Fate/Stay Royal

BlackHadou · Jan 16, 2021

Normally, the church would be empty. That was the default state, and the best way to hide the secrets and horrors that had accumulated over the years from the city of Fuyuki. For Kotomine Kirei, the church was not a sanctuary, despite his work to ensure that he maintained his cover as a priest. It hid that, for the better part of a decade, he hadn't actually done much of note.

However, he now had taken the Command Spells of a certain magus. The church had a rule of non-interference, but then again, these were not Kirei's Command Spells. None of the church equipment, if someone decided to try and check, would show that he was a master.

"Soon. Soon we will find out." It was a ominous whisper of a fact of life, a curiosity that needed sating. The Grail had some sort of corrupt spirit within it. Kirei was curious what would happen if it was born into the world. That was the simplified version, at least. "Lancer, keep watch."

"Yeah, whatever." The Lancer sounded sullen, sitting down on one of the pews, his muscles barely moving at all. "Get your sleep. I wanna go hunt."

Perhaps he was disappointed. Kirei didn't care. The Lancer was only a tool. The real weapon was within the church. Speaking of-

"Wait a minute." Kirei froze as he passed the dias. The book of command was a list of the servants that had been summoned to the war. It was a administrative tool first and foremost, basically useless except to know that the war was about to start. At least, that was the normal situation. Kirei's eyes slowly widened. There were entirely too many class names in it.

"Gilgamesh what the hell did you do!?"

"Alleviate my boredom." The afformentioned heroic spirit, a young blond haired boy, spoke up from the shadows, striding in with a skewer of chicken in his mouth. "I thought this was shaping up to be boring and you weren't providing entertainment, so I fixed the problem."

"What have you done!? There's fourteen servants!"

"Fifteen, there will be a ruler in- right now." Gilgamesh answered dryly. "I'd hurry and fix those bridges you burned, Kotomine, or your demise will be hilarious." There was no sound of amusement in Gilgamesh's voice as he continued to walk to the back door, kicking it open absently. "Sometimes the simple sayings are best. As the kids say, sucks to be you."

Kirei just stared as the door closed. It was rapidly becoming obvious everything had gone to hell in a handbasket in the nary a hour he had left Gilgamesh to his own devices.

"How does he do it?"

"By hating your guts." Lancer chuckled from behind Kirei. "Spites a powerful motivator. The hell did you do recently to piss him off?"

"... It can't have been the tofu... could it?"

"Beats me." Lancer shrugged, grinning. "This is gonna be awesome."

Of course, Lancer thought that this would be awesome. He was a bloodthirsty, battle hungry warrior.

Kirei wasn't sure if it was time to curse god or not, but anything resembling a plan had now gone out the window. Badgering Rin would be ineffective, she no doubt already knew that the war had extra servant slots now.

All he knew was this war was no longer something he had any way of actually influencing. The Grail only needed seven servants in it. This would almost certainly end up in a race to the bottom.

"... I need to organise this fast." He muttered to himself. "Factions. That is the only way to make this work."

"Too late, the Grail already organised us. We're Black." Lancer chuckled. "Oh, wait, organised me. Sorry, I forgot you don't count as a real Master." The blue haired spearman stood and stretched, smirking. "Don't mind me, just gonna go find my fellow Black Servants. Later."

"Lan-" It was too late. He was already gone. Kirei just put his fingers to the bridge of his nose. This had been going so well earlier too.

Ah well, it'd be easier to work out how to twist the knife after some tea.

-

In this quest, you will play as...
[ ] Kishinami Hakuno (Male)
[ ] Kishinami Hakuno (Female)
[ ] Bazett Fraga McRemitz (Majorly Pissed Off)

You will summon...
[ ] Write in Servant

Due to the Great War being invoked in insufficient spiritual lands, certain Master Privileges have been revoked. You will have to keep track of Servant Stats on your own, you can only see the status of Servants that you can see right now.

BlackHadou · Jan 18, 2021

Scheduled vote count started by BlackHadou on Jan 16, 2021 at 11:00 PM, finished with 164 posts and 35 votes.

18 people have voted
[X] Bazett Fraga McRemitz (Majorly Pissed Off)
13 people have voted
[X] Kishinami Hakuno (Female)
- kadehex
- giodan
- AkaneTz
- Alturangga
- SimpleScribe
- shanagan
- useofstrike32
- Wizard_Marshall
- Nanimani
- TheyWhoFight
- Logos
- UNKNOWN01
- Sinsystems
10 people have voted
[X] Enkidu
- Khona Moshr
- ebolasos
- SimpleScribe
- shanagan
- useofstrike32
- Wizard_Marshall
- Nanimani
- TheyWhoFight
- Logos
- UNKNOWN01
9 people have voted
[X] Mordred
3 people have voted
[X] High Servant Sitonai (Back For Revenge)
3 people have voted
[X] Kiritsugu Emiya (Assassin)
- kadehex
- giodan
- AkaneTz
2 people have voted
[X] Kishinami Hakuno (Male)
- Pokemon0406
- Omida
2 people have voted
[X] Nikola Tesla
- K4lepo
- Lordfartquad
1 people have voted
[X] Cu Chulainn (Caster)
- TurtleDucks
1 people have voted
[x] Charlemagne
- Alturangga
1 people have voted
[X] Okita Souji
- Dromeosaur
1 people have voted
[X] Enkidu (Lancer)
- Pokemon0406
1 people have voted
[X] Astolfo
- Omida
1 people have voted
[X] Kishinami Hakuno (Hombre)
- Theadier
1 people have voted
[X] Cristóbal Colón
- Theadier
1 people have voted
[X] Kishinami Hakuno (Male) [X] Christopher Columbus This Servant will not come out, but for trying he will not come out
- Theadier
1 people have voted
[X] Christopher Columbus This Servant will not come out, but for trying he will not come out
- Theadier
1 people have voted
[X] Gilgamesh (Caster)
- radioxaxa
1 people have voted
[X] Dracula (Funny Vamp)
- Mortifer

BlackHadou · Jan 18, 2021

Most said that betrayal tasted bitter and dark. Atop that roof, laying in a puddle of her own blood, the Enforcer known as Bazett Fraga McRemitz might have agreed with that assessment. In so much as betrayal could have a taste, it was bitter and stuck around entirely too long for her liking.

Her body was ravaged and nearly lifeless. The Bajiquan that was the speciality of Kotomine Kirei had ripped into her body and destroyed several vital organs well before he had contented himself in tearing off her left arm. The precious command spell that had been her link to Lancer was gone. Now, she was simply a corpse on the roof, and no matter how strong she was, nor how strong the Rune of Resurrection she had inscribed was, she would simply die without assistance. The Rune of Resurrection woven into her body was not a perfect method of survival. Really, it was a form of limited living death; her body could keep moving beyond the limits of its mortal coil so long as she could keep that rune burning, but without fixing the damage, she would die.

Fixing the damage would be easy if she wasn't in such a sorry state to begin with. How long had it taken her to even start moving again? One hour? Two? Precious time lost because her body was too brutally battered to be able to move from its shocked state.

Slowly, too slowly in her opinion, she dipped her right hand into the puddle of blood, wetting it like one might a brush, and drew Ansuz into the ground beside her. Content it at least looked right, she grit her teeth, breathed in deep, and grasped her hand to the stump that had been her left arm.

The burning pain of seared, cooking flesh was excruciating, but at least that was one way in which she could no longer expire. What vital blood was still inside her would remain as such.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid." The words came out as a hiss, as she started to force her battered corpse to move. Her ribs did not want to cooperate. She was probably facing at least two broken ribs. Her legs were far more cooperative, though the pain in the extremes of her left foot indicated a broken two or two. "Stupid Lancer."

It had not, strictly, been Lancer's fault. He hadn't even finished materialising before Kirei had attacked. Still, he had done nothing to help her, either. Cu Chulainn or not, he was now on her shit list too. There would be a reckoning or two for that one later. Even so, if Bazett survived this, then she was never leaving her room without Fragarach(Strikes Last but Cuts First) ever again.

No, survival was likely wishful thinking. She wasn't going to make it from this roof at the speed she was moving. She could feel the dizziness already, and her Magic Circuit was haywire from the internal damage. No wonder Ansuz had burned far more of her side then she had intended. Control was lost.

Her options were extremely limited. They all relied on assistance or a miracle. She had neither. Just pockets of spare catalysts in case no one had answered her call and a prayer. Her jacket was torn where Kirei had struck her. There was very little point in keeping it on.

Stripping the offending clothing off, Bazett bound it around the remnants of her arm. At least if the skin tore, something would stop it from killing her. Yet as she did so, she noticed something glowing amongst her crimson stained hands.

"Command Spells?" The design this time had changed. No doubt the previous design adorned Kirei's hand now. Since she only had her right hand left, this time they had formed on the back of her right hand. "Hah, what a sick, twisted joke."

What, exactly, had Kirei done to earn this karma, Bazett didn't know. However, her circle was still here and there was no chance of survival from another method. Perhaps this was fortune smiling on her. Perhaps this was just a extended death cry. Bazett didn't care which at this point.

So long as Kirei paid, she would happily march into the next life with a smile on her face. Such fury was unbecoming of an Enforcer, but to have ones dream in reach before being cruelly snatched away was something beyond Bazett's ability to stand. The sight of the crimson spells had lit a fire in what was left of Bazett's belly. Her priority could not even be called survival. No, she simply wanted revenge, served cold if she must.

Which catalyst could she use, though?

Bazett did not give the idea that much thought. Her fingers curled around a ring and that simply was as far as she thought on the matter, limping to her circle and tossing it roughly in the center. What was the ritual again? Her mind was becoming too hazy to even truly remember the incantation. What phrases she did remember were fading fast.

"Shit." Bazett's right leg crumpled as she bit her lip. This was one hell of a ignoble end, but like hell she was just going to surrender to oblivion at this late stage. If she was going to die, it would be mid-spell. Pulling the mental trigger, her body lit up with the burning sensation of magical energy pounding through her veins.

"Let silver and iron be the foundation.
Let stone and the archduke..."

Bazett felt blood split out of her lip into her mouth. She'd already forgotten the start of the ritual. Who maintained the contract? What was the sequence? It had already left her head.

"Damn it." Her fist curled, punching the circle. To hell with it. She just had to hope that the circle remembered the formation of the spell it'd just cast. "OI! ANSWER ME YOU BASTARD!" All of the energy within her body exploded from it through her fist, lighting up the circle like a sun. Magic expended, Bazett let her body crumple. Either this had saved her life, or she was now dead. It did not really matter which, in the end.

It was out of her hands now.

"You look like shit."

A voice had spoken. Something had answered the call. Bazett cast a weak, lazy eye towards the circle, but everything was rapidly turning to shadow. There was nothing to see in this situation.

Metal scrapped along the ground, and the sound of glass shattering rang out. A knight class, Bazett guessed. A powerful Servant. Maybe she would have avoided betrayal if she had summoned this one first. Her body slowly left the ground, wrapped in cloth and warmth.

"I-"

"Be quiet Master." The voice declared. "You can close your eyes now. You are safe."

