Sable and Crimson (Fate/Apocrypha AU)

[Redshard]

Author's Note: I've been working on trying my hand at an Apocrypha fanfic for a while. For those interested, this story is also crossposted at Fanfiction.net as well.

Currently this is being done without a Beta reader. If anyone is interested in possible beta work for this story, please contact me.
​

Sable and Crimson​

-It was a scene of carnage.

A legion of skeleton warriors clashed against an army of hulking combat homunculi. Thousands of struggling bodies filled the lands surrounding the Yggdmillennia citadel. Right now the Red Faction is moving ahead in full force, hoping to break through the defenses of the Black Faction and to seize the Holy Grail.

An impossible beast sailed in the sky against a floating fortress.

The lord of this land filled the battlefield with stakes.

The divine bow-wielder, Archer of Black, fought his grudge match against his brother, Lancer of Red.

Now the two knights fought each other.

Both were excellent swordsmen of the Saber class. Their resentment went beyond merely being on the opposite sides. Indeed, both of these Heroic Spirits carried a great grudge against the other.

One was a blonde-haired man with a noble bearing. He was clad in silver plate armor.

The other was a crimson knight masked in steel.

''Your head is mine!'' roared the masked knight as she clashed Clarent against the silver blade of her opponent.

''Just try it!'' snarled the opposing knight, a man clad in silver armor.

Saber of Black.
Saber of Red.

From the very start, Saber of Black had sought out his opposing counterpart. There couldn't be any other result. They were once comrades and now hated enemies. Right here they resumed their conflict from life. A whirlwind of steel filled the air as the holy sword clashed and intertwined with the demonic sword. The blonde man had the advantage in skill, but the masked knight held the advantage regarding brute force. Even the slightest mistake would result in a severed limb or a pierced heart.

''Sir Mordred!'' Saber of Black freely spoke his enemy's true name, his handsome features twisted in rage.

His holy sword flashed in the moonlight as he tried to penetrate his opponent's guard. For a Heroic Spirit, it's only natural to boast superhuman skill beyond humanity. None of the mortals on the battlefield could hold a candle to Saber of Black's swordsmanship. Even so, his opponent stood her ground with determination. Both of them were familiar with the fighting styles of the other, having served together on many battlefields. At this point, both were evenly matched.

The holy sword, Galatine whistled through the air, parrying an overhead strike from the enemy Saber. The crimson knight's sword, Clarent, slashed down as the blonde man sidestepped the blow. His evasion caused an immense crater to form in the ground with the force of an artillery strike. Debris and rocks flew into the air as the blonde man deftly recovered and attacked again in a fury.

''Do you think you can take me on Gawain?'' Saber of Red replied, her voice taunting him through her helmet.

Saber of Black's sword cut through the air in reply. The blade cut through the armor and tore a wound through her shoulder. Embers licked at the sharp edge of the holy sword as if invoking the light of the sun. Saber of Red roared in pain as she parried the next strike that approached her neck. Quickly the masked knight counterattacked.

She lashed out with a booted foot, smashing into Saber of Black's breastplate. Propelled by her Prana Burst, the other swordsman was flung back about thirty meters as a large crack formed across his breastplate. It was a hit that would have killed an average human, but it was a superficial injury for a powerful Heroic Spirit like Saber of Black. The blonde knight righted himself, a murderous light filling his eyes. Saber of Red held a similar feeling. Right now this duel was quickly approaching its climax. The two knights had torn into each other like angry lions and now stood poised to deliver their most powerful attacks.

''I won't let a dumbass gorilla like you stand in my way!'' Saber of Red snarled at him.

''Fine words coming from a traitorous bastard!'' Saber of Black rebuked her in a fierce tone of voice.

Saber of Red stiffened at the insult, her gauntlets gripping Clarent more tightly.

''You always were a load of shit. You never understood Father!'' she screamed at him.

Saber of Black did not reply with mere words. Instead, he brought his holy sword before him. It was a move that spoke more than any insult could have conveyed. An immense amount of magical energy filled the air. At once the masked knight across the battlefield understood what was happening. A Noble Phantasm was about to be unleashed. The sure-kill trump card of a Heroic Spirit. Saber of Red knew full well what this Noble Phantasm could do.

This weapon was Excalibur Galatine: The Reborn Sword of Victory.

With that, Saber of Red prepared her counterattack. One by one the plates of her helmet retracted back into her armor, exposing her youthful features that were twisted into hatred and resentment. It was the same face that she shared with her father. The crimson knight gripped Clarent with both gauntlets, and a shroud of red lightning surrounded her.

''So, you're going to use that weapon. I'll reply with my own Noble Phantasm!'' Saber of Red remarked.

''I'll draw my holy sword. Show me your resolve Sir Mordred!'' Saber of Black answered.

Blazing light and fire manifested at the other end of the field as the blessed holy sword gathered the light of the pseudo sun contained within the hilt. The blade glowed brightly with orange radiance, filling the darkness of the battlefield with a glowing halo. It would summon forth a wave of fire that could incinerate an enemy army.

Right now a reenactment of the legends was taking place. Exhilaration and bloodlust filled the hearts of the two knights.

Saber of Red stepped forward, her once beautiful sword transforming into an ugly weapon of hatred.

Across the field, Saber of Black took a step forward as well, preparing to swing his blade.

''EXCALIBUR-'' Saber of Black brought the holy blade down.

