[i]"As the white serpent was carved into three, so I would sever the Empire of the Han."[/i]

A ghostly, crimson light. Dragonsblood drifted in the air, ethereal and shimmering. 

[i]"As the white serpent received an ouchy ouchy boo boo, so I would inconvenience the Empire of the Romans."[/i]

And Rider finally arrived into the world.

She was dressed in white; white upon white upon white, all the way down to soft white scales where her hands emerged from her dress. Her eyes were narrow and slitted where they were visible through her veils. Her hair was done up in two large triangular shapes, held fast with silvery pins, and her silver earrings were in the shape of keys. She pulled back the gauze around her wrists to look at an incongruous digital watch, held in place with a wristband covered in tiny green hearts, and sighed, tapping her foot.

"I beg your pardon?" said Opalis, immediately bandaging her injured wrist (she was also holding an ice pack to her face where Saber had punched her).
"My summoning," sighed Rider, "was inextricably linked to the curse of the White Snake. If you cut off her head, I would have returned to take yours; if you cut off her tail, I would have returned to take yours. You didn't even cut off her little pawsie! Master, had you met a terrible end I could have avenged you and carried your wish into the heart of the world. Instead I arrive with only the strength to carry out retribution against a mild mannered fox, and before that I must undo the concept of Rome. You have given me little to work with."
"Well! You! One, [i]getting not stabbed[/i] is fairly high up my list of wishes -"
"A weakness of character," yawned Rider, revealing two long, serpentine fangs.
"And two!! You didn't tell me any of that!!"
"My messages were being intercepted by Assassin," said Rider. "Who, at least, was trying quite hard to get you into situations where you would be stabbed. Speaking of, darling fox," and Rider turned her attention fully on Katherine, placing her hands on her shoulder with all the demure temptation that snakes were famous for, "would you at least consider severing this dragon's head? I do not know if it would empower me at all at this stage, but surely you agree it would be worth the attempt?"