---

Reiki could offer no response to the Servant who kicked down the door when he requested a Saber. When the meeting began, they would probably have to find a better system for referring to each other than by class. When the homunculus in the maid outfit stopped by her side, Reiki glanced over, as if expecting a message. When none came, she turned back to Dr. Kaveh.

He had chosen to hold his position, so she advanced.

...No, she had been thinking tactically for too long. He stood on the other side of the room, so she approached him politely, extending a hand. "Nice to meet you, Xerxes, I'm Reiki. Reiki Matou, as you've figured out."

In turn, she held out her hand to the sitting Archer. She would offer her respect to any Servant just as quickly as to a living person, and this Archer was living, in a sense. As she did so, she shot an instant's glance at Xerxes. Having been attacked previously by her bugs while his Berserker was present, he would know that she knew that this man was not his Servant. She would notify her allies, but there was no particular reason to out his deception at the moment, unless it proved to be a problem during the meeting.

"It seems like things are shaping up to be a friendly conference. Considering most of those here have tried to kill another at some point recently, a little money should be water under the bridge. On top of that, I was impressed with your conduct during the riots, Doctor, so please look past my bad first impression as well.

@Crusader Lord

---

There was no other way to really describe it. Ilya Muromets was elated.

To even be called to participate in a war for the Grail was an opportunity. A chance to claim that treasure for both himself and for his Master, and to have their wishes be granted, and a chance to test his sword and his might against other great heroes. However, in addition to being summoned, he was called by a particularly capable Master. He could trust Sophia to hold her own in a battle between Masters. He was extremely grateful for that.

Having said that, upon entering this time, he noticed a few... irregularities. Firstly, he was appearing part way into the war. His Master's previous Servant had fallen to a "red-haired enemy Servant" that he was on a constant lookout for. Whoever this Servant was, he had certainly left quite an impression on her. Ilya's pride demanded he destroy this foe, but his wisdom suggested that he may be quite the powerful opponent if Sophia had such an opinion of him. There do exist those kinds of Heroic Spirits that stood out as being extraordinarily powerful. The other irregularity was this Servant's strange power. According to Sophia, he had "taken" everything he walked upon. There was no process, he simply conquered and controlled things, including leylines.

So he watched. Set his watchful eye over the preparations, watched for this enemy Servant, and through his observation, saw his Master leave the large Japanese-style complex she was living in. He shifted back into physical form and appeared before her. "Has anything approached as of yet? Familiars, servants? Anything odd?" Ilya smiled in response to her question, attempting to clear away any doubt or negative feelings she may have.

"Nothing yet. Should something happen, I shall tell you of it immediately." He punctuated this sentence with a courteous bow. He had never had any issue with bending the knee for a worthy lord, and that hadn't changed now. Even if it had, winning the Grail would require them to work in tandem. "My vows have been sworn. You shall hold the Grail, Master." The least he could do was reassure his Master that she would see victory.

A few more Masters and Servants showed up, some of which carrying bottles of alcohol with them. Tesla noted them quietly, checking on the progress of his delivery people. Oh good, they were almost here. He had been so busy he had forgotten to bring his own beer as the invite stated, but he did bring something with him to the meeting. He was just waiting for the delivery people to arrive.

BANG

The doors slammed open as Roland appeared, Tesla noted his wrapped arm with distaste. To think that he would be allowed in with such a monstrosity on him, absolutely disgusting. His metal fingers tapped a rhythm into the chair, he ignored the similarities between their situations easily.

BANG

The door slammed again, this time it slammed shut though. Another Master entered rambling about sieges and a lack of time. Tesla frowned as glared at the man. "Your own personal problems are no cause to be rude. The fact that you were invited here is something you should be thankful for you idiot. I can guarantee we all have much more to worry about then a petty siege, so I suggest you sit down and shut up lest you piss off a much meaner Servant."

A maid entered next, a homunculus from what Tesla could tell. This could only mean she was a representative of the Einzbern, however the words that came out of her mouth were sure to catch everyone's attention. "I come on behalf of Mistress Sophia Tohsaka, formerly von Einzbern, who has sent me to relay information back and forth from the meeting to herself and vice versa." Tesla's mood abruptly changed at this announcement, however not in the way one would expect.

A the sound of metal hitting metal over and over came from his side of the room, along with a great smile and a standing Tesla. He was clapping with his robotic arms, which made for quite a strange sound. "How wonderful! Relay my congratulations to the happy couple, it is always good to see love flourish!" He stopped clapping after a few seconds, much to the relief of everyone in the room most likely, and was now writing something down from a notepad he had inexplicably produced from somewhere on his person.

His writing was quickly interrupted by two things. First of all, the lovely young lady in the dress standing in front of him with an outstretched hand. Second, the notice that his delivery was almost here. Might as well take care of things in order. He shook the Matou's hand gently, she was of course a lady, noting the lack of insects in her presence. Good, he hated those things. She would notice how cold his hands were of course, but they were made of metal so it was only to be expected.

Now onto the next thing. He walked over to the door, acknowledging Sigurd with a single nod as he exited the building. What stood outside waiting for him could only be described as, bizarre.

A veritable army of pigeons stood outside, carrying several cardboard boxes filled with pizza. Of course pizza hadn't been invented yet, so nobody would know exactly what this was, but anyone familiar with italian cuisine would recognize it as being similar to focaccia. He collected up the boxes quickly, stacking them on top of each other with ease. Tesla had soon collected all the boxes, reentering the building and leaving the pigeons outside to do whatever pigeons did.

Anyone looking at the pigeons would easily see that these weren't the real deal though, they were just too perfect. They carried no dirt, no smell, no warmth, they were simply machines built in the image of a pigeon. Tesla loved them all regardless. After a few minutes of pecking about the place, they scattered about the area, some returning to the Church, some just flying around, while a few perched on the roof of the Hotsprings.

"Apologies, I needed to step out to retrieve some food I brought for the meeting. I couldn't procure any alcohol unfortunately, the stall that I had been buying from was destroyed during the fire. Instead I brought pizza." He did not elaborate on what pizza was, he just set the many boxes down on a table and returned to his seat.

What kind of man goes around announcing his plans to siege somebody? Clearly it wasn't a siege planned on any of their current problems, since that would be good luck, and Xerxes found that just wasn't the case so far in this war. Clearly this would come up during the meeting. But he wouldn't bring it up yet. After all, he was more than sure he could fine some benefit from it in time. Meet up with them before leaving. "Archer, pass that man a note for me sometime." He whispered, gesturing to Hamel. "I'd like to speak to him sometime." Hamel had of course been one of the candidates for his interest. While he had settled on Ludwig, he had become concerned with the boy's ability to handle stress. It was clear even in private that a... Paranoia had begun to build. Not that he would mention it publicly of course.

But, moving on to the Matou and the Einzbern. He held up a hand, waving the homonculus over, and took a step closer to Reiki. He couldn't have her walk all the way without attempting to meet her even half-way. "Well Ms. Reiki, I'm glad we can least come to a mutual understanding." He smiled, and they both shared a 'I know you know' moment. Yes, archer was not his servant, but it was this, a berserker, or coming without a servant. And the last two were clearly going to be problems. And if he had a spare servant around, why not use him? "I came to Fuyuki to save lives, and while I have failed myself on that promise in many ways, the deaths in the native district were meaningless, and I am happy to have even for a moment been able to help the people in need. Who we are in certain moments does not reflect who we are in all moments. I am sure we could find a great common ground. I seek only to save all the lives I can. I am sure you seek something similar." He didn't know everything about Reiki, but he was sure, that she sought to save lives as well. And this meeting was her chance to try and change the course of the war, much like him.
"I hope I can work with you in the future, after the current enemy is dealt with."

"And you are the speaker for Miss Tohsaka, correct? I am surprised. I had not expected such a thing possible. Mostly because I expected the stresses of the war to force one to place certain aspects of their life on hold." So that's what they were doing the past few days... Honeymoons. Xerxes put on a smile, but inside he couldn't help but be disappointed. This was the power of the Tohsakas and Einzberns. The power to sit at home, and hope the war avoided them. Their presence here alone told him the mysterious stranger who entered and left was enough of a scare to bring them out looking for help. "I hope matters improve, and I will have to send a present to the newly married couple. It is a shame they couldn't come in person."

