Lorelei sat on the ground for a brief time in bewilderment, especially after the great horse had finally spat her out onto the ground like a small child would spit out a "gross" vegetable at the dinner table. Observing as Rakhsh propped her servant up like a doting mother, before walking off to eat a bite of grass it seemed, the homunculus was not fully sure what to think at this point in time. Perhaps the horse had heard her say to run into the woods, though the chances it came here on its own were up there as well. It was not like she could talk to the horse, for pity's sake, though from its expressions it was not hard to guess at what the horse would be saying if it could talk. Whatever the case was, there were finally in a rather quiet and seemingly safe place, likely far from the blasted house she has chosen to summon at.

Finally letting out a long, deep sigh at the entire debacle that she was in, Lorelei wiped what phantasmal horse saliva she could off of her face and head. As much as i was tempting to let the horse look after her still seemingly-delirious servant, all while she could go take a hot shower, the fact of the matter was that she needed to take responsibility as a master. A master who had nearly gotten her servant one-shotted right off of the bat, at any rate...

"Thank you for saving us," the homunculus said while looking over to Rakhsh, all the while standing back up slowly just in case something had been pinched or accidentally harmed while she had been carried over here at great speeds.

Perhaps it was strange to thank a horse, but this horse seemed smarter than the average bear by far. It was at least one thing that was in her favor, and made obvious the fact she had summoned a Rider-class servant. In fact, it seemed the enemy was an Archer-class servant as well for that matter, which could mean that if she had been close to the home she might have stumbled into a boundary field or few in the process. After all, the distance between the enemy Archer and her own servant had not been a long, as she herself was left to assume that an Archer would desire to have the most distance between them and their enemy when taking shots like that. So perhaps an enemy master had already taken the house as a base of operations, which in and of itself was an idea that made sense.

Rolling her eyes at herself for not thinking of that bit sooner, the homunculus walked over to where Rostam was leaned against a tree, kneeling next to the giant man's body. The frothy bubbles of blood on his beard were looking similar to colorful "bubble bath" solution from Lorelei's perspective, though this was not exactly the thing she needed to focus on right now. The hole in Rostam's chest was knitting itself up before her very eyes as her healing magic continued to take effect. With somewhat closer inspection of the wound, to her it seemed to have at least stopped the bleeding in some part to stabilize him. Beyond this, it seemed that the spell was finally beginning to mend the internal part of Rostam's torso first. Perhaps she could utilize additional spells to seal off the healing area by repairing the skin, so that way the active time that the ten-count would still be around for would be able to primarily focus on his insides.

"I wonder if we will ever get to a more formal introduction after what just happened, but for now i will try to help patch you up," Lorelei said to her servant, looking down at him as she spoke before looking back to his wound once more with a moderate grimace and a tired if not exasperated look on her face, using her master's clairvoyance to read his parameters and such in the meantime,
"I should have summoned you in a safer place, albeit i don't know where that would be in a war like this, but there's no use crying or whining over the matter. It seems we still are not out of the running for the Grail, though, and thank heavens that your skills helped save your life back there."

She did not much expect him to respond to her at all, though admittedly his "mad" state had seemed to calm down a bit in the meantime. Luckily her hotel room was safe and locked tight by magecraft, though having her First Aid Kit here would have been good for her servant at least. With her Command Seals not burning on her hand, at least it meant no other masters or servant were in the area. For the time being, they could rest. If that meant all night, then so be it if that meant her servant being put back into a condition where he could move again.

But with his large stature, would be he able to fit anywhere? Her hotel room and most building would not exactly be fitting for a servant as large as he, much less would such a place be able to fit the massive horse Rakhsh at that. Still, the matter was not as pressing as the more immediate concerns over her servant's physical state and wounds. They would figure something out, though, and that would be that.

"There." The woman brushed her hands together with an air of casual finality as she surveyed the area before her. The room had been what she expected--more than comfortable enough, and surrounded with enough normal people that hopefully most mages would think twice before attempting any major attacks. The furniture, however, had been arranged in a way that made it a little difficult to manage what she had to do, so she'd moved a few chairs to make space for her summoning circle.

Normally, Marguerite would have waited to summon her Servant until after she had set up her defenses. However, from the impression she'd gained from what study she had done on the Holy Grail War seemed to indicate that waiting too long to do so once she'd reached the battlefield was the equivalent of painting a massive target on her back. Every second she went Servant-less put her at risk, so she simply had to minimize the number of seconds. The Bounded Field could wait.

As she was looking over the room, her eyes rested on a wooden box resting on a table. Despite the urgency, she had done some unpacking--enough to get out this particular object. She was here because of this box after all--and the man who had left it behind. It was only right that it--that her brother--be present to see all of this.

Marguerite reached into the pocket of her suit jacket and pulled out a fountain pen. She had been painstakingly working on her summoning circle for much of the plane ride to Japan, studying the diagram she had found during her research, scrapping every attempt that showed the slightest deviation, until she had drawn it perfectly. Now all she had to do was channel her mana through the pen and place the circle. It wasn't the flashiest of Mystic Codes, but it did its job well.

With the circle placed, she lifted another object from the counter--the catalyst she had acquired--and set it down in position, finishing her preparations. Now for the incantation.



The words were spoken firmly, with utmost confidence. She had gone over the incantation enough times that she likely could recite it in her sleep. This was the voice of a Master who knew exactly what she desired, and how she was to acquire it. This was the voice of a Master who would not accept any less. As she spoke, she felt the burning as Command Seals were seared into her hand, but she continued through the pain, her voice not wavering for even a second.



@Breo

---

It was very hard for Yukimura to put how she was feeling into words. Compared to what she expected her new Lord was so very… Kind may be the term? Or would it be understanding? Either way she had expected someone to be harsher as this was war. She hadn’t considered how the relationship would go beyond the areas they had already covered, thus she was suffering a small bit of surprise.

“Well… Thank you.” Smiling a bit, she tried to think. They already had a base and a class they should target first. It was more than most would go in with, if only because of how unpredictable these wars may get. Not only that but he was asking her to bring him the head of the enemy! Truly something she was familiar with, as she had tried to take Ieyasu’s head even when she was close to death. The best she could do was rip down his flag though, thus the chance to finally do the deed for her new Lord was something that made her feel excited.