''CLARENT-'' Saber of Red answered him.

''-GALATINE!'' he roared.

''-BLOOD ARTHUR!'' the crimson knight screamed.

A fiery blaze and a torrent of crimson lightning clashed against each other in a titanic struggle that seemed to engulf the battlefield.

---

-Six days earlier
​

''Is your project proceeding along as scheduled?'' Darnic asked Caster.

The two men were seated at a table, idling playing on a chessboard modeled after the Servant classes. One of Caster's mass-produced homunculi placed a cup of tea next to Darnic. The clan leader gracefully accepted it from the maid.

''Of course. The production of the troops is coming along nicely. Next on my agenda is the production of the Philosopher's Stone,'' Caster replied smoothly.

The Servant was a tall, slender man in a white robe. Rather than handsome, it would be more appropriate to call Caster ''beautiful''. From a distance, you could easily mistake him for a long-haired woman. The alchemist's features were delicate and effeminate, framed by a long black mane. This Servant was Caster of Black, the second Heroic Spirit to be summoned by Yggdmillennia.

''The materials you've provided are adequate. At the moment, I don't foresee any difficulties with the reddening process,'' Caster informed Darnic calmly.

''Good, with that we will hold an advantage with both the Masters and the Servants,'' Darnic relished, recalling how Lancer of Black had annihilated the battalion of hunters that the Association had sent earlier.

Darnic's Servant was Vlad III, the man better known as Count Dracula. He was the famous monarch of Wallachia who served as the model for the fictional vampire. Here in Romania, he possessed immense fame and power. Of course, the Caster sitting across Darnic was also notable.

Caster of Black was Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim, more commonly known as Paracelsus. The Swiss doctor was a great scholar and alchemist who left his mark on history. Caster was known both in the supernatural and mundane worlds as a brilliant visionary. As a magus, he had more or less rediscovered the usage of the five Elementals as well as codifying modern alchemy.

He had been summoned over two weeks ago by Roche Frain Yggdmillennia using an old flask that the clan had obtained. Since then he had immediately begun work on Yggdmillennia's war effort. As a support piece, he was invaluable. Caster's Item Construction Skill had reached the irregular rank of EX, allowing him to produce a variety of wonders.

Chief of that was the production of homunculi. Gordes had stolen knowledge from the Einzberns, but that paled next to Caster's skills. The great alchemist's homunculus creations were vastly superior to anything that Gordes could make. He had spent that time manufacturing new combat homunculi for the clan. They were individually weaker than a Servant, but in large enough numbers they could pose a threat. Unlike regular homunculi, they were primarily robotic beings, created with a hive mind that could be directed by Caster. Of course, Caster had also begun production on Mystic Codes that were suitable for combat. Namely, his famous Elementals. Each was a clump of ether corresponding to one of the five magical elements. Fire. Wind. Water. Earth. Void. It was his privilege as an "Average One" to control these Elementals with excellent precision. They stood in guard position around Caster's workshop.

The alchemist also began the production of a Philosopher's Stone, the miracle tool that would significantly enhance Darnic's magecraft in combat. For Darnic who sought eternal life, gaining the Elixir of Life was a tempting prospect. Also, Caster had transformed the Fortress of Millennia into a Temple-class territory. It was an ability that had excellent compatibility with Lancer of Black's own Noble Phantasm. By combining Caster's barrier with Lancer's stakes, they could form a first-class defensive position.

''I am told that the others have prepared for the summoning. I would like to attend the ritual if possible,'' Caster asked Darnic politely.

''Of course, you hardly need to ask,'' the clan head smiled at Caster's request.

This spell-user was a Servant who valued camaraderie and friendship more than he did the traditions of magecraft. In truth, Darnic found that belief highly ridiculous for a magus to have, but he kept that idea to himself. However, putting aside that, Caster was a comfortable Servant to work alongside. After all, his wish was to ''reach the Root'' the same as Darnic's general desire, so in that way, they were quite compatible. Even though he had been summoned by Roche, Caster had barely interacted with his Master. It was not for lack of trying on Caster's part. Rather it was on Roche's end. Certainly, Roche acknowledged Caster as a great magus and a pioneer of magecraft, but that's as far as it went. He had no personal connection to his Servant.

''I suppose it's a pity my young Master has no interest outside of his golems,'' Caster sighed.

In truth Caster interacted more with the clan head Darnic than he did with Roche. For all practical purposes, Caster was Darnic's Servant as well as Lancer of Black.

''Saber, Archer, Rider, Assassin and Berserker,'' the alchemist invoked their names as he moved the figures across the board. These were the Heroic Spirits that would oppose the crimson chess pieces of the Association.

'We'll be summoning our Assassin here instead of overseas as we had originally planned. I felt it would be better to go with a more known quantity,'' Darnic noted as he picked up the black Assassin piece and moved him into place.

'From what I understand, the magus assigned to Assassin wanted to summon an unusual choice?'' Caster asked.

''Of course. Hyouma wished to summon Jack the Ripper,'' Darnic noted.

Jack the Ripper, the infamous serial killer who had terrified England a century ago. Such a Heroic Spirit had never been summoned in a previous war. That was the Servant the Black Faction initially hoped to invoke.

Over the course of the Subcategory Holy Grail Wars, the abilities and powers of all nineteen heads of the Hashshashin had eventually become known. This knowledge of those spirits allowed a variety of countermeasures to be developed against them, so the Hassan boom finally faded away. It was becoming more popular to summon other heroes as Assassin.

