As the sun crested over Fuyuki, a shadow-like form was loitering at the gateway to Ryuudou Temple. Though it was wavering like a flame on its dying embers, it had been stable enough to remain in the world for minutes. While waiting on the Temples true masters to emerge, the thing created in Casters likeness had been gazing at the city below. The view was truly excellent from here, and they were glad to have an excuse to enjoy it for a few moments.

....Of course, it went without saying they had put up a pre requisite field to not be noticed. This was a waste of magical energy and 'mystery', going this far to project her image this far. Well, at least in this terrible era. Even if it wasn't, going by the mentality of a 'magus', using just a familiar would've been enough.

But a 'magus' would not impress a Heroic Spirit, or those who used their degraded forms as familiars. Caster, afterall, was the weakest class. So it had resulting come to something as grandiose and idiotic as something like this.

No Magus could deny that the land upon this mountain was sacred. It could be considered the archstone of Fuyuki, the very heart of the entire land. By the standards of those who used magecraft, calling it a 'castle' was an understatement.

No.

If the land was prepared properly, even Servants and their Noble Phantasms would have trouble with this place. A spirit of the higher ranks would be vastly weakened by this land. A weaker Servant could probably even be knocked down a few ranks if they stayed too long. No... at this level, fading would be a serious issue.

If a Caster class servant properly prepared their territory here, it would become a genuine fortress even in a war like this. But she had no interest in the place. This place was not being inhabited by an enemy Caster(clearly), so she had no desire to upset the status quo. Put simply, it was more like she was here for a diplomatic visit. The air was rather relaxed as a result, even if high-thaumaturgy had been used.

For her, acquiring the cup was a secondary thing. Still, Caster had little time to think on it in the rush that was last nights preparations. But given the input information she was gathering about the spiritual land, her masters data, and the very nature of the ritual-

Caster, definitely, did not trust what that cup had told her. This ritual made no sense in the first place. No, the fact that the actual cup was below her right now was more than enough of a warning. If she acted on the premise that the Holy Grail War was legitimate, she'd lose as a Servant. That's what her instinct as a Magus had instantly told her. Until she had the time to worry about the true nature of the Grail War, she would act on that instinct.

Regardless of whatever that meant in the end-

This land truly was beautiful. It was a sea-side city in an island nation. It was definitely inferior to her homeland, or the nation of barbarians across the ocean from it. But, it would definitely do. She wasn't especially uncomfortable with the land here as a 'person', even if it was anathema as a 'magus'. Regardless, the image of Caster continued to wait at the Gate. One of the two who had claimed this land would eventually greet her, and she would be able to speak with them earnestly.

@vocab@addamas

Within moments of his arrivals at this holy grounds doors, Ludwig found himself face to face with a weapon he had been rather intrigued byou but had never wished for its power to be directed to him. He froze, his mind accelerating as he turned to the Doctor. He did appear to be a man of peace, there was nothing about him that presumed otherwise. But this idiot he was carrying? He was sent to kill him so there was definitely something afoot here.

However, he didn't get much time to respond or even tell the two men what was happening, when Archer arrived. Not Athena, luckily they had managed to escape any fighting but this was a man who appeared much, more eccentric than Ludwig was expecting to meet. The man radiated confidence and power and honestly, he'd be lying if he said he wasn't impressed. Heach opted his head at the others, realising what kind of power might lay within this alliance. Two archers and a berserker. He didn't know if anyone else had allied yet but this seemed sustainable.

"Well Archer I must say, this workshop and this whole area is a testament to what the groundwork of this alliance could be. I accept your invitation and hopefully Archer will too. Might be luck for you but my wish for the grail is secondary, I seek only to survive this whole ideal and allow my Archer to grant her wish.. he trailed off and smiled beneath the mask. "I will say, my expertise is not in fighting so please don't expect that of me"

[Hr]



That night, Ludwig hado been busy. The thought of this alliance excited him, even though he had summoned a reliable and powerful servant such as the Godess Athena, he had worried that with the advent of how big this war was they would have been crushed with ease. In the earloer of the morning a shipment had arrived via cart near the church and Ludwig had picked up his supplies and taken it back into the church, setting up a temporary workshop in this chamber he had located just left off the main hall. Already glass tubes and vials were lining the room as well as two caskets perched on the table with a cauldron in the middle of the room, over what was a cooling off fire right now.

He had been impressed thoroughly with Tesla. A man of the future he considered him, the things he could do weren't evenot mythical, they were things that the dreamers dreamt. He smirked as he got to work dissecting something he had been sent. Slicing the plant open either his scalpel he began extracting the resin and pouring it into another potion to see its effect. He watched the liquid gurgle and hiss but alas that was not what he wanted. Although during the night he had finished a variety of potions and charms for the Church, his personal project was what he was working on now, and his furrowed brow showed his frustration with it.

Sighing, he entered the great Hall and marvelled upon the sight of the apron clad servant and the food he was delivered. He smirked a little at Athena before digging in, his mask opening widely enough for him to politely eat the eggs. And God were they good. He leaned back and let out a sigh enjoying the taste before getting up, realising he'd have to be more careful of poison. But his body was already immune to most due to self experimentation so who knew. He got up and nodded to Tesla. "I mean, I haven't had a breakfast meal like that in years, I am thoroughly impressed Archer, although I do hope to see what you cook up for dinner" A smirk lay behind his mask, the corners of his mouth visible as he snapped the mask shut again and headed off to have another wander of the church, to see where their weak points were. He had allowed Archer to do whatever she saw fit at this time, he was enjoying this chance of alliance and communication so why couldn't she he?

At that point, he had heard his name and walked down to the basement with as cooked brow. "Ja? Good morning Xerxes, everything okay down here?" he looked around the basement workshop and eyed the plants. Now that was intriguing, might he be a herbal doctor. "Ha, I see you set up quickly too, what a wonderful place this is, perfect for a bade of operations. So tell me, what sort of plants are these that you grow I can't say I recognise them and no bragging intended but I have studied my fair share of herbs and plants and that is not one I recognise"

Lighting a small lamp, the light it released wasn't natural. Instead, it was a soft blue, and not a natural light. After all, Xerxes kept his little lab in darkness. But for a guest, it seemed right to have some light. Ludwig had managed to be a rather interesting individual, while the odd man above had been... Well at least Darius seemed to enjoy cooking. The other master though, he was still a bit of a mystery to Xerxes. The one he hadn't really managed to pin down yet. But Ludwig. He knew all about him.

