Tick tock...

Tick tock...

The sound of a German wall-clock resonated around a particular room of a big house just atop a hill overlooking the city below. At the very heart of Rome itself or perhaps a little ways near it. A little girl. A knife out. Signs of a current struggle. She moved her finger to her lips and silenced the tied-up prisoner-

-An Italian local, begging to be freed. The fear in his eyes and he wasn't the sort of poor commoner you'd see in the streets no... this was a rich person, perhaps that old geezer she had met earlier that tried to grope her on the way home. Well. Now he'd see the error of his mistakes...

...and he wouldn't live the next day to reflect on it.

The edge of the knife had placed itself on the man's neck, ever so slowly the doll-like child sang to herself, no emotion to express how she felt when she slit his throat wide open. The blood marking the circle she had drawn up for this particular ritual. Yes, she is a Master in this War. Yes, she is to summon a Servant to win this War.

With her hand held out, the Command Seal in full view on the back of her hand, she chants. Using the local as a catalyst- no... the richer local as a catalyst. A pure Roman, she had hoped to summon a hero from Rome or perhaps the heroes who destroyed it. Either way, the blood is to judge which Servant is fit for this ritual, which Servant is fit for the now-used catalyst. So long as she had the advantage, she can win.

She has to.

After all her preparations, she held a hand out. Fully focused on the summoning ritual.

She inhales...

...exhales...

...eyes open.



@Black Keys

Ah, what have we here... an existence, calling to me? Screaming to me? Begging for my aide? Well, I'm surprised you chose to summon me. There are... better candidates for this sorta thing, no? And as a Caster? Surely, a being of my stature would fit one of the Knight classes, more, no?

... Oh, so the war is taking place there, then. I see. Perfect... but what has a mere child got to do with this mess, at all? Or... no, that's no child.

Heh...

... no, she's just like me.

---

As the winds died down and the light of the summoning circled dimmed, there was but a brief moment of calm. Suddenly, however, a bright, golden light, a gross incandescence brighter than the one produced by the ritual itself began pouring out from the circle, piercing through the smoke. When the dust finally settled, what beheld the doll-like girl was an existence greater than mankind. Standing before the homunculus named 'Acute' was a Heroic Spirit, called by the Holy Grail.

Standing before Acute was not a mere man, but an entire world. An empire.

Indeed, it was as if his bronze body was sculpted by the gods themselves, using different portions of Earth in order to craft a the utopia that is this Heroic Spirit. His arms, his biceps and triceps, were like mighty mountains piercing the clouds of dust fluttering through the room. His abs and pectorals were like rolling hills, numerous, yet vast. His crimson hair seemed to flow on its own without the volition of the wind, like the waves of a great ocean, tranquil and ferocious at the same time. Truly, gazing upon it is like gazing upon an entire country, its greatness stretching as far as the eye could see! It only made sense that a being with a naturally perfect body like this would wear as little clothes as he can. Who wouldn't want to show off such beauty?

Finally opening his eyes, those spheres of red searched the room, looking left, right, and finally down. As this country given the form of a man looked upon his diminutive summoner, a smile was drawn on his face.

"Behold, child of the earth, sculpted by man..." The Heroic Spirit's deep voice was booming, befitting a being of his stature. Spreading his arms out wide, he continued to introduce himself, his smile growing wider as he began to well with pride. "You have brought forth the greatest Divine Spirit! A god among men! With these very hands, I have molded what is now the very world that you live in, today! With these very eyes, I have seen a glorious future for you, and for I! My bountiful body spreads wide, and yet, my legacy spreads even wider! Who stands before you is none other than I... Heroic Spirit 'Caster.'"

And so, Caster, unfitting of his class container, began to strike a pose with his wonderful body. Laughing as he flexed, his bulging arms appeared like great landmasses, threatening to explode out of his metallic skin. If his short speech from earlier wasn't enough to prove it, then it was this very display that would make it very apparent; Caster was a proud man, his ego possibly rivaling the greatest of egomaniacs. Having a pride as great as Caster's may seem like something potentially dangerous, something to take account for... yet, at the same time, just from gazing at his body alone, it seemed as if all his pride was completely justified.

Perhaps it isn't too far from the truth that this man truly was a god, or something of that sort?

"Aha, what is this, then? I see... You have truly prepared for my audience, then!"

Caster had abruptly stopped performance and began walking towards the fresh corpse used as a 'catalyst.' With each footfall, the room shook slightly, dust around his feet rising to the air as the ground softly rumbled, until finally, he lowered himself down to the body. With a thumb, he lowered the corpse's eyelids, smiling and leaning into its ear, as if it were still alive.

"Don't worry, my child. As a god, will not waste this offering."