Xerxes turned to see Archer walking away, and before long he was witness to the... Pizza that was being carried. Well, he hadn't heard of it. But apparently it was really tasty. The recipe had already been recorded for his own uses. He'd probably bring it back to Persia if he enjoyed it. The people of Persia were a culture that took in all others. And soon, they would be masters of pizza as well.

Opening the box, he was surprised by just how different it smelled than the food he usually ate. "This is supposed to be a food from my servant's homeland. He calls it pizza. I promise each of you, on my life this is a safe meal." And to prove his point, he took the first slice, placing it on a plate, and then bringing it to his mouth. Chomping down, and pausing as grease dribbled down his chin. "Archer... The birds did bring napkins, right?"

Tohsaka Hideyoshi

Hideyoshi had travelled to the location of this arranged meeting of masters accompanied by a man of by his side's. His servant Olivier was very close by in her spiritual form. The men had been sent by his allies in the church to ensure his safety in the grail war. They had shown interest in protecting his family from those in the magic world that would see them harmed, and Hideyoshi wasn't about to turn them down. Especially with how horrific and cruel the war had been so far. But so far he had not faced any troubles, only lamented over the lives that had been lost. He had been thinking on that as time went on. Was it not his families fault for this? If his grandfather had not offered up their land in Fyuki then perhaps this would not have happened…? But that was assuming that the ritual wouldn't have simply been prepared somewhere else, which seemed more likely than not to him. His former estranged ally, now wife would likely be calling him a fool right now for travelling here personally. But he could not live with himself if he did not. The guilt had been building since he fled his manor. In his mind this was something he had to do, and if Hideyoshi Tohsaka was anything then he was a man of great drive and conviction. If he was to be a proper husband to his wife, his love… He would have to clear his mind if this ordeal, to set things straight. But there was something deep inside him, something he didn't recognise himself. Something he would never want to.

He had been a gracious host and company to the men of the church as well as the Einzbern maids. There was a few more church men that had stayed back at their new base of operations. He had them stay there to give his wife a little more security. In truth he wanted to leave all of them there, but even if he returned home safe after going out alone Sophia probably would have killed him herself for being so reckless. She had been cut off from her family back home in Germany, it was quite mean to make her worry about him now. The two had only just met. They were joined together to secure the future if their families. It had been a purely political marriage. Even so, he believed their feelings for each other were true. When he was with Sophia it had felt like experiencing the wonders of nature, like gazing on a beautiful landscape. No. It may have been greater than that. As his cheeks started to grow slightly red he bashfully checked if the two men had noticed. Awkwardly he slapped his cheeks as if psyching himself up. The Tohsakas had always been known as an eccentric bunch so maybe they would chalk his weird actions up to, well him being weird.

He was not a man fond of small talk, always preferring to keep to himself and so the journey had been one of an understanding silence between the three men and the servant. His only orders before they left had been “Keep your cool, don't look for any trouble. And stay close.” He truly wished for a peaceful meeting, but after everything whatever optimism he might have had before the war was gone. And so he had to be prepared for the worst. His face was composed, serious yet open, his eyes were kind yet strong. His mind was clear, although a little anxious. Hideyoshi had always preferred his own company and rarely met with others outside of family business. He did have a few close friends but he was actually rather shy when it came to meeting strangers, especially in crowds. But even so it was his duty as the family head to make the best impression possible, a powerful and respectful image. He took hold of the cross that he bore around his neck and brought it to his lips, kissing it softly as he spoke a silent prayer to god.

With that he found himself in front of their destination. Hopefully he had made it in time, he had a tendency to get lost in thought. His mother had always scolded him for daydreaming too much but he was a deep thinker. Sometimes he just got carried away with it. The head of the Tohsaka family exhaled heavily as he prepared himself for entry. Closing his eyes he tried to picture the scene he desired in his head. What he wanted out of this meeting. What was important. What he was to achieve in this meeting and the war to come. As he opened them once more he was prepared. Olivier was told to materialise as they entered, he would have her stand guard over his shoulder along with the men of the church.

And so the small party entered the lobby with the other masters and servants. To them he displayed a soft smile and a deep bow as he announced himself. “My name is Hideyoshi Tohsaka. It is a pleasure to meet with you all.” He instantly noticed the Einzbern maid and Lady Matou which he gave a courteous nod towards. “I am grateful for this opportunity to meet you all and hope the we can all come to an understanding…” He finished his sentence like he was about to go on to say more. But he had stopped himself, the rest can wait for when the meeting has officially begun.

Stirring to wakefulness, he found himself surrounded by an array of rather colorful individuals.

Ah… right. He was there at the meeting. Where was it again? What day was it. The events of yesterday were processed by him in his sleep, along with the memories of the past

Well, that aside there was the matter of Roland crashing through the door. More importantly was the fact that he was crashing through the door and walking in with -that- in hand, quite literally. Or was it as hand?

Mhm, the Einzberns, the Tohsakas. He could not truly comment on the two as a pair, but it was a continuation and a progression of his pupil he could not look down upon. Perhaps a bit of that horse wine would make a good celebratory gift. Then again he wasn’t really a horse. Hmm, what could he give Hideyoshi in the end? Perhaps there was nothing. He was his pupil in the way of fists, but as far as magecraft and in life he was no more than a wandering soul who sometimes came into his life.

Still, the matter of Fuyuki was a matter he took to be one of his own.

“Saber.” he called out mentally. We will talk about your arm after the meeting, but for now-

He looked to the other masters. Many of them he had not met, in the end seeing few humans on the field. So many masters and yet none of them were foes that he faced. How strange that they were all brought out by this meeting as their first meeting.

“Tlilpojuan Perellenosanchez “ he introduced himself. “But more importantly I have seen the problems in the city of the rioting people and I believe there is someone who is making use of the discontent of this city.”

He shook his head. “In other words, someone who is encouraging and giving direction to the various problems that already exist in Fuyuki. That person, I believe is my brother.” He looked over to Hideyoshi who arrived recently as he spoke, even as his words were directed to the entire room. “A man that should have been dead. A man who brought destruction when he last visited Fuyuki. The incident at Ryuudo, six years ago.” A statement that was something that would tug at the memories of those who were locals and familiar with the happenings in Fuyuki City.

Six years ago when the Ryuudo Temple burned, when a dispute that was somewhat unclear even to the current Tohsaka, being a matter of an invading magus that was apparently handled by the prior generation Tohsaka. Or perhaps that wasn’t the case after all.

“I witnessed him at the site of the riots before wandering here to the meeting. If he is in Fuyuki at this time then it is impossible to consider him anything but a master. The heir of my family’s path, and gifted, he is most definitely someone who should be considered dangerous.”

He stuck his hand into one of his saddlebags to grab a bottle of wine. The black-stained shroud that he now wore fluttering with his motions in a way that sent particles of soot and blood out, a small reminder of the tragedy filling the air with its unpleasant scent.

“I had been planning to talk more about this, since it’s time… especially with it becoming a concern that isn’t just a unpleasant story anymore. There are more troubles in the city facing us masters of course. But I believe he will also be a problem. He will definitely not be here, and he holds no love for people.”



It has only been four days since he last saw this ocean at this harbor. His feet were dipped in the water, swishing around idly to enjoy the sound of the water swirling around his body, and the chill of the liquid against his skin. The sound of the water splashing about slowly grew louder overtime as he mulled over his time in the war. How different this land looked after all that had happened, how different these waters were.

No.

Despite all the deaths, all the misfortune and the great world-changing mysteries Fuyuki itself did not truly change. The world was as it was and yet everything seemed different. It was simply a matter of the lens being changed. Warped, changed in shape. His saint graph itself now fluctuated. Ah, how different the same things were now that he could see and understand.

His feet began to splash stronger and stronger. The water began to fly up and splatter against the ground, sometimes even spraying across Lancer’s face.

There was a lot to carry, a lot to protect. He was doing more than just wandering around having his fun. But he supposed that one core thing didn’t change.

Sorry master, he’d continue to be selfish a bit longer.

