It was a warm summer night in Redrock. The streets were not empty, but the people on them were sparse. While it was not a small town, it was not an enormous city, either. It was a location that straddled the line between town and city, and therefore the nightlife was also a reflection of this. Some people were out on the streets, and yet many remained in their homes. This night was ideal for the beginning. There were many locations in which someone who desired to remain unseen could inhabit. The forest outside of Redrock. The burnt-out remains of the Rickert mansion in the North, left as a monument to the tragic deaths that had occurred there. The unseen catacombs beneath the city that were as old as the nation. For tonight was the beginning of something that the relatively peaceful town of Redrock had never before encountered. Tonight would be the beginning of a battle that had once thought to have been silenced, but was no longer.

Tonight was the beginning of the battle that would decide who claimed the omnipotent wish-granting machine known as the Holy Grail.

Redrock's old Church, an impressive building based upon the gothic style of architecture, housed a foreign representative of the Catholic Church this night. And for many nights after this, indeed. She sat quietly. Naturally, she was prepared to meet each and every team that would be informing her of their participation. She had been told, however, that this war would hold far more then seven participants.

The blue-haired Executor let out a small sigh.

She was without a meal, and it would be a long night.

---

Drip... drip... drip...

She had to empty it all, naturally. She had been given precisely the required amount of blood for her task, drained from several animals and stored for this purpose explicitly. The catalyst she had been provided with, too, purportedly would summon an excellent strategic Caster. The young woman suspected this was because her superiors in the Association believed she lacked a strategic mind, and yet she did not hold it against them. The confidence she had in herself was enough for her, she did not need the confidence of her bosses. Besides, they had seen fit to deploy her as their representative, had they not? That meant they had confidence in her, no matter how little they would admit it. She had to admit, a Servant of the Caster class was not her first choice if she had made the decision herself, but at the same time she was confident that any Servant she could summon would win her this war.

Indeed, the one summoned by this fan was no stranger to war. Perhaps it would be a better pairing then she hoped. Which, to be fair, her hopes were very high indeed.

Fio Mal-Rai, Magus hunter for the Association, never took the cynical outlook on her own path. No, it was always the path that she knew would lead her to success. The very same mindset applied to this war for the Holy Grail. She would work and work and work until she found success, and she would not stop until she claimed victory. In her mind, there was no-one that could stand in her way if she applied herself and the capabilities of her Servant properly.

The hall of the home she was supplied with for the Holy Grail War was rather stately, albeit now marred with the presence of a circle of blood. Oh well, the carpet and flooring was a rather small sacrifice in the name of victory.

She stood at the circle. Fio outstretched one hand, and felt it. She felt the flow of prana in her body, igniting in her. Her magic circuits were a flurry of activity. Naturally, a ritual to call down a Heroic Spirit from the Throne of Heroes would cause quite a fervor in her frame, would it not?

"Silver and iron to the origin. Gem and the archduke of contracts to the cornerstone. The ancestor is my great master Schweinorg."

She could feel it blazing inside of her. Fio's heart hammered with excitement. Truly, this was her entry into the War for the Holy Grail! Even as an official duty for the Association... there was no way to hide the excitement she felt.

"The alighted wind becomes a wall. The gates in the four directions close, coming from the crown, the three-forked road that leads to the kingdom circulate.
Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill).
Repeat every five times.
Simply, shatter once filled."

With every word, it approached.

"Your self is under me, my fate(doom) is in your sword.
In accordance with the approach of the Holy Grail, if you abide by this feeling, this reason, then answer.
Here is my oath. I am the one who becomes all the good of the world of the dead, I am the one who lays out all the evil of the world of the dead."

Fio thrust her hand out, and the last words were cried out, as if to ensure they truly reached her Servant.

"You, seven heavens clad in three words of power, arrive from the ring of deterrence, O keeper of the balance ―――！"

@Rin, @NRVNQSR, @Yuri, @clanjos, @PKMNB0Y, @Dblade26, @GummyCat, @RolePlayerRoxas, @Raineh Daze, @Medjedovic

In middle of the small 'abandoned' house that Bridget was using as her base of operations for this Grail War, a space had been cleared for the ritual. Empty glass jars inscribed with a rune to preserve their contents were scattered around the complex circle, painted in Bridget's own blood--gathered over time for just such a scenario. If she was going to be summoning an ancient hero to shut down this war, she didn't want to screw up and get Assassin because of her own lack of power. Hopefully, the mana in her blood would help the ritual bring forth something more... useful.

