding the progress of this story (and by impeding I mean ideas forcing their way out of my head and onto my word processor in much the same way a newborn xenomorph forces its way out of a person's chest). Look forward to it.

Changing Fate

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Chapter 9: Changing Fate

Prana roared. Prana surged. Prana raced through him. It was uncertain if this force, if this energy could even be called prana anymore. The Noble Phantasm had taken the elemental energy of the world and transformed it, elevated it into something beyond description, beyond understanding. To have witnessed magecraft at its peak, it was humbling to see that power wrought into something more, something that transcended the boundaries of the impossible, something that could be called Magic.

It flowed through him. It saturated his very being. It unmade him and it remade him all at once. And yet, in the end, it was still very much him. For in doing so, it showed him the Truth of his Self. It sought out what he lacked. It made him whole.

It is truly shameful that I have descended to such a state.

Then why did you do so?

The agony of my treachery, the denial of my atonement, the rejection of my absolution; to even think about it caused me pain beyond measure. The bite of the sword, the point of the spear, the burn of the noose, none of these came even close to what I endured for merely upon entering into thought of what I had become. I could no longer stand it, but it haunted me until I could no longer think of anything but that. In the end, if I could no longer stand my own coherent thoughts, then it was better not to think at all.

You embraced madness?

Because she would not punish or decry me, I could not stand that there was no path to redeem myself for my actions. She deserved better than what I gave her in the end, but refused to take the only things I had left to offer.

You loved her?

Beyond the bonds of king and retainer, beyond that of man and woman, I loved her in the entirety of her Self, she who gave up all for the sake of our land.

Yet you raise your sword against her?

I embraced madness. Yet, even in madness, my heart still knew her. But always, the first feeling that stirred was pain. I could not think, could not quell my instincts, and so acted as all act unthinkingly to end their pain, I lashed out at its source.

Why does it hurt?

I was denied the chance to make right my wrongs, to atone in however insignificant and unworthy a manner I could. She refused to condemn my actions.

Is that not because she perceived you as having done no wrong?

I raised my sword against her! The very sword I pledged to her service, I used to slay my friends, my brothers in arms! I took her glorious reign and turned it into a mire of bloodshed and destruction, all for the sake of a paltry desire!

Did you not act out of love?

I...

She who stood alone atop the martyr's pedestal saw hope in your happiness with her.

She never desired happiness for her own sake, but always wished it upon those she stood above.

You raised your sword to protect that happiness that you had found, that she had fostered. Could it not be said that, in raising your sword against her, you were following her wishes? Even in your treachery, did you not obey her will?

But her kingdom! It fell into ruin. Even now, she fights beyond the bounds of time and space to make right the consequences of my actions.

Were your actions alone truly responsible for her kingdom's fall?

No. Even my treachery was spurred by those who revealed the affair in order to undermine her rule.

In the end, you cannot rule the hearts of others. The only domain over which you hold true command is your own heart. What does your heart tell you to do?

It tells me to follow her will, to fight for my happiness as I did then.

Will you do so?

I...

Madness is nothing more than white noise, a thoughtless drone. It numbed your pain, but the sight of her still inflicted it. Your agony never ended with madness. Will you return to that false promise of mindlessness? Will you embrace the truth within your own heart? Which will lead you to peace?

I...What are you that you know me so well?

I am you. I am the Truth that lies within you that has been muffled by your pain and your despair. I am your answer. What am I?

I...

The blazing surge of prana was the signal. Lancer and Rider both realized its appearance. Both knew its significance. The situation with Caster and Berserker, with Waver and Kariya had changed irrevocably. Delay meant disaster. Action was demanded.

Rider's left hand cracked the reins. With angry bellows, the bulls pulled it into motion. Even with the Gordius Wheel's awesome power and speed, Rider knew that it alone was not enough. Lancer was a foe beyond the reach of an ordinary charge. Victory demanded no less than the strongest blow that Rider could muster.

"VIA EXPUGNATIO!!!"

Thunder roared louder than ever. The distance between Rider and Lancer vanished in an instant. With speed that only the Servant of the swiftest of the seven classes could muster, the bulls and the chariot they drew bore down on Lancer, his meager spears mere kindling before the might of the children of Zeus.

But Rider's attack was not infallible and he knew this well. The wound Lancer had made upon the bull on the right still took its toll. Thus, Rider's ability to change the direction of his attack was hampered. Pulling to the right would cause a delay in reaction. It was a mere fraction of an instant's delay, but before the superior senses and reflection of a Servant, that would be more than enough. It was an opening that Lancer would be all too capable of exploiting. Rider knew he couldn't afford to underestimate Lancer's skill. He pulled the reins to the right, intending to catch Lancer in his dodge and bring about his end.

Rider learned the true skill of Diarmuid Ua Duibhne that day. Rider had already altered his chariot's course to intercept Lancer's attempt to slip to his right.

But Lancer had no such intention from the very beginning.

Impossibly, Lancer leapt to Rider's left. It should have been something that Rider should have been able to compensate for immediately. But the unexpected maneuver caught him by surprise. Rider's own reaction stalled for a fraction of an instant.

That was more than enough.

Lancer cleared the path of the chariot's charge and turned, his crimson spear seeking Rider's flesh. Recovering from his surprise, Rider turned to defend himself. Gáe Dearg pierced through the veil of lightning. The position was awkward for Rider, whose sword was in his right hand. Yet, he managed to move his blade to deflect the attack. However, Lancer was not finished, for he had not truly meant to strike Rider with the red spear.

Following the path that Gáe Dearg cut through the Gordius Wheel's lightning, Gáe Buidhe struck home. Caught off balance, Rider could only watch as the golden spear sank into his shoulder. Pain flared through his body and his left arm lost its strength. He barely had time to return his sword its scabbard before grasping the reins with his right hand. It was all Rider could do not to lose his grip and balance and be tossed out of the chariot altogether.