He rose up and began to head towards the next battle that held so much weight. No longer in the water, he could no longer mask the shaking of his feet caused by fear as they took him towards that next fated tragedy.

She walked through the plains in silence. To think, there had once been a thriving civilization here. A bustling city filled with markets and people, all going about their lives with not a care in the world. Children would run through the streets, buying an apple on their way home from school. Shopkeepers would open up for the day, complaining about their backs with a frown despite how much they loved their work. Young couples buying jewelry to celebrate an anniversary. An old man getting something to drink at a newly opened bar, despite his wife's nagging about how lonely she was at home. And now it was all gone, every single indicator that any of that had ever existed washed away in but a single day.

For most, this empty landscape would serve only as a reminder of the tragedy that had claimed hundreds of thousands in but a single night. But for her, she could only see this place as the place she once roamed. It reminded her of her own life, both her campaigns of destruction and the wide open plains that she would ride through. Indeed, these wide empty plains where civilization once stood reminded Altera of home. It was comforting in a sense. It was silent, peaceful. All that she could hear wass the wind blowing through the grass. Crickets beginning to play their nighttime symphony. The crunch of dirt beneath her feet as she took another step. The light hum of the Sword of Mars.

As for why she was here? Maybe it was a trip to the place that she would feel most comfortable in. Perhaps she had been searching to see if something had survived, something for her to destroy now that she has been summoned. Maybe she was scouting for whoever or whatever had summoned her, trying to find an enemy to kill. The most likely conclusion though, is that it was a challenge, a way to say, "Come and face me, you Heroes of legend. Let me wipe you from the face of the earth like I have so many before. Let me offer your lives to Mars." That might just very well be the case considering how she walks with Noble Phantasm already drawn, as if she is ready to destroy any in her path at a moment's notice. Or maybe it was just a simple walk.

She made no effort to hide herself, any person with a familiar would spot her easily. Why would she? She was the Scourge of God after all, the mighty King of Destruction. She was a killing machine, void of feelings like fear or anxiety. So she continued her walk across the plains, pretending that she was home for just a moment. Just one more minute of peace before she fulfilled her purpose. Altera roamed the lands once again.

@Dosthou @Undyingregret @addamas


Mmhm.

What a strange town this is.

"This is your land, right? Well, maybe not this city itself, but this island as a whole." He asked the opinion of his servant as he walked. The words he exchanged with her were surprisingly devoid of their business, other than a brief introduction of his purpose, of Atlas and a few requests he mainly had been asking about inconsequential things such as her thoughts on certain things they saw such as cars, or even the snacks peddled on the streets in what few places were still open as they passed by. Traveling in Shinto, New City, it was certainly busier than the western half of Miyama that was host to all that chaos. So there were a few things to spark up some idle thought.

While visiting the ground zero of all the happenings seemed like the most logical of things, the lack of accessible mana in many places of the city, along with the pollution of the river he noticed interested him first of all. He doubt that the problems of Miyama would disappear before they could be analyzed, so he went chasing trails that were a bit older before they were completely washed away.

As for his servant herself. Well, he had a few choices that he had been debating between. A slayer of heroes, a slayer of monsters, a great leader of men, or even a insightful detective.

In the end he decided to go with something native. A hero who slayed the threats to Japan, who overcame mysteries and great monsters. In a sense it could also be said that she overcame herself. It seemed a good choice then for this investigation that would have the potential of opposing a countless number of legends. Both that of heroes and monsters.

Well, it didn’t quite turn out the way he expected, but it was something he ended up taking up in stride. Perhaps it was only natural with his origin that she’d end up summoned at this fork in her life. Perhaps he’d get to see which path she walks down. But there was no real time for leisure either. Little or not, immature or mature as long as they would complete their mission there was no real problem.

A master who did not chase after the grail. There was a strange air to him as an investigator and intruder both in this ritual. But that air always came from him. It simply so happened that it was most definitely a correct impression. Even now with a hero summoned he seemed to take things rather casually. Perhaps there was no use trying to surprise a member of the Giant's Pit who could put to form the events of the future in their minds. But how long would that last in a war such as this? To begin with there were too many things for him to take into consideration. He had done his research into the city and been given some information, but there were too many factors unknown for him to map a concrete image or prediction.

Only one way to fix that.

“I think that whoever who did that work did it expecting visitors. While a head-on assault might be a bit silly… well, it’s a good test for sure. “

Narrowing down the possible location of the party that added their poisons to the river, analyzing the taint and substance with Idris, taking it into Saber’s blade. He felt prepared enough for a fight, and certainly had enough of a trail to find the lair of this magus or servant.

It was a means that was leaning towards bruteforce to simply enter another’s territory or hideaway looking for a fight. But with a Saber it was as good a method as any to get the information he needed. Tonight was a hunt, of the poisoner of the river.




GRgrgrgr, hrg.. Haaaaaaah!”

The king shouted at his vassals and soldiers despite being unable to speak, and having servants that could not hear. To begin with there was no need for verbal instruction.

Nor was there a need for the helmets of the immortals to be changed into hardhats. But they were, with even Darius wearing one of his own.

During his adventures, scouting and pillaging through the city he came across a man who held such a hardhat, taking a break from the work on the hotsprings that was now the host to the meeting of the various masters of the war. Instead of throwing it into the door he instead took it, recognizing its worth and purpose as it was.

So he was using it quite properly as a good young boy does, following the rules. A workplace needed proper protection for all the workers, even the managers.

Another tree fell.

In short the pillaging of the Persian Empire turned upon the land itself. The forest around the church was being slowly converted into magical energy, tree after tree chopped down and pushed into the door by the working soldiers.

While he had magical energy to spare due to the spear of Achilles it was important to gain even more. This was indeed a means and method of a king, not a hero, who encompasses an entire realm and works on a different scale.

Still no matter how macabre a lumbermill of the undead was, it was in the end just a lumbermill.

What a silly thing.

“I suppose they’ve been waiting long enough,” Benita mused to herself. She had been waiting for the right moment to reveal herself to those she had invited, hoping that she could get this show on the road as quickly as she possibly could, hopefully efficiently at that matter.

While there was a bit of confusion regarding who was allowed in and who was not, in the end, the helpfulness and thoughtfulness of Benita’s unintentional actions had granted a mutual understanding between the two parties.

Primarily, those who were Masters or Servants or were an ambassador would be allowed in. Any attempts to game the system would be met swiftly with retaliation. After all, Benita did not wish to include any wishy-washy elements into this meeting of Magi, though considering the circumstances of this being a Grail War, she felt obligated to allow Servants entry into the area as well.

Being lead into a room behind the main hall, the group would be greeted by an open section within the architecture that seemed to be a courtyard of sorts. Etched into the walls were various carved murals, muted consistency due to their lack of paint; a carving. It appeared that someone’s artistic vision was housed in the confines of these walls, hardly protected from the elements from a marque that protrude slightly past the stoned, cobble-like texture of the flooring in the area.

In the middle of this area was a long table with chairs on either side and a single chair at the end of the table that housed Benita, though she appeared to be raised from her standard, small stature. Upon closer inspection of her chair, it appeared she was housed upon … a stack of books.

“To start off, I would like to say that all of you are idiots.”

Blunt, to the point, and insulting of everyone there. Benita felt that she constantly had to act in the interest of others, and often did not voice her complaints directly unless there was some sort of pressing issue that she felt needed to be addressed at that moment.

This was one of those times.

“Everyone’s actions in this war has been idiotic to the point where at times I cannot even fathom these actions, and I’ve only acted in opposition to these actions. A Holy Grail War from my recollections are not to include these disruptive elements of actions. Though it is a war, it is a war between Magi, one should not show ‘our’ world to those not familiar with it.”

Perhaps Benita had a point in this matter. Of course, she had destroyed herself a large portion of the city during the last few days, but she felt morally justified in her actions to prevent the city from being destroyed in its entirety. A rudimentary surgeon of sorts, removing the leg to save the body; though it likely would not have gotten to this point in the event that the participants of the war did not act in such a shameful manner. Or at least, that was her own justification for her actions.