The room itself was rather well furnished. Due in part of having been a study for the odd priest who worked in the church for a time. The lights had been turned off or covered, mostly for Xerxes own benefit, and a large cloth had been set up to split the basement in two. Clearly to protect the plants he was growing from the odd patch of light from above. A desk rested against the wall, where Xerxes seemed to place his belongings, and a bed had been made out of sleeping bag. Clearly the doctor managed to find a way to sleep properly on even hard floors. In the corner though, there was the fake master, having been placed in Xerxes care earlier. He had been drugged, mostly to keep him asleep while the doctor focused on ridding him of the mental interference placed upon him.

"Ah, I see you've noticed my little... Hobby." Xerxes said, bowing a little as Ludwig entered the room. "Naturally you wouldn't find this plant in any of your books." The plant itself was rather odd. It grew out into spindly branches, as if it was a vine. The shoots were still green, despite how they seemed to lack a need for sunlight. "This is actually a plant from my homeland. It grows on mountains. The roots are where it gathers the nutrients it needs, and it digs into rock and stone. Naturally, I can't have it digging into the foundation of the building, so I set up a area for it." He explained, keeping it rather simple as he knelt before one of the branches, and snapped it. "Now, it's not ready yet. But this is called the Haoma."

"You did at least bring me breakfast, right?" Xerxes said, lifting an eyebrow in the low light. Pulling a curtain across, the room, he hid the plants from sight, as that was not really the reason he wanted to speak with Ludwig. "I could smell it even from here. I'm guessing something involving eggs. I actually had to raise my own chickens after I left my family. You'd be surprised just how delicious food can be when you no longer have to live off the few things you can cook in a cave." It was then that a plate was held out from the doorway, Berserker to the rescue with some rescued breakfast. "Thank you, Berserker." Xerxes smiled, and nodded to the king of Persia. with a small fork, he dug into the meal, and sliced it apart bit by bit. "Hmmm, rather good. Could use a bit more dill, but that's just personal taste for you." Xerxes lamented. and placed the plate onto a table and eating from it while he spoke.

"You see Ludwig, it's about the fake master you brought to my attention." He said, bringing up a conversation from about nine hours ago. The choice had been to keep the man sedated under Xerxes care, tied to a chair of course for his and the Doctor's safety. "In the short moments I woke him up to speak with, I've had a great deal of time to work on removing the mental interference placed upon him. It was difficult, but I believe we may soon be able to chat with him. Since you found him, I figured having you with me when I did the interrogation would be best, wouldn't you agree?"

Finally finishing his eggs, Xerxes brought the plate back up to Berserker, who promptly dropped it into the sink, where it would most likely be saved from shattering by one of the archer servants. "But, for now... I wanted to just get to know you. After all, you saved a man's life, when you didn't have to. I owe you a debt of gratitude. Since this war started... I've only managed to get people killed." With a sigh, he brushed a hand through his hair. "But forget that. I'm curious about your work. You are the heir to the Krauste Family. You must have quite a labratory of home. Why would you come all this way to a warzone just to practice your craft and help your servant? I'm not much of an alchemist myself, but surely it must be difficult to work on your potions in such an environment?"

What started out as a new day for the American Boy was to sit down, have breakfast with his peers and co-workers, drink some coffee to keep his energy up and always have a fun day at work all through an undisturbed, goodnight sleep...

...although his night wasn't exactly the best and he's been cranky upon waking up just an hour after dawn came. It's midday and he's still going at it.

The mess from the harbor battle was mostly cleared up and the remains whether organic or man-made left behind scattered across places that were either too wedged through gaps or just dangerous to take out was immediately crushed by whatever magecraft the mafioso concocted. Yes it was a waste of prana, yes it was pathetic but hey, he didn't want any locals to think they're dangerous people even though they're seeking something just as dangerous, maybe worse.

"Put your backs into it! Clean this place up and then get everything packing, we're moving into the city!" For someone with a big mouth, he could even beat the town criers of rustic Fuyuki.

Sitting back in his chair, frustrated at last night's attack he and a couple of other hand-picked lieutenants including his flute-playing Servant gathered around for an impromptu meeting. His lieutenants were there to update him on deliveries shipped overseas from the Land of Opportunity as well as the Moving process from the Harbor and into Miyama. With the new automobiles sent by ship, they plan to make this trip quick and noisy, it's not like the Japanese didn't know what the automobiles were anyway right?

Dismissing his lieutenants, the Earth Magus and his Caster were left alone. "Did you find a school or anything out in the bridge that would suit your Territory? I plan to leave traps here in case their Masters come to investigate." Of course the Piper could also contribute to this trap plan by placating bombs in less expected places.

@Argonaut

---

The night had passed, but that didn’t stop the Caster from working. If anything, Caster seemed to have been working at an increased rate. Whatever it may have been, something had caused the Empress to go into full Total War mode. There wasn’t such a thing as too many preparations for someone like Caster, so it should have been no surprised to still see her working. Still, the amount of vigor she still possessed was remarkable.

Working throughout the night had yielded many results, and the information she desperately desired was delivered. The carelessness of others was certainly the greatest of boons.

Still, that did not mean she could lighten up yet. If anything, what she did gain only made things appear worse. Truly understanding the hand in which she was dealt was the goal, but she wasn’t expecting to receive what she was dealt. Certainly, it was something that would induce a terrible despair upon those who were given it.

But in the hands of someone like Caster, it was something that would be forced into an advantage. That was the very nature behind the woman known as Julius Agrippina. Turning something which would surely be disadvantageous to someone else, into something that would guarantee her success. While the Holy Grail War wasn’t the same as a Roman Politics, the same level of intensity were the same.

It was this kind of atmosphere that Caster thrived in.

Which was a blessing since the situation could only be accurately described as “insane.”

Despite Caster’s diligent work taking priority at the moment, there was something she wanted to inform her Master about. He likely, no, he absolutely already knew about it. However, if it wasn’t something directly addressed, it would just linger without resolution. The only unresolved lingering thing Caster wanted with her Master was his undying love for her.

“I’m sure you’re aware, but it appears other Servants have set up around us. They don’t seem to have the ability to detect us, so we can continue observing them. If you prefer something else, that will be acceptable for now.”

Caster had given the terms to her Master, and it was up to him what he decided to do with the information. Normally, she’d move without any consent of her Master. To her, finishing up what she was working upon was more important. Especially in this case, as, well…

“...And before you ask, no they aren’t my type."