With a vicious thrust, Caster lunged his hand into the man's chest, ripping out his heart with one swift motion, staining his own body with this cadaver's blood. Gazing at the heart with oh so hungry eyes, Caster sunk his teeth into it, a very satisfied smile on his face as he started to chew on the first big chunk he bit out of it. Soon, he started to consume the heart at an even faster, likened to a wolf, feral and wild due to hunger. After a terribly long minute, his bestial tirade had finally come to a close as Caster sat there, blood still dripping out of his mouth as he made an exhausted smile.



"Thank you, child of earth, for such a delicious offering. The fruits born from the tree of Rome always taste the sweetest, and I will make sure that you learn that, as well." Caster looked back to his Master with those crimson orbs, giving her a more genuine smile. Slowly approaching her, whether her reaction was of shock, disgust, or fear, he cradled her face with both of his bloody hands, drawing a line down her forehead with his bloody index finger, as if granting her some sort of profane baptism.

"Relish in this moment, my child, for you, too, are a god, now..."

Angelina started sprinkling the flowers into the teapot as she listened to Saber's inquiry. She was silent for a moment. It wasn't that she minded the question, she had in fact expected it. She was simply struggling for a moment on how to best explain herself to her new partner in the Grail War.

"Well...I'm probably one of the more unusual candidates for a Master. I couldn't tell you why the Grail chose me, I can't really fathom why myself." She let out a sigh as she began to pour the boiling water into the teapot. "I come from a family of healers. We've been practicing Magecraft for many generations, healing magecraft is what we specialize in." She stirred the pot. "My father runs a clinic in Mexico City, he's not only a Magus but also a doctor. I've spent most of my life learning from him and tending to patients." She added a few tea bags, they'd need that caffeine after all. "My family also taught me to only use my magecraft to help others, never to harm."

"So basically, I can heal you in a pinch, when it comes to healing I doubt there's a better Master. I'm also fairly skilled with wind and reinforcement magecraft." Angelina turned and looked at Saber. She...she hoped that Saber wouldn't be disappointed with her skill sets. "In terms of offensive abilities, I have none. Even if I knew how to use my magic that way it would go against everything I've been taught...I'm sorry if that disappoints you..." Angelina tried not to look it, but she was afraid of disappointing her Servant, as strange as that may have seemed.

"Make no mistake though, I intent on winning this Grail War! I don't know what I'll do with it once I have it, maybe wish for world peace? Either way I don't like the idea of some power hungry Master getting their hands on it so...that's why I'm going through with this..." She knew that couldn't have been much cheeser, but it was true all the same.

He had been called. He had no say in the matter, no option but to charge into the world, no choice but to be restored to being by the power of the Grail. Even in the grasp of inevitability, however, there were still options: the beckoning promised power beyond his wildest dreams and a new chance at a reasonable facsimile of life. True, he would have to serve. But that he was used to that. Those who resented servitude were foolish, and wasted energy on anger that would be better used for furthering one’s aims. It would pass with time.
Still, he wondered if this would be a master he enjoyed serving, one worthy of his service and respect. Far too few of those, in his experience. He was a Rider, it seemed, something he was proficient enough in.
There’d be time enough for rumination later. Information about this war flowed into his mind, though far less than he’d like--he’d much prefer to know his enemies beforehand.
Nevertheless, he was once again to be a champion. His time was at hand.
***
The flame snuffed out, but Rider did not come forth from it. For a moment, Eric had to have doubts--perhaps he had failed in the summoning ritual? But no, the command seals blazed to life on the back of his hand, a loud, all pervading sound of hooves on stone clattered through the room, seeming to come from all corners and all doors before an entity burst through the portal behind him. A horrible whinny rang out, echoing off the stone of the chamber as the massive steed reared, then calmed--and a man garbed entirely in black armor hopped off with practiced ease. He removed his helm with his right hand, allowing well-trimmed but unruly black hair to spring free from it, dark eyes focusing in on Eric’s face. His left gripped the reins of his horse tightly, his lips spreading slightly to make a click click to calm her, before he finally spoke, stroking his neat beard once and sticking his thumb in his belt. A smug grin spread across his face as he regarded Eric, though his tone was serious.
“You are the one who summoned me from my eternal rest, I suppose. I am Rider, and ever your servant,” he said, bowing slightly to Eric as he did. “Since you have my ring, I doubt any further introduction is necessary.”
Rider’s head tilted to the side as he regarded the other man. “I require two things of you before we begin our contract, however. The first is your name, so that I might know who I serve. The other is some sort of tribute as payment--the ring will suffice.”
He held out his hand, palm up.

@Kaithas

Eric Smirked. "My name is Eric, Rider. I'll give you the ring, but that is the only thing I'll give you other than orders. Unless we happen to end up playing poker, then that is up to lady luck to decide." an he tossed the ring to Rider. He turned, with both hands behind his back. "Come to my study, where we might have a drink whilst we settle what must be settled." and he strode out of the room.

In kneeling to calm Maxie, Archer had subsequently let go of Dave's grip quite willingly— something that his Master had begun to attempt to force him to do through use of some form of Mystic Code. Archer had felt the watch on his wrist roar to life for a moment before he had made his own intentions clear, had felt magic begin influence the world and then cease just as quickly. He would need to understand that thing soon, once he made amends here.