Even as the blonde went through the chant, she couldn't help but respect the artistry that went into creating the Holy Grail. Even if its purpose was foolish, to create an artefact capable of reducing the incredible difficulty of a Heroic Spirit, and encasing it in a container to a simple chant was nothing short of breathtaking.

It was a shame that she couldn't preservce just that part of the machinery.

"You, seven heavens clad in three words of power, arrive from the ring of deterrence, O keeper of the balance ―――！"

As the words were spoken in accordance with the ritual the summoning circle began to glow with blinding intensity, brighter and brighter until for an instant it seemed that the searing corona of the sun itself had accidentally been brought forth into the small abandoned house. Then it was washed out in a sudden flood of cool mist that scattered the light into firefly-like sparkles and where once there was only empty space a figure now stood.

As the mist cleared it revealed a figure with long hair that flowed like a small waterfall of black ink, a harsh, sharp-angled face with keenly observant but dispassionate eyes and rich silk robes and bracers and a choker of solid gold. The most eye-catching thing about the Servant occupying the center of the circle wasn't any of these things. That particular honor belonged to his weaponry, a quiver full of overlarge arrows with jade heads whose fletching must have come from some unnaturally enormous bird and a bow of bright red and gold coloration.

He regarded the girl outside the circle with something between amusement and annoyance, but without any further delays he spoke up:

"So, let's get this over and done with haste, girl. Are you my Master or what?"

If Hakuno had to choose any one reason to never be a magus, she had probably found a good one: Goddamn was it disturbing stuff.

The young successor of the Kishinami family was not exactly passionate about her heritage. Not that she had anything against magecraft, it was just a surprisingly uninteresting trait for her. It was a shame she didn't have an older sibling that could be bothered by all this stuff, instead. But no, it was up to Hakuno to smear her blood, along with the blood of animals for this stupid ritual. It was probably a good thing she started preparations several days early; Hakuno wouldn't describe herself as squeamish, but she spent a looooong time in the bathroom, washing her hands frantically.

Well, either way, it had finally been prepared, all she had to do now was incant the summoning ritual, bring out a Servant, and hope to god she didn't die in the next few days.
The young magus had been wracked with many emotions since she had travelled to this place. Fear had been rather prominent, mixed with dread. A tiny bit of hope... at the current moment, Hakuno was banking on summoning a powerful Servant. She'd been unable to obtain a catalyst for anyone, which meant her chances of getting a weak warrior was extremely high.

So many times, Hakuno had considered just ditching the whole war thing and going back home. Sure, that meant slowly dying of a disease that was going to eat her memories, but participating in this war probably meant a painful, gory death anyway.
But for whatever reason, Hakuno pressed on, putting her misgivings aside. She had carefully studied the steps required to summon, rehearsed the spell so many times, and now... she stood by the magic circle, completing the ritual.

"You, seven heavens clad in three words of power, arrive from the ring of deterrence, O keeper of the balance ―――!"

Concluding the chant, Hakuno watched the emergence of her partner with trepidation, legs shaking as she prepared to answer whoever heeded her call in the most authoritative voice she could muster.

The circle blazed with light. The intensity of the glow grew and grew, flaring as the girl chanted the incantation that would bring about a heroic spirit. A wind seemed to originate from the center, forced outwards and casting a burst of air through the area. And indeed, as the light grew, so too did a growing mist, rising and pouring out from the circle. What else could be expected from the summoning of such a being? A ritual of this nature could not possibly be a quiet and peaceable affair. No, indeed, the light built, the mist grew thicker, and then-...