Yeah.

@Red Alice

---

---

---

The first night had ended, and a new dawn rose upon Japan. Nothing eventful was done to conclude the night, just further preparations around the base. Magic Circles, effigies, playing with limbs, and the rest of what what you’d expect how a witch would spend their evening. It certainly wasn’t the most luxurious system, but it was an effective one that Katarzyna understood.

With a yawn, Katarzyna celebrated her work by laying on the floor, and letting her body have some form of rest. Staying up for extensive lengths of time wasn’t the most uncommon thing, and the added adrenaline of a war helped. Still, she understood that it wouldn’t be right to push her body beyond its limits. At least for now, she would work on resting her physical body. The mind can receive rest later, once she was sure she could afford to do that.

Her still active thoughts began to repeating the words her Servant spoke to her throughout the night. Their pledge for fighting for their beliefs was understandable given the Servant’s legend, but it wasn’t enough to whittle away what doubts there were within her mind. This was probably to be expected given the circumstances surrounding a war, but it was something she needed to overcome if she wanted her chance of victory to remain.

While she was skeptical in her chance of victory, she would choose to believe in the Servant who had belief in her. Rider would fight for her beliefs, and if her belief was Katarzyna, then that meant victory was surely something she could achieve.

Definitely.

“Rider, something has been bothering me.”

It was something insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but it did bother her. While her Servant was trying her best to alleviate the Polish girls worries, the magus couldn’t even give the same hospitality to her Servant.

“I apologize for not letting you last night, but if you wish to explore today, then I will gladly oblige. I will make sure you enjoy your time within this World to your utmost ability, no matter what the conclusion of this conflict was."

It was wrong to keep one’s comrade locked up within a cage, wasn’t it?

@Scallop

@ssw @Dosthou




--
There was no hostile killing intent. Nor did the voices tell him to fear.

After all this was a game. To begin with the innocent trust that Lancer held in Gatekeeper’s words were something that would have left him accepting of the other boy’s unrestrained usage of his abilities for the game.

After that even if Gatekeeper were some genius able to hide his intent to kill, to strike and do harm until the very last moment, Lancer held a skill that would have warned him of such a danger.

And so they played, Lancer and Gatekeeper defying common sense, simply playing as youths who did not know that youths were not supposed to be like this in the day and age where heroes no longer existed.

His master was not perhaps happy for some reason, but he was safe and there was no danger. Despite the fact that they travelled later to Lancer’s home and territory, he reassured his master that they were not in danger. The fact that they were also visiting a pub may have helped with that convincing.

“Master, Master. Let’s go!” Lancer cried out before grabbing Hamel’s hands and dragging him out.

“Today is a day where we fight!”

Oh, of course he also waved goodbye to his new friend to which he even carelessly mentioned his real name to.

@Reflection@Paradox Witch @Cu Chulainn @Froppy




The identity of Lancer was something that escaped the two. Yet with a certain speed and ability, along with a baeful spear it was certain that she earned the title of one of the knight classes. A rival to Saber in a number of aspects. It was however not a bad fight and he certainly learned of the capabilities of servants.

What a truly western experience. The two were fighters who he could not match in a fight. He could not keep up with their blows, he could not withstand their blows, nor could he overcome that disparity with skill as their knowledge and trained bodies exceeded him with knowledge as well.

Yet he did not quite feel fear. Oh no, he only felt elation. He was truly seeing the best of what the world had to offer. He shook his to Saber’s warning. “We will never be more ready, unless we speak of learning more of their identity. In that case we can only learn by fighting her further? Do you not see then, Saber? We are always ready to fight Lancer.”

With a grin he slapped Saber on the back.

“After battle comes rest. A drink, sleep, then more drink!”

At least for Tlilpojuan that was the case.

-

“A trap, a trap. Perhaps. But a business is hardly really the ideal place for a trap. Furthermore if they wished for it to be a trap then it is likely they wouldn’t set it up in the city where it could become a great mess. Even if they hold a great bounded field, or a great trap their foes are also great heroes. Much too risky in a number of ways. I feel that they would instead choose the outskirts of the city, or a more advantageous location. Well, perhaps the city itself is an advantageous location of sort… but if that was the case then it would be less about the pub and more about the general area.”

He waved the poster that was in his hand in front of Saber’s face “There is also the chance that their abilities may factor heavily into human civilization. But that is no matter. If there is drink that cheap then there is no reason not to go. If there are foes there, then there we will fight. This is a war after all, not a matter of a show.”

Without fear he opened the door to the bar when they finally arrived. “A number of shots, and then something that’s best to greet a new day with. A riser, a riser. Something that will boil the blood.”

Hm?

Ah, that man. Looking upon the man who was in the bar, Tlilpojuan felt something. Yes, a stirring of something that was a greater existence and yet of the same type.

“Ah…” he murmured before rubbing at his mask. Yes, the spirits within resonated. There was something to this pub and he found that it was enticing.

Well, that could wait for another time. They had a snack as they walked, but now it was time to drink.

Queen of Carthage
Workshop, Outside of Fuyuki

The duo had returned to the workshop without much to really justify their excursion. They'd shown up too late, really only seeing that someone had attacked the Matous and not much else. Avenger would see to it that there wasn't a repeat, and they were well informed.

The time for rest was over eitherway, though. Avenger donned her "disguise" and went to talk to her master. "I am back, Master. We shouldn't find ourselves unaware of the actions of others anymore. That won't replace direct observation or a fight though, so let's go check out all those lights from the forest." Avenger paused for a moment, considering something and asked, "Unless you had something else planned already?"

@BlueHelix

--------------------------------------------------------------------


Workshop, Newly Occupied House, Southern Moor

Lilith gently stroked the fur of one of her new familiars. Her hands gently stroked over the red fur of the shiba sitting in her lap. He really was a good dog, even before she had made him hers.

Sadly it was time to get on with things. The acolytes had returned from crafting barriers around the mansion and it was time to let them rest, for now. Lilith moved the dog aside and stood, before mentally ordering her new familiars to disperse and assume their duties.

As she bathed, Lilith ran down a mental checklist of their accomplishments last night. It wasn't huge but it was definitely more than a start. The acolytes had spent the night putting up barriers. Nothing too fancy really, just some illusions and alarms. Nothing that would do anything against someone trying to cross the barrier. She had also sent off a couple acolytes to abduct some pets for her to make into familiars. Lilith, herself, had assisted Assassin in setting up their own barriers, a cage to contain a certain experiment the servant wanted to try. After that, some familiar crafting and then a few hours of sleep. It was a decent use of the night.