Measuring both his and Dave's faces for a moment, Maxwell dutifully placed his paw within Archer's palm, as if mimicking the shake of hands that had sealed the cooperation between Master and Servant. The pup gazed into Archer's eyes with a solemn... expectation.

The Heroic Spirit of the Bow's thick black brows rose for a moment, heralding a hearty chuckle that rose from his belly as understanding dawned upon him.

"I hope you'll treat me well then, Maxie!" he replied, reaching forward to pat the Shepard on the back in much the same manner as he had Dave, before scratching him between his ears. "Forgive my subterfuge from before, but it seems our Master has either not deigned to or is unable to set up protection from potentially interested eyes."

With that Archer rose back up to his full height, folding his arms and returning his attention to the blonde in the room, humor somewhat fading.

"Truthfully, that would be my next question, Master," he continued, "If I am to win you this War as I intend to, I need to know what you are and are not capable of."

Servant - Lancer

@floodtalon

It was, rather interesting as his 'citizen' turned on him. Well, at the very least she wasn't boring, or one who turned themselves into sheep who were cattle to even the most boarish of personalities. Was he testing her? Or did he merely just need a drink? After all, he'd been a spirit for so long a good drink couldn't have been missed. And personally, the beer was very nice. Clearly refined, and despite him being used to a more home brewed quality, he had to admit the people of this time knew how to make a beer. Even if it was cold. Oh right, his citizen was distressing over something.

Those red eyes drifted down to his chest as she poked him. "Second of all, I am most definitely not your 'citizen'. I am your Master, meaning we are partners." Strange how partners came right after declaring herself master. One could argue it was slavery. Then again... He had many slaves at one point too. So Lancer doubted he could judge her for something like this. In his homeland slavery was just a terrible truth of the world. As it probably was still in various parts of the world.

"I am Sophia Revynne. You are Servant Lancer. We are the victors of this Holy Grail War, everyone else just doesn't know that yet. Let's work hard to inform them of the fact."

"Well then, partner. I shall not call you Master, if that is fine. And you shall not call me servant." Lancer took a knee, his bright red eyes looking into her own as he descended to her level. As if he was surrendering the high-ground. "I doubt I could have cooked for you anyway. To be honest, I never learned how to do it myself." He burned into laughter, as if it was a joke. "So this efficient food will do for the both of us. But, on a single condition. We order from different places each night. I wish to taste all the possible foods of this era. Is that clear?" He seemed to let that serious facade fade away. Was this really her servant? Some care free individual who was as comfortable making demands as he was taking them.

This time, he let her respond. Standing up, and brushing his robes and chest. His cloth bandages sliding just enough for her to peek the skin beneath. Something he caught quickly, and tied them back around him arm. "Naturally, I can begin working as soon as you wish. We have already established our fort, and no doubt all others will be attempting to do the same. You and I should make sure we hunt while the beasts are still trying to find their footing. Once they have set up their nests, it'll be harder to catch even a piglet. Much less a boar."

Adjusting himself, Lancer walked to the door, and opened it as his body began to dematerialize. "I promise to be back soon. Call an efficient food place, and I will make sure to pick up your order when I return. I want... A s'more. Order me a hundred."

Then he was gone.

Well at least Lancer isn't the type to fly off the handle. A calm man, taking her abuse in stride and moving forward with no hesitation.
"Well then, partner. I shall not call you Master, if that is fine. And you shall not call me servant." He took a knee, his eyes meeting hers as he continued speaking, putting them on the same level in a sense. "I doubt I could have cooked for you anyway. To be honest, I never learned how to do it myself." He burst into laughter as he said this, the tension in the air melting away as Sophia thought about that statement. Lancer must have lived a very privileged lifestyle if he never once had to cook for himself. "So this efficient food will do for the both of us. But, on a single condition. We order from different places each night. I wish to taste all the possible foods of this era. Is that clear?" Sophia nodded as he said this, thinking about what she wanted to have for dinner.

"I find that arrangement acceptable." Now that that was out of the way, time to move onto serious business. He stood up and brushed off his robes, revealing a hint of the skin underneath. Ah, so that's how it is with him then. He would have been a good candidate for Assassin honestly, something that Sophia would've liked a lot actually. He quickly tied the bandages back around his arm, concealing his skin once more as he spoke.

"Naturally, I can begin working as soon as you wish. We have already established our fort, and no doubt all others will be attempting to do the same. You and I should make sure we hunt while the beasts are still trying to find their footing. Once they have set up their nests, it'll be harder to catch even a piglet. Much less a boar." Sophia nodded, time was of the essence. Lancer walked to the door and began to dematerialize, already raring to hunt. She checked her watch, noting how it was almost noon. Wait it's only noon? "I promise to be back soon. Call an efficient food place, and I will make sure to pick up your order when I return. I want... A s'more. Order me a hundred."

