---

He had failed, miserably. He didn't have the time to fully manifest his NP and only just managed to clip the sword. The sheer power behind the projectile, however, made sure that it hit it's mark regardless of what he did. He didn't see it but he heard it, just as the sword sped past his ear. A sickenly splatter. Berserker retrieved their Master and fled the scene quickly. Lancer was safe, for now, but he had little time left in this world. With his Master gone he would soon fade into the nothingness. He could already feel the world around him start to ravage his body, rejecting the paradox that was a Sengoku Era General in the modern age.

"I am sorry my Master, but I have no time to mourn."

He quickly took off through the streets of the brilliant city.

"Surely if Berserker and their Master were bold enough to attack this night, other teams did as well. There's a chance that a Master is out there without a Servant. No matter how slim that chance might be. I've never let improbable odds stop me before and I certainly won't let that stop me now..."

---

Something...or someone...had entered her bounded field. That was as much as she was able to know right now, but immediately the girl's back stiffened and an intense look of focus came onto her face. She'd expected that the peasants might be investigating the obvious places, probably knew she and a few others of notable enough rank were here in the city proper. That wasn't an excuse for potentially finding her workshop so fast, but in a war with desperate animals clinging to a wish or this land...heh, perhaps she shouldn't be too surprised. It wasn't like she hadn't come prepared for the occasion, and there were enough nearby hotels in this city that she had no problems setting up in another place of her choosing.

But for now, they needed to get back...

"Ah! My love, i feel that someone has intruded upon our abode! We must make great haste back to it, my dear, to punish the Saracens that dare trample upon it! Hurry, for i fear Rinaldo has called the Saracens upon us!"

With that clearly communicated to her servant in the appropriate panicked tone and manner, Charlotte swiftly began to make her way back. She'd had the taxi bringing them here waiting, and with a call or two using the driver's cellphone...well, the traffic would be somewhat more negligible and it would expedite their travel time greatly by calling a lift from the local police station in this area. Not a major favor for her contacts here, merely a small thing that wouldn't stop up the city's traffic or anything overbearing.

They'd definitely get the pleasure of intercepting the intruders, and dealing accordingly with their impunity~

@Reflection@Red Alice@Seirei No Hai

---

---

By the time his master cast a spell to look through Assassin's own eyes once more, the servant was already moving into a position to scout about and observe the assembled servants and flow of events it seemed. That and listen in on them. He made no preparations to attack, and frankly he had long by this time donned his Helm of Invisibility before even entering the district overall. It seemed like enough of a mess, with that Archer, and those idiots with them and the like. It was almost amusing to the heroic spirit, at least that heroes never seemed to change...

'I'm already goin' at it, kid. Who do ya think ya summoned, some chump with a war boner or an honor fetish? These idiots really don't change over tha' years. But keep ya'-self hidden, in case we gotta anotha' one of Chiron's boys runnin' around or somethin'.' Autolycus responded to his master over their mental link, jovially mocking the enemies and situation in the process. That being said, he was no less careful, swift, silent, and cautious in his own actions on his end...not even a single bit.

Though whilst the idea of heroes was on his mind, he could on the side recall the days of training that big ol' Son of Zeus, and gettin' a laugh initially when he'd been told the kid had killed his harp teacher in the past. He was a big ol' baby when it came to that anger of his, the apple fallin' a little too close to the tree when he'd seen that anger in action, but he and the big guy had always seemed to have a decent teacher-student relationship and such.

Then there had been that one grandson of his, smart-ass who was getting jerked off my Athena and all that crap. Got to name im' for some reason, so he'd named him after what he wanted the kid to do...pissing off people, just like his grandpa. Gotten a few frowns from his son in law for it, hell his daughter had nearly thrown a fit for where he got the name from! Haha! Took the kid hunting as he'd promised later on, but the kid had done a' stupid thing and scarred up his leg. Least' that scar had been good for somethin' later on when the kid had pissed of ol' Poseidon and eventually got back home. You're welcome, you smartass.

And hell there was that other grandson...eh, now wasn't probably the time to talk about that little shit. The charisma and heuvos on that one were big, but he went and blue-balled himself and kinda pissed off the wrong goddess to boot. That was as much as he'd note on him right now, at least.

'Idiots are going to be idiots, whether it's Zeus' kid, Athena's boy toy, or a little knight who thinks they have a big dick they can flaunt around...heh,' the Assassin thought to himself in amusement as he continued on undetected.

