A quick drawing of hardening runes, on her own clothes, on his clothes. It was a good enough defense to start against the blows of a master, and perhaps even against a servant. “Check with your master’s clairvoyance. They seem to be a lancer, but noting their class skills and parameters would be quite useful to know. As far as how we'll handle it.. We'll just continue a bit more as this game~"

IT was possible that they had a means of long-ranged attack that could strike back at them, or a curse of retaliation. However as far as curses went, she could defend herself, and with the type of magecraft her master had it was possible to defend himself with it, even if it could potentially be costly and sacrificial... But... Well, figuring out those surprises was part of the thrill, isn't it?

"Hmm, if you have any suggestions let me know. Other than that... If they start coming this way I'll set you down. Even if their master is powerful... well, you have your own abilities and I'll give you a rune or two as well just in case."

With that said she brought another stone to her hand and grinned before chucking it forward. If the last one was a probing sparkler, nothing more than a prank she set out just to see how things would play out. Then this was an actual bullet, a rune painted bullet.

One, three, five, ten…

It was a good way to test his capabilities, and perhaps they’d even be able to learn a skill of his. A thunderous spear that reminded her greatly of her own spells… My, well they already learned something in a sense. It’d be interesting to see what else he could bring forth.

Again and again she threw the same sort of stone, the same sort of attacking. It was an actual deadly version of the first playful toss she gave. Flaming sparkling balls, blindingly fast, blazing through the city sky as though it were a blip and momentary shooting star. Each of them blowing out and roaring against its target, whether it be the body of Lancer or his spear.

But then on the thirteenth it changed.

From a flaming stone to a thunderous stone, a stone that was difficult to feel as magical energy, a stone of chill and ice, a stone that exploded into a flash of light before yet another flaming one came.

A sudden shift, a sudden curveball. How would he deal with these as they changed?

---

Saving innocent lives. If that was the sole focus of his master then it was respectable at least....but also a total fool's errand when within the bounds of a warzone. Not yet had the fighting begun in earnest, but this child did not understand the very nature of war. Never mind if this boy was a magus or not, used magecraft or not, and has mystic codes or not. They were a simple tool in this matter, as with any weapon, but even the best weapons and tools could not alone save a fresh soldier should he face a far more veteran opponent. Had he even been engaged in battle against a foe? Had he seen devastated villages and dying people left at his feet, following the trail of pursuit back to his enemies?

A hero's world was not that of white-knighted and naïve idealism, but fighting for what could be saved and what could be done to achieve victory. Even he knew this much.

If you held yourself responsible for all the innocent lives in wartime, you would go inevitably mad in time. It was a most naïve wish, one that could bode even worse fates lied before the magus if he kept on this path. The heroic spirit felt it in his bones. Even he did not wish devastation upon this place. The people here had done naught but live their lives. But all the same, nothing came without a price. It was bloody, ruthless, and even when pride and honor were on the line it was never pretty. But he would do his duty and follow his compassion upon this poor soul all the same.

This young one who knew not the horrors of war, he prayed that he would be able to teach him. He would need to speak with the boy at some point, really, but for now the boy seemed to be content trying to run off and do as he pleased.

'If this person you wish to meet is found yet turns hostile, your equipment will mean nothing. Be prepared for anything, young one, and I will be by your side for whatever comes at this next location."

And so he would follow along close to his master, all whilst remaining in his spiritual form.

@Letter Bee

---

Shinichi yawned, standing atop a rusted railcar in the quieter parts of Fuyuki's rail-yard. The tracks themselves were cut off from any of the main train routes, and were filled with abandoned cars. Why Shinichi had climbed one was nobody's business, really. Perhaps he wanted a better vantage point to spot any opposition, or maybe he just wanted to stand above the unkept masses who made their homes in these railcars.

Speaking of those unkept masses...

"Feel free to eat up until you're satisfied, Berserker. These malcontents are naught but a blight to this city, anyway." Shinichi stated with disdain, looking towards a plume of smoke not too far off, emitting from a flaming barrel surrounded by vagrants. A look of disdain washed over his face. "I'm sure there are others hiding around, as well. Like rats, really. Be sure to check every nook and cranny."

