Annaliisa and Nemo, Apartment Building, Septum

"Face me."

One moment, Assassin had been sitting peacefully in his armchair, contentedly eating a burrito with his Master after their brief discussion.
The next, that armchair was on its back, knocked straight over whilst Assassin was crouched on the floor coughing like a madman.

“Fucking hell,” He spat in irritation as he finally hocked up the mixture of salsa and meat that had slipped down his windpipe in the moment he was jumped by surprise, climbing up to his feet and brushing the saliva away from his mouth and off of his clothes.

Meanwhile, Annaliisa was also bowled over, looking rather irritated as her burrito flew out of her hand.

“Well. That was just bloody rude.” She muttered as she stood up, brushing herself off. The blonde turned to Assassin, her face falling back into a mask of boredom. “So, you want to go face him, then?”

“At the very least, I’ll go stab him for ruining a perfectly good burrito,” Assassin muttered in an attempt to lighten the mood a little, before he shook his head and continued with- “I’ll go scout the area, see if I can find anything out. At the very least, I might be able to learn a thing or two about our opponents.”

Wiping the last flecks of saliva and chewed-up burrito from his clothing, Assassin stretched and began to head towards the door; before he paused and turned back to look at Annaliisa.

“Are you going to stay behind again, Master?”

“Nope.” Annaliisa replied as she checked her Mystic Code over for a moment before nodding to herself in satisfaction. “Coming with you. At the very least, I might get a good fight out of a magi there. Stick near me until we get close to our friend’s location. Then I’ll wait outside while you scout.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Assassin replied, simply nodding in affirmation before he seemed to dissolve into nothingness and become one with the shadows in the room.

Annaliisa walked out to the terrace of her apartment and leapt to the side, sliding down the drain until she hit the ground. Ignoring the incredulous stares of the people on the street, she started casually walking towards the origin of the magical signal.

Kalameet

A subtle smile emerged upon his lips as he sat outside upon the steps of the church, a cigarette in his mouth as he glared at the skies above. Something was off with how things were flowing in the time of Septum... It should have still been night, but if one was paying attention carefully... very, very carefully... one would have noticed night and day would have passed twice already since the first day of the war... and that it was currently on the cycle of the fourth night of the Holy Grail War. Something was wrong with Septum, yet no one, not even the Masters who were caught in this illusion seemed to have caught onto it yet.

Except for Kalameet, that is. "Oho... I knew I should have started things earlier, keeping things sustained like this is making this perfect city quite a hassle..." laughed the Overseer as a hooded figure walked up to him, snickered and handed him a note on some information. Taking the note, he read it, before laughing aloud. "You do know that you don't have to write down notes, right?"

"Oh, I know... but it's more... spy-like that way!" said the cloaked man as he grinned under his hood.

"Also, what's up with that getup... you look like a hoodlum."

"Spy-stuff."

"Whatever... and the others?"

"The same. They're keeping an eye on things to ensure that casualties are... at a minimal."

"Good...good. I already know this, but just to ask, what about my brothers?"

"They are at the four cardinals, setting their territory and preparing themselves for what's to come."

"Excellent... Finally some entertainment. Bored as hell these past days. Well, you're excused, and remember, if anything, don't hesitate to reveal yourself if anything comes up."

"You act like I know the word hesitation..." groaned the man.

"Just saying... Also, is there something you wish to say?"

"Yeah. Where's the maiden at? Haven't seen her, and usually you're inside boss."

"...She wasn't too happy after that little incident with Caster," Kalameet said as he spat his smoke to the ground and groaned.

"He had it coming. Besides, it's not that big of a deal."

"Maybe not to us... but for her, it was something very, and I mean very important. A hero's existence was destroyed."

"I suppose... Well... I'll be off boss, try not to get too bored now," murmured the cloaked man before disappearing into thin air.

Getting bored? Heh, that was something that wouldn't happen with the things that were coming up... He was fairly certain of it.

"Summon you...? If you meant the one who was trying to bring you into this world... well, uhhh.... he just went that way seconds after your summoning."

Oh, so the summoner was dead. Great, that will give him freedom to do as he liked.

"Although, I did get these soon after you kicked him," Oh, so she has the seals. Great, he should just tear her arms off and be on his way.

"So... What are you going to do, Goldy? Kill the homeless mongrel sitting before you and then go out do whatever you like?"

Hmph, the girl in front of him certainly was brave, to dare mock him even in full sight of his splendor. No, perhaps he should say... homunculus. Meat dolls aren't worth his precious time. But then again, she did seem to have some degree of talent, and was certainly not lacking in the looks department. However, she wasn't his type, someone that could be described as a noble maiden. Thus, her proposition was certainly tempting; he considered briefly whether it was worth pulling out a weapon from his treasure over.

"You? A homeless mongrel? Hah! You're nothing but a meat doll." GIlgamesh stepped closer and leaned down towards the girl. "You're not even worth my time, Master."

Should he just pull out Rule Breaker here and go off on his way? Perhaps.... But.. He was just summoned into this world again, and that girl was a catalyst, as well as an unwilling accomplice. Pulling out a weapon right now would just annoy himself.