"Ah wait Lancer!" Gone already. Damn his need to be mysterious and cool. No matter, there was a reason the Master Servant link existed. 'Lancer, it's barely noon. Make sure not to draw too much attention, there's a few special things about this Holy Grail War.' Servants were supposed to be summoned with all relevant knowledge for the Holy Grail War yes, but it never hurt to be careful. Thus she explained the need for secrecy this War, how the Holy Grail was being kept by the Church, but most importantly of all she told him of the existence of Ruler. She did not elaborate much on that subject, any Servant would know that pissing off a Ruler is tantamount to defeat. 'In other words, we should focus on scouting out Workshops and figuring out who each Servant is for now. Then we can truly begin the hunt.' With that being said, she picked up her phone and started looking up places that made s'mores in Rome. She would have to say it was for a last minute party, hopefully she could haggle the price down to something reasonable. Rich she may be, but a penny saved is a penny earned as they say in America. Even if she hated pennies. Ugly little things.

The chagrined look returned.

"That's a can a'worms." The Aussie magus walked out of the kitchen and towards his bed, pulling a pair of old leather-bound journals out of his bag. He rapped a knuckle on the cover of one, looking back towards Archer. "This is what I got. These, and easily a dozen more back home. That I've gotten around to reading. We're supposed to get a Crest passed down, an accumulation of our family's magic. I didn't. Dad didn't, either."

"I can make a bounded field, with a little prep time. Managed some small, small works. I can work my Mystic Code." Dave made a frustrated noise, half under his breath. "I've got the horsepower, I think. Never met another magus to compare. I've got a lot of the theory. But reality, that's a different story. I studied the summoning ritual for hours to get it right."

"I ain't a halfwit, though." The frustration went as quickly as it came, replaced with a certain surety. For all he didn't know about magecraft, he knew a thing or two about strategy. "Me Dad trained dogs. I trained Maxie here with all I know, he's not just here 'cause he'd give a sitter hell. Can't bring much for weapons into this place, but I got a handgun in. I know how to use it, and something bigger if we lay hands on it. Been in the outdoors pretty much my whole life, I know my way around."

"Not much of a magus," He reiterated, shrugging slightly. "But I'm probably the best damn man in this war. And with this many magi running around, maybe I can learn somethin' new."

The young woman who was sitting across from Maurius was no human. Flowing blonde hair reached well past her neck, and sharp green eyes seemed to pierce whatever she deigned to gaze upon. Currently she was wearing a flowing white dress and very opulent jewelry of various shapes and sizes. Despite her keen eyes and great beauty, she seemed rather young. Yes. If it was just 'looks' alone, one might mistakenly believe she lacked any sort of real presence. Someone who thought her form held any sort of violence in it would probably be laughed at.

. . .And yet, that wasn't the case at all.

She was Berserker, the living incarnation of myth. To even a great magus the pressure exerted from her being was probably comparable in intensity to a sun. From every blood vessel to each and every lock of her hair, Berserker had an overwhelming od that fundamentally did not belong in this age. A magus who mistook her for a 'God' would not be looked down upon by his peers. After all Servants were existences that transcended the common sense of man. What were physics when compared to the rebirth of a legend that stood as humanities beacon?

No 'human' could ever oppose a being like this. Modern arms cannot affect spiritual interference. A larger mystery always consumed a lesser one, so a modern Magus stood no chance either.

In other words, a fully transcendental being like that was-

Enthusiastically finishing off the last of her duck ragout.

Whatever her inner world was like, the finely dressed lady was smiling as she eagerly awaited for the next course. Was it the food? Or was it something else? Regardless, Berserker seemed rather pleased. It probably boded well for her master, at least at the moment.

"So, Berserker, are these accommodations to your liking?"

Berserker seemed to have been concerned with her own thoughts ever since the meal began. However, her valiant figure stirred almost immediately in response to his inquisitive words. Her attention fully focused on him for a very brief moment.

Then-

". . .Hmph."

Berserker closed her eyes, taking a moment to contemplate her Masters words. The last of her first course was finished without any mercy whatsoever. Nothing was left on the plate.

"They certainly are bizarre and uncanny." The moment of silence ended with that, as Berserker took to watching her Masters reaction with thoughtful eyes. Berserker exerted a great 'presence' that would've silenced the room had there been actual occupants. It was very much a different 'presence' from the overwhelming od of her body itself. This was a 'force of will' a normal human would stumble back in their seat from. Despite that, her tone was cordial and she still seemed rather pleased.

. . .In the first place, an empty dining hall wasn't normal. But that wasn't the greatest farce. Rather it was probably the idea of a ghost participating in a three course meal with a world class musician. Not only that, but she was servant 'Berserker'. Without any amount of argument allowed, it was most certainly an oddity.

"Fortunately, I enjoy being captivated by abnormal situations such as these." Though it sounded like it, her response held no sarcasm or passive aggressiveness. Berserkers expression was rather pleased, and she was smiling in a very forward way. It was almost certainly a honest response to his similarly genuine inquiry, though it had more than a tinge of haughtiness within it.

