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. There were already some who had registered as such.

The blue-haired Executor let out a small sigh.

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

---

She had prepared in advance.

The last remaining member of the Varianbec family, their homunculus heir, had prepared a great deal for this night. It could be said that this night was part of the reason for her existence. At the moment, the small, tan-skinned girl was in the bath. It was a bit of routine before she would embark on her next mission. That mission was a simple one, and it was one that the girl with silvery hair had absolute confidence in her ability to fulfill.

She would crush the enemy masters. She would ensure their Servants were destroyed. To Estelle Varianbec, this was almost a foregone conclusion.

It wasn't simply due to her capabilities as a magus, though those were, of course, quite considerable. Estelle felt she could effortlessly outdo almost any other mage who would be participating. Why ever would she believe anything else? But no, as she emerged from the water, her maids quickly hurrying to dry her off and clothe her, her mind went to her true weapon. Her victory.

Her Servant.

She had summoned him two weeks prior, her catalyst performing its function perfectly. It had been obtained for her by her family, who had left it behind for just this purpose. Wherever they had disappeared to, Estelle was thankful for the gift. When she had summoned him, the weight on her mana supply was tangible, but did not greatly impact her vast stores of magical energy. She would be able to operate at full capacity quite easily regardless of how long he stained corporeal.

For there was, truly, no question of her victory.

Her last item of clothing, a large bow, was secured on her neck.

"Do be careful, Lady Varianbec," implored one of her many maids, bowing to her as she left the baths.

Naturally, Estelle felt such concern was simply unnecessary.

"You shouldn't worry," she said, brightly, "The only ones in danger are the enemy. I'm sure I'll crush someone tonight!"

With a cheery laugh, Estelle proceeded out of the room.

It was time.

"Rider," she began, "Are you ready to destroy them all?"

Tonight, the Holy Grail War would begin.

@Blackstripe@Rin@Raineh Daze@Crusader Lord@Cu Chulainn@Feyblue@WanderingSpirit@Seirei No Hai

She had made it in time after all--her immediate consorting with the Overseer had made that clear. With some pairs yet to present themselves to the Church, it was possible that all had been successfully summoned already... but somewhat unlikely. Were it not for wanting to maintain a civil relationship with the most important non-participant in the war, the tall magus would have summoned then and there. Her patience had stretched to merely walking out and going around the back, in an empty copse that had yet to be converted to a graveyard or anything else.

Only age steadied her hand as she traced the complicated circle in dust--gems once infused with magic, ground up as a suitable material. It was too late to hope that somebody had yet to claim the strongest class... but regardless of having to settle for whatever came up, Johanna had every intention of putting her all into it. She refused to summon a weak representative of any class; should she be unfortunate enough to summon Assassin, then she hoped to get the progenitor of them all. Her sole hope was that someone had absolutely taken Caster--she would undoubtedly receive Faust if that was her class, and a Servant with such an easily guessed identity would be a hindrance.

Even for someone of her experience, one who routinely cut wordy spells down to a far more practical length, this was a ritual that she dare not skip over. It was exciting, like being an apprentice all over again, to recite an aria so solemnly, to let each word be treated with attention. The heated feeling of magecraft, of circuits opening to capacity--

It was a glorious rush, and the circle filled with light.

@Cu Chulainn

---

She paced back and forth across the darkened room, taking great care not to stumble over the great many old books and sheets of parchment strewn across the floor, their incomprehensible diagrams and inscrutably scribbled footnotes laying bare collecting dust. She scratched at her temples with a nervous frenzy, wracking her brains to make sure a single thing wasn't amiss. No matter how much she told herself that she'd already done everything she could, she couldn't escape the nagging sensation that there was something she hadn't attempted yet, something she'd missed. She'd tried so hard... had researched everything that her mother had left behind to the best of her ability. But nowhere, within any of her books of magic, existed any mention of a ritual anything like that which had selected her to fulfill its function. A battle between legends called up from the distant past? A game of life and death in which the winner took all? A cup that granted wishes? It was unmistakably the setting of a fairy tale, or some great epic - nothing like the isolated, tranquil life which she had lived up until now. And yet, here she was, acting in accordance with vague commandments she'd managed to gather up from her own investigations into the ritual.

She had done everything in her power to strengthen her manor's Bounded Field. In these past two weeks, she'd used up almost all of the vials of her own blood she'd saved up in advance to protect her in an emergency. She'd called upon new familiars, created new dolls, and tested the effects of curses and spells engraved into the Magic Crest over her heart which she'd never even thought to use before. Already, her flock of ravens was circling the city to gather information on the battlefield, having left her manor for the first time in years to do so. She was doing everything she could to prepare for the war to come, and yet...