The Assassin Class though… That may prove tricky. Not in a direct fight but the issue of actually finding such a servant if they aren’t actively looking for a fight. Assassins were called as such for a reason after all. But she was trusting that he had an idea for finding one.

“Ah and as for tactics I was actually more of one who was in a time of direct war. And I was more suited to having an army than tactics for a single unit. But I am sure the same things shall apply and will tell you what I think when battle comes into the question! If you want to know that is. Once in combat I am thankful you would trust me to do what I believe is best.”

Proudly responding she finally looked up at her Master, removing herself from the floor to give a look that showed both admiration and trust. Not something she should giving so easily, but she truly wanted to work with him to the best of both their abilities. There was one more thing worrying her though…

“If I may ask though… Would you prefer I stay in the form that is not physical, or do I need to acquire clothing suitable to this age so I can defend you even in daylight? While I am not a master, I should be able to use unarmed combat well enough as to not only keep myself a secret, but disable those who try to harm you that aren’t part of the War as well.”

She had decided not to bring up the fact of consumption of energy nor anything beyond that. After all, admitting she had a skill now that, from what she could tell, was basically the equivalent to dumping out half a tank of gas for a single burst of speed was embarrassing. Though this was only because she had yet to consider he might already know. After all he was her Lord. Her Master for the war. And thus he should have a grasp on her abilities already.

That and she was sort of hoping she could remain in her physical form because of two reasons. It truly would be easier to defend him if she didn’t have to waste time appearing was the first. The second was because the modern era seemed so different. She wanted to take the time to enjoy it and explore when they weren’t wrapped up in the fighting and planning of the war itself.

@Breo

@WildChocobo @Moonlit Sonata

Why did he even take that? why did he even decide to go there? The two questions blended into one, more and more as he let himself think on what has been coming to pass. His eyes glanced towards the simple bracelet he wore, and as the faint strange strands of blood-red light began to glow brighter than he'd ever seen them before, so similar, so fitting with the figure with him. He wondered if anything would have happened if he had just chosen a different memento from his father's shop.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9m4LbXNcjmU

Nakae Toshi, 19 years old, unemployed village-boy come to the city to get work. Well, not just any work however. Besides, it wasn't like what he was doing now was related to that.

A ghost house, that's what they called it. As his feet took him further and further away from Shinto he began to feel a bit more at ease. Even if it ultimately felt so different from the rural town he grew up in the amount of people dwindled away until the crowd died into a nothingness. It was called that, a strange, foreigner style manor that was abandoned. Simply there, and then simply abandoned. Who made it? where did they go? It wasn't even at the level of being some forgotten summerhouse. No, for all intents and purposes it was abandoned.

Truth be told he only went there because he was strangely curious, and only then because it was close to the graveyard for some foreigner community. He was looking into being a new caretaker for it. It was a possible job, one that fit his criteria of what he would be fine with.

He wasn't some hunter of the paranormal, or strange mysteries, but he was already out here and truth be told he was almost just looking for an excuse to not have to return to the populated part of the city. Ah, until it was dark at night with no people walking around he just wanted to be out here where it was lonely and sparse. But perhaps it was also the sense that everything was a mystery to him? Coming in recently city life was still something he was adjusting to. The oceans of people, the new landscapes, the giant buildings. Everything was different from the town he spent his life in. Everything was new, everything was a mystery. At least this thing was a crowdless thing he could explore and learn about at his leisure. Speaking of... He looked down at his hand, frowning at a odd bruise he could not remember the cause of. That was one mystery that he just couldn't put his mind to. It was hard to put pain to memory, but something that could cause something like that should be something that stood out at least a bit.

"I'm coming in." he said to nobody in particular, or perhaps just in case that someone was there?

Entering was rather easy, and looking about his eyes didn't see anything. Nothing that seemed abnormal, save for the fact that a manor like this was hardly something he'd usually see. For that matter did that mean that he didn't know what it'd be like if it was abnormal? Ultimately he had to admit to himself he had no real knowledge of western manors. But his eyes could see odd things, not just pain in people, which was the reason he looked into that caretaker job in the first place, but things here and there too. He wondered at times if he was being delusional, or if flights of fancy popped into his vision like a daydream. But if he saw and believed in this strange sight, this strange ability to touch and see people, then why not in that he could see strange things too beyond that?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hm6BKgnuW_s

His phone's faint light guiding him he walked through its dark halls, all the while the sun plummeted outside. Getting back would be a pain in the dark, but at least people wouldn't be around.

It was in one of the dusty rooms that he walked into that he tripped, falling upon the ground as his foot caught on something he couldn't see with the paltry light that his phone struggled to provide. The light shook about as the phone in his hand slipped out of his grasp, and a circle formed into the ground as a groove that dug into stone began to glow, disturbed by his presence. As he fell the room began to be bathed in the circle's soft light.

He struck the ground Without even letting out a grunt of pain despite the ache that spread in response to his fall in his knees, his immediate concern more his phone, his hand reaching out in pursuit as it clattered against the ground, folding back into its closed position and rolling away awkwardly. His hand wrapped around it, only to realize that he could see his arm in detail, rather than barely from the faintest rays of light that came from his phone. His gaze traveled to the circle. He slowly pulled himself to his feet.

The bruise on his hand took on a glow itself, completing its form and burning into his gaze with a flash of red before the circle's light grew into a flash that turned his entire world white.

Assassin returned silently, revealing himself before Hisoka's table and taking a seat.

"Master, I've concluded my reconnaissance of the surrounding area. No familiars, Servants, or any form of surveillance around the estate. For the time being, we are secure." He stated before taking a sip of wine, nodding in satisfaction at the taste. With the report finished, he figured this would be a good time to delve into more tactical matters.

"For the time being, it would be a prudent idea to inform you about my capabilities. Given that you sought me out specifically as a Servant, I assume that you are aware that I proved incompetent at assassination in life." He pursed his lips at the thought, taking another sip of wine before continuing. "As such, my Presence Concealment is weaker than most other Assassins. However, I was fortunate enough to be summoned with the most useful Noble Phantasm in my arsenal." Cao Cao finished the wine, setting the drinking bowl down.