"Very well, if you bow down at my feet, perhaps I would be inclined to grant a few of my boons upon you." With a grin, he stepped away and towards the door. "But for now... the city awaits me."

The keeper of this war could wait. Not that he knew who it was overseeing this war. He doubted the girl would know as well. The city... the city holds interest to him. What sort of 'treasures' would this city yield to him? Especially considering the city's nature? He didn't worry too much about the girl. She will figure out how to call him if the need was dire enough. And it was no skin off his back if she died. If anything that would prove she was unworthy of even being near him if she couldn't even reach out to him.

Ariel Annoying the Hell Outta Gilgamesh...Probably

"W-Wait, what?! Just what the hell do you mean bow down to you... and where the heck do you think you are going now?" barked Ariel as she jumped up and followed behind her Servant. "Also, if I'm supposed to be your Master, why the hell would I be bowing down to you! I'm tired of bowing down to people and letting them walk all over me, and I'm not about to let you do the same thing. I already know that you can very well kill me, someone who grew up by themselves and on the streets, but that does not mean that you, someone who could never understand me and could do without me, has to be a total ass to me!" groaned the girl as she followed behind her Servant, much to both of their reluctance.

"Besides, if these things or whatever on my arm are a sign of anything, it's a sign that we are meant to be partners... considering pops summoned you, but these were given to me, don't you think Goldy? Speaking of which, what's your name, or do you prefer me calling you Goldy?" she started asking question after question like an innocent child, very unlike her usual bitter demeanor that she was showing off earlier.

"Oh... and uh... um, I hate to be a bearer of bad news, but as for me being homeless, we are pretty much homeless besides a rundown place I know not too far from here, Goldy... unless you know of a way to get money, but I'd like us to do it honestly, since if I wanted to, I could have stolen stuff like some wretched mongrel or something," she laughed a bit. "Oh, and what exactly is a homunculus? My pops called me that, and you called me a meat puppet, are they both the same thing or something? Also, another thing, do you have anything else that is less... uhh... how do I say... well, flashy than that armor of yours? Don't get me wrong, it's cool and awesome looking, but people will probably be looking at you weird and think your some lunatic or something, Goldy."

Abd Al-Malik,
Sports Stadium

---

"Indeed, t'was I."

Several of Saber's eyes squinted in barely contained joy, its body lightly shaking as it chuckled. For someone to respond so quickly, and obviously of one of the Knight classes as well! A good start to what will be a brief stint in this world. It would try its best to enjoy it, to sample the combat prowess of legends from across time. There was an immediate reflex upon Lancer arriving before it, a feeling of doubt at the challenging presence of a woman. Saber knew far better than that, though. A woman could be as fierce as any warrior or king on the battlefield, if not more so.

Anticipation triggered the pre-engagement adrenaline, power coursing through Saber's limbs. It felt ready - like it could swipe through one of the many concrete towers it had passed with ease.

"Do not take me for an Assassin. I called out for those willing to face me in a duel - no tricks, only our own ability put against one another."

Saber drew its warped blade from the ground, the eye on the hilt staring intently at Lancer. It held the blade out, pointing to Lancer.

"I am Servant Saber, and I ask you; do you accept mine and my blade's challenge? Or would you rather converse?"

Lancer
Stadium

---

"You know exactly what my answer is."

A strong gust of wind blew as she materialized her sword once again.

All Masters and Servants close enough to recognize the sword has been give the sword's info

"I am Lancer. If you seek an honorable duel, I shall oblige."

The opponent was summoned as a Saber class, those who wield swords as their primary weapon. Perhaps limiting her strength was a bit foolish considering, as the opponents would certainly not. However, she could not fight for very long, as her pool of prana was limited at the moment, and she was still feeling the effects of her previous wound.

The beautiful sword she held started to vibrate, and then thrummed with the power she was channelling through it.

All her might was brought forth, and the sword that had once cut through an entire cliff, was almost glowing with power.

"Prepare yourself!"

With a swift cut downwards, a bright swathe of light cut towards the many eyed Saber.

---

Gigamesh
In the now unowned house.

---

"You're annoying, woman. Buzz off." With a single gesture he cast off his armor as well as his clothes. He was not dumb enough to simply walk out into the general population wearing his magnificent armor after all. His splendor would dazzle the populace too much for him to be able to enjoy whatever this city has to offer properly. Thus, he would borrow the dead man's wardrobe for the moment, until such time he can procure better clothes that fits well into today's culture. Tch, it annoys him even to think about it, but the plebeians would annoy him so much more if they took the full brunt of his grandeur.

"If you must know my name, then know that I am Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes. For you, calling me 'My Lord' or 'My Liege' would be privilege enough. Or perhaps... YOU should be calling ME 'MASTER' instead."

He took on a simple white t-shirt and jeans. After a moment's contemplation, he unbuttoned the top half of the shirt.

"Now you may be poor and homeless, but rest assured that I will not be as foolish as you are. Who the hell do you think I am?"

***

He reached the center of the city after some time of walking, having pointedly ignored the woman just now. There should be some gambling here somewhere, perhaps in that bar over there. Gilgamesh smiled in anticipation and walked on in.