Once she was done with that, Lilith dressed herself and, wondering what her servant was up to, opted to use their connection to see what, the lovely assassin saw. What she saw shocked her. It seemed Giulia was out in the fields running those tests she had helped her get set up for. That all made sense. It was the simulation itself that gave Lilith a start. It was barbaric, monstrous even. Inhuman was another word that came to mind.

Lilith decided it best to not watch too much more. As a magus she could understand, but it was still brutal. She could almost see similarities between the simulation and the combatants in the grail war.

Giulia, I see you're busy with your experiment, but I don't think we can rely entirely on remaining hidden and playing the long game, at least without finding out what the others are up to. I want to use the day to gather some ingredients and items. I would like it if you would accompany me, or use this time to spy on some of the other masters. I know that, errr... simulation is important to you though, so I understand if you need to stay and watch over it.
@DostHou

Ludwig's eyes grazed over the area, eyes wide in astonishment at what sort of laboratory had been set up. The plant was what was piquing his interest more. A plant that could dig into the rocks and dry land, without any sort of nutrients from soil? It was simply...odd. The man Xerxes, he was odd as well. Persian descent was what he had gathered so far, the name Xerxes resembled that of the ancient man Ludwig had heard about when researching servants.

With the curtain drawn, Ludwig's eyes shot back to Xerxes, his time of revelation and thinking cut short by the man's need to continue on the conversation. "Raise your own chickens? My, that was not what I took you for at all Xerxes, my apologies, I myself never had chickens so eggs was never much on the table." he let out a short laugh and shook his head. Living in a cave? And here he took this Xerxes as some fancy royal magus.

He smirked at the mention of the mind controlled master. That had been on his mind all night, and truth be told he wanted to see the man's reaction to Xerxes after the effects were worn off. "Ah yes, the foolish man who claimed that he had summoned the mighty Heracles! I'm glad you were able to remove his mental interference's, I worried my methods would be too brutal on the poor man's mind, I'm right in saying he possesses no magical circuits whatsoever?"

He watched Berserker from the corner of his eye, finding it amusing that such a mild mannered and thought out man that Xerxes appeared to be would have such a relentless and somewhat 'slow' servant like berserker. Of course he was a great Servant as was plain to see, but from what he had learned, the Grail chose who was perfect for you when it came to compatibility. So far him and Archer weren't incompatible, they just never had much time to chat.

Xerxes started talking and he raised a brow, subconsciously tightening his mask at the mention of his family's name. People were killed...whatever did he mean by that. He brushed it off and decided it was best to follow through with the comments on his own motives. "You know about the Krauste family? My, I knew my involvement in this war wasn't a secret but you must have done your research. Yes it is true, the lab at home is perfect, secluded, ingredients abound in the wildlife but...." he trailed off, his mind interrupted by a recent memory he was already trying to erase. "The family sought to have a participant in this war, myself, a potion crafter, would normally not be an option, but circumstances brought them to want me to participate. Truth be told Xerxes, I don't aim for victory in this war, I don't have much of a wish to put forward in the end. I barely know how this works truth be told, all I'm here for is to make up for something I have done. If I survive this war, that's my goal. If I win, Archer may have her wish, you and Suzaku too, hence why i saw this alliance fit."

He paused and turned to Xerxes. "I have another reason I am here, I needed certain ingredients only this war could provide, I'm making something some may call, Taboo." he looked to Xerxes with a curious look before continuing his rambling. "Alas, you know me but I do not know you, tell me, what was it like back in Persia and what brings you to this battlefield of the magus"

---

Trieu had spent the night guarding her master. Wondering the moors as her master set up their workshop. She enjoyed her company, but she worried she was being too in over her head. At no point did this Polish woman strike her as a warrior set out to conquer her dreams and find her goal at the end of this onslaught. yet she was impressive, her skills was something that she herself could not commit herself to undertaking and for that she was grateful with such a master.

She looked down at her master on her back and gave her a sincere smile, crouching down beside her and listening to what she had to say. It was cute that it had bothered her, she really did not care for the official bonds and titles of master and servant, another aspect she was proud of her Master for. She let out a solemn sigh and stood up look down at her. This place, it was set up to protect from Masters and Servants, it was definitely the goal of her master, and looking at her exhausted body she knew she wanted to rest but wanted Rider to explore.

For that she was grateful.

"Very well Master, if you feel safe here I shall set off. I will not travel far but if I am too far away to aid you, please do not hold off on using a command seal to summon me back" She announced as she got to her feet and began to walk. "May the gods be kind to you Master, and may they shine on our victory, I will return soon."

With that she departed, her two swords by her side and her hope with her master. When she fought, she would be defending her, always.



She found herself walking to the harbour, passing through the farms as she did so. Something felt off about this city of Fuyuki. Yes it was an Asian city, but it did not remind her of home. She missed Vietnam and she hoped, when this war was over she could visit it again. For now, japan was her battleground and she would make all those that stood in her way pay.

Eyes wide open and moving elegantly she strode through the farms. Slowly, she began to stop. There was a lack of animals around these parts, she could tell that was unnatural even here. She was hoping to hear bustle from this place called Shinto town, but again nothing. Somebody around these parts was up to something. With a deep sigh she drew her First Sword. Advancing towards the Harbour, anyone in the Farms or the Harbour would feel a strange sensation in their minds as the mental interference started weak, but it would grow stronger. She was tired of being on the sidelines, now she would see what the competition was.

”Well, at least it wasn’t a net loss.”

A touch of dissatisfaction displayed on his face, the alchemist sighed to himself as he inspected the work of the previous night. Initially, things had been going rather well. The attack levied against the Matou estate had been the perfect combination of impactful and non-lethal that a testing shot ought to be, and had given some valuable insight into the Matou themselves.

The fact that another Servant had been made to take the fall for the attack was also nice. Evan wondered how that would be met, if the Matou had already demanded that poor Servant’s head or not. A small boy who threw devastating stones beyond what his small frame might indicate, what sort of Servant did they think that was?