Then it all faded away. For a few moments it seemed as if something was wrong, but suddenly something began to build in the center of the circle. Motes of green light drifted through the air, collecting and swirling in the center. As they joined together, they began to construct... something. A shape was formed, starting with a pair of armored sandals, then legs in black leggings... further and further, the light traveled, forming an ornately layered hakama with various designs upon its dark pink and white surface, and lacquered armor plating. Further and further up, forming an elegant female form clad in fabric and lacquered armor. Arms were folded across her chest, and at last, silky black hair, a youthful, soft face, and several ornamentations formed from green light. Fixed to her hip was a sheathed katana, or more accurately a nodachi. Only a nodachi would describe a blade of that sheer length.

That soft face was turned in a serious expression as the girl looked upon her Master. She was not at all tall, but at the same time she cast an air of power about her, one someone would expect from a warrior. So, this was the one who had summoned her? Who had called her to the world in order to battle for the Holy Grail? Inclining her head to the side, the black-haired young woman knew precisely what action to take next.

"My class is Saber," she began, "As the one who summoned me, you can only be my Master. Is this correct?"

The circle in front of Fio shone brightly as she finished the incantation, the glow changing from white to blue to white over the course of a few seconds before consuming the entire room in its blinding shine. The burst of light died down moments after, only to be replaced with a tall man holding the very fan that had just been used to summon him. He, whose current class designation was 'Caster', simply waved the fan slightly, as if unperturbed by the ordeal that had just happened. He simply stood there, looking over his apparent Master as she looked back at him, fanning himself all the while.

His appearance was actually quite ordinary, with simple robes and his long black hair tied back; nothing gaudy or extravagant about him in the least. What he did have, though, was an aura of calmness and confidence that seemed to pervade the room's atmosphere. The seemingly brash young girl in front of him served to make him question the situation as a whole, but since there was no possibly alternative in this scenario it truly seemed like this was how it was to be.

"Designated as Caster, I am currently here by your will... So it seems. Should it be necessary, I shall dedicate myself to achieving your wish..." Caster trailed off before looking Fio over once more. "So long as you are to be trusted. So now I ask of you, if for nothing but formality's sake: Are you my Master?"

Fio stood as still as she could, her eyes open for as long as she could manage as the circle grew brighter and brighter. However, when the glow became too much, she had no choice but to shut her eyes and shield them from the brilliantly shining circle. For a few moments, as the images remained in her vision before eventually fading into darkness, she remained. At last the magus hunter opened her eyes, and they fell upon her Servant. It was a man, a Chinese man to be specific. Clad simply and with a calm expression, he seemed something like the respectable sort. Perhaps not as ornate as Fio had hoped for when it came to a hero from legend, but choice in clothing was hardly a chief concern of hers. Indeed, the identity of her Servant made this appearance quite fitting, to be truthful.

And there, of course, was the question. The one that sealed the deal and forged the final bond between Master and Servant, rendering them as a pair in the battle to win the Holy Grail. With a grin, Fio jerked a thumb towards her chest.

"Of course I'm your Master," she began, the tone of her voice practically dripping with a thick coat of confidence, "And you don't have to worry, 'cause I'm the best Master you could hope for."

Even as the overseer of the Grail War sat in quiet contemplation in the Redrock church, elsewhere in that old building five figures began a ritual within a room lit only by blessed candles. As four black-clad nuns finished drawing a magic circle, a fifth, dressed in an immaculate white habit, kneeled down in the center with hands clasped in prayer. For a moment, the dimly lit room was bathed in silence, until sound began emanating from the white nun's lips. It could easily have been mistaken for a hymn, as her melodious voice sang out in Latin an all too familiar incantation.

As she sang, the other four nuns joined in, and as their small choir incanted the words the room slowly began to grow brighter and brighter as the magic circle activated. Raising her hands to the sky, the white nun held aloft the relic she had been gifted by the Church, a catalyst intended to call forth a mighty Servant indeed. Finally, as her singing reached its end, the circle flashed almost blindingly bright as a figure began to materialize...

As the connection between Master and Servant was forged, Sister Phoebe could tell that she had drawn a powerful hand indeed. The most subtle of smiles began to crack upon her face, as she knew that with this Servant... If this Grail truly was equal to that most holy of relics, then there was no doubt that it would soon belong to the Church, were it truly belonged.

Caster inadvertently let out a small sigh behind his feathered fan as his new Master immediately took to asserting herself as powerful. No sense of humility or restraint, as far as he could see... This could prove to be quite vexing. But he would have to wait and see if this girl's actions could back up her words before all else...