He's got to start somewhere to get money after all.

---

Vilka
Sometime after the summoning, her uncle's study.

---

"Uncle."

She opened the door to find her uncle with one of the maids, who was bound, gagged and blindfolded sitting on his lap. There was no question to what he was doing with her even with his desk in front of him, and what VIlka could smell all the way from the door confirmed it.

"Uncle, I am successful."

"Congratulations, you're one step closer to your dream now." He stopped for a moment, then leaned back, holding the thoroughly exhausted maid to him. "Now, pardon me while I tend to my.... business here. Afterwards, we should get the next phase of preparation ready for the war."

Vilka nodded, closing the door slowly as she heard the maid plead to let her rest for a moment. Did her uncle remove the gag? After listening through the door a moment, she sighed and walked away back to her room. Saber, that emotionless thing she had summoned, doesn't seem to care much about anything, or even respond to much. She never seemed to leave her side as well, so it was not impossible she had seen Vilka's uncle in the act. Her uncle was a fairly decent person in Vilka's opinion, honest and never seeming to judge her.

"You... I have no need of you until our preparations here are complete. Until I summon you back you are free to do as you like. Oh, and do check out any Servants you happen to meet."

She returned to her room, noticing immediately the maid sleeping on one of the armchairs there. The maid was different from all the other maids because this one was VIlka's personal maid. That and she wore a collar with a length of chain still attached to it.

Her own maid.

Her own pet.

And the third and last of those she could trust and actually like. Pulling on her chain to wake Ellie, her pet, Vilka got ready for bed.

Rider

Rider walked through the streets of Septum, clutching a cup of what the Grail told him was "coffee". Whatever it was called, the stuff was bloody amazing, as it focused his mind far more than tea ever had. He could've used this substance back when he'd been planning campaigns and plotting the downfall of his enemies. Of course, given the Grail War, it was likely that he'd be doing much of the same as he had in life, albeit with far less soldiers and resources this time.

"Face me." A voice cried in his head, carrying the unmistakeable presence of a Servant with it. Rider snorted.

"Really?" He muttered to himself as he turned to face the direction the presence emanated from. "Just a direct challenge? They're not even trying to stay concealed? This is just idiotic." Rider shook his head, sighing. Oh, well. He might as well go and observe this gathering of fools, if only just to scope out his competition.

Ten minutes later, Rider stood in front of the stadium that the Servant's signature originated from. Shedding the overcoat that his Master gave him, he summoned his armor back onto his body and walked inside.

Avenger didn't quite know what to make of her Master.

Compared to the first, she didn't seem to mind her company; the dark-armoured Servant had been allowed to guard and stand by the girl for the past few hours, just offering silent protection as she went about her business in the mansion. The two didn't seem to bother each-other, so that was something at least.

In regards to what happened in the mansion, Avenger could only muster up disinterest. Once she might have very violently objected to some of the goings-on in the place, but now she could hardly bring herself to care. Even when Vilka walked in on her uncle violently fornicating with one of the maids with Avenger in tow, she just stared without intruding upon the order of the mansion; what she had seen not so long ago was far worse than any of the debauchery she'd see around here, after all, and this act itself wasn't a whole lot worse than what she had been faintly aware of her Knights getting up to in life.

Eventually, however, her Master issued her orders.

"Understood." Avenger replied simply as she was given free rein, turning to leave the mansion as Vilka went off to do whatever it was she did late at night.

Bloodshot eyes widened in surprise, a pang of mild recognition running through Saber's mind.

A beautiful blade.

A familiar blade.

But t'is not that blade. Nothing compares.

Saber made no effort to move as the blade of light came crashing down upon it, eerily calm when it shuts its eyes. The impact could be felt through out the stadium, a thunderous noise coming from where Saber had evidently been hit. Chunks of dirt and grass flew from the epicentre, a cloud of dust obscuring Lancer's vision from her handy work. It couldn't be that easy, could it?

Of course not.

The Knight's warped blade cut through the obtrusive dust, sending it to the wind and allowing to see Saber in all his unharmed glory. The spot of ground at its feet remained untouched as well - the air warped and contorted in black hexagonal shapes clustered around Saber.

"Admirable effort, Lancer. That strike would have left a most difficult to manage wound, even with my Battle Continuation. Nor did I expect to have to draw this Noble Phantasm," It gestured to the black ephemeral hexagons around it, "to such an extent so soon."

It lowered its blade, both hands gripping the hilt. It got into stance, an aggressive looking thing with a few openings in it. To the trained eye it would be evident that the openings are purely bait; there to punish anyone silly enough to bite for them.

"Effort should be rewarded. This is Aswad Hafiz, the Black Shield. Had you been less eager to finish this so quickly, then your attack may have been strong enough to bypass it - but that is not the case."

Its plated foot dug into the ground, cratering under the force of Saber launching towards Lancer at speeds only a Servant could move and keep up with. Saber brought its large, wicked blade down upon Lancer.