In a mere moment, it seemed that the Servant had already identified what had happened and what needed to be done. Assured in that knowledge, Bazett let her consciousness fade along with her sight. If she woke up again, she would have to remember to thank the Servant.

*****

Consciousness did indeed return to Bazett, and along with it, clarity. The world faded in and out for a steady few minutes, and the memories of her previous bout of consciousness assaulted her almost immediately.

"You're awake." Nothing got past the Servant that had been summoned, it seemed, for it had already identified that it's Master was awake. "The water is on the table. Drink slowly."

"Thank you." It took Bazett a long moment to realise why she could not pick up the water she could barely see. Her left arm simply wasn't there anymore. Correcting the limb by which she claimed the drink, she let the bland ambrosia enter her throat. "Where are we?" Her vision was focusing, but the room was dark.

"Someone's house. It's empty for now." The Servant answered. "I doubt it will remain such for long." Blinking, Bazett could feel her eyes adjust. It wasn't just someone's house, it was their living room. Blood painted the floor from where the door was. Bazett could only assume it was hers.

"I need to-"

"Your injuries have been tended to." The Servant noted. "I'm not that bad at it."

Blinking, Bazett slowly looked down. Bandages covered her body, and the pain was far less then before. The Servant appeared to have been right, though her bandaging left something to be desired.

"And the internals?"

"You vomited a lot of crap when I was clearing them." The Servant answered. "Heal yourself if you don't trust me, but you are well enough."

Bazett would have to check that later. For now, she was more interested in who, exactly, she had summoned. Now that her vision had cleared, she could see her Servant far more clearly. She was a woman, boyish in look and hair tied in a rough blond ponytail. Her right hand had the ring that Bazett had used as a catalyst upon it, and her body was wrapped in simple, if old, cloth, a mantle tied roughly around her shoulders.

No, this was not everything. Bazett could remember the scrape of metal. The Servant possessed plenty of steel, she just was not wearing it.

"I suppose introductions are in order." Bazett began awkwardly. The Servant shrugged, leaning back on the couch with a packet of potato chips she'd no doubt plundered from the pantry.

"Caster. Technically, if you were to declare a faction, I am of White." The Servant answered dryly. "Considering your state, you either don't know who I am or don't remember."

"No, I don't." Bazett admitted. "Bazett Fraga McRemitz." Still, the ring that adorned Caster's finger gave Bazett a very good guess as to who she was talking with. "I don't recall Lot having a daughter."

"Gareth." The Caster retorted dryly. "More common then you think." The way she answered confirmed the touchiness of the subject. Bazett decided not to push further.

"Right, Ser Gare-"

"Mordred."

"... Mordred." Bazett corrected. The knight that betrayed King Arthur was not who she was hoping for. Her hope had been for Gawain, or maybe Agravain in a pinch. Mordred was a danger. There was no telling when she would simply decide she'd had enough. "What did you mean, White Faction?"

"The Grail's defence has been tripped. Either the war is in danger of never finishing or someone did it on purpose. I don't care." Mordred answered, chips crunching in her mouth. "Extra servants have been summoned for what is effectively a seven verse seven war."

"So there are fourteen servants."

"At least fifteen." Mordred's lips pursed. "There are three factions. That seems ludicrous on the face of it."

That did sound ludicrous. The summoning of Heroic Spirits as Servants was a taxing event on the land. Even in the most optimal circumstances, it would take years for the land to rec-

Bazett flinched, before forcing herself to her feet, marching to the window, and throwing it open, breathing in the outside air.

"It's stagnant."

"The land's been sucked dry, yes." Caster noted behind Bazett. "This war has probably already spelled disaster for this place. The wind will soon cease, and the greenery will wither. Then the calamities will start."

Reckless tomfoolery on behalf of someone had doomed the spiritual lands of Fuyuki, and on some level, Bazett had to wonder if she was partly responsible. After all, Kirei's betrayal may have been the event that set this disaster off.

"No..."

"Yes. There is no point worrying about it. The hell has already begun. We can't stop it." Caster declared, standing up and stretching. "Aaaah, much better. So, Master, what is our first move? Do you even have a first move?" Her lips had twisted into a grin. Bazett had no doubt that Caster was testing her. After all, there was no reason to ask unless Bazett was expected to do something...

[ ] "No, there is no plan. I need more time to rest."
[ ] The Tohsaka owned the Fuyuki Spiritual Lands. That was the first destination. The War could wait.
[ ] Ryudou Temple was the spiritual foundation of Fuyuki. The quickest way to determine the spread of the stagnation would be to investigate its source.
[ ] Bazett was underequipped. There was only one choice to make. Now where was her hotel room key. She had to reclaim her equipment before someone else claimed them. At least Kirei didn't know where it was yet.

Krika · Jan 18, 2021

BlackHadou said:
Due to the Great War being invoked in insufficient spiritual lands, certain Master Privileges have been revoked. You will have to keep track of Servant Stats on your own, you can only see the status of Servants that you can see right now.

I'm sure people remember this line right? Right.

AnonymousRabbit said:
Also can someone try and gather every info we have on Mordred for now. Like an information Matrix?

You know for future reference.

Well, one person did.

Let's get out an old-fashioned notepad and start taking notes. If necessary, explanations will be noted in italics. Descriptions are sourced from this thread (obviously) or the wiki (because I'm lazy - better descriptions will be found as I find time and motivation - maybe I'll steal the short descriptions from GO mats). Canonical Noble Phantasms will be abbreviated as necessary, as I have no desire to bloat this with more than a paragraph per listing when ya'll can look up the full thing.

Updated through "Just Ramen".

Servant of White

Identity: Mordred, "Witch-Knight of Ravages"
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Master: Bazett Fraga McRemitz

Strength: C+
Endurance: ???
Agility: A
Mana: A
Luck: B > C > D > C (cursed by her catalyst, capable of being raised in combat through unknown means)
NP: ???

Class Skills:
Boundary Interference (A): A corruption of the Territory Creation skill possessed by Servants who specialize in invasion. The ability to pierce a barrier and deconstruct it with ruthless efficiency. At A Rank, even the sacred realm of Avalon can be pierced and destruction rent upon it. Since the barrier is interfered with on a fundamental level, this skill can be said to be the bane of a Magus' Atelier.
Item Construction (C): The Skill to manufacture magical items, from implements of war to items for daily use. Also, this skill requires time to gather components and manufacture items. In Caster's case, since her abilities are druidic in nature, she possess exceptional ability to create concoctions and other magical potions, but her ability to make magical items is fairly average.

Personal Skills:
Charisma (D): A rare talent that consists of a composite of a person's general likeability as well as their ability to command others. The morale of military forces she commands is high, but this comes and the expense of their combat ability. Since she possesses a force of will that attracts others to her, it is difficult to disagree with Caster.
Magical Burst (A): The ability to increase performance by infusing one's weapons and body with Magical Energy and instantly expelling it. Simply put, recreating the effect of a jet burst by expending large amounts of Magical Energy. At Rank A, even a stick can become a weapon of great power. A normal weapon that is not on the level of a divine Mystery can be destroyed in one blow. Can also raise one's defense several times over.
Tempest Magus (B): A unique skill that evolved from Instinct. The ability to dictate the flow of battle, much like a raging tempest dictates the flow of the surrounding land. While Instinct is a sixth sense that allows one to detect how the battle will proceed, this evolution provides a further feeling to elicit how the battle should proceed. Simply put, it is the supernatural ability to predict and dictate the course of battle like a raging hurricane. There is a side effect that is related to the magecraft employed by the user, but this magic seems to be considered a state secret. At B Rank, there is no regard for collateral damage. As a bonus effect, the penalties for lacking senses are halved.
Will to Prevail (B+): ??? As a side effect, the owner's Luck parameter takes a huge penalty.

Noble Phantasm(s):
Clarent Marmyadose(Infernal Ravages of Ruin) (A+, Anti-Country): Inheritance/Corruption Phantasm. The original rank would be A++. At current, it is merely A+ due to being stolen. The cracked and damaged sword Marmyadose, stolen from the treasury of King Arthur, was repaired by filling the central portion that had been damaged with Clarent. As a result, the normal inferno blade has been magnified. Normally, deploying it would be impossible in this state, but since Mordred has a strong association with the Three Ravages, it has been granted the ability to cast a hellish flame that can be called the opposite of Excalibur's light. At least, that is what Mordred claims, but the nature of the Noble Phantasm doesn't appear to have changed that much.

??? (B+, Barrier): ???

Miscellaneous:
Weak to Illusion magic
Elementalism: The ability to cast magic by invoking elemental faeries. Since it is based in abilities from the bloodline, it's not possible to teach or learn unless you already have the talent.
Summoned by the grail to oppose Zero Saber(Gilgamesh)
Professes to not be human.
Invisible Air(Tempest of the Witch King) (C, Barrier): A magic spell taught to a certain King by the court wizard. Its original purpose was to hide the identity of the sacred sword, but it also possesses strong defensive properties. In the case of Caster, who has no reason to hide her armaments, it sees its use in this defensive form. The body is encased in a tempest that shrugs off most attacks and cuts those that come near. Technically, its original purpose can also be used, but Caster seems to think it's a waste of effort.
Looks identical to Lancer of Red(King Arthur).
Dislikes the title "Witch of the Pale Lilies"

Servants of Black

Identity: Perseus
Alignment: ???
Master: Sakura Matou - was loaned in some capacity to a male relative

Strength: ???
Endurance: ???
Agility: ???
Mana: ???
Luck: ???
NP: ???

Class Skills:
Independent Action (???): ???
Magic Resistance (???): ???

Personal Skills:
???

Noble Phantasm(s):

Cybele(The Gaze of the Gorgon) (???, ???): The head of the Gorgon Medusa. Effects presumed to be petrification.

Hades Boon (???, ???): Theorized Noble Phantasm that would allow Archer to evade death, based on information offered by Rider of Black(Setanta).

Kibisis(Bag of Barrier Inversion) (???, ???): Somehow reversed the effects of a trap laid for Archer of Black's arrival.

Identity: Jason the Argonaut
Alignment: ???
Master: ???

Strength: ???
Endurance: ???
Agility: ???
Mana: ???
Luck: ???
NP: ???

Class Skills:
Presence Concealment (???): ???

Personal Skills:
???

Noble Phantasm(s):
??? (???, ???): Jason or his ship, the Argo, is a Gathering of Heroes(Point where Heroes Collide). It is almost certain that Assassin has an ability that allows him to temporarily incarnate Heroic Spirits(call friends to help), though beyond requiring a fair chunk of magical energy, specifics are unknown.

Miscellaneous:
Allied with Caster of Black
Pretty good with hand-to-hand combat, enough to hold his own against Rider of Black(Setanta)

Identity: Medea of Colchis
Alignment: ???
Master: ???

Strength: ???
Endurance: ???
Agility: ???
Mana: ???
Luck: ???
NP: ???

Class Skills:
Territory Creation (???): ???
Item Construction (???): ???

Personal Skills:
??? (???): Caster of Red(Jack the Ripper) and Rider of Black(Setanta) claim that Caster possesses powerful magical abilities. This likely manifests as a high-ranking skill of some variety, though further details are unknown.

Noble Phantasm(s):
???