@Cu Chulainn@Red Alice@1Charak2@Danchou@SSW@ManyThings[Anyone Else Relevant]@Sunglass@SubjectVision@KoL

"Oh, Lord. What a mighty blessing have you cast upon your humble Servant today. To believe that my eyes would be graced with such an act of divine retribution. 'Tis a shame that such a person had to die, yet 'tis more of a shame that my hands weren't the ones to cast this wicked imitation of such a holy man to the flames of hell. Indeed, quite a shame, yet I am truly blessed. For the Hand of the Lord shall find within himself to show these lost lambs the path to Heaven."

"... thus, it is now the time to make my entrance. As the virtuous shepherd that'll guide the worthy ones to Paradise, and the ruthless executioner that'll doom the heretics to oblivion. As the judge of those who deserve, I leave my fate in your hands, Oh Lord."

---

^{Latin District - Arènes de Lutèce}

Mentions: @Cu Chulainn (Dietrich) @GreenGoat (Tenryuu) @Seirei No Hai (Ryte) (No direct interaction, simply presence in the area)

---

It had been a magnificent spectacle, so much that he was a tad disappointed he had arrived too late to properly appreciate it. Nevertheless, the crackling of the funerary pyre set for the Servant was almost cozy to see. Although he felt that it would be more adequate to say that it was "the funerary pyre that the Servant became".

Those were the thoughts that the figure that had just recently arrived had. Or, more accurately, the thoughts the one controlling the figure had. Whilst it was definitely strange and suspicious to spot a procession of cowled figures slowly forming an orderly line as they arrived from the west, it'd be even more bizarre to spot a snout slightly protruding from underneath it. It wouldn't help that the lightning of the zone was subpar, adding a sinister layer to it all. A normal passerby could easily infer that this was a group of cultists or young men that believed Halloween to be a bit earlier than most.

This was the Holy Grail War, however, and as such almost all unexplainable phenomena had to find its explanation within this extraordinary event. These were familiars, of which only one was standing different than the rest: Whilst the others kept their heads low as to conceal their animalistic feature with the hood of their robes, the one in the middle was admiring the dying fire, paying no attention to anyone else. A single mutter could be perceived from them: "Exodus 3:2 to 3. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses though, 'I will go over and see this strange sight- why the bush does not burn up'".

A dry chuckle came from the smirking familiar, a smirk that was made much more disturbing by the canine snout and the fangs it sported. "Bah, what a joke". Then, a shift on the attitude of the hound could be seen as his head bowed down and the group of them began to make their way into the arena, uncaring of those leaving or remaining lest they were stopped.

---

^{Latin District - Église Saint Thomas d'Aquin}

---

He had seen enough of that situation. A late arrival had ended up working to his advantage: without any sort of intervention from his part he had gotten one of the leylines in the city for himself. However, such a valuable place was not without dispute and he had to tread carefully: make too many enemies and he'd be doomed. Make too many allies and he'd be limited and, more importantly, forced to cooperate with unsightly heretics. This city was stemming with them and, were it not for the secrecy of the war, he would have already taken the matters of this deranged city into his own hands.

The times weren't as they previously were. Things were way better when he was in charge of the Inquisition. Catholicism was purer, and one couldn't half-ass their beliefs. He even founds his own existence as a Servant repulsive, as it was an affront to the Lord and the holy miracle that was life. Yet, he had to make do with what he had. After all, this was most likely part of His plan, and could be accounted for the ineffability of it. It must have been divine intervention that brought him this chance of taking the Hoyl Grail, and righting the wrongs in Humanity with its might.

This was a test. A test of faith, and devotion. And Tomás de Torquemada was going to show the Lord just how far he'd go to protect the name of Catholicism, and to clean the sinful taint that had spread through it across the ages.

Amen

“Ah, if what you seek is to learn more of our opponents then perhaps we should ask the birds what they know. They see the world much more clearly than we do and I’ve found them to be of great help in the past.”

Lancer walked away from his Master, approaching a nearby group of pigeons that were always so abundant in large cities such as this. He called out to them before they could be spooked by his approach and fly away, using Animal Dialogue to convey his desires to them; a few minutes later the birds dispersed, flying away in a fluttering of wings in the direction of the Latin district as Jangar returned to his Master’s side with a grin on his face and pigeon perched on his shoulder.

“They have agreed to assist us Master. My new friends will fly over the Latin district for us and take a look around, talking to others they find and learning what they know before coming back to me.” Lancer tilted his head to look at the bird standing on his shoulder, bringing Jackson’s attention to it as if it was possible he could have not noticed the flying rat eyed him suspiciously. “This little one will fill me in on what he knows of the area while we make our way there. We’ll have to move slowly so as not to disturb him, but that’ll just give my friends more time to search for our enemies.”