As Berserker was let loose, the Matou heir began to get to work as well. He clutched his staff in his right hand, softly waving it in the sky and allowing the bell atop it to ring a gentle song. As he had done so, dozens of larvae would begin to fall down from Shinichi's right pants leg. As they squirmed around on the ground, Shinichi would bend over to pick a handful of them up, softly soothing them like they were his mere infants.

Shinichi would then crush the worms together, molding and shaping them like clay until they took on the form of winged lifeforms. Even with one hand, the Matou was able to shape their flesh with ease, their forms made perfect up to the very detail. Their membranous wings would flutter lightly as many large, almost human-like eyes would open around their bodies. Familiars made with the purpose of scanning out the rest of the area.

Shinichi had a feeling that the ruckus Berserker would cause might draw some attention, after all.

Adam Kenneth Yearling - Miyama Town.

If A.K. Yearling could say, sincerely, that he was mindful of his own safety, he would. But he could not - Esfandiyar's concerns were real, and A.K. was on the verge of burdening himself with every innocent life which could be potentially lost. But at the same time, he knew enough stories to know that war... War was hell and he had thrown himself into it, initially to prove himself to his family, but now because the story demanded a hero, even a martyr. And right now, as he continued looking for Elexis or some other Master, he had no regrets -

Then he saw the flare from one of Shinto Town's lesser parks, and decided that compassion did not preclude practicality and vigilance. So he said to Esfandiyar, telepathically, Change of plans. We go to where someone is picking a fight, observe what fight is occuring, and make sure no civilians get caught in the crossfire in this night - That last part is my small-w wish. I'll pull out my Invisibility Cloak for protection.

The young man, barely out of boyhood, then pulled out the Cloak and his Book and covered himself with the former, and began using Wind Magecraft with his basic spells in order to float towards Shinto Town, gesturing for Esfandiyar to folllow him in Spirit Form. As he flew towards his destination, his Cloak's properties allowing him to see inside and through it as though it were transparent, the Magus wrote the next few lines of his own story.

As the first blows of the Holy Grail War began, the burden of commitment that the author had taken upon himself, a burden born from mixed compassion, duty, pride and self-righteousness, felt as light as air. Why was this? Had the author already given up on life as well as victory? Had he decided that joining the narrative of the world, the narrative he believed was his path to The Root, required his sacrifice? Nevertheless, the young man hoped against hope that Fate would be benevolent, and open an opportunity for him to achieve his goals, a small but existent chance to avert what he was fast believing was his doom.

For part of him clung on to life, or at least the idea of life, even though he had given up on truly achieving his goals, given up on getting the acknowledgement he wanted...

Moving from Miyama to Shinto

@Crusader Lord

---

Clang. Clang.

The screech of iron against blazing stone rang out above Miyama town.

The enemy had obviously upped the ante a bit in terms of the power she was putting into her attacks, and Raiden did just the same. Each tossed rock met with the shaft of that polearm and was sent hurtling generally back in the direction it had come from. If she wanted to learn about his abilities, then she could learn that attacks on this level were still something he could absolutely handle. After five throws, he hadn't missed one yet, and he was getting closer with each hit.

More than just that. He was picking up speed and flashiness in equal measure, perhaps even revelling in the showiness of the battle. Every hit ended with a flourish, as he landed on a rooftop once again, staying still while Caster prepared her next attack before leaping up to meet it.

No doubt, it was a fool's way of fighting... Had he been swinging his spear with his feet just now?! At this point, his movement was such a rapid blur that it was impossible to say.

Clang. Clang.

The screech of iron against blazing stone rang out above Fuyuki Bridge.

"Hah! Anything else?!" Constantly picking up speed, each jump took Raiden noticeably further than the last. And yet that was completely counteracted by the fact that he came to a dead stop for a few seconds each time. He wasn't someone who prioritized efficiency, but that was his strength in its own way. He felt the sixth coming, crouched, and leapt again.

The returning course of the rocks was no longer so random, now. If she was going to harass him endlessly like this while he crossed the city, it was only fair for him to return the favour a bit, yeah?