Miscellaneous:
Allied with Assassin of Black(Jason the Argonaut)

Note: Many of these parameters were gathered before Lancer's true identity was known, and as a result suspect ones are noted.

Identity: Conla
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Master: Bazett Fraga McRemitz and also Kirei Kotomine - Bazett is still considered to be Lancer's master, but Kirei possesses the relevant Command Spells

Strength: D
Endurance: ???
Agility: A+
Mana: ??? (Due to the geas on Conla, he is able to produce enough spiritual energy to anchor himself without draining another.)
Luck: ???
NP: ???

Class Skills:
Magic Resistance (???)

Personal Skills:
Familiar (Wolves) (D): A magical talent for deploying wolves as familiars. They serve as both eyes and ears in scouting and have varied uses in combat.
Rune Magic (B): Exact effects unknown
Uncrowned Arms Mastery: A rare skill for the use of weapons not acknowledged in life. In Lancer's case, his spearmanship was not actually recorded in myth. As a result, his ranks in combat abilities appear to only be of averaging level until his identity is revealed, and his skill in Runic Magic is hidden entirely.

Noble Phantasm(s):
Blath Draioct Dearg(Shame of Ulain) (B, ???): A spear given to Lancer by Aife, his mother and teacher. Allows him to paint runes at a distance and acts as a "tuning fork" for his magic. For unknown reasons, it bears a remarkable similarity to Gae Bolg.
Fainne Draiocht Conla(The Hidden and the Unknown) (B, Anti-Unit (self)): Hidden treasure. A ring born by Conla that is the only mark of his identity. The true Noble Phantasm is not the ring itself, but the geas binding Conla, which hides his identity and curses him to anonymity. While the curse is active, his abilities are displayed incorrectly. Since he is under a geas, his parameters enjoy a significant boost, whoever this also prevents his identification by a Master and he is immune to the targeting effects of spells that require a name whilst he is hidden.

Miscellaneous:
Conla may not give his name. Conla may not refuse a challenge. Conla must fight until he dies. Conla must fight as many foes as possible. Conla may only fight using equivalent forces of arms.

Name: Setanta
Alignment: ???
Master: None

Strength: B
Endurance: C
Agility: B
Mana: ???
Luck: ???
NP: ???

Class Skills:
Riding (???)
Magic Resistance (???)

Personal Skills:
Divinity (B): The divinity of the Son of Lugh. As a result, Rider is considered a solar deity. In addition to the ability to activate purge defense, a bonus effect is granted. As rider, this manifests as a potential second mount, however the adult version elects not to take this bonus at all. In a sense, the young version is the only one truly in touch with his own Divinity, for as an adult, it's become another obstacle to overcome.
Martial Arts of the Land of Shadows (A+): Knowledge of the combat arts of the Land of Shadows. The training of Scathatch has already begun to temper the mind and body into a weapon that would allow Rider to one day claim the name Cu Chulainn. Depending on whether he is a young man or an adult, the end result is that he bears this skill, or it transmogrifies into the Noble Phantasm, Gae Bolg. For Rider, this skill has reached it's zenith. Unhindered by class restrictions, Setanta can freely display all of the martial arts training he accrued from the Land of Shadows, however, for obvious reasons, he is missing all the Noble Phantasms that would normally be associated with the name Cu Chulainn. It can be said that Rider is both the best and worst class for Setanta to materialize as for this reason.
Rune Magic (???): Hypothetical skill, as Rider has displayed at least some proficiency in Runes, which would not fit under any of his known skills.

Noble Phantasms:
Failinis(Solar Light that Shoots through the Forest) (Rank B, Familiar): The hound of Lugh. In the case of Rider, it is on loan due to his divinity score. It is said that the hound of Lugh displays dominion over all beasts and can turn water into wine, but these feats seem highly exaggerated. At least, that's what Riders says. Since Failinis laughs the entire time he says this, at least some of it is probably incorrect.

Fragarach(Wind Whisperer) (B+, Anti-Unit): Another function of the Answerer. This one is used by the Hound of Ulster while the blade is on loan. A tempest summoning sword that roars when swung. As a side effect, those who speak within the din of the tempest cannot lie.

Gae Bolg(Last Tears That Birth The Great Hero) (???, ???): Can only be invoked once by Rider of Black. An acknowledgement of the hero he would become, leaving behind the life he currently inhabits. Whether this simply alters his Spirit Origin to another shape or destroys it in trying is unknown.

Geas of the Hound(Valiant Warrior's Oaths) (A+, Anti-Unit (self)): The oaths of the Hound of Ulster. A great source of physical and spiritual strength. It is said that there are over one hundred in total. So long as an oath made with the Hound is kept, the physical parameters and spiritual being are enhanced. However, if the oaths are broken, then the status rapidly declines. In the case of Setanta, who took and gave many oaths, this Noble Phantasm can be used to gain great strength he was not summoned with, and grant that strength to others. The strength given by the oath is corresponding to the difficulty of breaking it. At the time his elder self died, this Noble Phantasm had been lost, as most of his oaths had been knowingly or unknowingly violated, and as a result, his future self's personal status is unusually low for Ireland's greatest hero.

Miscellaneous:
Allied with Caster of Red(Jack the Ripper)
Doesn't have his full adult experience with his unarmed fighting style, nor is it fully adapted for his shorter height.
Under geas to protect Caster of Red(Jack the Ripper)
Must use Gae Bolg(Last Tears That Birth The Great Hero) should he fight Lancer of Black(Conla).

Name: ???
Alignment: ???
Master: Kirschtaria Wodime

Strength: A (This reading was gathered from the site of the battle between Sabers of Red(Karna) and Black - Saber of Red's(Karna Alter's) parameter matches this gathered value, but it's plausible that Saber of Black could have caused it as well)
Endurance: ???
Agility: ???
Mana: ???
Luck: ???
NP: ???

Class Skills:
Riding (???)
Magic Resistance (???)

Personal Skills:
???

Noble Phantasm(s):
???(Evil Cleaving Flame) (???, ???): Unknown abilities except that it is apparently deployed at high speed from a pouch Saber of Black carries. Caster of Red(Jack the Ripper) describes it as an anti-evil flame, while not being a real sword. Caster of White(Mordred) matches the description as being similar in some capacity to Laevatainn(Sword like Sun, Become a Calamity).

Miscellaneous:
Did not draw a weapon while fighting Caster of Curses(Lancelot).
Has an unknown ability to detect when being spied upon magically.

Name: ???
Alignment: ???
Master: ???

Strength: ???
Endurance: ???
Agility: ???
Mana: ???
Luck: ???
NP: ???

Class Skills:
???

Personal Skills:
??? (???): An unknown ability that allows him to foresee or predict events before they happen. Temporarily listed here, but it could also be the function of a Noble Phantasm.

Noble Phantasm(s):
???

Miscellaneous:
A humanoid machine, rather than a human.
An enemy of the rest of the Black faction.

Servants of Red

Identity: ???
Alignment: ???
Master: Kishinami Hakuno

Note: Due to the effects of Archer's Perfect Transfiguration skill, their parameters are extremely variable. Recorded here is the most recently seen sets for their parameters, but it should not be considered definitive.

Strength: C
Endurance: C
Agility: C
Mana: A+
Luck: A
NP: ???

Class Skills:
Independent Action (n/a): See Independent Manifestation
Magic Resistance (???)

Personal Skills:
Independent Manifestation (C): A skill gained through the combination of Perfect Shape and Independent Action. The body remains in the world indefinitely, and additional energy is requisitioned form the surrounding area as necessary. The body returns to it's default state without any consideration from the Servant.
Perfect Transfiguration (A): A skill mutated from Transfiguration. By draining magical energy from the surrounding lands, the parameters can be freely set for the body. However, unlike normal Transfiguration, there is a mandatory Mana rank. It seems there is another effect, but what it is remains hidden.
Presence Detection (A > D): Implicit reason for the reduced rank is due to the lack of mana in the land.

Noble Phantasm(s):
End of Babylon(The Genocide of the People) (A++, Anti-Humanity): Allows Archer to mimic the shape and concepts of high-end Noble Phantasms via some method.

Miscellaneous:
Can function as a Pseudo-Grail, but claims to be ineffective at this task.
Is capable of enduring and healing himself of Hydra venom, but isn't capable of combat while doing so.

Identity: ???
Alignment: ???
Master: Rin Tohsaka

Strength: ???
Endurance: ???
Agility: ???
Mana: ???
Luck: ???
NP: ???

Class Skills:
Dual Class: Possession of the qualifications of two classes. Unlike the cheat skill Double Class, in which two aspects of the same Servant are called forth simultaneously, in this case, the Aspects of Caster and Assassin, drawing from the same anecdote, have become inseparable. As a result, the Servant summoned is simultaneously Caster and Assassin. A rare skill possessed by a rarer still kind of Servant. In this case, perhaps it is because the aspect of Assassin was embedded so thoroughly in his forging qualifications that separating them had become impossible.
Item Construction (???)
Presence Concealment (B): ???
Territory Creation (???)

Personal Skills:
???

Noble Phantasm(s):
???

Miscellaneous:
Able to produce Demon Swords(Onigiri) of Japanese origin, presumably via some kind of magecraft as given by his Dual Class skill.
Vaguely reminiscent of Shirou Emiya.

Name: ???
Alignment: ???
Master: An oni, "the Bandit of Mt. Oe"

Strength: ???
Endurance: ???
Agility: ???
Mana: ???
Luck: ???
NP: ???

Class Skills:
Madness Enhancement (???)

Personal Skills:
???

Noble Phantasm(s):
???

Miscellaneous:
Last known to be shacked up in the temple on Mount Enzo.
Known to use a quick draw technique with a cleaver.
Described as a "thrice as demonic bird" with respect to her Master. Spooky.

Name: Jack the Ripper
Alignment: ???
Master: None

Strength: ???
Endurance: ???
Agility: ???
Mana: ???
Luck: ???
NP: ???

Class Skills:
Item Construction (E): The ability to create magical items and potions. In the case of Caster of Red, the level is definitely the very lowest possible for a Caster. She can make things, though the method of how she does so tends towards the nonsensical. Indeed, perhaps it is the fact that her true identity was completely unknown that allows her to make such a large variety of things, but their quality as Mystic Armament is very low.
Territory Creation (C): Exact effects unknown, however it is capable of chaining up Rider of Red's(Herakles') Cerberus(The Hound of Hell) and preventing it from being resummoned as long as Caster is present.

Personal Skills:
Hidden Shell (C-): The body does not appear to be that of a Servant, and as a result, detection becomes very difficult. In the cast of Caster of Red, there is a condition upon this skill. Namely, it only functions during the daytime. Thanks to this, she can hide at any time during the day, though if she starts exercising her abilities as a Servant, then her presence immediately escalates. A subspecies skill of Presence Concealment, however one that is considered an embarrassment to have, as there is no chance of a surprise attack.
Magus Killer (C++): The ability to slay a Magus. An ability of the Caster version of Jack the Ripper, as an unknown sorceress that hunted female magi for an unknown reason. The rank suddenly increases if the opponent is female and it becomes nighttime, however against most magi the mysteries that they rely on for defense becomes things to be defeated. As a side-effect, Caster's problem solving skills are unusually exceptional, even if she cannot explain her logic.
Surgery (E): ???