Mira froze at the center of the room, her arms going slowly slack and falling to her sides. She could feel the power coursing through the stones of the chamber, converging in the magic circle beneath her feet. All throughout her manor's grounds, her Bounded Field was isolating the power of the leylines and drawing it to this spot to begin the final stage of her preparations. In the end, this was really all there was left to do. It was a simple ritual that would achieve the impossible, creating a magnificent fiction that would transcend all of this world's "reason" in order to actualize that one "miracle" that was antithesis to her very being, yet essential to her future. Then, if that was the only course of action that lay ahead of her... There was no way she could turn back now. She would die if she hesitated. If she retreated, she herself would turn the key to unseal her own ruin. If she gave up, all her tomorrows would lie barren of promise, and her yesterdays carry nothing but regret. The only path ahead of her was...

Ink for our contract - the blood of a witch.

She winced as the knife cut across her palm, feeling warm blood trickling steadily down, sinking into the channels carved into the granite of the cellar floor. The anthame clattered to the ground as she cast it aside, and she held out her bleeding hand, letting the circle drink its fill of the scarlet claret that fell from it.

Let us now inscribe our marks upon this blank canvas. A quill pen as an offering.

The raven feathers strewn beneath her soaked in the blood, their black strands turning to crimson red, then beginning to glow with an eerie light as scarlet radiance began to spread outward through the lines of the circle, then pulsed once more inward with redoubled luminosity like a wave crashing back upon the shore.

The name I bespeak unto thee is that of Grace - know you my birth, and bear that heritage as testament to my good faith.

The light began to rise, filling the room. She could feel the very essence of the air around her changing, the isolated space connecting to a "something" that defied the world - a mystery separated by a degree even greater than her own. This great will would work in accordance with her own, and would surely bestow her with a miracle!

"See now that the door lies open before you. I would ask that you loan me your strength. The future and past I offer as collateral, if it please you. Let these moments only remain, arising from and descending into nothing. I ask only for the present!" The light beneath her felt as though it was seeping into her bones, into her very blood, but she continued reciting her spell, praying that the result would uphold all that which she sought. "I hereby propose: My will shall create your body, and your sword shall create my destiny. In accordance to the summons of the Holy Grail, if you will accede to this will and reason, then answer me!"

The parchments covering the floor scattered outward, away from the circle, as at its heart, "something" began to take form. Even here, beneath the ground, a wind was blowing wildly, sending feathers dyed in darkest crimson fluttering madly into the air. It was almost here!

"I hereby swear: I shall attain all virtues of all of Heaven. I shall have dominion over all evils of all of Hell! From the Seventh Heaven, attended to by three greet words of power, come forth from the circle of constraint!"

The light swelled to a fever pitch, and Mira drew back, raising her bloodied hand over the circle as a flash like lightning split the chamber.

"Guardian of the Heavenly Scales!"

The chamber shuddered. Smoke filled the room. Mira clung to the brim of her pointed witch's hat with her uninjured hand as she struggled to retain her footing against the mighty wind that buffeted her. Then, all at once, it stopped. The light vanished, and the dust began to settle once more. She rubbed at her eyes, squinting to see through the darkness, where she thought she could make out a human shape rising up to meet her.

She stared down at her hand, only to find a strange crimson marking inscribed upon the back of her palm. Then... it had worked! She had done it! This was... this was...

"My... Servant..."

@VitaVitaAR

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?"

As she allowed her Master to take in her question(not that she expected the answer to be long in the making, far from it), she took in her Master's appearance, and their surroundings. Her Master appeared to be a small, frail girl, shorter then herself(her own height being quite unimpressive as well). She resembled a doll, in some respects. In addition, Saber noticed her outfit. Was that not clothing associated with the western ideas of a witch? It certainly seemed to be. The room the both of them stood in was dark, and filled with various forms of parchments and books of all sorts. This, of course, could be expected from any practitioner of magecraft.

Simply by appearing here had Saber's wishes been granted a chance at becoming true. However, her Master would have to prove themselves in a number of ways for them to truly be granted.

The first of which was, of course, finalizing the contract.

@Feyblue

Shiny Berserker

@Raineh Daze

As the light grew in intensity, so too did the power emanating from the circle. And as it continued to glow brighter, a figure slowly started manifesting from within the light. The only distinctive features were but a mere silhouette as the light was too bright to discern anything less...

