Fate/Reckoning (A Fate x Cold War Story)

VloneVllain · Apr 24, 2024

CATASTROPHE

"Command, this is Ulysses. We are taking off as we speak. The whole crew is safely on board." Alex heard the helicopter pilot speak from the cockpit. "Hang on! Orange, give me max power, and don't anybody be near the gate, we're closing it very soon." As the door to the helicopter closes, and Cooper scoots on closer from the edge, Alex could take a final glimpse of the evacuated city they found themselves in, alongside some… God knows what. "Ladies and gentlemen, although the ones on the top already figured the blast radius of the bomb, please still be mindful of any shakes or tremors that will hit this vehicle." Ah, right. The bomb, they're going to drop a goddamn nuke on this city.

Approximately five hours ago, Alex's team was sent to Cancun from Puerto Rico to supervise an apparently ongoing military-level threat that appeared on the coast. What a "military-level threat" was doing on a holiday destination in Mexico was beyond his expectations, but when they got here, it became obvious this is no ordinary encounter. Right as his team contact with the local military, he saw something that he thinks he will never forget, even if he died and came to the underworld. It was very black. So much so, that Alex thought it could be called vantablack. Something that looks so dark like it should be impossible, the very stark contrast it had with the orange and dusky sky makes it look like it's not supposed to be here, like it came from another world. That, or it is made up of those computer graphics that is hot right now in movies. He never got a good look at it, because they were busy moving around, helping the civilians in the area evacuate from that monstrosity, and also helping the injured.

Doing all of their tasks was rather hard and bothersome, though not actually because of the gigantic hell-spawn that comes farther and farther from the horizon and closer into the shore, but from the various noises of the military vehicles that gave all that they got to try to harm, or at least slow it down for a little. And damn it, they really tried. They expended all they have, from bullets, to rockets, and everything in between. Whatever they sent the monster's way, nothing seems to harm it or even make it flinch, because they just keep going at it again and again. Moving unfettered, the object causes further panic and disorder among the ranks, at least that is what he can tell from the constant shouting in the comms, random words he could make out here and there among the jumbled mess of noises of water and explosions, and the glitches. Honestly, the thinks those ungodly and explainable sounds would haunt his nightmares forever. He felt like he was in one of those monster movies, like the ones popular in Japan, though playing the role of the hapless wandering soldier didn't feel fun or exhilarating, at all.

Alex wasn't even sure they got every citizen safely when they were given orders to evacuate from the city. He was confused, until he saw the first jet planes head away from the bay's direction, and he figured out what was going on. They moved hastily towards their designated getaway vehicle, which is a helicopter. He was the first to enter, and he was the one to help the others get on board. "Curtis, get yourself together, man!" he shouted at the soldier who stumbled in front of him. Curtis is a tough guy, and he was the one that was the closest to the shores from their team. Alex had figured, whatever that thing was, it made the strongest soldiers of the strongest military on Earth panic, and sent them running with their tails between their legs. His very bad Spanish made his communication with the screaming and crying Mexican mothers unbearable, but he decided he was lucky one.

And now here Alex was, sitting and taking a rest inside the helicopter. As a last resort, the higher-ups decided to just nuke the entire city and see what happens. How would they then even cover it up? Who the fuck knows. Alex doesn't know why, but he feels this incident wasn't the first of its kind that the US military found itself in. While he was contemplating, he looked up from the ground to take a glance at the others. They were all shook from what has occurred and what they have seen. Barely any sounds can be heard from the passenger seats. "We… we didn't even make sure we got all of them yet…" Ramirez didn't have to remind Alex. None of them bothered to respond, including Alex. He couldn't read their minds, but he could tell from their faces that there is a mixture of deep sorrow and silent gratitude after how close their evacuation was. Alex made a note to always count his lucky stars from now on.

After some more time up in the air, Alex looked out the window of the helicopter. From this height, and away from the chaos and adrenaline on the ground, he could more clearly make out the what the beast they were running away from. The giant void that was coming their way was a massive serpent. Its absurdly thick body could destroy buildings with amazing ease. He can't tell how long its body is, but from what he could see there were still parts of it that was just emerging from the ocean. In the shortest way he could describe it, it looked like a giant, semi-aquatic, slithering black hole. He now understood why both the Mexicans and Americans was scared shitless of this thing. It looked like it came straight out of the underworld of some ancient mythology, he couldn't tell which. When it goes somewhere, it leaves a trail of more black, gooey, and smoky substances that looks like it was slowly melting away.

Soon after, a bomber emerges and closes in on the city. It places itself on top of the monster, and drops something upon it, fleeing the scene then after with incredible haste. In less than a minute, the whole sky turns orange, as a massive explosion engulfs the entire city. Its thunderous roar shocked everyone in the passenger seats out of their melancholy. "Now I know it seems bad… but… yeah, it seems bad…" Their chopper was one of the vehicles that was nearest to the explosion, and the Captain's pitiful attempt to comfort everyone else almost made him laugh out of grim amusement. "Orange, I know you are trying your best, but the current situation calls for better than best!" Alex feels bad for the chopper's pilot, Orange. "Holy shit." Alex finally lets out a sentence after several minutes of silence among the passengers. He doesn't know why, but he just felt like the massive happening that is going on calls for someone to at least say something.

"Yeah… I hope we get out safely, 'cause this will be a hell of a story to tell my grandkids!" of course Curtis would say that. He could see that Ramirez was clasping his hands together, silently praying. Alex isn't very religious, but he was tempted to join him. It seems everyone was also wishing and praying for their safety inside their heads, in their own ways. As his eyes returned to look at the window, Alex could only think, they're somehow going to blame the Cubans for this.

'Weapons of mass destruction' has become a sort of dirty word in modern geopolitics.

The 'Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty', or START, was signed in the 24th of December 1989, between the United States President Ronald Reagan, and Supreme Leader of the Soviet Union Grigory Romanov. 'An early Christmas present for the entire world', Reagan described it as. The long-overdue treaty obliges both nations to limit its deployment of strategic offensive arms, resulting in the decommissioning of 80% of the arsenal of both nations. The announcement of the signing was a surprise for the world, and a very welcome one. After ten years of turbulence and tension between the Western and Eastern blocs, no one thought that the decade would end with the two leading superpowers would put their differences aside and limit their own arsenal of destruction, for the ultimate good of humanity. It was joy and celebration everywhere, and though the Cold War still rages on, many would become optimistic and hold out hope that maybe, one day, the superpowers could reach a consensus, and the whole world would become peaceful again.

But the ultimate reason for the treaty's ratification eluded most.

Entering the end of the decade, a secret project that the two countries have been on-and-off working on would come to fruition. Seven individuals, of exceptional magical ability, has been chosen by top brasses of each country to participate in an unprecedented conflict. It is a conflict not fought in the battlefield between armies, but between two teams of seven individuals, and their familiars. These familiars, called Servants, are unlike any other familiar, as they possess unique personalities and are capable of strategic thinking on their own. They are summoned from the Throne of Heroes, a realm outside of time and space where men and women of great renown are immortalized by their heroic, or 'anti-heroic' deeds. The summoners of these familiars are the Masters, the primary participants of this battle between mages, called the Holy Grail War.

Where a Holy Grail War is usually composed of seven Masters battling each other, the Holy Grail War of 1989 is unlike any other. Two superpower countries, each with their own Masters and Servants, will send them to the battlefield for them to fight amongst each other and determine which of the two teams of seven will bring the home the coveted Holy Grail. Acting as the neutral party in this 'Great Holy Grail War' is the Mages Association, an international ancient organization specializing in the preservation of Magecraft and Mystery. Their role is to make sure the behavior of the participants stayed within the boundaries of the rules, and that the veil and secrecy around magecraft is maintained at all costs.

The extraordinary wish-granting abilities of the Holy Grail puts what can be achieved with weapons and force to shame, and it is for that the two superpowers are desperately aiming for. The Holy Grail could reshape the entire world, or completely make a new one to the benefit of the victor. The Great Holy Grail War may seem anachronistic to many, a magical battle between superpowered spirits to determine who gets their wish granted sounds absurd in the modern world of reason and science. Yet for this war and this Grail War only, the leaders of two modern and advanced countries will put aside their skepticisms of the supernatural to achieve their goals. For many mages, they would consider this the last true hoorah for Magic.

So, welcome to something that came out of an idea a long time ago, Fate/Reckoning, a Fate-inspired story set in an alternate Cold War. The concept for this existed in some shape or form since I first heard about Fate/Apocrypha, as the concept of a Great Holy Grail War between two teams of competing masters and servants is something that I think has great potential. I was inspired to begin writing this after I found another Fate story called The Manhattan Project II, from the Beast's Lair forums, which was completed a long time ago. Needless to say, despite having a similar concept, Fate/Reckoning will be different from its predecessor in various ways. Also, while I have the general outline of the story figured out including the ending, a lot of it will be figured out as I go on.

Another thing I want to note is although I will stay within the general boundaries of magecraft and Throne of Heroes in the Fate universe, I am going to put my creative spin on a lot of it, especially the servants. I will say this now because the liberties would be jarring to some. Expect there will be a lot of them that are original to this story.

Lastly, Grigory Romanov is an actual Soviet politician that was once of the candidates to become General Secretary in 1986. Him being in power here foreshadows how different this Cold War would be from our timeline.

VloneVllain · Apr 25, 2024

INTRODUCTIONS – PART 1

Science moves toward the future, but magic moves toward the past.

Yulia remembered her father said that, a long time ago. It was when she was young, just at the cusp of beginning her magus training. The more knowledge and experience she gained during her education in the supernatural, she realized just how true that statement was. Scientists strive to make new and groundbreaking discoveries, and pave they way with breakthroughs so their name can be remembered for future generations, or tread the path that was once travelled by their predecessors, albeit in unique and interesting ways. Mages are the opposite. Anyone who dares to declare themselves a mage in this modern world knows the pitiful state of modern magecraft. Compared to their ancient predecessors, there are only few who could be considered True Mages in this current day. Everything they have pales when faced with the sheer knowledge that pre-modern mages possess. Because of this, the more ancient and archaic that a knowledge in magecraft was re-discovered, the more valuable it is in the eyes of mages. To put it simply, there is nothing 'new' to be discovered in magecraft and mystery.

As technology becomes more and more advanced and the world moves forward, some in the community of mages would consider that magecraft, and its more advanced form, magic, to be dying. Adapting their field of knowledge to the modern world becomes even harder, as the archaic-minded important figures within the global community of mages simply ignored the changing modern ways and cling to their outdated behaviors, choosing to live out-of-date lifestyles. Another thing that contributes to the slow decline of Mystery is the dwindling number of those interesting in learning it. Some of it could be because of simple disinterest, but a bigger cause is the sheer stress it causes to those to the lives of its students, and the people around them. Maintaining the masquerade around magecraft puts a lot of pressure on soon-to-be mages, especially those who came from ancient and prestigious mage families. It is not easy to isolate yourself from normal humans living normal lives to learn an art that is quite simply, not that well-regarded anymore. Those who would stray from the path of a mage chose to reintegrate themselves into modern society, refusing to pass the burden of its knowledge to their descendants.

Yulia Kaminski's family somehow found a manageable balance between the normal and the supernatural.

The Dvorinsky's were an old family of mages that lived where is now the Ukrainian SSR since the 17th century. They've lived in the area around modern Kharkov (or Kharkiv, as the local Soviet republic insists on calling it now) and never moved anywhere else, until they were forced to in 1953. The reason was of the Stalinist government forcing mages and mage families to register themselves and help Stalin in his various efforts whenever he needs them to, something which her family refused to comply with. Her family was just stubborn like that, something which she can relate to. Her grandfather, along with a young Artyom Dvorinsky, Yulia's father, fled to Britain during a wave of political refugees coming into the West from the Soviet Union. There was no one else, as theirs was always a small family, as most prestigious and important mage clans tend to be. Despite bringing their knowledge of magecraft with them, they never involved themselves in the local English community of mages, which is surprising due to them being one of the most decorated and well-regarded in the world of magic. Dedushka was very adamant they kept everything involving magic on the down-low, No one in the Mage's Association knew that the family now known as the Kaminski's was actually a prestigious bloodline of Mystery practitioners. And to the city of Brighton, they were a simple well-off foreign family who fled communism to find a better life in Britain and to contribute to the community.

"How has your stay in Leningrad been so far, ma'am?" her designated driver said to her politely. Yulia knew he was just being nice and trying to make her feel easy, but she couldn't help but grimacing. He was from the government, and she naturally distrusted anyone that was from the Soviet government. "We have been putting in the effort to accommodate you as much as possible, we are sorry that you haven't felt welcome yet." The driver continued.

"No, it's… fine. I've lived in England for most of my life, so most of it is just simple culture shock of being here. I appreciate all the comfort's you all have given me so far, truly." She was being partly honest. Leningrad is very different from Brighton. The most notable thing is the rarity of cars and personal vehicles, as it seems like most of the residents prefer to go on public transportation. It's probably because of its quality, but she wouldn't know because she hasn't gone on one yet. Despite that, she still had to stay alert at all time. This was the country that her family fled from. Everyone could be an enemy here, she thought. I can never tell whether someone is from the authorities or not.

"Ah, you are right, I suppose. Ours and Britain are very different societies. You know, I've been to a bunch of countries in my life, but I have never been to a western capitalist country. I would like to visit Britain at least once in my life, even if because of nothing else but curiosity." Yulia can see him smile while looking at the rear-view mirror. "The name is Andrei, by the way. Sorry I never bothered to introduce myself."

"It's okay, it's nice to be able to put a name to a face." She responded to his polite gesture. They will likely never meet each other again, but she appreciated what he was trying to do, even if she was still suspicious of him and people like him.

The ride goes on for about half an hour. Along the way, he tried to strike minor conversations with her about small things, to fill the empty air more than anything. He was nice and polite enough to her, but Yulia wasn't sure how much of it is because of him as a person or because he was obligated to be. "It seems we are closing in on our destination," Andrei said after some silence. "I assume you have been briefed thoroughly by our agent, so I don't think I need to divulge more details." Yulia could start to see the visage of the Vyborgskaya Station. After a short while, the car stopped. "We have reached your destination. If you do not have anything further to talk about, you can go and get your things ma'am." Andrei says while showing a sudden smile at her. While before it was rather comforting, now it makes her a little uneasy.

After she picked up her belongings, the driver bid her a small goodbye and began to drive off. Yulia turned to look at the station. The Vyborgskaya was built rather recently, and she could tell with its stark modernist architecture making an odd contrast to the old buildings that surround it. In this time of the morning, the area around the station was empty, as she expected. She hoped her clothes would help her conceal her identity as she walked in these dark streets. As she entered the Vyborgskaya, she recalled the directions that the agent told her she must go to. The idea that a top-secret military laboratory has one of its entrances in an underground metro, sounds like something out of a spy movie, but this is what she found herself in. As she walks, there is barely anyone to be found in time at the station. She could see a couple people sleeping on the benches, suitcases next to them. She was sure that one of them, a bearded elder, opened his eyes to look at her for a second. I am being watched.

"Yulia… Kaminski… is that correct?"

She stared at the security guard currently holding her identification card. Her liaison managed to quickly forge an identity for herself when she arrived in Leningrad. She was actually surprised they even bothered to even make one, when it allowed Yulia more freedom and agency while she was in the country. She figured it's another effort to manufacture a false sense of security.

"Yes, that is correct." Yulia answered succinctly. She could tell the guard was becoming uncomfortable under her gaze, as he tries not to make eye contact with her. He is probably new, she thought. It surprised her after all her dealings with the experienced operatives in Leningrad.

"Okay…" He pressed a door to open the tall metal doors. "Welcome to AGARTHA, lady. Make sure to follow the rules. Also keep yourself safe, lots of dangerous things 'round here." The guard smiled awkwardly. "Oh yeah, here's your card." Yulia accepted her card. "Thank you, sir."

The first thing that she noticed as she entered the facility was how fresh suddenly the air became. After quite a long walk in the damp and dim tunnels, it was a quite relieving feeling. In the center of the large entrance room, she could a receptionist desk. Before she could come up to it and ask for directions to her destination, she heard a male voice saying "Yulia Kaminski." She then turned around and took a look at the man who called her. He was wearing a white lab coat over a gray suit, which she assumes is the regular clothing for the people around here. He was plain looking, though the slight graying in his hair and stark look in his eyes suggest much wisdom experience. "I was expecting you would come."

Slightly confused, Yulia tried to look at his name tag. "Yes that is me, Doctor…"

"My name is Dr. Belyov. I already know quite a lot about you, and you will know more about me later. If you don't have any more inquiries, we should head out now." The man named Belyov interrupted her. "Sure… okay." Yulia didn't quite know how to respond.

As Yulia followed Dr. Belyov to where she needed to be, she looked around and took in the sights of AGARTHA. Despite the large size of the hallways and doors, everything looked quite empty. She could tell that this facility is new, as the very modern design and general appearance is befitting for a site with the purpose on testing super-advanced technology. While the two are walking, Dr. Belyov's head turns to face another scientist. "Ah, Gennady! You've brought our new acquaintance here."

The woman's pleasant friendliness surprised Yulia. "So I assume you've already helped her to know about this place better, didn't you?"

"I already told her what is necessary." These two people are polar opposites of each other. The scientist woman then turned to face Yulia, ready to converse with her.

"He's just like that sometimes. You can call me Dr. Novak. A pleasure to meet you." She let out a hand to Yulia, which she grabbed and shook. "Unlike others, I actively try to accommodate the newcomers here. Now, shall we continue our journey?" At her invitation, they decided to continue. "I haven't had my coffee in a while." She could hear Belyov state plainly.

Taking advantage to her new host's friendliness, she decided to pry further on the details of her task. "So, I am the last Master that hasn't summoned a Servant, yes?"

"Mhm, that's correct. The only class that hasn't been summoned yet is Archer, so we have assumed that it will be your Servant's class." Before Yulia could ask another question, Novak raised a hand. "Though I will note, we cannot reveal the identities of the masters and their servants until you have summoned yours, so, just leaving that out." She said, making it clear for Yulia.

"That is right. Be that as it may, we cannot disobey formal orders." Belyov chimed in.