"No no, that's not right. I would be absolutely loathe to know that my hospitality was in any way lacking."

So thats how it was.

Truly adorable.

Berserker spoke up energetically- clearly perceiving something of his self-doubt. Her eyes were as sharp as they seemed, along with the mind behind them. It seemed that she had seen an opening, and intended to dive in. As if to artificially inflate her next few words, Berserker held her hand over her chest and swung her free arm wide.

"I will assuage your worries before you start to agonize over them, Master. While it certainly is low-class wine, your presence is adding some spice to a dull brand." It was a genuine commendation from the young lady, her pure smile ending any doubts.

With a rather pleased look, she continued speaking on a related subject.

"If you are truly worried about my impressions of your taste, a date at a more interesting dining hall would be pleasing. Possibly one with an interesting contrivance, like a banquet room that does revolutions, or even an eatery lacking lights." Berserker ensured her important declaration had time to sink in then adopted a much more serious expression. She was clearly someone accustomed to hardship and deadly situations. Berserkers next words were spirited and full of energy- they were spoken in a tone that gave an impression of esprit de corps and elan.

"No matter. We have little time for such base frivolities at the moment. Our opening maneuvers shall ensure our opposition is sufficiently cowed. To that end,"

Though she held little interest in magecraft, her summoner was a prodigy worthy of a thousand year name. If it was him spear heading it, a small group of magi could accomplish high-thaumaturgy like a Grand Ritual easily. Infact, there was probably no doubt he organized things like 'Concerts' for that express purpose. Being a good magus was not a matter of magic circuits. While they were the proof of blood in this era, mentality was far more important. Perhaps, then, she would take some interest in his magical works.

But not at this exact moment. It was nowhere near the most interesting part of her master.

"Master. I acknowledge that you truly are capable. However I am concerned about your drive in this Holy Grail War. Not as a Mage of course- but as a Man."

The final goal of any Magus was reaching the swirl of the root. If that was not their expressed desire, then they couldn't be called a Magus. [ ] Was a 'place' far beyond even the Throne of Heroes. However, even she knew. Touching that 'place' was the same thing as committing suicide. It did not matter what level of ego you held, it would be washed away by the true 'origin'. Those who came a step away from touching the 'origin' but turned away were the cowards called True Magicians.

Determination inherited by ancient generations would not be enough to achieve victory in this Holy Grail War. In her Masters case, it would be concerning if he lacked a driving force.

Truth be told Berserker had little interest in the affairs of mages. In contrast, she did seem to be quite interested in the lamb chops now laying before her.

@Froppy

A chuckle passed over Saber's lips as she regarded her Master with something akin to parental warmth.

"There is no shame in being a healer, Lady Flores. It falls to people like me to fight wars, but it is thanks to people like yourself and your father that we may prevent the spilling of undue blood."

"However..." she crossed her arm as her eyes narrowed to appraise the girl before her, "It would be a lie to say that your lack of combat ability does not worry me. As your Servant it is my duty to fight your battles for you, and such should be the fundamental structure of this ritual. Servants competing against other Servants. But as our anchors to this world you continue to be our greatest weakness, and consequently, will receive no shortage of attention from our opponents. To lack the means to fight is to lack the means of protecting yourself should I ever be separated from you."

If Saber appeared cold then it was because she had stripped herself of her familiarity to offer her Master an honest opinion. With Angelina's very life on the line, it was best to address things as they were.

"You lack the will to inflict harm on others, and should the time come when you are left with no other choice, your hesitation could no doubt cost you your life. It is an unsuitable stance to uphold during a War like this one, but as problematic as it is, it is also admirable."

Saber's expression softened as she comfortably leant against the surface closest to her Master.

"Your intention of asking the Grail for an end to conflict is a worthy cause to champion, and though you may lack offensive abilities as of now, were you not already deemed worthy by the Grail to claim it the moment these Command Seals appeared on your hand? So please do not fret over the things you lack. In fact...", Saber took on a playful smile, "I must confess that I am quite weak for a Servant of my Class, so I am certainly prone to receiving no lack of injury. A warrior like myself knows only how to swing a blade, so I would be in trouble if I had no one to mend my wounds."

Funny. How an act as trivial as talking to her was enough to put her heart at ease. If possible Saber wished for conflict to never come, for the Grail to choose its victor on its own accord, but of course such a thing was impossible. Six other pairs had gathered in this city. And while Saber counted herself extremely fortunate that her Master ended up being a girl of gentle disposition, she couldn't expect this miracle to repeat itself sevenfold. The dusk of war would soon settle upon them, an inevitability Saber kept in mind, but for now she had her Master to attend to. Ensuring Angelina's physical and mental health came before all else, since she wasn't sure for how much longer she would be able to guarantee it...