Noble Phantasms:
The Mist (C+, Barrier): Barrier Phantasm. The wild, smog-filled, and winding streets of smoky London. Normally, there is an effect to constrict the lungs, but that effect is relegated to Assassin's version of this Noble Phantasm. The local area turns into a labyrinthine maze, and the targets begin to wander in circles. Since the Noble Phantasm's main target is females, it becomes very difficult for them to escape without outside help. However, on the flips side, they are also separated from their companions.
From Hell(Murderer of the Misty Nights) (C++, Anti-Unit): The secondary function of the Mist. Within the Mist is Jack. No matter where Jack originally was, her location can be immediately transferred to within the Mist. A Noble Phantasm akin to cheating, the reality is no one knows where Jack really is. As a side effect, the first attack is always to the organs, and is always a surprise attack. Against a female target at night, it is also fatal. However, deployment in this fashion is difficult due to the preparation involved.

Miscellaneous:
Allied with Rider of Black(Setanta)
Under geas to protect Bazett from Lancer of Black(Conla)
Her magic is both occult and likely influencing her state of mind.

Name: King Arthur
Alignment: ???
Master: Shirou

Strength: ???
Endurance: C
Agility: C
Mana: B
Luck: ???
NP: ???

Class Skills:
Magic Resistance (???): Likely very high, given their identity

Personal Skills:
Magical Burst (A): ???

Noble Phantasm(s):
??? (C, ???): Lancer's spears. Presumed to be a Noble Phantasm or related to one in some capacity, given her class. Can telekinetically control 13 spears. There are seals upon this weapon, with Lancer being able to use an empowered version of each spear for each seal released. Seals currently released correspond to Bedivere, Galahad, Gawain, Lancelot, and Mordred.

Miscellaneous:
Looks identical to Caster of White(Mordred).

Name: Herakles
Alignment: ???
Master: ???

Strength: ???
Endurance: ???
Agility: ???
Mana: ???
Luck: ???
NP: ???

Class Skills:
Riding (???): Presumed to be very high, as one of Rider's mounts is a Divine Beast
Magic Resistance (???)

Personal Skills:
??? (C): ???

Noble Phantasm(s):
Cerberus(The Hound of Hell) (B+, Familiar): The beast that guards the underworld in Greek myth. Since it is a beast of death, it does not die when it receives mortal wounds and has no concerns for things such as mortality. Since its eyes are golden, it must retain some level of 'Authority'.

Godhand(The Twelve Labors) (???, ???): A curse on the body to always survive what last killed it. Has lives related to the Twelve Labors. One life has been confirmed to have been lost.

Marmyadose (???, ???): Fiery sword-staff. Unknown effects, Rider bears the original version.

??? (???, ???): A mount of Rider's, a great mare. Presumed to be the Mares of Diomedes.

??? (???, ???): Hydra venom arrows. Appears to need to be produced manually by some means, and thus Rider has an effectively limited stock in any given engagement.

Miscellaneous:
Rider of Black(Setanta) thinks something's weird about him, and didn't refer to him as a "Rider"

Name: Karna(Alter)
Alignment: ???
Master: Sakura Matou

Strength: A
Endurance: E
Agility: A
Mana: ???
Luck: ???
NP: ???

Class Skills:
Riding (???)
Magic Resistance (???)

Personal Skills:
Discernment of the Poor (A): Insight that sees through others' personality and attribute. He can't be deceived by verbal excuses and deceptions. It displays the power to grasp others' nature, which Karna got because his status as a man with no family blessed him with the opportunity to question the lives and the worth of the weak.
Divinity (E): Normally, as a son of Surya, Saber would enjoy the highest aptitude of Divinity. However, in his Alter state, the Divinity is discarded in exchange for the weapon of the Guru. As a bonus effect, Saber enjoys a bonus against opposing Sun Divinities.
Kalaripyattu (A+): An ancient Indian martial art, said to be the birthplace of all martial arts that are based on rational thought. Since it is highly defensive, it is most appropriate for feeling out the opponent. In Saber's case, his mastery of it is actually greater than his skill with his summoned weapon, so he uses it as his primary means of fighting.
Magical Burst (Corrosion) (A): ???

Noble Phantasm(s):
Brahmastra Kundala(O' Brahma, Curse Me) (A+, Anti-Country): Karna's hidden Noble Phantasm. His trump card. The projectile weapon Brahmastra is bestowed with the sweltering heat effect of Karna's attribute and then fired. The Brahmastra, which already had a wide effective range to begin with, has its effective range further widened and its power exceptionally raised. Its performance is to the point of being compared to nuclear weapons. The rank and scale of this Noble Phantasm remain unconfirmed. It is tentatively marked at where it rests for this Servant's Lancer incarnation, who uses it with his spear, but as Saber likely channels it through his fists instead of a projectile, it is possible that the specifics could be altered by this.

Kavacha and Kundala (C, Anti-Unit): Fearing becoming an unmarried mother, Karna's mother, Kunti, for the sake of protecting her son, begged Surya for protection and was bestowed golden armor and an earring. Emitting the radiance of the sun, the armor is a strong defensive Noble Phantasm. As it is an existence formed from light even gods find it difficult to destroy. It has become one with Karna's body. Would normally be an A-rank Noble Phantasm, but manifests here at a lower rank for an unknown reason.

Nagastra(O Nagas, Devour Me) (B, Anti-Unit): Demonic Treasure. A divine weapon handed down by the Naga of Hindu myth. The delivery method in the case of Saber of Red is his fists. A torrent of serpents who have imbibed the accurse poison are launched at the enemy. It is considered one of the signature Astra of the hero, Karna(Alter). Since Saber of Red is not actually a proper swordsman, his fists and this Noble Phantasm see use as his main weapon. The poison is lethal, as a matter of course, and dissolves the insides like acid. This is also the source of Saber of Red's Magical Burst (Corrosion) ability. Since it's magical energy cost is relatively efficient, he can use it even when he has to conserve energy.

Servant(Avenger) of C̿͋̐͏̼̰̣u̙̻̤ͫ̅̅́r̷̹͙̖̣͋̓̇̂̊ͭs̮͓̠̦̀͜ḙ̶̝̺̠̥̙̊s̤̩̻͚̘̉̿ͅ

Name: ???
Alignment: ???
Master: Calls Bazett its Master

Strength: ???
Endurance: ???
Agility: ???
Mana: ???
Luck: ???
NP: ???

Class Skills:
Avenger (A): ???
Recordings from Oblivion (A): ???
Self-Replenishment (Mana) (???)

Personal Skills:
Divided Hatred (EX): So long as the grudges of old persist, the bodies will continue to rise. As the bodies deplete, the main body will begin to realize the futility of its hate. A divide and multiply skill that usually would be rendered as a Noble Phantasm, however, since the body cannot sustain a large amount of magical energy, the number of bodies is limited by other factors.
Sin of Murder (A): The ability to annihilate human beings. Against humans, victory is an eventual certainty. However, since the skill makes no claim to the speed or probability, due to Avenger's own temperament, it often takes such an extreme long time that being guaranteed to win becomes pointless, since the prey escapes. Perhaps the adage of wait and hope was not so foolish.

Noble Phantasm(s):
???

Miscellaneous:
Reenacting the events of the previous War, using his Divided Hatred skill to summon wraiths of the Heroic Spirits from that war.
Repitat Memoria - Repeating memories. A sensation usually left behind by the grudges and hate of murderers, sinners and the persecuted which caused reality to repeat the actions that led up to their demise. Cannot be ended with pure force.
Is a wish-granter in some capacity, carrying out desires.

Name: Lancelot
Alignment: ???
Master: ???

Strength: B
Endurance: ???
Agility: B
Mana: ???
Luck: ???
NP: ???

Class Skills:
Item Construction (???)
Territory Creation (???)

Personal Skills:
Avenger (D): The accumulation of all the hatred and grudges of the world into a single body. The advent of ones existence as an aspect of "All the World's Evils". In this state, hatred and grudges have accumulated, however, there is no rhyme or reason as to why. It becomes easier for grudges and hate to grow in the local vicinity, but at the same time, the power of those in the vicinity also grow.
Lament of the Sorrowful (B): The sobs and tears of the remorseful and the sorrowful. A skill that allows for the general attack on the moon of those in the surrounding area. Charism a of B or less are negated in its vicinity. Since it is a mental attack that obliterates the mental fortitude of those surrounding, it is difficult to combat it.
Pankration (B): DATA HIGH ERROR. SKILL NOT FOUND
Rite of Exorcism (D++): Specialized Church Magecraft form. For Caster, it is a substitute for the arcanities normally found within the class. Since Church Magic is a truly rare phenomenon, it is likely that some measure of Fey arcanity has been merged with the Church forms to boost their power at repelling spirits. However, since the power has been boosted so high, sudden sublimation of the spirit being targeted has been known to occur.

Noble Phantasm(s):
Knight of Owner(A Knight Does Not Die With Empty Hands) (A++, Anti-Unit): Hypothetical Noble Phantasm, given Caster of Curses' identity and their description as provided by Caster of Red(Jack the Ripper).

Miscellaneous:
Described by Caster of Red(Jack the Ripper) as "A knight in black who owns all he can hold. His sword is a great silver blade and he cleaves evil in two. That is the fourth Caster. He lives but is not alive. He fights and cries every step of the way."
An aspect summoned by Avenger to reenact the events of the previous War, and thus not a proper Servant.
Possesses Black Keys: An Exorcism Armament possessed by the Church. Against spiritual bodies, they possess an unusual level of effectiveness. In the case of Lancelot, his ability to use them is derived from a faith held late in life. As a result, their effectiveness is low on enemies designated as 'Monsters', but high on spirits and revenants.

Name: Diarmuid Ua Duibhne
Alignment: ???
Master: ???

Strength: ???
Endurance: ???
Agility: ???
Mana: ???
Luck: ???
NP: ???

Class Skills:
Magic Resistance (???)
Riding (???)

Personal Skills:
???

Noble Phantasm(s):
Gae Daerg (???, ???): A cursed spear that inflicts wounds that cannot be healed.
??? (???, ???): A chariot was summoned, but perhaps due to Rider of Curses' nature, it could not withstand even a single blow.

Miscellaneous:
An aspect summoned by Avenger to reenact the events of the previous War, and thus not a proper Servant.

Unaffiliated

Identity: "Santa" - Would fit with the saint requirement imposed by the Grail, but their true identity is likely slightly more complicated
Master: Presumed to be the Grail

Strength: ???
Endurance: ???
Agility: ???
Mana: ???
Luck: ???
NP: ???

Class Skills:
God's Resolution (A): As the adjudicator, Ruler is granted two Command Spells each to use on the Servants of the Holy Grail War. However, if the order is used to protect the lives of those not involved in the Grail War, then any number of Servants may be bound by the same Command Spell. Snice the ability is fundamentally based on the magecraft of Saints, it is subject to Magic Resistance. Eight Spells have been confirmed to be used. Thanks Zero Saber(Gilgamesh).
Magic Resistance (???)
True Name Discernment (???)