"Speak of Cao Cao, and Cao Cao Arrives. My Noble Phantasm operates exactly how the name describes. If someone speaks my name, I am capable of using Spatial Transference to transport myself to whomever spoke the words Cao Cao, with Presence Concealment active. However, they will know that something is in their presence. Used correctly, it would prove to be a quick decapitation blow to enemy Masters, or simply bypass their defenses entirely."

---

The light from the circle flashed, blindingly so, for but an instant. And the next instant, someone else stood with the Master in the room.

A tall man, powerfully built, dark skin and ashen hair that reached down to his back – not a natural color, but something he had acquired in life after his baptism by dragon’s blood.

A black bodysuit – perhaps leather, perhaps something else – served as clothing, reddish lines running along the edges as decoration. Over it, masterfully crafted silver armor encased the man, large pauldrons, gauntlets, greaves and boots, but no chestpiece. The bodysuit opened at the front, leaving it absolutely exposed – same for the glowing sigil etched in it, greenish lines reaching to his face and almost illuminating his features with their glow. Green eyes, almost the same shade as the sigil, looked at the woman that had called him forth with handsome features set in a determined frown. Perhaps any other man would have thought leaving their front exposed in such a manner was begging for an enemy to come after it – but to this one, such thought was not worth concern. His back might’ve been another matter entirely, but that was not an important matter at the moment.

A steel chain was slung over his shoulder, held by his hand – attached to and holding up the sheath of the downright gargantuan greatsword at his back, handle peeking over it.

Indeed – the ‘hero level’ was probably off the charts. It was so stereotypical it could almost be said to loop into ludicrous. For an instant, the man seemed introspective – noting a slight diminishment of his capabilities that he should inform the woman of – before focusing wholly in her once more.

“Saber, Siegfried, answers your summons. Are you to be my Master?”

His voice was a rich tenor that broke the spell of silence that had been cast upon the room. But more important was what he had called himself, rather than how he had said it.

Siegfried – the dragon slaying-hero of Europe whose tale had circled the globe, the most famous depiction of his tragedy being the epic poem ‘The Nibelungenlied’. The man who had bathed in and drunk the blood of the Evil Dragon, Fafnir, and had partaken in its heart, the invulnerable hero that could only be killed due to trickery and foul play.

Truly, as far as Saber-class Servants stood – and indeed, perhaps even as far as Servants as a whole, this one could with no doubt be said to be A-Rank.

Such was the identity of the man she had summoned, though thoughts about his fame were likely the farthest thing from his mind. The Servant likely cared little about such things – all that mattered was that he had been called forth, and thus, to the best of his ability, he would serve as a knight and a hero.

Silence dominated the room once again as the Saber-class politely waited for the woman to answer his query and finish the final formalities of the contract. He did not seem to dislike the situation, but there was still a dispassionate air about him as he observed the room he had been summoned in, almost as if he was merely going through the motions.

In that regard, one could asume many things about the reason for such a lack of enthusiasm.

@ConstantlyComic

---

---

…

Well, he had said what he had said, but really, in many ways, he did only have a ‘game plan’ as far as the outline was concerned. The first and most important thing was for him to finish his preparations and set up shop, the second was for Lancer to not to leave his side or at least always remain close by should he find himself in trouble. Presence Concealment was a troublesome thing, but most Assassins lost their capability to remain hidden while they were attacking, or so he thought – though it would make no difference to him alone, Lancer’s presence could mean the difference between life and death in that situation.

Ah, well, at least if he died he hoped it didn’t stretch out long enough for him to regret things. At the same time, he supposed that rather than hunting for Assassin specifically – such a thing was an exercise in futility, seeing as his Servant lacked Presence Detection as a Skill – it would be more correct to say that the daylight hours would be spent scouting and attempting to find the Workshops of other Masters. He would need to prepare some basic familiars to aid in such a task, wouldn’t he? Hm.

At the very least, should they prove capable of finding their whereabouts, they could wait to ambush them – or, in the case they were absolutely certain of their victory, launch an assault outright.

Ah, but he still had to at least pay attention to his Servant for the moment, no?

…Mm, at least she seemed enthusiastic about the partnership. Good enough, he supposed – at least the conversation was proving productive rather than meaningless pleasantries.

And then she asked if she could stay in physical form. The worst part of it being that she had given a good point, and it would not do to damage the goodwill he had built up so far by denying something without offering an equally valid – or better – counterpoint.

Perhaps a compromise.

“…I suppose it might not be a completely unreasonable request, so if we can retrieve some modern clothing, I’ll allow it – but I reserve the right to order you to return to spirit form if I feel we should prioritize conservation of magical energy, Lancer.”

He paused for a second.

“Of course, there’s the matter of how to retrieve said modern clothing, too.” He muttered, dreading the idea but perhaps resigning himself to needing to make a shopping trip at some point during the day.

Really, he wasn’t expecting this when he summoned his Servant – at least if Yukimura had been male as the records had said he could have loaned Lancer one of his own sets of clothes, but as it was?

He could only sigh, arms folded. For the time being, might as well just focus on finishing the preparations and set up his defenses and alarms. He could worry about how much of a dent this would put in his finances afterwards.

He kept telling himself it was for a good cause. It wouldn’t do much, if anything, but it was the principle of the thing, at least.

@Ijoyen

Alice de Arcobaleno
Alice's house, Eastern field

---

@Asuras

"Yes, I do understand your point."

Basically what her Servant was trying to say was that he did not truly trust in her ability to keep her mouth shut, nor her ability as a magus. Alice prickled up a little at that, but a haughty Servant was not high up on her list as of now. Her house was not really set up yet; there was a lot more she needed to do before it could truly be called a magician's workshop. There was the bounded field for an alarm, one to hamper enemy magus, and another hidden layer behind the more obvious layers of bounded fields to do.

"Plan? For now we must consolidate our defenses around the house, prepare for the coming of the war as well as prepare for the inevitable moment when the enemy finds out where I am. Then- tch, where is that thing."

Rummaging about the place until she found a wooden box, she kicked it open, upon which a doll about one and a half metres tall popped out, looking curiously around before stepping out completely out of the box and giving her a salute. It was extremely well made, with its movement looking nothing short of human with even its appearance looking very much like an ordinary girl. With a look of slight derision, it picked up the furniture Rider had toppled over.