With that said Jangar led the trio north towards the Latin district, Jackson at his side and his feathered companion on his shoulder. Luckily he was wearing clothing gifted to him by his Master rather than his armour and robes, a rather nice suit that was not out of place when compared with Jackson’s own attire, so travelling by foot and in material form was not an issue, but even with his disguise the group attracted unwanted attention due to the peculiar sight that made for. Jangar conversed with the pigeon the entire way, unfortunately finding that this particular bird didn’t know much about current goings on in the city and was more interested in having a friendly chat instead. While not especially informative it was still a pleasant if somewhat simplistic conversation that helped pass the time while they walked.

By the time they had made it to the Latin district the other pigeons Jangar had conversed with earlier had completed their reconnaissance of the area and were waiting for them to arrive; Jangar approached them to listen to their report, his friend hopping off of his shoulder to re-join the group as he did so. After another few minutes of conversation Jangar returned to Jackson with a thoughtful expression on his face.

“You were right Master, there is much going on in the Latin district tonight. Several Servants and Master’s appear to be gathering in one place, but they aren’t fighting yet; perhaps an alliance is brewing. Another two Servants were fighting north of here as well, but that fight is already over; they didn’t see what happened but of the five people involved only four left.

“But what is most interesting is that they told me there is an area further north of here, in the Canal district, that all animals and people avoid. It sounds like it could be the base of another Magus Master; a bounded field to keep people away. We should investigate and see what we can find.”

@ItMeGritty

Jackson put his hand to his chin to think over their options.

"Our enemies are already trying to consolidate power. However alliances in such a war don't last very long and it leaves your back exposed. We should wait for the 'pawns' to take each other out before we make an alliances. There may be an exceptionally powerful Servant that could require some of us to join forces. Until then we hold off on making friends."

He turns towards the direction of the Canal District.

"We can assume that the fight up north resulted in the death of either a Master or a Servant. If a Master, then the Servant isn't long for this world. Never would I have expected the participants in this war to be so brazen on the first night. They must have thirst for blood. No matter. We won't risks ourselves like that just yet. We'll scout out that workshop. Discretely. Ideally we won't have to shed blood tonight.

@King Cosmos

Rooftop, Latin District

---

"Excellent! I look forward to fighting alongside the lot of you."

From his seat on the rooftop, the paladin grinned at his new companions. It sounded as though there were still some terms and small details to be worked out, but those were things he supposed were more concerning Cleo than to himself. If she informed him that the alliance was unworkable at that fighting was necessary, he would be saddened, but that's just how it would be. Saber wasn't one to complain about allies, so it was unlikely that there would be a problem as long as his Master accepted these people.

Not to mention, there was a knight among them! Not as a Servant, but as a Master! It did Ogier's heart some good to know that some amount of tradition and honour had been sustained, given how society as a whole had changed since his death many centuries ago. With that said, this hero was no stranger to the world changing over time, but this difference was ever greater than when he had returned to France from Avalon after 200 years.

"...Hm."

From their reactions, it was clear to Saber that all of his fellows had also taken note of yet another strong presence in the area. However, given his position on top of a building, Saber had the easiest time simply turning around and gazing across the rooftops to lay eyes on the new arrival. It wasn't so unusual, given that three Servants already stood in the open, but this fourth one didn't seem to be approaching to join them. Ogier rose to his feet and turned to face the stranger, arms crossed.

"Hello over there! It's easy to see why such a large gathering might draw yet another warrior here, but why don't you come closer? Declare yourself, and let us know your intent!"

---

^{Mind-Linked Master (@King Cosmos), Glorious Gang (@Danchou@SSW@Sunglass@1Charak2), Advancing Archer (@KoL), and Sneaky Spies (@Crusader Lord@Cu Chulainn)}

---

"... I'm starting to get sick of Bible verses."

Almost instantaneously, Saber had appeared, materializing at the entrance of the amphitheater and in the way of the canine congregation. He held Nagelring in his hands tightly, imposing the giant blade in front of the entrance like some sort of makeshift gate. Red eyes glared at the hound-headed men, glowing more with curiosity than complete menace. To face another Servant immediately after killing one seemed like a hassle to Saber, but in this case, this group of figures didn't carry the same presence that a true Servant did. Their dog-shaped heads reminded Saber of the unruly Wild-Men he had to eliminate on his path to rulership, but these hooded figures did not carry the same crazed nature; they seemed more refined, if anything. Saber deduced that these men could either be a strange set of familiars, or magi altered to be monstrous in some way.