The sixth stone clipped a satellite dish near where the pair were hovering, melting supports and sending it tumbling into the street below.

The seventh hurtled past them, close enough for Kairi to feel the heat radiating off of it.

After that, each one was aimed straight for Caster. Her own firecrackers careening through the air to return to their maker. Really, if she was any good as a magus, she could effortlessly deal with her own spell, but that was fine. It was the principle of the thing, really.

Clang. Clang.

The screech of iron against blazing stone rang out above Shinto town.

The buildings here were taller. Despite leaping dozens of meters into the air to strike the twelfth stone, Lancer only needed to fall a few feet to land on top of the nearest skyscraper. He took a breath, feeling the cold night air across his skin. He may have only been allowed to walk around during the night, but that was still fine. It felt nice. He closed his eyes.

Hm? The next one is...

For a fool, Raiden had one hell of a brain. At the release of the new shot, which, compared to the rest, burned dimly enough to be almost undetectable, he moved just the same. In that moment, before he felt the presence of the stone, what he thought was hey, where's the attack I was expecting?

His opponent didn't seem to be much of a warrior in the traditional sense, and he already had a "feel" for how and when she would act. Even if he couldn't predict what kind of magecraft this woman was using, he could definitely predict her throws.

Clang.

As the explosion began to simmer within that stone, it was repelled, flying backwards into the burning shot that had followed it. A collision to negate both attacks in a midair blast once they came together. Destroying two stones with one stone, so to say. Just as Caster had wished, a burst of light filled the sky, along with smoke and ash from the bullet-like stone.

But in the midst of all that, where was Lancer? Where had he landed? Was he somehow obscured behind the debris and smoke from that explosion just now..? No, surely if that were the case, it would only take a simple spell to see through it.

On the rooftop near to Caster, where the satellite dish had fallen, concrete shattered. No doubt, someone had just jumped from that spot. Even with the abilities he had shown so far, for him to make it this close so quickly was absolutely beyond expectations.

Caster's attention should definitely have turned to that rooftop, where magical energy and sound were radiating. If Lancer had lunged from there to make a direct attack, she would only have a fraction of an instant to ready countermeasures to protect herself and her Master.

Of course, he hadn't. His noisy leap from there had been completely horizontal, sending himself instantly to another rooftop, and from there...

Another leap, silently this time, without shattering the rooftop beneath his feet. He cut through the air like a spear, and his spear cut through the air like--well, you get the idea. Before the magus' eyes could fully register that there was no one coming at her from the first rooftop, he was in the air behind her, thrusting that huge weapon at her body. There was no way to stop grinning as he attacked with blinding speed.

"Was that fun? You've got a hell of an arm on you, Caster!"

...Doesn't shouting like that ruin the main point of a surprise attack, Raiden?

As an author Caster, Lewis did the one thing that he knew he could do; he wrote. What he spent the entire doing was enchanting the objects that Master had requested from him and when that job was complete, he went to fortify his Workshop. Well, it could hardly be called a Workshop and more like a Study. It was hardly that impressive in comparison to what the other Caster class servants could produce, but he wasn't a magus, not one in life at least. Unlike him, Master was outside using the magecraft that she honed throughout her life. It was sort of messed up how he could just be summoned with these abilities that many magi could only dream about when he could not perform a lick a of magic in his life.

Not like he was complaining though. The sun has set and that meant war had just begun. Anyone could show up at their doorstep, but they would have a hell of a surprise to meet.

Through the mental connection that he and his master had, he heard her speak to her in her ever polite manner. Thank you for your praise I shall be there in a moment. He faded into golden shimmer of light from his study and apparated in front of her in only a moment after she requested his presence.

It seemed like she was starting to be a bit more open about what she is aiming for, but of course, it wasn't going to be just about her. Just as he inquired about her goals for the war, it was bound to happen that she was going to ask what his own motives are. Not that he could blame her; she needed to know if his wish for the Grail did not interfere with her own.

"I don't know. What does a dead man wish for?" Caster mused over such a question. "World peace? Personal happiness?"