"Ah, I see." Yulia responded to them, trying to be as expressionless as possible. She remembered it now. No matter how much she tried to be friendly with them, until Yulia has proven her worth, they can't quite let their guard down with her. She was, after all, the daughter of a political exile returning to her motherland. The only reason she was here because of the Soviets' need for her talents, and her own objective of securing a pardon for her family after their betrayal. The opportunity to participate in a historic event such as this was also certainly a factor.

Yulia decided to stay quiet until they have reached their destination. Turns out, it would be sooner than she thought. It was a large, blank, circular room with very high ceilings. It did look like the perfect room for a summoning ritual. "This will be where you will summon your Servant. We designed it specifically for that purpose, did you know? Pyotr?" As Novak said that, a soldier arrived while bringing a bag. Yulia assumes that is for the ritual. "Yes, thank you. In this secure bag, you will find everything you need for the ritual." It made sense. When Yulia first arrived at Leningrad's airport, the agent brought a small group with him to check her and made sure she didn't bring the ritual items on her own.

"Now, don't worry. We know that you have experience with this kind of stuff, we you won't be interrupted and we'll let you do what you are supposed to. So unless you have something you want to tell us…"

"Dr. Novak? Dr. Belyov? The Director is waiting." A voice interrupted the female scientist. The Russian speech is mixed with a foreign accent, she would guess either German or Dutch.

"Novak, we need to go." Gennady Belyov spoke up.

"Ah yes, seems like someone needs us. We will see you later, Ms. Kaminski. Good luck on the ritual." Novak said, flashing a small smile at Yulia before following after Belyov.

Yulia entered the large chamber. Looking up, she could see a medium-sized glass overlooking the entire room from the front. Though there are a couple people that are behind it, there is only one that is looking at directly at her, a sharp-dressed man that is easily distinguishable from every other person in this facility. I would guess that is 'The Director'. Not allowing an expression to show on her face, she starts to make preparations for the ritual. She didn't really know why the room needed to be this large, considering a summoning circle is quite small. You can never be quite careful, I suppose. After she finished drawing the circle, she looked up and saw Dr. Novak and Belyov now behind the glass up above. Novak was talking to the Director and a third man, while Belyov was staring at her. Returning to her task, Yulia grabbed the jewels from the bag, and held it above the circle. "Enclose." She repeated the word five times, as the jewels started to glow.

"Begin."

As Yulia dropped the jewels, it is time for the circle to glow. Near this striking light below her, she had no choice but to close her eyes. She could feel the magic circuits inside of her starting to burn. "I announce," Yulia clenched her fist, "thy body shall be under my command, my fate shall be determined by thy power. Until the very end, thy mission will not end until I achieve my victory or thy perish. The Holy Grail's call has been heard, and so will mine be." The air around the room starts to feel stronger, as she needed to keep her balance to not fall over. "As to an oath I will abide, the Throne of Heroes shall provide. So, send forth unto me, a guardian!" Yulia shouted while re-opening her fist. Immediately, she felt a strong heat emerge in front of her. She couldn't wait to open her eyes. As the heat started to disappear and sweat rolled down her brow, she finally saw what was in front of her.

Inside the cirle, a geen-cloaked man sitting on the floor. He looked up from the ground, his sharp green eyes placed on Yulia. "Servant class, Archer." He looked around for a second before continuing, "Weird place to be summoned in, but still, nice to see you, Master." Yulia became nervous. She didn't really know what to say, should she ask for this Archer's true right here and now? They didn't really tell her anything about this. "If… you may… you will reveal your true name." Yulia didn't intend for that to come out as awkwardly as it did. "Heh. For now, you can just call me Robin." The Archer said as he cracked a smile.

"So, my name is Elias Meyer, I am another Master working for the Union. And, uh… nice to meet you."

The mysterious voice that spoke to Dr. Novak before now has a name. Even though Elias' face has a bookish appearance, he looked well built, especially for a scientist in AGARTHA. "Yulia Kaminski, a pleasure. From your voice, I assume you aren't from around here, are you?" She was rather curious about his nationality. Elias let out a chuckle before answering, "I thought you would come straight after my Servant's class, but regardless, I'm German. To be specific, I came from the German Democratic Republic." He seemed more confident now after Yulia asked him that. "Hmm, I see. I would think you already know where I'm from, so, yes, about your Servant's class?" After Yulia asked him that, he smirked.

"Caster, you can reveal yourself now." In about a second, a woman appeared besides Elias. The first thing Yulia noticed about was her dark skin and long, flowing purple hair. Her clothing was very revealing, consisting of a simple set of two-piece smooth white silk coverings, and golden jewelry. On her right hand she was holding a staff, and… are those dog ears? "Greetings, lady. I came to this place with the title of Caster, and I am ready to serve my Master in his war. If you are Master's ally, then I hope we can work together for the good of our goals." Despite her cheerful expression, her way of speaking is very formal. If Yulia were to guess, she thinks this Caster already practiced these words multiple times before uttering them.

Suddenly, her Archer who was in spirit form for the entire conversation, materialized. "Greetings as well to you, Caster." The Caster in front of him was startled, although her Master only had on a confused expression.

"Gah! I mean, yes… You are this lady's Servant, correct? And from the weapon that you bear, you are also an Archer, correct?" Caster said back, while also simultaneously trying to regain her composure.

Yulia's Archer smiled. "Heheheh, I'm sorry if I startled you, m'lady, but surprising people is something of a habit of mine. Also, Sir Meyer, nice to meet you. I have to say, you look like more of a man of action than the bookish scholar stock that is found in this… I still don't know what this place is…" Robin's eyes start to wander around the hallway. "Ah, of course, Archer. Let's just say, I tend to do more… adventure, in my various researches." Elias said to Robin in a confident tone. "Adventure! Yes, to explore every crevice of God's beautiful Earth is certainly a wonderful pastime."

Yulia couldn't but feel a little amused at the interactions between the people around her. Robin (she has a few ideas on his real identity) did sound like he came out of the Middle Ages, which is befitting of his clothes and weapon. Also, she had no idea about this before, but she could smell the aroma of her servant, and he definitely smells of grass and nature, which combined with his appearance, makes Robin like some sort-of hunter that dwells in the wilderness, from some children's storybook. Yulia was indeed starting to feel comfortable around him, after their previous conversations. "So you had to move around a lot huh, m'lady? That's something I can relate to. Though from how you described it, I don't think I was moving between distances as far as you did." Robin said to Yulia while hearing her share some details about herself.

In fact, she really shouldn't be that comfortable in this place. She should never be comfortable until she had gotten what she wanted, out of this war and these people. Yulia can't really explain it, but from their talks, she feels like her servant are one of those types of people who are always alert, even though he's not showing it.

VloneVllain · Apr 26, 2024

INTRODUCTIONS – PART 2

The situation May found herself in was odd, to say the least.

Under normal circumstances, after a Master has done their ritual and summoned their Servant, the two would be briefed by agents from SPECTRA on the details about the Holy Grail War, their main task, and the strategy that would be best suited for them. Discussions on the weaknesses and strengths for individual servants are best done with fewer people, where the Servant may feel more comfortable divulging details, some of which could be very private, about themselves. Servants as a spirit are after all, very unpredictable. May's grandpa told her that much.

However, unusual circumstances call for unusual solutions. If there is one thing that the United States has that would beat the Soviet Union, it is their better connections in the world of magecraft, and the ability to call on better mages of renown that would surely put whatever the Russians have, to shame. In order to even match the ability of the masters that the Americans have, the USSR must have to compromise on their previous principles, which May is sure of. Unfortunately, extraordinary mages don't tend to trust government agencies that much. Whatever the reason is, they truly believe they don't have to listen to the feds about anything regarding Magic. Thus, three of the seven servants that would fight for America were summoned without SPECTRA's supervision.

It was quite of a bother for their agents to deal with the three masters. May once saw Anderson lost his cool one while on the phone with Adrian Cross, the Rider servant's Master. They then made sure to never put them in one room together. To be fair, Cross also made may feel the wrong way, and she was sure other agents could relate. The combination of being a famous mage and being super wealthy got to his head, most likely. Though if it was many of the masters that May has the most to say about, it would without a doubt be Monika von Reuss, but May doesn't think about it right now, because of what is currently going to happen.

Standing at the front of the planning room was a well-dressed gentleman that May knew too well. "Before we get to what we are really here for, let me introduce myself. My name is Garrett Booker, the long-time Head of the Magi Relations Department. For the servants here who doesn't know what that means, I am the guy who deals with the people that are your masters, got it?" He said it with his signature cheeky expression, which May would sometimes find annoying. Of course, none of the servants responded to him. Garret continued, "You know, before I came here, I thought about a lot of things that I will going to say, but actually, I didn't think anyone here would care, including the masters. So,-"

"Do you think lowly of us?", Booker's monologue was interrupted by someone, someone whose voice May recognized.

"I-I'm sorry?" Garett asked, nervously.

May was sort-of thankful to Rider for wiping that cheeky expression off of Booker's face. "I thought I have made myself clear. Do you, Garrett Booker, think lowly of us servants?"

"The Rider gentleman is right. Us Heroic Spirits are not impatient beings, we are certainly willing to hear what a distinguished man like you has to say," huh? That's Lancer, May's own servant! Why did he decide to join in the conversation?

"Rider?" The man asked, with no answer. "Hahahaha!" He then roared with laughter, to everyone's surprise. He was a Rider, why would he act like what Lancer said was something amusing? Right across May and Lancer's row, in the seats nearest to the stairs, he could see Ozymandias looking as amused as ever, along Adrian Cross with a totally inscrutable expression. May could tell from the Rider's appearance that he looked like someone of great wealth, most a likely a great ruler. He had an aura around him that seems to give it off. His tanned skin and ancient-looking clothes clues May into him being a leader from the Middle East.

"Did I jest, Rider? Why are you acting like I have said something worthy of being mocked?" Lancer's response was only going to dig their hole deeper and bury their unfortunate masters along with them. May looked at the row behind her and to her right, there she was, Monika. May could tell she was barely holding in her laughter. I'll deal with you later, skank.

"Ah, of course," in a second, Rider's amused expression was gone as soon as it arrived, replaced with a more serious one. As he stood up, Rider exclaimed, "I apologize, I should have introduced myself sooner," oh no. May could see genuine shock on Cross' face as everyone knew what would happen. "To spare any of you mortals from knowing a divine royal like me would be something too cruel for any human to bear. My names are many, but for now, I will let you call me Ozymandias, the King of Kings, and the Son of Ra!" Everyone was silent at Rider's proclamation. It was for only a second, but May swore that the room's lights briefly became brighter.

To a Servant, a True Name is something that should be kept tight and guarded, because to know a Servant's True Name is to know their weakness and personality. It is why servants use their Noble Phantasm, a weapon or ability that is the embodiment of a Servant's achievement or who they are, sparingly. Even during a unique Holy Grail War like this, that is a fight between two teams as opposed to a free-for-all, there is still the expectation that servants would be secretive about their identity, if slightly less. No one expected Ozymandias to reveal himself as readily as right now.

"Yes, of course. We are very pleased to know you, Lord Ozymandias," Garrett said as he managed to regain his composure enough to respond.

Suddenly also standing, Lancer resumes talking, "Indeed. To know not just a famed conqueror, but also a fellow ruler of Egypt, has been summoned a servant in this war, is most surprising, regardless of your claim to be divine-born. But who am I it is not a welcome one?" May could tell what he was going to say. 'What are you doing?' May asked her Lancer through their mental bond, though the only thing he said is 'Simply returning a favor'. She looked at the back of her right hand. It would be so easy to make her servant shut up with a simple Command Spell, but how would May explain that to her superiors? May tightly gripped her pants. 'I wish I had summoned a Berserker…' She thought to herself, mentally facepalming. "It would certainly be improper for me to not introduce myself in return. My name is Salah-ad-Din Yusuf bin Ayyub, or as I am known as throughout the world, Saladin." There it is. When May summoned her Lancer, he had certainly been enthusiastic to reveal his true name. To tell the truth, May was also very impressed at first. There is the expectation that the more well-known a Heroic Spirit is, the stronger they should be.

He was certainly tall, tall enough to be considered above average height in America. His strong and tanned face has an ageless quality to it, despite his medium-length hair already being completely white. Thinking about it further, it might just be his hair's natural color. Despite being supposedly an Egyptian ruler, his richly-decorated cream-colored coat looked like it came from Central Asia. Above it was a more practical-looking leather coat, alongside a gem-covered embroidery on his upper right arm that certainly looked like it was supposed to signify something. Broad-shouldered and imposing, he looked the part of an accomplished warrior-Sultan. But the more time May spent with him, all that excitement slowly turned into annoyance. It started when he said, "I did not expect that the Master who called me would be a woman, but sometimes surprises is just what a man needs." Then, as May continued to spend her time however she liked, while waiting for the other masters to arrive at Red Lake, Saladin continued pestering her. "While waiting for the others, right now would be a good time to figure out our strategy," seriously? The Holy Grail War is still far from officially beginning! May understood being adequately prepared about a war, but they still talked about the Lancer's abilities and what he is capable of. So, it's not like they spent all that time without doing anything.

Back to the present, the awkwardness in the planning room only continued after Saladin revealed himself. "Rulers are bothersome," May could hear Assassin snicker behind her. She was inclined to agree.

Still standing, Rider talked back, "Is that so?" The surprised look on his face seemed genuine. "Who would have thought, I would be summoned alongside another famed ruler of Egypt! I can already tell, the two of us will accomplish great things working alongside each other." Rider was probably right, May had the feeling that both of them would be absurdly powerful as heroic spirits.

Ozymandias looked like he was about to continue further, when another Servant stood up in the row behind him, a woman this time. As she looked at Monika, May starts to grin happily, 'Hah! Serves you right.'

"As a fellow ruler," the Servant in question was Monika's, belonging to the Archer class, "I refuse to be left out of this conversation! If you are not bothered, allow me to introduce myself. I am the ruler of Caria and the warrior-queen of Halicarnassus, Artemisia, daughter of Lygdamis! It is of the greatest delight to me for being able to fight alongside great conquerors like the both of you."

Artemisia of Caria, May recognized that name. May knew her history, so of course, she would know about one of, if not, the most famous warrior woman in recorded history. Looking at the Archer, she certainly looked the part. Her blonde hair was braided into something that would look practical for battle. There is an almost harsh, austere beauty to her, and it makes sense why Artemisia would leave such an impression on the historians of her time. Her bronze breastplate was elaborately designed, as befitting for a royal, though strangely, it seemed like there was no space for the right breast. May has to look more into that later. Though she is well-known among the modern humans in the room, unfortunately that doesn't seem to be the case for the two servants of Saladin and Ozymandias. They were staring blankly at her, seeming like they are trying to process what she just said. May could tell Monika was starting to get embarrassed. She almost felt bad for Monika, almost.

"Huh? D-did I say something strange?" Artemisia was stammering at the two men that she idolized.

After a couple seconds, Ozymandias would finally answer, "Ah! Of course, you are the commander that led the Persian invasion of Greece. You were a satrap of theirs, correct? I have heard of your gallantry on the battlefields, your story is certainly an interesting one." Personally, May would be a little disappointed at being remembered for a failed conquest, but it seems like Artemisia was positively delighted at this fact.

It also looks like Saladin finally remembered. Looking pleased, Artemisia responds, "Yes! I knew you would recognize me! I may be less accomplished than the both of you, but I am sure that my abilities and performance will not disappoint," she turns away from Ozymandias towards her left, "and not just the two of them, but all that is involved in this war as well. Even though I know little to nothing about the side that I will be fighting for, but it is an honor just to be participate in this war!"

To May, she seems like the type of Heroic Spirit that only cares about getting a good fight and will obey her master's orders no matter what. The ideal Servant, to put it simply. Compared to her more assertive Lancer, May was almost jealous of Monika. "We get it, you want to fight," someone else spoke up. The voice came from the front, where Jack Wade and his Servant was seated. "So do most of us, that doesn't make you special." Unlike the others, he doesn't stand up when he started speaking.

While everyone else looked confused, Artemisia was very annoyed. "And who do you think you are to talk back to me, Sir…"

"Saber," Ah. So, the Servant in front of May was the Saber. From where May was seated, it's hard to describe him, other than his shining blonde hair. "As for who I am," the Saber spoke with an aura of pride that would put anyone off, "I don't think anyone deserves to know right now." May can't help but roll her eyes at that.

No one seemed like they want to dig into Saber any further, except Artemisia, which is still rather annoyed. "If the Saber says so," Saladin spoke up after the short silence, "so does anyone else feel the need to introduce themselves?" When no one answered and Artemisia sat back down, Saladin decided to continue. "Then, it is settled. I believe it is time to give our attention back to the gentleman at the front of this room," as Saladin gestured to Garrett Booker, the man in question looks very pleased.

"I knew you would vouch for me, Lord Saladin. I will always be gracious to you," Booker said to Saladin, smiling. Sucking up to people was one of Garrett's many talents. "Now," Garrett's previous smile disappears, replaced with a more serious expression, "we have many to things to talk about, ladies and gentlemen. I assume most of you heroes already have an idea on what you will be doing in this Great Holy Grail War, but what about us, SPECTRA, the people that will be helping all of you in this effort? Or, hell, the United States of America, the country that you will all be fighting for? Well frankly, the latter is not important to weigh upon during the course of our discussions." May agreed with Garrett. Trying to win over the Heroic Spirits to the ideology of America and about its wider mission, is a waste of breath that could better be used on anything else.

"Though if you are indeed interested, none of us at SPECTRA will be opposed to letting you know more. Speaking about SPECTRA, I should have already been introducing us, haven't I? Well, I think that the best place to start is talking about me, Garrett Booker, and my department…"

The talk in the planning room lasted about three or so hours. Surprisingly, throughout most of it, the servants stayed quiet and listened to the SPECTRA members' presentation. There was the occasional question from Ozymandias, Artemisia, and her own Lancer. It was during the talk about strategy, that one of the servants, Caster, became surprisingly inquisitive and active. May have been curiously on-and-off watching him during the previous topics, slightly amused that he was writing things down on a notebook. Aren't servants supposed to have enhanced senses, like their memories? Anyhow, it was during a conversation between Caster and the US Army Representative Richard Hunt, when Ozymandias casually asked (at least casually by Ozymandias' own standards) Caster about his identity. Caster didn't seem to be bothered much by it, and he stated his True Name, Zhuge Liang, nonchalantly.