However, those countermeasures weren't perfect. It was still possible for Assassin to catch an unwary Master off guard. The outcome of Hassan-I-Sabbah being summoned was a 50/50 chance that the countermeasures halted Hassan or that Hassan slipped past and successfully assassinated the Master. It was one of the reasons why the Hassans were seen as a risky prospect.

Sagara Hyouma was one of the clan members who had been selected as a Master. He had judged the current conditions to be too risky to use a Hassan, so instead, he had searched for a replacement. To that end, Hyouma had obtained the catalyst for Jack the Ripper to summon as Assassin. However, Darnic had countermanded him and ordered a Hassan to be summoned. Darnic preferred to have a known quantity to fit into his plans. The head of Yggdmilennia judged that to be an acceptable risk in summoning a Hassan instead of an unknown candidate.

''With that, we'll assemble all seven Servants in the castle. We only have to wait for the Mage's Association to proceed with their attack,'' Caster interjected.
''Of course,'' Darnic smirked with pleasure and anticipation.

---

The summoning had gone off without a hitch.

Fiore had obtained two catalysts for both herself and her brother. A shining diadem for herself and a piece of a faded red sash for her brother.

Gordes had a piece of an old emerald girdle.

Celenike brought forth a glass bottle.

Sagara Hyouma had no catalyst, instead utilizing the Assassin keyword to summon his Servant.

Then it was done. The newly summoned heroes stood in the chamber.

The first was a tall, robust man with short blonde hair. He wore gleaming silver armor and carried a radiant holy sword in one gauntlet. The swordsman seemed to exhibit a sense of dignity and honor as he looked around the room.

The second was a slender, dark-skinned man with delicate features and a piercing gaze. He was clad in a white achkan. In his hands, he clutched an elegant longbow that carried a divine aura.

The third was a slender and beautiful youth dressed in a white cloak and chainmail.

The fourth was a tall, cloaked figure wearing a white-skull mask.

The last was a young white-haired girl wearing a red sash around her body and carrying a pair of spiked maces. She stood proudly with the aura of a monarch.

''Hey everybody! I guess we should introduce ourselves! I'm the Rider of Black, Astolfo!'' the androgynous youth chirped happily.

There was a bit of stunned silence at the revelation of Rider's true name before the silver swordsman cleared his throat. He glanced towards his Master, who gave a nod of permission.

''My name is Sir Gawain of the Round Table. My class is Saber. I suppose this fellow here is my Master,'' the silver knight introduced himself politely, giving a bow to Gordes.

''Ah! A fellow knight! That's so cool!'' Rider of Black gushed. He moved up to the silver knight in an excited mood. Saber only blinked and looked at the androgynous youth in confusion.

With the revelation of Saber's true name, the other Servants followed suit at the gesture of their Masters.

''Arjuna, the Archer of Black,'' the white-clad bow-user said in a calm voice. He stood apart from the others in an aloof manner.

''Penthesilea, Queen of the Amazons. I've manifested as Berserker of Black,'' the girl answered in a regal tone of voice.

That sparked a surprised look from her fellow Servants. Berserker evidently had the rationality and composure to speak coherently. It must mean she had an unusual rank in Mad Enhancement for that to be possible.

''Wow, our Berserker can speak! Plus she's so beautiful-'' Rider started to speak. A snarl of rage cut off his sentence as an aura of killing intent seemed to envelop Berserker.

Rider gave a frightened squeak and dove behind Assassin of Black.

''Huh, that's strange,'' the white skull looked at Rider before glancing back at the other Masters.

''If you've summoned me, then you should already know my true name. My class should be obvious. Hassan-I-Sabbah, the Old Man of the Mountain, is here,'' Assassin of Black stated.

''I'm Paracelsus von Hohenheim, the Caster of Black,'' the tall, elegant form of Caster proclaimed from his position next to Lancer.

''Finally, my name is Vlad Tepes, A Lancer-class Servant and the ruler of this land. Under my command we'll stand against the Red Faction and achieve victory,'' the form of Lancer rose from his throne and addressed the other Black Servants in a dignified tone of voice.

Berserker glanced at the assembled Masters before she found the one that she had a connection too. She spotted the weary form of Caules and frowned at him.

''You must be the one who summoned me,'' She noted. A male.

''Yeah. That's me,'' Caules blinked behind his glasses.

''Hmph!'' Berserker huffed and turned to spirit form.

''Umm. Okay, follow me,'' The younger Forvedge sibling said in an uncertain tone.

As her brother encountered his Servant, his sister was speaking to her Heroic Spirit.

''I will be your Master. Please call me Fiore. I'm pleased to meet you,'' Fiore said politely.

Archer of Black studied his Master for a moment before nodded respectfully.

''O magus, I am the one that should be pleased. Know this; my bow Agni Gandiva is yours,'' Archer stated in a formal tone. He accepted her hand gracefully.

''Thank you, Archer. I hope to achieve victory alongside you,'' Fiore studied her new Servant. He was radiant and noble, giving off the impression of a renowned hero. Beneath his handsome features and steadfast gaze, Fiore found herself a bit tongue-tied.

''When it comes to you and me, surely you recognize my greatness. That is irrelevant. You are my Master. I regard that fact highly." Archer continued in a polite, yet arrogant tone.

''Oh-oh, yes,'' Fiore nodded somewhat hesitantly, taken aback by Archer's proud tone.