"Dogs are supposed to bark, not preach." The Demon Prince stated, his eyes locked onto the sole familiar who chose to spoke for the gathering. The grip on his blade tightened, making sure to watch their every move in case they attempt an attack. Saber had no intention to kill another Servant tonight, but these seemed like little more than lowly minions, chaff meant to be cut down. The thought of dealing with another Caster made Saber feel a bit annoyed, but at the same time, it could mean they could utilize the fallen leyline properly.

"This leyline belongs to my Master. State the business of yours.""

@The World

The Business District

"Hmm? a new country. It's everything different from everything. But it's not like I stuck in one place at all back at home. It's all fine I guess.

As for what you want to call me that's fine with you. There's not much hiding my class so it might not be worth callin me anything but Archer. Archer, Partner, or Familiar. All three works fine. I value my freedom but I know what we I am, what we're suppose to be. The leash might be loose, but the leash exists to keep me existing too. Don't worry. I won't run off however."

He gives off a wink before looking over at the shops as they passed by. "Anything you want? I wouldn't mind a hat or a nice scarf."

Tenryuu Gensai
???, Arènes de Lutèce

---

Tenryuu stayed silent for a moment, before stepping away from the car. Another Servant, trying to claim this place, like a vulture. Annoying, but... she needed something to take her mind off the previous event.

"Sorry." She spoke to the girl. "Go to the hotel room I set up with Chii, and stay there. You can go to the Church in the morning to ask for sanctuary then, or stay with me if you feel like it. I just need to take care of something for now. Chii?"

Wordlessly, Chii handed her back the flask. "You know what to do after this right?"

"Yes, Mistress." She sighed. "If only you had heeded my advice."

Turning back, Tenryuu took a piece of rock, splitting it into four pieces, before slowly making her way back toward's Saber. Wordlessly, she recited a litany over them in her hands, hoping Saber could diffuse the situation.

...

Considering how Saber was, she didn't think that would happen, but still, she could at least hope for the best.

@Cu Chulainn@SubjectVision

---

---

Wait.. hang on a moment what is he doing now? Hector took a few steps as a response to this odd occurrence. It seemedthat he had misjudged this one. If you are gonna draw your sword use your sword... Looks like the people 'round here have their own style of fighting. He wouldn't make this miscalculation again though. And really it was not something that put him at a disadvantage or anything like that, he was just thinking of a more traditional duel. In truth Hector was not a fan of duels anyway...

"Hah! No apologies needed son. This old man isn't going to be going away anytime soon!" Hector spoke as he lifted Durandina, the handle now above his head so that the blade may cover his body. He was wholly confident that his sword could handle anything that was thrown it's way. Whether it be the thrown weapon or the projectile that it was masking. Of course even there was more to come after that Hector's choice of action would not have changed.

Of course with the outcome of his defensive manoeuvre settled before it happened in his own mind. He kept his eye on his opponent rather than what they had thrown his way. That was the amount of trust that Hector had in his sword. After all if it wasn't something along the lines of that shield then he should be able to hold out just fine.

It seemed that his opponent was preparing a charge... Well he would decide whether to evade or meet them on that when the time comes...

"Unfortunately Master, I have no more information to give about the fight; I have no idea if it was a Master or a Servant who died. That is the problem with using birds as scouts I'm afraid; painfully observant, but not very good with the finer details. They don't pay much attention to people unless they have food in their hands."

With the declaration that they would be heading towards the Canal district and this hidden area rather than the gathering of Servants, Jangar inclined his head towards his Master in a small bow. "That is the wisest course of action I feel. I am ready to fight at a moments notice, but a skirmish of that magnitude would be a dangerous proposition. Come! Let us head towards the Canal district and rout out this hidden workshop. I will ask my friends to guide us to its location and we will see what we can find."

@ItMeGritty

----




Things were not going how she expected them to; which was a somewhat embarrassing turn of events for someone who could divine the future such as her. The city was far more active than she had expected for the first night, or perhaps it was fate that had brought so many Servants and Masters together in one place. A simple scouting expedition had turned into something so much more; something dangerous, but also filled with potential.

An alliance. It was something that she had not considered, given the cut throat nature of the war she was now a part of, but while she didn't find all of this knight's terms agreeable she was more open to the possibility than she thought she would be. She would need to consider this offer more carefully later, but for now it seemed that there was yet another later arrival to contend with.

Remaining a passive observer was no longer an option, now that they had revealed themselves. It was time to give Ogier a little more agency.

"Saber. You're free to engage in combat if you wish."