Hunt and Barrett seemed very impressed at this, though May's own thoughts were a mix of confusion and curiosity. Admittedly, ancient Chinese history is one of May's blind spots, though she could tell that the Caster was an important Chinese leader, his attire consisting of multiple-layers of rich-looking Chinese garments, consisting of the alternating colors of white, green, and blue. The man himself sported a very long hair, along with a spectacled face that seem to look calm at all times. May made a mental note to do more research about him later. Besides Liang, the other person that May was focusing on, was none other than Monika von Reuss. Though both of them have been longtime rivals for what seems like forever, and May almost threw up when she heard that Monika, of all people, was chosen to be a Master, May decided that she will approach her after the presentations were done, and ask for a truce between the both of them. After all, more than a decade of May's training as a mage rested on this Grail War, and she's not nearly willing enough to risk everything over a petty rivalry from her academy days.

After the talks were officially included and everyone was allowed to leave, May and Saladin were playing catch up with Monika, who left the room first. May let Saladin know on what she was going to do, and Saladin was strangely understanding of her intentions. Both masters have to do this talk in somewhere empty, because May can't risk someone else hear their conservation. When May and her Servant just got out of the planning room, she heard a voice. "Son of Ayyub," May recognized it as Assassin's. It was when Saladin turned around to look at the greeter, that May realized Assassin was calling for the Lancer. "You are the Assassin, are you not?" Saladin asked, being as confused as May was. "Oh..." Right now, Assassin was right in front of them, and his Master, William Grant was getting closer, "come on. You know me as more than that, Yusuf." Assassin's tone was almost mocking, and it was pointed at May's servant.

"I don't…" Before Saladin could finish whatever he was about to say, it seemed like he realized something, and his expression turned serious in a second. "Don't tell me you are who I think you are," May could sense that there was an aura of hostility in the air, radiating from the two servants. Behind his mask, a small chuckle can be heard from Assassin. "Who else am I? Plenty of my other selves have dealt with you before, oh Honored Yusuf…" May had no clue who this Assassin's true identity is, though from the look on Saladin's face, she had the idea that the Lancer was all too familiar with him. "I don't think we have anything to talk about," Saladin said very sternly. Honestly, they both looked like they are going to kill each other. While May was concerned, it seemed like the other Master was totally calm, William Grant's face being as inscrutable as ever.

"Actually, there is," now, it was Assassin's turn to become serious. "I know that we have had our, history, but cannot we put our differences aside, as allies in a war, with the same objective?" So May gets it now, Assassin is trying to get Saladin to agree to a truce, just like she was about to do with Monika. Though I don't think my rivalry with her puts off such a murderous energy, as much as what these two men has, May thought. Saladin's reply was immediate, "And then what? I get your word that you won't stab me in the back like last time? We also had a common enemy back then," Saladin's words paint a clearer picture for May. The hooded Assassin doesn't seem to be intimidated by Saladin, as he just laughed in front of the Lancer's face. "It seems like nothing I say will ever convince you, Commander. I'll just have to tell you that my Master," Assassin glances at Grant, "will never let me lay a finger on you, isn't that correct?" As it is now his turn to speak, Grant lets out a smile, "Of course, Assassin. Lord Saladin, I assure you I will do everything in my power to keep my Servant in his good behavior, and you have my word on that," at Grant's statement, Saladin's stern expression remained.

"Very well," Saladin stated plainly, "this conversation is over." Saladin's physical form disappeared in a second, leaving May there alongside Assassin and his Master. "I don't think I ever introduced myself," Grant said to May with a smile. "My name is William Grant, but you can just call me Billy. I hope we could work together as fellow masters." As Grant let out a hand, May grabbed it and shook it. William Grant was another career mage that was chosen as a Master, though apparently, he has a better time collaborating with SPECTRA than the others. "Nice to know you, Billy. My name is May Shepard," she just remembered that she had a rival to meet up with, "and I am sorry to cut this exchange short, but I have someone to do an urgent discussion with, so if you don't mind, I will have to go." After May responded to him, William bid her farewell, "Of course. I'm sure that we will meet again later, Miss Shepard." As she heard that, May took off walking.

After she was far enough from Assassin, May asked Saladin through their mental bond, Saladin, who was that Assassin really? May still had to know. At that, Saladin just answered, a heretic that will never leave me alone. As she was considering Saladin's words, May realized, I have no idea where Monika is.

VloneVllain · May 3, 2024

INTRODUCTIONS – PART 3

Novak sighed, and said to him, "Look I know he is kind of standoffish, but could you at least put in the effort to, you know, be friendly with him?"

Despite all his prejudices, Gennady begrudgingly agreed. Gennady's servant is obedient and diligent, except in all the things that matter. You tell him that a heater isn't working, he will be on the problem immediately, but you tell Muramasa to sit through a one-hour lecture on the ideology, strategy, and goals of the Soviet Union, and he can't be bothered to spare a second. Truthfully, almost none of the servants on the Soviet side really even cares, but none would so brazenly and with such honesty, refuse the chance to be taught to, other than Gennady's own Saber.

"Look, pal, I can help you with whatever stuff you need me for when I'm not in my forge, but you can't force me to care about whoever the hell this "Lenin" guy, is!"

It's all so frustrating, really. There were doubts among the people in Diviziya Perun, about whether trying to teach Soviet ideology to the servants are even worth it or not, but as Gennady and the Director pointed out, there is a very high chance that the American's servants will outclass those in the Soviet side in terms of strength, so they could at least try to instill some loyalty to the USSR's aims among the servants. Unfortunately, it was quickly proven to be a wasted effort. None of the Heroic Spirits bought into it, well, except of Kaminski's Servant, the Archer. Because of course, the only Servant that bought into Soviet ideological training, was the one that answer to the daughter of traitors.

Others, like Nizar Natinbayev, also proposed to strengthen the bond between servants and masters instead, which was admittedly a sound idea. Natinbayev himself was the first truly successful case in this, as his Rider servant, Timur, bonded surprisingly easily with him. If Gennady had to guess why, it's because Natinbayev was the only Soviet master that is a proper, experienced, soldier. For one reason or another, Timur seemed to resent scholars and intellectuals, so Natinbayev's harsh and soldier-like demeanor provided a welcome break in the environment of Diviziya Perun. The fact that they are both Uzbeks definitely seemed to help, a lot. It would be nice if every Master and Servant could be like the both of them, but unfortunately time isn't on their side.

Back to the present, Gennady pondered Anna Novak's words. The thing that she didn't understand was that, at first, Gennady really tried to be cordial with his Saber. However, Gennady found out rather quickly, that their personalities and experiences are the opposite of one another. While Gennady was always inclined towards the sciences and theoretical knowledge, Muramasa was the very definition of a practical man. Muramasa reminds Gennady of the foreign industrial specialists that Soviet Union brought over during the 1930s. Where the native Russian workers they trained were very receptive towards socialist political education, the foreign specialists mostly didn't care, and came to the USSR for a job. Then again, Gennady's not sure whether the industrial specialists of days past spent days in a forge, trying to create the sharpest blade in history.

"It's all just so tiresome. Believe me Anna, we will never really see eye-to-eye each other. At the end of the day, when I give him an order, he will obey it. As long as it's related to the war, of course."

Gennady took a puff of his cigar after he said that, looking at below from the ledge he was standing on. From above, Gennady could see Muramasa being busy, working on a generator alongside some of AGARTHA's technicians. The Saber, with his bright white tunic and dark cloth that covers with lower body, stood out starkly among the modern-dressed staffers.

"Mhm. His grumpy attitude won't win a lot of people over, especially not you." Anna inclined her head, agreeing with him. "At least Muramasa, the man himself doesn't look bad. Word in the cafetaria is that he has become something of a pin-up among the female staff," Anna turned to look at Gennady, "Actually, more that I think about it Gennady, you and your saber aren't that different."

Gennady can't think of anything to reply to that.

Novak seemed to notice someone arriving, "Huh, Armonas? What brings you here?" At Anna's statement, Gennady turned to look at the newcomer. Antanas Armonas, the Master of the Soviet Union's Assassin. If there is any of the masters that Gennady distrusts just as much as Kaminski, it is the Lithuanian. "Nothing, it's just… there's nothing to do. Everyone else is preparing for the journey, so most of the people are busy," Armonas sets himself besides Novak, "Do you honestly think this strategy will work? This whole… Cuba thing?"

At Armonas' question, Gennady recalled the Perun meeting that all the masters attended. One of the points that were stressed the most was that, the USSR can't risk to get their Warsaw Pact allies involved in the Holy Grail War, and that they should try to set the battlefield in America's own backyard, in particular, Cuba. Like Armonas, Gennady had his doubts about the plan, one among them being how will likely have already prepared for this scenario, and that Cuba, no matter how well-fortified it may be in the lead up to the Grail War, it is still very far from the Soviet home turf. The counterpoint is that the Americans, with their SPECTRA, will have to be very careful if they were ever to attack Cuba, for the simplest discovery of their actions could disturb the fragile global détente post-START's ratification, and cause a massive scandal in the United States. There is also risk of the entire Holy Grail War being exposed, but that is what the Mages' Association are for, aren't they?

"Don't ask me, I'm not getting directly involved in this war," Gennady could hear Anna say nonchalantly, "But I think Dr. Belyov here has something to say about it though." Why is Novak always trying to get him to talk to new people?

"With the right amount of preparation, the strategy certainly has potential. All the servants seem to be convinced of it, at least, the servants that I have seen," Gennady responded, clearly pointing the last statement at Armonas. The Lithuanian clearly understood the jab, as Gennady looked over at Armonas' face. For one reason or another, Antanas' Assassin simply refuses to show himself (that is the one thing anyone knows about the Servant, that it is a male), and the only way to make him show himself is for Armonas' to use a Command Spell and force the Assassin, which he, of course, doesn't want to. At least the other masters know for sure that his Assassin is in his spirit form, judging from the mana presence besides Armonas.

"For your information, my Assassin does think the plan will work," Antanas said pointedly, "In fact, he has more faith in it than the both of us, Dr. Belyov."

Gennady's brows furrowed. He could just simply take Armonas' word for it, but that would mean trusting the man from the Prometheus Organization. Gennady has had bad experiences with members of the clique, and Antanas' own leery behavior certainly doesn't do him any favors. "Mhm. If you say so," Gennady said, clearly signaling the end of their own conversation.

As Gennady takes another puff of his cigar, Antanas suddenly moves from his position to put himself right next to Gennady. "Look, Doctor, I know that you are suspicious about my intentions and abilities," Gennady frowned at Armonas' sudden haughty tone, "And frankly, just like you I assume, I have my doubts about this whole… magecraft, and being a Master thing," Gennady could believe that. The idea that someone from Prometheus, obnoxious esotericists that they are, is skilled enough at being a mage to be qualified as a Master, is honestly laughable. "But I assure you, I will make the trust that you put in me worth it throughout this war," Antanas' own eyes wander below to look at Gennady's servant, "In fact, I don't mind if anyone else, including you, take all the glory for being a Master. You, Dr. Belyov, are very lucky to have summoned a Saber. They are the strongest Servant class, I've heard. I don't mind working in the shadows with my Assassin, and at the end of the day, don't we have the same goals of smashing US imperialism?"

Gennady barely registered anything from Armonas' ramblings, the incoherent mess of words that he spewed. Anna chuckled, "Wow, I didn't think you were so passionate about this whole Holy Grail war thing, Antanas. You know, Dr. Belyov right here is just as enthusiastic about fighting for the Soviet state, it's just he rarely shows it to people," of course Novak had to open her mouth. Seeing Armonas' astonished expression, Anna continued further, "I think the both of you will find more in common with each other, the longer the time you spent being masters. I wish only the best for the participants in this war, you see." First, she made the case that Muramasa and him are similar, now she is trying to do that again with him and Antanas? Gennady is honestly perplexed at this woman.

It was at that moment that an alarm blared throughout the facility, followed by a female voice, "ATTENTION ALL CLEARANCE X STAFF", 'Clearance X' is the Diviziya Perun designation for masters, servants, and everyone else involved in the Holy Grail War, "PLEASE RETURN TO YOUR DESIGNATED ROOMS AND PACK YOUR BELONGINGS. AFTER THAT, HEAD TO THE HANGAR AREA AND WAIT FOR DIRECTOR LAVROV'S ARRIVAL."

"Already? Damn," Anna said as she looked at the both Armonas and Gennady, "I wanted to say a proper goodbye, but it seems the urgency of this business triumphs it. Well, safe travels to the both of you! Hope you enjoy your stay in Cuba," Novak said as the two masters to walk away from her.

The three of you, Anna should've said. After all, Gennady had just realized that Assassin has been with them this whole time.

Despite it already being twenty minutes, there is still no sign of Director Lavrov.

Bringing his travel suitcase with him, it seems Gennady was the first Master to finish packing his things. He thought all the others would have already prepared and tidied up before the announcement, but then again Gennady doesn't know people much. Finding no other way to pass the time, Gennady found himself standing in front of the door to his daughter's room, waiting for her to open it.

"A minute!" Gennady could hear his daughter's voice from behind the door. Knowing her, 'a minute' could mean one singular minute, or several of them. After a while, the door finally opens. Standing in front of Gennady was his daughter Tara, looking very proper with her travel dress and neatly done makeup. "How'd you like the appearance, dad? I actually didn't think I went overboard this time, see?" Tara said as she stretched out her arms.

"You did go overboard," despite himself, Gennady couldn't help but chuckle at his daughter's attitude.

Looking blankly at Gennady, Tara said, "I'm going to pretend you said that in a good way." Her smile reappeared, and continued herself, "Oh, you can come in by the way," as she backed away from the door, Tara came to near the bed, "You know I'm glad you told me to pick this one, cause this suitcase can fit a lot. I'm surprised myself despite how average it looks," Tara moved her eyes back towards Gennady, "So, is there anything you need, dad?"

Gennady pondered a bit, before replying, "Nothing, mostly. Just wanted to check on your situation? How has Lancer been, if I can ask? Has the both of you, been… cordial?" Gennady can't help but show his nervousness through his voice. The few times he met Lancer, he always felt an unnerving aura coming from the Servant. Throughout the past couple days, Gennady would periodically worry on his daughter's situation, given that Lancer is her Servant. Outwardly, Tara didn't show any signs of discomfort at AGARTHA.

Tara softly chuckled, "Cordial, huh? I guess you could say that. Look, dad, I know that seeing me with Lancer makes you uncomfortable, but I assure you, she's not as scary as she looks. Lancer is actually pretty shy around others," hearing that did give Gennady some small amount of comfort. From the start, he had his doubts about his daughter volunteering to be a Master, even though her magecraft talents are certainly exceptional for someone her age. Ever since Gennady's wife died more than a decade ago, it seemed like Tara finally found the drive to push through everything. She was consistently the top of her class in anything she found herself in, including the mysteries. The fatherly side of Gennady wanted to protect his daughter at all costs, but the civic side of him couldn't let someone with Tara's talents not contribute to the Motherland.

"Speaking about Lancer," Tara glanced behind her, "You can show yourself now." At that statement, a tall hooded woman suddenly appeared in the room. Gennady was startled, a fact which doesn't escape Tara. His daughter chuckled, "Don't worry Lancer won't bite. Right?" Forcing himself to calm down, Gennady started to analyze the Servant's appearance. The Lancer was tall, almost Gennady's height. Most of her body was covered in a black cloak, except for her legs. Gennady could see a pair of coverings that hid the Lancer's eyes, halfway covered by the woman's long, purple hair. The more he looked at it, the way the two front strands of her hair come out of her black hood, it made it seem like her hood is a snake bearing its fangs. The Lancer's expression is totally blank, staring at Gennady. He started to feel discomfort at the Servant's covered gaze.

Lancer starts to speak, "Rest easy, I will not bite your father, Master." Wait, she actually bites people?

Tara chuckled, "See? I trust Lancer, and Lancer trusts me. By the way, I know her True Name, but I choose not to voluntarily reveal it to anyone, as a show of good faith. Is that okay with you, dad?"

After what felt like minutes of him staring at Lancer, Gennady looked back at his daughter, "Yes. I understand. Building trust between Master and Servant is very important during this Holy Grail War." Gennady sighed, "I see. I am sorry, Lancer. It seems my worry about my daughter is misplaced. I am happy to know that the both of you get along."

Continuing to stare at Gennady, Lancer speaks up, "No need to apologize. Every good father would feel the same way." it could be nothing, but Gennady sensed a bit of self-deprecation at Lancer's statement. Thinking back to before the Servant showed herself, how did I not notice she was here? It took a long time for him to notice Assassin was accompanying Antanas, but it seemed this Lancer's concealment ability was high enough, to hide her own mana presence from Gennady for some minutes. She should've been the Assassin.

"So," Tara speaks up, "Where's your Saber, dad? I don't think he is in his sprit form right now, so where is he? I know he likes to be away from you for certain times, but still." At her question, Gennady recalled his last interaction with Saber. Muramasa said that he wanted to pack up most of the tools from his forge, to which Gennady said that the staff could take care of it. The only thing Muramasa said was, "Ah, I don't trust anyone else with my tools except me, doctor. See ya."

Frankly, Gennady wouldn't even bother to start another argument with him. Looking at the hallway, Gennady responded to his daughter, "He's a busy man, that Saber. Though, I would think he has finished his job right about…" Gennady aborted his answer when he heard obnoxious noises of iron tools being carried.

Gennady looked outside the door and saw none other than the red-haired Saber himself. Muramasa was wearing his usual attire, a loose white tunic that covered his entire upper body, except for his chest and torso, which was covered by a tight black bodysuit. "Speak of the devil," Gennady said. He didn't know whether to be happy or be endlessly annoyed.

"Howdy Doctor," Muramasa greeted, and gestured to the large bag he was carrying, "I know it looks like a lot of stuff, but I got this. I won't bother anyone else with it, not even you, so don't worry. Now, do we have a ride to catch or what?" The sheer gall of this spirit. To not be able to go anywhere in the world without sacrificing his favorite pastime is preposterous.