Lancer did not escape unscathed either. The path that Gáe Dearg cut through the lightning was only wide enough for a single spear. Gae Buidhe was shorter than its brother. Thus, to reach Rider, Lancerhad to plunge his hand and arm into the lightning itself and press his entire side up against the chariot's protective energy. Lightning scorched his arm and body, burning and searing. Once he was certain his spear had struck true, Lancer allowed the recoil of the attack to knock him away.

Under normal circumstances, it was a foolish move. But Lancer's Master could easily heal his wounds in time. The injury inflicted by Gáe Buidhe, however, would not be erased so easily. An eager smile crossed Lancer's face. Let his sword cut your flesh, that you might cut his bone.

"Hyah!" Rider cracked the reins with his one good hand, driving the bulls forward. Rather than turn to try and face Lancer again, he opted to ignore the other Servant in favor of his true objective. Finding his Master was a higher priority in this circumstance, especially since Waver seemed to be in danger as well. The best move would be to consolidate their forces and deal with their enemies as a single unit rather than continue to allow their strength to be divided.

Even though the danger was great, Aaron couldn't stand the thought of missing the moment Caster put his Command Seal to use. Abandoning any pretense of interest in his own situation, he closed his eyes and called upon his Shared Perception with Caster, allowing him to see the battle from her eyes as she unleashed what he presumed to be her Noble Phantasm on Berserker. It had been unbelievable to see her summon others of her kind into this world, but even more so to witness the power that she and her companions had unleashed agains Berserker.

Aaron wished desperately to see what the ultimate result of Caster's efforts, but his thoughts were returned to his own situation as the building rumbled ominously, the vibrations transmitting themselves through the floor and into his body as he continued to remain concealed in a girls restroom. Breaking his connection with Caster, Aaron checked the map he had laid back out now that his spell had confused Kayneth's Volumen Hydragyrum's detection capability.

Kayneth had made his way to one end of the building and was now making his way back. Then, the lines that made up the diagram of the building itself began to blur and run in the area behind Kayneth as he made his way through the hallway. Aaron's eyes widened. That means he's...

Thick silvery tentacles lashed out from the central hub of the Volumen's mass, plunging through mortar and concrete, ripping out structural supports and crushing through walls. As Kayneth continued to walk slowly along, the entire building behind him collapsed in on itself. The eruption of foreign prana from the battlefield where Berserker and Caster fought had made him realize that he couldn't afford to waste anymore time on playing cat-and-mouse with a third-rate magus like Aaron Styx.

"Do you understand you half-baked insect of a magus?" he hissed angrily, "I gave you every opportunity to compete honorably, to stake your pride as a magus on the line for the sake of the Holy Grail, only to find that you have neither honor or pride. If you insist on acting like vermin, then I shall treat you as one."

With another series of devastating strikes, the Volumen Hydragyrum tore down another section of the building, its collapse sending dust hurtling through the air even as Kayneth continued his implacable walk down the hallway.

"Do you understand what that means? If you insist on continuing to hide, I shall crush every bolt-hole, smash every crawlspace, until you either break your cover and step out to accept your fate, or die as I bring your hiding space down on top of you. Even if you run, this place has been enclosed by my bounded field. You shall simply be cornered.

"Do you understand? Die sooner. Die later. It no longer matters to me which you choose Witness. But, one way or another, your death is inescapable. Your fate was decided the instant you made Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi your opponent. You will regret making light of me with every fiber of your being."

...Decided to bring down the entire building if he can't figure out where I am, thought Aaron, That's rather ungraceful. But then again, subtlety doesn't seem to be his thing.

In any case, it was obvious that he couldn't remain in his hiding spot for much longer. Now that Kayneth had opted for such extreme measures, Aaron's only option was to make his escape. However, the barrier was still in place, which mean that even his means of escape were limited. He supposed that he could try calling Caster. If anything, her teleportation magecraft would be able to circumvent Kayneth's barrier. But right now, it was important not to distract her from her own battle. He could call her to his side with a Command Seal, but that meant leaving Rider's Master unprotected.

I should try Kayneth's barrier myself. If I can get out on my own, then I won't need to waste a second Command Seal.

In any case, action was required, so Aaron put his tools away and made for the door. After checking the hallway, he noted that Kayneth was not yet in sight of him. The spell to thwart the Volumen's detection capability was still active in the areas of the building that were still intact, so there was no danger of Kayneth suddenly realizing that he had begun moving out.

Aaron made his way through the empty hallways of the school, down the stairs and towards the door leading to the courtyard. As he passed amongst the student lockers, he noticed something sticking out of one. Normally, Aaron wouldn't have paid it any mind, given the particular urgency of his own situation. However, what drew his attention was the tiny trace of unknown prana emanating from the item. Carefully, Aaron moved in for a closer look, analyzing it for any signs of hostile magecraft.

The prana most certainly was not Kayneth's. This item wasn't a product of his work then. Carefully, Aaron removed the item and examined it. It was an envelope. There was no name on it, no markings of any kind that would betray its point of origin. However, as Aaron examined it, a symbol, made with crimson ink, suddenly seemed to bleed onto the front of the envelope. No...this is blood. Checking the back of the envelope, Aaron noticed a single strand of red hair running across the flap in such a way that it would be broken if he opened it. Turning it back to the front, he saw that letters were now coming into view.

This is your key. Escape.

Frowning, Aaron paused to consider the situation. The prana leaking from the symbol did not belong to Kayneth, nor could he recognize its signature as belonging to any of the other Masters he had met so far. He recognized the blood symbols as an implanted magecraft that would activate once before burning out. It was a fairly basic method of application. Does that mean that this is the key to the barrier? Is whoever planted this trying to give me a means of escape? Or is it a trap?

The building rumbled again. Dust rained down from the ceiling above and Aaron realized that another section of the structure had collapsed. In any case, I'm running out of options right now. So I suppose I should at least give this a try.

