Fourth Holy Grail War - Waver's Side
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Votes are not locked.
[X] Half an hour sounds good.
6
Remi. Remi stop. Staaahp.
[X] Half an hour sounds good.
6
"Ha-ha! Another one joins the fight!" Waver looked over at his giant Servant's triumphant shout.
"W-what?" Rider grinned.
"It's beginning! Another Servant joined the fight between Saber and Lancer!" Waver stared at his enthusiastic Servant and clutched the steel frame of the great bridge more tightly.
"What? Why is that a good thing?! I thought you wanted to attack them when they were exhausted by fighting each other!" Rider's grin turned to a frown and he shook his head scoldingly.
"No, no. I don't want to fight them one by one - it's much better to get them all together and have a great battle royal!" Waver's mouth dropped open.
"A … a battle royal?" He didn't understand his Servant at all!
"Yes! It's a rare opportunity to cross blades with the greatest heroes of an age, and now we have the opportunity to gather six in one place! I won't let any of them get away!" Despite the fierce growling of his Servant, Waver could see a fierce grin start lightening Rider's face - an expression only someone like him could pull off. "Hm. Saber and Lancer are warriors with true flaming spirits. But that one …." Waver frowned at his murmuring Servant, then flinched as Rider suddenly drew his sword and slashed down through the empty air. The shining Noble Phantasm appeared, along with a torrential windstorm that threatened to blow Waver from his perch, and he clutched the bridge's frame even more tightly. "Observation from this distance is useless now. Come, let us join the battle!" Rider's red cape billowed in the wind as he leapt onto the gleaming chariot.
"Idiot, idiot, idiot! This is ridiculous!" Waver shook his head.
"Oh? If you don't want to go, you can stay here and watch." Fresh terror gripped Waver's heart.
"I'll go! Bring me along, you idiot!" Rider laughed and leaned down to lift Waver by his collar and set him, gently, next to him in the chariot.
"Good! That is how my Master should act! Now, roll on, Gordius Wheel - Wheel of Heaven's Authority!" The titanic bulls lowed before surging forward, and with a storming clap of thunder, bolts of violet lightning, and howling winds, the chariot drove across the sky toward the battlefield. Waver clutched the side of the chariot as tightly as he had the bridge, but Rider simply held the reins and laughed joyously. Mere moments passed before the chariot abruptly slowed, and Rider circled above the combatants before descending to the road. Waver looked at the figures below. Lancer was obvious, even without a Master's ability to discern Servants, for the tall, handsome man stood with two spears in his hands. He could tell the other warrior was Saber, and guessed that the beautiful woman behind her was her Master. But the other two figures drew his attention, and he frowned, concentrating. Both were short, shorter even than he was, and if he couldn't tell who the farther figure was, shrouded by a black cloak as it was, the winged girl dressed in pure white standing before it was ….
"Not a Servant," he murmured unconsciously. He shook his head, puzzled. She absolutely wasn't a Servant, but if Rider was right, she had interfered somehow in the fight between Servants, so …?
"… King of Macedon, and I participate in this Holy Grail War as Rider!" He tore his attention away from the grinning figure and stared up at his Servant. He didn't … he didn't …!
"What the bloody hell you do think you're doing, you fool?!" That was too much, too much! He reached up to grab Rider's armor, but a massive hand came down - and flicked his forehead. Waver dropped back down into the chariot, clutching his forehead and moaning. His world spun for a few moments, and when he was able to focus again -
"- do you have any intention of passing the Holy Grail to me? As mighty heroes, of course you would be my trusted friends and companions, and I would share with you the joy of conquering the world!" Madness. Waver buried his head in his hands. His Servant was utterly mad.
"I'd vote for him." A clear, childish voice rang through the night, and Waver hauled himself back up to his feet to stare at the winged girl. He wasn't the only one, although he noticed that only Rider seemed happy about the announcement.