@ManyThings

The redheaded Archer stood silently at the edge of the roof, observing the others. The night's breeze gently ruffled his hair and cloak giving him a truly otherworldly appearance, matching the melancholy aura that seeped from every fiber in his being.

It wasn't until he was spoken to by one of them that he stepped out of the dimly lit shadows, making his presence fully known to all of them.

"Apologies for my unbecoming behavior," Tristan said, his voice carrying a genuine tone of longing that would probably be enough to make a common man shed tears without knowing why. "However, given the sad nature of this conflict we find ourselves into, I suppose it's the natural thing to do. Right, old friend of mine? It makes me glad to see that another of my King's Knights also found a Master befitting their station," the Knight of Lamentation added, directing his words to Ywain.

---

---

@SubjectVision@ManyThings@SSW@1Charak2@Sunglass@Cu Chulainn


"Ghh!" Madhisi couldn't help but fall down to her knees and cough far more blood than anyone was allowed to without some serious side effects as soon as she attempted to force herself to go an extra mile and duel Lancer's Master on her own. However, even this simple relief would be negated of her by another assault coming from an unknown place, unleashed by an unknown assailant. And, even if both of these variables weren't unknown, in her state, as she felt the life slip away from between her fingers without being able to accomplish even the simplest task, Madhisi wouldn't be able to process or understand it either. Any information coming through her barely functioning eyes and almost deaf ears were lost in the mire that was her mind at this moment.

Even so, so matter how long she waited for, the relief of death would never come to her. Had she been captured? Did her opponents want to torture and make her suffer like... like...

But no. The truth is that... she had been saved? But, by who?

"Ber... serker? Why?"

Why did she do that? They barely met one another, and the one connection between them was that of rage, grief, and a burning desire to destroy what ruined their lives. So then, why did a being deprived of all sanity, whose only purpose was to be a tool of destruction, came to her help in a time of need?

Perhaps, she would never know the answer to these questions, but it wasn't like she could even think about them now anyway. Not when her consciousness drifted back and forth, muscles, bones, and even her nerves burned from the exertion she put herself through. And, despite all of that it was only cold sweat that drenched her form.

Who even knows what would happen when she woke up? Or even if she would wake up again at all? The only thing certain is that the dreams she would, her own nightmares, as well as the deepest thoughts in the mind of her maddened knight, would keep on haunting her for a long time to come...

---

---

@floodtalon

The negotiations stretched on, as Ywain stood by, ready to leap to the defence of his Master - or, indeed, any of these new allies. He was, perhaps, a little disappointed that it hadn’t come to a fight. Though he didn’t particularly want to hurt any of these people, he wasn’t much use when it came to negotiations. Really, so long as his Master was happy, he was too.

It was good to have friends, but this was a war, after all. It would likely come down to fighting in the end. As a Heroic Spirit who had already reached the end of his life, his story, it didn’t matter to him if he died fighting, and he was sure the other Servants felt the same. His existence here could only ever be temporary.

As far as his allies went, he had no complaints. A fellow knight and a pair of beautiful maidens, though the other master hiding away was not the greatest first impression. It was easy, too, to take pride in the clear reactions the others showed towards Noon, impressed with the way he comported himself. Yes, it truly was a fitting pair.

Even as another stranger appeared, and was confronted, Ywain gripped his weapon. But a small grin split across his face, invisible beneath his helmet as he saw them in full, relaxing his grip.

"Apologies for my unbecoming behavior," Tristan said, his voice carrying a genuine tone of longing that would probably be enough to make a common man shed tears without knowing why. "However, given the sad nature of this conflict we find ourselves into, I suppose it's the natural thing to do. Right, old friend of mine? It makes me glad to see that another of my King's Knights also found a Master befitting their station," the Knight of Lamentation added, directing his words to Ywain.

Ywain nodded, thinking over his response, and catching himself before casually throwing out his fellow knight’s name. Out of nothing else but professional courtesy, that was not something he should reveal so easily. Though, between his sorrowful nature, and revealing his status as a fellow knight, it was probably enough for at least Ywain’s own Master to determine the identity of the Knight of Lamentation. “This has become quite the gathering,” He said, his tone neutral.

Perhaps he would have questioned the knight’s thoughts on the nature of this war - after all, it was not a sad occasion for Ywain himself. But the man before him had always been that way, so it was useless to question him.

Certainly, that knight had always been a man who took his duties seriously. It was possible that he could already guess, but-

“Why did you come here, friend?” Ywain asked, not in admonishment or anger, but simple curiosity. Whether he was referring to the war in general, or this gathering in particular, it was uncertain. Perhaps both. A question of intent, of worthiness of one’s wish for the grail - and an invitation to fight, to duel without interference, if Tristan wished.