Rushing out the front door, Aaron rushed towards the outer wall. He could sense the edge of the bounded field. If this failed, he would be alerting Kayneth to his exact location. Clambering up onto the wall, Aaron raised the envelope. He felt prana flair out from the symbol on its front. More importantly, he sensed the bounded field before him opening up, a door to allow his escape. Not hesitating another second, Aaron jumped down from the wall, slipping through the newly created gap in Kayneth's barrier and ran as fast as his feet could carry him. Behind him, he could sense the barrier seal itself once again, as though it had never opened to begin with.

Aaron didn't stop running until he was several blocks away from the school. Finally, he collapsed against the side of a building, gasping for breath as he surveyed the silent street around him for any signs of pursuit. Seeing that he was alone for the time being, Aaron took the envelope back out and examined it. The crimson ink of the symbol had been burned black. Turning it over, he saw that new lettering had appeared on the back, just over the flap itself. It was a single word, a single instruction.

Pulling on the flap broke the strand of hair. Wordlessly, Aaron lifted out the small sheet of paper that had been folded over and planted within the envelope. As he unfolded the paper, he saw more writing scroll across its surface. Aaron's eyes flicked back and forth as he scanned the document quickly, taking in what it had to say. When he finished, a smirk spread across his face. What an unexpected opportunity.

A flick of his wrist sent envelope and letter spinning away as the final contingency spell within them activated. Both burst into brilliant flames before vanishing without a trace, not even leaving ashes behind.

As Kayneth strolled casually out the ground-floor doors of the school, the final section of the building collapsed into rubble behind him. Turning to look over his shoulder, he cast a disappointed look at the pile. Though it irked him to spend so much effort against such a low-class adversary, it would be best to confirm Aaron Styx's demise.

The destruction of the building had also snuffed out the spell the Witness had been using to confuse the Volumen Hydragyrum's detection function, which mean there would be no more false positives to lead it astray.

"Ire: Sanctio!" With a dismissive wave of his hand, Kayneth bid the Volumen to send its seeking tendrils snaking into the rubble.

Crossing his arms behind his back, Kayneth smiled and waited. "Even if he is already dead, his body heat won't have faded yet. If I am lucky, he is still alive, although grievously injured. Then I will be able to dispose of him at my leisure."

And so he waited...and waited...and continued to wait. But as the minutes crawled past, Kayneth was aware that there was no response from the Volumen. A frustrated growl built in the back of his throat. Just how deep was his concealment that it's taking so long to find him in this mound of rubble?

The searcher tendrils from the Volumen drew back with no reaction, indicating that it had found nothing living or recently deceased within the ruined remains of the school. Kayneth's lips pulled back in a snarl. "It can't be."

At his bidding, a heavy and thick tentacle lashed out from the Volumen Hydragyrum, scattering debris with each blow as Kayneth waded into the ruins. "I will find you!" he howled, "I don't care how well you've concealed yourself! I will find you and I will teach you pain like you've never known before! Do you hear me Witness? I WILL FIND YOU!!!"

The swirling, prismatic storm of prana faded, leaving behind a cloud of smoke and steam in its wake, momentarily obscuring the figures of the two individuals that had been caught within it. Arrayed in a semicircle in front of the impact zone, Twilight Sparkle and her friends waited anxiously, wondering about the outcome of using the Elements of Harmony against Berserker and his Master.

Waver Velvet slowly clambered back to his feet, eyes wide as he tried to see the results of the Magic he'd just witnessed. It had been a spectacular feat to see with his own eyes. But that alone had not been enough to divine its purpose or understand the outcome. "What did you do?" he asked.

"Um...well..." Twilight hedged nervously, "I'm not exactly sure. I don't fully understand the Elements of Harmony myself."

"Huh?" Waver blinked and stared down at the blushing unicorn. The idea that someone could command the power of True Magic without fully understanding it was strange and alien to his mindset. Though he was not a magician, he was fairly certain that the Magic of the human world did not work that way.

Twilight looked like she was about to launch into one of her explanations when the creak of armor distracted them. All eyes turned to the cloud of smoke, which was beginning to fade to reveal the armored figure of Berserker.

The towering Servant stood tall and unbowed, his silhouette looming out of the obscuring fog like a menacing demon. Twilight gulped nervously, but stood firm, confident that the strength of her bond with her friends had changed the course of the battle. Even so, her legs shook a little as the black knight began to step forward, his march bringing him out of the shroud of smoke.

Except...he wasn't black anymore. Neither the mist that swirled around him nor the armor beneath it retained its ebony color. The red of madness that shined through the joints of his armor and out the visor had vanished as well. Berserker looked completely different, almost diminished somehow. And yet, he paradoxically seemed much more than he had been before.

The swirling black mist that had once writhed and twisted about him like a storm in miniature had been replaced with a gently rippling silvery mist that glimmered with occasional faerie-lights, making Berserker's entire form seem to ripple and swim, firmly reminding Twilight of watching the early morning mist dance across the surface of a tranquil lake. Beneath the mist lay armor of gray steel with a dull matte finish. It was simple, unassuming, completely unlike the gleaming plates of armor that Twilight associated with the Royal Guard of her home world and also unlike the silvery gleam of Saber's armor as well.

No sound issued forth from within the confines of Berserker's helmet as he continued to stride forward, each step carrying him inexorably closer to Twilight and her friends. The sign was still gripped firmly in his right hand by the post, but held easily by his side. Unlike before, there were no signs of the invading black lines that indicated Berserker's prana was streaming into the sign, turning it into a deadly weapon. Instead, it looked much as it did before he had wrenched it out of the ground, albeit a little more twisted and battered, thanks to the heavy use it had seen.