Angelina stirred the tea, though it was really out of habit than any conscious thought. She was fully attentive to what Saber was saying. She looked a little downcast as Saber expressed concern about her apparent lack of combat skills. Saber was right of course, she was her Servant's biggest weakness, if Angelina was taken out then Saber's tether to this world would be gone. This was the same for all the other Servants of course, but out of all the Masters, Angelina wouldn't have been surprised if she was the only one who was unable to use her Magecraft offensively.

"You lack the will to inflict harm on others, and should the time come when you are left with no other choice, your hesitation could no doubt cost you your life. It is an unsuitable stance to uphold during a War like this one, but as problematic as it is, it is also admirable."

Angelina looked away from Saber and found herself staring at the tea. She couldn't deny Saber's words, they were true. Angelina wasn't against self-defence of course but, when it came down to it, she wasn't sure she'd be able to make herself kill even in a situation where her life was on the line.

"Your intention of asking the Grail for an end to conflict is a worthy cause to champion, and though you may lack offensive abilities as of now, were you not already deemed worthy by the Grail to claim it the moment these Command Seals appeared on your hand? So please do not fret over the things you lack. In fact...", Saber took on a playful smile, "I must confess that I am quite weak for a Servant of my Class, so I am certainly prone to receiving no lack of injury. A warrior like myself knows only how to swing a blade, so I would be in trouble if I had no one to mend my wounds."

Angelina looked back at Saber, her eyes lighting up a bit. "In that case, I'll be sure to have your back. No matter how injured you become I'll patch you right back up!" With that she stopped stirring the tea. "I think the tea is about ready...do you like honey with your tea? Or do you just want it plain?" She set the teapot on a tray, along with two tea cups, she left the tray for Saber to pick up, since Angelina figured she'd still want to carry them to the table, if she did everything she was worried Saber would fret about it.

"...I won't lie, the idea of having to take someone's life terrifies me more than losing my own, if it comes to that I'll...I'll do my best." She wasn't sure how else to put it, it certainly wasn't a topic Angelina was fond of discussing.

@XmasForJuan

"I am grateful, counting on your support from now on is quite a relief. Oh, and I will have my tea without honey for now", Saber nodded in thanks before deftly picking up the tray and following her Master out of the kitchen.

As she placed its contents on the table however, Angelina brought up a troublesome topic.

"Let us hope it will never come to that..." Saber spoke in a calm and despondent tone, "The taking of one's life does not and should not come easy, and while the people of my time were denied the privilege of choosing, the same does not hold true for you. Please do not rush this choice. It is not one to take back easily, nor one that I wish for you to make this soon."

Saber waited to seat herself only after her Master had taken her place at the table, but meanwhile realized that she had returned the atmosphere to an uncomfortable weight again when her intent was to cheer Angelina up. A thought flashed in her mind.

"Neither should you face your troubles alone however. I have an ally whom I have yet to call upon for aid, one who will no doubt be paramount to your safety as well as mine. But... reaching out to him may only draw undue attention to ourselves."

Seeing as now was a good a time as any, Saber continued to divulge to her Master the quirks and conditions of her abilities. To know how best to use a tool one must first be aware of its specifications; only then could one formulate an effective strategy.

"And as such I will leave the choice in your hands. Acting rashly while we are unprepared might be unwise, so I elect we wait until the time is right...", it was the sensible choice to make, but Saber could not help but feel saddened by the wait.

Before she even realized it, the glass in her hands had already been drained, a subtle hint of cranberry-like flavor lingering on her tongue. Slowly pushing her empty glass towards her Master, Saber sheepishly asked for more.

The light fades and what was formerly an empty summoning circle was a large men. No, he does not even come close to such a simpleton term. A gargantaun hero.

What in the hell did this child summon?

The beefed up hero had begun praising himself before the 'child'. Boasting in his own body and strength and yet for some odd reason she can't seem to dismiss anything he had just mentioned. It was as if all of this is more or less true.

"You have brought forth the greatest Divine Spirit! A god among men! With these very hands, I have molded what is now the very world that you live in, today! With these very eyes, I have seen a glorious future for you, and for I! My bountiful body spreads wide, and yet, my legacy spreads even wider! Who stands before you is none other than I...

It called itself a Divine Spirit, a god... perhaps a Divine Spirit with the strength of one?

The child-sized homunculus studied every road, every pathway, every landmark written in his self-proclaimed landmass of a body. A country. This could only mean a few things which narrow it down...

...she might have summoned an Emperor of Rome. Or perhaps, a deity of the Roman pantheon? Either way, this is looking great for her. With a full-on expression of awe she could feel her dream reaching within her grasp. Surely there's nothing that can wrong with a Divine Spirit like him! Yes. Nothing.

But... what is he?

Saber?

Archer?

Lancer?

Rider?

Berserker?

It has to be one of those classes- she thought

...Heroic Spirit 'Caster.'"