“That is why I have called this meeting though. I felt it necessary to bring up a few things. In the event that you were not informed or had no clue as to what occurred, there was an attempt to destroy Fuyuki and all of its inhabitants from clocktower due to the actions we had performed here. From the cursed fire to the fantastic tree, we have drawn the ire of various higher-ups and they have declared that we should be wiped off the face of the earth for our transactions.”

“However, due to some meddling between the other magical institutes and the church, their actions have been thwarted for now. But who knows when they are going to strike again? Honestly, a random Japanese city means nothing to me, and I’ve accepted that death is a possible outcome since joining this war, but in the event that the city is destroyed, so to will the Greater Grail be destroyed, and so to will the prospects of obtaining the Grail be lost. A failure upon the duties of the Second Owner."

“I would say if you value your lives, or if you value your life, leaving the city would be preferable. Several pairs have already chosen to do so, and considering the circumstances of the war, it would be the sanest choice for anyone involved.”

To Benita’s knowledge, Evan, The Elder Whitehall, and the Caster-class Servant had left Fuyuki for other lands. After all, that was probably the sane choice. Self-preservation instinct should inform individuals that this war was not worth it in the slightest.

A battle between Magi was something that could be romanticized, but like the dueling of the nobility of centuries prior, this was a foolish act that had a high risk, yet very limited reward. While the path to the root was the end-goal of most traditional Magi, the chances of winning were, in a standard Holy Grail War, a one-in-seven chance, let alone the number of participants in the current Grail War.

“But if you were to stay, I would like for us to agree to a few rules regarding conduct during the war. Regardless of your stance on the matter, I am sure that is a conclusion that would be the most serviceable. Though I am not sure if it would quell the anger of Clocktower, at the very least it would make us less appealing a target.”

“The rules I have come up with are as followed:

No interfering with the lives of civilians to a great extent.

No fighting during the day. This ties back into the first point.

Ensure that fights take place in areas where no prying eyes will view your actions.

If anyone views the fighting who is uninvolved in the war, it is the participant’s job to ensure the matter is dealt with swiftly.

In addition, I have used my contacts to provide a moderator who will enforce these rules. If you have any other stipulations you would like to add, please state them now.”

As she said this, she pointed to a chalkboard which these proposed ideas had been pre-written in the event that someone else might have come late to the meeting. The meeting was an open invitation to the participants of the Grail War. There would surely be others who would find this interesting.

@Yukitamas @floodtalon@Sageage@Kyoka@Reflection@ManyThings@Crusader Lord@BlueHelix@ReallyDumb@DostHou@Argonaut@Cu Chulainn@Paradox Witch@GreenGoat@Scallop@Seirei No Hai

The maid mentally communicated all she heard back to her mistress. Or rather, it could be said she didn't have to properly due to due to "that" connection. Shortly after, her mistress returned a message in a similar visual manner. Ah.

"Mistress Sophia says she is aware of the situation, having received word that the Einzbern estate in Germany is currently under siege as well. Further, she wishes to bring up that the Matou are, according to her information, the only ones not under fire from the Clocktower at this time. She requests formally that the Matou assist politically in defusing the situation here with the Clocktower due to their position.

However, she agrees that many of the actions of others in this war have been 'utterly foolish', and agrees to these rules and conditions. In her words, 'these are a fair step to reigning in this mess of a Holy Grail War', which in her mind should have been put in place before all of this."

The maid finished sending her mistress' message, pausing a moment and looking down as more information came through. It potentially seemed to be a lot of information due to the length of her pause, and on her mistress' end the maid could perceive the hurried nature of the communication. Afterwards she simply nodded, then looked up again and began to speak once more to the room's occupants.

"Ah, and one more, very urgent, message from Mistress Sophia for the assembled group and organizer.

There is a highly dangerous servant here, one with red hair and a great sword and very high parameters who is likely a Saber. Said servant has been taking over the the land here in ways that threaten this area and the war as well.

Said servant has already slain one very strong servant with ease, and then has seized ownership of this land as well as its leylines using a seemingly unique ability he possesses. This ability also seems capable of controlling even familiars and bounded fields and such things within its radius, according to my mistress, and even after he leaves an area this control lingers. She theorizes that runes, potentially other similar magecraft placed in his presence, would also be 'dominated' and controlled.

However, servants are not subject to this control, save for it instead lowering their strength and abilities.

Should this enemy servant come into contact with the Holy Grail in any capacity, it will be dominated and lost, and none here will have chance to claim it. He is a top priority threat, according to my mistress.

With this in mind, she has given me word to tell you all that she is currently guarding the Grail, this being the reason she hasn't come to the meeting."

Wait...what?

@Yukitamas @floodtalon @Sageage @Kyoka @Reflection @ManyThings @BlueHelix@ReallyDumb@DostHou@Argonaut@Cu Chulainn@Paradox Witch@GreenGoat@Scallop@Seirei No Hai

Xerxes took his seat alongside many others. His hands drumming softly as already the organizer had come forward, and so too had the Einzbern master's puppet. Now, since the threats were established, it was time for the solution.

He stood, and clapped for Benita. A way of showing his appreciation. "Thank you, Miss... Benita?" He said her with with a slight accent, in a way where it came off as slightly mistranslated. "I apologize if I butchered your name. You didn't introduce yourself formally, and I have only read your name." But, finishing clapping, he reached for a suitcase he had been carrying by his side. Placing it down on the table, he flipped the latches, and introduced himself to the gathered crowd.

"I am Xerxes Kaveh, a doctor from Persia. I came to this war on request from the Mage Association. In short, I come to all of you with several solutions to the various problems currently weighing upon the parties." From the case, he pulled a small stack of papers, and passed them to his side, along with a pen. "The paper I have just handed out is a formal letter to the Mage Association. Naturally, I can send it on my own, but it will hold more weight the more signatures it carries. This may be of interest to the Tohsaka and Einzbern families, since signing may help alleviate some of the stress the mage association is placing upon you."

"You see, I propose a scapegoat of short. I have been able to confirm through my research that several of the parties that left the war may have been involved in the spreading of the fire. This will place a deal of the mage associations attention on these individuals. If they are innocent, that will be proven in court. But, their leaving the war, possibly with their servants, puts a great deal of risk on people outside of Fuyuki. That cannot be ignored. The mage association will make sure to deal with that, and it will buy us extra time to determine exactly who started the fire, and then who applied the curses to it." He made no names, but he turned his attention to the armored Paladin standing alongside the man in the horsemask.

"As for the tree, I have determined the individual responsible for that." Another paper came from the suitcase. A photo of a younger individual. "When the tree began to grow, I spied on nearby areas. I was able to acquire this photo, but that is all. They have fortified themselves heavily into their homestead, and they are a danger to the grailwar. I suspect it would require several servants to enter their area and retrieve them alive if possible."

He didn't need to say more, he was sure the other masters had caught on to the pressing dangers. "My proposition is simple. We form a task group. Each team dealing with one of the multiple threats currently endangering the continuation of this war. And, I propose another addition to the war rules."

"Servants classified as villains should be kept from being summoned in the war. As they are difficult for masters to control, and if the Oni is any example, they have no care for human lives."

"Second, The grail should be taken from the care of the Einzberns and three ruling parties. It's place of manifestation should be kept on a neutral territory, overseen by an unaffiliated party." This rule was clearly directed at the Einzbern master. Who had consistently seemed to place the grail's safety over the lives of the many innocents involved.

"Finally, all masters must declare themselves to this third party. This way, we can establish who is involved, and leave out the risk of an unqualified or unstable mage risking the lives of so many by their participation."

His decrees made sense. They may have applied pressure, but their usage was merely cautionary. There was always time to loosen the rules if matters began to resolve themselves. Anybody could agree to these rules, as they were for the protection of the people, and no master wanted to come off as dangerous considering the suspicions placed down.

"As for the task forces, I shall look to organizing a party to investigate the forest area. I shall allow others to volunteer for their interest in tracking down the red haired servant, and I shall involve myself in that as well when possible." It was in the best interest of all masters and servants to work in smaller groups. As it was clear that if they ran around all together, it'd just risk all falling apart.