"Refreshment"
Café, Septum

---

Eyelids tentatively flickering open once again, Saber looked up at the shadowed figure looming over her. She could feel this person's warmth, just as clearly as she could feel the power linking the two of them together. With a blush, Saber closed her eyes once again and stoppe to gather her thoughts. Her body felt...warm, and filled to the brim with a sluggish, sickly feeling. In the back of her head, she could feel two sorts of prickling, one coming from the outside and another from the inside. This presence was...a Servant!

"M-Master...I can feel...another Servant."

Breathing heavily, Saber struggled to lift herself from her Master's lap-

Before a hand placed itself on her shoulder, keeping her down.

"I know. I can feel it too," Beatrice began in a tired tone as she took a sip from her drink, "All things considered between you and me, I think we're going to give this one a miss."

Irritation was clear in the woman's tone; and as before, it was easy enough to assume that irritation was directed towards Saber. Beatrice's body language did nothing to disprove it; it was blank as she just sat there with Saber's head on her lap, slowly working her way through her drink.

Saber let herself rest back on Beatrice's lap, looking up at her Master's face with a distinctly disheartened expression on her face. Her thoughts were bothering her, so when she spoke, her voice was tentative and filled with doubt...

"Master...are you angry with me?"

As Saber spoke, Beatrice seemed to pause, her expression unchanging as she thought to herself.
"Maybe a little," She answered honestly after a lull of about ten seconds, putting her drink down and pausing again before continuing with- "But that isn't entirely fair. Or accurate."

Again, she paused. Evidently she was tired, and she was even more evidently having trouble putting her thoughts into words.

"Saber... Do you know why I joined this war?"

"No, Master. Was it because you had some wish you needed to be granted?"

"Not even that. I just joined because I wanted to fight. In all honesty, I haven't got a bloody clue what to wish for if I- if we win."

Saber frowned a little, closing her eyes to think for a moment. Soon after, she opened them again and frowned

"Master, I am sure that when we win, you will be able to think of something."

"I'm not worried about the wish, Saber," Beatrice interjected, perhaps a little more sharply than she needed to- which she seemed to realize as she hesitated for a moment.

"Look, like I was saying- I came to this War to fight. The wish hardly even matters to me, to be honest. All I want is to fight other Magi that the silly cup judged as worthy and watch ancient heroes collide in battle. When I summoned you, something went wrong, and you ended up like you are now. Weakened, unable to fight or hold your own against other Servants- so yeah, I guess I'm angry at you."

Beatrice sighed, suddenly avoiding eye contact with Saber.

"But that's the way of thinking that's got people killed in the past. Thinking that'll get us killed. Whatever happened with your summoning, it had to have been my fault. That much is obvious. I'm angry at myself more than I am at you. You didn't ask to be summoned, it wasn't your choice to be crippled- The least I can do is make sure you're safe until you recover. We're in this together, now, and we're going to have to work the best we can as a team if we're going to live long enough to fight for real."

It was an honest outpouring of emotion; and afterwards, Beatrice fell silent, slumping forwards onto the table whilst still avoiding eye contact with Saber.

Suddenly, Beatrice felt a soft, warm hand against her cheek.

"Master...?"

Saber waited for her Master to look at her.

"You haven't ordered anything yet, right?" Beatrice suddenly asked, evidently embarrassed and still avoiding eye contact with Saber as she made a blatant attempt at changing the subject, "You should probably get something warm inside of you."

Saber laughed weakly upon noticing her Master's embarrassment, and calmly stated-

"I don't think I can move."

"... Fuck it, I'll feed you if I have to. And carry you back," Beatrice grumbled with a sigh towards her hopeless little Saber, "You want some hot chocolate, or something?"

"...Yes please."

GreaannGots & Ert of Fan cullab

---

A shield... Interesting.

A Saber more oriented to defense is rare to find, like a Lancer specializing in the same. A shield strong enough to hold off her sword? It was obvious that such a shied would then need to be circumvented by another means, using wits and smarts to bypass the shield.

Too bad she wasnt really in the mood for those. Brute force was more her style and any shield will break given enough pressure.

Her sword met with the large two hander that was Saber's, the force of the two swords clashing unleashing a shockwave of air around them. Lancer had simply blocked the sword with her own, the ease with which she took the blow betraying her great strength.

Three more minutes, she thought.

"Surprised?" Lancer spoke. "Do not underestimate my strength."

Her shield hand flew towards Saber's stomach, even as Lancer held his sword with her own.

The shield slams against the giant Saber's gut, forcing the titanic swordsman to back off from the clash of swords. For all the strength of Saber's shield, it only seemed to block unique effects and attacks.

Its gauging blow had given it some indication to the strength rank of its opponent, enough to equal, if a little bit less, its own under the current circumstances and greater than its when the circumstances are not met. A worthy opponent, if a bit eager to finish the duel.

"A decent parry and counter, t'is something I shall admit," Saber adjusted its footing, readying its self to strike again, "But it is not exceptional!"

Saber brought its large blade from the side, howling through the air - Lancer's experienced eyes would have no issue noticing the amount of raw power behind the blow, far greater than the last.

Might take two hands to block this one.