As Berserker drew nearer, Twilight dropped into a crouch, leveling her horn at him, the glimmer of magic forming at the tip as she prepared for the fight to resume. Rainbow Dash spread her wings, ready to take to the sky. Applejack also tensed, preparing to charge in and unleash one of her devastating bucks. Rarity cast her eyes about and sighed before lighting her horn as well, seeking an object that she could manipulate in order to attack with. Fluttershy let out a frightened squeak and ducked behind Waver's legs. And Pinkie Pie...Pinkie Pie bounced in place, her trademark happy grin pasted across her face as though she was completely unaware of the severity of their situation.

The steps halted as Berserker came to a stop, standing with them just outside the reach of his weapon. A nervous sweat broke out across Twilight's brow. Any closer and she would have to attack. With the speed that a Servant was capable of, Berserker could lash out and strike her head from her shoulders before she could blink if she allowed him to begin his strike first. She had only been able to evade and defend against his attacks during their fight before by carefully planning ahead and just generally working to keep out of his reach as much as possible. If she was honest, blind luck had played as much of a part in her survival as her skill in planning ahead.

Berserker's armor shuddered once and he leaned forward. Twilight flinched and prepared to fire....Only to stop as Berserker sank to one knee in front of her, his head bowed in supplication. Twilight stared, to stunned by what she was seeing to continue to ready her magic, the glow fading from her horn.

"B-Berserker?"

From within the helmet, Berserker spoke for the first time since anyone had seen him appear on the battlefield. "Caster. I am in your debt for aiding me in finding my salvation." His voice was soft, yet deep and resonant, but lacked any kind of harsh edge.

"What do you mean?" asked Twilight, still unable to tear her eyes away from the odd spectacle before her. Her friends were just as confused as she was, with the exception of Pinkie Pie, who looked fit to burst.

Before Berserker could answer, there was a clap of thunder and a bellow of charging bulls, accompanied by the cacophony of crunching wood as Rider's chariot broke through the tree line. With a sharp cry, Rider pulled on the reins of his vehicle, bringing the chariot to a skidding halt as it swung sideways and came to a rest right next to where Twilight and her friends were standing.

"Rider!" exclaimed Waver with a relieved smile, which faltered when he saw his Servant's left arm hanging limply, a stream of blood trickling from the wound on his shoulder.

With a grimace, Rider examined his wound before grinning cheekily at Waver. "It would seem that I lost my bout with Lancer this time. I'm afraid he pierced me with his golden lance, so this will not be going away soon."

Twilight felt weak as she remembered the secret of Lancer's golden spear, which struck cursed wounds that were impossible to heal. As she watched, Waver extended his arm and used his prana to staunch the bleeding, which was the most he could do. There was no way for him to repair the damage to the muscles and tendons until either Lancer's spear or Lancer himself was destroyed.

Turning away from his wound, Rider surveyed the truly odd scene before him. "It seems that quite the battle has occurred here," he remarked casually.

The breeze stirred up by his arrival swept away the last remnants of smoke obscuring the location where the Elements of Harmony had blasted Berserker and his Master. When it cleared, Twilight was granted a clear view of Mato Kariya as the magus slowly sat up on the ground.

Like Berserker, Kariya had been transfigured by the Elements. His unnaturally white hair had been altered to a more natural gray shade. Furthermore, the lines of blood streaming from ruptured vessels and writhing worms wriggling forth from within his body had vanished. His sightless eye had been fixed, the gray glaze over it having been burned away. His skin was flushed and healthy. He looked perfectly healthy and normal, all traces of the unnatural magecraft that had lurked beneath his sallow skin before were gone.

"What...?" he gasped, looking around in confusion, "What happened?"

Berserker tilted his head back towards his shoulder, his attention going back to Kariya. "Caster has saved us, my Master."

"Berserker?" For a moment, Kariya stared at his Servant in much the same way that Twilight had before. "You spoke?"

"Forgive me for not doing so sooner Master," replied Berserker, standing and turning. He strode back and knelt before Kariya, mirroring the posture he had taken before Twilight. "I fled into the embrace of madness constantly in order to flee the pain brought upon myself by my own hubris. I thought not of the difficulty you had in controlling me as we set out on your quest, nor the burden I placed on you by striking out when you did not wish it. I beg your forgiveness, my Master."

"Uh Twi?" whispered Applejack, leaning over to speak into the lavender unicorn's ear, "What in the hay is going on?"

"I'm...not sure," Twilight whispered back, her eyebrow twitching as she desperately wish what was going on and wondering what the transformation that Berserker and his Master had undergone even meant.

"Aw it's not that hard," Pinkie chimed in as she continued to bounce, "He's all happy that he's not a dark and gloomy meanie-pants anymore!"

"Um...are you sure?" asked Fluttershy as she peeked out from behind Waver's legs.

"Yeah, pretty much," answered Pinkie.

Frowning, Twilight trotted towards Berserker and Kariya.

"Caster, wait?" exclaimed Waver as he watched her go.

"Don't'cha worry none," said Applejack, grinning as she gently patted Waver on the hip, it being the highest she could reach at the moment, "Twi knows what she's doin'." The orange mare turned her gaze back to the pony in question, a concerned expression of her own in place. "At least, Ah hope she does."

Berserker stood again as Twilight approached, turning to face her. She came to stop outside of his reach again. For a moment, they simply stared silently at each other. The silence was less tense than it was awkward as Twilight tried to figure out where on Earth she wanted to begin. Finally, she settled on her first question. "Why are you fighting?" she asked softly.

Berserker's head bowed. "It pains me to admit that I sought the Holy Grail for purely selfish reasons. In my life, I committed an act of great dishonor and treachery. However, my king believed that what I had done no wrong and could not fault me for my actions. In the end, she refused to pass judgment on me. In my hubris, I was unable to accept it, believing that I had been denied atonement and salvation. In the end I turned to madness and answered the call of the Holy Grail, believing that it could grant me the salvation I sought if my king would not.