Personal skills:
To Wish Upon a Star (A++): ???

Noble Phantasm(s):
??? (A+, Familiar): Three black beasts that Ruler can call. The method by which he does so and the ability that grants them are unclear, but when called they ripped themselves out of the shadows.

Miscellaneous:
Makes good cookies.
Can summon imps of some description to perform menial labor. Couldn't possibly be elves.
Is described as a system rather than an individual by Rider of Black(Setanta)

Identity: Gilgamesh
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Master: Kirei Kotomine(?)

Strength: B
Endurance: ???
Agility: ???
Mana: A
Luck: ???
NP: ???

Class Skills:
Riding (???)
Magic Resistance (A+): ???

Personal Skills:
Charisma (A+): Often praised as the greatest king, Gilgamesh's ability to command and lead great armies is excellent. An egotistical Gilgamesh radiating with self-confidence will surely boost the morale of his army to an extremely high level.
Divinity (B (A+)): Gilgamesh's original value as a 2/3 demigod. He possesses the highest level of Divinity among many of the Heroic Spirits. However, he despises the gods because they killed his friend Enkidu, unleashed the Bull of Heaven onto the earth, and caused him much trouble. As a result, his Divinity decreased.
Golden Rule (A): Being fated a life that is filled with riches, he can live as a millionaire. Gilgamesh lives the life of a nabob and has no money troubles for the entirety of his life. In the legend, he claimed all the world's treasures as his own and is said to have infinite wealth in his Golden Capital. The originals of Noble Phantasms preserved in his treasury were collected during this period. Although this ability seems unrelated to battle, it plays a great role in arming Gilgamesh.

Noble Phantasm(s):
Enuma Elish(The Star of Creation That Split Heaven and Earth) (EX, Anti-World): The sword that cuts and divides the World, with output matching or even exceeds Artoria's Excalibur. Its power will further increase given the support of Noble Phantasms within Gate of Babylon. More correctly speaking, "Sword of Rupture – Ea" is the Noble Phantasm, "Enuma Elish" is the state under which Sword of Rupture – Ea unleashes its maximum output. By generating wind pressure strata, the attack crushes the enemies by simulating spatial rends. In addition, the names "Sword of Rupture – Ea" and "Enuma Elish" are all given by Gilgamesh. They are thought to be references to the Great God Ea (Enki) of the Mesopotamian and Babylonian myths, and the Genesis Epic of the Babylonian myth, Enuma Elish.

Sha Naqba Imuru(The Omnipresent and Omnipotent Star of Knowledge) (EX > B, Anti-Unit): Hero King Gilgamesh's mentality, which reaches every corner of the world like the radiance of the stars and sees through all of creation, sublimated into a Noble Phantasm. A Noble Phantasm of the Constantly Invoked-Type. Not to mention an opponent's True Name and Noble Phantasm(s), it can definitely see even a truth hidden underneath multiple layers without obstruction and with a single glance. Although it is in a state where it seems to be constantly invoked, one can also assume from appearances that some parts of the Noble Phantasm's ability are being intentionally limited. If its True Name is released, it will operate as "instructions" for Gilgamesh to guide himself and others with the most optimum tactics according to the situation presented to him, simultaneously increasing the offensive power and defensive power of his whole team near his own position. It is unknown why this ability has been ranked-down, nor what effects this has on it's performance. The description given is for the version at full strength and will be revised when further detail becomes available.

Miscellaneous:
Has been incarnated by some means(Grail-Kun)

Unknown

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

Rhongomyniad(World Piercing Nail of Light) (???, Anti-World): A Noble Phantasm used by a Lancer in the previous war. Called a "sacred nail" by Caster of White(Mordred), can be mimicked by Archer of Red.
While Caster of White(Mordred) considers it merely an academic curiosity, she thinks another "nail" is present in the Great War.
During the confrontation between Saber of Red(Karna Alter) and Saber of Black, an A-ranked effect drew the bystanders and uninvolved away from the path of the battlefield, by means that caused emergency services to not respond to the rather obvious fight.
The Gouging Sword of the War God: Fragarach(That Which Strikes Last Cuts First) (A, Anti-Unit): Anti-Causality Sword. The last answer of Lugh. That which is drawn last cuts first. Time is rewritten and the enemy is slain before the deployment of their trump card. One of the Gods-Holder weapons in the modern age, it's a mystery is hidden in Bazett's blood.
Caster of Red(Jack the Ripper) claims that at last one Servant in the war can pretend to be a class other than what they are. No Servant aside from possibly Archer of Red has demonstrated abilities that would allow this, so the one she is referring to remains unfortunately unknown.

BlackHadou · Jan 19, 2021

Scheduled vote count started by BlackHadou on Jan 18, 2021 at 3:40 AM, finished with 68 posts and 16 votes.

12 people have voted
[X] Bazett was underequipped. There was only one choice to make. Now where was her hotel room key. She had to reclaim her equipment before someone else claimed them. At least Kirei didn't know where it was yet.
2 people have voted
[x] Ryudou Temple was the spiritual foundation of Fuyuki. The quickest way to determine the spread of the stagnation would be to investigate its source.
- Spectral Waltz
- Mortifer
1 people have voted
[X] The Tohsaka owned the Fuyuki Spiritual Lands. That was the first destination. The War could wait.
- giodan
1 people have voted
[X] "No, there is no plan. I need more time to rest."
- The Out Of World

BlackHadou · Jan 19, 2021

The moon was out tonight.

Returning her attention to the open window, that was the first thing that occured to Bazett. Normally, the moon itself was not of any particular importance; celestial movements were often signs of how the magical energy in the land was flowing, but with the energy of Fuyuki now still, Bazett began to appreciate that the moon was out for the very first time. It was a bright silver orb in the sky, one that reminded her of the shape of the Answerer, one that was surrounded by a small cradle of clouds and reflected in the sea below.

That cradle would not move away. No, the magical energy within Fuyuki was a void and the energy of the surrounding lands would soon come rushing in to fill it. As they did so, they would bring change, in weather, environment, tendency and even celestial movements. That moon, cradled in the sky on its crown of clouds, was a sign of that change that would soon come. It likely would not be silver again for many a day.

Biting her lip, Bazett's hand began to rummage through her pockets. Her phone was smashed, but she hadn't really used it anyway. While it was a helpful tool, many magi, especially those in the Association, had derided it as a simple new fad. Perhaps it could have been useful later, but for now, it was meaningless. That was discarded on the nearby table.

A earring. That too joined the table, though she intended to reclaim that one. A catalyst, one for the great hero of Ireland, C-

"Cu Chulainn's earring, right?" Caster noted from her spot. She could see then, clearly. "Funny what survives to the modern day."

"It's what I summoned with before." Bazett noted dryly. Caster nodded, just once.

"Yes. The grail informed me that you were a former Black Master. What Servant?"

"Lancer. Cu Chulainn."

"I see." In some ways, it was as if Caster did not think that was actually probable, her brow furrowed and her lips twisted, but she didn't question it further. Bazett continued to remove the contents of her pockets. A chip from a old and petrified tree, a shard with dried blood, a-

Aha, there it was.

A key found itself on the table.

"I'll be honest, the key almost looks the most impressive of the lot." Caster noted. "It's the only one not falling apart."

"And the ring isn't?"

"Well, it's old, a bit tarnished, could use a clean." Caster hummed, raising her hand to look at it. "It's nice to have a reminder of home, I guess."

"Is that why you are wearing it?"

"No. It's cursed. I'm making sure I'm the target of the curse, not you." With that, Caster stood, slowly walking to the fridge, opening it, and removing a can of soda. "Right, Master, what is your plan?"

"I have things in the hotel room I can't lose." Bazett answered. "Things that are impor-"

"You have Fragarach(Strikes Last but Cuts First). Just say it girl."

"How?" Bazett froze, her gaze returning to Caster. The sorceress just shrugged, taking a long gulp from the can.

"I ruled a not insignificant number of Irishman, believe it or not. I know the stories. I knew from the moment you said your name, which line you came from. Fragarach(Strikes Last but Cuts First) was around in my time." She answered. "Bloody handy against the Picts, actually."

"I see... Well yes, that's what I need to get. I can't afford to lose Fragarach(Strikes Last but Cuts First). There are some other weapons and items that would be nice to reclaim, but they are less important." Bazett nodded. "So the first step is to get back to the hotel room."

"You stored them in a place that wasn't yours?"

"It was warded."

"You best hope I'm the only invasive Caster in this war. That wouldn't have stopped me at all and a Caster would be able to work out how to use it." Those words chilled Bazett to the core. Right, this was a Holy Grail War now, even if it wasn't a normal one. There were magi here far older then even the bricks that made up the central clocktower and likely strong enough to obliterate it with a raised hand and a few words.

"Point taken. There is no time to waste then." Bazett answered, returning her things to her pockets and tucking the key into her breast pocket, where it wouldn't be lost. "We should be off then."

"Sure." Caster paused for a moment, pulling a few rice balls from the fridge. They looked like leftovers, and poorly constructed at that. "Eat that on the way. You aren't out of the woods yet."

Blood loss was one of the things healing magic struggled to contend with. While blood was easily replenished, the new blood contained none of the magical essence of the old blood. Bazett understood the theory. Eating would cause her body to hurry up in returning itself to its normal state. Even so, it took her a moment to realise the hand she tried to seize them with simply wasn't there anymore.

"This is going to be a problem." She admitted, finally reaching out with her right hand. "I keep thinking it is there."

"Bedivere called it his invisible hand." Mordred noted. "There's nothing we can do about it for the moment." That was right, Mordred had been familiar with a knight with only one arm. Sir Bedivere was a knight said to have the strength of nine in his one arm. "You can stop looking like a puppy, he was a goodie two shoes through and through."

"Do you regret it?" The unasked part was 'did Mordred regret the actions that led to her fame'. It was a tactless question that slipped straight off the lips, and Bazett regretted not guarding her tongue more carefully. Caster did not immediately answer, her gaze studying Bazett's for a long moment.

"No." Came the final answer. "I regret many things, but that I do not." The story behind that would have to wait, as her body melted away into the air. "I would suggest getting a move on, Master. The night is not young."

Bazett let out the long breath she was holding as she scarfed down the rice balls, hurriedly making her way to the front door. Caster was right. The night was not young, in fact, it was almost over, and once it was, she was not safe. The day would bring movement, and Servants would begin to scout the city if they had not already for team-mates and enemies. Battlefields would be prepared and alliances forged. It would be naive to think the idea of two factions would remain intact for any real period of time.

More importantly, the morning would bring with it the cleaners. Bazett had to be back at the hotel room before some idiot had the chance to try and open the door. The Runes sealing it shut would certainly kill whoever tried, and if Kirei was smart, he was waiting in the wings for such a report to swoop in and claim what she'd brought with her.

This was the correct plan for the moment. Rest could wait. Action could wait. For now, Bazett needed to fulfill her duties as the God-Holder of Lugh.

*****

The trip into Shinto was not as fast as Bazett hoped. The moon was beginning to recede into the horizon, but the newer district of Fuyuki had at no point remembered to go to sleep. Shops, bustling, billboards, all things about Japan that Bazett was uncertain she would ever truly be used to. She far preferred her ancestral cottage to this, the few times she was ever home.