"You - what kind of Servant would abandon their Master and forfeit the power of the Grail?" For a moment, Waver thought he saw the girl's face change from a grin to a scornful expression at Saber's question, but the distance was far enough, the light dim enough, that he couldn't easily tell. Had it been his imagination.
"Rider. While I cannot join you, you are the King in this War I respect most, and if I bowed to kings, I would bow to you. I have no interest in such a muddy cup, anyway - if I wanted unlimited power, I would go to Brazil." Waver shook his head.
"But - but you're not even a Servant!" The girl's wings twitched erratically and Waver clasped his hands over his mouth. Servant or not, she had interfered in a Servants' duel ….
"Hmph! I am so a Servant. You just can't tell because I'm Caster!" Waver stared at her incredulously, and she nodded. "I know! I'll show it to you." She snapped her fingers, and a small swarm of bats appeared around her. "One for each other Master and Servant in the War." The bats whirled around her before taking off for their targets; the one that flew for him held out a rolled-up scroll for him to take before it squeaked at him and flew off into the night. Another did the same for Rider. Stunned, Waver unrolled the scroll and stared at the contents.
Waver stared at the scroll. Eventually, it simply fell from his hands. It was too ridiculous. He was too stunned, too stupefied, by the silly scroll to properly appreciate the golden light that shimmered behind him; when he finally looked up, however, his breath caught. That Servant ….
"Rider … that guy …." Sneering eyes flowed over the scene, and when it seemed that they would meet Waver's own he ducked his head. Something told him that to meet those eyes would invite death. After a moment he raised his head again, to see that the Servant - Archer or Berserker, which one? - had moved his gaze past him and focused on the strange girl. She, too, refused to look directly at the new Servant.
"You respect a so-called 'King' who ignores me, the one Hero who is a true King?" Waver felt Rider shift beside him, turning away from Lancer and Saber to face the new Servant.
"Indeed, I do, O long-ranged one." The girl's voice changed; it was still young-sounding, but now it seemed filled with strength to match that of Archer. "Knowing even who you are, I grant that man far more respect than I do you." Archer's sneer turned murderous and the air around him distorted in a haze. Numerous weapons appeared around him, bathed in golden light, and Waver tore his gaze away to look at the strange girl who insisted on antagonizing the Servant who had one-sidedly slaughtered another. She wasn't looking at Archer, but off to the side, deliberately not meeting his eyes, and if she had prepared at all to defend herself it showed merely in a billowing scarlet mist that flowed around her. Waver saw Saber edging back, shielding her Master, and Lancer moved away from the line of fire as well. The tableau held for a long, terrifying moment - until a burst of prana from elsewhere distracted Waver.
Farther down the road, another figure appeared - a shadowy figured in black armor that revealed no hint of the wearer. Waver's eyes widened. It was plainly a Servant, in a way that the strange girl was not, but - nothing was visible to Waver's eyes regarding the Servant's abilities. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the malevolent figure that must be Berserker … but he did see the strange girl spin around and shove her Master to the side.
"Matou Kariya. I informed you once that your interference would not be tolerated. If you do not rechain your mad dog, not only will you fail your self-appointed mission, but the doom that falls will be entirely of your own doing." The girl's voice had changed again - now it was filled with malevolence and spite, and Waver's knees nearly gave out. Not even the lecturer, Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald, had ever filled him with such fear, and only the support of his Servant kept him from falling. He saw that he wasn't the only one affected - Saber had shuffled back to keep her own Master from falling to her knees - and for a long moment it seemed that Berserker's Master would withdraw his Servant. Then the mad Servant charged forward.