@Yukitamas @floodtalon@Sageage@Kyoka@Phonic@ManyThings@Crusader Lord@BlueHelix@ReallyDumb@DostHou@Argonaut@Cu Chulainn@Paradox Witch@GreenGoat@Scallop@Seirei No Hai

Berserker picked Elizabeth up with no effort, leaping into the air towards the hotsprings with a mighty push off the ground. The wind whipped past them, she barely even heard what he asked as they moved to their destination.

"What did the small bird tell you, Master? Is the enemy to be this way?"

The wind rushed through her hair as he asked this, Elizabeth shaking her head in the negative as she looked to the distance. "No, we're going here to gather information about the battle ground and anyone we may have to fight. Hopefully we can gain some allies as well, while I trust in your strength completely it never hurts to have someone at your side during a war." She suppressed a grimace at the idea of working with these idiots, there was no way she could ever trust anyone here to watch her back. Silence reigned for a few minutes before something Berserker said clicked with her.

"Oh yes, that's right. My name is Elizabeth Aesworth. Feel free to call me whatever pleases you."

---

They landed at the hotsprings not too long after, the first thing she was greeted by was a man collecting pizzas from many birds. She ignored him and turned to Berserker who had set her down by now, a serious look on her face as she began to speak. "Now then. Supposedly this is a meeting between several different Masters and Servants, meaning we need to be on guard at all times. I'm trusting you to protect me Saber." Elizabeth proceeded to turn to the door and was greeted by yet another penguin. The penguin asked for her proof that she was a Master, she flashed her Command Seals and was let in rather quickly. She was also warned that she was slightly late, so she would need to hurry to the meeting room quickly. Finding the room was quite simple, but she hesitated before opening the door. A few different female voices spoke, however they were too muffled to hear clearly. She waited for a pause in the conversation to occur before entering, no need to interrupt someone mid speech and draw an unnecessary amount of attention to herself. Her patience was rewarded as the conversation paused, giving her the opportunity she needed to enter the room.

She tried to bring as little attention to herself as possible as she sat down, listening to the man identified as Xerxes Kaveh introduce himself. She made no reaction to his claim that he was a representative from the Mage's Association, nor did she react to the paper that was passed down to her and the rest of the table.

"You see, I propose a scapegoat of short. I have been able to confirm through my research that several of the parties that left the war may have been involved in the spreading of the fire. This will place a deal of the mage associations attention on these individuals. If they are innocent, that will be proven in court. But, their leaving the war, possibly with their servants, puts a great deal of risk on people outside of Fuyuki. That cannot be ignored. The mage association will make sure to deal with that, and it will buy us extra time to determine exactly who started the fire, and then who applied the curses to it." No reaction, not even a blink as he continued talking.

Another paper was passed about, this one a photo of a young man who had grown some sort of tree, obviously a very dangerous one if it had gathered this much attention. A druid possibly? Regardless, she did not interject to ask for clarification. She simply continued to listen and wait for more information to be presented. It was the entire reason she had been sent here after all, evaluate the current status of the ritual that has killed thousands. She did note how the man who had been gathering boxes outside was standing next to Xerxes, she also noted the minor twitch when he mentioned the Oni.

Xerxes proposed many rules, all of which sounded perfectly sensible. The fact that they hadn't been implemented at the beginning of the war was all the proof she needed to decide that this ritual had been run by complete and utter morons. He continued on to bring up the matter of organizing task forces to deal with a red haired Servant and investigate the forest, but even when he finished she still said nothing. She simply continued to wait and see, wait and see what important info would be given. She could introduce herself at the end of the meeting, once all relevant info was out of the way. There was no need to raise tensions in the middle of an already tense meeting. So instead, Elizabeth neatly folded her hands on top of the table, and waited quietly for the next person to speak.

Oh, the meeting was happening!

Mr. Penguin didn’t accept her offering of candy, though. Or emote in the slightest. Or even react to her existence.

How strange. Maybe he was sick, or a very convincing cardboard cutout.

Probably the latter.

Well, anyway!

Jogging along eagerly as the group was led into the meeting location, Mary watched with wide eyes as people started to speak. First there was the lady who was just a liiiiiittle taller than Mary. That meant they were probably about the same age! Maybe they could be frien-

“To start off, I would like to say that all of you are idiots.”

“...”

The small child sniffled slightly, tears starting to form in the corners of her eyes as she was mercilessly snubbed by someone that she had been considering a prospective friend.

M-Maybe it was just friendly banter, like what Miss Carly-Beth did to Miss Big Sis Carly-Beth?

Yeah. That had to be it.

Then there was a nice-looking lady who said some stuff. And then a weird man started speaking. Mary frowned slightly, he gave her the same feeling Ted did.

“Um, um!”

Jumping up and down a bit , the child attempted to get the attention of the others. When she finally managed, a relieved smile blossomed across her face before she spoke up.

“Hi, everyone! I’m Mary, I’m here for Miss Carly-Beth!”

“Um, so, she has some stuff she wants me to say. I’m super super super sorry if any of this is mean, Miss Carly-Beth can be a little mean sometimes and I don’t understand all of these words which usually means there are some mean words so I’m really sorry about that anyway-“

After a sharp inhale to catch her breath, she resumed speaking.

“Ahem, ‘Hahaha is this guy fucking serious? ‘Hey I’ve got vague evidence that makes me think these people who left the war did some bad stuff so let’s send the Association on a goose chase across the world for us while we try and figure out who the actual culprit is, that sure can’t blow over badly’.’

‘Oh yeah by the way let’s modify the Grail, which we can totally do, to restrict it from summoning a certain kind of Servant, which is totally a thing that will help when we’re four-sevenths of the way through the war and the Grail’s probably starting to wind down already. I’m sure stopping bad guys from getting summoned will resolve all the issues with the ones that are currently summoned, and that we can find trustworthy volunteers to modify the fucking H o l y G r a i l in a timely fashion without risk of doing shit to it accidentally or not IN THE MIDDLE OF A WAR. Hey, dude, do you know Francesco Toucan? Feel like you’d get along great with the guy.’”

A brief pause to cough.

“‘Oh yeah, speaking of the Grail, let’s ignore the fact that any idiot here with even a basic understanding of magecraft should know that the manifestation of it should be tied to the land, and that if there’s a mobile construct then it’s probably something closer to a terminal than a ritual cornerstone, ergo totally meaningless. Let’s pretend we all failed Clock Tower 101 where they teach you what a leyline is. Instead of letting someone who’s got a vested interest in the Grail not getting fucking smashed hold onto it, let’s just put it somewhere that everyone can keep an eye on it. That’s not asking an Assassin to swoop in and grab or smash it at the last second at all, doesn’t present a logistical hellscape, and it toooootally won’t lead to a clusterfuck on the seventh day, right?’”

“‘Bravo, man. Bra-fuckin-vo. Your brilliance astounds even me. Hey, Joey, we’re recording this, right? Okay, cool. This is gonna make one hell of a comedy.’”

Clearing her throat and swaying in place a bit, the girl then straightened up with a sunny smile, seemingly oblivious to anything that just left her mouth.

“And, um, that’s what she wanted to say!”

"Beee suuure to hannng on nnnnnice annnnd tighhhht Darlinnnng, fufu~!" It was a routine trip for the Oni, in fact it was a big sluggish, but at the same time it was the ride of poor Ana's life. She moved from the heart of the forest and towards town in just a dozen leaps, carrying her adorable little master in her arms like a despoiled bride... After-all he had to contend with Shuten in private for the last twenty four hours and change.

It was probably some kind of miracle he was in one piece since all three of his command spells still showed on the back of his hand. Humans were both fragile and delicious yet there wasn't any of him visibly missing, she had been so well behaved... And intoxicated. The continuous giggling and the red on her cheeks pointed heavily towards the latter, as did the heavy clanking of empty gourds every time she landed.


She walked right into this supposed meeting with a big smile, an exaggerated and perhaps drunken sway to her step, and eyes full of laughter, still carrying her master princess-style and with no clear intention of setting him down. How opportune, it was just in time to hear herself and her darling being the subject of discussion too. No other points mattered for her, and she spoke up freely "Awww, you're ready to do alllll that just to ferret us out? Oh but that's meaaaannnnn... And unnecessaryyyy toooo. It's nnnice to be formmallly uninvited but my ~darrrrllllinnnng~ and I were alllreadyyyy leavinnnng!" She sounded every bit the disgruntled drunk, heavy slurring and constant syllabic lurches.