Most Magi found quiet places to hide their ateliers. Bazett had hidden one in her hotel room out of convenience, rather then any sort of preference. It was a temporary location with no real foundation but the paragraphs of runic script she'd used to secure it, but really, Bazett had walked into and destroyed flimsier ateliers. They were supposed to be a place where magical work could be conducted, but most often they turned into living quarters and even strongholds as magi slowly accumulated junk and trinkets they dared not part with.

The hotel that Bazett had chosen to stay at was called the Hyatt Hotel. It was a building that had been renovated extensively after a terrorist attack ten years ago had rendered most of the building in tatters. Bazett had chosen it specifically for its lack of any sort of spiritual value; it was far easier to overwrite a blank slate with Runes then one that had begun to take on some character. However, she had some vague idea that a magus of not insignificant skill must have been in the region at one point. The local grudge was thick in the entire suburb, and the twisting of the local natural energy lines had still been untangling even now, a decade later. As she stepped over the threshold into the street, Bazett could almost feel Caster shiver.

"That is a powerful grudge." She commented dryly. "A dangerous one, too. It wants to be unleashed."

"I'll have to relocate today. The room will have to be cleansed." Bazett muttered back. "With the stillness in Fuyuki, it's only a matter of time until it forces its way out. There's no natural energy to hold it in check."

"There is not, no. I doubt whatever local priest population this land has can cope with the number of grudges about to spill out." Caster confirmed. "Still..."

"I feel it too."

When one had been living the life of a warrior for as long as Bazett had, they developed certain senses and skills to assist them in continuing to survive. Some were called murderous instincts, things like the focusing of intent that would prevent the target from fighting back. This one was a sixth sense more akin to a intuition, the sensation on the back of the neck of hairs raising on end. It was a sign that someone was being watched.

No, not watched. Hunted. Bazett knew this feeling. This feeling was like the feeling of being both prey and predator at once. In fact, she had experienced it enough to understand exactly how to interpret it. Someone was hunting her, and their familiars were the ones who were doing the work.

"Caster, be ready. I'm going to speed up." Bazett declared under her breath.

"You'll give yourself away."

"If they don't already know who I am in a crowd, then they are blind."

Normally, the wisdom of a heroic spirit would be appreciated on the matters of combat, especially one such as Mordred, who was experienced in being on both the hunting and hunted end of a chase. However, in this situation it simply didn't apply. With Bazett's obviously newly lost arm and ravaged clothes, if she wasn't immediately picked out of the crowd, then her hunter simply wasn't trying hard enough.

There was no reason for restraint. No, she made her move immediately, exhausted and battered legs pumping like unfaltering machines as she began to push her way through the crowd. She got a few looks, but they seemed to dismiss her for a simple, if rude, foreigner who was out of her depth then with any real malice.

"Awooooooooo!"

"It would seem we know what kind of familiar we're dealing with." Caster's sarcastic words came merely moments before the first attack struck. Bazett had been in the middle of the road when her instincts flared, a fire in her hair that told her immediately the direction the attack would come from. With a hard push, she dived over the bonnet of a car, as black and grey matted fur tore through where she had once stood.

"Stay hidden. Not here."

Wolves within a city was a surreal sight. This was the conclusion that Bazett came to as she coiled into a crouch, slowly raising back to her feet as her eyes scanned the area around her. The fur had simply melted back into the shadows, as if it had never been there, yet she felt a kinship with the spell binding them.

"I'll obey that so long as you aren't in danger." Caster whispered back. "The second I think you're in trouble..." She left it hanging like a threat. Bazett nodded. If Caster really wished to step in, then there was nothing Bazett could actually do to stop it.

"Awooooooooo!"

"They know where I am." Bazett surmised. "Right, no point staying." She was at a disadvantage, in a very real sense. With no arm, her magical circuit within her body was haywire, not connecting with her crest properly and interfering with her ability to cast magic. There was no swift fix for it, either. For this fight, she would simply have to make do.

And make do she would.

The pain of drawing blood from her lip with a tooth was brief, wetting her finger and drawing the relevant rune in the air from practised memory. Runes were a magecraft full of cheats. Sure, it could be recited or activated from a crest, and if you asked Bazett about the best way to use it, she would answer that those were unquestionably the best methods of activation, but it also could simply be scribed on the spot. Most magi didn't have the memory for all the little ways a rune could be used, not because they couldn't learn, but because they had no real interest in doing so. To the average magus, there were only really four or five runes even worth knowing.

Bazett was no mere dabbler though. She was a rune magus who was at the level of being able to skip words and phrases for singular runes and achieving the result she wanted. So when she drew Rhaido, it was with the understanding, from a magical point of view, that the desired result was to replicate the runes she normally wore on her shoes and move faster.

Having damaged clothing could destroy the effects of runes, however. Inscribing them ahead of time was a helpful tool, but one that could be negated simply by losing a battle once. Bazett suspected the runes on her shoes had worn away when the Rune of Resurrection had began eating the magical energy of anything nearby in order to fuel itself, but she wouldn't put it past being a victim of Kirei's attack, either. The man was a Executor of the Eighth Sacrament. He knew the best way to fight a magus was to ensure their magic went unused.

Bazett had to admit, her greatest fear was that her spell would not take at all. The magical energy within her was like a tempest, flowing and ebbing in unsteady rhythm. However, the relief from the burning magic inside her told her that something, at least, had happened.

"You are impressive, Master." Caster quipped dryly. "A rune from memory. Not bad at all."

The legend of Mordred did not include any feats of his magecraft. Bazett had to wonder how in depth Caster's knowledge actually was. There was no reason to doubt that she had a good idea of what she was talking about, but still...

She put that thought out of mind. She had to get moving. She pushed off with her legs, and the rush of her blood pounding almost caused her to fall over. Perhaps it was too soon for the exertion. However, if she did not run, Bazett would die. The air was still, a unusual sensation for one running through the streets.

The wolves, and they were wolves, melted in and out of the shadows without any concern for physics. They possessed physical bodies, but the speed they moved from shadow to shadow seemed unnatural. No, Bazett decided, it was too unnatural. Either it was the ability of a Servant, or they were not actually moving from shadow to shadow.

Lunge, leap, bite, claw.

Bazett avoided strike after strike as she bolted down the streets, towards the hotel in the distance. She could not avoid them forever. That fact was rapidly becoming clear.

One wolf lunged over a car at her face, but it was met by Bazett's fist. Perhaps Caster had more faith in her then she thought. She was yet to interfere, as she leapt over the last few cars and bolted towards the door of the hotel.

The wolves did not chase her into the light.

"Maybe I underestimated you." Caster admitted. Bazett flinched in the empty foyer, as she realised that Caster had settled against a pillar, watching her breach the boundary. It was a boundary, Bazett realised. The air within was not still, but flowing, warm. "That looked like a nice run."

"You made this your workshop?"

"No. I hijacked yours." Caster answered, pushing off the pillar and settling into step with Bazett as she forced her legs to keep moving. "You've learned something."

"Lancer is after us." Bazett surmised. "The wolves are enchanted with a rune spell. They aren't actually melting away, they just can't be seen in the shadows."

"Very good." Caster nodded. "You are better at this then I thought."

"You worked that out?"

"I'm not that familiar with runes." The two came to a stop in front of the elevator. "What a infernal contraption. I'd rather remain with two feet on the ground."

"We all have to make sacrifices." Which floor was it, anyway? Twenty? Thirty? Twenty four, it was on the key. Bazett punched the floor in without a second thought. "You are welcome to remain in spirit form."

"That's even worse." Caster sniffed. "We will likely have to fight our way out."

"Probably."

"You wish for me to fight Lancer."

"If he shows. I won't be able to keep up." The first ten floors passed so fast that Bazett wasn't even sure that they had passed. Then twenty floors had passed. The door opened with a ding, and Bazett released the breath she did not realise she had been holding.

On some level, she had expected Lancer to already be here. Caster's face twisted as she walked out of the elevator, turning on her heel and punching the wall against the elevator hard. The crack rattled the frame, and the whimper of a wolf confirmed Bazett's thoughts.

"He's fast." Caster noted dryly. "That pisses me off."

"Faster then you expected?" The only surprise to Bazett was that the wolves had followed them up. Caster did not immediately answer.

"Get your tools. We have to leave."

"He's here?"

"At the door." She answered. "Go." She took two steps back as Bazett bolted down the hall, muttering something under her breath and pointing at the closing elevator door. The scream of metal rang out afterwards. There was no doubt she'd sent the elevator crashing down to grou-

KABOOOOOOOOM!

"The hell Caster?" Had she seriously sent a bomb down to the ground floor? Bazett would have to speak with Caster later about that, as she tore towards the door of the apartment. Opening it with a single hand was entirely too difficult, her hands shaking and rattling as she forced the door open.

The room was basically untouched. Exactly as she had left it. That was a relief. Raising her hand, Bazett drew a straight line through the security rune that no one but her even knew was there, cancelling it out with her dry blood. There was time, but not very much time.

"Where to, Master?" Caster asked. "Do we fight, or do we run?"

"You want me to choose?"

"You have Fragarach(Strikes Last but Cuts First). I'll defer to you for the moment." Caster's words said far more then the simple statement implied. She trusted Bazett's ability to use the Answerer implicitly. It also meant that she expected the Answerer to be the kill weapon in a fight against Lancer. If the opponent was Cu Chulainn, though, the Answerer might not be as effective.

She wasnt sure which would win, Gae Bolg or Fragarach(Strikes Last but Cuts First), and she didn't really want to test it either.

The tube containing the metal balls that were the Answerer's physical form were still here. Bazett tucked it into the back of the belt and tightened the clip. There were only three balls. If she burned one now, there would be thirteen potential enemy servants, of which she had only two of her Ace remaining.

Assuming, of course, that the Answerer worked.

Next was the runic knife she hid in the closet. That wasn't quite as important as the Answerer. It had been a weapon for use against enemies for whom hand to hand combat was impractical, but right now, Bazett was uncertain she could even properly use martial arts at all. A few other mystic codes were hidden in the bed and cushions, runic containers and weapons for unleashing spells that were impractical to create on the fly. Those two were added to pockets and pouches. A new jacket was also obtained, and Bazett felt far safer now that she had a Rune of Armour protecting her again, though she did lament that there really was no time to change her shoes.

"Burn it." Bazett declared. "I have everything we can carry."

"Righ-"

Whatever Caster was going to say never finished, as she spun and shoved Bazett through a wall. The feeling of plaster and wood splintering against Bazett's back was nothing compared to the sudden heat that exploded throughout her former hotel room. Sirens screamed and water began to pour from the sprinklers, as footsteps slowly sloshed through the water.

"Good instincts." That voice was a new one. It was a young man's. It was one that Bazett had heard only once, but knew enough to remember. "Pity."

"He is way to fast." Caster growled, pushing off the ground as red light flashed around her, a steel breastplate forming around her torso. In her hands was some sort of weapon, but what, Bazett couldn't quite work out. "Welcome, warrior hunter."