With a loud shriek of metal clashing upon metal, the blow swept the smaller Lancer off her feet sending her flying through the air, before she flipped backwards and landed heavily on her feet.

However, she remained unharmed, with only another scratch on her shield to show for that blow.

"Is that all?" She scoffs. "I have withstood other heroes with strength far greater than this, taken blows that would make the mountains shudder, faced down those who were blessed by the gods themselves!"

That was some food for thought. The multiple eyes of Saber were drawn to the blade, the shield and then back to Lancer. It rested its twisted broadward over its shoulder, humming.

"Really now? Would you happen to be Greek by any chance?"

There was a knowing edge to to Saber's distorted, agender voice. It brought the blade back down into stance, its eyes squinting. It didn't take a genius to figure out that it was planning something in its mind.

"Posuting and baiting aside, Lancer, I appreciate your strength and hardiness. Most would have been cleaved apart, blessing of the gods or not. I am glad you are my first opponent in this war."

It waited, putting the immediate offensive to the side and allowing Lancer to make the next move.

Two minutes, she thought. She would have dearly liked to fight more, perhaps get him unarmed, but.... Saber didn't have to know that, and he certainly didn't have to know she could fight for two more minutes before her master's prana channeling to her grew insufficient, making her use her own. Besides, there seemed to be others drawn to his challenge.

"Hmph. I would have dearly liked to clash swords but, with my contraints, such hard headedness on my part would only be disadvantageous to me." Her sword thrummed with power once again, almost deafening to the ear. With a swing another swathe of light appeared, raising dust and debris as it exploded where Saber was. As the dust cleared, Lancer had already turned invisible and was long gone.

A retreat - not something Saber had seen coming. It raised an arm to block out most of the light from its several eyes, shying away from it.

"Another time, perhaps."

It would not call Lancer a coward, for there was no shame in a tactical retreat, especially when you were already at an apparent disadvantage. It didn't stop Saber from feeling disappointed, but at least it had other potential enemies to look forward to.

With Lancer gone, Saber rammed its blade into the ground, resting its hands on the pommel. Not a completely unsatisfying first engagement.

Annaliisa and Assassin

Annaliisa plopped down on the stadium bleachers, watching the duel between Saber and Lancer from a good distance away. While their little spat was amazing in spectacle and made for a decent watch, she was still more interested in scoping out enemy Masters.

“Hmm, you see either of the Masters yet, Nemo?” She asked the empty patch of air next to her as she took a sip of her drink.

“Unfortunately, no,” The Servant’s voice replied from that empty patch of air, as he shook his invisible head, “I think we might just be dealing with a couple of hotheads. No Masters anywhere, just came out to beat each-other to a pulp.”
There was a brief pause, before he continued.
“Though, I should probably note this if you haven’t already realized; one of the Servants down there- the Saber class, it seems- has a poor matchup against my skills and Noble Phantasm.”

Annaliisa paused, pursing her lips as she considered the offer. If Assassin believed that he could win, who was she to question an ancient hero of legend?

“If you think you can take him, have fun.” She said, tossing her hair back. “This little trip might as well not be a waste for one of us. But Lancer will be a problem. Either offer her an alliance or wait for Saber to take her out. Your choice.”

“It would probably be a good idea to wait until we know Saber’s Noble Phantasms, but I feel like I’d have a realistic chance of defeating him after we identify and assess them,” Nemo began, nonetheless nodding to Annaliisa, “And I can’t disagree on Lancer. We’ll have to keep an eye on that one at the very least.”

“Well then, have at it.” She gave a flippant wave of her hand. “I’ll be here, cheering you on, I suppose. While still looking for other Masters, of course.”

“Thanks for the moral support.” Nemo snarked with a dry chuckle, before he rose from his crouch and began to think over what he’d seen so far in the battle.
Both the Saber and the Lancer had displayed what seemed to be their Noble Phantasms; Lancer with her bizarre sword of light, and Saber with some defensive Noble Phantasm that he could have sworn he heard Annaliisa call a ‘bloody A.T Field’. Even the Grail seemed stumped by that one, but nonetheless, it was an interesting Noble Phantasm. With the mechanics of his own Noble Phantasm, he could likely bypass it, but actually killing Saber could prove problematic unless he executed the technique perfectly.

He’d have to wait until he could identify the Saber’s other Noble Phantasms- his two-handed sword was likely to be an offensive Noble Phantasm, at the very least- and it seemed he’d have to wait a while for that, as he was suddenly distracted from his thoughts by the sight of Lancer throwing up a cloud of debris and destruction around her. And, as it cleared, she was gone, leaving Saber behind.

“Do we engage or do we retreat?” Nemo asked Annaliisa as he watched the Saber place his sword into the ground in disappointment, “We’ve learnt a reasonable amount about our opposition tonight, Master. I could attempt to kill Saber now that we’ve identified him as a poor match against my abilities, but do remember he could have a second Noble Phantasm that could prove problematic.”

“I’m aware,” Annaliisa began before her attention was turned back towards the stadium again as a third figure entered. A large Asian man clad in iron armor and a purple cape stepped forward towards Saber, bearing the unmistakable presence of a Servant.