Whatever enthusiasm she had early on just went up in flames. What exactly did he mean: "A Caster". From the whole upper body, lower body and height schematic this was anything FAR from the Caster's maximum requirement ratio. That's probably just her though as she believed that the Casters and Assassins are the weakest class in terms of physical attrition. While she thought on this with a now blank, dull face. Caster was helping himself to the catalyst she left behind. Being someone of an artificial origin, she did not seem fazed at the thought of a large man just eating a minute-old body of a man she just murdered.

She only hopes he does not eat the other bodies during this war.

Caster turns, walking to Acute and marking her forehead with the blood of said 'catalyst'. Both eyes closed as she felt the ever-chilling fluid now imprint itself on her doll-like forehead.

"Relish in this moment, my child, for you, too, are a god, now..."

A god... huh?

"I only have one question for you, my Lord." The young child needed to get this godly, empire-sized man the respect that he probably deserves. Knowing most Romans, they do not have a very good temper. At least from the history books she's read. Clearing her throat, she asked him with a stoic expression. "I mean no disrespect... but are you really a Caster? You..."

She peeked over his body once more before taking it all in as some sort of acceptance. "...don't look like one..." Now she could only hope he doesn't decide to crush her head and still somehow keep her alive.

@Black Keys

She smiled...

With the beckoning call of the Grail, it ushered her existence to come forth, her consciousness forming, her material and spiritual form coalescing in the vessel designated by the grail. The beginning of her thoughts as they rose from the stasis within the Throne along with the information that was engraving itself to her mind. Following the path that acted as a transition between that place which was freed from the constraints of time itself and removed from the cycle of reincarnation, it was not the World itself that was calling to her but something else. With the ritual in Fuyuki city being a marvel that proudly showed the mastery of the arcane arts from the three families who started the plan to reach the root.

She curiously wondered what this Holy Grail was and if this iteration of the Grail War would be plagued by ambition as well? However, she had no right to say anything, for she too desired something of the Grail as well. Feeling the tug and pull of the Grail becoming stronger and stronger, she felt the pin-prickles of something at the back of her head as out of the corner of her eye she saw-

"Senpai?"

She looked in amazement as everyone was there, looking at each other, they all laughed as the path forward laid ahead of them. For the power of the Grail was able to summon a variety of Heroic Spirits, depending on the catalyst used could had resulted in either a single Servant that it was tied to or several of them resonated with it that required the summoner's affinity to determine the rest.

Eventually though, she was the only one left as they lost their glimmer and glow one by one, for the Grail had determined she would be chosen for this war. Turning her head to them as they remained stuck behind the veil that prevented them from coming any closer, she waived them off while wiping the tears from her eyes and looked once again forward into the blinding light ahead of her, steeling herself for whatever laid ahead.

"Wish me luck"

---

---

A great whirlwind filled the basement as the candles themselves were extinguished from the force of the wind, the cloth in the room fluttering as some metal bits and bobs rattled as they clanged to the ground from their unstable positions on top of each other. Leaving darkness that consumed most of that underground room with the exception of that summoning circle, laying with a dull silver glow that hummed with fading magical energy and someone else inside its perimeter. She too was glowing with a mellow golden brilliance that highlighted her pale blonde hair and oriental clothing as she leaned over to pick up the catalyst that was used to summon her.

Nodding in recognition to what was used, she took her attention from the piece of blue cloth and looked over at Ricardo. "An interesting outcome but not necessarily bad" She said while her hand ran over the sheathe that held her blade. Tucked to the side of her lithe body, it certainly didn't stick out despite her young appearance in her late teens or early twenties, carrying the dignity and presence that simply made it look natural for someone like her to be carrying such a thing on them.

"Servant, Assassin. Are you the one that called for one of us?" She asked as she raised the catalyst in her hand, holding it within her fingers, while her pale coloured eyes briefly glanced around the room. It was more than enough to grab the conditions in hand at the moment before focusing themselves on Ricardo who was the topic to resolve first before anything.

Angelina mostly nodded and sipped her tea as Saber explained all her abilities and such. When the explanation was over Angelina poured Saber more tea without a thought. "I think you're right. We don't really have a reason to go out and do anything rash. If anything our best course of action right now is to simply lay low and gather whatever information we can. We don't know anything about the other servants or masters, so it would really be in our best interest in finding that out first..." Angelina poured herself more tea as well, it was very relaxing to drink while they were discussing their plans.

"In the meantime though, I suppose we should eat." Angelina suddenly looked a little sheepish. "Normally I would have prepared something, but since I only just arrived in Rome today I haven't really had time..." There was also the bit of jetlag and the whole ordeal of summoning her servant, that was making her more than a little tired. "...so I was thinking of just ordering pizza, this is pizza's birthplace after all, so it seems fitting."

Her eyes suddenly widened as she thought of something. "Oh that's right, you've never had pizza I'd imagine. This should be a treat then!" Angelina was already getting up and reaching for the landline to order it, but then she paused and looked at Saber.

"I don't suppose you even know what pizza is huh?"