@KoL @SubjectVision @Danchou @1Charak2 @Sunglass @Cu Chulainn @Crusader Lord @King Cosmos

There was something nice about the things Hanzo said. Even if the war was temporary, it didn't mean Hanzo had to leave. And it didn't mean she could stay only for that long. She could find more permanent housing. Maybe set up a real shrine in Paris. She would have to think about it. Set up funds, buy land! Things she understood, but never really had to do. And yet, the idea of Hanzo being there with her... Doing such mundane stuff with her...

Chieko was lucky that she had summoned a servant like Hanzo. Someone with years of wisdom. Loyalty to a master. Perhaps that was the heart of her legend. Loyalty. Some servants had it more than others.
"As long as I live." She said, cheeks still soaked with tears. "I will not give up." She wasn't sure if she could keep that promise, but as she said it, she wanted to. It was comforting, knowing that. Knowing deep in her heart that whatever the odds, she wasn't fighting them alone.

She looked down at her cone, and frowned. "Well, since vanilla didn't work out so well, I guess I'll try strawberry now. Or mint. I heard this thing called pistachio is supposed to be really good." The topic change was as graceful as a duck falling from the sky, but it probably served its purpose.

"And don't worry about judging the living." Chieko said, already looking to order more. "The thing about living, is that you have to learn from the past. You can't go forward if you don't know the mistakes or successes of those who pre-dated you." It was a soft smile she gave then. Eyes glistening... But not with tears. With hope. Dazzling wonderful hope! "That means, I can't possibly lose with you around to help me!"

Maybe it was too bold to say it now. But these two? They could win the war.

It was always fate.

Phoebe always loved that word.

That was because fate was absolutely something one could define on their own. One could forge any destiny with practice, overcome any obstacle with sheer force of will. That was the definition of her existence, the definition of what it meant to be a Heroic Spirit. She had been nothing more than an actor, hadn’t she? What is the greatest sharpshooter compared to the son of any God? And, yet, she was one of the last to find a resting place in Elysium.

No, perhaps it would be better to call it Purgatory- or, maybe. . .Hell. After all, ‘that’ abyss was merely just a state of mind. And what she had been put through, definitely, was ‘Hell’.

Losing the sense of ‘Touch’.

Losing the sense of ‘Self’.

Losing the sense of ‘Me’.

Yes. By tampering with records, you fundamentally change what was recorded. That is a rule of this world, and of course memories were a record too so-

Archer felt it all fade away in a swirl. It was like watching a rotten apple get peeled and mulched up by a blender- wait, what was a blender?

But this her was embracing even that, wasn’t it? Ah, that’s what she hated. It was not fate, but perhaps the rule of the world behind it. And that rule had only owner, that is to say- Humans. Archer remembered that deep and fundamental disdain for a brief moment before it was no longer relevant. Ah, yes, she was definitely coming from Hell.

After all, she was a Devil.

---

In the end, she was a performer a heart. Or, at least- that was her excuse.

An overwhelming magical energy that could make even a great Mage look like nothing was suddenly on display at the summoning circles center. Inside, a young woman had begun to materialize. It seemed that Enzio’s prayer had been answered by this Holy Grail.

Or, perhaps. . .?

“Kuhuhu. . .” The figure was obscuring part of her face, but the expression of superiority under was more than distinct. If confidence showed the power of a Servant, then there was no doubt Enzio had summoned the strongest Servant. A normal person would no doubt be taken aback by their smug aura, which seemed to mock anyone who laid eyes on them.

In a flash of movement that no human could track, she pointed a hand toward her master in a shape almost like a gun. Almost.

“The names Watanya. And don’t you forget it.” Archer approached her master in a confident stride that almost defied her young age. There couldn’t be any doubt- she was more than a decade younger than him. Grabbing a firm hold of his arm(unfortunately, the one holding his cane), she made her way toward the Penthouse window.

Ah. It seemed she was acting her part as Archer. Surveying the landscape with her superior eyesight, Watanya would scope out the war and prove the strength of her class.

-Except, she just ended up jumping out the window dragging her master along for the ride.

Ah. Time to do what she loved.

What was it that she loved?

⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛. Of course.

----> To Be Continued(In the Latin District)

Tristan nodded, acknowledging Ywain's greeting while appreaciating the fact that neither of them had spoken each other's name out loud in a place such as this.