With the help of the doll to move around objects and such, Alice started again on the defenses, working towards different areas of the house. "Then, I must greet the Overseer of this ritual; it would be rude otherwise. After that, it would depend on the Masters, Servants, and the circumstances of the war."

In short, she had no real plan, having came here with just enough to buy herself a house and a staging ground.

"As for the property we are in, its a small parcel of land, with hedges at the borders, and a small storage shed in the yard. The house is quite large as you can see, with a second story with an empty room, a toilet and my bedroom. The rest of that space is taken up by the balcony. There is also a basement, which we came out from. The surrounding lands are just empty fields with roads through them. Our closest neighbor would take me about a 5 minute walk to reach."

Putting on the last touches of the secondary, more subtle alarm behind the first, she set on to making another bounded field, one that would suppress enemy magus should they step into her territory.

"I don't feel it would be a good idea to put out bounded fields beyond the borders of this property. Should any magus stumble upon it, they would immediately get suspicious of their surrounding. Besides, I cannot be seen puttering about on the fields outside at this moment. Attracting undue attention could be detrimental. However, do tell me of your suggestions, and I may act on it in due time."

Hisoka had filled his own bowl with the wine, taking a small sip from it.

”Excellent. My apologies, once again, for having an ill-prepared base prior to summoning you, Assassin. I had spent the time finalizing some arrangements outside of Fuyuki. I believe the reason you were summoned as Assassin was due to the relic I used to summon you. It could also be a matter of incompatibility with other classes, but I personally doubt that.”

Hisoka then listened as Assassin discussed to him the details of his Noble Phantasm, nodding at its power and potential. A few ideas popped into his head, mostly the potential uses for such a Noble Phantasm. He began to contemplate these ideas for a bit, staring into his bowl of wine.

”Hm… this Noble Phantasm is powerful, indeed. We shouldn’t try and use it too much, however. If say, another Master found out about this Noble Phantasm, or if one escapes our grasps after we use it on them, then the worst case scenario is they use it against us in a trap we won’t be able to anticipate.”

”As far as my capabilities go, my speciality is Reinforcement. It’s possible that I could reinforce your weapons and armor for any coming battles in order to give you some chance against some of the other Servants in terms of combat. I could also attempt to reinforce you in order to boost your physical parameters, though I’ve never my reinforcement on another living being.”

Hisoka finishes his own bowl of wine, offering Assassin more if he’d like, and refilling his own bowl halfway.

”General tactics aside, we should think about our next course of actions. My idea was to set up a workshop here, then make a few familiars to send out into different parts of this city, including the places where the four leylines are at. I think it’s best if we sent a familiar at the Church first, as that’s where the Overseer of the war, whoever that may be, resides in. That way, we could obtain more insight of the war as well as any other events." Hisoka suggested, as he took another sip of his wine. He began to think again for a moment, before speaking up.

"Then again, we could always pay the Church a visit soon, before nightfall. We’d be able to gather information about the other Masters and Heroic Spirits who decide on heading over the same time we do, at the cost of halting making a workshop or familiars until later. Which idea would you prefer, Assassin?”

@Psyker Landshark

@Yukitamas

As the light died down from the magic circle, slowly returning everything back to normal from the blinding light that flooded the room with the magical energy already dispersing from visible view. It returned to darkness as the last of the magical energy disappeared entirely with only the meager amount of lighting coming from Nakae's phone piercing the darkness. To say the least, it should be expected that his night vision is shredded into bits from the sudden burst of light, with only darkness replacing the bright light previously in the room now. It had expelled a tremendous amount of magical energy that could be sensed from any good distance around the city as a result of a successful Servant being summoned.

To say that he was alone, however, would be a terrible mistake to be made as the sound of another person breathing could be heard from him in the surrounding area. With his form and features hidden in the shadows, it left an eerie silence after what just happened in the abandoned manor a few moments ago. It was finally broken with a voice of a young man "Are you the one who summoned me in this world and willing to seal our contract? If so, then I am Berserker." with the voice becoming closer and the sound of his footsteps following the same.

It was interesting being summoned in Japan for he could seem to feel it, as the ground beneath his feet felt familiar despite his short appearance into this world. In his home, he felt stronger than normal despite the person who had summoned him was quite average and seeming to provide no other benefits that he knew of. Perhaps it would have been better to introduce themselves with better conditions that the darkness that surrounded them but it would work for now. despite the summoning itself was accidental, there was no doubt about the power coming off Berserker as he came to face Nakae with a passive look that was hidden in the dark.

There was nothing else to say, nothing more to do, it was plain and simple which was how Berserker preferred compared to all the extra nonessential things that other may put in their introductions. He was if interested in anything about his current situation, it was who else was in this competition for this Holy Grail.

"Forgiven. You could hardly prepare for the circumstances, I understand." Nimrod took steps over the map, appraising with a hand on his chin. The Throne had imparted unto him knowledge of the times, but only in 'vague terms' as it were. No extreme details, just enough of an idea to function. It was one thing to have the information implanted, and it was another to actually experience. The city of the contest was large, by his standards - very much so. Still, he understood enough to know that this Fuyuki area was not necessarily all that big compared to the major cities of the region.

A grin split across his face, eyes taking on a dangerous quality. For a moment, he had the image one would expect of a tyrant - but only for a moment. "Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful." The Tyrant threw his head back, letting out a cackle, his body shaking with it. Clearly there was something very amusing to Nimrod, but all he had seen was a map. Strange. He moved off to garb himself in the aforementioned quilts, throwing them over himself with seamless movements, tying them off into some sort of ad-hoc toga. "Indeed, let us take in the scenery. I wish to see with my own eyes what the people have done with the time. Fighting can wait for a night - tonight, we plant our roots."

Nimrod moved past Ernest, clapping him on the shoulder as he did so. He returned to the map, at least until Earnest was ready to move or bring up another matter. There was a whole new city to take in, after all. He had a picture in his head - it initially jumped to the idea of a 'city' from his original time, a far cry from what he was looking at on the map. It was difficult to really compare the two things, and even now he was having problems grasping how far city-building had come comparatively.

It was shaping up to be a good time.