''Please follow me, Archer. I would like to get to know you better,'' the young girl said as she headed off to her quarters. Archer followed her, turning into spirit form as he did so.

''You're my Servant right?'' Sagara Hyouma glanced at the black-cloaked figure in front of him.

''Indeed. I've heard your call from the shadows and responded. Servant Assassin is here,'' Assassin gave a respectful bow. He seemed to have already acknowledged the scruffy man before him as his Master.

''Great. Let's go. I have orders to give,'' Hyouma grinned and left with his Servant in tow.

''Let me give you a tour of the castle here Rider,'' Celenike told her Servant, hardly bothering to disguise her lust. With some hesitation, Rider followed her into the castle.

''Follow me, Saber, I also need to complete my preparations,'' Gordes said in a commanding tone, his form welling up with pride at having summoned such a mighty hero.

''As you wish my liege,'' Saber nodded in a respectful tone before following him.

---

With the unprecedented mass summoning now complete, Lancer conferred with Darnic. The black-garbed monarch sat calmly in a velvet chair, sipping delicately at his ornate glass cup as Darnic served him wine. They had moved back to the private office of the clan leader.

''I'm pleased with your efforts Darnic. These Servants are all splendid heroes,'' Lancer said.

He was content so far with everything Darnic had done for him. The Yggdmillennia patriarch had brought the Grail here in Romania and summoned him in his homeland, giving him an immense power boost. Now he had his group of champions to serve under him. This Servant, Vlad III, commanded troops in life. Even so, he lacked true companions and capable subordinates. Now with these heroes at his side, he felt confident of victory.

''The legendary alchemist Paracelsus. One of the famed paladins of Charlemagne, Astolfo. The fierce war-queen of the Amazons, Penthesilea. One of the nineteen heads of the Hashashin order. Sir Gawain of the Round Table. Arjuna of the Pandavas.'' Lancer noted.

''All the better to serve you, my lord,'' Darnic nodded smoothly.

''Especially Arjuna! What a magnificent warrior!'' Lancer grinned with respect and admiration.

Fiore had summoned someone powerful indeed. Archer rivaled Lancer even in the battleground of Romania. You could rightfully call Arjuna the protagonist of the Mahabharata, having been blessed with enormous talent and strength. The demigod prince was an undefeated warrior, having vanquished countless foes in his legend.

True, Lancer of Black still held a small advantage over Archer in the former's territory. Still, Archer of Black was a powerful trump card for the Black Faction. Darnic was pleased with his successor Fiore's talent and skill in summoning such a mighty hero.

''With these captains at my side, I'm confident of victory against any foe,'' Lancer folded his arms in contentment.

Yggdmillennia had, of course, developed a strategy for using their Servants.

Gawain and Penthesilea would act as strong front line warriors. Hassan would assassinate the enemy Masters. Paracelsus would direct the homunculi alongside Astolfo while Arjuna rained down great destruction with his divine bow. Vlad would control the battlefield with his stakes.

Indeed, every preparation has been made. Now the war would begin in earnest.

---

''I would have preferred a female Master,'' Berserker of Black told Caules in a blunt tone as they returned to his room after the summoning was complete. For a third-rate magus like Caules, the process of summoning a Servant had been very taxing.

''Um. I'm sorry. I'll do my best though,'' Caules scratched his head nervously. He can't help but admire her shapely, half-naked body.

''Don't you dare try to touch me. I'll castrate you if you dare,'' Berserker threatened.

''I-I understand!'' Caules gulped a bit at Berserker's threat.

After all, it was only natural considering who Berserker was. She was Penthesilea, the proud Amazon queen of Greek myth. This Servant would not tolerate being abused or harassed by a male Master. Most likely she meant every word of her threat.

She was a demigod born of the Greek God Ares and the Amazon Queen Otrera. She was made most famous in the legends about the Trojan War, where she brought a band of Amazons to the aid of Troy. The warrior queen fought against the Greek hero Ajax and slew many soldiers before finally meeting her end at the hands of Achilles. As the legend went, when Achilles removed her helmet, he saw her beauty, and he was filled with regret at ending her life. Now having seen Berserker himself, Caules could agree with the sentiment, even if Berserker was a bit younger than he first thought.

Berserker had been summoned as a teenage girl with a developing body. Even so, anyone could tell that she would bloom into a rare beauty when she reached adulthood. Even now, her features were finely formed and pleasing to the eye. As a teenage boy, Caules doesn't have much experience with girls outside of his sister. Even so, the young man can admit that Berserker is quite cute. It's something that makes him feel a bit apprehensive and nervous when around her.
Still, Caules felt he should treat her with caution and respect. She's a Berserker after all.

Having considered that, he looked over his Servant's abilities with his ''Master's perspective''. When he had been ordered to summon Berserker, Caules had been prepared to try to restrain a rabid animal. That was the Berserker class skill of Mad Enhancement, the curse of madness that typically made mutual understanding impossible between a Master and a Berserker.

Penthesilea had incarnated as a Berserker, but her Mad Enhancement was irregular, having reached EX-Rank. She could hold a normal conversation and even reason with her Master. However, her reason would disappear when faced with Greek heroes. Some of her parameters had declined due to being summoned by Caules, who was a third-rate magus. Even then, Berserker was still a powerful Servant even when taking into account that demerit, so Caules considered himself to be fortunate in that regard.