“Saber!” He bellowed, drawing a golden Chinese jian. “As Servant Rider, I accept your challenge!”

“Well.” Annaliisa paused as she turned back to Assassin. “That solves that problem. Let’s wait it out for a bit longer.”

In response, Nemo just nodded; he seemed interested by Rider, and also by the possibility of being able to learn more about Saber than he was from his battle with Lancer.
“Agreed. I’d also have pointed out that a failed first strike can be fatal for an Assassin, but I suppose that’s a little irrelevant now. And maybe a little patronizing?”

“Honestly, it’s like you take me for a schoolgirl or something.” Annaliisa huffed. “I’m a bloody Enforcer, for Christ’s sake. I know my way around a scrap, alright? So just sit back down and watch the show.”

Gilgamesh
Acquirement of glorious money

---

That was easy.

Within a few matches of this poker thing, which he was sure was called something else back in his time, he had already amassed a small amount of money, around five thousand something, plus a fancy bike someone put down after losing most of his money. With the money that he had, he had rode next to another, a place they call the lottery. Come tomorrow, he would see if the ticket he bought was a winner. What was he saying? OF COURSE it was a winner. The king's instincts were always correct.

He could have always took out several bars of gold, or whatever else he could part with, and sell it, but making money out of nothing was always a fun experience.

For now.... Where was that ugly meat doll? Did she crawl back to her homeless poverty place? Hmph, perhaps he could give her a small taste of wealth. Besides, having a Master that lives in the dirt was.... nauseating for him. With a powerful whirr of the engine, Gilgamesh rode towards his Master, using the link between them to find her. It was easy enough to find her, it was not as if she was deliberately hiding.

He stopped in front of her, doing a fancy circle turn with the bike.

"Yo, meat doll. You look as poor as ever."

Saber

---

Barely a moments reprieve - just how Saber liked it. First a rather impressive knight of the Lance, and now a Servant of the Mount answered his call. The unholy-looking knight tilted its 'head' backwards somewhat, its many eyes appraising the new challenger. This man...there was certainly something very powerful about him, more so than what Saber expected from a Rider. It wasn't any definite, a gut feeling if anything, nothing to judge a possible outcome over.

Saber knew this was getting risky. The Servant of the Blade looked to to the bleachers, eyes squinting over at the seated duo. It risked giving away too many of its little tricks, with Aswad Hafiz already out in the open it did not exactly want to give away any more of its tricks. While its identity couldn't be discerned from Aswad Hafiz alone, the full extent of its power wasn't something it wanted to use on the first day.

"A tad late, Rider! I have already fought a servant of the lance. However, I shall respect your acceptance."

It drew its sword from the ground, doing a mental check on its ability to fight. Lancer had put a dent in its personal reserves, but it could still handle one more fight before needing to retire for the night to recharge. It could leave now and prepare for the coming nights...

Ah, who was it kidding. It was going to fight.

"As Servant Saber, I challenge you Rider."

It took up stance, sword before it in a defensive posture, awaiting Rider to make the first move.

Kalameet, somewhere beneath Septum...

Silence is all that can be heard around the illuminated sanctum that Kalameet stands upon as his hands moving in a symphonic motion as if he were directing an orchestra. Although, there was a clear sense of restlessness through his movements. His cruel side was getting the better of him as he violently orchestrated the crystalline objects around him, forcing them into positions and making them untraceable as he filled them with more than enough necessary energy for what he had in store for them. Things were going for too slow than what he had intended. Servants of all kinds have been summoned, some have been forcibly killed, some by his own hands, and yet still a victor had yet to be declared.

Days have passed now, but only a few show true potential of being capable of legitimately being declared the victor of this war, and holding the honor of having their wish granted. Then, there were also some who didn't show potential, some who he found to be... in simple terms- unwise to hold the grail.

First, that unholy tyrant... she was once a pure maiden, or, in her time, a 'he'. The King of Knights, King Arthur; the mightiest of all heroes in terms of honor who wielded the holy sword Excalibur and led the mighty knights of Camelot... but now look at her. A fallen Tyrant who would kill and throw away anything to achieve her goals... Normally, such a thing like that wouldn't be a problem for Kalameet, but to forget one's original ideals and betray them, to go against one's beliefs and to follow another path to achieve one's ends is not what he seeks for 'her'.

Although, she pales in comparison to the bigger threat... Gilgamesh. Truth be told, a chance to fight to so called King of Heroes is a marvelous chance that even Kalameet himself would find interesting, although there is no doubt in his mind he would win considering the Noble Phantasm that he wields, but it would be fun nonetheless. However, to allow someone such as him to casually walk over the other contestants and claim 'her' would make him even bitter.

Either way, those two must swiftly be dealt with. Still, despite the minor problems, some Servants have already begun fighting at the stadium... hopefully some may die to quell the numbers, if not, then he would have to speed things up. Being caught up in all of his plans and his thoughts, Kalameet didn't take the time to notice The Maiden walking up to him.

"You're stressing yourself again... Why are you so set on seeing this war end? I thought you didn't want it to end?" asked the Maiden as she took as seat as it materialized itself before her.