And soon, the light slowly dissipated, fading slowly as the slim figure within the circle became more apparent. A young man, with golden hair, no taller than five feet and nine inches, stands before the magus. He doesn't seem to be wearing too much in terms of apparel, sporting a brown vest with a white fur collar and a crimson scarf, as well as a long pair of dark red trousers, matching the colors with his scarf. His clothing gives him the air of a traveler, one who has gone through some sort of journey.

What's odd, however, is that this traveler seems to lack any sort of footwear. In fact, his feet seem to have thick, golden hair growing from the top of it. The same could be said for the top halves of his forearms, going down to the top of his hands, which are propped back, cradling a red rod, a staff, with golden mace-like ends. This Spirit holds his staff behind his back, cradling them with his furred arms in a matter where he could easily rest his head on it, hands hanging down. A golden tail slowly curls out from behind him, moving around slowly.

The Heroic Spirit, more beast than man, raises his head up, his eyes opening and revealing his intense, golden eyes, a faint golden flame surrounding them. He raises his eyebrows as he looked into Johanna's eyes, as if he were staring straight into her soul, for a moment. He then nods his head, closing his eyes and bearing his teeth into a grin.

"Yes, you'll do..."

In an almost sudden spurt of movement, the beast-like Servant rose one of his knees, leaning back very slightly as he stretches his leg towards Johanna. He was too far to kick her, so it wasn't by any means an attack, although, it seems that his hairy foot is pointing towards the magus. Despite his leg being stretched out in such a strange matter, it seems as if he was keeping perfect balance.

"You!" The Servant spoke, as he pointed his big toe at Johanna, his other toes bending down.
"You're the one that's summoned me, yes? My... Master?" He continued, with a pained expression. The Servant moved his foot up to his chin, stroking it as if in thought, his eyebrow raising once again as his eyes gazed upward.
"And to summon me as a Berserker, of all classes..." He mumbled, before both his eyebrows, along with his tail, suddenly raised, pointing his foot once again at Johanna.

"Hey! Did you summon me as a Berserker intenionally!?" The Servant's eyes narrowed, seemingly upset. His face formed into a child-like pout as he awaited an answer. This seemed like the beginning of an interesting partnership...

violet = speaking

lightcoral = thinking/mental communication with servant

---

As the black-haired woman made her way calmly towards the church doors of the gothic-styled church, a small smile hung at the edges of her lips. Perhaps she was excited, or perhaps it was the nervousness working its way up as some form of excitement within her bowels. Ah, not that it mattered much right now. The Church Representative was here, and Elizabeth was coming with her servant cinnamon roll of a daughter to register her participation in the Holy Grail War. At least, she had informed the representative before hand of this through a letter. She would summon early, arrive here, and then present herself to them for formal registration. As simple as that.

Letting out a long breath as she stopped in front of the doors, a small puff of mist could be seen lingering in the air for a moment, the chill of the night air enough for such without being uncomfortable otherwise. But the tension was near palpable for the master of Assassin, the tension of knowing that this night was the start of the Grail War...the start of the fight for the Holy Grail itself. At least, however, she stood upon neutral ground right now. Indeed, she was outside of the acceptable areas to battle in, lest the wrath of the moderator of this Grail War bring down her wrath on those who attacked Elizabeth right now.

'Sweetie, make sure we don't attack or hurt the pretty lady inside, ok?' the magus and master communicated to her servant via their mental link, unable to hold back sounding like a mother of sorts in her communication.

After all, she had the most adorable servant in the war, eh? She had even hugged her a bit after summoning her...and that was only a week ago. Heavens, the time had already passed quickly until this point. But at least she had been able to cook herself and her servant dinner for doing so well at getting ready for this Grail War, and how could she not do so? A hot meal did wonders for the morale at times.

With her communication finished, though, Elizabeth reached forwards, pushing open the church doors and beginning to walk in. She maintained her cool and composed stance, though the smile still hung visibly on the corners of her mouth for all to see.

"Hello? Is this the place to present ourselves to the Grail War's moderator? Elizabeth said, her voice ringing calmly but distinctly through the building as she spoke aloud, hoping to catch the attention of the particular woman who was supposed to be here.

The magus had to suppress a twinge of disappointment at the initial summon, not for any rational reason--simply for, herself, being taller than the Servant that she had summoned. It was a reasonable thing to expect; historically most would have been shorter than herself and there was nothing that required heroes to be of any particular height. Strange, when Berserker identified his class; it was the number one Servant to expect imposing stature. There was another twitch of disappointment whilst looking at him--he was nearly as intrinsically identifiable as Faust would have been had she summoned a Caster.