She raised a hand to point, just vaguely around the room in a sweeping gesture of accusation rather than at anyone in particular, and in the process dropped her master flat on his back. "You've alll ruined this place, it's noooo funnnn now! Nnnnothing to take! Noooneee to chase about! Me and darllllinnng are goinng to gooo get mmmarriiieeeed back in...." She looked own at the now floored Ana, tilting her head to the side. "...Whhhere doo yooouuuu llliive againnn?" Top class wife material, right here.

@Yukitamas@Reflection@Sageage@Kyoka@Phonic@ManyThings@Crusader Lord@BlueHelix@ReallyDumb@DostHou@Argonaut@Cu Chulainn@Paradox Witch@GreenGoat@Scallop@Seirei No Hai@Art of Fun

Southern Moor Shinto

Along the path, slightly behind Teodosie Tomas Istaairyf, walked a little girl, arms raised behind her head, and feet slowly planting their soles in the ground in a relaxed pace. Raikou had only recently appeared in this world, but was already as comfortable and relaxed as one could be, for a child. At the query from Teodosie about her homeland, she simply gave the man a thoughtful glance before returning to her own thoughts.

It wasn’t until Teodor, as she had decided to call him internally, spoke up once more to suggest going into battle head-first.

“eheh, and you’re supposed to be an adult? You know, I’d love to run into the enemy head-first! But let’s be real, these people have had waaay more time to set up shop and get to know this town. We should really make a few plans first before we start smashing heads.” She said as she crushed an acorn beneath her foot.

“As for your question earlier.” Her head pivoted to the side, taking in the sights of the city before continuing. “Once, I called this place home-” Her eyes betrayed a sense of confusion and sadness as she peered of into the distance. “But...This place isn’t my home, I don’t even recognize it anymore.” Before the situation could turn sour though, Raikou abruptly put a childish smile on her face and interrupted herself. “Well at least people haven’t changed an ounce; no matter what era, they always fight for power and answers.” she almost laughed that out before sheepishly asking teodosie, “So what are you fighting for, here in my lands?”

@Yukitamas

The Einnashe heir was very capable at multitasking.

Very capable.

The night with Shuten had proved an incredibly tiring experience, one which threatened to break his relatively frail body, but he had survived. Better yet, he had learned.

Boy had he learned.

Yet at the same time he had acted. While his body was preoccupied with more mortal concerns, he had redirected several thought processes to the matter of leaving. Naturally, he could do that in an efficient manner, simply vanishing and allowing his forest to be plundered by who or whatever, it wasn’t the forest itself which had any particular value to him -- most others, Casters included, simply didn’t actually know how to operate it. Druidism wasn’t something you learned over night, after all, and while the underlying principles of Magecraft were more or less the same, the specific processes were suitably arcane. The ones involved in the forest had him drawing on some truly obscure, ancient knowledge. The Cathbad Draoí School of Druidistic thought, although inundated with Runes, had provided an interesting insight into the control of entire arboreal units.

It wasn’t Runes, for goodness sake. There was an art.

That is why the presence of that new Saber was somewhat concerning! Observing the events through the simple matter of pollen had shown him everything he needed to know!

Leaving behind his forest was probably a bad idea. He’d avoid that. At the end of the day, there was a part of Ana that cared for the wellbeing of the World around him. Not in the sense of maintaining it, but rather avoiding it becoming nothing more than a wasteland. He was not above inducing that himself, in particular situations, but it was not an outcome to be desired.

But neither was death!

Conundrum.

Still, with twitches of his fingers amidst his more active activities, he directed the flow of magical energy in his Workshop, the arms of living wood working to complete his designs.

Confined planters of wild flora, living violent, suffocating lifecycles over and over again, generation upon generation born into a lifetime of ceaseless war with their neighbors. The screams of primordial bloodlust, the agony of life being choked away over and over again.

‘Survive. Survive. Survive.’

‘Grow. Grow. Grow. Survive.’

Over and over, the voices repeated, driven to such a frenzy that they could do nothing but.

It was a nasty trick, but it was one he could use now that he had all that magical energy! Oh, the wonders of a land of fantasy, unrestrained!

But alas, Ana was not a fool. It was not to be. Fantasy was destined to come to an end, but if it were to, it would be on his own terms. The terms of a boy who, deep down and past the overgrowth and distortion of his inception and crest, cared for the ground he stood on.

He would contribute to keeping it safe-

“Uwah! Berserker?!”

That actually hurt more than everything else.

How did she do that.

---

Ana held on tight. It was not out of fear, but raw excitement. Yes, he had to figure out the fastest delivery method, and Berserker’s loving secure grip was indeed the way to go. He had not forgotten the words of the awesome penguin who he had treated to lobster. That had been a good dinner arrangement.

He bounced a little in Berserker’s intoxicated embrace. “I won’t let go, so get jumping--!”

Oof.

The little fella was ready, but he absolutely was not ready for the raw impact of force generated from Berserker’s movement, flooding his senses with the biological warnings often called pain from how hard his snapped back.

He just popped that back into place. He had chosen a sturdy body for this, after all!

The ride was spent screaming like a little girl on a roller coaster into Berserker’s collar. A good summary of their relationship, if there ever was one.

---



Thump.

Right onto his ass.

Ana hurried back onto his feet, brushing off his butt and then went through his planned entrance, which was enhanced by Berserker carrying him in and then dropping him onto the ground.

He arched to the side, clapped his hands, twisteda and reached back around, before snapping back to the gathered crowed with the snap of his fingers, pointing at them.

“Okay, okay, okay! It’s Anaxstolas and Berserker! We’re here, the Worst Team!”

He was still terribly drunk. Only, he was better at articulating himself while wasted off Oni booze.

Clearing his throat, he stumbled back a little, and then got started.

“Hi, hi. Uhm. Yeah, I am the one who made the tree. Kind of an accident! Kind of planned, I think. It was really convenient, everything just kind of lined up…! But the tree doesn’t matter right now, it’s gone,” he said, sounding not-okay with that.

It was HIS tree, damn it.

“We’re leaving! And I’m taking my toys with me, Berserker included. I’ve got a bunch of stuff from this, so I don’t really see a point in sticking around, I’ve basically got all I need to grant a wish. This whole Cup Fight has been really convenient for me, it’s almost scary. Usually everything’s so tough and drawn out, but all I really did was do boring magus things and watch Berserker have fun! But, I also saw a lot of other great stuff, like watching heroes and villains fight, and see how they tick,” he finished with some emphasis, tapping a finger against his temple.

“...And I’m not really cut out for it. I’m not a hero, or even that desperate to stick around. I’m actually a massive, consummate coward. I kind of just want to look after a garden, hang around with Berserker, and do some other fun stuff!”

That was the ideal, really. He was a slacker, someone who just wanted to enjoy stuff he enjoyed and not be bothered by things like ‘obligation’ and ‘legacy’, to drink of what the world had to offer in an unrepentant way.

The life of one born through what could be described as artificial means was bound to be short.

How long he had left, he did not know. He could prolong it for a time, but his body was not designed to be one which endures. Just long enough to research, just long enough to pass on the crest once again in the hopes it would be fixed.

He could do that now. He could fix it. Would that save him, though? He did not know.

The Einnashe…

He had not done it for the Einnashe. He had never done anything for that name, not truly.

The others would not have seen it, but from the time he had spent with Berserker, he had found his wish. It was the same as when he entered the War, but its meaning had been warped, its perspective changed.

Anaxstolas Einnashe wanted to live. Not just for the sake of it, but for the sake of having a friend like Berserker. Someone wild, who encouraged the worst of him, which in turn caused him to control himself.

Indeed, had it not been for Berserker, he likely would not have come to the conclusion that he had to contribute.

A world one cannot play in. That is what this war threatened to create for an entire nation.

Unforgivable.