Of course, The bespectacled youth probably couldn't power Penthesilea by himself. In this sense, he had the backup of the homunculi system that provided additional magical energy. Caules only needed to give the minimum amount of mana for the contract. Then again, typically Caules would have never been able to summon Penthesilea in the first place if Fiore hadn't acquired her catalyst from Greece.

''My name is Caules. It's nice to meet you. I hope we can cooperate well,'' the brunette youth bowed stiffly.

''I am Queen Penthesilea. You would do well to remember that you are the Master of a queen! You must show strength and dignity!'' Berserker told Caules in an imperious fashion.

''Well, I'm afraid I'm not the strongest magus on our side,'' Caules mumbled as he rubbed his head in embarrassment.

''Hmph! Then I'll make do with what I have. I expect you to push yourself to your very limit,'' Berserker said firmly.

''Y-yes,'' Caules nodded as Berserker's words, taking care to straighten himself up a bit more.

''Carry out your duty as my companion Master. I can't tolerate failure or defeat,'' Berserker told him.

''I'll try not to disappoint you,'' Caules told her.

He paused, wondering at something.

''Why did you take this form when he was summoned? I thought you were an adult in the legends,'' the younger Forvedge inquired, curiosity filling him. According to the stories, Penthesilea was a fully-grown woman when she came to Troy.

''There's nothing to speculate. Servants are summoned to the form of their prime. I am strongest at this age, so there's no reason beyond that,'' Berserker told him.

That being the case, did Berserker feel she was weaker in her adult form when she fought Achilles? Was that the real reason why she took this aspect? Caules thought.

''Was this body from before you fought in the Trojan War? Is that before you met Achilles?'' Caules asked her.

At once the beautiful face of a young girl transformed into a raging monster.

''Achilles! That bastard! I'll kill him!'' she snarled, overtaken by hatred.

Caules watched in horrified fascination as a terrifying transformation seemed to come over Berserker. The grace of a monarch disappeared as the girl before the young man became a savage lioness.

''Don't hide him from me, Master! If you do I'll kill you,'' she threatened Caules. The sclera of her eyes turned black with madness.

''I don't think he was summoned to our side at all,'' stammered Caules, feeling fear at his Servant's outburst.

With that, Berserker seemed to calm down, although an aura of hatred seemed to surround her.

''I suppose that might be for the best. I wouldn't be able to cooperate with that bastard,'' Berserker noted.

''You want to kill Achilles then? Is that your wish?'' Caules asked.

According to the legend, Achilles had slain Penthesilea in battle. It wouldn't be surprising for a Heroic Spirit to desire revenge.

''Yes, if I gain the Grail I will wish for Achilles to appear so that I may slay him,'' Berserker said coldly.

''Is it because he defeated you?'' Caules asked. This train of thought was treading on thin ice, yet the Master felt like he had to ask his Servant anyway. Mutual understanding was an essential aspect of the Master-Servant relationship in the Holy Grail War.

''Defeat? There is no need to feel anger at being defeated by the strong,'' Berserker looked at her Master incredulously. Her fists tightened as she remembered her humiliation.

''No, the real insult is to be called beautiful. To not be regarded as a warrior. In the end, that man did not regard me with respect!'' she exclaimed.

Yes. Achilles did not honor Berserker as a strong warrior, or as a worthy opponent. In the last moments of her life, Penthesilea was only ''beautiful'' and not regarded as a proud sovereign. It was an unbearable insult she took to her grave. Even on the Throne, such an insult still stuck with her. Her pride had been trashed, and revenge was the only thing she wanted.

''Master, I request that you don't view me as a woman. I've had enough of such things in my lifetime. It got in the way once when I fought that warrior,'' Berserker sighed.

''O-okay,'' her Master blinked at her.

At the very least, he could count her cooperation for now.

---

Fiore returned to her workshop in an elated mood. She had finished the summoning process, and everything had gone correctly.

''My name is Fiore Forvedge Yggdmillennia. I'll be your Master for this war,'' Fiore introduced herself before she sipped some of her tea.

Before her, Archer studied her carefully, his calm and sharp gaze like a blade. So far he had the quiet demeanor of a butler, always following her in an aloof manner.

''I'm pleased to summon a great hero of your caliber,'' Fiore continued. Inwardly, she was pleased to summon him in his best class. Though this Heroic Spirit could also qualify for the Rider-class, he was undoubtedly best suited to Archer.

They were both seated at a table in her quarters. Tea had been prepared between the two of them. The slender demigod had politely accepted his cup and sat across from her. He sipped some of the herbal tea from the container and considered his response.

''The honor is mine to be summoned,'' the bow-user said kindly and gave a polite smile.

Indeed, Fiore can feel proud of her Servant's strength. After all, she has summoned Arjuna, the great hero of the Mahabharata and the Bhagavad Gita. Arjuna, the third prince of the Pandavas. He was born of the thunder god Indra and the princess Kunti. The demigod hero wielded an immense amount of talent. All of the Gods blessed him and favored him. Even Lord Krishna counted him as a close friend. Indeed this man seemed to be the ideal hero and the perfect gentleman.