If all servants are just as bothersome and insufferable as his Saber is, Gennady would pray to the God that he doesn't believe in for their sanity. "It's not a matter of who you give the responsibility of your things to, it is the matter of if we are able to even find space-" Gennady was suddenly interrupted when someone came up in front of him,

"Ah! You are Saber, right? Nice to meet you! And wow, how are you able to carry all that? It looks like could break someone's spine!" Tara, in all her cheerfulness, greeted Muramasa. It was at her statement that Gennady realized that Saber's bag, is indeed very large.

"Yeah, nice to meet you too, girl," Muramasa said as he shrugged Tara off. "Not to be rude but, who are you exactly? You must be pretty important to the Doctor over here, for him to go out of his way to meet you like this. The guy usually just wanders around when he got nothing to do."

Gennady just stayed quiet, not saying anything as he stared at his Servant in annoyance. It seems that Tara was annoyed too. His daughter huffed, "First of all, I'm not a girl, I am 22 years old, and secondly, the Doctor you are talking here about is my father, and my name is Tara. And since you are his servant, why aren't you treating him with at least some respect?" It felt like Tara didn't mean to question Saber in a bad way, judging from her expression. "Ah, so you're his daughter? That makes sense," Muramasa turned his head to look at Gennady, "and I assume he's not usually like this when he is around you, isn't he?"

Instead of answering, Tara said, "Look, what goes on between my father and I is between the both of us, okay? Also, I don't know if this bothers you or not, but can I ask you for your True Name?" At that question, Muramasa nonchalantly responded, "Sure, why not. The name is Muramasa Sengo, but you can call me Muramasa." Gennady's daughter put on a confused face. Tara wasn't the only one who had no clue of who Muramasa is, as the Saber has to explain who he even is on more than a few occasions. It seems somehow Gennady was the only one to recognize that name.

Sighing, Gennady said to his daughter, "He is a famous swordsmith from 16th-century Japan. He created blades that became famous for their exceptional sharpness."

Also sighing, Muramasa added, "It's fine if you don't know who I am, people don't even know when I was born. Even calling me 'famous' is a stretch, as my swords are the one people know, not me, the guy who made them."

Staring at the Saber, Tara finally responded, "No, I get it! I don't know that much about Asian history, so if anything, it's my fault for not knowing who you are," Tara is too generous for her own good. "Hmm… it makes sense why you would be summoned as a Saber. Can't wait to see your swords in action!"

At Tara's show of anticipation, some pride showed on Muramasa's face, his lips faintly curling upwards. "Heh, I'll make sure not to disappoint you, miss. Though, me getting summoned as a Saber is weird, since my job is to make swords, not use them. But, don't think that means I am bad with a blade!" Tara smiled, saying, "It doesn't really matter. Oh, I forgot to say I am a Master too, like my dad! Do you want to meet my Servant?"

At her question, Tara backed away from the door and put herself beside Lancer. "Lancer, introduce yourself." With an inscrutable expression, Lancer obeyed her Master. "Of course. It is a pleasure to meet you, Saber."

Entering the room, Muramasa calmly stepped closer to Lancer. "Yeah, pleasure to meet you too," his Servant's lack of nervousness baffled Gennady, is he not unnerved by Lancer? "Sheesh, looking at you closer, you're pretty tall aren't ya, Lancer?" It seems that Lancer would be the one getting uncomfortable at Muramasa, as she seemed embarrassed his question.

Nervously chuckling, Tara would be the one to respond, "Uh… look, please don't mention that around Lancer, she gets-"

"No, of course, I totally get it," Tara's answer was interrupted by a smiling Muramasa, "Where I am from, maidens like you are usually short. But in this place, it seems that most of the guys are still taller than you, even me. Hell, I'm pretty sure I saw some ladies that could give you a run for your money!" Muramasa puts a calming hand over the embarrassed Servant's shoulder, "So, you got nothing to worry about, miss. You're maybe tall in where I'm from, but you sure as hell ain't tall around here."

It seems that the Saber's words did reassure Lancer somewhat. "I s-see," Lancer shyly responded, "you are a well-meaning man, Saber."

At that compliment, the Saber just smiled, "Come on now, just call me Muramasa."

Servants really are unpredictable, Gennady thought.

"Oh, don't be so gloomy, Doctor. To even be considered as a Master Candidate in the first place must mean you are very accomplished. I'm sure the folks at Diviziya Perun really value your talents."

"Of course. Thank you, Mrs. Malenkova, your praise means a lot to me," Gennady said as he responded to the middle-aged woman. Where the hell is Lavrov? The director was supposed to be here twenty minutes ago, and here is Gennady, stuck doing nothing in the waiting room alongside Anka Malenkova and her husband.

Gennady had a feeling he should be bowing before the husband & wife duo, but truthfully, he doesn't feel the need to. Gennady doesn't regard them nearly as highly as some in Perun seem to be. Andrei and Anka Malenkov are 'superstars' in the Soviet mage world, which isn't as impressive as it sounds, seeing how small the magecraft community in this country is. Andrei being the son of former Soviet Supreme Leader Georgy Malenkov certainly helps his popularity. Although Gennady only began his studies into magic in his 20s, after he was already an accomplished man, everyone seemed to think he was really good at it, Andrei and his wife included. I have always had a talent in theoretical fields, I suppose. Gennady never thought that after studying physics, he would delve into the dark and mysterious arts of magecraft.

"We are being very serious, Dr. Belyov," it was now Andrei's turn to speak, "It's not everyday that an accomplished physicist like you, also became an accomplished mage. Though, in the Soviet Union, we don't have that many historic mage families running around anymore, do we? My father first stumbled into magecraft as a hobby, do you know that? Back then, you had to be very secretive about learning things like that. But after the Holy Grail War in 1946, it seems the higher-ups became more open to those interested in magecraft."

Gennady listened to Mr. Malenkov without saying a word. After hearing him brag about his father's accomplishments like that, one would think Andrei Malenkov is just a child riding off the fame of those before him, but even Gennady had to admit that is not the case. Case in point, the way they managed to summon Berserker in this upcoming Great Grail War. Andrei Malenkov had somehow created a method to share the mana needed to upkeep Berserker between him and his wife, lessening the magical burden imposed on Malenkov. At first it seemed frivolous, but after he saw Berserker first-hand, he understood why. The physically imposing Servant wore a very flashy golden cuirass carved into the shape of muscles, under which is an expensive-looking purple dress. It was his head that was the most recognizable, a golden Roman helmet alongside a golden mask, that covered his entire face.

Just from looking at him, Gennady knew he was royalty. Not only that, since he couldn't talk due to his Madness Enhancement, a familiar speaks on his behalf. The familiar in question is a petite woman, wearing a pure white Roman garment, her face covered by a bronze mask similar to the one worn by Berserker, without a helmet. Not only that, he has heard rumors about how the woman wasn't the only familiar that the Berserker has. It now makes sense how the Berserker's mana upkeep is large enough for two people. Natinbayev has said that Andrei's Servant is potentially the strongest to be ever summoned by the USSR, and Gennady couldn't blame him for thinking so.

Right after making the previous statement to Gennady, it seemed Andrei and his wife was distracted by someone's arrival into the room. They both stood up, and came to greet the person. Said person is a sharply-dressed bespectacled man, who looks younger than the couple and Gennady. The Malenkov pair and the new man made their greetings, and Gennady could tell that the visitor spoke Russian with a foreign accent. British, perhaps? After shaking hands with the couple, the foreign man looked at Gennady, and came up to him with an outstretched hand. After standing, Gennady took the hand and shook it. "Richard Gear, from the Clock Tower. A pleasure to meet you, Doctor."

It seems Gennady was right. The man, Richard Gear, was indeed British. The Clock Tower is a name given to the headquarters of the Mages' Association, located in London. If Gennady had to guess, the man was sent here as the Association's agent and the overseer of the Soviet side in this Grail War. It was the Association themselves who came up with the idea of this war, so it makes sense why they at least have some say in it. Continuing, Gear asked, "You are one of the Soviet masters in this war, right? Or am I mistaken?" Gennady doesn't how to feel on the fact that the Clock Towers knows about his identity.

"I am, you are correct. My name is Gennady Belyov," Gennady politely answered. Gennady would do well to keep a man like Richard Gear at a distance. Diviziya Perun had every reason to be suspicious of a foreign organization's representative, when the organization in question is headquartered in England. The Clock Tower has vowed their neutrality on the upcoming Holy Grail War, but when had that stopped the Westerners?

Smiling, Gear responded, "I hope we can cooperate throughout the course of this war, Doctor." After saying that, the Englishman turned to the Malenkovs, and said something about excusing himself to the bathroom. The Malenkov couple sat back down on the benches, and so did Gennady. It was when he was just about to sit down, when Gennady heard Gear whispered quickly to him, "Meet me."

Gennady had no time to react before the Englishman bolted to the bathroom door. It was so sudden and unexpected, Gear didn't even lean into Gennady to say it. Honestly, Gennady could've thought he was just hearing things. It seems Andrei and Anka was none the wiser about it, as they continued to try to make small talk with Gennady. After a couple minutes of waiting, Gennady decided that he, in fact, wasn't hearing things, and that he wanted to know what Gear needed him for, so he also excused himself to the toilet.

As he entered the restroom, Gennady saw Gear washing his hands on the sink. The Englishman turned his head and looked at Gennady, putting on a polite expression. "Thank you for coming here, Doctor," Gear said as he turned off the sink.

"Why did you need me, Gear?" Gennady asked curiously.

As he was drying his hands, Richard responded, "First of all, I want to ask you a question. Your daughter, she is also a Master in this war, am I wrong?"

Gennady frowned. He didn't like where this conversation is going. "What is the meaning of this?"

Sighing at Gennady's response, the Englishman said, "Relax, Doctor. I just wanted to confirm something. So it's indeed true, this matter about your daughter," Gennady had to resist the urge to get close and threaten this man, "Before you say anything, I have no intentions of harming your daughter. You have my word on that."

Richard was looking at himself in the mirror, tidying himself up. "I have to admit, when I heard that a Master on the Soviet side had let his own daughter to join in the war, I thought, 'What kind of nutjob mage would do that?' But then, I read more about you, and I realized, you're not exactly experienced in the world of magecraft politics are you, Doctor?" Gennady doesn't know what to say to that. Gear was right, Gennady has only ever met mages from the Eastern Bloc, and even then, those are few. But to admit that to an overseer from the Mages' Association, would hurt Gennady's own pride as a Master. Besides, Gennady still doesn't know what game this man is playing at. Richard turned his head to look at Gennady, and continued, "It's really nothing to be ashamed of, Doctor. The fact that you are currently participating in a Holy Grail War, the first in forty years, even though you have only studied magecraft for two decades, is an achievement. No one can take that away from you, even if you lost." Richard's expression suddenly got a lot more serious, "However, there is something I have to warn you about, Mr. Belyov."

"What is it?" Gennady's patience was nearing its limits. He needed to know what this man wanted out of him.

Gear got closer to Gennady, "Anyone with experience in mage politics will tell you, the Association is not what they seem to be. They will claim to be the neutral arbiters of the Great Holy Grail War, but a lot of these men have too much invested in this venture. You would do well to keep you guard up when dealing with people from the Association, including me. Especially since you got your daughter involved."

Finally understanding Richard's message, Gennady asked, "Why are you telling me this?"

With an inscrutable expression, Richard answered, "Because, as I said, you are inexperienced. I know it hurts your pride to admit so, but it is the truth. You may still be suspicious of me, but that is the point. Honestly, if I were you, I wouldn't even bother participating in this Holy Grail War."

"But what about Antanas Armonas? He also lacks experience as a mage, and he's even younger than me," Gennady inquired.

At his question, the Englishman just chuckled, and responded, "That Lithuanian kid? Come on, Doctor. He is so naïve it hurts. Can you believe he tried to convince me of the merits of Marxism? As if I even care. He's got his head so far up his own arse, the only thing he is breathing is his farts. Honestly, it would be a blessing for him if he was eliminated early." Gennady had to admit, the Englishman had a point. Like Gennady, Armonas is also a devoted Marxist, but unlike Belyov he was obnoxious about it, very obnoxious. It was expected from a neo-communist of the Prometheus Organization. Gear reached for his suitcase, and walked past Gennady. "Think carefully about my words, Dr. Belyov. You don't have to think of me as a friend, or even someone you can trust, but what I have said before is well-intentioned. Also, can you help me introduce myself to the other masters, perhaps? It's alright if you don't want to, but I assume you know more about these people than me."

Feeling that nothing more needs to be said, Gennady let Richard exit the bathroom. As he was looking right at the bathroom door, Gennady thought, maybe I shouldn't have joined.

VloneVllain · May 11, 2024

INTRODUCTIONS – PART 4

Blake has never seen Brooks being so concentrated outside of a mission before.

For a pretty small place, Camp McKinley, the SPECTRA base in Corpus Christi, Texas, surprisingly doesn't lack for entertainment. The men here certainly appreciate it, as they'll pretty much take anything they can get to pass the time in this quiet, and frankly, boring place. Most of the staff, manpower, and half the masters along with their servants, are on their way to the southeastern US coast, for what would be the main show. The leftovers here in Texas are left with their dicks in their hands, waiting from orders by the top. An unexpected effect of this circumstance, is the opportunity for servants to bond with the SPECTRA and military personnel.

It's a good thing that servants are summoned already being gifted with basic knowledge of the time period, because otherwise, they would be absolutely clueless. Seems that such a creation of pure magic like the Throne of Heroes, has some rationality instilled it? Nevertheless, however, one of the things that the servants wasn't clued in on, are modern entertainment. Admittedly, most of them were able to understand them fairly quickly. One such Servant was Blake's own Caster. It seems like immediately after he was introduced to the game of 8-ball pool, he got the gist immediately. Blake didn't expect anything else from a master tactician as famous as him.

It's amusing, seeing who is comparatively a novice like Brooks, try to keep up with the calculated genius of Zhuge Liang. Though admittedly, Frank was giving the Caster a run for his money during their match. It was indeed one of the most gripping and intense games of 8-ball Blake has seen throughout his life. Even most of the personnel in the room are watching them play, intently.

"Be good, please be good," Blake could hear Frank murmur to himself, as he is aiming the cue stick.

As he released his stick, Frank decisively hit his solid ball, knocking another solid ball along the way, and managing to land another ball in the pocket. Inching closer again to victory, Brooks smiled to himself, while trying to ignore the various noises made by the watching crowd. Though the match is on the end of its tail, Zhuge Liang is not an opponent to underestimate, even in a game such as 8-ball, and Blake could tell that Frank knows that. As of this moment, it is now Brooks' two solid balls, against Caster's two stripe balls. It was a tie, though from Blake's analysis, it was a tie that favored Frank. One of the two solid balls was positioned in a way that obstructed two of Zhuge Liang's stripes. If Liang was to try to finish the game without giving Frank another turn, by immediately putting the two stripes in the pocket, the Servant was to risk illegally putting Frank's solid into a pocket. Blake had to admit, it was a good stalling strategy by Frank Brooks.

But if there was one thing that one should expect from servants, especially from someone like Zhuge Liang, is that they will be unexpectable. Looking at Zhuge Liang's expression, Blake could tell that his Servant has something up his pocket (no pun intended). After a long moment of analyzing his situation, it seemed that Zhuge Liang was ready to make another move. The Chinese general positioned his cue, drawing his right arm all the way back, looking like he is really about to put his elbow grease into this next shot. Blake found it strange, but also interesting. The crowd was dead quiet, anticipating Caster to shoot his stripe ball. Liang then released his cue stick with strength and speed, hitting his two stripes, thereby also hitting one of Frank's solid. Blake realized that his Caster, was indeed, making this gamble.

It was hard to keep track of the balls that Liang hit, the three of them moving quickly throughout the table. It all happened very briefly for everyone watching. One of the Servant's stripes would end up in the upper-left pocket, and another would enter the lower-left one. But it was the fate of the knocked solid ball, that everyone is amazed by. After the first stripe entered its pocket, the moving solid was inching ever closer to the center-left pocket, as the second stripe was also moving towards its. As it seemed like the solid was about to enter the pocket, it suddenly stopped, allowing Caster's final stripe to enter its pocket.

It was one of the feats of pool that could make 8-ball history. Blake honestly doesn't know whether it was because of pure luck or skill, that Zhuge Liang managed to do that. He, alongside others, were left dumbfounded by what the Servant just did. Though their expression pales in comparison to the sheer bewilderment on Brooks' face. Having victory in your grasp, but being robbed of it, is something that Blake Pierce knows well. Everyone in the room was making noise, except for Frank, who is still trying to process what happened. Eventually though, Frank managed to stammer, "H-how? How did you do that? Did you know that will happen?"

Zhuge Liang smirked at Brooks' question. Blake would feel smug too, if he just did what his Servant did. "Who knows? Maybe I just made the perfect mathematical calculation for a move, or I just took a shortcut and bend the wind to my will. I will leave it to you to figure it out."

Blake thought that what Caster said was a joke, surely, but controlling wind doesn't sound to be outside of the reach of a Servant. It could also be treated as cheating, depending on who you ask. Frank only seems to be more confused at Liang's question, responding, "Huh? What are you saying?"

The Caster looked at Brooks, and with a blank expression, stating, "Hm, you should really read up on Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Controlling winds is what I'm known for, after all. Alongside other things, but I think I'll show them off later."

Blake could only think, seems like I hit the jackpot with my Servant.

Despite his initial standoffish attitude, the Saber actually proved to be quite sociable.

With four of the seven servants, it seems that Saber can let his guard down, even for a little bit. Sure, his interactions with Blake's own Caster were still cold. Both of the servants seem to hold each other in the same low regard. Zhuge Liang remarked that the Saber has 'a villain's eyes', whatever that meant. Maybe it was because of Saber's bright green eyes, that it was some kind of sinister omen in where Caster came from? Blake couldn't say. The Lieutenant Colonel did feel a threatening aura coming from the Saber, whenever he looked at Blake. Other than that, his tall physique, bright blonde hair, and pretty face, made Saber look like he came out of some fantasy story, about a dashing young knight. Blake has heard some of the female staffers vocalizing their attractions toward the Saber, even notwithstanding the Knight's brash demeanor. Regarding the third Servant, the Berserker, Blake would rather not think about that woman.