"I look forward to working with you, Ernest."

And he did. The stick of a man had his head on straight. His interest in the grail was... minimal, but having the opportunity to explore a civilization so far from his own image of it was more than worth it. So long as they played their cards right, he could maximize his time on the planet, and he could get his glorified cup.

Everyone wins. Other than their enemies. They lose.

---

This was already a terrible mistake.

Stirner reached out to try and stop the Servant from breaking his crutch like a twig, but what is the meager hand of a young lord compared to a Berserker. His crutch broke, leaving him with only one. Aah. He had them specially made for him, light weight but sturdy, carrying just enough weight to give him a firm foundation when he moved.

Now a pair missing one half.

How do you even begin to respond to that? Stirner's expectations were not exactly high - they never have been - but this was... not how it was supposed to go. None the less, he took the unmbrella as it was handed out to him, trying his best to support his weight between the umbrella and the second crutch. Not exactly the most efficient way of doing it, that's for certain. Stirner inhaled, shutting his eyes for a moment as he tried to find his centre.

In through the nose, out through the mouth.

"Servant...-" He hesitated, considering the Berserker's words. 'Saber' he had called himself, despite his summoning having clearly specified otherwise. Had he failed something as basic as recitation? "- Saber. Servant Saber." He repeated with a bit more certainty, if a bit put on. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Emperor Norton." Stirner smiled, a weak looking thing which was in line with the rest of his appearance. A legless magus, young enough to be Norton's grandson if they went by mental ages.

"I'm Stirner Cartisius. I'll be your Master for this war, if that's alright." He spoke with a polite, gentle tone, his smile beginning to betray some nervousness. None the less, he was here. "Are... you certain you are of the Saber class? I mean no disrespect, it is just unexpected."

A delusion created through his status as Berserker, maybe. Maybe it was a delusion created through simply being the self-proclaimed Emperor of the United States. "Not that it's a problem if you aren't! Or if you are!" He clarified quickly, lifting his hand from the crutch to wave his hand in a dissuading manner, trying not to offend the Servant.

Not the most forceful of magi, that's for certain.

---

@DrowsyPangolin@Berserk Gene

...hm, it seems that night's finally fallen. I suppose that means we should begin earnestly now, doesn't it?

Ah, I'm tired. Even if my body and mind are every bit as sharp as they've ever been, I'm so very tired.

You wouldn't have been able to understand, but for humans dependent on their bodies, the fear of death increases with the time they have lived. I'm not the sort of hero who can shoulder the weight of five hundred years as though it is nothing, after all.

No, no, it's okay. I can keep moving, I'm sure of it, thanks to you. Without you, I would have given up two hundred years ago, after all.

"What was she to you?"

Before we met, I didn't think anything of you. You were just a machine, the last line in my attempt to make a more beautiful world. You were something that would be sacrificed for the sake of that dream. You were no different than a tool wielded as a means towards an end.

And yet, when I looked upon you...

-I was envious of you, for you could do what I never could. You could create a miracle that could save people.

-I pitied you, for while you were something that could save humans, you were not a human. Your body was too frail to walk among us. You were eternally young, bound to repeat the same day until the end of your life.

-And yet, overwhelming both of those, when I looked upon you for the first time, when you extended your hand to me, what I felt was hope. I stopped being a resigned man who saw this as a final project doomed to fail, and was revitalized with the promise of that dream I had nearly forgotten.

"You must be Makiri. It's nice to finally meet you!"

...Was it love? Did I ever feel something akin to love for you? That feeling when you were taken apart to create the Holy Grail, that cold pit in my stomach, was it anticipation for the realization of my dream, or was it sorrow that I'd never see that hand reach out towards me again?

I don't know. I can't know. I don't want to know. But regardless of all of that, regardless of if that feeling was love, you were someone I treasured nonetheless.

Ah, even if it was all the same day repeated to you, I wish we could have stood beside each other for just a bit longer. Just one more year, just one more month, one more day, one more minute would have been fine. I wanted to keep talking to you. I wanted to show you the outside world, the world we'd both promised to protect. I wanted to show you the cities where people live, and the mountains at the edge of the forest where you were born, and that simple little part of Kiev where I was once from. I wanted to be the one to extend a hand out to you if you ever needed it.

But now...

Please forgive me, but I'll have to kill. You never realized, you were always too pure to, but humans won't band together to make this miracle. They all have their own dreams, so I will have to kill in order to grasp our dream. I'll have to commit evil. I'll have to make them hurt, and for that I can only be sorrowful.

But for you, for us, for all of humanity, I will achieve that shared dream that we have burned our lives up in pursuit of. Even if I must paradoxically commit evil to do it, I will eliminate All the World's Evil. I will create a more beautiful world. I will make a utopia where everyone can be happy, where everyone can smile.

Ah, Justeaze.

My Winter Saint, Justeaze.

My comrade. My hope. My salvation.

Watch closely, because this time, my promise will be fulfilled.

This time, I will create a miracle.

And then...then...

"...it's okay if I rest, isn't it?"

"Night is descending. Are you sure you wish to venture for the Overseer's location? It would be wise to assume others have come to the same idea, and may seek to take advantage of travelers." Hugues tone was cautious, clearly opinionated but supportive of her decisions regardless. The Rider hummed as she explained her distaste for the use of furthered Bounded Fields, and expressed a counter-point, relying on his proficiency in the hidden.

"I may not look it, but my logical Servant class would be more akin to an Assassin of sorts, believe it or not Master," he began, "Though I may be a Rider, my potential may yet lie in arts suited for espionage and traps, if only slightly thanks to my current class. I would like to think my knowledge of the shadows may afford further-away Bounded Fields from alerting enemy compositions from outright discovering our temple. Beyond Bound Fields, my powers may give us a different scouting advantage..." Hugues said.

More aware of her Servants parameters and skills, she would have noticed his Never Alone's nature even more clearly than another Servant or Mage could. Still in his spiritual form, his presence nevertheless alerted Alcie as to there being 'someone more' to Rider than initially observed. It felt as though there were two, three, four...? She could not truly discern the exact count of presences that drifted about her Servant, but there definitely did seem to be more presences than Rider alone.