It was impossible to forget his fear, but this, his first sight of a Servant in combat, gathered his attention, impossible as it was to perceive properly. The shadowy Servant leaped into the air toward the girl, and the red mist swirled out - but not as a shield. Instead, it seemed to extend the distance Berserker had to travel, as it took a second leap before howling in outrage and simply running forward again. The girl stepped toward him and - suddenly, instead of striking down at the girl with empty, mailed fists, the Servant was flung away, slamming into and through a shipping crate. The armored figure howled once more and tore himself out of the ruined crate, but before it charged again another flicker of movement drew Waver's eye, and he gasped. Lancer had taken advantage of the girl's distraction to strike at her Master, and his twin spears had thrust clean through the black-cloaked figure. The Servant, at least, did not appear to be enthusiastic about it, and quickly withdrew his weapons from the figure's chest and head - but his spears were unmarked, and the figure did not fall. Waver's eyes widened as the figure reached up to pat its face and chest, as if checking for wounds - and Lancer seemed as surprised as anyone else at his failure to inflict an injury.
"Not your cleverest move, Kayneth." Waver's mouth fell open as he turned his attention back to the strange girl. The mist now was a shield - a barrier confining Berserker within it - and she stared up into the shadows above them. Waver felt foolish for a moment - of course he would have been able to acquire another Servant! "Did you think that I, a Caster, would leave my Master unprotected? Particularly in this situation?" The sound of snapping fingers echoed through the area once more, and the red box with the furiously struggling Berserker vanished as a thin red mist began seeping out of her extended wings. She laughed chillingly, a sound that seemed to herald the sensation of a spike being driven through Waver's chest, lifting him into the air to die slowly and painfully, and he swallowed and tried to fight the desire to flee - and succeeded only due to the great supporting arm of his Servant. "Such a curse, to be leveled at all magi through time and space - to make no mistakes but the very greatest! "
"And yet you make no move to end the lives of these curs." Waver twitched at the arrogant voice behind him - he had, somehow, forgotten the very presence of Archer.
"Indeed, master of hounds. As I said earlier, I have no desire to fill and claim the carpenter's cup of this ritual. As such, I make a point of not ending them, but of turning their tools against them - and of not meeting your eyes. I have no immediate desire to slay you, and I suspect your Master would prefer to keep your true strength hidden as well." Gone was the malice and hostility in the girl's voice, but Archer's sneer was still plainly visible - even if the weapons and the golden haze had vanished. The meaning of the words took a moment to work their way through Waver's clouded mind - that the destruction of Assassin had merely been a portion of Archer's power, and that the girl believed she could defeat even the greater portion. A threat, not even veiled … and Archer merely glared at the diminutive figure. "In any case - Rider, it appears that your gambit has failed. The mood is gone, and there will be no battle royal tonight. Berserker has been driven from the field, and I shall be leaving soon as well. Lancer - hm, I'm surprised Kayneth hasn't already sent him to prevent his defenses from killing everyone in the hotel, but from such a coward I suppose it's not that unexpected. So, at most, two Servants can die tonight." Waver stared at her as she seemed to brush dust of her Master's head and shoulders - and then Lancer burst into motion, fading from sight as he hurtled toward the city. "Well. Farewell, Alexander, King of Conquerors. King in gold. Saber." Waver saw the third Servant glare at the winged figure after the contemptuous final word, but the girl and her Master dissolved into a horde of bats that streamed away in every direction. Who was she? A Saber-class hero, of course, but who was she to arouse such a low opinion from the strange girl?
"Hmph. If you wish to call yourselves heroes, let alone even attempt to claim the mantle of kingship - cull the mob. As it stands, you are no better than the other curs." Archer sneered at them once more, then turned and vanished, leaving only a momentary golden afterglow. Waver blinked in confusion, then looked back at the quietly furious Saber.
"Huh. What an arrogant guy." Waver slowly turned to look at his Servant after hearing the quiet observation.
"Rider. What do you plan to do now?" Saber's voice, cold and hostile, drew his attention back to the enemy Servant. She stood between her Master and Rider's chariot, hands clutching at the air as if holding a sword. Rider scratched his beard with one finger as he thought.