Of course, things could not have gone so perfectly. Not long after, in the dead of night, the spying familiars that the alchemist has stationed in Shinto had seemed to vanish. Either there was a supreme master of familiars here among his fellow magi, or, more likely, a Caster or another Servant knowledgeable in magecraft had played their hand. Regardless, he doubted he was the only one affected by this individual, but there was no sense in crying over it. The nature of whoever had done this was a complete blank in Evan’s mind, but at least between this and the events witnessed by Assassin and his familiars, a general idea was starting to form.

Ah, no matter. All of that was trivial, in the end, compared to the next item on his agenda.

This notion seemed absurd. After all, to a magus who sought the Holy Grail, there was nothing more key in this war than removing the obstacles that laid between them and that prize. Nonetheless, for Evan, this next priority carried equal weight to obtaining the Holy Grail.

Yes, because after all, for Evan...

‘Assassin, to be safe, can you come with me? Should probably take a form you haven’t used before, but don’t bother with your Presence Concealment. We’ll be introducing you as ‘Berserker’.’

...the ‘most important thing’ was merely that he managed to create that.

And so to lunch he went.

@Phonic

---

There was a man who was not a man.

There was a horse that was not a horse.

A horse that was a man? No, the basis was too distinct. A man that was a horse? No, the foundation was poorly engraved.

A man that had become a horse. Yes, that was it precisely.

And so, as one customer was dragged from his bar by a small child who was certainly not a customer- what kind of irresponsible parent let their kid in a bar anyway- Archer turned to face the new arrival.

He stared in silence for a time that lasted an eternity from the inside, but a mere moment from the inside. Eyes beyond the flesh craned outwards and saw.

A thousand points pierced this world.

A devil forged from malice and iron pierced the void.

A void crying for all things was folded into all.

And as this waged on, he, he...

_{“Hold onto it. Because everything you’re about to go through is going to test how strong that hold is. If you let go of it, you’ll die.”}

...so it would move onwards. So it was meant to move onwards.

“Donnie, get the horse wine.”

”Eh? I thought you hated the horse wine. You haven’t asked for it since the Titan killed your prototype.”

”It’s not for me, it’s for the new kid.”

Bartender and manager alike turned their eye to the new arrival, and laughed in unison. The former poured a glass of wine from a bottle with a horse’s head imprinted upon it, before offering it to that very arrival.

“Here you are. Enjoy. This is a rare commodity. I’m frankly shocked, actually.”

And so, a declaration was made that would shatter the foundation of the Holy Grail War.

”...you know, you’re already the second person today I’ve poured this for.”

Playing a Dangerous Game

Another day, another hustle for the thief girl and her shawl-wearing saber. Being a foreigner is tough in an unfamiliar land, especially without any sufficient money to start with. With that being said, being financially stable in Japan is her number one priority at the moment. Luckily, Riyu has ways to cop out money due to her wits and street smarts, being an infamous thief helps too, but that would attract some unwanted attention to commit a crime at this town, so she goes to the next best thing she's good at: Hustling suckers for their hard earn cash.

Riyu decided to spend half of her day gambling, participating in a Japanese die-game with a bunch of grown man at the market's open corner, a place where a bunch of people comes in to gamble legally(sort of). Some of which seems to be affiliated with the Yakuza based on the people hanging there with their rugged tough guy looks and concealed weapons. This is a definitely the type of place your mother warned you about.

This surely is a dangerous game the thief girl is playing with, but Riyu's greed got the best of her and continues to proceed nevertheless. Besides she has a servant by her side posing as her own bodyguard, if anything goes wrong she can always count on Jack to come to her aid. probably?

"So this is Japanese gambling, ya? mind if I join in and experience your culture" Riyu said with a fake accent, showing some of her stolen goods to buy herself a spot at the table. The tattooed men remained their grumpy facade at the newcomer and tilt their head, inviting her for the game.Riyu sat down and started to play with these dangerous men.

With her naive looks and gender. They are bound to look down on her and see her nothing more as bait for the sharks. On the contrary, Riyu is far from that, this isn't the first time she pulls this type of deceitful stunt and she has one utility to give her a great advantage against these type of gamble: Her mystic eyes.

The die was cast inside the cup as Riyu's eyes follow it and briefly glisten in a yellowish color. Her special eyes lets look upon the outcome as if there's no hindrance to her vision on what's inside the cup, A X-ray vision to say the least. With the right acting and betting on the correct odds, Riyu is bound to win every single time the dices rolls.

"Heh, what can I say, beginner's luck I supposed." Riyu shrugs, keeping her innocent act together and scoops up her earnings, briefly winking at Jack at her corner as she continues to play more, pushing how far she could go to keep this charade, playing with house money and remains to increase her earnings. The men around her frowned as Riyu continues to keep her momentum going.

This is getting suspicious for the thief girl as some of the people there begin to mumble about her. Cheating is frowned upon the Yakuza, but does it really matter? as long as she doesn't get caught, Riyu is reaping the benefits from her mystic eyes and Her servant is there to protect her if things turned ugly.

"This is fun, maybe I should quit while I'm ahead. What do you think Jack? should I continue until we hustle these suckers down until they are broke?" She smirks and mentally asks Jack who is right there at her corner.

@ReallyDumb

---

Pied Piper(Caster)

A New Infestation

The sun is up and the rats on the port violently hiss at the first sight of sunrise and began to scurry and hide into the dark corners of the port where the sunlight won't reach them. Apparently, they don't like the sunlight like most creatures does probably because of their nocturnal nature.

A man in colorful robe approaches the young mafia boy with a tea at hand, casually dipping its sack as Piper takes a sip with his pinky up and glances at the preparation his master made for his henchmen.

"What a tactical mind you have, Master Enzo" Piper said, starting off with a flattery. "A splendid idea, holding this port as a captive and a decoy at the same time. I think a portion of my rats is enough to able to generate a mild plague around this radius to entertain some boorish unwanted guest."
The bard said taking a sip once more. "Hmm, perhaps i should make a detonator just in case" He pondered.

"As for the new territory, it's in the works, its somewhere on the western side of the city, classes are still going so I won't be able to get things done at this time of day. But rest assure my rats are securing the area as we speak. I'll give you the layout of where it is" He said.

"Your plans in dominating this old-fashion city is in motion, I've taken extra precaution in dealing with wandering eyes as well, we'll move at the cover of darkness, where my rats are most active.." The Rat king said with a playful smile on his lips.

@Seirei No Hai

Xerxes could tell that Ludwig was interested in the Haoma. But if he knew its true properties... Well, Xerxes would tell him in time. Not that he had a reason not to for now, but all mages here in this war had something to keep secret. Not that he really had anything to hide beyond this. He was a bit too open about who he could be.