The question that followed wasn't unexpected either and thus, easy to answer. "I seek but one thing. Atonement for the greatest mistake of my past, by granting the wish our King sought with every fiber of his being. That, and to make the wish dearest to my Master's heart come true. If I can do so much, my existence here will have had purpose regardless of how much sadness it brings to others," the Archer said with hesitation, his voice going even deeper into the sea of lamentation what was his very existence than before, as soon as he spoke of their shared king.

"As for my objective for this moment. I'm merely scouting future opponents. My Master is one of a gentle heart. She seeks none to make alliances and be forced to bear the sadness of breaking them when the final stages of this conflict come forth. Nevertheless, she doesn't harbor ill will towards anyone. If and when we cross each other on the battlefield, it shall be in a fair and honorable way, befitting the restrictions imposed upon us by this summoning," Tristan appended, certain that the last bit of information he gave would be enough for someone who knew he in his lifetime to figure that the Knight of Lamentation hadn't been summoned under the Saber Class for this conflict and thus the terms of what constituted an honorable battle for his present Class weren't the same.

"I beg that you do not take this the wrong way. If the circumstances were any different, I would be more than glad to stand beside you again. Nevertheless, this time we must fight one another once more," he said after a brief pause, finishing his answer to Ywain in a genuinely apologetic tone.

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@SubjectVision@ManyThings@SSW@1Charak2@Sunglass@Cu Chulainn

The barrage of gunfire that had devastated part of a hotel had been nothing if not noticeable. It was only reasonable, then, that these four men who had been in the general vicinity and had heard such noises, had come to visit.

While they were all thoroughly middle-aged by now, they had been daredevils in their youth. Perhaps this was the result of those childish impulses rearing their heads once again. It seemed odd, though. After all, they had reached the ruined penthouse with little to no difficulty, and were now examining the premises as if searching for something. One dragged a finger across the charred floor, unknowingly grazing the line of where a magic circle had once been. One peered out of a shattered window, the sound of police sirens echoing through the streets below. The other two seemed to be conversing with one another, like amateur detectives trying to reach some conclusion about what had happened here.

"What could have done this? It seems like gunfire, but why would someone do that to destroy a hotel room?"

"There aren't any traces of blood, either. It's very odd. You'd think there'd be some traces of injury around."

"Did you hear? There was some sort of accident at a McDonalds, a building exploded."

"Crazy. The times really are moving too fast for us."

"Oh, the tap still works! Who wants a glass of water? Running up here left me parched."

"Drinking glasses survived whatever happened here?"

"I'm not sure drinking out of anything you find here is entirely safe, but sure."

The four men chattered and searched away, fully aware that they'd probably be kicked out of the room by law enforcement at any moment now. For now, though, they seemed to be having a grand old time playing detective.

---

^{Latin District - Arènes de Lutèce}

Mentions: @Cu Chulainn (Dietrich) @GreenGoat (Tenryuu)

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The hounds stopped before the Servant once he stood in their way, albeit it took several moments for the supposed leader of the bunch to react, raising its head to look at the servant "My Master's business is none of yours, Saber. But, as a reward of getting rid of that pesky hebrew, I will grace you with an answer nevertheless: He is busy secluding himself in a particular location and I've been tasked with taking this leyline as I better saw fit". A human hand rose up to rub the lower part of the hound's snout as those empty eyes analyzed the Servant before it, and then turned to the girl that Caster assumed was Saber's Master.

"It'd be a waste of everyone's time if you stood here and slew my familiars. And I despise wasting resources in meaningless triffles. Therefore, it is my regret to extend an offer to aid you, Master of Saber". A hand was slowly presented in a deliberate and measured gesture to point at Tenryuu. "We both require this leyline and, unless I am mistaken and I am before an abomination, you are simple rabble compared to a Caster Servant such as myself in terms of magecraft". The familiar turned to face Saber again. "However, I am fairly certain that Saber Servants are particularly adept at twarting magecraft. Quite inconvenient, if I must say. Therefore, my offer is as follows:"

"We both join forces and take a shared control of this leyline. We politely neglect to hinder each other's progress and we begrudgingly agree to be of aid to one another until the enemies have been trimmed to more manageable numbers. I can bring forth more familiars to aid you in whichever preparations you need to take control and set up measures, and I shall even degrade myself enough to appear before you at some point. After all, my Hounds of God can only do so much and my capabilities will need to be called upon sooner or later".

---

^{Latin District - Église Saint Thomas d'Aquin}

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What a pain in the arse.