“So I’m here, instead of just running, like I probably should. Because some of you guys are heroes, I guess. You’re gonna do the thing I don’t have the guts to do, and I’d feel bad if I left you with nothing. So… yeah, I was going to explain every threat I’ve observed in the most detail possible with the full use of my partitions, but honestly… I think that if you’re here, you know how bad it’s probably going to get. Some of that’s my fault. Sorry.”

The boy’s hand pierced his own chest, shredding through clothing and revealing the porcelain, crystalline flesh beneath, thrumming with the blue glow of magical energy.

A terminal body, a mere vessel of Anaxstolas’ will. Even as it talked, it became clear that its creator likely was nowhere even near the spring.

“Now, I spent quite a while making this. I thought it was probably the best shape to take…” Ana explained, slowly drawing his hand out of the gorge of a wound he had created, the glow intensifying around a particular point closer to the construct’s core, until it became a near blinding glint -- a distant star, but closer than anything else on Earth. The air changed, taking on an almost fantastical quality.

“And I figure it works out pretty well, considering someone’s down a weapon.” The form began to actualize as Ana’s hand broke free, a solidified, unmoving streak of light following his hand in its removal.

The tree he had planted had been on something of a disposition spectrum, he had concluded after studying what he could. There were many possibilities on what ‘disposition’ it could have taken. In the particular case of the one he had created, due to the circumstances surrounding it, it had become a devouring tree, representing regression rather than progression. The distant glow of fantasy, rather than the present light of civilization.

The spear was a weapon of man, one of the very first. It granted mankind its means of defending itself in the very earliest days, a tool representing the very progression of humanity in both its history, function and shape. It drives forward, through the flesh of its enemies, forging a future from the blood of whatever stands before it.

Indeed, it was not a shape fitting for the Blade of the Prime Elemental Kurozome. But it was one befitting of aligning with the untapped, progressing aspect of the Prime Elemental Being.

Spear. The weapon of humanity. Forger of civilization. Accomplice of fire. Tamer nature. Alongside Primal Conflict, it exists as the first countermeasure against hostility.

The weapon drawn from the construct announced itself with its sight alone. A Mystic Code of legend, surpassing the means of the average magus by an unfathomable magnitude. To make such a thing would require materials from an age long gone, and knowledge just as hold.

Ana had accessed both, as his only true contribution.

Vicious looking barbs jutted out from the tip, striking to the air like their own growths. Pale vines hugged the length of the weapon with their crystalline leafs, its form not too dissimilar to a tree without branches, violently seeking to pierce the sky with its honed peak.

Hope. Guidance. War. Progression. Humanity.

A weapon of a god.

No.

Weapon of heroes, without a name. A spear was simply a spear. To give it a designation beyond that, was that not arrogant?

He simply settled it down, spiking up as a tree would and standing without support.

Ana’s construct, wounded and not longed for the world, gestured to it.

“Have at it. Just, you know. Careful to not break it. It shouldn’t unless you want it to, but… you know.”

“Anyway, it was nice to meet you, but we’ve got a ride to catch! Don’t die, that’d suck after all this.”

He leaned back and gave Berserker a peck on the cheek. “I don’t actually know where I live! Isn’t that great?! We can go wherever we want, partner!”

The convincing facade of a boys face went completely still, cracking and crumbling away, and then turning to an ephemeral dust. It was beginning to cease functioning.

Anaxstolas Einnashe chose to live as a petty thing, avoiding the obligation of salvation or doing the absolute right thing in a situation where more than just his own well being was at stake.

But he was going to live.

Altera was displeased to say the least. An emotion she is unfamiliar with, like all emotions. To be denied her opportunity to destroy Rome, to destroy that accursed civilization. It was infuriating. Not that it showed on her face, her expression was as blank as ever. She needed something to destroy so she could satisfy that impulse, she needed something to destroy. Altera was a machine made to kill, the idea of doing anything but killing to satisfy the impulse to destroy never even crossed her mind, it couldn't.

All she could do was destroy, thus she had come here in search of something to destroy. At least that was what she had come to do initially. Something had caught her attention, something that she felt was important but did not know why. A flyer on a wall, advertising a bar. Somewhere where people would go to drink alcohol and become intoxicated. The men of the Hun army had done it many times, but she had never indulged in the practice. She only ate what was necessary to stay alive, the most basic of foods and drinks. Flavor and enjoyment had never mattered to her, so why would she consume a drink that's only purpose was to make people feel happy? However the words on the flyer were what mattered, not the bar itself. "White Titan." The best drinks since the White Titan descended on the misbegotten work of the gods. Those words, they felt so important. White Titan. It was like something at the back of her mind, something long forgotten that clawed at the surface and struggled to break free.

Before she had even realized it, she was there. She had walked to the bar without even thinking about it, it was important. Altera stood in front of Pelion's Pub and stared at the door with yet another emotion she hadn't felt before. Anxiety. These emotions, she had never felt them in life, so why did she feel them now? It was uncomfortable in a way she could not deal with, she wished she could simply shunt them to the side and call upon Mars's wrath to wipe this civilization off of the face of the earth. Yet she could not. So she walked up to the door and reached for the handle. But something told her not to open the door quite yet. She stopped as she noted the things around the door. Alcohol and a warning sign.

It was quite strange that the establishment would give out free alcohol before you even stepped foot inside. She picked up a bottle and quickly downed it, wondering if she was now intoxicated enough to enter. She was not sure, perhaps she should wait for further instruction. No, hesitation was the enemy. Hesitation is bad civilization, she needed to go in now. A stern look was on her face now, she clenched the flyer in her hand and the bottle of alcohol in her other and went inside. The first thing she noticed was the miserable looking man with no hands. A Servant, drinking his sorrows away. Bad civilization, it would get him absolutely nowhere. The next thing she noticed was the bartender, serving the miserable man drinks.

Altera stepped up to the bar and sat down, looking around the bar further in hopes of finding the one known as Chiron. "I'm looking for the one who wrote this flyer." She mumbled quietly, staring at the words White Titan with intensity. A few seconds later she realized nobody had heard her, so she spoke up a bit louder. "I'M LOOKING FOR THE ONE WHO WROTE THIS FLYER!" She shouted as she slammed a fist on the bar counter, rattling Jack's drink as he attempted to drown his sorrows.

---

Tesla frowned as the young girl delivered her Master's message. He felt bad for her really, he could only imagine how poorly Carly-Beth must treat her to not only send her to a meeting of legends and monsters with no protection, but to have her deliver such a callous message. While he had no doubt that Xerxes wouldn't do anything untoward, if more things like that were said to less rational people, the girl would not live to see the next sunset. Yet another thing was written down in his notepad, before she came in.

Tesla's eyes widened, all of his focus on Shuten as she stumbled in a drunk stupor. The thing that constituted his heart skipped a beat, saddened by how quickly she could forget about him. Not that he could blame her, he had lied to her about who he was. There was no way someone as powerful and beautiful as Shuten could possibly be impressed with plain old Tesla, not when compared to the mighty god of lightning Zeus. It still hurt though, it would likely hurt for a long time.

Ana spoke for a bit, putting on an impressive show as he impaled himself and drew a mighty spear. Tesla would begrudgingly admit that it was better than the one he had made, his hand withdrawing from his pocket and pulling out a stick the size of a marker. Ana faded away and Tesla smiled, the boy looked quite happy. It's too bad he wouldn't last with Shuten for a week. Regardless, he was happy for her, even if he himself was quite sad. "It seems love blossoms in many places today. If you're looking for somewhere to honeymoon, I would suggest Korea. Plenty of Leylines to sustain yourself off of, just until you figure out something more permanent." Why did he know that? No reason in particular.

"Well then, I feel like now would be the best time to get this out of the way since we have reached a suitable break in the conversation." Tesla held the marker sized rod in between his fingers up to next to Ana's spear of heroes, clicking a small button near the bottom. Suddenly it extended, the blade piercing the ground as lightning arced around it. It was somewhat longer than Ana's, about 8 feet in total, but it was quite clear that Ana's was still better regardless of size. It only made sense, you used the best materials to make the best weapons.