"However, when your Magic struck me, I was forced to confront the Truth within my Self and realize that, in the end, the only one who could truly grant my salvation was me. I selfishly placed the burden of my own actions upon my king and fled into madness. I have behaved dishonorably, but now know that the power of salvation lay within my own hands."

Berserker's words stirred a sliver of recognition from within Waver's mind as he heard them. A knight who betrayed his king...could it be?

"What will you do now?" asked Twilight, her eyes glimmering with unshed tears as she listened to Berserker's speech. She was moved by his earnestness, his words as soft and gentle.

"I...I no longer have any reason to seek the Grail for myself," Berserker admitted. Behind him, Kariya's eyes widened and a horrified look passed over his face. It was an expression of pure terror, as though his very life and existence hinged upon Berserker's decision. The knight continued to speak. "However, my Master's cause is a worthy one, one which I would be happy to devote my sword to. Because of that, I cannot withdraw from the field, though I hold no desire to point my blade at you Caster."

Twilight stared past Berserker and at Kariya. "What is it that you're fighting for?"

No words issued forth from the armored helm. Kariya averted his eyes and seemed to refuse to speak a word. With a sigh, Twilight trotted forward, walking past Berserker and towards Kariya.

"Caster! Wait!" Berserker reached out with his free hand to stay her advance, but Twilight stopped him with a look over her shoulder. She didn't smile, but her expression could not be called stern or angry. If anything, she looked worried.

"What are you going to do?" asked Kariya, as he scooted back away from Twilight.

"I'm just going to use a spell to see your memories," she replied softly, "I won't hurt you. I just want to know why you're fighting."

"Wait! Berserker! Stop her!"

Berserker turned to face his Master. "It may be for the best," he said, "To allow her to see. Once she knows, I doubt Caster will be able to oppose your quest."

"But...!" Kariya was unable to finish as the tip of Twilight's horn came to a rest against his skull. He felt a tiny flicker of prana and his mind, as well as hers, were whisked away into the depths of memory.

"Welcome back Kariya-ojiisan!"

"Where's Sakura-chan?"

"...Sakura...isn't here anymore."

"Aoi-san...?"

"Sakura is no longer my daughter or Rin's sister. She has been adopted by the Matos."

"Why?"

"Why would the Matos want a child with a magus's bloodline? You should know why Mato Kariya."

"But that's..."

"From the moment I married into a magus family, it became impossible to wish for a happy, normal life."

"That's not true! Isn't that the reason you married Tokiomi?"

"Kariya! This cannot be changed. If you see Sakura again, please be kind to her. She was always fond of you."

"What are you doing back here you disgrace?"

"I heard that you brought in a girl from the Tohsaka family."

"That is true. But it's not the concern of one who ran away from his responsibilities."

"You simply want the Holy Grail so you can wish for immortality."

"The Mato family has no soldiers to field for this Holy Grail War. However, I have a plan for the next, sixty years from now. The Tohsaka girl will bear powerful mages, to say nothing of her own potential."

"In other words, so long as you claim the Holy Grail, the fate of Tohsaka Sakura is irrelevant."

"What are you getting at?"

"I will win the Holy Grail for you and then you will have no need for the girl."

"Ha! You may have once had the potential, but there's no way a quitter like you could become capable enough as a magus to command a Servant in a single year."

"But you have a way around that don't you? Your creepy little creatures..."

"Kariya?"

"Implant your Crest Worms within me."

"Do you have a death wish?"

"The Matos should do their own dirty work. There's no need to involve and innocent outsider. Don't tell me you're worried about me...father."

"Heh. If you wanted to keep the girl from becoming involved...you're too late I'm afraid."

"She screamed and cried for the first three days. The Tohsakas have a lot of vitality. First thing this morning, I threw her down here and here she is, still breathing half a day later."

"Sakura!"

"So what will it be Kariya? Will you offer up your life for a girl who has been violated from head to toe by those insects?"

"Done."

"Hmph. Then lie down there for the remainder of the day and allow them to use your body as their breeding ground. If you are still alive and sane after that, I will accept that you are serious about this."

"Kariya-ojiisan. Are you alright?"

"It's okay. The worms just got the better of me for a little while. I'm not as tough as you are Sakura-chan."

"Are you going away again?"

"Yeah, for a little while. But when I go back, let's go out with your mother and sister again."

"I don't have a mother or sister anymore. That's what I was told."

"...Well then, why don't we go out with Rin-chan and Aoi-san from the Tohsaka house and go somewhere fun, somewhere far away from here, just like we used to."

"Can I really see them again?"

"Yes, I promise. I have to go now Sakura."

"Bye bye Kariya-Ojiisan."

With a snap of sparking prana, the connection broke and Twilight threw herself away from Mato Kariya. For a moment, she stared dumbly off into space as her mind struggled to process what she had seen and heard. Her stomach lurched sickeningly at the memory of the small, innocent girl, lying amidst the squirming hordes of hideous insects that could not have been produced through any natural means, her face a vacant mask of horror as her eyes stared unseeingly upwards.

It was to save her from that fate, to save her from a lifetime of that horror that drove Kariya to continue fighting. He endured unimaginable agony as those worms first used him as their breeding ground, then fed off his flesh to produce the prana he needed to command a Servant.

"Do you understand now Caster?" asked Berserker softly, "Why we fight?"

"I do." replied Twilight, "But what do we do about it."

"Hmm." Rider scratched his head, eying the way he had come from. "While there is a great deal to discuss, I think we should adjourn to elsewhere. Lancer took quite a bit of damage to reach me, but it shouldn't be long before his Master heals him and he gives chase."

Berserker's head snapped to look in the direction of the forest. "He is already approaching." Turning to Twilight, he bowed politely. "Please take my Master with you for now. We were originally allied with Lancer's Master, but I do not believe that state of affairs can continue. I shall hold Lancer back until you are safely away."

"Berserker?" Kariya was clearly reluctant to leave his Servant behind, though why was unclear to Twilight.