When the Saber and his Master, Blake's longtime comrade Jack Wade, was conspicuously absent from the cafetaria during lunch hours, Blake got curious. He soon found out that the Knight, alongside his Master and some staffers, were playing basketball in the gymnasium. Blake didn't even know they had a basketball field in this base. Diego Carlez, Berserker's Master, was also off playing in the gymnasium, though the women eating lunch treated it like a blessing. Many of them are annoyed at the Spaniard's near-constant attempts at womanizing. Blake should really help him adjust to his stay in America. Anyhow, after finishing his lunch, Blake decided to visit the gymnasium, and see how Jack and his Servant was doing. He tried to convince his Caster that, he really doesn't need to accompany his Master on this simple walk, but the Chinese man won't budge. The Servant said something about needing to keep your guard up around Saber.

When Blake entered the gymnasium, he found it rather empty. There were some people beside the court, watching the basketball game, but it was sparse. One of the spectators was Lieutenant Colonel Jack, Saber's own Master. As Blake neared the basketball field, Jack noticed who has arrived and came to greet him. "Ah, Blake! Glad to see you came here. What are you looking so formal for, come on it's just the gymnasium," Jack noticed the presence besides Blake, "ah, Caster, right? You're Blake's Servant. You know you stick out like a sore thumb around these parts," Jack said as he extended a hand, to which Zhuge Liang shook.

"So I have been told, Lord…" The Chinese general trailed off, unfamiliar with the other man.

Jack smiled before saying, "Heh, I forgot to introduce myself! Sorry, the name is Jack Wade, and I'm your Master's friend, you know? We have the same rank, Lieutenant Colonel, and we know each other since way back, right buddy?"

Zhuge Liang looked between the two military-men, and nodded. "And oh," before Caster could say anything, Jack was ahead of him, "don't call me 'Lord' okay, Mr. Caster? You're not in ancient China anymore, or whichever period you came from. You're in America now, and in this country the only one we call lord is the Lord up above, you hear me?" Blake inwardly cringed at Jack's smug display. He can't seem to help himself when he is around foreigners.

Zhuge Liang's stoic expression was unbroken by Jack's statement, and he responded, "Of course, I apologize Mr. Wade. I don't know much about your faith, but nevertheless I will still respect it. I admit that this country, America, is certainly an interesting place with interesting people." Blake is sure Liang is referring to Jack with that last part.

After smiling at them both, Jack turned to the game currently going on, and said, "Now I assume both of you aren't here for introductions only, so how about we watch the game together? My buddy Saber is playing, and he is a beast, I tell you. I even told him to keep his Servant strength down to make this game fairer, but just look at him now!" As Blake watched the ongoing match, he gets what Jack is saying. Despite the Saber and his team only being three people, they were putting points against the opposing team of five. Out of Saber's opponents, Blake could only recognize Diego Carlez. Even without his natural strength as a Servant, Blake could tell Saber would be good at basketball, owing to his amazing height (easily reaching 6'4", maybe even 6'5"). Watching the Saber play, Blake couldn't help but be reminded of his own son, Jared. Blake tried to get his son into soccer during elementary school, but Jared insisted he wanted to play basketball. He was taller than the other kids, so he got good at the game relatively easily. Now that he looked at Saber more, Blake noticed more and more the resemblance between the knight and his own son. With similar blonde hair, maybe this is what Jared would look like after he grew up? Blake hoped he would live to see that day.

"Blake? What you thinking 'bout, buddy?" Jack's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Nothing, just, thinking about this whole Master and Servant thing," Blake answered plainly.

Jack just stared at Blake after he said it, "Knowing you, you're probably thinking of something else. Whatever, did you see that hoop my Saber just made? The other guys are 10 points behind M- Saber's team, you know? I honestly thought the gap was going to be way wider, guess my guy is really holding himself back!"

Blake ignored that almost slip-up Jack made. The Lieutenant Colonel relented, and resigned himself to watching the match from the sidelines. I don't know much about basketball, but this should be interesting. From what Blake could see, while Saber did have natural advantage due to his height and size, the opposing team had the advantage in skill. Saber's foes made up for their inferior strength, just by their experience with the game of basketball. Blake could tell by the players' movements.

Another thing Blake noticed, was that Saber's movements were rather predictable. Just right now, Saber attempted the same jump shot that got him a goal less than a minute ago, only to be thwarted by his opponents before Saber even entered the three-point line. Blake had to admit, Carlez's team has some good tactics. While everyone else was tired, Saber isn't, owing to his superior endurance as a Servant. Blake could tell however that he was very annoyed. "Hah!" Saber shouted loudly, slightly starling everyone. From being besides Blake, Jack started walking in the direction of Saber. "Ya bastards are lucky, I only learned how to play this game an hour ago! If only I didn't hold back, all of you will be crying, holding your broken fucking legs by now. I was genuinely surprised, you even lasted this long!" From here, Blake is seeing that Saber was talking to two people in particular. One of them was none other than Diego Carlez. He was certainly tall and has a good build, but not enough to rival Saber. Next to him, was a man that Blake wasn't too familiar with. Though he did recognize his face as that of Neil Larson, one of the newer staffers at Camp McKinley. Both of them are clearly exhausted, with Larson resting a hand on Carlez's shoulder.

"Heh, whatever," Larson said as he faced down Saber, "that's what your mom said to me last night, by the way."

Blake doesn't tend to find that low-brow kind of humor funny, but apparently Carlez's team thought it was very humorous. All of them started laughing, with Diego in particular laughing hysterically, which is surprising because Blake didn't think he would already be familiar with the American style of comedy. It was Saber's expression that was most notable though. At first, it was mild confusion. But after he started getting the punchline, his face starts getting twister more and more into anger. It was at this point that Jack said something to Saber that Blake couldn't hear. It doesn't matter though, as the knight just brushed him off and started getting closer to Carlez and Larson. The aura that radiated from the Servant was positively murderous. Blake felt he had to do something about this, so he entered the field to try and talk to Saber, only to be held back by his own Caster. "No, don't," was all the Chinese man said.

Diego and his teammate didn't seem to be intimidated by the Saber, for some shocking reason. As they got face-to-face with Saber, their posture seemed to indicate that they were openly challenging the taller man. Beg for your life, you idiots! It all happened in a flash. One second, Neil was standing proudly, and in the next, he was laying on the ground, pained and screaming.

"AAAAAARGGHHHHHH!" Neil's screams could be heard by everyone in the gymnasium. He was holding his leg, after it was broken by the Saber. Everyone was shocked, staring at the scene silently. Morons! Imbeciles! Blake could've seen this from a mile away. Servants, as Blake has stressed many times during SPECTRA meetings, are very unpredictable. The vast majority of them came from periods and places that are very different from the modern world. You wouldn't know if they would adapt easily to American life, or openly show disdain towards it. Saber was the foremost example of this. Blake doesn't yet know his identity, but from the way he carries himself, his elaborate armor and dress, and his attitude, Blake could tell that the knight was very powerful and perhaps infamous warrior from whatever place he came from. That kind of person wouldn't respond well to jokes at his expense, especially coming from men he doesn't respect. Larson's current predicament is the expected response to his provocation.

Saber wasn't done, however. As if his bloodlust hasn't yet been satiated, he brought his foot up and using his superhuman strength, stepped on Neil's feet. "AAAAARGHHHH! P-PLEASE! NO! AAARGHHHH!" As Saber was busying himself with torturing Larson, his teammate Carlez was backing away with visible fear on his face. If he was truly scared, he would've run away already and maybe pissed his pants, but then Blake considered the possibility of his Servant, Berserker standing on guard in spirit form. Is he banking on the fact that Berserker will protect him? What kind of fight do you want to start here, you idiot? Blake had only seen Berserker's physical form once, and what he saw unsettles him.

It took Larson's second bout of screams for someone to finally intervene. It was Jack, Saber's own master, who grabbed the Servant and tried telling him something. From the way Jack was pointing at his right hand, Blake would guess he was threatening to use a command spell on Saber. It doesn't matter though, as Jack was shook off by his own Servant. Neil was on the ground begging for his life, "PLEASE! NO! I-I'M SORRY! PL-"

"Le-leave him alone," Carlez said as he stared down Saber. He tried to sound tough and resolute, but Blake could tell that the Spaniard was scared shitless, his handsome face absolutely covered by sweat.

Saber, silent all this time, finally spoke, "Huh? You serious?" The Servant's words was threatening, with a hint of mild surprise. "You think you're the shite aren't ya? 'Cause you have your pretty little Berserker, you're now trying to play hero? Well you're outta fucking luck, cause I'm not afraid! Matter of fact, tell her to show her pretty little tush here!" Saber's words were filled with amusement, but it put terror in everyone else listening. If Diego was scared then, he was absolutely shitting breeches now. "HAHAHA! Don't worry, I'm not going to kill her. In fact, I'll do you way worse, 'cause I'll have my way with your Berserker in front of ya! I've been dying to see how she looks like behind her veil, and I'll really be disappointed if the face doesn't match the tits! Of course, I'll probably have to beat her senseless before that, but I don't mind that. To have a good time you got to make a little sacrifice first, no?"

It was at this point that Blake realized Caster isn't beside him anymore. In fact, he was already near Saber. "Stop this at once, Saber!" Zhuge Liang stated with a voice of authority. "There will be no fighting here. This is not the battlefield. You're going to doom this entire effort if you keep with this attitude," Caster continued.

Saber looks at Blake's Servant, and he is positively pissed. "Who the fuck do you think you are, four eyes? I'll smash your ugly face if you don't shut up!" It seems that Saber was angrier towards Liang than he was towards Neil or Diego. It's probably owing to the fact that Caster is around the same level of strength as him, as opposed to normal humans like Larson and Carlez. "Actually, I shouldn't even care about whatever you say, 'cause ya can't fucking stop me!" Saber loudly said as he turned back to Carlez. Now, the Spaniard has backed away further, and he is in position, holding his right hand as a fist in front of his chest. Though he is still trembling, Diego is getting ready to cast his mage abilities. Saber started moving towards Carlez again. Caster tried to get a hold of him, but he failed as Saber started speeding up. Before Saber could close the distance, a sudden bright blue light appears in front of Diego. There was a thumping force felt on the ground, as Saber was pushed back. As the dust clears, Blake could now make out the presence protecting Carlez.

It was Berserker, in all her terrifying glory. In her right hand, she holds a massive black double-headed axe, its size towering over the wielder. Her clothes are a complex, flowing black gown that is reminiscent of the Gothic style. On her head is a large crown, a mix of gray and blue colors, its ends pointed sharp. But the most distinctive feature of her, is the dark veil that covered her features, from her face to her neck. From what Blake could see, her hair was platinum-colored, almost white, and it was flowing out the back of her head. Despite being unnerved, Blake could find a strange, otherworldly sense of beauty in her appearance. Her mere presence seems to invite all the eyes in the room to stare at her.

Saber on the ground, positively surprised by the sudden appearance of Berserker. With the knight caught off guard, Zhuge Liang took this chance and summoned a circular large, dropping from above to trap the Saber. After getting back to his senses, Saber stood up, and returned to being angry once again. "You!" Saber shouted, seemingly pointed at Caster. "This is nothing! Nothing, you hear me!"

With Saber trapped, Diego and his Servant stayed on their toes, preparing for whatever the knight was about to unleash. "What nonsense is happening?!" Blake heard someone shout from the gymnasium's entrance. Turns out, it was none other than Colonel Brad Dorsey, the appointed leader of the SPECTRA and spec-ops forces. Besides him was Agatha Fairbanks, the overseer for SPECTRA, as appointed by the Mages' Association. Behind them was a large group of soldiers, geared up and ready for combat. Already angry from the beginning, a hint of desperation began to show in Saber's features. "Now, I know you think you're hot stuff, Sir Shit-for-brains. But I assure you, this Isn't the day you wanna count your lucky stars, you understand? If I were you, and I still have a single brain cell left, I would stand down right about now. Or do you still think the odds aren't against you enough?"

The black Colonel shouted again with the authority he is known for. It doesn't work, as Saber only looks more annoyed. "You bastards," Saber stated at no one in particular, with every murderous intent. Diego started backing away, though his Berserker stood firm. Saber's right hand started glowing red. "I'll show you," as Saber continued, the glow turned into a large sword, "I'll show you all."

With one flaming slice, Saber's sword has cut a hole out of Caster's cage. "Persistent brat!" Blake could hear Dorsey shout from across the room. At this moment, Fairbanks rolled up her right sleeve, revealing a large row of command spells. As an agent from the Mages' Association, she arrived as an overseer already equipped with fourteen command spells, two for each Servant. It seemed she was ready to use it on of them to bind Saber, until Berserker launched a large chain, aimed at Saber's right hand. The chain held Saber's sword hand tightly, preventing him from using the weapon. "Y-you bitch!" Saber shouted with annoyance at Diego's servant. As the knight was struggling, Berserker suddenly spoke.

"Camelot."

The voice was soft, very soft. It forced everyone in the room to be quiet so they could hear it. Yet, it commanded an aura of authority that surpassed even Dorsey's. Needless to say, everyone in the gymnasium was shocked yet again. Fairbanks was still holding up her right arm, the command spell that she was ready to use aborted. Yet the thing that shocked Blake the most, was the expression on Saber's face. All the built-up anger and annoyance vanished in an instance, replaced with an emotion of surprise, mixed with confusion. At a loss for words, the knight dropped his sword, making a large clattering sound on the ground. As the sword disappeared, so does the chain holding Saber's arm. With the tension seemingly gone, Diego, now holding Neil who was still in pain, finally relaxed since what seemed like forever. Saber and Berserker are now staring right at each other, the former's expression inscrutable.

Saber turned away from Diego's Servant, and looked towards Brad and the soldiers. "You won," those were the simple words that came out of Sabers mouth. The knight said it with such resignation and melancholy, you could convince Blake it came out of a different person.

At this moment, Jack came up to his Servant and grabbed him in the arm. "It's fine! We're all good here!" Blake's friend said loudly towards the Colonel.

After some second of quiet, Dorsey finally responded, "Jesus. You gotta know how to control your servant, Jack. That shit won't fly when a war is about to happen. I'll have words with you later, but I assume you understand you cannot let this happen again."

Jack nodded and said, "Yes, of course, sir." Still holding Saber's shoulder, Jack led the Servant towards the Colonel and Fairbanks. Blake led out a large exhale, infinitely glad at the situation has ended. The Lieutenant Colonel just realized that outside of the entrance, the gymnasium is really empty, whatever spectators and players there were having already left a while ago. However, Blake could still hear the whimpering sounds of a certain Neil Larson. Poor guy. He didn't deserve this. He better pray anyone here knows healing magic.

VloneVllain · May 22, 2024

RISE – PART 1

"Eh? What do you mean you don't believe in an afterlife?"

Nino once again resisted the urge to sigh. This pharaoh really was too curious for her own good. "No offense, Miss Caster, but how is this a shock to you, exactly? Didn't you already get clued in on what the Soviet people are like? We are after all, the first nation to embrace godlessness," Nino responded to the pharaoh with slight annoyance.

"Don't worry, Caster. I was myself baffled by my Master's blatant statement of apostasy," of course Timur had to get in on the conversation, "It was unbelievable! How does a proud Turk like you, whose ancestors have embraced the religion of Islam, and because of that, they have conquered half the world, try to become like the westerner? I am sorry if I offended your strange, sensibilities, but even if I respect you as a soldier and as a leader, I cannot just ignore this simple fact, O Nizar!"

There are moments where Nino genuinely value his Rider's company, and there are moments where he wished someone would just shoot his Servant with a tranquilizer. Of course, this is one of the latter moments. Do they have tranquilizers that work on servants? Eh, I guess ARGOS technically counts. "You got it all wrong, Timur. Yes, us Turks might have conquered large swathes of land after we converted to Islam, but it is what happened after that you missed out on. Had you lived longer, you would've seen our people, who lived in what is now Central Asia, be pushed around by powers such as China, Russia, and Britain. While Western Europe is going through the industrial revolution, us Uzbeks were living medieval lives under the rule of superstitious princes and ulemas," Nino was never more glad for the political training that he received than now, "Even after the Russians conquered us, our conditions still did not change. It took the October Revolution to inspire our intellectuals to drag ourselves into modernity."

Surprisingly, both the Rider and the Caster were listening attentively at his explanation. "Hmm. I see where you are coming from, Nizar, truly. But I view it as a failure of our people, than the fault belonging to our religion. Didn't famed Turkish scholars contributed mightily to the various arts and sciences? Maybe the slump of Muslim civilization was God's plan all along, but also maybe, we didn't try hard enough," Timur smiled as he took a sip of his orange juice, "Ah, but I'm getting tired of this! A war, a conflict between the two mightiest nations on Earth, is about to commence! Why are we talking about faiths and history? We should be discussing strategy, tactics, and above all else, the spoils we will obtain!" Timur's tone switch from being serious to boisterous was glaring, and he was catching the attention of other Perun agents in this beach.

"Hahaha! I cannot wait to feast my eyes upon the riches of this 'America', once we march triumphantly into their cities! I have spent way too much of my time inside that drab underground military base. Rest easy Nizar, I will make you a champion of your nation!"

Both Caster and Nino was left dumbfounded at the Rider's tirade. After some silence, the pharaoh nervously added, "Yes! Of course, I agree! I have heard of how rich this enemy kingdom is. Their wealth shall be a fine addition to my collection!" As the Caster was cheerfully talking, Nino can't help but stare at the woman's dog (bunny?) ears making strange movements. The agent didn't have the heart to correct her on the whole kingdom thing.

Nino coughed, getting the attention of the servants. "I understand how both of you are feeling, but there is something I am curious about," Nino looked at Caster, "Miss Nitocris, how has your relationship with your Master been?"

The pharaoh looked surprised at Nino's question. Establishing a good relationship between Master and Servant is a very important matter, that much Nino and Belyov agreed. In fact, it is the reason why Nino is spending time with his Rider right now, on a Cuban beach. Nitocris' Master, the Elias Meyer individual, is currently doing some errand. It's why the Caster is alone right now. It has been a week since the Diviziya Perun team has arrived in Cuba. Whenever the masters and the servants aren't on some mission, or in a briefing, they are allowed time to bond on each other. The reason why Nino is asking Caster this question, is that Elias Meyer, the German is a rather illusive fellow.