"Very well then. From now until my death, we shall be bound towards our common goal." he sighed, concluding the contract and walking out of the summoning circle to bow towards Fio. "That being said, though, I would like to request the ability to look about our current location; I know not of this landscape and would much prefer it if I could understand our location before our to-be adversaries."

Right now, fortifying their current location would have to be a priority. Given how the Grail had given him all the necessary knowledge of the war he was to be engulfed in, it only seemed logical to make sure that his Master was safe. The problem remained, though, that this was by no means a conventional war... At least, not by his standards...

Archer. Some sort of Asian Heroic Spirit, she would wager, and thus likely unfamiliar to the most likely Masters assembled here in America. All in all, the perfect Servant in the rune mage's opinion--someone capable of acting independently and preserving their identity as long as possible.

"I am," she said, ignoring the burning fealing of the Command Seals etching themselves onto her body in favour of rooting around on a table for something; pain was something that she was extremely familiar with, "Archer, how good are you at operating without my direct support?"

---

As the light dimmed and the swirling mist cleared, you could forgive the nun for thinking that something had gone horrifically wrong and, despite her church affiliation, some demonic monstrosity had been called instead of the desired hero: an armoured figure enveloped by darkness, their features indistinct and their entire appearance alien. Yet their bearing and the distorted speech that followed belied the impression, suggesting maybe that things had gone to plan after all.

"I ask of you... are you my Master?" the black knight asked, sizing up his summoner. A nun, much as she had been in the end, and with four more to support her. A Master that he could fully support, should they hold to the vows that they had sworn.

Hakuno watched with wide eyes as her Servant appeared from the circle. Given the lottery approach she had taken, the young magus had no idea what to expect to appear before her. At the very least, in her mind was the image of some larger-than-life figure that exuded sheer power... instead, there was a young woman that wasn't exactly tall or imposing. Well, okay, she was carrying a sword and wearing plenty of armour, but still!

However, this strange woman had identified herself as Saber, and Hakuno simply stared blankly for several moments, unable to comprehend the news. Of all the classes Hakuno could have gotten, with several sounding far too weak for her liking, she ended up with the one class that all the magi tended to rave about for being extremely powerful? That was way too good to be true!

A distracting tingling from her left hand stole away Hakuno's attention for a moment, finding a weird, red symbol engraved on her skin. She touched it lightly with her other hand, momentarily confused about why it was there. This was... oh, right, the Command Seal. That... that proved the Saber standing before her most definitely didn't get lost on her way to a much better Master's house, right?

She looked once more at the armoured Servant, and inhaled. She'd gone too long without answering, after all, "I... yeah, I think so. Er... sorry, you said you were Saber?"

Still grinning, Fio gave firm nod in response to her Servant. Right, that was quick and to the point, and to e truthful she could respect that. It was exactly as he described, after all. He was now bound to her, and he was her only chance to obtain the Holy Grail for the Association.

Caster's suggestion that he got to know the landscape made perfect sense to Fio, as well. Even if her Servant had not made such a request, doing so was immediately on her mind when she first arrived in Redrock. One of her first acts as preparation for the war upon arrival was to do some thorough investigation of the town and the surrounding areas, as well as utilize information provided to her by the Association. It was half-way between a large town and a city, it seemed, caught in development. Around it was a large forest, perfect for covert operation if you so chose. In Fio's opinion, while she wasn't an idiot she was also not the stealthy type. Besides, if her Servant was Caster, couldn't he manage the subterfuge?

"Of course, of course," she said, waving her hand. "It doesn't make any sense not to get a good look at the battlegrounds, now does it?"



Saber was silent as she regarded her Master. For a few moments, quiet, it seemed as if the somewhat taller girl before her was hesitating before confirming their contract. She could not say she particularly approved of such hesitation, but perhaps it was simply a case of the girl needing to get her bearings. As someone who possessed no capability for the use of magecraft, Saber had no knowledge of how such a ritual as the one required to summon a Servant would affect the summoner. So she did her best not to comment on the hesitation, though it was a struggle to hold her tongue, and wait until her potential Master accepted.