"I shall return to your side my Master," replied Berserker simply, "This I swear, not as a Servant to Master, but as a knight to his lord. I shall return to you and we shall save that child from her fate." He knelt before Kariya once again. "I pledge my sword to your service."

"Are you proposing an alliance then?" asked Rider.

"For now, yes," said Berserker.

"I suppose we can accept," mused Rider, "But perhaps we should do something about the size of our party." He turned to survey the assembled group of Waver, Kariya...and six ponies. "My chariot is certainly a roomy vehicle...but this is perhaps too much."

Twilight looked over at her friends and let out a sigh. "I'm sorry everyone. I think I may have to send you back for now."

"Are you absolutely certain darling?" asked Rarity.

Twilight nodded. "Yes. I'm not certain how long my prana can hold out, so it might be best to return you home."

"I don't think they're here in the sense you are," mused Waver, "They appear to be phantasms themselves, like Rider's army."

"Don't worry," said Twilight, "I've figured it out now. I know how to call you if I need your help again."

"Alright," said Rainbow Dash reluctantly before throwing her arms around Twilight, "We'll be waiting for when you call us again."

"Ya stay safe sugarcube," added Applejack, joining the hug.

Fluttershy had nothing to add, but joined the embrace as well, as did Rarity. A few seconds later, the entire group rocked as Pinkie practically jumped on top of them. "You better come back," she said, her tone stern, though she was grinning from ear to ear, "I've got the biggest bestest Welcome Back Twilight party for when you get back from this."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world Pinkie," said Twilight with a smile. Her friends remained gathered around her until their forms evaporated into the night. The tiara decorating her head also began to fade until it was gone.

"Well, now that that's taken care of, come aboard Caster," said Rider as Waver and Kariya had already entered the chariot, "We should be away."

Twilight nodded and lit her horn again, trying to assume human form. However, her horn sparked with a loud snapped and nothing happened. "Ow!" Twilight rubbed her head at the base of he horn gingerly.

"Is something wrong?" asked Waver.

"I think I may have used all my prana," replied Twilight. Suddenly, her vision blurred and she swayed on her feet.

Waver and Kariya shared a glance before the two of them climbed out of the chariot and carefully pulled the woozy unicorn in. They held onto her tightly as Rider cracked the reigns. The bulls bellowed and the vehicle began to soar into the skies. Berserker followed their progress, but turned to face the forest just as Lancer materialized at its edge.

"Berserker."

"Lancer."

For a short moment, neither said anything more. Lancer seemed slightly surprised to hear Berserker speak. "It would seem that you are no longer in the grip of madness."

"Caster's Noble Phantasm has saved me from my own foolishness," replied Berserker, turning to face Lancer fully, "Which is why I will repay them by stopping you here.'

Lancer smiled wistfully. "I have no qualms against fighting you if you have chosen to abandon our alliance. However, I should remind you that you are at a severe disadvantage." He leveled his red spear in Berserker's direction. "Have you forgotten that my Gáe Dearg is the natural enemy of your own skill?"

The armored helm of Berserker turned town to look at the signpost still clutched in his hand. "Perhaps, when I was still in the grip of my madness, your weapon might have given you the edge. However, I shall be happy to show you the full extent of my ability."

"A challenge then!" exclaimed Lancer, "I shall gladly accept." He released his grip on Gáe Buidhe, allowing the golden spear to clatter to the ground. Taking the crimson spear in both hands, Lancer charged forward. The blade became a streak of red light as it lanced towards Berserker's heart. With its capability to cut through prana, it could easily slice through Berserker's improvised weapon. Furthermore, just as it was with Saber, Berserker's armor was likely a magical barrier as well, which meant that it would offer no more resistance than the sign he wielded. Gáe Dearg seemed forged to be Berserker's natural enemy.

The clang of steel echoed through the night. Lancer's eyes widened as Berserker spun his weapon and swiftly deflected the thrust. His weapon had collided with Berserker's and yet...the signpost remained intact. Lancer could scarcely comprehend what had happened. However, hesitation would be fatal. Even if Berserker had somehow miraculously escaped Gae Dearg's thrust, a miracle would not occur twice.

Rallying, Lancer thrust forward again...and again...and again. The ring of metal against metal called out through the night as Berserker flawlessly parried every strike, spinning the signpost like a staff and bringing it across the path of the crimson spear's thrust with speed matching Lancer's perfectly. Focusing all his attention on the point of his own spear, Lancer struck again. Before his eyes, he realized the secret behind Berserker's defense.

Berserker countered Gae Dearg by delaying his parry to catch the spear, not on its blade, but on the shaft just behind it. It was true that Gáe Dearg had the ability to cut effortlessly through prana. But, as the term cutting would warrant, that ability was limited specifically to the spear's blade. The shaft of the weapon itself carried no such quality. It was the ideal way to counter a weapon like Gáe Dearg. But, at the same time, it was still an inconceivable technique. Delaying the parry meant allowing the lethal point of the spear that much nearer to Berserker's body. And, if Lancer was correct in his assessment, Berserker's armor would afford him no more protection than Saber's had. Thus, in order to counter Gáe Dearg, Berserker had opted to stand on the razor-thin margin between life and death, allowing the tip of the spear to within a hair's width of his body before deflecting it away. Even for a Heroic Spirit, such a feat of martial prowess was exceptional.

And yet, Berserker wielded his improvised halberd with flawless precision, not allowing a single thrust to even touch the outer surface of his armor. Even though Lancer was only increasing the speed of his attacks with each thrust, Berserker kept pace, the ringing of steel ceasing to mark individual blows and instead singing out a single constant tone throughout the night.

Then...a slip! Berserker's footing seemed to give and, for a brief instant, the armored knight seemed to be off balance. Seeing his opportunity, Lancer lunged forward, striking straight for Berserker's head. The spear's blade sliced through the dancing silvery mist and seemed to split Berserker's skull...