"Hm. I think we should withdraw for now. You are a king, too?" Waver buried his face in his hands. How could Rider so brazenly ask that?! There was no way Saber would reveal her identity as casually as he had!
"… Indeed. I ruled the kingdom of Britain." Waver's heart seemed to stop. King Arthur?
"Oh! The renowned King of Knights, is it?" Rider laughed heartily and clapped Waver's back, nearly breaking him against the front of the chariot. As Waver turned to glare back at his Servant, however, he saw Rider's face turn somber. "Saber. Do you wish to have the first right of combat against that Caster?" Waver stared at his Servant.
"What do you mean?" Saber was plainly as confused as he was, and his Servant's sudden change in demeanor wasn't an immediate help.
"That one … seems like a monster. Not a real hero, but a thing to be destroyed." Waver was glad for the chariot's support as Rider's words spurred the terrifying memories back into existence. Rider must not have been as strongly affected as he was … he cursed his weakness.
"… If you meet her, do not let any desire of mine halt your blade, King of Conquerors." Rider nodded, grunting agreement, then flicked the reins, and the braying bulls charged off into the sky. Waver looked back at the lone Servant remaining on the battlefield; she, too, stood and watched the withdrawing chariot as it arched over a large crane that overlooked the battle, and he shivered and turned away. Assassin had already been defeated, and now the War had begun in dramatic earnest. Was that girl really a Servant? Somehow, the scroll still lay at the bottom of the chariot, and he picked it up. He unrolled it, frowned at its contents once more, and tossed it over the side of the chariot to fall into the water. Servant or not, that was too ridiculous to be taken seriously. He clutched the side of the chariot and waited for the feeling of unease to subside so he could think.
"W-what?" Rider grinned.
"It's beginning! Another Servant joined the fight between Saber and Lancer!" Waver stared at his enthusiastic Servant and clutched the steel frame of the great bridge more tightly.
"What? Why is that a good thing?! I thought you wanted to attack them when they were exhausted by fighting each other!" Rider's grin turned to a frown and he shook his head scoldingly.
"No, no. I don't want to fight them one by one - it's much better to get them all together and have a great battle royal!" Waver's mouth dropped open.
"A … a battle royal?" He didn't understand his Servant at all!
"Yes! It's a rare opportunity to cross blades with the greatest heroes of an age, and now we have the opportunity to gather six in one place! I won't let any of them get away!" Despite the fierce growling of his Servant, Waver could see a fierce grin start lightening Rider's face - an expression only someone like him could pull off. "Hm. Saber and Lancer are warriors with true flaming spirits. But that one …." Waver frowned at his murmuring Servant, then flinched as Rider suddenly drew his sword and slashed down through the empty air. The shining Noble Phantasm appeared, along with a torrential windstorm that threatened to blow Waver from his perch, and he clutched the bridge's frame even more tightly. "Observation from this distance is useless now. Come, let us join the battle!" Rider's red cape billowed in the wind as he leapt onto the gleaming chariot.
"Idiot, idiot, idiot! This is ridiculous!" Waver shook his head.
"Oh? If you don't want to go, you can stay here and watch." Fresh terror gripped Waver's heart.
"I'll go! Bring me along, you idiot!" Rider laughed and leaned down to lift Waver by his collar and set him, gently, next to him in the chariot.
"Good! That is how my Master should act! Now, roll on, Gordius Wheel - Wheel of Heaven's Authority!" The titanic bulls lowed before surging forward, and with a storming clap of thunder, bolts of violet lightning, and howling winds, the chariot drove across the sky toward the battlefield. Waver clutched the side of the chariot as tightly as he had the bridge, but Rider simply held the reins and laughed joyously. Mere moments passed before the chariot abruptly slowed, and Rider circled above the combatants before descending to the road. Waver looked at the figures below. Lancer was obvious, even without a Master's ability to discern Servants, for the tall, handsome man stood with two spears in his hands. He could tell the other warrior was Saber, and guessed that the beautiful woman behind her was her Master. But the other two figures drew his attention, and he frowned, concentrating. Both were short, shorter even than he was, and if he couldn't tell who the farther figure was, shrouded by a black cloak as it was, the winged girl dressed in pure white standing before it was ….