It seemed like she was going to have to put up with a rebellious, and from the damn pointing, rather rude Servant. It couldn't be helped, if she'd had time to prepare it would have been child's play to guarantee herself a knight of one kind or another--Barbarossa, maybe, or simply trick the French for a few weeks and get Charlemagne. If only she'd not had the misfortune of summoning a Berserker best suited to another class... at least he was capable of some thought.

"I can assure you that I had no intention of summoning Berserker if it could be helped. Nor do I have the knowledge required to manipulate the Grail in such a way," Johanna stated, adjusting her tie once more before turning around and going back towards the church, "Unfortunately, there still remains a matter of procedure before we can engage in the war proper. A brief, but necessary, formality."

---

It was all so... overwhelming. To be summoned at all... the mere inclination that somebody might find her useful, might desire her even for the sake of brutal murders... it was beyond Assassin's wildest imagination. When summoned, she had been ready then and there to do as Mother commanded, to go and hunt down the enemies in this and plan how to kill them before the war had even begun in earnest and get it all over with in a single night of bloodshed. But... Mother had wanted her for more than that, had shown her more affection than she had thought was possible. Food... simple clothing... a hug...

She would do anything that her mother asked and win this war.

We will watch... but if she hurts you...

Inside the building, the young girl stuck to the shadows, white hair not giving her away in the slightest--nor the cream shorts. She was Assassin, and beyond that simply beneath the notice of anyone but Mother. Unless she made a move to fight, nobody would ever spot her, regardless of how much her colouration or anything she wore besides a black t-shirt gave her away.

The Overseer sent by the Church was, perhaps, of a higher caliber in combat prowess then usual. This may have had something to do with the fates of the previous Overseers, though indeed the Fifth War's Overseer had perished in a manner that had not made such a thing matter. Regardless of that fact, they had selected someone very deliberately who could hold her own.

The blue-haired girl sat quietly, mulling over her lack of food and the current situation. She had just been contacted by one of the Masters who had yet to summon a Servant, and said Master had proceeded out back behind the Church to do exactly that. She could expect others to register soon enough, though the Master of Rider had already verified her summons quite a while ago. For now, she was simply awaiting the others in silence.

Sure enough, one of them arrived. Ciel rose from her feet and approached. A dark-haired young woman had arrived, asking with this was the correct location.

The Burial Agency Executor nodded, though she noted there was no other presence to be detected, no Servant present at all. Had they been left outside for some reason?

"You've arrived at the right place," she responded, simply, "I take it you're here to verify your status as a Master?"

@Crusader Lord@Raineh Daze

@Raineh Daze

"Formalities? Sounds kind of boring..." Berserker yawned, putting his foot down and spinning his staff in his hands, soon having it fade away. He yawned as he crossed his arms, eyeing his Master once again. As far as first impressions are going, she seemed rather dull. She was taller than him, too, which gave a bit of a punch to his ego. Still, while she looks the type, she doesn't seem to sport any feeling of malice. And she seemed to have summoned him unintentionally, as well. Hopefully, she doesn't find out about his Noble Phantasm and abuse it.

"Well, whatever... I acknowledge you as my Master, then, and will follow your orders for now," Berserker stated, stretching a bit, "As long as things pick up and get less boring from here, at least. Oh, and don't bother using any of your Command Spells to order me around, either... not that they don't affect me, but I can basically just ignore them if I choose to. I just don't want you to waste them when it matters. Don't worry too much about my capabilities as a warrior, either! If we get into a fight, I'll handle everything from there... just supply me with the mana I need and don't get yourself killed..."

Berserker yawned once again as he finished stretching, putting his hands behind his head.

"Now let's get on with whatever formalities you were talking about... as long as it's not dressing me up in a tuxedo or anything."

Hasabe drove his Impala in to the parking lot of a pretty middle-class-looking apartment building. He stepped outside his car, wearing a Pizza Hut™ delivery uniform, sans the baseball cap, which was kept in his car. Patched on his shirt is a nametag that reads "Hello, my name is Wasabi." Hasabe figured his manager is hard at hearing, and he's heard stories that his manager used to be a barista at Starbucks™. Eh, everyone normally spells his name wrong around here. He's gotten used to it.

Hasabe opened the back door of his car, taking out the medium-sized pizza box and a two-liter bottle of Pepsi, closing his door and walking off. Having a newer model Impala meant that he didn't have to worry about locking the door, seeing as it automatically locks itself the moment he walks a good distance from it. Hasabe made his way up the stairs to the third floor, making his way down the hall. He stopped at an apartment with a strange package awaiting at the doorstep. Figuring he'll look at it later, he holds the pizza box in a matter where he could shuffle his house keys out of his pocket, unlocking the door.