"Well, chickens made good company. I guess I just saw something in such a humble lifestyle as raising chickens. Not all mages are born to wealth, Ludwig. Some like myself have to go out and create their fortunes." It was a simple lesson sure, but Xerxes could be a bit of a mentor to younger mages. Considering his age though, that qualified almost every other mage on the planet. He expected Ludwig would be shocked, or even deny it at first if he told him just how long lived he was.

He was rather amused by how the boy kept a mask on him at all times. He expected the Krauste heir to be paranoid. Most mages would be when placed with such a high honor, and all the risk of ruining ones family name. Xerxes though had long come to terms with his choices, and didn't regret them one bit. But youth must carry that burden, while Xerxes had sought to abandon it. Selfish, probably but he would have rather done it a million more times than have to live his life in a cave. A life with nothing of value, rather than serving others from the darkness, and leaving only one day in a year.

"I haven't really checked his magic circuit count. But he has next to no magical resistance, or ability to resist it. I suspect that if he does have circuits, then they are dormant, or in such a poor quality and count that he may never have qualified for a mage." Xerxes said all while lighting another of the odd blue flamed lamps.

He had been observing Ludwig and his servant for a time. Well, mostly since they entered the church. But he did his research. He still wasn't sure just who Ludwig had summoned, but that may not be a real issue. In truth, archers were an interesting class. They came in a far greater variety than something as overly violent as a berserker. But Xerxes considered himself lucky to have his servant either way. He did so find a good use in something like Darius. Maybe he should spend some time with the archers. Get to know them more. The man named Tesla was from the future, and Xerxes had an tiny interest in trying to insert himself into the man's legend. Probably as an investor.

"Well, to be honest, as I said earlier, I have no wish for the grail. Maybe Berserker does, but I do not. I am a healer, seeking to help the civilians who may be injured. I was tracking a mage who I believed was seeking to get civilians injured. I ended up ambushed by the Matous and their crest worms, and well... You know the rest of the story." Xerxes said, keeping it all rather simple and easy to explain. "As for you, and your taboo research... I consider that worth pursuing. All things that have been for the betterment of humanity was once labeled as taboo. Galileo was considered a treasonous man because he dared question the church. But his actions revealed to the people that we are not the center of the galaxy. The man above use, Tesla. The way he talks you'd think the things he has done were unconceivable at the time. Taboo. To control lightning." Xerxes smiled, and finally took a seat. "If you require help, I will see what I can do to help you, achieve a dream as great as Tesla's."

"As for Persia." There was a long pause, as Xerxes gazed off into the distance. "It has changed so much since I was born. I left for a time to see the world, but when I returned... I have been alive for over a century." Xerxes said, turning his gaze to see Ludwig's reaction. "Impressive, isn't it? That I can look so young, despite having lived long enough to live through the fall of the Zand Kingdom, and the rise of a new empire in its place. You will find few of my countrymen who love the Qajar. We have lost lands to other countries, that we once held sacred. My own family lived high in the mountains, and our traditions are strong. I am the last of my family, and I do not regret it. They lived in caves, never seeing the sun. And it was only time before our lands were taken, and my family... If I was to make a wish, it would be to have somebody to pass this all onto. The secret to live to be a hundred years old. In a month, I will be celebrating my 130th birthday." A lie. He was far older. But Ludwig didn't need to know that.

Last night after she finished 'Assisting' her darling's work Berserker had ate well of her catch and the fruits of the grove, drank well of her own stock, and had a nap to boot. There was only so much sitting still she could do though and harassing the boy too much too soon would take all the charm out of their companionship.

Without so much as asking she had strolled down the path of (now substancially less- thanks Ana) destroyed trees and into town, sword reformed as gourd and kimono tied tastefully shut to mingle among the populace properly. The image of a refined little lady in decorated silk, with perfect posture and a charming smile strolled through the markets of the foreign district.

Wait... Did she forget about the horns, or just simply not care? That was hard to say but the onlookers certainly took note, not that she minded at all. Gawk, flee, scream in terror, as long as no one was foolish enough to try and vanquish her it just made it easier to just pick up and take things that she wanted... At least until the angry mob showed up later, but that was later and later wasn't now.

Each time she found something that caught her eye she smiled, looked the one tending the shop in the eye, and asked sweetly "You don't mind if I take this do you?" or something to that effect. Whether fear of retribution from the little demon or the oppressive aura of her alcohol soaked charm, in such a way the arms of the little oni rapidly grew full of foreign goods.

Such perfect posture and balance as was possessed by the woman who could turn a flip with an open drinking vessel and spill nary a drop allowed her stacks of pottery, silks, foreign drink, and other such frivolities to more than double her height. If word of the little devil hadn't already spread across the market place she would have no doubt been a crowd drawing absurdity. A shambling pile of treasures meandering from shop to shop so tall it could no longer fit under the awnings or through the doorframes was not exactly a common sight.

Of course, that wasn't exactly convenient either, and before long she had used her charms to press-gang a handful of followers to help in her cause, a near even split between comely women and burly men, all increasingly tipsy by the moment due to the circumstance therein. As she progressed further through town the shambling pile became a great zig-zagging centipede of silk and spice that could be followed right to Berserker's location. She decided that once she finished her 'shopping' she'd have them deliver her acquisitions home for her and then wait while she explored elsewhere, and then when she got back she'd eat the ugly ones and keep the pretty ones to play with until she broke them... Her darling wouldn't mind entertaining a bunch of drunks in the meantime right?

This was a very productive day so far, and there was still plenty of town yet!

Splendid results, the mafioso thought. He gave a larger man a pat on the back as well as his permission to guard the harbor. Turning back to Piper he whistled for a handful of his own men to follow him as they walked out of the exit from the harbor. "I suppose it's time you give me a tour of this location you scouted out? I'd also like my own men positioned by the way."

Suits rush by them in a hurry, fully intent to secure everything they could salvage and clean up for the move tonight. "Maybe this time we won't have a meddlesome brat use a sack of cats to eat all your familiars." He saw it as a frustrating thing but the men kept to themselves and quietly chuckled out of the heir's earshot.

He looked up in thought, wondering how large the city is. The group stopped by one of those automobiles that they've been producing and because of their mafia standing they were able to... let's say... "borrow" a few for the operation.