He is a competent mage, that much Nino knows. But his various interests, and out-of-the-ordinary stories about his adventures, put the German in Nino's radar. Before being contracted by Diviziya Perun, Meyer was apparently a professor in a renowned East German university. Other than that, he's totally anonymous. We really ran out of luck when it comes to mages, aren't we?

"Oh! Um, we both get along?" It was Nitocris' turn to talk, "But first, it's Mrs. Nitocris, mister. I was married, once, to my brother and husband…" The pharaoh's face looked gloomy for a minute when she said that. Right, Egyptian pharaohs and their weird customs. "Yes, he's nice-looking… and he's very respectful to me! He knows a lot about Egyptian religion and the afterlife. Surprising, I know! He even told me how he went to Egypt for a short trip a long time ago, and he said he took a trip to the Pyramids. Very respectful of him to not enter the fourth pyramid where I was buried, yes?"

That is the problem. From the little that Perun knows about Meyer, they can tell that he is eccentric. Sure, Egyptology is very mild as far as interests go, but Andrei Malenkov's account of him is what's concerning. Apparently, he was exceptionally prying into what Andrei's father, the famed Soviet General Secretary Georgy Malenkov, was doing during the Arctic Holy Grail War. The whole thing was suspect from the start, since that affair from 1947 was supposed to be classified from everyone. All except the highest Soviet and Eastern Bloc officials, and their resident experts in magic. Malenkov described how his conversation with Meyer eventually evolved into talking about failed Soviet expeditions into Agartha (the land of hollow earth in myth), Soviet magecraft esotericists suppressed during the years of Stalinism, and other things that Nino would consider nonsense. The possibility that he is working for the West has not been ruled out. We can't trust him with knowledge of the ARGOS.

"Is that so? I'm sorry about mistaking your marital status, but," Nino responded to the pharaoh, "I'm glad to hear that. It's nice for servants and masters to have the same interests," he could see Timur's amused expression from the corner of his eye, "even nicer for a Master to be willing to treat their Servants as an equal," Nino took a sip of his drink, "how much has the both of you gotten to know each other, if I may know?" There is a chance that Meyer has let his Caster know about his life's details, however small they are. Nitocris looked momentarily confused at the question. She didn't get a chance to answer, as Nino saw a man, a fellow GRU operative, come up to him.

"General Senaviev is looking for you," the agent whispered in Nino's ear, "There is information regarding the spies. He's at the hotel, top-most floor. Try to be there as soon as possible, you're permitted to bring your Servant."

At the operative, Kamarov was his name, Nino nodded. "Understood. I will be heading there," Nino stood up, and signaled to his Rider, "Timur, the General wants to see me. You can come along with me if you want to."

At Nino's statement, the conqueror stood up proudly, "Of course I want to! I want to see what this 'General' is like. I reckon I could impress him with my boundless knowledge about war."

As Nino and his Servant started heading out, Caster suddenly stood up and walked towards them. "Ooh, a secret meeting! Can I come along? I am a pharaoh after all, and I'm sure I have insights this General can appreciate," before she could continue, Nino turned around and interrupted her.

"I am very sorry, Mrs. Caster, but I am told this briefing is for me and my Servant only. I know that you want to be valuable for our war effort, but it will be for another time, understand?"

At Nino's response, Nitocris' dog ears perked down, "O-okay. I'll be looking for my Master then…"

Nino felt bad, but he just can't allow Caster to be in on the briefing, considering who her Master was.

"It does seem that his Assassin was suited for the task after all. Based on how the agents that accompany him report the mission, Assassin is indeed putting the fear of God into these Americans. I do hate to admit it, but I have to commend Armonas and his Servant for their efforts."

Nino frowned as he heard the reports about the American spies. As a GRU operative, it was his specialty to deal with foreign spies. He's not sure how Rider would feel about it, but Nino and his colleagues are sure to make short work of the Americans. To trust an outsider, from the Prometheus Organization nonetheless, to deal with them, they are already taking a huge risk. "In the South, where Armonas and his Assassin operates, they reported that they have captured and interrogated five of the American spies," Senaviev continued, "though the actual number of them are sure to be higher, since the emergence of our Assassin has scared them into hiding. Our Cuban friends in the G2 has stated that the number of them scattered around the country, may very well reach more than forty. I'm sure I don't have to tell any of you why there's suddenly a lot of them on this island."

"Sir, may I ask something?" Nino raised his hand to propose a question. There's not a lot of people in the suite they're in, so the General noticed him easily.

"Go ahead," Senaviev signaled for him to speak.

"You've said that these spies have been interrogated by either Armonas or the Assassin, correct?" Senaviev nodded, saying yes to the question. "Now, what information has been gathered out of these spies, exactly? What agency do they work for? Or has Armonas been illusive about his servant's activities, refusing to clue our agents in on any intel that has been gathered?"

Senaviev smirked, "Impatient are you, Lieutenant?" As quickly as his smile appeared, it was just as quickly replaced by a stern expression. "I will answer your question. Thankfully, Armonas hasn't gotten being a Master get into his head yet, and has cooperated with the GRU to his best of capabilities. Though they do note his discomfort whenever an agent is present. As for the intel," Senaviev sighed, "please excuse my speech gentlemen, but they haven't gotten shit. None of them even knew what a Servant is. Master, mana, SPECTRA, everything related to the Grail War, they're clueless. As far as they know, they're sent to this country by the CIA for a simple espionage mission." Nino was surprised, to say the least. That's… strange. Why is the US keeping their own agents in the dark? "Oh, Armonas' Assassin has put on the best of their torture show for these agents, don't doubt that. These reports I've been reading, what these Americans have been put through, that Assassin is truly a beast."

"Sorry sir, but, what did that Assassin do, exactly?" It was Kamarov's turn to ask.

Nino was thankful for the question, because he too, like Kamarov, has a morbid curiosity of what the Soviet Assassin is capable of. After all, Armonas' Servant was the only one to never show himself to the others. Senaviev showed discomfort at Kamarov's question, "Very well, if you insist. From what I've heard, the Assassins' techniques include, but are not limited to, flaying the spy's hand and then forcing its skin to regrow again so it could be flayed again, tying the victim to a pole over an open fire and roasting them while the victim is kept alive, unleashing a large number of hungry rats upon them, and a few more. From what I've been told, every single one of these spies are still experiencing this as we speak," Senaviev closed his eyes and continued his talk with a solemn expression, "look, gentlemen. I know that many of you has been a part of the GRU for quite a while, and even those that are relatively new, have already acclimated yourselves into our field of work. In our duties as intelligence officers, we know well how far we would go to extract information. If you haven't committed the deed yourself, you have either witnessed it firsthand, or you know someone who did. Now I don't really know if I have to explain it, but does any of you remember what happened to Vladimir Reznyk?"

Some of the officers in the room pondered the question, before one of them spoke up, "That traitor agent from the 70s?"

Suvorov nodded at the answer, "Yes. I don't have the time to explain what exactly happened to him, so I'll keep it short. In 1973, when we discovered that he was feeding information to the Mossad during Israel's war with the Arab countries, we kidnapped him and interrogated him. Our method of torture was simple, yet painful and effective. We tied him down, and inserted needles under his fingernails. I was one of the men who held him. It took us to denial every last one of his fingers, and even then, there is still some intel he refused to give. Me and the agents were faced with two choices, patch him up and find some other way to get info out of him, or put the bastard out of his misery." Now, Nino finally recalled the case of Vladimir Reznyk. He was forcefully shoved into a crematorium and burned alive, due to his treachery. What is shocking was that the agents who did it, filmed the whole damn thing, and the footage was burned into Nino's mind. Every new recruit in the GRU was shown the film, ostensibly as a warning to never turn your back against the organization. It seems not many remember his name, though. What was important wasn't his name or his face, it was what he did.

It seems that every other officer just remembered too. "I assume all of you know what option we took," Senaviev continued, "looking back after all these years, we unintentionally made GRU history with that simple act. We told ourselves that we did it because he outlived his usefulness, to end his suffering, and finally, as a warning to would-be traitors. Our bosses bought the excuse, somehow. But honestly, speaking for myself, I did it because I was tired. We spent all day in that fucking hellhole, and what we managed to get out of him was pitiful," Senaviev let out a light chuckle, "burning him alive felt cathartic, is what I'm saying. Now before you ask, why did I tell you all about this? What was the point of my tangent? I did it to illustrate that we, GRU agents, knew when to stop. Our methods could be considered cruel, but it was a cruel to a point. Unleashing techniques that would kill a normal human, just to artificially keep them alive? That is beyond what we want to, and what we could do."

After finishing his monologue, every person in the room was silent, contemplating. However, Nino had to ask something. "Excuse me, sir," Nino raised his hand, "I'm not sure if my memory is messing with me, but when you described the Assassin's methods, you did say 'the best of their torture show', instead of 'the best of his torture show'. Am I wrong? May you explain this, sir?"

Senaviev smirked at Nino's question. "You're very astute, that's what I like about you, Natinbayev. Yes, I did say 'their' instead of 'his'. Now, since you've never seen what Assassin looks like, are you curious about his appearance, Natinbayev?" Nino nodded, curious to where this is going. "Well, so do I. But honestly, I don't think I ever want to see what the bastard looks like. I've only ever heard him described, not as text on a report, but verbally, right from talking to an officer who saw him. What the guy said to me, was, imagine a monster that haunted your nightmares when you were a kid. Now, imagine there are hundreds of them."

"Please, sir. It would easier for both of us if you got a hold of yourself."

From the way he is staring right at Hassan, it seems the man named Jorge Vivar was still scared of him. Does he even feel grateful for having his life saved? Hassan found the spy inside a ditch, covered up by leaves. To say Vivar was a mess would be an understatement. From his appearance, the Assassin would guess he has been hiding in that hole for more than a day. He looked a dirty, and his behavior was manic. Hassan retrieved him, and after some convincing, managed to get him to come along. After some minutes of silent walking, both of them came across a small river, in which Vivar immediately pounced on it, drinking every drop of water he could get from the stream. Now, after quenching his thirst, Vivar still struggles to say anything to the Assassin.

"Y-You're not with them, are you?" Hassan has no idea what he is talking about. Maybe the Soviet Assassin that has been hunting down the American spies? Vivar was indeed one of the various agents sent to scout this island. But wouldn't that mean he already knew what a Servant is? "With who? The Russians? The Cubans?" Hassan responded to the nervous man, "heh, I am with neither. You see, I am a Servant in the service of the United States of America. Of the Assassin class, to be exact. My owners were very worried about what happened to you and your comrades."

Now, Vivar just looked even more surprised. "Assassin? Servant? Who are you sent to kill here? Who are your owners?"

Dealing with this nervous wreck of a man is starting to be bothersome. "Asking so many questions at once isn't polite, you know," the Assassin responded with slight amusement. "Don't worry, I will still answer whatever you are curious in. However, before that, I need to know how many of your comrades have been captured."

Vivar pondered the question for a moment. "Five, I think. Rodrigo, Mateo, fuck… I don't even want to know what happened to them. I would rather surrender myself to the G2 than deal with those, riders, again…" Jorge responded, still not looking at Hassan. "In fact, I still don't have a reason to trust you. When I first saw you, I thought one of those people dismounted from their horses and came looking for me. Your black cloaks are very similar."

That is strange. Looks similar to me? Is there a chance that there is another Hassan-i-Sabbah working for the Soviet Union? To this Hassan's knowledge, there are no Hassans that are mounted on horses. "Maybe this will give you a reason to trust me," the Assassin reached from inside his cloak and pulled out a badge.

Jorge examined it for a second, before he recoiled in shock. "S-SPECTRA? You're with them? Are you serious?" Jorge reached out to grab it, but Hassan pulled his hand away, out of Vivar's reach. "Hey, just, let me look at it, for a second!" Slightly chuckling, Hassan once again showed his SPECTRA badge to the man. "Wow… you know, I do hear about SPECTRA once in a while, but I never got what their whole deal was. They were so secretive, no one knows what they actually do, even in the CIA. If you're one of the people that work for SPECTRA, then… shit. What have I gotten myself into?" Vivar sighed, and looked at the Assassin. The look of nervousness on his face has been replaced by one of curiosity. "I've answered your question, now tell me what I need to know," Vivar said.

"Heh. If you insist, Mr. Vivar." After saying that, the Assassin proceeds to explain what he has been sent to Cuba for, and what Vivar's role in this was. As the expression of genuine surprise on his face becomes more and more apparent, it became clear that indeed, Jorge did not know what a Holy Grail War was. Hassan was forced to give a detailed explanation to the spy, though the Assassin did leave some things out, like his True Name, for one. "Now should we just stand still here like exposed chickens, or do we start moving?" The Assassin questioned. Wordlessly, Vivar complied.

Ideally, the walk should be faster. They are heading to the Southern Coast, and if Hassan was on his own right now, he should already be halfway there. "Where are we going?" Jorge asked the Assassin, while making quick steps through the forest.

"There is a town not far from here," Hassan replied, "in that town, there should be an agent of America, who will pick you up, and escort you to that prison called Guantanamo Bay. I can't accompany all the way to your destination you see, there are still other spies that I need to look for. Since you said five was captured, that means there are four more around this region, excluding you."

Hassan just noticed, Vivar's expression looked gloomier than before. "Gitmo, huh? Somehow, I still don't feel safe there," Jorge said solemnly, "They sent me here. They sent all of us here, and they didn't tell us the real reason. All we thought we had to deal with was the G2, and maybe Soviet agents, but that's it. They never told us we were going to face… that. We were fucking guinea pigs. They didn't bother telling us, because they thought we were expendable. Rodrigo and the others are now rotting there, God knows what is happening to them, because of our fucking superiors. We were supposed to sit with our tails between our legs, acting as bait for these 'servants' to come and catch," Hassan could notice the slight rage in the man's voice. The Assassin could understand his frustration. This type of baiting tactic was not uncommon during this Hassan's time, used by both the Muslims and Crusaders. In war, there are always those unfortunate ones who are victims of the decision-making of those above them.

"So, what will you do?" Hassan asked the spy. "Do you still want to return to your 'masters'?" Vivar's face was a mixture of rage and despair. It seems he was too busy thinking about something to answer the Assassin. However, Hassan could tell Jorge was having doubts. "Hmph. You can decide for yourself when we reach our destination. Don't worry, if you decide to run away, I'll just tell my Master I found your corpse. This conversation has never happened," Hassan said, chuckling behind his mask. If he wants to run into his own death, that's his own choice.

The skies are getting dark, and it seems the day is turning to dusk. Thankfully for them, they have stumbled upon a dirt road, an empty one at that. If they follow along the road to the east, they will eventually reach the town. As Hassan is telling Vivar on what they will be done, the just silently complied, not saying a single thing. The Assassin didn't realize they were walking for so long, when the dusk abruptly turned into night. When Hassan heard the sound of a vehicle heading down the road, they were once again forced into the forest. The Assassin can't afford to go into his spirit form, unless it's for an emergency. "When someone sees us, I will disappear momentarily," Hassan told Vivar when they were still on the path, "don't worry, I will once again be besides you when the situation has become clear. Though I'm not sure whether you can afford to lose your greatest comfort during this tribulation, even for a moment." When Hassan showcased this to the spy, there was an honest surprise on the man's face, albeit not one that finally made him speak.

In the distance, Hassan starts to see a glimpse of some small buildings. Before the Assassin could point it out, Vivar said, "I'll disappear." After hearing that, Hassan became silent. He signaled for the spy to continue. "Sorry but, this is where we'll part, Assassin. You can go into the town and tell your guy you found this," Jorge hands Hassan a brown pouch. "We were required to bring this along during our mission. Inside it, there are several things, including my false identity. If they ask you how you managed to obtain this, just say you found it lying on the ground. I'm sure they'll buy it. After all, I'm just a know-nothing spy who was expendable, right?" The fact that this spy is trusting Hassan with this task, almost makes him blush. Jorge's expression turned from one of despair to one of determination. "I'll go flee to some place, somewhere not important enough for you to know. I don't know how much power they have over you, but the fact that someone like you is working for them means-"

"Shush! Someone is here!" Hassan suddenly said, dragging Vivar to behind a bush.

After being surprised, Vivar managed to calm himself down in a moment. "Where?" the spy asked the Assassin. Hassan pointed to behind a tree, and said, "There. Look." Emerging from the darkness, was a hooded cavalryman. In their hand, they wield a weapon, though from here Hassan couldn't tell what it is. In a second, Vivar's expression turned from confusion to genuine terror. "N-n-no…" The spy said, audibly quivering. "Th-that's him! He's-"

"Quiet down, you coward! Do you want to get skewered?" Hassan warned Vivar, trying to keep his voice as low possible. However, it seems something from two of them is attracting the rider, as he trotted towards their direction. That has to be a Servant. There is no possibility otherwise, the Assassin thought. Can he sense my mana? My Presence Concealment should be high enough to not be detected by him. Though, if that is an Assassin…

As the rider got closer, Hassan could make out more details about him. It seems that he was carrying something on the back of his steed, seemingly a body. The weapon he was wielding was a spear. The strangest detail, however, was that on the left side of his horse, there was something, God knows what, dangling and bobbing up and down. Whatever it is, it is faintly shining, almost like it is frozen. As the rider gets closer and closer to their hiding spot, Vivar's panic gets worse and worse, and he is struggling not to scream or make a loud noise. However, while it is still galloping, the horse suddenly stopped. The world seemed to stay still at that very moment. May God help us.

Then, the rider charged at their bush.

As fast as the horse started running, Hassan leapt out of his hiding spot to attack the knight. He has already prepared his dirk while he was still hiding. However, Hassan's strike was blocked by the spear-wielding rider, parrying the dirk and forcing Assassin to land on the open field. When Vivar said he mistook Hassan for the men who hunted him, the Assassin finally understood why. In the darkness, the rider's dark brown cloak seemed almost similar to Hassan's black one. Under his hood however, there was nothing. There is only a black void. Why isn't he already running? That fool! It is you that he wants! This is the perfect time to run away while Hassan is fighting the rider, but it seemed the spy was still hiding behind his spot. It was either he was frozen in sheer terror, or he already ran away too quick for Assassin to notice. Whatever. He said himself he wanted to disappear, I guess tempting an enemy Servant into killing him is one way to do it.