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^{Latin District - Northern Sector, in hiding}

Mentions: Tristan (@KoL)

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She knew that her lack of preparation would rear its head sooner rather than later within the war, she simply didn't know it'd be this soon. Her specialization of magecraft, whilst being very effective when it came to defending herself and retaliating from melee assailants, did not take into account the needs for stealth. For this situation, she had to improvise and, whilst she was reluctant to depart from Tristan, Yazhu did as instructed and, with some difficulty, managed to find a nock in some emergency ladders where she could cram herself into and either attempt to hide herself by using her petite stature as an advantage or abscond by running up or down. If such a case was needed, she could even try and jump out of the stairs and progressively drop down until she wouldn't break her legs when falling down. Whilst she waited for Archer to make his return, she payed attention to any odd sound and movement she perceived around her, ready to make a run for it if any sort of attack went her way.

@SSW @KoL@SubjectVision @ManyThings @1Charak2 @Sunglass @Cu Chulainn @Crusader Lord




Noon stepped forth with his servant and raised a hand.

“Saber. If others have summoned the knights with the belief that they will stand as supreme, that they hold the right and position of victors. Then it is time for us to crush that belief. After all that is already us, right?”

Ywain.

The name vibrated through his body and mind as he returned his blade to his sheath. The massive weapon was replaced by a fine well-balanced spear. A martial weapon meant for war, yet with a crossguard that reminded one of a spear fit for hunting the large and wild boars of the forests.

Yes, Ywain would do.

'My name is Noon Triswich, Knight and blade of my lord. I stand as the one who shall win the Holy Grail and territory of France with my servant, Ywain.” His words addressed the other knight, his words addressed the city, his words addressed himself.

_{Will you be able to live up to that promise?}

Without doubt he confidently declared the true name of Saber, standing by him and concreting the image of power they held. He was not a magus who used the vague hidden gleam of a shining star forced to remain anonymous and cover up his famed deeds. With him stood Ywain, the Lion of Camelot.

Ah, his lord would likely yell at him for this later.

“Ywain. My head has cleared. We have already made plenty of favorable progress. But this is a war and we will have to fight others. Show me that the most peerless blade descended upon my Round Table.”

His stern commanding gaze gave way to a smile. “Heh, it’s a bit unreasonable to ask you to fight your friend as your first enemy when we had other options isn’t it? But I want to see Ywain, I want to see you shine brighter than the other knights so there will be no room for doubt.”

By drawing you I pulled the strongest card.

He turned his attention to the other Knight. “ Your words I accept, and agree with. Even if you had come to ask for an alliance I’m afraid that I would have asked Ywain to fight you anyway.”

Perhaps it is childish a small voice asked inside him before he snuffed it away.

“I do not mean to speak ill of your master but we will stand above her, and above you. As for fair… I have no intention of sitting idly when my servant fights. If your master does not appear to fight then I will support Ywain as his master and as a magus. Do not hold me any ill will for that, for is that not a proper duel? A servant is the weapon of his master, just as I am a weapon for my lord. The true battle and true sum is that of master and master, servant and servant. Should you wish to keep your lord safe then you will have to make do with that advantage.”

He shook his head as he said the word advantage.

For in his eyes it would mean that the odds were stacked in their favor.

“I had in truth planned to tell the two of you once we went somewhere more secluded, but I believe that the correct path is this.”

He cast his eyes back to the other knight as he began to chant for a spell. A curse, a distortion weaved of fire. Not one to strike, but one to obscure and make difficult and vague the form of Ywain. The first simple addition and boon to add to him through the arts of a druid. Hiding in the sun, in the light. What should illuminate instead obscured. What should show instead blinded. The dichotomy of fire and light.

It wouldn't stop a Knight of the Round, but in a battle between servants every difference would surely count.

"Go, Ywain!"

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"Well... We shall leave things to you lot for tonight." Lucienne spoke calmly to those who she had been previously holding negotiations with. "Since it's a bit late for exchanging numbers or anything like that I suppose we will have to show up somewhere around here Monsieurs..." Or something like that she thought. She felt like if she came back to this place tomorrow night turns with not end well. There was too many eyes on them already, it was no doubt only going to bring more attention to this area from now.

"Caster it's time for us to head back. We didn't get to go sight seeing but I am satisfied with how things have turned out for now." She spoke to her servant personally through their mental link. She had a busy day planned for tomorrow but to get things started with the time they had left tonight was not a bad idea either. I'll have to try and pick up as much as possible from Caster. They seem pleased with a teacher role as well so I doubt she will mind much.

And so Lucienne retreated from the now rather lively area. Content to let whatever skirmish there take place while she heads back to the safety of her arrangements.

"Au revoir my friends." Seemed to be fine parting words enough.