At last, the girl indeed did, and Saber stepped forward, clasping both her hands in front of her before bowing low to her Master. Holding this position, she began to speak. "My class is Saber, as stated. I should certainly hope that mishearing what is said to you is not a common occurrence, as that could be very dangerous in battle."

She paused for a moment. Now, though her Master seemed to easily miss information if she did not know what Saber's class was and required it repeated, it was a simple fact that the Japanese Servant truly wished to speak of her deepest desire to the girl.

"I am deeply appreciative of the opportunity you have granted me. To serve a Master once more and aid them in battle is my sole desire in this war," she continued. It was all she wanted, the opportunity to once again serve a Master and fight for them, to conduct honorable combat against foes in the name of winning victory for the one who commanded her.

Saber rose, straightening at last from her bow, and tilted her head upwards to look directly into her Master's eyes.

"I will win you the Grail, for that is my duty."

Caster simply nodded in response to Fio's statement, examining the room they were in before all else. Every nook and cranny of this location would probably have to be known to him to have the best results...

Well, though he could attempt to scout the area on his own, the subsequent lack of prana he would have without a Master would be quite counterproductive, so the most logical thing to do would be to assume his immaterial form to lessen the burden on his Master. He'd have to examine her habits for a few days to come up with a viable strategy, but for now he could do without that mess. On that note, though, he did have an interest in checking out this era's political situations and such. After all, centuries had passed since his time, so it was only natural to get himself up to speed. The Grail didn't provide everything, after all.

"I shall leave the process to you, then... Though, if it isn't too much to ask, I would also like to request some means of accessing records of current and past events." he stated before seemingly disappearing into thin air. "I trust you should be able to execute this with no problems."

...
Hopefully.

Archer regarded his master with the exact same expression of slightly detached amusement, eyes flicking over the general area of the Command Seals with a slight spark of distaste as they appeared on the woman's arm.

"You will be pleased to know I am fully capable of fighting this war without any support from you as a necessity, though of course it is my preference to keep you safe."

He declined to mention that he would be able to carry on for some time after her death. There was no need to spook the woman with the idea that she might die during the oncoming conflict and with any luck he would be able to prevent that from happening. As far as everything else regarding the war well...he would do his duty and play his role, no more no less. What she wanted in terms of her participation was no business of his.

"So...how to determine an appropriate first step to winning this war? I may need to do some scouting in terms of the area..."

"Exactly my thoughts, though more than scouting it would be nice to be able to keep an eye on the area," the girl said, turning around with... a bundle of rocks in her hands? The smooth pebbles seemed to have been inscribed with some small rune, so they were obviously more than their unassuming nature would let on, "I had some time to prepare things before I summoned you, so I linked these to a bowl in my possession. If you place them with the rune facing outwards, I can keep an eye on that area from here."

She also had a way prepared to keep in contact with the Servant from a distance--less mystical, but far more reliable and capable of communicating in both directions.

If her Servant was expecting someone not trained in fighting to present a nice, easily-killed target, then he'd definitely misjudged her.

For a moment, Phoebe believed she had made some mistake. She had expected... Something else, not this dark figure, and fear spread across her face as she gaved at it. Not for herself, no, but for what she believed the Church would do to her for her failure. But as soon as the figure spoke, her fear began to subside.

"Ah, I... I suppose I am, yes," she said, her lips quivering nervously as she stared in awe and... Admittedly still a little fear of her Servant. She wasn't the only one who was a little uneasy here, either, as out of the corner of her eye she noticed Sister Alicia cautiously reaching for something within her robes. "I am Sister Phoebe Miriam of the Roman Catholic Church, and it is an honour to meet you." A faint smile spread across the white nun's face as she curtsied, and soon enough the other four nuns repeated the gesture.

"...Um, right," Hakuno nodded sheepishly at Saber's comment. Already, she had left a poor first impression... but still, Saber was a Saber! That was a guaranteed win right there, right?! She even said it herself! The brunette was powerless to stop the silly grin from spreading on her face.