That seemed entirely too polite for Mor-

"Are you kidding me? You intend to fight with a stick!?" Lancer sounded almost insulted, his red barbed spear spinning into a more ready position. Indeed, Caster had a wooden staff in her hands, or, more accurately, a broom handle.

"I assure you, it is more then enough." Caster answered dryly. It was held like a sword, but the expression on her face indicated exactly how much she respected her opponent. Not at all. "Master, make a decision. Do we stay, do we go?"

Why would she even offer that as a-

Oh, right. Blood loss.

Bazett could already feel the struggle as she forced herself back to her feet. This was going to get hairy fast. She just knew it.

[ ] Engage Lancer of Black in combat.
-[ ] Leave it to Bazett and Mordred.
-[ ] Write in a strategy.
[ ] Discretion was the better part of valour. Retreat.
-[ ] Find safety at Ryudou Temple.
-[ ] Lay low in Shinto.
-[ ] Head to the Tohsaka residence. You had blackmail now.
-[ ] Seek the help of the Einzbern's.
-[ ] Hide in the sewer system.

*****

Item Acquired - Fragarach(Strikes Last but Cuts First)
You have acquired Fragarach, and with it, Bazett's unique ability as a protagonist. When the enemy uses a trump card, you may, instead of voting as normal, vote to use Answerer. If you do so and the vote wins, you will erase all of the update that happens after and immediately deploy Answerer instead. Fragarach has the effect of unleashing the curse of time reversal. It is used last, but cuts first. As a result, the enemy trump card will usually fail to deploy, as they are killed before they can use it.

Bazett has three copies of Fragarach. You do not have the time to make more without the assistance of a Caster. Unfortunately, with Mordred's skill level, she is not able to assist in creating more copies of Fragarach.

BlackHadou · Jan 20, 2021

Scheduled vote count started by BlackHadou on Jan 19, 2021 at 3:39 AM, finished with 34 posts and 12 votes.

7 people have voted
[X] Discretion was the better part of valour. Retreat.
-[X] Lay low in Shinto.
1 people have voted
[X] Discretion was the better part of valour. Retreat.
-[X] Find safety at Ryudou Temple.
- ApocalypticFish
1 people have voted
[X] Answerer
- Mortifer
1 people have voted
[X] Discretion was the better part of valour. Retreat.
-[x] Head to the Tohsaka residence. You had blackmail now.
- Spectral Waltz
1 people have voted
[X] Hide in the sewer system.
- Theadier
1 people have voted
-[X] Find safety at Ryudou Temple.
-[X] Lay low in Shinto.
- The Out Of World

BlackHadou · Jan 20, 2021

The act of standing made Bazett feel sick. That was enough to inform her that the bloodloss had started to get to her. Her breath came in deep, ragged and sharp gasps. Each one was deeper, harder. It was getting more and more difficult to keep going.

A plan. She needed a plan. Which direction could she even go? Lancer stood in the way of the exit...

Whatever was between Caster and Lancer passed within a brief moment. Perhaps it was a drop of water they had mutually agreed would be the start of their battle. Maybe it was a look in the eyes. Maybe it was even the flash of the intent to kill. Whatever it was, the two Servants moved like two rockets, exploding forward and swinging their respective weapons to kill.

The clash of wood against what looked like red bone rang out like a scream in the night. It was the beginning of a clash of two legends in many ways. The two Servants shifted, swung and flowed like a pair of lightning bolts, jumping about each other and smashing into each other with a roar in the night. Water sprayed everywhere, and the air was no longer still.

Bazett felt her lips twist into a frown, as she used her hand to help herself stumble back towards the window. She knew how to escape now. This was the best way to escape. After all, she could see the sun beginning to peak over the horizon. She knew where to flee to. She knew how to recover. She knew how to survive.

To live, she had to tend to her body. Food. Rest. She needed these two things most of all. The rage and adrenaline could only last so long, and she had reached the end of the tether that would allow her to continue acting. Within the confines of the Holy Grail War, there was only one golden rule.

Do not fight in a way that will bring the existence of magecraft to light.

Glancing at the war smashing through walls and bouncing about the room, Bazett could already see the problem of fighting a Lancer as a Caster. No matter how strong Caster's magic was, she needed the opportunity to cast it. Maybe she just didn't like magic, and the broom was far more comfortable for her, yet the absurdity of choosing a broomstick as ones weapon struck to Bazett's core. Did Caster not take this seriously, or-

The two Servants bounced apart, Lancer's spear spinning. Bazett knew the motion. He was drawing Runes.

"Caster, fire!"

She knew the Rune for Ansuz. It was amazing that Lancer could use such a basic rune, even if it was considered the cornerstone Rune that could be called both basic and primeordial, to do so much. Caster blinked for only a moment, before taking a step back, the broomstick whipping back, and-

Wait. Where was the rune?

Bazett didn't have time to contemplate the answer as her ribs exploded in pain. Caster, it seemed, had made a decision for her. The wall smashed out from behind Bazett as the broomstick smashed into her chest. Time seemed to slow, as she realised she had left the building entirely, air whipping around her and the bitter, dark tang of betrayal in her throat.

Why? Why had Cas-

The walls, or what was left of them, exploded in a great ball of fire.

How? Was Lancer truly that skilled with Runes? It seemed to be beyond belief.

Bazett wasn't able to give the idea much more thought, as she tumbled through the air and towards the ground. Everything was moving entirely too fast. She was sure that she was going to die from the ground.

Indeed, the ground cracked apart as something collided with it, but it was not Bazett's body, but rather, Caster's foot.

"Forgive me, Master, but I hate that Lancer with a passion." She declared dryly, looking down at Bazett's crumpled form with her mouth set in a thin line. "You alright there?"

Bazett did not answer. Instead, her face turned to the ground, and what little was left in her stomach left her body. Caster's face softened, as she let out a deep breath. The crash on the ground nearby indicated that Lancer had followed them. This could only end poorly.

Then everything became entirely too hot, as something large burned into existence in Caster's hand.

"I suggest you respect the rule of daylight, Lancer. There will not be another warning." Her voice was low and dangerous. Bazett could hear a whistle, as Lancer started pacing from barely ten metres away.

"That's... well, I wasn't expecting to see that."

"Then you know what I'll do if you take another step."

"Geez. That dedicated, huh." Lancer paused, steps stopping. Bazett could vaguely see what it was Caster had summoned. It was some sort of giant sword, a hilt more like a staff then a handle. Something was inside it, but she couldn't make out what. Whatever it was, the perfect clairvoyance of Master's simply could not properly comprehend it. The world felt like it was turning to magma, as if the sun itself was descending.

What the hell did Mordred have? What had history failed to record?

The two Servants were locked in a stalemate. Lancer of Black's lips steadily pursed, as he settled deeper and deeper into a crouch, as if ready to hurl his spear. One, two, three-

The number of runes lighting the air around him was more then Bazett's fading vision could count. He intended to do something excessive. Was this the fabled Ochd Deug Odin? The final word at worlds end? Could Cu Chulainn even deploy that?

Then the runes were gone, the rapidly rising heat faded, and both Servants let out a sigh.

"What a killjoy."

"God damn prick."

Why both Servants were upset, Bazett wasn't sure, but their weapons and armaments had already melted away, Lancer shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Well, guess that's it." Lancer grumbled. "Tch. Well, one tonight was good enough." With that, he started to march away. Caster did not even raise her voice against him, simply standing still as if spellbound. After nearly a minute, it occured to Bazett that she actually was.

"Ruler. I am going to hang you by your entrails." She grumbled at last, letting out a explosive breath as she shifted Bazett onto her back. It was certainly more comfortable, at least.

"You were spellbound?"

"Obviously. Bastard blew a Command Spell." Caster answered dryly. After a long moment, her face softened. "He was probably right to. My temper might have gotten the better of me."

"What was that?"

"Something I shouldn't have drawn." Caster's voice indicated she did not intend to discuss it further. "Where to, Master? Tell me you have another safe house."

"Of a sort." Bazett answered cryptically, almost cheekily, letting ehr eyes begin to droop. "Just start walking that way. I'll tell you when to stop." If Caster wished to keep her Noble Phantasm a secret, then for the moment, Bazett would honour that secret. There was no need to pry.

*****

"Here."

"Here? Its a bench by a park."

"Exactly. No one can attack here." Bazett answered dryly. "Nevermind the grudges, the shear number of people here means that no one would dare attack while its day."

The location that Bazett had pointed out was a small park in the middle of a shopping mall. It was already becoming crowded, with markets opening their stalls and the early birds already shopping for the best deals. Japan's market culture was one that was almost alien to Bazett, who couldn't claim to be a particularly early riser. After all, most of her best work was done at night.

"Wait, you're going to sleep right there?"

"Yep. Here's some change. Get us food." Bazett's lips twisted into a small grin. "Please hurry, I'm not going to last long."

Caster just stared, before blowing a stray bang out of her face with a huff and snatching up the coinage.

"Master, you are crazy."

"Sure. Just hurry." Caster stared for only a moment longer, before striding off and making her way to what looked like something selling fried food. Bazett didn't mind, beyond noting to herself that Caster apparently had a taste for junk food. "Man I messed up."

She shouldn't have hesitated. She should have been ready at any moment to deploy the Answerer. That hesitation, that feeling of existential wonder and mystery as she observed that incredible Runecraft, had almost cost her life.

How had Lancer done that? Runes needed to be inscribed in what they were effecting. That was the golden rule. Yet the Ansuz rune had been inscribed inside the walls. If she hadn't seen Lancer create them, she would have had no hope of knowing they were there. Was this the difference between herself and one of the rune magi of old? That was a gap that no one could hope to contend with.

"Here."

Caster drew Bazett out of her reverie with a cup of karrage. The smell was heavenly, yet Bazett struggled to swallow her first piece. The second piece was far easier.

"Thank you." She muttered. "For the food. And for saving me."

"Think nothing of it. I'm going to skewer him on a pike before the end of this." Caster muttered under her breath, settling down beside Bazett. "What that imposter got off on, I don't know."

"Imposter?" Bazett blinked, glancing at Caster. "What do you mean?"

"That spear. It's not made of bone at all. He's not any of Ulster's greats." She retorted. "Why the hell is he pretending he's a warrior of Ulainn then?"

Bazett blinked. Her muddled mind twisted the words for a long moment.

"It wasn't Gae Bolg?"

"I've seen Gae Bolg. That wasn't Gae Bolg." Caster answered. "At least, unless..."

"Unless what?"

"Human perception says Gae Bolg has two forms." Caster muttered. "If it's not a spear, then its-"

"A magic spell." Bazett finished. Whether that truly meant anything, Bazett wasn't sure. There was only one man who could use Gae Bolg. If it was a spell, then Lancer was still that one man. "So nothing really has changed..."

Caster bit her lip, as if holding her tongue. She did not, ultimately, answer.

"Sleep, Master. You look dead."

"I will..."

Caster made entirely too nice a pillow, anyway.

*****

"...don't...ser."

"...expe...ou..."

"...ings...al..."