"Not a Servant," he murmured unconsciously. He shook his head, puzzled. She absolutely wasn't a Servant, but if Rider was right, she had interfered somehow in the fight between Servants, so …?
"… King of Macedon, and I participate in this Holy Grail War as Rider!" He tore his attention away from the grinning figure and stared up at his Servant. He didn't … he didn't …!
"What the bloody hell you do think you're doing, you fool?!" That was too much, too much! He reached up to grab Rider's armor, but a massive hand came down - and flicked his forehead. Waver dropped back down into the chariot, clutching his forehead and moaning. His world spun for a few moments, and when he was able to focus again -
"- do you have any intention of passing the Holy Grail to me? As mighty heroes, of course you would be my trusted friends and companions, and I would share with you the joy of conquering the world!" Madness. Waver buried his head in his hands. His Servant was utterly mad.
"I'd vote for him." A clear, childish voice rang through the night, and Waver hauled himself back up to his feet to stare at the winged girl. He wasn't the only one, although he noticed that only Rider seemed happy about the announcement.
"You - what kind of Servant would abandon their Master and forfeit the power of the Grail?" For a moment, Waver thought he saw the girl's face change from a grin to a scornful expression at Saber's question, but the distance was far enough, the light dim enough, that he couldn't easily tell. Had it been his imagination.
"Rider. While I cannot join you, you are the King in this War I respect most, and if I bowed to kings, I would bow to you. I have no interest in such a muddy cup, anyway - if I wanted unlimited power, I would go to Brazil." Waver shook his head.
"But - but you're not even a Servant!" The girl's wings twitched erratically and Waver clasped his hands over his mouth. Servant or not, she had interfered in a Servants' duel ….
"Hmph! I am so a Servant. You just can't tell because I'm Caster!" Waver stared at her incredulously, and she nodded. "I know! I'll show it to you." She snapped her fingers, and a small swarm of bats appeared around her. "One for each other Master and Servant in the War." The bats whirled around her before taking off for their targets; the one that flew for him held out a rolled-up scroll for him to take before it squeaked at him and flew off into the night. Another did the same for Rider. Stunned, Waver unrolled the scroll and stared at the contents.
Article: Class - Caster
Master - That's a Secret!
True Name - WilhelminaSkyDoor
Sex - Female
Height/Weight - 125 cm / 35 kg
Alignment - Neutral Evil
Strength - B Magical Energy - A
Endurance - B Luck - EX+
Agility - A+ Noble Phantasm - A
Class Abilities
Territory Creation - C
Item Construction - N/A
Skills
Charisma - EX
Charisma - B+
Rune Magic - A
Faster than the eye can follow, strong enough to crush boulders, powerful enough to manipulate demons, she's so strong it's almost not fair, so she doesn't care much for subtle technique. She can also cook, clean, slice, and dice! And she has a wonderful younger sister. Somehow, she's still single!
Her fondest dream is to go to Brazil, turn the statue of Big J into a massive golem so she can gather the faith of Christians, and then get into a fistfight with the copper abomination in North America before swimming across the Atlantic and showing everyone how to properly invade England.
Waver stared at the scroll. Eventually, it simply fell from his hands. It was too ridiculous. He was too stunned, too stupefied, by the silly scroll to properly appreciate the golden light that shimmered behind him; when he finally looked up, however, his breath caught. That Servant ….
"Rider … that guy …." Sneering eyes flowed over the scene, and when it seemed that they would meet Waver's own he ducked his head. Something told him that to meet those eyes would invite death. After a moment he raised his head again, to see that the Servant - Archer or Berserker, which one? - had moved his gaze past him and focused on the strange girl. She, too, refused to look directly at the new Servant.