And even as she came to realize it was a purposeful trick, that the presences were no more than a passive skill making itself apparent to her, there was something more to it she couldn't quite place. It was only until they appeared that it became clear. Two ghostly shapes drifted into her view, manifesting within her home out of thin air. They were faint, almost invisible, and were she familiar with their existence, would have understood them to be wraiths.

Their interference with the world was negligible, especially given that even their appearance was barely registering in reality, but present they were.

"My lieges are as much mine as they are yours, Master. Though they are few in this nation, they will serve you and I as readily as they can. For now, they may merely watch, but as their existences are faint, their presences will not easily be detected by another Master of Servant. They may not be a Bounded Field, but they can serve as watchful eyes all the same. So long as we remain in this temple, they may keep vigil outside. They cannot drift far from us, try as I might to control them at such distances." Hugues paused for a moment, and the wraiths disappeared fully from sight. Whether or not they had moved, Alcie could not tell.

"By your leave, we may head for the Overseer, if that is still your wish."

@Player 2

Berserker Saber Bersaber Emperor Norton

The Emperor paused, staring at the boy, as if only having realized who he was. Surprise or sorrow were absent from his reaction, as was anything else but quieted acknowledgement. Disappointment? Contempt? No, neither of those either. The class container furnished Norton with enough knowledge of the present and Grail War to evaluate his situation. For the self-conscious type of person, such ambiguity could be even worse than open scorn.

"...Lad."

Norton's formerly bombastic voice had softened, browline creased with concern. Or was it pity?

"Stirner Cartisius. The very first act of your Servant was to break something of yours. Reprimand me openly and honestly if you want, Master, do not fear a mere man." The Lord's nervous humility had steadied Berserker into gentler sincerity, though after saying that, the Emperor's mustache curled upwards with his beaming grin at the boy, eyes enthusiastically widened! "Splendid! Lad, are you really my Master?! Well, first things first, you should keep that umbrella to protect yourself. I won't permit harm to befall my attending Master, that would sabotage this whole thing!"

And then he evaporated into thin air, the other pieces of the broken crutch falling to the floor, before reappearing beside Stirner, merrily offering his hand to the young Master. Of course, all he'd done was go briefly into spiritual form before moving and manifesting again, but it was the spectacle that mattered. This Servant was certainly one for theatrics alright.

By that point, it was probably only a matter of course for Stirner to learn of his Servant's full information, most obviously that yes, he absolutely was a Berserker, despite appearances! That said, the exceptional compatibility between Norton's Noble Phantasms and the Cartisius family's specialty was...well, no wonder his Servant had a Luck parameter like that!

Either uncaring or unaware of the topic, however, the Emperor thickly stroked his beard with his other hand, considering. "Where shall we start then, lad? Strategy? Going over our resources? A good breakfast?" The matter of the crutch, however, was evidently still on the Emperor's mind, as he guiltily and sheepishly glanced back at the other two pieces.

@WildChocobo






A frown came to his face, as the ebbing pain that was the usual sign of a person's presence filled the fringe of his mind when the light cleared. His eyes saw something. Something came to form. Some sort of shape in the midst of the light that he noticed despite being blinded. His eyes closed, both to try and recover, but to preserve the outline in his memory.

A summoning, a contract. A voice who called himself a Berserker. He took a step forward, face turning towards where he heard the voice. It was only when he began to run his fingers across the back of his hand, across the mark that seemed to leave a trace of heat from the prana that formed upon him as the spell, that he opened his eyes. Toshi presented the phone towards him, the light from the screen slowly revealing Berserker's form in a blurry light, as though he were manifesting from it.

Summoning demons with a phone almost. jJst like some game he'd played before. Well, it was obviously too quick to say anything as to what this Berserker was. " Sorry about it but what you said went mainly over my head. Heh... A ghost house, or a prank-house was it?I'm not sure which it is, but I get the..."

He trailed off, beginning to bat his eyes in a replacement for his words as he looked in the distance of Berserker with a new focused gaze.

There was something he saw, something similar to the light he saw around his Bracelet. The strange light that only he could see around it, just like those "scars". It was the reason he decided to take it. Despite the fact that it made his skin rise up in goosebumps looking at it. It was not a thing that should be taken, but he took it because of that. Perhaps that was just human, to seek out what they knew was foolish, or taboo. Picking it as something to take with him was dumb. But it reminded him that there were things that he could see with his eyes that weren't just the scars on others, or pain. Despite how it was anything but comforting in of itself that bracelet comforted him with that knowledge.

The thing, the person he saw. Something was similar to the bracelet with him.

"Well.. anyway. I don't know what's going on. But I feel like it's something weird, something abnormal. I can't call myself normal in the first place, so I won't be too surprised. What's going on? I definitely didn't do something to summon anyone, but I know there's no one around either. Well, maybe the house summoned you? It's a weird, creepy abandoned western-place after all. That's a perfect place for a ghost, or some old weird stranger to pop up."

He flashed a wry grin. Old he wasn't, but a weird stranger? Didn't he fit the criteria just as well? But a punk-youth bored and riled up wouldn't be too strange a trespasser for a place like this. But it wasn't like he was that normal of a person.

He let out a sigh. "Tell me about this contract, then who you are. I guess that's the point of you being around? then we should clear up whatever it is and move on from that."

He wasn't afraid, but something told him that things were dangerous. This was more than just pain, dragged into a unfortunate accident that leaves one hurt and damaged. No, he felt like that he was stepping into a beach with a tide coming in, an ocean on its way to sweep him off his feet and drown him in. He stood his ground, but as he slowly raised his phone's light towards the face of Berserker his breathing began to quicken. Ah, he wasn't calm at all, that isn't good.

"Let's straighten this all out. I'm..." he hesitated for a moment, giving out his name? In a way it seemed a terrible idea.
He shrugged off the doubt.

"Nakae, I'm Nakae."

The woman stood at a window, looking down into the street below. It was dark now, people returning to their homes, and Marguerite felt more awake than she had all day. There was something to be said for the time difference, she supposed. She would likely have to sleep a good chunk of the next day to make up for it, but for now she was taking advantage of her situation.

She turned away from the window, her attention shifting to the man sharing her suite. She had no issue with Saber staying physically manifested here, as long as he kept to Spirit Form whenever they were outside and not in combat. He was not exactly the most unobtrusive-looking of people.