"I don't want the war to end for reasons of my own, my lady... but, as per your request, I must see to it that it does no matter the cost. In the end, those who die are meaningless as long as a victor is chosen... aside from those I've decided to eliminate."

"What do you mean by 'decided to eliminate'?" she asked curiously.

"Gilgamesh, King of Heroes and the now tainted King Arthur, King of Tyrants that has been summoned. While there are more I wish to eliminate, those two are on my first priorities," he replied as he finished placing the large crystals throughout the sanctum.

"You are to not interfere, Kalameet... That is an Overseer's job."

"You are correct, however, when there are anomalies that can disturb the initial plan of the war, then I see no reason for me not to interfere as I did with Caster. Thanks to you, I have no restrictions like the other Servants and their simple Class systems... for I have no container, I am a class of my own per se."

"Still... what you did to Caster was wrong... and uncalled for."

"He was strong, I admit, and I liked him. Were we not in a war he could have lived, but we were, so I eliminated him to preserve the candidates. My eyes saw exactly what the future had in store for me the moment he was summoned, so I already made counters to his unique speech impairment and whatever else he could do. As for the things that I faced, like I said, counters were already in place, and that was all for show and for me to show off the Lance of Longinus a bit, whether or not someone actually saw them while I was facing them can be up for debate, but it is irrelevant now. Point being, he was a threat to the candidates of the Holy Grail, and he needed to be eliminated... nothing else."

The Maiden grew silent as she heard him speak in a matter-of-fact tone. "So, what do you plan to do now?"

"Well, your gaze still pains me after what I did to Caster, so... I wont be going after them personally, but I do have 'them' watching over the entire sanctity of Septum. While it's not necessary since I have a good grasp of things, it allows me to relax while they do the work. Anyway, I plan to send 'him' to face Arthur, and those two to face Gilgamesh. Amusing, yes... If they prove to me that they can actually face their 'true' selves and perhaps change their ways, maybe I'll consider giving them a second chance. In the meantime, the Holy Grail War is going to be escalated even further."

"...What do you mean by that?"

"I've asked War, Pestilence and Conquest, Famine, and Death to begin using their Noble Phantasms at the four cardinals to strengthen themselves for the upcoming fight and to seal Septum permanently until a winner has been chosen. I've provided them with plenty of vassals to use so that they can gather strength from. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse will be ready to ride out when I give them the signal to, and it will take a many Servants to stop all of them... unless they band together and decide to stop them one by one, and make things easier," spoke the Overseer as three figures began to construct themselves next to him.

"W-Who are they...?" asked the Maiden hesitantly as she looked over the three males who were created beside Kalameet. These beings didn't seem as if they were controlled, nor did they feel like they were actual Servants.

Kalameet, raised a hand towards the Maiden to give give him a moment as he calmly explained to them that he granted them life before giving them their targets. The knight sighed a bit, until hearing of the tainted king, before scowling and nodding. "Also... I've taken the liberty of permanently unsealing your holy sword, along with granting you all the beneficial boosts it gives you. Just... don't go waving it around, alright?" The proud heroic knight paused a bit, stunned at how such a thing was possible... or how someone could outright overwrite a Noble Phantasm's seals and unlock them. There was no point arguing however, and instead he went ahead to face his target. The other two, a simple, yet stunning man wearing robes smiled as a familiar golden haired man, yet with a less kingly temperament over him. He discusses with the two their target, and while the golden-haired man refuses at first, it takes but a simple sentence from the stunning one to convince him otherwise to assist. The two then take their leave.

"To answer, your question... Maiden, they are our answer to our problem," he grinned before returning to his work with the crystals.

---

Ariel

"Oh shut up, Goldy..." barked the girl as she stood up, and flung her guitar on her back with her things in a backpack. "Also, I got my things while you were out getting a... bike?" she gazed at the motorcycle suspiciously before shaking her head. "Really? That is the best you could come up with? You couldn't have like, I don't know, decided to pick up something not so cliche?"

Sighing, Ariel strapped her backpack on, and flicked the back of the King of Hero's head before taking a seat on backseat of the motorcycle. "Also, stop calling me meat doll, I have a name and it is Ariel. A-R-I-E-L. ARIEL," she barked before getting comfy. "So, I did some thinking and I decided we should probably head to Septum Spritz Hotel, it's fancy for your tastes, but there's enough people there that we wont draw the attention of other 'mongrels' as you like to call them?"

Lancer

---

She returned to the hotel room quietly, being careful not to disturb her Master.

Tch, that servant was quite something. Would her noble phantasm even be enough to pierce that shield? The shield did not seem to deflect her attack with her shield however, so perhaps.... Her martial skills should be enough to take that strange looking Saber out, but she has less than the minimum amount of prana supplied. The servant being able to take her on squarely proved he was not of her place's origin however, as she would have held an advantage over most of them.

Feeling tired all of a sudden, she slumped down on a wall across the bed, closing her eyes for a moment of respite.

---

Vilka

---

A very good morning.

The sun shone through her windows, as she went on preparing herself for the day. Her maid hummed cheerfully as she brushed Vilka's hair. Vilka pulled on her chain lightly, causing the maid to stop momentarily, before continuing after adjusting her collar a bit.