Hassan expected the rider to charge again, but he instead reached for his saddle. That is nothing good. Right before he could see what object it is, Assassin jumped at the tree behind him, and using his right foot as a spring, once again leapt at the cloaked rider. This time, the cavalryman was caught off-guard while wielding the object. The rider hastily brought up his spear to parry Hassan's attack once again, but the combination of his unpreparedness and the greater momentum of Assassin's strike, made the spearman fall off his horse. As he stumbled into the ground, the rider's steed went into a panic, making it stand up and drop the body that was on its back. I'll examine it later. Hassan moved away to avoid getting hit by the horse, just in time for the rider to get back on his feet and ready his spear. Time to finish this.

Grabbing a handful of dirks with his left hand, Hassan threw those knives at the spearman. None of those dirks hit their target, as the voiceless rider parried all them, but that was not the point. Just as he was preparing those knives, Hassan was preparing his Cursed Arm, his abnormally long right hand that the Assassin was hiding behind his black cloak all this time. My demon hand will make short work of this. Hassan launched his right arm at the knight while he was blocking the knives, and it managed to touch the spearman's right arm. However, Hassan's foe moved out of the way before the Cursed Arm can grab him. Hassan chuckled. That is enough. After dodging, the cavalryman signaled for someone to come using his hand. His horse. Hassan realized it just in time, as he avoided his enemy's steed charge, coming right from behind him. Hassan's foe and his horse made contact with one another, the earlier mounting the latter. To avoid another charge, Hassan hopped up into the tree, and prepared his Noble Phantasm.

"Writhe in agony," Hassan reveals his glowing Cursed Arm, revealing a copy of his enemy's heart. However, the organ was darker and smaller than was expected of a human heart, and its beating was too faint. No matter. "Zabaniya!" Hassan shouted, crushing the fake heart.

The rider was still mounted atop his horse, still alive.

What? How is this possible? Hassan's Noble Phantasm summons a copy of his target's heart, to crush it, and consequently, also crush his opponent's real heart inside their body. However, for God knows why, instead of being crushed, this rider's fake heart just shrunk in size to fit inside of Hassan's palm. This can't be right, unless… Hassan doesn't have time to think, as a small sword was thrown right at him, forcing him to jump from the tree into the open ground once again. Assassin, what just happened? It was his Master, Billy Grant's voice, speaking to Hassan through their spiritual link. The failed execution of his Noble Phantasm has just alerted the man, he had to guess. The rider is preparing to charge at Assassin once again. A little slip up, dear Master, Hassan responded, it seems this Servant I am facing is a mere fake familiar, not the real thing. It is nothing I can't handle. Hassan could feel his Master's doubt through their link. I cannot arrive there, so I have no choice but trust you at this time. I do warn you though, that you should complete this task as soon as possible, Grant said to his Servant. Hassan's Master has been residing at Guantanamo Bay all this time, just close enough to where the Assassin is currently located.

Once again, Hassan dodged another cavalry charge from his opponent. Unexpectedly however, the knight took this chance to leap out of his horse and strike right at the Assassin. Hassan just narrowly managed to dodge a spear attack. After moving out of the way, Hassan went to preparing a counter attack, but it seems his enemy is doing something else. After getting on foot, the cavalryman picked up what seems to be an animal's head from the ground. A dog's head. A frozen, dog's head. It seems it was the same object that was dropped from his saddle earlier. He charged right at me to get his item back. Before Hassan could figure out what to do, the spearman showed his dog's head right at the Assassin, its eyes glowing white.

Hassan suddenly became frozen in place.

No, no… Don't tell me… What Mystic Eye could an animal corpse's head possibly possess? There was nothing Hassan could do. While holding the head, Assassin's enemy moved towards Hassan, ready to finish his job. It was at this point, that a loud neigh was heard. Hassan looked behind his enemy, and it seems the rider's horse was panicking once again This time however, it was caused by Vivar, who took this opportunity to try and grab the body that has fallen from the hunter's horse. Hassan could recognize who it was. The body that Vivar was currently holding was that of John Obst, the agent who Vivar was supposed to rendezvous with. The hunter came to that town to kill him, Hassan realized. It seems that instead of tracking down Vivar, that was what the hunter was doing. "Hey!" Jorge shouted, running away to avoid the startled horse. Vivar wasn't the only one who had to run away, as the horse's wrath didn't spare its rider. Hassan's foe has to move out of the way to avoid getting hit.

All of a sudden, Hassan was again able to move. This is my chance. Grabbing his dirk, the Assassin lunged at the spearman, tackling him. His enemy attempted to block the Assassin's attack with his spear, but it was all futile. Holding the spear down with his demon hand, Assassin sent a flurry of swift stabs to his foe's neck and chest. When all else fails, resort to the old and reliable. After what seemed like a hundred strikes, the hunter's body finally went limp. After Hassan got off of his enemy, the hunter's now-corpse began fading away into dust. The Assassin felt relieved. Seemingly, his horse was also disappearing, Vivar looking at it while holding Obst's body. "Holy shit," Jorge stated with amazement at the sight before him. The specter that has hunted him down for days, was proven to be very much not invincible.

Hassan came up to man, just as Vivar dropped the body he was holding. After a minute of examining Obst and quietness, Jorge sighed and said, "He's dead." The spy didn't say anything afterwards. I won, Master, the Assassin said to his Master. All Grant responded with was a simple, I'm glad. "That's not the last of them…" Jorge finally said after some silence. "I saw a bunch of them galloping around before, God knows how many are in this area. We are lucky this one was acting alone. I don't want to imagine if even only a couple of them, ganged up on us…"

"I figured as much," Hassan said to the spy, "this rider is what is called a familiar. Servants like me are also considered familiars, but the enemy we faced was a familiar of a familiar. The real spirit is out there on this island, somewhere. If what you said was true, then there is the possibility that the demise of this particular familiar has alerted the others." Vivar didn't answer, seemingly contemplating on what he is going to say. "So," the Assassin said as he chuckled, "do you still want to disappear, after now?"

The spy smiled, the first of such an expression today. "I knew I could trust you," Vivar said softly. "Well, I'm touched," Hassan responded while snickering. Vivar looked up at him, and stated, "There's still some of us alive, somewhere, I know it. I will help you find them, Assassin."

AN: G2 is the Cuban CIA, basically, if you don't know.

VloneVllain · Jun 6, 2024

RISE – PART 2

Yulia is having the most miserable time of her life, as of this moment.

This was the year when Yulia first experienced the trials and tribulations of tropical weather, and it was not kind to her, to say the least. Yulia tried to treat it like an extended vacation, but she couldn't really do that when she's constantly moving around the Caribbean with her Archer. Having to do spy-work in the rural Bahamas with very little to work with? You have to double her salary for that. At least it seems like her Servant is having the time of his life.

Don't get it wrong, Perun did assign her a handler during this whole detour. Along with, she assumes, some undercover spies working for the Soviet Union. But do they actually do anything to help Yulia during her job? Barely. The guy, whose name Yulia had already forgotten, isn't a mage in any way, so he couldn't help her in tracking down the enemy Servant. It's not like he is willing to do anything either. The Reds gave her some sort of navigation device, ostensibly so she can keep track of her location, but the Englishwoman suspects its real purpose is so they can never lose her. While her handler doesn't go as far to show outright contempt for Yulia, the child of a defector, the indifference from him isn't any better. So what if I took a job that could've went to a loyal Soviet citizen? Not my fault their government hates mages so much, they handicapped their strategic capabilities.

Really the only reason that her handler is seemingly here, is to make sure that Yulia doesn't defect. Something which she is increasingly tempted to do, if only for the fact that her Archer actually seems to like the Soviet Union as a country. Seriously, of all the servants that bought into the ideological training, it had to be Yulia's. She admittedly doesn't know much about the legend of Robin Hood, but from what she knows from her childhood in England, wasn't he supposed to be from the nobility? Honestly the most annoying thing about Archer, is that he can't seem to decide which parts of his legend are true or not, almost like he has something to hide. He is Robin Hood, so of course he does.

Here, in the rural areas of Andros Island, Yulia's Archer managed to ingratiate himself with the local villagers. White tourists can be found plenty in the Bahamas, but Robin differentiates himself from the others through his willingness to interact with the rural population, and his rare knowledge of all things nature, straight out of the middle ages. Yulia meanwhile, is bored out of her mind. Constantly moving from one place to another sure breaks the monotony of scout-work, but there was very little to do inside these villages. Unlike Robin Hood, the curiosity that the woman got wasn't the inviting kind. The locals can't help but stare at Yulia whenever she shows up for the first time, and a few times after that. A rare but not unprecedented aftereffect of years and years using magecraft, is that the users' body or looks are altered, sometimes drastically, sometimes not. This effect can't in any way, be predicted or reversed. Most of the time, it's little things like an increase in height, or slight tanning of the skin. The Englishwoman was unlucky enough to become an albino after all her training as a mage. Her skin has become pale, and her short hair is now very white. In contrast, Archer looks just like every other white person with reddish-orange hair.

Regarding their attire however, it's the exact opposite. Yulia blends seamlessly with the locals, a simple green t-shirt on dark cargo pants being her attire. Robin, for God knows why, refuses to let go of his medieval-looking green cloak on a matching all-green suit-of-armor. Whenever Yulia suggested he wear something more modern, the Archer shot her down instantly. Robin politely retorted to her by pointing out how his outfit would allow him to blend with the tropical environment, for the moment where they find their target. He has a point, I guess.

It has been five days since they first arrived at the Bahamas, one since they got on Andros Island. So far, they haven't gotten any luck on their real goal. There were the little things, like the random faint traces of mana in the air, that confirms there is indeed a Servant, or at least some form of magic usage, on this island. Trying to ask the locals doesn't really help either. Most of the rural people speak some local creole form of English, one that both Yulia and Robin have a hard of time understanding. That doesn't stop the latter from socializing with them though. "You know milady, your world is very different from mine," the Archer would say to her one time, "the humans of this time, have accomplished feats beyond what any fellow from my merry old England could imagine. In your country, the Sovietland, it seems like everyone lives in the cities! The thought of there being hardly any peasants to care for the land, fills me with terror and fascination at the same time. Yet here, in this island far from my home and yours, life isn't so different than from what I know."

Robin is right. Here, the fishermen tend to the calm seas, the children pass their time playing in the beaches, and everyone in the village knows each other. A simple life, indeed. Even Yulia, the sights you can see from shore will calm even the most neurotic of people. At this moment, dusk is just setting in. To the people here, the beautiful sunset is just something they see every day, but to the Englishwoman, the sight of it has burned itself into her memory. Sitting on the sands, Yulia isn't the only person enjoying their time on the beach. "Now, now, you don't have anything to fret over, little sir," Robin said while being surrounded by a group of curious and noisy children. "You've seen what I can do with a bow before, I've made harder shots than this, trust me," the Archer stated confidently. In front of him, more than two meters far, was a nervous child sitting on a stool. On top of his head, was a ripe orange fruit. Yulia can tell what he was going to do. It's lucky for Robin that none of the parents are around, or else he and Yulia would've got kicked out already. Or maybe they won't? This 'Green Man', as what the locals call him, has certainly proven his benevolence to the people he visited. Devising creative traps to help them obtain game, introducing them herbal medicine they've never seen before, and impressing them by managing to shoot down a thrown bottle with an arrow.

Yulia can't help herself but get up and move closer to the scene that is about to unfold. Of course, she has no doubts that her Archer would nail this shot. Robin doesn't seem to acknowledge her sudden appearance. He was focused on aiming his bow, dead silent as everyone around him is waiting in anticipation. In less than a second, Robin launched his arrow towards the orange's direction, knocking it out of the child's head. The boy can't help but be startled as he ducked his head, just as the orange was hit. To Yulia, it was exactly what a Servant was expected to able to do, but to the children, it was nothing short of God's miracle. After about a second of processing what happened, the children all went up in a cheer. They grabbed and overwhelmed the Archer while screaming with joy. For once, Yulia let herself relax and let out a smirk at the sight before her.

After politely shaking off the children, Robin took notice of Yulia for the first time, and went over to greet her. "No need to praise me, milady, 'tis is nothing but a regular Tuesday," as if I'm going to praise you anyway, "though you're certainly welcome if you insist." Archer was smiling at her, looking like some schoolkid who just impressed his classmates with a magic trick. "Oh please," Yulia retorted, "weren't whatever those runts said to you enough to satisfy your ego? Where did you learnt to put on a show like that anyway?" It seems nothing Yulia could say was enough that smirk off her Servant's face. He let out a small chuckle, "A funny fact, I originally planned to use an apple, but there isn't one on this island, so I settled on another sweet fruit."

"As for where I learned it from?" Archer continued, "Well, let's just say it was taught to me by a certain other Hero, a fellow warrior of the peasants like me. It puts a little shame in me that I didn't came up with it first, but even I can admit he is a man of greater wisdom and experience than me."

Yulia was confused. Learned from another figure in the Throne of Heroes? Is there any other Hero that is like him? Then, Yulia vaguely remembered the tale of another peasant archer from Germany, or is it Switzerland?

Yulia is spending the first and last night in this village, alone.

Well, not really. The only person accompanying her isn't a person, but a dog, a dark brown mutt that she has just met this night. Even though they've only known each other for about an hour or so, it seems that the animal has taken an instant liking to her. If only humans trust me as much as animals do. She is currently resting on the porch of one of the houses, owned by a certain man named Eddie. He is the resident doctor of this village, and expectedly, the most learned and erudite of the villagers. It seemed that the Doctor was the only one here to show open fondness to Yulia, letting her and her Servant stay for a night at his house. She tried to compensate his kindness by giving him a small out of money, only for Eddie to seem outright insulted and angry. Robin had to explain to the Englishwoman that you don't repay hospitality with coin, to her embarrassment. Got to blame my sheltered upbringing for that.

Yulia and her Servant settled on helping Eddie with his chores around his house, to which the Doctor relented. Turns out, there was a lot to do in the large cabin, as Eddie was the only one to live in it. Robin inquired as to how long he has been living alone, to which the Doctor said since his son left to work in the capital nine years ago. Eddie doesn't say it, but she can tell that Yulia and her Servant staying over at his house, gave the Doctor some energy into his home life, one that he hasn't felt in years. Robin also asked Eddie what happened to his wife, only to receive a quiet statement of 'I don't want to talk about it'. He and his Master wisely decided not to ask further.

As of this night, Yulia is the only person in this house, Eddie having left to do his job not far from here, and her Archer doing God knows what, something unimportant for sure. Throughout their various stays at the towns of the Bahamas, it's always Archer that caused their visit to be longer than necessary. No matter how much of these places they come across, Robin always seems to want to spend as much time as possible with the residents. Of course, Yulia knows that Robin Hood's whole thing was about protecting the peasants, but it's like Robin knows he only has this one chance to have some fun and relax in an environment he is familiar with. I mean, that has to be reason, right? Yulia was scratching the mutt's cheek, when she heard someone come around the corner near the porch. Speak of the devil.

"I thought you would've come here later," Yulia said to her Archer. Robin only smirked, continuing to walk until he reached the steps of the porch. "Why did you ask, milady? Are you disappointed, perchance?" The Archer's sly remark warrants no response from Yulia. For the past few days, the Archer has drunk heavens know how many barrels of beer. Yulia knows for a fact that tonight is no exception, yet, as always have been the case, no amount of alcohol will affect her Servant's behavior. She doesn't know if all servants are this tolerant of alcohol, but her Archer is practically invulnerable. "The gentlemen I were drinking with, most of them has dispersed now," the Archer said as he sat beside Yulia, "there was no reason for them to stick around when this one fellow left, Tom was his name. You know that Tom was caught by his wife drinking this late, and had to be dragged out by her? Both of them made quite a scene, and all of us got some good laughs at the situation. But after that, well, the liveliness was basically gone."

"I'm glad you have fun," Yulia's response was simple and short. Both of them sat with silence after that. A lot was seemingly on Robin's mind. "These people are too friendly to me," the Archer said, breaking the monotony. "I don't deserve their kindness," Robin's remarks surprised Yulia. The Archer was never this frank with his Master, even when they are both at their friendliest. It seems the alcohol did affect Robin's though process. "Why is that?" Yulia asked the contemplative Archer. At her question, Robin let out a small chuckle. "I guess I never told you much about myself, haven't I?" Well, yes, you've been the one being unnecessarily secretive all this time. Yulia doesn't know where this is going. "I apologize, truly. It wasn't my intention to make you annoyed at my behavior. It's just… I have always preferred not to talk about myself," Robin continued. Honestly, Yulia could relate. She doesn't know that many men throughout her life, but the ones she is familiar with like her father and her Dedushka, acted similarly to Archer.

"Every town we came across, every mother nursing her babe, and every man working to make a living, country folk was never this welcoming to me in my past life," the Archer was sounding gloomier than usual. Yulia was fascinated, she truly knows very little about this man. "I was raised in civilization, but I was born outside of it. I never knew my parents, but I did have the idea that they were some sort of priests. There was an old man in my village, he and his granddaughter were the only ones who didn't shun me. I was raised by him, and when he died, and his granddaughter left the house to be married, I truly became an outcast. The villagers hold little love for me, but I still felt some form of attachment to the place I grew up in. Looking back, I don't know whether my affection was for inhabitants, or the land they reside in. I have always felt an affinity for nature, but you already know that, didn't you?" Robin's signature smirk returned, but Yulia was so engrossed with his tale she didn't say anything.

"And when the village suffered under the Sheriff's rule, I felt it was my duty to bring justice to the land. Years of wandering the forests and hunting my own game, had prepared me for the life of an outlaw. I became a shadow, an unknown figure that would come to the villagers' rescue, but would reap no benefit from them. I didn't know how they felt about me, and I didn't really want to. 'The Green Man', that was what they called me. But when the people I opposed became enraged, and that anger was aimed at the village, it seemed the village leaders decided I was a liability. The people that I defended, would show open belligerence to me. Maybe I deserved it, maybe I didn't. But what I do know, is that at that point, it was too late for me to turn back."