As a Servant, he was one of the most potent Archer-class Servants one could summon, with excellent parameters and abilities. In particular, his absurdly high Luck rank especially stood out. Wielding the divine bow Gandiva, his archery skills reached the realm of the gods. As a bow-user, there should only be a handful of Heroic Spirits who can match him regarding pure talent. Indeed, Archer of Black was comparable to Vlad III even in Romania. With the upcoming battle, the young woman has every reason to feel confident about victory in the forthcoming Holy Grail War. In cooperation with the other Yggdmillennia Servants, they would be able to form an unbeatable team.

The female magus looked him over, studying his exceptional delicate features and elegant bearing. Fiore is a young lady with little experience with men, so she's a bit unprepared to deal with a handsome young man like Archer. He's like a fairytale prince.

Her girlish infatuation must be evident to Archer's eyes.

The demigod supposed he should feel flattered, but such things are second nature to Heroic Spirit Arjuna. During his lifetime many women flocked to him without any effort at all on his part. Even beings like the Naga princess Ulupi and Indra's handmaiden Urvashi pursued him with amorous attentions. For Archer, beautiful women confessing their attraction to him is nothing exciting or unique. It happens all the time. It's the same with all the other events in his lifetime.

The bow-wielder looked at his Master's beaming features. At least his Master seems to be a gentle person with a sense of kindness. That was probably rare for a magus. Truthfully, Archer is pleased to have been summoned by such a person. The fact that Fiore is also a magus with excellent magic circuits is a welcome bonus to this situation.

The bow-user voiced as much to Fiore.

''From what I've seen so far, I'm quite fortunate to have been summoned by a fair maiden like yourself. As far as I can tell, you seem to be a praiseworthy magus. I can only ask you to use me well.'' Archer told her in a formal voice. So far, Fiore has his loyalty and obedience.

''I'm glad to have your approval. I know that the heroes of old can be rather prideful, but I was hoping to build a good relationship with you,'' Fiore told him. In particular, Archer had manifested with a high rank in Independent Action, making him difficult to control under normal circumstances.

Archer closed his eyes at that comment. It wouldn't do for her to get to know him well. After all, there's a side of the demigod warrior that absolutely must not see the light of day.

''You are too kind Master. I will try to repay your faith in me,'' he responded.

''Thank you. If you have a wish for the Holy Grail, I'll try and help you obtain it,'' Fiore assured him, feeling grateful for his show of loyalty.
Archer supposed that from Fiore's point of view; he must seem like the perfect hero, diligent and noble.

Perfection does not exist. Beneath lies an ugly truth.

There is another darker side to the renowned hero Arjuna, a part of his soul that he would never acknowledge openly. For a hero expected to do great things, it's only inevitable that Arjuna would suppress all of his darker impulses. The Pandu prince knows better than anyone that he's not the perfect hero that others expect him to be. The demigod doesn't want this kind girl to find out about that. To this end, he desires eternal solitude, to live as himself away from the prying and judging eyes of his peers. He craves the Holy Grail to grant his wish of isolation. That is why Heroic Spirit Arjuna answered the summons of Yggdmillennia.

But more than any of that, there is someone that Arjuna must seek out and fight.

There is a specific hero that Arjuna cannot tolerate. Someone who is destined to be the eternal rival of the Pandu prince. Someone who should have been a brother to Arjuna, but instead became a great enemy in his lifetime.

Ah, he's going on a tangent again. Archer steeled his mind and turned his attention to his smiling Master.

''This tea is quite wonderful, did you make it?'' he asked her. It would be best to change the subject before the discussion reached some uncomfortable topics.

''Oh, yes I did. It's an old Italian recipe...'' Fiore trailed off.

---

Filled with pride and confidence, Gordes and Saber returned to the former's room.

''Appear, Saber!'' Gordes commanded as he sat in his chair. He was already pouring out wine to drink. It was an incredibly arrogant move, to already break out the wine casks before the battle had even started, but Gordes felt he had reason to be confident.

The portly Master had summoned the greatest Servant class, that of Saber. In regards to the Saber that Gordes has summoned, the knight was quite powerful. The blonde man possessed excellent parameters in all categories. That wasn't surprising, as Saber of Black was Sir Gawain, one of the legendary knights who served King Arthur. He was one of those champions of the Round Table, having been born the child of King Lot of Orkney and Morgan le Fay. Notably, he was the nephew of King Arthur and one of the most loyal knights. There are many stories and anecdotes about his adventures. He wielded the holy sword Galatine and famously confronted the trickery of the Green Knight.

Of particular note is his extraordinary ability ''Numeral of the Saint''. According to the legend, Gawain's strength would triple during the daylight hours. Having taken form as a Servant, Saber would significantly increase his power during the daytime. Unfortunately, due to how this Holy Grail War was currently fought, the battle would have to take place at night, thus rendering that advantage useless. Even so, Saber boasted excellent strength that was worthy of his class, with all of his parameters being A or B-Rank. As such he still fit quite well into Yggdmillennia's plans.

''So far you seem worthy of your title as a Knight of the Round,'' Gordes told his Servant. With her Master's perspective, he could view Saber's parameters.
Before him, Saber knelt respectfully.

'''My lord. My Master, know that you have my loyalty and my sword in this conflict,'' he said calmly, bowing his head in deference.

''I, Gawain swear upon my sword Galatine to uphold your honor without hesitation,'' he finished his heartfelt oath of loyalty. Even if his words were calm, Saber's heart was filled with joy and excitement. Right now he was accomplishing his wish for the Holy Grail.