"You respect a so-called 'King' who ignores me, the one Hero who is a true King?" Waver felt Rider shift beside him, turning away from Lancer and Saber to face the new Servant.
"Indeed, I do, O long-ranged one." The girl's voice changed; it was still young-sounding, but now it seemed filled with strength to match that of Archer. "Knowing even who you are, I grant that man far more respect than I do you." Archer's sneer turned murderous and the air around him distorted in a haze. Numerous weapons appeared around him, bathed in golden light, and Waver tore his gaze away to look at the strange girl who insisted on antagonizing the Servant who had one-sidedly slaughtered another. She wasn't looking at Archer, but off to the side, deliberately not meeting his eyes, and if she had prepared at all to defend herself it showed merely in a billowing scarlet mist that flowed around her. Waver saw Saber edging back, shielding her Master, and Lancer moved away from the line of fire as well. The tableau held for a long, terrifying moment - until a burst of prana from elsewhere distracted Waver.
Farther down the road, another figure appeared - a shadowy figured in black armor that revealed no hint of the wearer. Waver's eyes widened. It was plainly a Servant, in a way that the strange girl was not, but - nothing was visible to Waver's eyes regarding the Servant's abilities. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the malevolent figure that must be Berserker … but he did see the strange girl spin around and shove her Master to the side.
"Matou Kariya. I informed you once that your interference would not be tolerated. If you do not rechain your mad dog, not only will you fail your self-appointed mission, but the doom that falls will be entirely of your own doing." The girl's voice had changed again - now it was filled with malevolence and spite, and Waver's knees nearly gave out. Not even the lecturer, Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald, had ever filled him with such fear, and only the support of his Servant kept him from falling. He saw that he wasn't the only one affected - Saber had shuffled back to keep her own Master from falling to her knees - and for a long moment it seemed that Berserker's Master would withdraw his Servant. Then the mad Servant charged forward.
It was impossible to forget his fear, but this, his first sight of a Servant in combat, gathered his attention, impossible as it was to perceive properly. The shadowy Servant leaped into the air toward the girl, and the red mist swirled out - but not as a shield. Instead, it seemed to extend the distance Berserker had to travel, as it took a second leap before howling in outrage and simply running forward again. The girl stepped toward him and - suddenly, instead of striking down at the girl with empty, mailed fists, the Servant was flung away, slamming into and through a shipping crate. The armored figure howled once more and tore himself out of the ruined crate, but before it charged again another flicker of movement drew Waver's eye, and he gasped. Lancer had taken advantage of the girl's distraction to strike at her Master, and his twin spears had thrust clean through the black-cloaked figure. The Servant, at least, did not appear to be enthusiastic about it, and quickly withdrew his weapons from the figure's chest and head - but his spears were unmarked, and the figure did not fall. Waver's eyes widened as the figure reached up to pat its face and chest, as if checking for wounds - and Lancer seemed as surprised as anyone else at his failure to inflict an injury.
"Not your cleverest move, Kayneth." Waver's mouth fell open as he turned his attention back to the strange girl. The mist now was a shield - a barrier confining Berserker within it - and she stared up into the shadows above them. Waver felt foolish for a moment - of course he would have been able to acquire another Servant! "Did you think that I, a Caster, would leave my Master unprotected? Particularly in this situation?" The sound of snapping fingers echoed through the area once more, and the red box with the furiously struggling Berserker vanished as a thin red mist began seeping out of her extended wings. She laughed chillingly, a sound that seemed to herald the sensation of a spike being driven through Waver's chest, lifting him into the air to die slowly and painfully, and he swallowed and tried to fight the desire to flee - and succeeded only due to the great supporting arm of his Servant. "Such a curse, to be leveled at all magi through time and space - to make no mistakes but the very greatest! "
"And yet you make no move to end the lives of these curs." Waver twitched at the arrogant voice behind him - he had, somehow, forgotten the very presence of Archer.