"Saber! I'm home! I brought dinner! Yeah, it's pizza, again..." Hasabe called into his apartment, leaving the door open and walking to the dining room table. It's been about a week since his new guest showed up... Saber, she called herself. He performed some ritual after finally getting a letter from who he thinks is his father finally trying to reach out to him. Still, to have him take part of a war is a bit much, he thought. He's mostly kept safe by wearing driving gloves to hide his Command Spells, which according to Saber, denote him as a participant of the Holy Grail War. He wonders when the first fight will even start... the letter his "father" delivered to him was a bit vague on that.

Hasabe knows he'll have to get ready to fight some day, though... hopedully, he and Saber will be prepared.

---

For a single moment, everything was still.

"My class is Saber." The firm yet gentle voice echoed faintly in the now-silent chamber, and Mira found herself unconsciously jolting bolt upright, as if standing at attention. She had no idea what manner of Servant she'd summoned, but from her very first words - not even to mention from the power she could sense behind them - she instinctively knew that this woman, whoever she was, deserved the utmost respect, and should receive nothing less as a guest in the Witch's home.

"As the one who summoned me, you can only be my Master. Is this correct?" Mira opened her mouth to answer, but felt as if her lungs were devoid of air. She was... talking to someone? This had never happened before. Not since her mother's death had she been in the company of another being that could understand her. It was everything she'd dreamed of, and yet, she couldn't help but suddenly feel terrified. How was she supposed to talk to other people? What if she said something wrong and upset this woman? Unlike her familiars, this spirit had a will of her own and the freedom to act upon it. She couldn't afford to make her Servant angry with her before the war even started... What was she supposed to say? What was she supposed to do?

She couldn't think of anything else, and so bowed deeply, removing her hat with one hand - it was only polite to show deference to such an eminent person, wasn't it? - while awkwardly trying to perform a proper curtsy with the other when she hadn't practiced etiquette in years.

"M-my name is Mira Grace," She said softly. Her voice barely managed more than a whisper, but she nevertheless forced the words out, even though the very nature of her being went against speaking, filling her mind with countless fears and possibilities. "As you've said, I... indeed summoned you just now, and the connection seems to have been established properly." She held up her yet-bloodied hand, turning it to show the arcane marking upon its back - a crimson pattern resembling two crossed swords, each curving across the other and then back upward, adorned on either side with four wing-like shapes of criss-crossing lines reminiscent of veins. "However... I am not the one to decide whether or not I am your Master." She rubbed the cut on the palm of her hand unconsciously, a faint pulse of prana flowing through it as her Magical Crest activated, and a simple healing spell closed the wound. "That is to say, this ritual only grants me the power to compel you to act a total of three times, correct? Then, outside of that, the only sense in which I would be your 'Master' is if you chose to serve me for the sake of preserving both our lives together, and seeing both of our wishes granted."

She took a deep breath. She needed to be polite, concise, but most importantly, direct. In a battle, no great warrior would desire to serve under an indecisive captain. Then, if those sorts of words where what was required...!

"Then... Rather than asking me if I am to be your Master..." She mustered as much courage as she could, and said the first thing that came to her head.

"I ask of you, Saber: are you my Servant?"

For a few moments, the dark-haired servant was taken aback. She had expected a quick confirmation, to seal the contract that was now formed between the Magus and the Heroic Spirit that they had summoned. To be honest, she couldn't say she enjoyed the lack of confidence, but the polite attitude was not unwelcome. Still, this was... most unexpected, to say the least. To the point where, for a few moments, Saber was uncertain of how to respond. However, it was only for a few moments. Hands at her sides, the short girl swiftly bowed.

"Yes, I am your Servant, Master," Saber replied, straightening after a few moments. Naturally, with the confirmation of the contract in place, they could immediately proceed to the next step: Planning their strategy. There was not an urgent battle to be fought, but a true warrior would strike as soon as they could.

"As our contract is completed, we must immediately proceed along the path to victory," she continued, "This will begin with discovering and defeating enemy Servants. That is the only path which we may take in our situation is it not?"

She paused for a moment. Was she being too hasty? She felt rather impatient to serve her Master in battle she had to admit, but she did not want to rush her either. Perhaps Saber should be more patient? Perhaps her Master had strategies of her own that she wished to carry out? Willingness to discuss the plan of battle was something that the black-haired girl sought in a Master, that was for certain.

"... However, I also wish to hear what your strategies may be, Master."