"What say you, Saber?" she asked, her idle tone covering for her excitement. Finally, she was here with a Servant, and the War was beginning! "Shall we go out for the evening?" The question wasn't entirely rhetorical. She was aware that Siegfried had more experience in this sort of thing than she did; should he think that they should let the other Servants fight it out among each other this first night, she would be disappointed but go along with the decision.

@Breo

@Yukitamas

With the light of Nakae's phone shining on Berserker's form, it illuminated his clothing that clearly was familiar to almost everyone as the garbs of the traditional samurai although with a few missing pieces. Beyond his vibrant orange hair, what Nakae saw was almost an ordinary young guy aside from the circumstances that the two were meeting in at the moment. Upon seeing his hesitation and cluelessness, Berserker sighed at the obliviousness that his summoner had about what he got himself into without knowing and looked at him. Tapping his foot on the ground as he looked through the information in his mind that was bestowed to him as it seemed like he will have to explain some things to Nakae.

"If you do not know that you're a participant in this Holy Grail War, then I would say you are in a disadvantage as you are officially a Master, look at your arm if you do not believe me. It is a symbol of your entry into this event and one that you should guard carefully against other who are enrolled as well with my help and win." Berserker said as he casually gestured to Nakae's arm with his command seals on them before continuing on explaining the minimum of what was happening with his knowledge.

"You may continue to call me Berserker, as I do not intend to willingly use my true name freely during this event and neither should you. Only a person can summon a Servant and the only one around is you. Should you wish to know more, I will explain while we head to somewhere more secure..." He said as he looked around the dingy building which was the place that he summoned as he spoke to Nakae. It would be wise to leave such an area with no familiarity and to somewhere where at least his summoner was comfortable with. Looking at his Master who was probably confused about why they had to move "With our location most likely revealed with the energy it takes to summon one of us, it would be dangerous to reveal anything in our hands right now." He said to Nakae before heading to the windows of the abandoned manor and peeked out, observing outside as he waited silently for whatever the other would say.

Other than the brief exchange they had, there wasn't much else to say for right now as he would explain more away from the scene where he had been summoned in case anyone decided to come and look. He wondered what his summoner was capable of doing if he was able to pull him from the Throne but from the talk they just had, it started to look bleak. Hopefully, it would just take his own effort into winning the war without the aid of a competent summoner, but he'll see latter when the time comes.

Ernest nodded with what seemed to be a look of satisfaction. “Likewise, Nimr.” The magus paused for a moment, adjusting his tie and mulling over his thoughts. After a few seconds, he nodded. “Together we will triumph in this Grail War.” The words were decisive, certain, as though no other conclusion was possible. Ernest maintained his grim demeanor, but there was a hint of confidence in the man's gravelly voice now. He turned away from the map and strode back toward the center of the basement where he had summoned Nimrod. “We will set out on our survey of the city when the Thralls return.” Ernest knelt down by the nearby bird cage, which currently contained the two doves that he had sacrificed during the summoning ritual. “In the meantime, I will take a few steps to make this place a more satisfactory base of operations.” He withdrew the two dead birds carefully, placing them on the ground with care. He took a deep breath and began an incantation in Old French.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some time passed before the sound of the limousine slowing to a halt outside reached Ernest's ears. He motioned for Nimrod to follow him up the stairs. In the time it had taken the Thralls to return, the sun had already sunk below the horizon. In that time, Ernest had taken a few precautionary steps. Firstly, he had setup two Bounded Fields. The first was incredibly basic and served as little more than an alarm. The second was only slightly more complicated, and would only trigger after the first one. It was set to immediately alter the orders of any nearby Thralls in the event of an intruder to defend the house, or at the very least to get a decent look at the invader. Ernest had also raised the two doves to serve as familiars. While living animals were fully capable of serving this purpose, the undead tended to be a bit more sturdy. The doves would be useful for reconnaissance. One had already been sent out to the Church. It was likely that the Masters would be expected to check in in some way, but there was also the possibility of running into other Masters along the way. The dove would be useful for both scouting out the competition and hearing whatever the Overseer had to say. The second bird remained in the house at the moment, but Ernest intended to have it follow them to watch for anything out of the ordinary.

The Thralls entered the house carrying a few over-sized garment bags, which Ernest beckoned them to open. Inside were suits of various colors: one black, one brown, one charcoal, and one grey with pinstripes. All of the suits were quite large, far too large for any average man. Ernest motioned toward the garments. “If my estimations were correct, these should fit you. I can assure you they are of the highest quality that money can buy. Take your pick, Nimr.” In addition to the suits, the Thralls had brought in several large pairs of dress shoes and a number of silk ties. Ernest waited a few minutes for Lancer to dress, giving his Thralls their new orders in the meantime: One was to stay behind and guard the house, the other was to drive the limousine.

After Nimrod had finished dressing, Ernest walked toward the door. “If you're ready, we should head out now.” He opened the door with a slight creak and stepped out onto the lawn. The limousine had been parked by the curb, and glinted in the soft glow of a nearby streetlight. “This will be our means of transportation, if it suits you.” In truth, it was their only real means of transportation, other than traveling on foot, which struck Ernest as risky. The magus gripped his cane, looking up toward the moon. The sun had set on the first day of the Holy Grail War. All the Servants had likely been summoned by now. The Thrall opened the door and Ernest entered the vehicle, motioning for Nimrod to follow. The interior of the limousine was quite spacious and comfortable. The vehicle roared to life as the Thrall turned the key. Above them, the dove familiar was circling.

@Player 2

---

The Servant in question merely looked at his Master as the question was posed, features neutral as he seemingly weighed the advantages or disadvantages such a course of action could bring about. On the one hand – certainly, there was no victory to be found if they did not strike out on their own. On the other hand, however, considering the circumstances and the conditions for this battle, rushing in would be foolish. Invulnerable he might have become, but that had not made Siegfried a reckless man.

All considered, the worst possible scenario was revealing too much too early. Confident he might have been in his abilities, he knew that his weakness was also greater than any other Heroic Spirit should it be discovered, even if reaching it would be equally difficult for most heroes. Nonetheless, his Master did seem eager to begin this skirmish in earnest – and he would admit, though tempered by the years, he was similar in that regard.