...Only for Lancer to realize that his aim had been off. The mist dancing around Berserker's form did more than simply shield his parameters from being viewed by Masters and obscure his identity. It also caused his form to shift and blur so that, at any given time, telling precisely where any single part of his body was exactly was a near-impossible feat. Lancer's aim had been thrown off by the mist, causing him to aim for the blurred outline and miss completely. Even as he did so, Lancer realized that this had not been a fluke. Berserker had deliberately shifted his balance in order to invite the attack. Even as Gáe Dearg nearly sliced through his head, Berserker had taken advantage of the moment to step inside the reach of Lancer's spear. The sign came swinging down like the blade of an axe.

However, Diarmuid Ua Duibhne was not first among the Knights of Fianna for nothing. Angling his shaft, he caught the "blade" of Berserker's weapon. Rather than try and match his strength with Berserker's own, he angled the shaft and shifted his body around, using it as as an axis, deflecting Berserker's attack away. The counter sent Berserker stepping into the space where Lancer had been while the more agile Servant danced back. Even as he did so, Lancer thrust out with Gáe Dearg, sliding his hand along the shaft nearly all the way to the butt of the spear, a single speeding thrust for the center of Berserker's body, minimizing the chance that his aim would be thrown off by the mist and striking with speed that the off-balance knight could not hope to counter in time.

It happened in an instant so swift that Lancer's superb vision could barely follow it. Berserker's body was suddenly dyed in jet black that flowed outward into the mist around his body. Red light, matching the color of Gae Dearg itself, shined from the joints in his armor. An angry howl echoed through the night as Berserker's body suddenly moved even faster than it had been before, spinning to swiftly intercept Lancer's thrust with force that nearly tore Gae Dearg from his grip.

And then it was over. As Lancer fell back all the way, his eyes wide with disbelief, the black color vanished from Berserker and his armor assumed its steely gray tone once again, shrouded in that silvery mist. It had been a fragment of a fraction of a second, the change occurring with such shocking speed that Lancer was afraid that he had actually hallucinated it.

The shock was strong enough that the mighty Diarmuid actually dropped his guard, Gáe Dearg coming to hang lax at his side as his mind struggled to process what he had seen. Fortunately for him, Berserker did not seem to be in any mood to taken advantage of his surprise, instead choosing to remain where he was, assuming a more relaxed stance as he faced Lancer once again.

Finally, Lancer spoke. "Who are you?" he demanded, "I know that the Holy Grail War would have us conceal our identities from one another at the behest of our Masters. But never before have I seen such peerless skill and dauntless courage in a foe. I must know your name."

For a moment, Lancer was worried that Berserker would simply ignore him. However, the other Servant finally spoke. "There is no need for you to know my name. As it was in my life, I have no need to give my name for my own sake, but rather let my deeds speak for me."

Lancer sighed. "So be it." He took up a ready stance. However, Berserker noted that Lancer now stood where he had dropped his other spear, where he was ready to kick it up into his hand at a moment's notice. It could be said that Lancer's fighting capacity was not diminished by wielding a single spear. Rather, when faced with an opponent whose armor Gáe Buidhe could not pierce, the golden spear would have been more of a hinderance against Berserker. Thus, he had dropped Gáe Buidhe to fully utilize the advantage Gáe Dearg had given him. However, Berserker's had countered Gáe Dearg's ability with sheer skill, leaving Lancer as the one at a disadvantage.

"Will you take up your other spear?" asked Berserker.

Lancer frowned. "There is no point in wasting effort on a weapon that cannot help in this situation."

"In that case..." With a dull hissing noise, Berserker's armor seemed to dissolve into the mist swirling about him, which thickened to further obscure his features as they were revealed by the armor.

Lancer's eyes widened and he gaped in shock at Berserker's action. "I knew that your Servant class's primary attribute was madness, but not in this sense."

"This is not madness," replied Berserker simply, "This is honoring my debt to Caster."

"What do you mean?"

"Caster saved my soul from meaningless torment and has allowed me to embrace the path of chivalry and valor once more. To that end, merely buying time to ensure her escape is not enough. Nothing less than a victory for her sake will repay her. However, I cannot be satisfied with a victory against an opponent who keeps one of his weapons sheathed. I will face you at your fullest capacity."

Lancer frowned pensively. In other words, Berserker had deliberately chosen a course of action that would drive him to wield Gáe Buidhe along with Gáe Dearg. Was his stated reason correct? Or was there another motive behind Berserker drawing Lancer into wielding both his weapons?

Still, there was nothing to be lost by taking up Gáe Buidhe now. Berserker had cast aside his armor, thus rendering his body vulnerable to the golden spear. It would be foolish to not take advantage of the opportunity. His eyes narrowed as he saw the stance Berserker had taken, the now armorless knight readying himself for a charge directly at his adversary.

"An all or nothing strike," Lancer observed, "You mean to put everything on the line in order to strike a decisive blow? You realize that Saber tried the same thing do you not?"

"Saber's effort failed because you capitalized on her incomplete knowledge of your identity and your Noble Phantasms," replied Berserker, "However, I know the capability of both your spears. Had she known the truth about your spears, she would not have fallen victim to your trap."

He spoke with the assuredness of familiarity, something that made Lancer pause. Did she know Saber during her life? Perhaps this was a clue to the mysterious Servant's true identity.

Berserker continued. "But now your position is reversed. You are the one who has incomplete knowledge of my capacity."

At that, Lancer's eyes narrowed as he realized that it was all too likely that Berserker did indeed have a card hidden. Both his skill to wield ordinary objects on a level equal to Noble Phantasms and the mysterious mist that veiled him seemed to be tools meant to keep his identity obscure. If that was the case, then Berserker likely possessed another weapon or ability behind the ones he already wielded. It would not do to go into such an unknown situation without both his weapons. With a flick of his leg, Lancer kicked Gae Buidhe into his left hand.