@Feyblue

violet = speaking

lightcoral = thinking/mental communication with servant

---

"Indeed, Overseer. I am here to verify my status as the master of Assassin," the woman said, giving a polite nod as she stopped before the blue-haired woman, her expression cordial for the occasion, though at the same time happy to have her little girl around just in case the overseer here needed proof of her status as a master.

Yet in the meantime, Elizabeth held up her left arm, revealing the red command seals etched into her very hand by the power of the Holy Grail itself. Indeed, such things could not be merely "faked" by a mage or other person wanting to pretend to be a Master. Yet at the same time, who would in their right mind try to fake being a master? This duty, this role, came with its inherent and very real dangers, and with this being the first official night of the Holy Grail War it was not something to remotely take lightly. This was the beginning of the end for so many dreams...and lives at the same time perhaps.

And at the same time, Elizabeth could not deny the air about this individual. This blue haired person...seemed more innately dangerous than the average mage, albeit less than the presence of a servant in her mind. Strange, but something to keep note of both for her sake and her servant's sake. Assassin to her was more than just a tool, a servant for usage to get the Holy Grail. She was like...heavens, she was like a sort of daughter to the female mage if she were to be honest about it. From hugging the little girl instinctively after summoning her, to making her hot meals, to buying her clothes, in just the week they had been around each other already Elizabeth felt a connection to this little girl...and an inherent desire to keep her and dress her up as a magical girl from that one anime she watched on TV as a kid.

@VitaVitaAR

---

orange = speaking

lightblue = thinking/mental communication with master

---

The Saber, this servant of Hasabe's that the boy had summoned a week ago, would suddenly appear before Hasabe in a heartbeat. Leaving her spirit form and manifesting again, the female servant sat about in one of the chairs at the dining room table, feet propped up on part of the table as she looked over at him with a slightly lazy look. Or was that...no...disappointment of some kind or sort? It seemed rather parental in nature, however, like a mother disappointed to see her son come home with pizza...for the millionth time this week. Or perhaps disappointed in the way that she was trying to encourage him to stand up for himself or something. Whatever the case, she soon gave up the expression, sighing and moving her legs down before standing up once more and walking over to the pizzas.

"Boy, do you remember what i told you last night? The Grail War starts in earnest tonight. So being out this late delivering pizzas of all things, all while a mage can sense those command seals even with those gloves on...ah...," the female servant said, giving up on the millionth lecture she had tried to give this week, all to try to prepare Hasabe for the dangers of the Grail War...or at least better get him in the mindset of a master. Even a "fake" like herself could try to do that much for the unfortunate soul who had become her master.

Though nagging in that regard, it was not like Saber had been any less than trying to do her best as a servant for her master. And indeed, she felt a bit like a mother to this boy, even telling him to clean up a leftover pizza box sitting in the corner shortly after being summoned. Really, she felt a soft spot for him, letting him know she appreciated his hard-working nature and such things that were approveable for a master in training. And yet, she had not been too soft on him, she could not be considering what was going to happen...considering what was starting tonight. If he was not prepared, even to the effect of 'just enough', it could and would eventually spell disaster for the two of them.

Opening the pizza, Saber raised an eyebrow as she noticed the variety of meats that topped the pizza pie before her. It was not the steak she had hoped for, but it would do. With that, Saber snatched up a slice of the pizza and quickly began devouring the tasty, ableit repetitive, treat that her master her brought home. Such was common for her, as a "warrior did need to eat after all" as she had noted noted during a dinner.

"Aff liff youff got faa meat one," the servant said, speaking as she ate her food, though somehow managing to avoid spitting on Hasabe himself as she looked towards him, until she had finally finished eating the slice in record time (as compared to humans) and began speaking to him more, "Ah, but a package arrived for you today. I have no idea myself as to who delivered it, as i was merely waiting to see if the one delivering was an enemy or not. At least, though, i can tell it was not a servant nor a master for that matter."

One minute lecturing, the next eating a slice of pizza, the next moving on to another matter. Truly, this Seibah was of great skill, great prestige, and great intellect in her day and age.

@Cu Chulainn

---

Mira breathed a faint sigh of relief, but then hastily silenced herself, listening intently to Saber's words. Of course, what she was saying made sense, but she was moving so quickly that the timid witch couldn't help but feel that she was being a bit imprudent. "While identifying the other Servants should be... um... our top priority from this point forward, I think it would be best before that to clearly set out what you can do in battle. Umm, of course, I'll do the same." She glanced around, wondering where to begin, before it hit her that explaining where they were would probably be the easiest way to start.