The knight recognized Gordes as the pompous type who was filled with arrogance and pride. It was something that became clear just a few minutes after meeting him. Even so, it wasn't a significant obstacle for the swordsman. To be honest, Saber isn't especially picky about his choice of Master. Most magi would be acceptable as long as they weren't utterly malevolent or dishonorable. He's the type of Servant that obeyed his lord without objection.

Gordes looked in satisfaction. It appears that this Heroic Spirit knew his place. Though he was a noble hero, he was also somebody that had sworn his loyalty to a king. So far his tool was performing in a way that Gordes found satisfactory.

''You're a famous knight who served King Arthur. I expect you to hand me the Holy Grail,'' Gordes told him.

''Of course. My blade is your blade,'' Saber reaffirmed his loyalty to Gordes.

Gordes smirked with satisfaction. Everything is proceeding as planned.

Yes, Gordes is filled with pride and a sense of accomplishment at having summoned such a great hero. After all, the clan of Musik had long been considered to be a fallen house with no future left to them. With this act, Gordes had started to reverse the fortunes of House Musik. He would show that arrogant Darnic and the rest of those magus families who sneered at the Musiks. He would be the one to lead the Black Faction to victory and claim the Holy Grail for the Yggdmillennia! He would prove his superiority as a magus!

''I suppose it's a pity we can't effectively employ your daylight blessing in this war. Maintaining the secrecy of magecraft is something that every magus adheres to,'' Gordes mused.

''I understand Master. If that is your command, then I won't disobey it,'' the silver knight replied.

Yes, After all, right now, Sir Gawain is fulfilling his wish.

Saber thought back to his life and his regrets.

Sir Lancelot had rebelled against the king and had slain Gawain's siblings in his madness. Saber had been filled with such rage and grief at Lancelot. So Gawain had barred the Knight of the Lake from joining the battle at Camlann against the traitor Mordred. If Saber had put aside his grief and his desire for revenge, then King Arthur might have been victorious. In the end, he had forgiven his friend Lancelot and apologized to his King.

Indeed, at the very core of Saber's being, that was the reason he had accepted the summons of Gordes. The silver swordsman had made a great mistake in his lifetime. He had disobeyed the orders of his king and brought the downfall of the kingdom. It was a great sin and one that he had made no excuse. That was his wish. The Knight of the Sun wanted to serve the King without question or hesitation. The silver swordsman wished to act as a loyal and chivalrous knight without the vendetta that had stained his honor. Even if he were defeated in the Holy Grail War, as long as he could serve his Master with loyalty and dignity, he would accomplish his wish.

That is why Saber had sworn his loyalty to this man in front of him. He would give everything to his Master.

''I shall aid you, I vow it so. I will never fail this promise. Never.'' The silver knight said firmly.

---

Caster of Black quietly returned to his workshop.

The vast basement area of the Fortress of Millennia had been transformed into Caster's territory. Scores of incubation tanks containing developing homunculi stood against the walls. Rows of tables lined the room with various experiments currently in production. In the corners, two of Caster's Elementals stood guard, Gnome, and Salamander.

''I guess everything is ready now,'' the youthful face of his Master, Roche, peered up at Caster. They had both seen the final Servants summoned for their side. Quietly, Roche moved over to his workbench to continue to work on a golem.

''The summoning is complete. We will have strong allies in the days ahead,'' Caster said serenely.

''I guess that's great,'' Roche nodded for a bit, turning his attention away from his Servant and back to his golem.

''Master, may I ask you a question?'' Caster inquired.

''Yes?'' the youth didn't bother to meet Caster's gaze.

''Why didn't you bother to ask more about the other Servants?'' Caster asked the young boy in front of him. After all, while the summoning of Heroic Spirits is a rare event, Roche had quickly left after the Servants had been summoned.

''I didn't feel like it,'' came the simple answer. It was an immature sentiment, but then again for a young boy like Roche, that's to be expected.

From the very start, Caster had been surprised at having been summoned by a child. It was a perfectly acceptable development, however, as Caster liked children and he wished for their prosperity. So to that end, he had extended a hand of friendship to Roche. However, it was an offer of camaraderie that was not reciprocated. Roche understood and acknowledged Caster as a renowned magus, but that was as far as it went. To the very end, the young Master was a boy who related more to golems than he did with his humanity. That was how the Frain clan raised their members.

What a pity, Caster mused.

He thought back to Darnic. It was almost a sad jest that Caster spent more time with the clan leader than with his Master. From the moment he had been summoned, the scholarly Servant had collaborated closely with Darnic and Lancer. The alchemist's talents were invaluable to the Yggdmilennia clan. Caster mentally sighed. Though this was the Holy Grail War, Caster detested combat. The alchemist had no enjoyment of violence at all. He much preferred to work on his magecraft studies and to advance his scholarly knowledge.

Even so, it was ironic in a way. During his lifetime, Paracelsus had rebelled against the Association. He saw magecraft as a tool that could help everybody. He had committed heresy by attempted to reveal magecraft to the outside world. Paracelsus had even tried to mass-produce the Philosopher's Stone when he was assassinated by agents of the Clock Tower.

Turning his thought away from his life, he moved in front of a particular experiment, noting with satisfaction that it had already passed the stage of albedo.

Now the stone was reaching the final stage of rubedo or ''reddening''.

This Philosopher's Stone was nearing its completion. Darnic would be pleased.

---

Assassin of Black observed the fortress around him with interest.