Bazett's sleep was long. At some point, she was sure she had some vague recollection of Caster speaking to another person, yet the discussion, no matter the venom hidden beneath their lips, did not break vague whispers. The need for true rest was too great, and even Bazett's sense to avoid danger could not keep her awake long in the face of utter danger.

It was mid-afternoon. That was the first thing she realised as her eyes opened. Caster, it seemed, had not moved at all from her spot, green eyes absently scanning the world around them.

"How long?" Bazett asked, sitting up and stretching like a cat. Caster raised an eyebrow, leaning back a little in the seat.

"About ten hours, give or take." She answered. "You look a bit better." A bit better was one way to put it. Rest was one of the few ways to regenerate the magical energy in the blood. Bazett no longer felt like death warmed up anymore.

"Who found us?" She asked. Caster blinked, before shrugging, her gaze returning to the crowds.

"A Saber, an Assassin and an Archer." She answered. "The Assassin was with his Master. Some silver haired man and a girl with dark brown hair. He looked too comfortable with this place. The Archer was a man with gold locks. He was dragging his Master around. Someone with blue hair, looked almost like seaweed."

"And the Saber?"

"... It's for the best you don't know about blondie." The venom she said the words with made Bazett think it was someone that Mordred had known in life. Given what Bazett knew of geneology, there was a reasonable guess at who it might have been. Perhaps it was best to leave it at that.

In a Holy Grail War, it was a given the strongest Servants would be summoned, within reason. The relics of the Knights of the Round Table were some that the Clock Tower had the easiest access to. The line was easy to draw.

"Right." Bazett muttered. "Are you rested?"

"Shouldn't you ask yourself that?" Caster asked, standing. "Well, what next?"

"What next?"

"We have no safe house." Caster noted. "Those who fight alone usually die alone."

"You think we should seek out other Servants?"

"We need to do something. The White Faction only has one Servant, and that's me. If we want to win, we need to play the long game."

The long game. Well, in some ways, it was not such a long game. The Holy Grail needed seven Servants to activate. With fifteen Servants present, that meant that just under half the Servants had to die.

It would be easiest if they joined one faction and killed the other, but that would leave the surviving faction in a mad dash for the Grail. It also assumed that neither faction had turncoats. It was inevitable that some Servants would decide that their faction was not working and betray the others.

"Maybe." Bazett pursed her lips as she started to walk.

"Maybe?"

"There is more nuance to th-" Whatever was on Bazett's lips died almost immediately as a man bumped into her, stumbling on in a daze. "Huh?"

"Oi! Bastard, what ar-" Bazett just held up her hand. After a moment, and a blush, she held up the other one, realising she'd tried to hold up her non-existent hand.

"It's fine."

"What do you mean fine?"

"He's not real." As predicted, he melted away not long after he entered the crowd. Caster let out a whistle at the display of magecraft finess.

"That was a neat trick."

"Yeah." Bazett's hand reached into her pocket as she started pondering. Why did Caster not know that was magic? Was her knowledge limited, or was it something else? Fake bodies were a illusion that wasn't that uncommon, though it did take a certain level of extreme talent to produce them. They were a favourite of some of the more cranky instructors at the Clock Tower. It made for a excellent introduction, at least.

Within her pocket, was something very real. Bazett could feel the groan escaping her throat as she read the letter and crushed it.

"Bad news?"

"Potentially very. I didn't know there were three of us."

"Three of who?"

"Association Magi. I killed one and took his place. Another has been dead for at least two weeks. I just don't know if he summoned first."

"And the third?"

"Wants to meet."

"Do you?"

That was a good question.

[ ] Meet the Magus at Mion South Shrine.
[ ] Stay within Shinto and find a base of Operations.
[ ] Invade the Tohsaka residence.
[ ] Head to Ryudou Temple.
[ ] Seek the Assistance of the Einzberns.
[ ] Strike while the iron is hot. Where is the church?

BlackHadou · Jan 21, 2021

Scheduled vote count started by BlackHadou on Jan 20, 2021 at 3:51 AM, finished with 47 posts and 14 votes.

7 people have voted
[X] Strike while the iron is hot. Where is the church?
6 people have voted
[X] Invade the Tohsaka residence.
1 people have voted
[X] Dirígete al Templo Ryudou.
- Theadier

BlackHadou · Jan 21, 2021

"... I don't think I do." Silently, Bazett let her magic crest form the short cut to the declaration of Fire, and the letter crumpled away in a small fire within her palm. "I don't trust it. Anyone who just wants to meet at a location has already dictated the pace of the meeting from the moment they said where."

"A good instinct. A lonely instinct, though." Caster noted dryly. "You won't win friends doing that."

"I also won't win friends stealing an arm."

"You're going to try, though." Caster didn't seemed phased. Then again, she had probably put up with the machinations of Morgan for so long that such an idea seemed tame. "For the record, I think you're making a mistake."

"Are you going to stop me?"

"No." Her mouth had already set in a grim line. "You've made your decision. You'll do it either way. At least this way I'm also there to make sure I have a Master and not a corpse." Shrugging her shoulders, Caster's mouth set in a grim line. Bazett nodded.

"That's all I ask."

*****

The trip to the Church was quiet. Every step of the way, Bazett knew that Caster was not on board with this plan.

The Fuyuki Church was within the Miyama District in the older side of Fuyuki. It was atop a hill a fair way away from the residences and people. Kirei obstensibly had said it's location atop the hill was to assist in its closeness to God, but Bazett had studied enough in the Clocktower, both under others and briefly under Lord El-Melloi the Second, to know that the decision to build the Church atop the hill had no relation to the foundations of Angels.

It was basically a hidden, impregnable fortress. With only one method of reaching the Church and a clear view in every direction, it was the virtually unassaultable house of God hidden in plain sight. That, at least, was the feeling Bazett had as she walked up the road. Once she reached the Church's front gates, however-

"Someone decided that this could not stand." Caster noted. The paved courtyard before the Church was full of potholes, where cement and brick had torn apart from heat and rapid movement. Foilage was singed, and glass from shattered windows littered the way forward. Bazett felt her non-existent hand reach for her mouth. Someone had beaten them to the punch.

"It's indiscriminate." She noted. "There was a battle here."

"Hardly. This was one sided." Caster retorted, pausing and nudging at some loose brick with a foot. "Whoever came here h- THAT BASTARD!" Her voice suddenly raised, her armour exploding onto her body as she lunged forward into the Church. Bazett wasn't sure if it was a display of power or otherwise, but she had to follow suite. Wherever her Servant went, she too would have to go.

That was simply the cruel reality.

Thankfully the world was not too cruel.

Whithin the Chapel, a single, middle-aged man with a snow white face of hair was steadily and slowly straightening up the pews, hands rough and calloused from what might have been a lifetime of work. Caster had exploded halfway across the room towards him, giant staff-sword in hand, when the shadows lengthened, three black beasts ripping from them like horned and hooved satyrs of hell, fire bellowing from their nostrils.

It was like the scene of a painting, Bazett realised, and it all ended in a instant as the man spoke.

"Away. Draw not in the house of God." He was quiet, but the demons vanished immediately. "Please, Witch-Knight of Ravages, you too. There is no need for a fight." Even the rage felt by Mordred for the indignation of the interference of Ruler seemed to melt away as she came to a stop, sword half swung directly at the man's head. "Or does my head in penance not calm you? I figured you for less pious."

"Shut up. Where is the old man?"

"If you mean the priest, gone six hours hence. I suffered not a man who can help not but sin in the house of God." It took less then a moment for Bazett to truly work out what she was face to face with. This was Ruler. The adjudicator of the Holy Grail War.

He had already chased Kirei away.

This trip was for naught.

"He wasn't even here." Bazett muttered. "Damn."

"Please, make yourselves at home, Sole Master of White. I'm not a ungracious host." The man just smiled softly, what looked like a imp of a demon slowly making its way through the pews with a plate of cookies. "Eat, relax. While you remain here you are safe. I will promise th-"

"WHAT THE FUCK!?"

Bazett was not expecting a fourth voice to erupt from the depths of the Church. This one sounded young, masculine and most importantly of all, deeply pissed. Ruler did not even skip a beat as he lifted his right arm, far too many seals of red igniting.

"Saber, do not deploy your Noble Phantasm in a way that may harm the people of Fuyuki." He did not hesitate. One mark vanished. Two marks vanished. Three marks vanished. Then four marks vanished as the back door exploded, a young man with blond hair struggling against the invisible to continue charging forward, in his hands a great sword that looked more like a three sectioned drill and a huge axe that did not look like a human could even wield it.

"THAT INSOLENT FUCK WILL PAY!"

A fifth mark vanished. Then a sixth. Finally, at the seventh mark, it was clearly too much for the young man to continue, but the sweat pouring from Ruler's face made clear that he had expended far more effort then was reasonable in binding the Saber to the command. Unlike Caster, Saber didn't even look spellbound, letting out a curse in multiple dead languaged and letting his weapons fade away.

"I thank you for your cooperation."

"I'm only humouring you, Santa." Saber bit back, hands slipping into his pockets. "You think I can't bypass this?"

"But you won't, now that you have had the time to cool." Ruler retorted dryly. "You and the Caster are similar in that regard, I think."

"Do not compare me to him." Caster bit back. "Tch, this was a waste of time."

The more Bazett thought about it, though, the more she realised this hadn't been a waste of time at all, as she steadily walked down the pews, snatching up a trio of cookies and biting into them. Chocolate chip. They didn't resemble the cooking of Japan at all. No, they were buttery and sweet.

"If you are the adjudicator chosen by the Grail, then what role does Kirei play?" She asked. Ruler paused for only a moment, as if considering what to say.

"None at all. The Grail chooses Ruler from a small pool of candidates. Since the priest was never a neutral or unbiased party, it has recognised him as a interloper and attempted to expel his participation." Ruler answered. "Still- Ah, that is the last."

Even as he spoke, it was as if a wave of peace crept over the entire Church, as if everything had calmed and would simply be okay. Caster shivered, as if she remembered something she'd rather forget, and the expression on Saber's face morphed into something else.

Bittersweet joy.

"Well, the games begin." He noted, settling on the dias and kicking his legs.

"I would prefer if you treated the house of God with more respect."

"And I'd like to murder a bitch, but we can't have everything." The shear venom on Saber's lips was almost incredible to behold. Even though she wasn't the target of the desire to murder emanating from Saber, her heart felt like it wanted to shrivel up and die. Whatever had incenced him so was something only he could perceive, but the weight of his feelings felt like they could crush mountains.

Ruler let out a sigh, before the imps about him returned to cleaning.

"No matter. You have questions, child, and I am happy to answer them. Speak freely, you will not be judged." Ruler's words were kind, and upon his face was nothing but forgiveness. It made Bazett think that the river of blood on her hands, just this once, was forgiven.

Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't...

[ ] Talk to Ruler...
-[ ] Write in.
[ ] Attack Ruler.

-

Do you...
[ ] Remain at the Church tonight within safety.
[ ] Invade the Tohsaka residence.
[ ] Head to Ryudou Temple.
[ ] Seek the Assistance of the Einzberns.
[ ] Seek the source of Saber's fury.
[ ] Wander Miyama Town. It was the likely base for the Servants of the old families.

Fate/Stay Royal

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