"I do not know what you are planning," he declared as he took his favored stance, spreading both spears like a pair of wings, "But I shall not allow you to succeed. I will ask you one final time. Who are you?"

"No one of consequence," replied Berserker simply.

"I must know."

"Get used to disappointment." Lancer could practically hear the smirk in the other Servant's voice.

Berserker rushed forward, the signpost held up and ready to strike down at Lancer's head. However, rather than wait for him to come, Lancer charged forward as well, trying to use his own movement to throw off Berserker's timing. As he did so, he thrust forward with the crimson spear. Rather than aim for Berserker's body, which would allow him to simply deflect the blow as he had before, Lancer aimed directly for the sign itself as Berserker brought it around to counter.

Gáe Dearg's blade sliced through the steel like butter. The sign that had served as the weapon's blade came off the top, leaving Berserker holding nothing but the post. In that same instant, Lancer stepped in further and thrust forward with Gáe Buidhe, his spear heading straight for Berserker's heart. At this range, even if he missed a lethal blow, he would still strike a debilitating one that Berserker could not heal.

The golden spear pierced through the ebony mist and struck nothing but air. The post of the sign hung in the air briefly, but Berserker's hands were no longer gripping it. Lancer realized that he had been fooled. Berserker had deliberately offered up his improvised weapon to draw Lancer's attention to the space in front of him. By focusing on the sign, Lancer had missed the moment that Berserker had sidestepped his attack.

His ear picked up the crunch as a foot came down with enough force to shatter the asphalt upon which they stood. It came from Lancer's left. His gaze shifted to follow and his eyes widened as Berserker charged in from his flank. The black mist had vanished and Lancer saw his adversary clearly for the very first time. He also saw what his opponent now brought down with his right hand, a gleaming blade that shined under the moonlight, its quality not inferior to the one that Saber herself had wielded. There was no mistaking this mighty sword, one lauded as equal to Arthur's fabled Sword of Promised Victory. In that instant, Lancer finally knew his opponent's identity. But that knowledge did him no good now.

Desperately, he retraced his left arm and raised to Gáe Buidhe to intercept the strike. Too late, Lancer realized that this was exactly what Berserker had wanted him to do. This had been his intent when he discarded his armor. He had said that he wanted to face Lancer at his full capacity. But what he had really wanted was for Lancer to take up Gáe Buidhe and bring it into a position where it could be targeted in the same way Lancer had targeted Berserker's own weapon.

A splatter of blood traced a red arc through the night air.

An oppressive gloom hung over the Einzbern castle. Even though the banquet had ended, the other Servants had departed (or been killed in Assassin's case), a subtle sense of melancholy pervaded the structure as Irisviel made her way down the hall. Her heart was troubled. In spite of the words she had spoken to Caster at the church, she was not certain she could truly find it in herself to face that innocent child as an enemy. In many ways, she embodied the very things that Irisviel and Kiritsugu were fighting for, the things that they wanted to save from the darkness that lurked in the hearts of humanity. However much conviction she had for her and Kiritsugu's dream, Irisviel couldn't help but wonder if they were doing the right thing if they had to kill Caster in order to bring it to fruition.

She was not the only one troubled that evening. Saber also remained distant after the banquet's conclusion as she wrestled with Rider's anger, Archer's contempt, and Caster's sympathy. The King of Knights gazed pensively out of a nearby window, staring out at the night sky. This far from the lights of Fuyuki, the stars were not obscure and shined down with all their glory. It was an inspiring sight, but one that seemed lost upon Saber, whose eyes were blocked by her own thoughts.

Abruptly, something changed. Saber's body went rigid with shock. Before she could react, Irisviel felt prana flow from her and into Saber, almost automatically. She hasn't been injured tonight. So the only reason that my healing spell activated is...! Irisviel could not pry her eyes away from Saber as she turned from the window and stared, dumbfounded, down at her left hand. Slowly, Saber clenched that hand shut with a renewed strength.

Saber turned and looked out at the window again, gazing at the moon, her mind going to her fellow Servant and knight who, somewhere, was standing under that same moon...or perhaps not any longer.

"Lancer..."

OMAKE:

Noble Phantasm: Element of Magic
Owner: Twilight Sparkle
Rank: C
Type: Support

The Element of Magic is the Noble Phantasm belonging solely to Twilight Sparkle. It is a component of the powerful Elements of Harmony, which are capable of accessing True Magic and has almost never been used as an individual Noble Phantasm in its own right. The Fourth Holy Grail War actually marks the first time Twilight has wielded the Element of Magic in its individual capacity.

On its own, the Element of Magic is a C-Rank support Noble Phantasm designed to aid in the application and utilization of magecraft. It can be used to streamline spells for more efficient prana usage and lower the overall prana cost of powerful spells, such as the magecraft necessary to summon the other Elements of Harmony (and their bearers) to the human world as phantasms, as well as maintain their presence in the World. That said, even this attribute is unable to truly offset the massive cost of such a powerful and advanced application of magecraft. It is this fact that allows the Element of Magic to showcase its true potential.

The Element of Magic allows the wielder to borrow prana against their future expenditures, allowing them to utilize more prana than their normal Od would be able to provide. Because there is no upward limit to how much or how far ahead the magus can borrow prana from, the amount of prana available to user of the Element of Magic is theoretically unlimited. However, upon ceasing usage and deactivating the Noble Phantasm, the user experiences a drain of Od for a period equivalent to the amount expended while wielding the Element of Magic. Because of this, if Twilight Sparkle's prana usage exceeds the amount of prana she could theoretically expend over the course of her life, removing the Element of Magic would immediately result in her death.

While the Element of Magic has substantial potential as a support-type Noble Phantasm, its true purpose is to serve as the keystone and control for the Elements of Harmony. Thus, its greatest individual ability is the ability to call the other elements (which Twilight's magecraft allows this ability to be extended to their bearers) to its location and enable them to access the True Magic available only when all the Elements are assembled.