For all he knew, a worthy match might be waiting for him in this battlefield of heroes. Though he held little desire for the Grail, he had to admit that the thought was an attractive one – after all, Fafnir’s ‘gift’ had become more of a curse later in life in some regards.

Ah, decisions. Feeling an odd mix of thankful and slightly frustrated, for a moment, he almost wished his Master was more decisive – he was just much too used to following orders, whether for good or ill – such was the nature of the hero, Siegfried. Having the last call on this matter was a strange feeling… Though not an unwelcome one.
Observing the city from the window of the suite, he hummed as he considered their options.

“…Yes, Master.” He spoke at last, turning to face her. “Though while I will do my best, I request that you consider listening if I feel we should pull back. Tonight is the first of many skirmishes, and although eliminating the competition would be a boon, I feel we should not place all our cards upon the table so early – let us test the waters first.” Not that he would not take the opportunity should it present itself and the benefits outweigh the negatives. After all, that was the very reason he had been called forth.

There was, of course, the issue of her own capabilities as a magus – his own prowess as a Servant had been diminished, if only slightly, and he did not know exactly how much he would be able to push before it was ‘too much’. In that regard this, too, would fall under ‘testing the waters’.

Of course, he chose to be more tactful and avoid saying that, trusting his Master to warn him should the worst come to pass. Vanishing into motes of light, he phased into Spirit Form – both to conserve magical energy, precious resource that it was, and avoid having strange looks sent his way, for merely saying that he ‘stood out’ in a crowd was being rather generous.

"I trust your judgement for the moment, Master – please, lead the way."

Perhaps an awkward attempt at encouragement, but it was the thought that counted, right? Nonetheless, Siegfried fell silent once more.

@ConstantlyComic

Cao Cao nodded at his Master's words, taking their options into consideration as he poured himself another bowl of wine. After a few more sips, he spoke.

"It would be more prudent of us to shore up our defenses for the time being. As it stands, I doubt the more tactically-oriented Master-Servant pairs would appear before the Overseer at this junction. Best to keep a familiar watching the Church, as I'm sure other Masters are in the process of doing." He set the wine bowl down after draining it.

"We should begin to survey the city during the day as well. Knowledge of the city's terrain will be an important factor in the battles to come." He frowned as he considered the difference between the level of his overall ability compared to what he believed his opponents to be.

"Should we move on to long term strategy, I believe I already have some strategems in mind." He set his hands on his knees as he sat, running through different scenarios in his head. "We will need to make alliances, especially with my lacking strength compared to those Servants of the Knight classes and Berserker. Ideally, we would be able to make an alliance with a Saber or Berserker, thus giving us an edge in frontline combat. However, I doubt they would easily trust an Assassin or the Master of one. Archer and Caster are also viable candidates, should we wish to take a more defensive approach to the War. Eliminating either of those classes would be easier as well, should simply killing their Master fail."

A pause as he stroked his beard in thought.

"Alternatively, deception is also a valid approach. Master, you mentioned being able to strengthen my weapons and armor, and possibly my body as well. I propose that we test that ability out once we are secured. If we can raise my parameters by at least one rank in only a few stats, I would be able to masquerade as a Saber, at least until a Caster faces me."

---

Slowly, as if waking from a deep sleep Rostam seemed to become aware of the small homunculus who was apologising to him. He blinked a few times, his eyes focusing on her at last as the last of his chuckles subsided.

He tried to speak, but produced only an incomprehensible gurgling noise until, clearing his throat, he spat out a huge quantity of blood and began again.

"So... I still live." The voice of Rostam was a slow sonorous baritone that seemed to come from somewhere under the earth. "Forgive me my lady, I was... greatly distracted until now. I am Rostam, Servant of the Rider class."

He shifted against the tree trunk he had been braced against, his tremendous weight causing the tree to shudder and sway. He looked down on himself for the first time, inspecting his slowly healing injury with fascination, before wiping the blood from his beard with the back of his hand as best as he was able.

"Do not blame yourself for the attack. It was not the dart of any enemy which struck me down, but the judgment of Ohrmazd. It would have fallen on me even were I sealed in a vault of adamant."

Rostam turned his eyes up to the stars, looking weary and pained, but still happy for all that. "I must apologise again however, my lady. I cannot help you achieve the Grail I'm afraid, for I no longer have any use for it. Through the perfect workings of Asha, my wish has been granted without even having to lift a finger."

---

---

Alex had never paid much attention to mythology as a boy, and had looked into it even less as an adult. Beyond those figures which have become directly correlated with the zodiac and Astrology as a whole, his knowledge trailed off sharply. For him, the summoning of this peculiar familiar had been simply part of the ritual. That what he was calling up had once been a famous hero was something that had come to him only as a footnote in his hasty research on the topic of the ritual which his cards had insisted he participate. In short, Alex was one of the last people who might be expected to marvel over, or understand the history behind the abilities of a Servant.

But even for such a man the claims of Archer now gave him pause. He had before been half impressed, half wary of this strange inhuman man who radiated prana so powerfully. Now though as Archer made his claims of having contended with a god of the sea, his legacy suggested itself to him for the first time.

The idea of having summoned a legendary mariner from some bygone age, one who had contended with the ancient spiritual masters of the sea themselves now occurred to him, and he felt a quiet twinge of awe.

"Good, that's... good. If we can harass the enemy untill they are forced to come looking for us, then they will eventually converge on this spot, at which point we can sail away leaving them facing each other. If we play our cards right we may be able to bait them into killing eachother."

He reached into his pocket, drawing forth a map of the city, and pointed to the bridge in the center of town, the station front to the east, and the shopping district. "Ideally I plan to set up listening posts for you here, here and here. With a bounded field around each one in a high location this should give you nearly full command of the town and river."

He checked his watch, frowning at the time. The night was still young, but even so, he was latter to the party than he hoped to be.

"For tonight though, we need to accomplish a specific task. The church here," He tapped the far south east corner of the map. "is the home of the moderators of this ritual. We will need to report in to them to let them know of our existence before we are declared outlaws. I would prefer not to move about openly at night like this, but it is still early. I guess we had better get going."

---

@Cu Chulainn @Holy Grail