"You may already have noticed, but I've done extensive work fortifying this mansion. As things stand, it would be difficult for most Masters to even get inside, and nigh impossible for an enemy to infiltrate without a phenomenal resistance to the power of my spells. Between my Bounded Fields and the curses I have prepared within the walls of this house, we're currently located within a natural stronghold." It seemed a bit arrogant, bragging about her own handiwork like that... but it was true, right? Although, that being said, her defensive measures were something of a double edged sword...

"However... erm... I believe that might also be a problem for us, in the long run. It's possible that the Grail might appear here, on this very spot, which means that other Masters may seek this place out deliberately. If they do so, and stumble upon us, that puts us at risk. Since we might quickly become targets outside of this mansion, I think it may be best if we take a more defensive approach to this battle rather than actively seeking out enemy Servants ourselves... Oh, but tonight's the exception," She grimaced, dusting the brim of her hat absentmindedly. "We're required to state our intention to participate in the war, which means... well, we'll need to depart from here briefly in order to do so. Other Masters may be keeping an eye out, so we might be in danger. Based on your own combat abilities, do you think that it would be safe to leave? I heard Saber was the strongest class, so... If not, I could send a familiar in our place..."

@VitaVitaAR

At the very least, Saber could not see herself disagreeing with that point. Fully understanding what her Master could do was a wise idea, as was explaining her own abilities. So, the black-haired girl decided it was wisest to quietly listen to her Master's words as she explained what she was capable of. Defense, it seemed, was her primary focus, and to be truthful the Servant felt it was a wise one. After all, it could hardly be said that having good defensive options was a waste of time. Indeed, while her knowledge of magecraft was lacking, she could certainly detect that there was quite extensive displays of it within the walls of the mansion. However, the other matters her Master brought up were... somewhat troubling. This was a potential location for the manifestation of the Grail? That meant it could potentially come under heavy assault at any time, and even with their defenses she could not be certain that it was possible they could not be breached. Indeed, in this scenario, Saber felt certain that this place would come under attack at some point.

"I am absolutely certain I will be able to protect you, Master," the Servant insisted, nodding her black-haired head as she did. That was a solid, unshakable fact in her mind. She wouldn't let anyone reach her Master. She wouldn't allow it at all. She wouldn't become a failure, not again. To the end, she would protect her Master's life. In spite of that fact, Saber did not find much appeal in the idea of a purely defensive strategy.

"And, certainly, we must verify our intent to participate in the war," the black-haired girl began, "However, I cannot say that I agree with utilizing a purely defensive strategy. While the merits of this location as a fortress are high, my capabilities are best used for the elimination of targets in battle. As Saber, I am an offensive warrior, and my abilities reflect this fact. I am not certain I am best utilized playing the role of a guard."

She paused for a moment to allow this information to sink in.

"In addition, remaining here allows our opponents to build their own defenses. Caster, for example, may become far more dangerous then otherwise expected if allowed to construct a workshop. To put it simply, it would be absolutely foolish not to attempt to locate and defeat such a Servant quickly."

@Feyblue

A Berserker that couldn't even be controlled with Command Seals? What terrible luck of the draw she had. The one silver lining was to not be stuck with some rabid beast at all times, slavering and fighting without a hint of finesse, "Why would I want to waste a source of such potent magecraft on trying to force through orders? With an infinite supply, one would have no need to even partake in the war."

The sharp clicking of hard soles announced the magus' return into the church and the scarred enforcer wasted no time on focusing in on the proclaimed master of Assassin--and therefore the Master that presented the most likely threat to her own well-being. Unfamiliar, casually dressed... she was almost certainly someone from no great lineage, a minor obstacle if it came down to a battle of magecraft. To no great surprise, also shorter than Johanna's own two metres--useful if intimidation became a necessary tool.

"What brings you to take part in this war, Master of Assassin? What drives you to put your life at such risk? No war has ever passed without the death of most of the Masters. Is what drives you really so great as to take such risk?"

---

This blue-haired woman... it made her uneasy. For a human, she felt so strong, she had too much presence... even with the mist, she felt like someone that might survive Maria, but how could that be possible? What human could survive such a violent curse? Assassin shifted uncomfortably, slipping round to another corner to watch the incoming magus from behind. This was the Enemy, those that stood in the way of Mother's victory. Would she be mad, if they were eliminated right now?

She couldn't let Mother share the same fate of all those other Masters from the other wars, at any cost, after all. Should she not just strike now?