It wasn't as big as the castle of Alamut where he had once made his headquarters, but it was still an impressive construction. He had a keen eye for infiltrating strongholds so he could detect the layers of Bounded Fields and magecraft traps all along the structure of the castle perimeter.

Assassin approved. Vigilance and order were things he valued.

He turned his attention to his Master, who sat before him in this private room. Assassin emerged from the shadows, and his white skull mask studied the man before him. Sagara Hyouma wasn't an impressive figure by any means. He was a young rat-like man of medium height with dyed blonde hair that contrasted against his Japanese heritage. Nor was his magical ability impressive. Regarding magical power, he was definitely third-rate.

From the beginning, Assassin was probably the best choice for Hyouma to summon. The Hyouma family's magecraft specialized in concealment and curses. Indeed many of his spells were things that had been borrowed or plundered from other Yggdmillennia magi. Hyouma was admittedly a low-ranking member of the clan. Not even his status as a Master helped with that.

Currently, Hyouma reclined back on a couch in his living quarters and calmly lit a cigarette, taking a long draw before expelling the smoke from his mouth. He relished the scent before glancing at his hand and admired the three crimson stigmata on his skin. He had successfully entered the Holy Grail War as the Master of Assassin.

''Admittedly, you weren't the first choice as a Servant, but I can't disobey Darnic's orders,'' the Master explained.

Part of Hyouma still felt disappointment over this whole situation. He had wanted to summon Jack the Ripper as his Assassin-class Servant. Indeed, he had made all the preparations. He had even obtained an authentic relic to invoke Jack, a pair of the killer's knives. Due to the shallow nature of his own magi family and Jack's status as a modern Heroic Spirit, he felt that Jack would have been the perfect Servant for him.

''I see. Well even though I'm not the strongest Servant, I certainly give you my best effort,'' Assassin told him.

When he gave his word, Assassin would loyally follow his Master no matter what misfortune might happen to him or what unreasonable orders he had to follow. Putting aside his ability as a Servant, he was loyal and considerate.

Even with such long odds, Assassin of Black had a wish. Assassin wished to gain an identity and face, to become the real and only Hassan-I-Sabbah. He had thrown away everything in his life to become just another faceless killer. Even so, he wasn't a real genius like the more accomplished heads who had become Hassan in the past.

''You're the Hassan of the Cursed Arm right?'' Sagara asked.

''Indeed,'' Assassin confirmed.

In the many repetitions of the Subcategory Holy Grail Wars that occurred across the world, Yggdmillennia had gained a significant amount of information
regarding the nineteen Hassans that had appeared in the many failed rituals.

According to the information they had, this was the Hassan who fused the arm of the demon Shayṭān to his body. His unique technique was Zabaniya: Delusional Heartbeat. That was his method of assassination, to use a curse to rip out the heart of the enemy target and destroy it. This killer was considered the most average among the Hassans. It was a fact that disappointed Hyouma. Even so, Hyouma had to admit it was probably better than having no Servant at all or having a Servant that he couldn't control. Hyouma had heard a story about a Hassan who had been summoned in a Subcategory Holy Grail War that possessed all nineteen Zabaniya. Unfortunately said Hassan went insane and promptly killed her Master before going on a rampage. That particular war was a disaster.

Hyouma was painfully aware that Darnic had no expectations for his Assassin. The same was true with Caules and Berserker. Hyouma was one of the weakest Masters with the lowest Servant, so he and Caules existed as filler to round out the seven slots for Yggdmillennia. Considering that, the Master harbored a similar desire to his Servant. Hyouma nurtured a hope to win the Holy Grail War. He had risked everything he had to have a shot at the Holy Grail. He could commit any act, no matter how horrific or vile to win it.

The Japanese magus had even planned to use his ex-girlfriend Reika as a sacrifice in the ritual before Darnic had given him new orders. Briefly, a part of him had wondered what had become of that whore after he dumped her back on the streets. Probably still wandering through Shinjuku's underbelly, he thought.

He turned his mind away from Reika. She was of no consequence.

''I'll expect you to begin your scouting missions tonight. The Holy Grail War should begin soon,'' Hyouma commanded.

''I understand Master,'' Assassin of Black nodded obediently. With that, he melted into the shadows.

---

The board is set. Yggdmillennia has gathered their chess pieces. They have made every preparation. The seven knights stand ready.

Saber of Black- Gawain
Archer of Black-Arjuna
Lancer of Black-Vlad III
Rider of Black-Astolfo
Caster of Black-Paracelsus von Hohenheim
Assassin of Black-Hassan-I-Sabbah
Berserker of Black-Penthesilea

Seven Heroic Spirits have gathered to act as Yggdmillennia's champions.

Soon, the war would commence in full. It would be only a matter of time before the Servants of the opposing sides encountered each other..

---

Author's Notes: The main conflicts and upcoming rivalries should be pretty obvious to anyone familar with the source material.

For those of your curious, Sagara Hyouma was Jack's original Master who got killed by Jack in canon Apocrypha. Because he summoned a different Servant in this story, he was able to avoid that fate.

 

[Vozen]

Hmm, an interesting redistribution of servants. I'll be keeping an eye on this.

 

[Amo]

Nice. Makes sense to have more of the servants match up into those with actual existing conflict with the ones on the other side, makes for way more interesting interactions and drama. Also immediately gets rid of the least interesting aspect of Apocrypha in Sieg.

Definitely looking forward to seeing where this goes. Interesting premise and solid writing so far.