"I'm glad to hear it! Um, I'm not really the best magus ever, so I hope that won't be a problem! Uh, but I studied a lot! A bit! Er, I think I know what to do and stuff, so don't worry too much about me! Er..."
Hakuno paused her frantic attempts to endear herself to the warrior, and tried to calm her thoughts. The urge to backflip with joy all over the room was a difficult temptation to resist, but she should maybe save that for later - after having her wish granted could be a good start. But for now...

Clearing her throat, Hakuno started over as she returned the stare, hoping she didn't seem like a quivering, cowardly wreck, because she sure felt it, "I-I am Kishinami Hakuno, your Master. I... look forward to our eventual victory together, Saber!"

Nailed it! Hakuno praised herself with delight.

With his Master identified, and the other nuns clearly on her side if she was the church's direct representative in this war and not just one keeping an eye on it, the black knight removed the distortion, revealing distinctive, yet still alarmingly spiky, armour. Much of the rest of the threatening appearance was dispelled by the simple expedient of 'remove the helmet', revealing oddly purple hair and a rather severe set of features that seemed to be permanently disappointed.

"I am Saber, summoned to win this war," the man stated, "Yet to draw my blade before it is needed would be a disaster. For now, Master, I request access to any other weapons you can provide."

Fio cracked her knuckles as her Servant described what he desired. Well that was simple enough, really. Certainly he was meant to win the war, but why make him angry by trying only to do things that directly benefited that path? That just didn't make any sense at all. It wasn't as if she had any shortage or resources in order to fund the purchase of a few history books or whatever. Besides, his class was Caster. That meant that scouting the area was best done in tandem. She could make her way to the local bookstore while he found got his information about his surroundings. It was, naturally, a course of action that would undeniably be a step towards victory. Just as any other course of action she could take.

Fio glanced at the back of her right hand. Well, there it was. The angular shape of her command seal, the three spells that would allow her to deliver undeniable orders to her Servant. She preferred not to use them if possible. Wouldn't that sour their relationship? Hah, she wasn't an idiot. But if she needed instant support, that was another matter entirely. Reaching into her suit pocket, she pulled out a pair of gloves and pulled them over each hand.

"In that case, I'll take a trip out to the local book store while scouting," she began, "With you in spirit form and my command seal hidden, it won't be easy to identify us as Master and Servant immediately."

With that, she turned and headed for the door.



Saber inclined her head to the side slightly as she watched her Master's face spread into a wide grin. While it made her feel as if her Master appreciated her services, it was certainly an uncouth action, was it not? This moment of her declaring her services, her intent to win victory for her Master, was one to be undertaken with the utmost seriousness and care. When her Master expressed worry about not being a suitable magus, Saber shook her head.

Her Master's concerns about being a sub-standard Master were not holding true. Saber could feel the support from her Master, the bond had formed properly as prana went from the girl to her. To put it simply, while her Master may not have been the best among magi, there was no question that she was sufficient as a supplier of prana. As of now, the black-haired young woman who was one of the blade-wielding Servants of this war would have no problem operating in combat and against her opponents. Naturally the performance of higher-ranking abilities would utilize more prana, but currently that was not her chief concern.

"In spite of your uncouth behavior," Saber began, unwilling not to address such actions, "I am glad to have been summoned by you, Kishinami-dono. You need not worry, our bond has formed properly and I will pursue your victory to my fullest capabilities."

After a moment's pause and consideration, she continued.

"Unless you wish to rest, I feel there is only one logical option presenting itself. While the Grail has granted me knowledge of this modern world, I must see it for myself in order to understand our battlefield. I advise that I am allowed to investigate this location tonight."

"...I'm, uh, glad to hear it," Hakuno replied, somewhat thrown off my Saber's comment. Had she just been casually reprimanded? Well... either way, it seemed there was no problem with the summoning, which meant Hakuno was sure that Saber would win with no real trouble at all. That was going to be a massive relief. Now she just had to clean up this circle...

Her Servant then suggested surveying the area, which... certainly made sense. Hakuno herself, having only recently arrived in the area with barely any knowledge of English, had only gone as far as to locate the shops. Maybe she should get more acquainted with the area.
"Good idea!" Hakuno nodded her approval and stepped into her bedroom, returning momentarily with a light jacket in hand, "tactical advantage, right? And I can show you this nice-looking ice-cream store, too! Maybe this time I can actually figure out how to order..."