"Lancer, you
maniac! What have you done?!"
"Oh, you know. Dog things." Lancer sits down right in front of Caster's door, tapping
Gae Bolg on his shoulder like a fishing rod. "Why? Is something
missing?"
"You know damn well what's missing!" The Princess of Colchis snaps. Her cloak is fully unfurled, runic circles traced within and around her all burning bright violet and charged with a monstrous amount of mana, enough to flatten buildings. "You are going to find them and give them back, or so help me
I will make you."
"Wow, scary! I'm practically shaking, Caster!" Lancer smirks, stands up, and points
Gae Bolg at her. "Well? Come and make me."
"Uhm..." Attila pokes her head out from the door to Medea's Temple, wearing a shawl about her neck. "Caster, are you certain? Master will be displeased..."
"Yeah, Caster, are you certain?" Cu taunts. "I mean, they're just models of--"
Medea, Princess of Colchis, Witch of Betrayal, self-inflicted widow and (mostly) happily single, screeches and unloads enough mana to flatten a skyscraper upon the Lancer in the form of violently violet laser beams.
----
There is an explosion just as Ritsuka and Kana round the corner, and they spot a man in blue dashing down the corridor, weaving left and right, leaping between the walls, floor and ceiling while evading bright and dangerous laser beams. He periodically throws his arm backwards, and yellow flashes backlight him as he sprints furiously towards them.
Cu Chulainn skids to a stop inches before colliding into his Masters and snaps a salute, making an about-face just before Caster melts his face off with bright purple death. "Good evening, Master!" He shouts loudly, just in time for Medea to land and dismiss all of her spells. He looks back, eyes widening at Arturia's presence. "Oho! Saber's here too! Just two more and we'll have a Grail War reunion, Master!"
"Lancer," Arturia nods, somewhere between appreciative and cautious.
"Lancer," Ritsuka grunts. He points at Caster, who is grinding her teeth so loudly his eardrums are vibrating. "Should I ask?"
"I'm not sure, Master," Cu grins back. "Should you? It might be hell you're going into."
"I would recommend against it, Master," Archer says carefully. "He is
nothing but trouble." He shoots Lancer a dirty look, one the Celt notes immediately – and returns with a wolfish grin.
"Oho? And how would you know?" Lancer leans into Archer's face, close enough that their noses are almost touching. "Could it be? Is it because you're trouble yourself?"
Archer scoffs, exhaling right into Cu's face. "I'm simply explaining your tendency to stick your nose where it doesn't belong,
Hound of Chulainn."
"Hoho! So you
do remember, Red Archer!" He rears back, his red spear twirling. It stops, sharp end pointed right at Archer's throat. "Then how do you feel about finishing our fight?"
"Lancer..." Ritsuka warns in a low voice. Archer looks back, waiting for his Master's call. Ritsuka shakes his head. Kana nods vigorously. Archer sighs, and smiles smugly at Lancer.
"Unfortunately for you, Cu Chulainn, I am bound by honor to obey my young Masters," he says with a sly smirk. "Though, tell me; did the dogs enjoy the meal?"
Cu tenses. "Do you dare?"
"The meal, of course! When you fed them your honor!"
"Haha! You
do!" Lancer laughs, facing skywards as he covers his eyes. He takes one, two, three steps backward. And then in an instant all the mirth in his voice dies and he charges at the man in red,
Gae Bolg whistling as it darts right for the man's throat.
Archer grunts as he bats it aside with his twin blades, forced back with every blow despite his every effort. "Masters!" He shouts, despite being in a life or death battle. "I will be taking care of this dog for the next while! Please, don't worry about me!"
"Okay!" Kana says, waving after them. Ritsuka, for better or for worse, wasn't one for blindly listening to his father. "Lancer, I swear to
all the fucks in the world, if you kill him I'm handing you to Caster."
Cu throws his spear at Archer, and the blow forces EMIYA out of sight. "Relax, Master!" He shouts back, "I'll just maim him! Guys like him won't listen if I
only kill them!" He gives them a thumbs up before dashing right after the red Archer, gone in the blink of an eye.
Ritsuka sighs as the sounds of clashing steel and bone fade into the distance, and he looks at where Lancer came from to find all the craters, burn marks and shattered glass marking his wake. "Dammit," he sighs. "Caster, I want an explanation and then you're going to help clean this up!"
He waits. One second. Two seconds. Three seconds. Odd, Medea usually answers immediately, even if she only snickers in a sinister fashion. He looks around, and there are no servants to be found – no Lancers, Archers, Casters
or Sabers.
...No Sabers.
"Kana, where's Aunt Arturia?"
"Hm?" Kana looks back at him, head tilted. "I thought she was with you?"
"...Kana,
you are with me."
"Well my question is still valid! Where is she?"
----
"Yes, yes! Well done, Attila! You will be well rewarded!"
"Yes," the Scourge of Heaven says breathily, though she is not even winded.
Caster laughs as she flies through the air, dear Attila carrying Saber over her head as they sprint down the corridors. She never thought she would see the day where Saber, the King of Knights herself, would appear in Chaldea! And better - she would be
vulnerable! That buffoon Lancer was useful after all!
Bound in enchanted chains, there is little Saber can do but squirm ineffectually. And even her enhanced strength cannot escape Attila's grasp. "I will gut you where you stand Caster!" She threatens loudly. "By the grace of God UNHAND ME!"
"The Grace of God isn't here," Attila says flatly. "Only the Scourge of God."
Medea cackles sinisterly. "Why would I, Saber? I have
so many outfits for you to wear!"
Eyes wide, Saber looks down at her peer in the same class. Attila nods silently. "Cute," she says, her voice like a whisper. "...Are they cute?"
"
Very cute," Medea responds, her words entirely nonreassuring.
And so the King feels the fear deep inside the Buckingham, knowing the fate that awaits her.
- End Chapter Three -