Tesla's was still a work of art to be fair, a beautiful spear of silver with channels of energy randomly appearing and then slowly fading along the shaft like flashes of lightning. The tip of the spear sparked with raw electricity, glowing a bright blue as all energy was concentrated into the polished metal. "I wanted to apologize for my part in you losing your spear, thus I spent a night making you this." He looked at Achilles as he said this, his expression seeming to say "My bad, hope you can forgive me." After that Tesla stepped back next to Xerxes, waiting for the meeting to continue.

It was here.

I feel it before it arrives. I feel that ■■■■■ thrum in my hand, as though roused by the presence of something cut from the same cloth as it.

Terrifying. It's terrifying. Its very existence sends a shudder through my core.

If it were alone, then that would be one thing. It would merely be a hindrance if it were alone.

But it is not. It is not, it is not, because of what is gripped in my hand.

I run. Before it even enters, I run, retreating for the place that it cannot enter.

Futile. Futile. Futile. This mere walls cannot stop it. I know that. I have witnessed it crush such things like tearing paper.

It is here. It is here for the ■■■■■.

I call out to 'myself'. I do not answer, as this 'me' has grown too distant from the source.

I call out to her. She does not answer, as she has never once heard my voice.

They will not help me. They cannot hear me, and so they will not help me.

No. No, no, no. I cannot allow this. I cannot allow it to become whole. But, that is precisely what will happen.

It will become whole again. That profane thing. That disgusting thing.

Trampling over gods and men, a calamity that brings nothing but meaningless tragedies.

I cannot allow it.

My death is not something I fear, but I fear the deaths that it will bring if it unifies.

My death is not something I fear, but if this 'me' dies, then all I have seen will have been for nothing. All of this determination will have been for nothing. All of the suffering born from this war will have been for nothing.

I want them to be happy.

Smile, and laugh, and love.

They all deserve it, but it will not come to pass. That thing will trample over those dreams. That thing will tear apart all.

...and even if it does not, even if it is not allowed to unify, the true demon of these tragedies will occur.

The thought jars me back to reality. Away from the thoughts of that monster which stands so close, I return to the thoughts of the greater monster that I swore to oppose.

I stare down at the ■■■■■ once again.

The screams wrack my body once again. Not from me, but from them. The wails of the damned and forsaken. The tragedies of this world. The hundreds of thousands who have met their end in this place, pointlessly torn from the world. Dying meaninglessly, without wishes, without will.

The ■■■■■ is held in my hand, a white-knuckle grip. I know what this is. I know that its evil is of the same nature as that which terrified me so, mere seconds earlier. I know what I will be inviting if I use it, but...

"...I..."

I turn my mind to steel.

For their happiness, I silence that last bit of hesitation.

It is too much. It is all too much.

I cannot see any good that you bring about. I cannot see anything that redeems you. So, I must act.

...ah, forgive me.

My allies, my family, my closest friend, please forgive me. I'm sorry, but I can't hold this back any longer.

I cannot allow these tragedies to continue. I cannot allow this present to fester.

And to you, you who creates these tragedies, you who does nothing in the face of those tragedies, I swear it-

For everyone's sake, I will break you.

To make a world where everyone is happy, I will destroy everything you are.

I will shatter every edict you pronounce.

I will tear out your foundation from this planet.

I will incinerate any trace of your existence.

...hate you.

I hate you.

You damnable, unforgivable monster. You eyeless tyrant.

Human Order.

I turn the ■■■■■ so that it faces myself. A resigned smile plays on the edges of my lips.

I focus my mind. This space is just as much an extension of my body as it is of my friend's. I concentrate what it has collected upon me. That will be sufficient to serve as a foundation. What is then needed is a spark.

I will save this world. I will save the humans in it. And so, in order to do that...

For their happiness-



-I plunge the spear into myself, and I invoke its power.

---

From her perspective, the perspective of the Saber who had entered the bar, there was little beyond confusion.

There was a balding man staring at a wall in silence.

There was nothing.

And then...

-The world broke.

---

A spear which denied gods entered a god.

The blood that denied nothingness entered a being of nothingness.

The grudges and misfortunes of hundreds of thousands entered a vessel for wishes.

And so, Dionysus screamed.

His spiritual foundation broke and reformed countless times in a single instant. It was wrong. It was horribly, terrifyingly wrong. However, what would occur here was already a foregone conclusion.

His will held on in spite of this. That love of humanity burned brilliantly, refusing to cow its head.

...and so, something terrifying was born.

From the sky, a god of the earth watched in horror.

From the stars, the sun that stood overhead laughed in mirth.

From the beyond, a white comet paused in confusion.

...the process was brief.

When it ended, the effects were obvious. The space he had occupied, the Noble Phantasm of Chiron, was entirely different. It was in the state that it had been immediately after being created. The countless grudges and misfortune it had drunk in had been spent, used to fuel the creation of the being that stood inside of it.

It emerged from the wall that Chiron had been staring at, from the partitioned-off space that the Archer had designed on a whim, calling it a 'VIP section'.

And so, from the ashes, a new life burned.

The thing stood, its components reshaping and recongregating themselves into the form of Dionysus. However, its eyes were not those of Dionysus. They were not the eyes of a god, or even a man who became a god. They were the eyes of a savior looking upon a world that tired him.

What stands here is not Dionysus.

It is not the sea of lamentations that this space had aggregated. It is not the sun floating overhead. It is not the wandering star. It is all of those. It is none of those. From their synthesis, something utterly new has arisen.

Monster of fear, freedom, and folly. Let us reveal you to the world.

Anthropic Principle Liberation Formula, Eleutherios.

Its Class has been determined. God and bartender are merely false titles.

Born from sorrow, it is the great disaster that most bears humanity’s heart.

-The air changes.

The entry of another being into the bar pings off Jack’s last nerve. Slowly, steadily, he had been gaining a sense of ominous events. A feeling of doom.

A sensation of the end of the World.

There exist three other beings besides himself in the bar. One, the newcomer. The catalyst, but not the cause. Another, a patron like me, who came in roughly at the same time. Free from blame.

Lastly. The culprit of this damnable sensation of dread. The one he might’ve looked more closely at, kept a closer eye on, maybe if he-

No. Hands or no, he knew better. He knew his limits, he knew “what kind of heroic spirit” he was, and he knew, most importantly, that this sensation was not something ‘that could be beaten alone’.

The bartender stilled.

There was no time to speak. There was no chance to breathe. There was only a sliver of a moment in which action could allay ruin, could prevent chaos.

Jack was already prepared to move. The sinking feeling had made him leave his chair.

Scooping up the newcomer and the fellow patron so that both were in the crook of his arms, he took off, barreling through the door with his enchanted boots and Fleeing from the bar with all his might.

Why did he grab them? Why not escape alive, guaranteed, on his own?

Damnit, he didn’t know. He just knew it was what he -should- do. It was the course of action that a Hero would take.

But all thoughts left him as he felt the roar behind him.

The bar was gone. The bartender was gone. Hope was gone.

And in its place stood a Beast.

“RUN!” Jack yelled at both of the people he had dragged out of the bar, now out of his hold. “Find everyone else! We can’t fight this alone!”

With his piece said, Jack vanished as he dashed across the field.

Fran.

He had to find Fran.

He had to find her.

Christopher had stayed mostly silent, for the most part. The host of the meeting had more than reasonable concerns and demands, and for that, he stayed quiet. He almost spoke up when the… doctor spoke, but the utterly delightful response of “Miss Carly-Beth” had more than taken care of his concerns for him. After that, he opened his mouth to speak of his own concerns, but then the Einashe had come in. It seemed that fate was working again-



There was no warning. No explanation. Nothing could have ever prepared him for this. Nothing could have ever prepared him for this. Nothingcouldnothingcouldnothingcould-

Focus.

He quite nearly screamed down the mental connection with Elissa, and as he did that…

The Worker of Living Stone spoke.

"All of you felt that, yes? Damn the Association, damn those who have left, damn whatever concerns all of you may have brought forth before now. Something wrong has happened, and we need to defeat it, now."

"Before we all die, and nothing would be done anyways."

@UndyingRegret

@Yukitamas @Reflection @Sageage @Kyoka @Phonic @ManyThings @Crusader Lord @Froppy @ReallyDumb @DostHou @Argonaut @Cu Chulainn @Paradox Witch @GreenGoat @Scallop @Seirei No Hai @Art of Fun