"Indeed, master of hounds. As I said earlier, I have no desire to fill and claim the carpenter's cup of this ritual. As such, I make a point of not ending them, but of turning their tools against them - and of not meeting your eyes. I have no immediate desire to slay you, and I suspect your Master would prefer to keep your true strength hidden as well." Gone was the malice and hostility in the girl's voice, but Archer's sneer was still plainly visible - even if the weapons and the golden haze had vanished. The meaning of the words took a moment to work their way through Waver's clouded mind - that the destruction of Assassin had merely been a portion of Archer's power, and that the girl believed she could defeat even the greater portion. A threat, not even veiled … and Archer merely glared at the diminutive figure. "In any case - Rider, it appears that your gambit has failed. The mood is gone, and there will be no battle royal tonight. Berserker has been driven from the field, and I shall be leaving soon as well. Lancer - hm, I'm surprised Kayneth hasn't already sent him to prevent his defenses from killing everyone in the hotel, but from such a coward I suppose it's not that unexpected. So, at most, two Servants can die tonight." Waver stared at her as she seemed to brush dust of her Master's head and shoulders - and then Lancer burst into motion, fading from sight as he hurtled toward the city. "Well. Farewell, Alexander, King of Conquerors. King in gold. Saber." Waver saw the third Servant glare at the winged figure after the contemptuous final word, but the girl and her Master dissolved into a horde of bats that streamed away in every direction. Who was she? A Saber-class hero, of course, but who was she to arouse such a low opinion from the strange girl?
"Hmph. If you wish to call yourselves heroes, let alone even attempt to claim the mantle of kingship - cull the mob. As it stands, you are no better than the other curs." Archer sneered at them once more, then turned and vanished, leaving only a momentary golden afterglow. Waver blinked in confusion, then looked back at the quietly furious Saber.
"Huh. What an arrogant guy." Waver slowly turned to look at his Servant after hearing the quiet observation.
"Rider. What do you plan to do now?" Saber's voice, cold and hostile, drew his attention back to the enemy Servant. She stood between her Master and Rider's chariot, hands clutching at the air as if holding a sword. Rider scratched his beard with one finger as he thought.
"Hm. I think we should withdraw for now. You are a king, too?" Waver buried his face in his hands. How could Rider so brazenly ask that?! There was no way Saber would reveal her identity as casually as he had!
"… Indeed. I ruled the kingdom of Britain." Waver's heart seemed to stop. King Arthur?
"Oh! The renowned King of Knights, is it?" Rider laughed heartily and clapped Waver's back, nearly breaking him against the front of the chariot. As Waver turned to glare back at his Servant, however, he saw Rider's face turn somber. "Saber. Do you wish to have the first right of combat against that Caster?" Waver stared at his Servant.
"What do you mean?" Saber was plainly as confused as he was, and his Servant's sudden change in demeanor wasn't an immediate help.
"That one … seems like a monster. Not a real hero, but a thing to be destroyed." Waver was glad for the chariot's support as Rider's words spurred the terrifying memories back into existence. Rider must not have been as strongly affected as he was … he cursed his weakness.
"… If you meet her, do not let any desire of mine halt your blade, King of Conquerors." Rider nodded, grunting agreement, then flicked the reins, and the braying bulls charged off into the sky. Waver looked back at the lone Servant remaining on the battlefield; she, too, stood and watched the withdrawing chariot as it arched over a large crane that overlooked the battle, and he shivered and turned away. Assassin had already been defeated, and now the War had begun in dramatic earnest. Was that girl really a Servant? Somehow, the scroll still lay at the bottom of the chariot, and he picked it up. He unrolled it, frowned at its contents once more, and tossed it over the side of the chariot to fall into the water. Servant or not, that was too ridiculous to be taken seriously. He clutched the side of the chariot and waited for the feeling of unease to subside so he could think.
Remi. Remi stop. Staaahp.