"All done, Mistress."

With that a black shadow enveloped Vilka's naked body, before solidifying and shaping itself to be the usual black and while garb that resembled a nun's dress, though with a shorter skirt that revealed her black stockinged legs.Rewarding her maid with a pat on the head, she concentrated on the link to her Servant.

-Search and destroy. I don't care who you find, whether Master or Servant. Relay their location to me before attacking.-

---

Gilgamesh, King of Heroes.

---

"Really? That is the best you could come up with? You couldn't have like, I don't know, decided to pick up something not so cliche?"

"Hmph, I do not expect a commoner- nay, a mere meat doll to understand a king's refined tastes." Truth be told, he had a much more glorious version of it somewhere in his vault, if he remembered it correctly, but such gloriousness would attract too much attention in this early stage of the war. This was adequate however, at least until the money comes in tomorrow, and then he would find the greatest one this era has to offer.

"Also, stop calling me meat doll, I have a name and it is Ariel. A-R-I-E-L. ARIEL. So, I did some thinking and I decided we should probably head to Septum Spritz Hotel, it's fancy for your tastes, but there's enough people there that we wont draw the attention of other 'mongrels' as you like to call them?"

"Hmph. Well done. I will reward you by remembering your name. However, meat doll Ariel" He looked down on her with a slight look of disgust on his face. "Those clothes are abhorrent and reeks of your poorness. You will first go and get a more fitting outfit for one who serves the Golden King himself."

Wasting no more time, he revved up the engine, and tore off down the street with Ariel behind him, going first to the tailor who had fitted him earlier with decent clothes.

Avenger

She felt her Master's words pour into her head as she scanned through the alley.

There were clear signs that someone had passed through here with great force at extremely high speed; there were dents in the ground, presumably from the sheer force of someone travelling at vast speed whilst reinforced. She'd intended to follow the tracks to those that had made them, and so her Master's words were only an affirmation of that; but morning had closed in, and whilst it was still early, the streets would be filling up with people soon. Without the ability to dematerialize, or fade into the shadow as she had before her defeat last time, she would need some casual clothing in order to fit in. She remembered the utility of such clothing from her first venture; she'd just have to find a way to obtain some this time.

She reckoned asking her Master would be pointless; she seemed as interested in her as her first Master, if perhaps a little more courteous about it. She'd have to get ahold of some money in order to buy some- though, for that, she'd probably have to steal some money from someone in order to achieve that. At which point, she may as well have just stolen the clothes to begin with.
...
She'd take her chances with her Master, she thought to herself, as she headed out to leave the alley. Make a sweep of the remaining city and head back to base; she'd fulfill her Master's orders and have an excuse to ask her about the clothes, then.

Gwyn

While Saber was confronting those at the Stadium, Gwyn was walking down the sidewalk, keeping his presence obscured and the fact that he was a Master well-hidden. Daylight was breaking, and he knew that the activities of both Servants and Masters would be severely hindered at this time. Throwing another piece of candy into his mouth, he continued on his way until he came across something as it made its way out of an alleyway.

It was a young girl... a knight in black armor without any doubt, and a Servant that he could tell thanks to him being a Master. Her aura was... odd, but it did not instill any sort of fear in him nor did it cause him to hesitate. Were he to fight her, there was a very good chance he'd lose, but he could perhaps hold her off until Saber came to help him. No- perhaps he could try something else. While he did in fact join this war to fight and only kill the Servants, perhaps he could get a chance to meet the Master of this Servant if he played his cards right, and tried to persuade them.

"Hey," spoke Gwyn without a hint of fear or any signs of being intimidated as he walked towards Avenger, "little early to be wearing armor as black as that, don't you think? If you're in desperate need of clothes, I can help you pick out some from the store nearby that's always open," he continued to say as he pointed towards the clothes store across the street. "Oh, and as a gesture of goodwill, want some candy?" With a smile, Gwyn handed out his signature bag of candy that he had bought earlier towards Avenger.

---

Ariel

After driving with Gilgamesh getting fitted into something slightly more desirable for the King of Heroes' tastes and returning back to their new home, it was hard to believe that Ariel was once homeless, although, her attitude remained the same. "I don't really like this outfit all that much, Goldy..." she mumbled as she pulled on the edges of her dress a bit. "Still, I do suppose it does look rather nice compared to what I was dealing with before... and that shower sure did help as well."

"Alright, since I'm decent looking, and we've gotten my things all transferred over here... how about you start telling me about yourself? You did come out of thin air last I remember, and you did kick my 'dad' out a window before going off to gamble or whatever. Like... what's your name, what can you do, and like... what is your purpose for being here?" asked Ariel as she calmly took out her guitar from its case and began tuning it as she sat down on a fancy sofa where some snacks was already set. After a few seconds of silence, she looked back up at her Servant, before strumming upon it in a steady rhythm as she spoke again.

"I take it since you are haughty and with that temperament of yours, you must be someone who's fairly important, or think they are so? What are you supposed to be, a king or something?" she asked in a joking tone.