Getting in the driver's seat, Enzo ordered his Servant to sit next to him while his men sat behind them, although a little cramped. "We'll save time not using carriages. I've always wanted to show technological superiority to these... hmm... natives. Yes." With the turn of a small lever, he was able to get the car running, revving loud with a puff of smoke giving cover behind them.

@Argonaut

It was a beautiful night, Rider thought. There was barely a cloud in the sky, and the moon shone brightly through the woods he walked through and “prepared.” Normally, he would be hesitant to walk alone through foreign territory, and to leave his… “Master” alone in but a clearing, but well…

These circumstances were anything but normal. He never thought he would be worshiped as a god after his death, even after his triumphs in defending his homeland, such would be the height of arrogance. He was thankful for the abilities it granted him, however. He would've given his left arm to have been able to become unnoticeable and to know all in his domain, back when the cursed hordes of that khan ravaged their way through his beloved Vietnam, but-

He didn't need these abilities to destroy their navy and send the tattered remnants of their invading force all the way back across the border. While, like most heroes, he did have quite a few regrets, such as not being able to pursue his dream of being a poet, or spend as much time as he wished with his family, there wasn't much he had to… wish for, on this “Holy Grail.”

Ah, the darkness of night was receding, just in time. He was on his final rounds, anyways. The territory was established, and all of his old favorites were readied, and then some. Any fool who would think to attack these woods would have a miserable time, just as those barbarous hordes did, when Vietnam had expressed her displeasure at their trespasses.

As he approached the clearing where his Master was, he heard her question. His progress, hm? Perhaps she was somewhat concerned about not arriving on time, or early, as the ritual started, though nothing of the sort was apparent in her voice, nor her expression. Well, though enthusiasm never went amiss, she would likely prefer a more professional response. While she was most certainly not his Emperor, she was his Master, after all.

“A good morning to you, my Master. My primary preparations were completed early enough that I could work through my secondary plans, as well. Đức Thánh Trần has been fully completed, and I took the liberty to establish a few escape routes as well, though it's unlikely we would ever need to use most of them, all things considered. I have confidence that all but the most powerful, or the most stealthy, would be greatly weakened, if not outright repulsed.”

He materialized his staff and the rest of his armor. It would not do to start the day without being fully ready, would it. Now, let's see-

“The dawn of the second day of this ritual has arrived. My master, how do you plan to win this war?”

@ReallyDumb

With his move successful, Rider dashed towards where his blade had dropped just as the explosion was heard. Before he could reach down to pick his sword up, Rider noticed that the blade began to shake rather... oddly. To Rider, it seemed that there are other Servants fighting not too far from where his and Lancer's battle was taking place. Turning back around to his opponent without picking up his sword, Rider had seemed to relax a bit. He had some sort of feeling that whoever is battling in the outskirts of the woods may be the same Servant that had made this same attack...

In any case, Rider knelt over, grabbing his blade. With the mood feeling a bit muddled, it didn't seem like Lancer was going to attack him, and if he were to strike him while he's down once again, Rider was confident that his instincts would help him make a proper defense; and besides, if the battle were to continue at this point, Achilles would have to face the might of two high-class Heroic Spirits. In the end, it seems like it was a stalemate, for now.

"Very well," Rider began, standing up and sheathing his blade to his hip, "if you die before our rematch, then I will win this war and use my wish to bring you back and defeat you then." With his cocksure response, a small half-smile formed on Rider's face. While he was confident that he would win this war, he genuinely did not want to see what he believes would be his greatest rival die before they could have their full battle. Despite his brazen reaction, however, Rider still was certain that he needed to prepare specifically for their next battle. He was forced on the defensive during this fight, and neither he or Lancer had used their trump cards. At the very least, a sense of pride welled up in Rider since he didn't need to draw them in the first place. As far as he's certain, his identity, and even his class container, is a mystery to even them.

"You go on ahead. I will go and check on my own Master. If there's another battle happening in these forests, then there is a chance that they may end up at her workshop." With that, Rider turned away, fading slowly into spiritual form. While he was a bit curious of investigating once again, Rider believed that if his feeling was true and it was once again the work of that Archer from before, he would find naught but more craters. Rider's intentions from the beginning of this battle were to defend against any potential interlopers, anyway, so he had no interest in pursuing Lancer; and besides, it would be a waste of energy to chase the fastest hero, anyway.

If this were any other situation, Jack wouldn’t have hesitated to call his master suicidal. As it stood, with him standing here and prepared to grab her and run if things got too out of hand, he downgraded his evaluation to merely “very reckless”. A good thief had to know more than how to steal, and this was a decent time to teach her about dealing with locals, especially those she was planning to scam.

“Damn nice playing, little miss.” He says aloud. “And to think here I found you a complete lost cause at any kind of game of chance six months ago.” Lose half, ease off. “Although it’s close to your bedtime, doncha think?” Drop.

Words zip from his mind into hers. “While mental conversations like this are really effective, it’s better to practice the code we set up. You won’t have this advantage at every heist and play you make, you know. Besides, winning like that only creates bad feelings. If you’re dealing with locals and you don’t even know what kind of groups are around and how the people are like, you’re better off trying not to hurt everybody’s feelings too much. Who knows if they’ll go crying to mommy and daddy, and we wouldn’t want that, would we?”

Of course he would run into her again, his Luck truly was D ranked. Nevertheless, Tesla was not out for blood or revenge, he simply wasn't that type of man. Were it not for his pride he would probably go over to thank the woman actually, she practically handed her identity over to him last night while also giving him some great ideas for future projects. If she was truly alone and shopping for groceries as he was, then Tesla would've easily ignored her and simply continued on his way. Unfortunately things were never that simple. A crowd of people were following the Oni, carrying her groceries in a drunken stupor as she stole from various shopkeepers. "A scientist cannot improve the lives of the people without people." He grumbled as he walked over to Shuten-Douji, whistling all the while so she was aware of his presence.

"I hope you realize your horns are in full view Berserker. It attracts quite a bit of attention from the common folk." Tesla called out as he stopped at the stall she was currently robbing, paying for several loafs of bread and putting them in his bag along with the variety of other things he had purchased. How he managed to fit so much into such a small bag only he knew, but he had been shopping for an hour now yet he still only needed the one bag to carry all the food he had bought.