"Very well," replied Ciel. The simple verification of the status of the Master was all that she required. There was nothing else that was needed to be established. In any case, now the Master of Assassin was free to go, presumably to return to their Servant, wherever they maybe be. However, the blue-haired executor was quick to notice the return of Johanna Faust. Presumably, she had completed the summoning of her Servant. Two Masters present in the Church... After a moment's pause, Ciel decided to enforce her position. After all, she was here to ensure that the rules were followed as well as determine the nature of the object the war was being waged over.

"This Church is neutral ground, as a reminder," she began, "If you choose to fight, I will intervene."

She left it at that. She was fairly certain that neither of these Masters had any interest in violating the neutral ground of the church, but she felt it was best to clarify regardless. While she could not defeat a Servant, she was not completely incapable either, to say the least.

@Crusader Lord@Raineh Daze

---

"You're right... of course," Mira conceded, nodding meekly. From what she knew of the ritual, everything Saber had said made perfect sense. While if she'd summoned a Servant like Caster who specialized in defense, or one such as Archer who could act independently and focused on area denial, a purely defensive strategy might be feasible, with Saber as her partner, things would grow more difficult to manage. Between her own Prana and her Servant's presumably tremendous combat ability, she'd likely see the best results if she...

"In that case, perhaps a compromise might be best? We can seek out other Servants and attack them to the best of our ability, then retreat to this defensible position to recuperate and prepare our next strike. That way, we can press one advantage without compromising the other." Even as she spoke, however, she wasn't entirely sure how she felt about this plan... After all, she was primarily fighting to defend herself, and even if having her wishes granted would be a nice reward, she didn't exactly like the notion of actively hunting down the other Masters and their partners. It just didn't feel quite right to step into the role of aggressor... But, then again, by entering this war in the first place, they'd set out their intentions to hurt her quite clearly, right? So, this, too, was just self-defense...

"A-anyway, there's time to discuss such matters of policy in the future, when we have a better grasp of each other's abilities. For now, if you're sure it'll be safe, we should doubtless inform the overseer of our intentions to participate... I do believe that was the proper procedure... Let's just be careful, regardless..."

@VitaVitaAR

For a few moments, Saber contemplated her Master's suggestion. Indeed, that was a highly viable strategy. It would allow for offensive and defense, rather then simply defense. For a few moments, Saber had concerns about her Master's strategy. To be frank, had she clung to a purely defensive one, the heroic spirit would not have held her tongue. She would have clarified just how much of an idiot her Master was being if she insisted on a purely defensive strategy. Thankfully, it seemed easy enough to persuade her to adopt a mixed approach to the Grail War. That being said, her Master seemed rather... meek and unwilling to hold a strong position. While Saber was pleased by this outcome, that easily-defeated attitude was not exactly to her liking.

Still, there were other matters to attend to before Saber decided to air her thoughts on her Master's quickly-surrendering demeanor. Indeed, registering with the Overseer as soon as possible was a requirement that they needed to follow. It was best not to tarry long.

... However...

"... While I am firmly concerned with practicality, I... must make one impractical request of you, Master," she began. Feeling a sudden twinge of embarrassment, she averted her eyes slightly, finding her cheeks reddening in reflection of her feelings. Ah, it should not have been such an embarrassing request, but... "... Please, allow me to remain materialized unless it is absolutely necessary for me to dematerialize. I..."

The black-haired girl hesitated once more, shifting where she stood and looking down at her feet, before taking a deep breath and looking back towards her Master.

"... I do not wish to hide my service to you if it can be helped. If necessary, I will wear whatever you wish me to in order to hide my identity, but please grant me this request, Master."

In the middle of the Fuyuki-sized suburban town were penthouses and hotels lined up in a square. They're not the most fancy compared to the big cities but it was enough to satisfy one, spoiled rich kid.

The rich boy was already placated in one of the big penthouses, the top one apparently was the best one. It makes for a good vantage point, but not a very good defensive area.

The blonde Master yawns, his command spells already on his right hand, signifying that he had summoned his Servant not too long ago. He looked out into the large glass panes overlooking the city streets, sitting on a soft white couch watching a drama on a big flatscreen TV. It seemed to bore him at the fact that they've been standing up here for a couple of hours to stake out some Masters and Servants in the fighting.

""LANCER! DID YOU CATCH ANY SIGHT OF POTENTIAL MASTERS ON YOUR END?! STAKING OUT IS GETTING BORING!"" yelled the impatient blonde bishounen. He stood up to look at the people and cars moving about at night. They weren't much just some people coming home from work, from school or just getting groceries along the way.

He turned back to his white-walled penthouse and looked around for his Servant. Where, oh where could they be? "Lancer? Report?" Silence follows and he sighed, still waiting for a response.

@Feyblue