As Robin told his tale, Yulia can't help but relate, being a loner. When a prospective Master summons a Servant, they are expected to use a catalyst, something related to the Servant's legend, in order to successfully pull them. Otherwise, a Servant that share similar qualities with its Master would be summoned. Yulia was unlucky enough to not be given a catalyst when she summoned Archer. Guess we share something after all. "Even when no one supported me, I continued my struggle from the shadows. I told myself that it's because I was doing what was right, but maybe it's because this fight is the only thing I have left," the Archer continued. "My skills as a bowman, is the only thing I can give to the world. The only wish I had, was that if I ever were to fall, it shall be near the place where my final arrow hit."

The Archer seemed to pause for a moment after saying it, his expression becoming inscrutable. "The circumstances of my death were not important, but it was then that my final arrow landed at the foot of a yew tree. The same tree where I made my first bow, where I started my struggle. When I fell, no one knows my name anymore. Come to think of it, even I forgot. The people that were once close to me, I could recall only as faces. My name was forgotten, but my story wasn't. As the Green Man, the impression I left on others inspired them to tell a tale. It was a story that was different from mine, but in it they gave me a name; Robin Hood."

As the Archer finished his tale, to say Yulia was left dumbfounded was an understatement. The man was secretive all this time, and for him to suddenly dump all this information in just one night, she doesn't know how to feel about it. A comfortable silence followed between them, after Robin's monologue. "You're spending as much time as you can with these villagers," Yulia stated to the Archer, "because these people never accepted you back then."

Robin put on his signature smile. Now, it doesn't carry the same irritating energy as before. "You are correct, milady. Or, as a bowman might say, 'right on point'," the Servant jested. For what feels like the first time, Yulia chuckled at something her Servant said. She just noticed now, but the dog that was beside her this whole time, is now familiarizing himself with Robin. They both seem to get along, too. Robin noticed her stares, and said, "Oh, are you jealous, Master? I apologize, it was not my intention to steal your new friend from you."

Yulia snorts. "It's fine, there's no problem," she said nonchalantly. The mutt, after a minute or so of spending time with Robin, now heads back to Yulia. "I've never made many friends, as an adult or a child. My family was respected, but we were still foreigners in England," it was Yulia's turn to talk about herself, "What's more, we were committed to preserving our ancestral expertise in magecraft. We had no choice but to distance ourselves from the outside world." Robin is now intently looking at her, clearly showing interest in whatever she is saying. "Just like you, I know what it feels like to be an outsider. Obviously not to the extent than you had, but I believe we've had the same thoughts throughout our lives," Yulia recalls her childhood, how her father and Dedushka spoiled her rotten, how she never gotten to know her mother until it was too late, and how despite all that happened, she still misses the shores of Brighton.

Archer is seemingly contemplating whatever Yulia just said. "Forgive me if it's not my place to ask, but what part of England did you hail from, milady?" It seems Robin has been holding off his question until Yulia finishes herself. It was a surprising question, but not an unwelcome one. "I was born in the South, East Sussex specifically. I don't know if it existed during your time, but I grew up in Brighton, spent most of my life there," Yulia responded while scratching the mutt's face. "Well, I do not know what this 'Brighton' or 'East Sussex' is, but the South? That must be quite a walk from where I'm from," the Archer chuckled, "I am sorry, I must sound like a bumbling fool about this. Similarly to you, I spent most of my life in one place, that is the forests surrounding Nottingham. I rarely ventured out of there, you know."

Robin's lack of geographic knowledge is hardly surprising, considering he grew up as a medieval village boy. Yulia didn't respond, for she was contemplating something that she has been holding off from asking for a while. "Robin," Archer turned to look at Yulia, surprised that she called him by his given name. "If I were ever to betray the Soviet Union, will you continue being loyal to me?"

It was a hard question, and Archer was silent as he thought about what Yulia asked. "Master, I admit that we don't see eye to eye on a lot of things, but it is inevitable even despite our similarities," the Servant said quietly, "that said, it is not my place as a Servant to disobey my Master. But if you truly have that intention, I would hope to God that it never reaches the point that you have to use a Command Spell on me, for any reason. I might question your intentions, but a Servant's feelings are irrelevant when it comes to their relationship with their Master."

Robin paused for a moment, before he continued, "the only times you should use a Command Spell on me is when I am left incapacitated, or when I break my vow to never harm the innocent. I certainly wish the latter never happens, because if it did, then I am no longer deserving of the name 'Robin Hood'."

A day has passed, and Eddie didn't return.

He left to do a job in a nearby village yesterday evening, but there is still no sign of him as of this noon. Both Robin and Yulia decided they wouldn't leave the town until they parted with the Doctor, so his disappearance delayed their movement. Eddie is widely respected among the village folk, so the fact that he didn't show up certainly put them on edge. 'He was always back here after his job, always,' one of the residents told Robin, 'there's no way he wouldn't. He loves us, he loves this place. Why wouldn't he return?'

Yulia and her Archer agreed that something strange is at play. After asking around, they got the direction of where Eddie was headed yesterday. It was another town, not that far from here. They often make contact with one another, though it seems since yesterday, all communications between this village and the other one stopped. Yulia decided she would investigate the strange event, and her Servant agreed with her decision.

Once again, they made a trek through the jungles of the Bahamas. Robin was always better navigating nature than Yulia, but the urgency and tension of their current situation made her more careful in her movements. It was about almost an hour, when Yulia noticed that the mana residue around the area became more noticeable. It seems her Servant noticed it too. Somewhere has gone through here, Yulia thought. If her gut feeling was right, this would be the first time that Yulia faced an enemy Master and Servant. That prospect filled with as much dread as it did excitement. "Don't rush things, milady," Robin said to her, "we still need to keep our guard up. We don't know where this presence has headed."

After another few minutes of travel, Yulia finally caught a sight of their destination. From afar, it seems the town is doing just fine. However, Yulia could tell something is wrong. "We should keep our heads down," Archer said in a hush, "we need to first scout the outskirts carefully." Robin has years and years of experience in this sort of thing, so Yulia has total trust in him. Instead of heading right into it, they went around the village while trying to make as little noise as possible. She doesn't know if their target is currently here, but the mana presence has definitely become stronger. It seems that either the Master or the Servant did something involving magic, right near this place. Both of them eventually found a gap between two houses, in which Robin guided Yulia to follow him as he finally entered the village. Looking at the houses, this place is very quiet. Too quiet. A place like this should've bustling with activity during the afternoon. Archer entered the gap, with Yulia following close behind. Suddenly, Robin stopped and turned over to Yulia, saying, "just letting you know now, but my cloak allows me to conceal my presence and become hidden from the enemy. It is one of my noble phantasms. I am not using it now, so I can help guide you through this place."

Makes sense, Yulia thought. A Noble Phantasm is a hero's symbol, an item or spell that originated from a Servant's legend. It seems that Robin's cloak was his own Noble Phantasm after all. As they got closer to the end of the gap, Robin stuck his head out, getting the lay of what was ahead. Once he exited into the street, Yulia got the confirmation that it is indeed safe. As Yulia looked around the very quiet houses, she caught sight of something that startled her. Right next to her, was an old man sitting and unmoving on a rocking chair. "He is either unconscious, or dead," Yulia's Servant noted. She was trying her hardest to not show discomfort around her Servant. "Should we go check him? You know, so we can…" Yulia didn't get to finish her sentence, before she saw another body. In a distance, slightly hidden by blades of grass, was a person lying on the dirt. Is this what happened to everyone here? The thought of that fills her with dread. What such Servant is capable of doing this? Her mind is going wild, thinking of various scenarios and possibilities of what happened. Alright, but what if they're not actually dead? There is a chance that-

"Milady," Yulia's train of thought was interrupted by her own Servant. She turned to what Robin was looking at, and unsurprisingly, it's another body. Before Yulia could say anything, Archer quickly went over to check it, forcing his Master to keep up with him. From here, Yulia could make out that the body was that of a short-haired teenage black woman, her features hidden by her head facing the ground. Robin got near the woman and put two fingers onto her neck. "She's alive," the Archer said to Yulia. At that, she doesn't know whether to be relieved or more concerned. What if the Master or Servant is watching us now? Yulia thought, or if they aren't, and they're currently moving to somewhere else, then that means… Yulia dreads the prospect of returning to the previous village bearing bad news.

"What should we do now?" Yulia asked her Servant. There are a thousand better questions that she could ask, but her mind is going into wild places as of this moment. You are the youngest scion of the Dvorinsky noble house, estranged from your homeland, and on a quest to redeem your family's name, Yulia tells herself, there are thousands of mages in this world, and you, out of anyone, has managed to obtain a place in a never-before held Great Holy Grail War. It is-

"Master!" Yulia didn't get to finish whatever she was thinking, before she was unceremoniously dragged away by her Servant, an arrow whistling past her. Yulia could barely process what happened when her Servant dodged another arrow heading their way. Eventually after some running, they stopped after they reached the back of a house. "It's a Servant," Robin said while crouching, "it seems they spotted us from far away. You didn't sense their presence, did you?" Instead of answering, Yulia was still reeling from the shock of what happened. "A S-servant? Shit… What do we do? We have to figure out a plan!"

Robin didn't respond, but instead peeked out at the street they fled from. "This is what we will do," the Archer stated while still standing, "the enemy Servant will likely be looking for me, so I will make myself hidden. I will reach for their location with haste, so that I could bait the Servant. Can you hold yourself up in mage combat?" Robin's question ignited a sort of spark in Yulia. Mage-to-mage combat were one of the few things her Dedushka made sure Yulia was competent at. A decade of her training has led up to this moment. "Of course. I will fight the enemy Master myself, right?" At Yulia's question, Robin started walking away, but not before turning to look at his Master and saying, "we'll meet again after this, milady."

And just like that, the Archer activated his invisibility cloak, camouflaging himself with the environment. Yulia looked over to the Command Spell on the back of her right hand. You can do this, Yulia Kaminski. She then took off and ran to the direction where they fled off. Once she got onto the street, Yulia looked around and searched for her foe. She waited a good while, walking along the empty road. Yulia could hear some noise, though she couldn't tell by whom. She continued moving, still hearing far-off noises, but feeling no presence. Did both the Master and their Servant fall for Robin's bait? She sensed a presence to the left of her, when she heard someone say, "that's strange. You're all alone."

Yulia turned her head, and caught sight of the Master that was hunting her. She was a blonde woman, looking to be in her twenties. The most striking thing about her is unusual height, which looks like a good ten centimeters greater than Yulia's. She is even taller than her female Servant, who showed up beside her just now. Wait, does this mean neither of them fell for the bait? Internally, Yulia was panicking. Outwardly, she was trying her hardest to hide it while facing down an enemy Master and Servant. Damn you, Robin! You better be planning some cheeky scheme right now, or I'll be using this first Command Spell to make you kill yourself! "What's the matter? Are you nervous? You should be, 'cause-" the tall woman stopped herself mid-sentence, looking over at her Servant. Yulia noticed she has an angry expression. A mental link, Yulia figured. "Well what are you waiting for? This is what you get for missing your shots!" Yulia's foe said, raising her voice at her own Servant, "go and get him, now! And don't come back until you finish him!" Her Servant grumbled, before heading off to another direction, presumably to fight Robin. So Servant and Master don't get along very much, that is good. Though, Yulia found her foe's reasoning strange. If Yulia was in her shoes, she would be very much taking advantage of the current situation, and try to subdue Yulia as fast as possible. A lone Master without a Servant is a good target to make a hostage of. Yulia snorted. If my enemy is stupid, that is only going to benefit me more.

After the female Servant left, it's now just Yulia and her human opponent. "Archers, I swear," the tall woman sighed, "they got their high Independent Action skill, and now they think they don't even need to listen to their Master. Though, your Servant is an Archer too, right?" The woman's English was spoken with an accent, which to Yulia sounds like German. "I sacrificed an entire town's worth of mana to buff her stats, so she better kick your Servant's ass back to the Throne of Heroes!" Yulia couldn't tell some of what she is saying. 'Buff'? 'Stats'? The woman continued to stare at Yulia. "So what? Got nothing witty to say to me?" Her mocking tone was starting to get to Yulia. "I have nothing to say to monsters like you." The fact that her opponent drained all the mana out of the village's residents, just to make her Servant stronger, illustrates how ruthless she must be. The possibility that this also isn't her first time, fills Yulia with anger.

"Perfect," the tall woman drew a short stick with her right hand, "just the way I like it." In an instant, the stick glowed, and it turned a long steel pole. Reinforcement magic, Yulia figured. Yulia didn't have the chance to analyze anything else, before she was dodging her opponent's fierce strikes left and right. Yulia's lithe body made it easier, but she still had little experience in this sort of stuff. Plenty of times, her enemy's pole grazed Yulia, causing her to feel pain in even the most minor of hits. An experienced user of reinforcement magic, besides being able to change the makings of an item, is also able to further strengthen its material. Even with a thin pole that she is currently using, Yulia's foe is able to make sure its attacks feel more painful. Get a grip, Yulia, she thought. Yulia can't keep doing this, eventually she has to put her enemy at a distance, in order to use her spells. At close range, all the advantage goes to Yulia's foe.

Thus, Yulia decided to take a large risk with this next move. On Yulia's right arm, a sigil starts to glow. While maneuvering away from her foe's attacks, Yulia managed to avoid getting put with her back against the wall. When the tall woman thrusted at Yulia with her spear, the Englishwoman leapt to the right away from her opponent, managing to correctly guess her enemy would swing at her the wrong way. This is my chance. The spell that Yulia has prepared a couple seconds before is now ready. "Gandr!" Yulia shouted, aiming at her foe with her right hand and sending out blasts of magic. Of course, Yulia figured that the blasts would likely never hit her opponent. That wasn't the point, though. Predictably, the tall woman stood her ground, and positioned her spear to parry the incoming projectiles. With her enemy distracted, Yulia moves to the left and pulls out some jewels from her pocket. Right as the American Master sent the Gandr shots flying backwards, Yulia threw the orange jewels from her right palm. "Staube!"

Immediately, the American was engulfed in a large and bright orange smoke. There will never be a more perfect moment than this. Yulia charges up another Gandr shot. Being in the center of the smoke, her opponent will surely be unable to see anything, and also coughing up the dust in the air. Aiming her right hand, Yulia was ready to send another blast, when all of a sudden, she hears a projectile emerging from the smoke. Realizing it, the Englishwoman dodged just in time to avoid a metal pole to the face. While still dizzy from her movement, Yulia suddenly hears a shout coming her way. "AAAAAHHHH!" Yulia couldn't prepare herself before being tackled to the ground. Lying bare on the dirt, Yulia opened her eyes just in time to dodge a fist aimed at her face. The force of the punch was strong enough to create a dent in the road. Reinforced fists, Yulia thought. Predicting what is coming, Yulia prepares herself to dodge another punch, before a reinforced hand suddenly got a hold of her neck.

"ACK!" Yulia audibly gasped. Being choked by a normal hand is one thing, but being choked by one that is magically enhanced is another. Add to the fact that her enemy is already physically stronger than her, the Russian woman is screwed. Yulia's own eyes are already watering, and her mouth unable to voice anything. In front of Yulia, the tall woman is smiling at the pain she is inflicting on the Englishwoman. No… this won't, happen… With the rest of her body held down, and the sensation of sheer pain on her neck paralyzing her, there is little for Yulia to do but writhe in agony, while waiting for her inevitable death. Robin… Where are you? Yulia's hands clawing desperately at her attacker, to no avail. It was at this point, that Yulia just noticed something glowing on her right hand. Yes! I already charged it before! Her enemy noticed it too, the look on her face turning from joy to shock. Gandr!

Right as Yulia said it, the tall woman got off from tackling her to dodge the incoming blast. Unfortunately for her, one of Yulia's projectiles managed to graze the American's face, causing the woman to stagger back in pain. Yulia's foe fell to the ground, covering the burn mark on her face that was left by Yulia's Gandr. The Englishwoman was unable to capitalize on this opportunity however, as she was still recovering from nearly getting the life choked out of her, finally being able to breathe again. "Y-you bitch!" The American shouted, her accent becoming more noticeable. Her voice was pained and dripping with venom. "You will pay for this! On my-"

The woman didn't get to finish her sentence before her head was struck by something, knocking her out. Huh? Yulia was confused for a moment, before she remembered something. No, it can't be… Behind the unconscious woman, a person materialized from thin air. Sure enough, it is none other than Robin Hood.

"H-how? You're here already?" Did he already defeat the enemy Servant? What kind of trick did he have up his sleeve? Yulia's mind was swirling with a hundred questions while staring at the cloaked man. The Archer however, was looking at Yulia with an amused expression. "It's been a minute, milady," he said nonchalantly, "I am very grateful to the Lord that you managed to hold yourself up against this woman. Every engagement is a lesson, they say. You did well for your first fight, Master."

His words were filled with praise and genuine gratitude. "Th-thank you, Robin, that… was very timely of you," Yulia said while getting up from the ground. "If I may ask, did you managed to beat your enemy?" Yulia said while dusting herself. At her question, Robin chuckled, and responded, "You know, milady, if you want to thank someone, don't just thank me. There is someone else that made this possible." The Russian woman was confused. What could he possibly mean? However, it was at that moment that she felt a presence to the right of Robin, coming from behind a house.

Seeing her again instantly put Yulia on guard. Huh? How is she here? The Servant looked unscathed after her fight with Robin her bronze armor spotless and braided hair still clean. That could only mean both of them somehow came to an agreement with one another. Yulia looked at her Archer, who said nothing but put up a smug expression. The Englishwoman probably looked like an idiot, looking between both servants with her mouth still open. What game are you playing at, Robin? "Make sure to keep her unconscious, so she can't use a Command Spell on me," the Servant woman said to Robin, her voice was smooth with regal authority. "Of course, madam, I'm sure I can come up with something," Robin stated, picking up the unconscious Master and resting her on his shoulder.

With a pleased expression, the Servant woman turned to look at Yulia. The Englishwoman was nervous, to say the least. "You have nothing more to feat, my lady," the bronze woman said, "and I am sorry I haven't introduced myself. I am the Archer of the United States, and it is nice to meet you. I hope we come to know each other."

Fate/Reckoning (A Fate x Cold War Story)

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