"I wanted to clear up a misunderstanding from last night, I am no scion of the Minamoto as you seemed to believe. I am the god of lightning, Ni-!" He suddenly paused in the middle of proclaiming his identity, realizing how annoyed Suzaku would be if he announced his name to yet another Servant and Master after last night. "Archer. I am Archer of Lightning." He nodded after finishing his introduction, turning his gaze towards Shuten-Douji once more as he scanned her figure. It was meant to be as attention grabbing as possible, showing off large amounts of skin while also covering up just enough to leave some things to the imagination. That's what Tesla deduced it was supposed to do anyways, he was never particularly distracted by pretty woman in life. Perhaps that could change after winning this war, but that was a thought for another time. After the pause he left for her to introduce herself, he pressed onward.

"I noticed you seem to be getting groceries, same as I. I wished to invite you to lunch at our base, this invitation extends to your Master as well of course. Perhaps we can discuss an alliance over pizza?" He smiled as he said this, a warm expression devoid of malice or ill intentions as he waited for an answer.

Shuten's followers had exceeded their carrying capacity in short order and by the time Tesla approached she had instructed them to pile it all up in the middle of the street for her and to... Well she whispered that part, though everyone seemed excited about it. Thus when she turned to face him, to answer his inquiry, the backdrop of their conversation was a rapidly growing mound of illicitly obtained treasures.

She turned to face him though when he called out, and she reached up to touch her horns, feigning surprise when her hands 'found them'. Her anger at him had already withered away to nothing, once she had found the source of the calamity she had no trouble deducing that even if he had been conspiring against her life he most certainly was not working with her most hated enemy and so Shuten Douji wore a smile and spoke in a jovial tone. "Oh, so they are~! I hadn't noticed~fufufu."

As he went to clarify his intentions and introduce himself she turned away and clambered up her mountain of ill-gotten gains and lounged upon it, turning back around and staring down at him with a befanged smile. At some point during the climb her kimono had come unbound, her poorly tied silk obi joining the loot pile as it flapped open. "Well, something like that. My groceries are currently paying tribute to the king of mount Ooe." She hefted her gourd and pulled her drinking vessel from inside of her sleeve as she spoke and by the time she finished she had poured it full. "With them going through all this trouble to please me it would be very rude if I were not here to see it through, no? By the time we are done here though I am sure I will have worked up quite the appetite but in the meantime would you like to share a drink and watch the festivities?" She downed the contents of the bowl and poured again, leaning way forward and holding it down to him from atop her precarious perch, her own impeccable balance being the only thing that kept the pile of pottery and silk from dethroning her via gravity.

At about exactly that time, as if she knew, as if it were rehearsed, the cry of "FIRE! FIRE!" echoed through the streets, in one direction then another, and another, as the streets grew full and hectic. Smoke broke out along the skyline, followed quickly by fire, as the servants of Berserker diligently followed the orders of their king. Left to spread naturally the foreign district would likely burn down by nightfall.

Or it would have, but they weren't leaving it to spread naturally. Berserker's minions were running through the streets throwing stolen oil pots wrapped in flaming linen through windows and putting torches to roofs. As the terrified denizens ran out of the ignited buildings the mob ran in. Adrenaline high, drunk, and bolstered by the unstoppable charm and charisma of their new king, the mob knew no fear of fire or retaliation. With reckless abandon they ransacked the blazing buildings of anything obviously worthwhile and dumped valuables in the middle of the street free from the reach of the flames before moving to the next house, spreading out in every direction from the market and to the residences.

Shuten just kept smiling that fanged smile and holding the bowl out towards Tesla as if nothing in the world was wrong. For her that was after-all the truth, a banquet of destruction was a proper celebration fit for a king among Oni.

@Floodtalon@kyoka@Seirei No Hai@vocab@ManyThings@Reflection@Sageage
The workshops of the listed parties or their direct allies are currently under fire by a drunken mob.

Christopher yawned slightly as he went out of his personal chamber in the workshop. While it was irritating, and he had pulled worse nights when studying at the Clock Tower, he did need to sleep at least three hours a night to maintain his normal performance.

Though the reconnaissance on the Matou manor was somewhat disappointing, only seeing the “effect” and little to nothing of the cause, Avenger had promised that there would not be another occasion such as this, and would put more of her efforts in keeping the both of them informed. And while the scouting was a partial failure, when they arrived back to the workshop, Avenger showed her skill as a magus from the Age of the Gods when the two of them worked together in trying to prevent a similar event from occurring at their own base of operations. There was also-

Oh, Avenger was saying something about the… Einzbern forest. That was actually something he was planning to do, especially considering not one, but two mysterious events had occurred in that sea of trees. It would be best to ensure that those dolls were not doing anything especially… nefarious.

“No, I am in agreement. Twice has there been enigmatic displays of light over those trees. I would rather not wait for a third,” Christopher said, suppressing a yawn.

[In Transit to Einzbern Forest]

@UndyingRegret

A simple bird flew amidst the chaos engulfing half of the city, amidst its bird brethren.

If one were, for some reason, observing a flock of fleeing birds though, and if their eyes were of sufficient merit to earn them the name ‘Archer’, they might notice that it held two items as it flew. Of course, even this was nearly impossible to notice, as it flew amidst others.

Moreover, this would not occur regardless. After all, its maker had been careful to place it out of the sight of those Servants and magi who occupied the space. If nothing else, its maker’s observations and surveillance had been enough to where something like that was trivial.

It would not do for the bird to be noticed.

And so, as it flew, it released the two items it held: a glass vial, and a black rock. The two items were sent careening into the flames below that the bird and its brethren were escaping from.

Bind.

The vial shattered, and fire emerged from it, melding with the fire that surrounded.

Bind.

The black rock dissipated, consumed by the fire, and tainting those flames with curses, strengthening their nature, hastening their spread.

Compared to the curse that had assaulted the Matou estate the previous night, this one was of a different nature, a distinct individual curse in its own right, even if the ‘result’ was the same. That was a consequence of its ‘vessel’ coloring it in all likelihood, but in terms of mystery and power it did not lose out in the slightest to the previous night’s curse.

Bind.

And so, the meaning and burden attached to those flames propagated itself faster than the mundane fires did, seeping into and contaminating those flames as they spread, now no longer content with the mere fragment of a city that they would have ordinarily kept to. The isolated blaze started by a handful of drunken fools evolved into something entirely different.

It wasn’t as if the bird’s Master wouldn’t take advantage of an arbitrage opportunity, after all.

And so, the fires spread.

And so, the fires burned.

And so, the fires bound.