@XmasForJuan

There was little and less that he could do but frown in response to her barrage of disappointments. He had set his sights too low, far far too low. Expecting the state of the world itself to impress her was a mistake, the enormous stature of his servant in life had been sorely underestimated. This absolutely had to be corrected, even if only in part. It was impossible to meet her high expectations in this venue, but things could still be better than they were.

As the server turned to leave Maurius' snapped his fingers, an almost deafening noise in the empty dining room that drowned out the gentle pre-canned piano from the intercom. No. That was not just the snap of fingers, there was more to it than that, a subtle echo, a strange ringing of the ears, an odd and almost imperceptible delay between the physical snap and the sound after. The abruptness of the young man's halting was almost unreal. "The house red was not satisfactory, please return with your absolute best stock." Even though the magus offered a smile as he spoke there was nothing left jovial in his lackey. There was no response at all in fact, he merely turned away with a newfound and awkward stiffness as he dismissed himself to tend to his duties.

Maurius turned back to Berserker as if nothing was out of the ordinary. "I appreciate your faith in my ability, despite my poor judgement in our current accommodations." He began to pick at his food as he spoke with a series of non-committal jabs with his fork and no other purpose than to keep his hands busy. The appetite was gone, spoiled by his failure even if it was truly inconsequential. If she could not trust him to attend her needs as ■■■ ■■■■■ ■■ ■■■■ then why would he be capable in more proficient matters? If this kind of mistake could be made why not other more important mistakes? Never mind the fact that Maurius knew full well the two were wholly unrelated, he still could not overlook even a minor error in judgement on his part.

He caught himself in the midst of a third barbarism, playing with his food, and promptly set his fork down; Dwelling on this wold make it worse so it was best to speak. "...Though it would be dishonest if I didn't express some dismay in your assessment. Words are cheap, often free, but in the coming days I will leave no room for even the greatest of heroes to question the depths of my desire." A bold declaration and perhaps a bit premature, but the conviction with which it was delivered was a complete reversal of his moping not ten seconds prior. " No, actually, that won't do... Allow me to assuage any and all doubts of my determination before the sun next rises." And yet bolder still.

---

@Red Alice

"Pizza? I can't say that I do...", Saber tilted her head as she consulted her mind for any information the Grail may have granted her in regards to this country's local cuisine, but it would seem such details were deemed too trivial to convey.

"Regardless, please do not let me keep you from dinner. I have no need for food in the first place so I am grateful for whatever you would give me. Though if I am to be honest... food in my time was rather scarce, and it wasn't uncommon for us to eat nothing but rice for weeks at a time, which itself was a luxury of course. Ah! I didn't mean to sound downcast. What I meant is that I would relish the chance to try something new. This tea especially is of a flavor I have never tasted in my life, and to be allowed a physical form to sample these experiences..." Saber raised her glass to her lips to hide her bashful expression from her Master, "...it is nothing short of wonderful."

She ultimately cleared her throat to move on from her quiet confession, "But yes, I would love to try... Pizza as we talk. There is one more thing I would like to ascertain."

Angelina nodded in understanding. For Saber just having a physical form again was nothing short of a miracle. The simple act of drinking and eating was something Angelina sometimes took for granted, but for Saber it was something truly incredible.

"Alright then, I'll order it right away!" Angelina made a quick phone call to the local pizza joint and asked them to deliver it to their location. In a few minutes she had it ordered and she hung up and looked at Saber.

"It will be here in thirty minutes or so." Angelina sat back down at the table with Saber, pouring herself more tea while she was at it. For the moment, Angelina could think of nothing to say while they waited, which was honestly surprising to her. But the silence was starting to feel just a little awkward for her.

"So, you said you had something you wanted to 'ascertain'?"

There was a short silence before Angelina picked up the conversation again. Maybe Saber had sounded too serious or foreboding? She would have to remind herself to loosen up a bit more in her Master's presence and quell her ingrained habits of formality and tradition. As her first step towards that goal, Saber eased her Seiza and shifted into the more comfortable Yokozuwari, a more informal way of sitting in which both her legs were off to one side as opposed to directly beneath her.

"Correct, though it would be better to say that I simply want to know your stance on a certain subject. As a weapon summoned by the Grail to serve you it is clear to me where my allegiance lies. As such I wouldn't ordinarily ask this of my Master, yet... ", Saber raised her glass to her lips with the intention to drink, but elected to set it down instead and lock eyes with the girl before her, "What is your opinion on this Grail War? Though we must confront the other Servants sooner or later, more importantly we must first secure the Grail from the Church in order to make our wish. Me must steal it. Take it from those that possess rightful ownership of it. As I said, my allegiance lies with you, not the Grail, so I have resolved myself to the role of a thief the moment I answered your call. I too yearn for a selfish desire of mine to be granted. But what about yourself, Lady Flores? For one who believes so strongly in the good of this world, how would you have us act in regards to a prize already claimed by someone else?"