Oh wow, temptation piled atop temptation. 

With this much to work with, with so much firepower at her fingertips, it was suddenly real tough to think about things in terms of stalling for someone else anymore. Why should she bother? With her Fylgja (or a recreation of it at any rate) restored she could easily crush Lancer where she stood. Even in the event that her opponent was strong, determined, and clever enough to pierce the inner chamber and turn the fight back into a swords-and-spears brawl, she would have such an arsenal stockpiled that it would be like having her shadow army returned to her as well. All of it of the new world, with every manner of conceptual advantage she could hope to think of. And all for free! Why should she bother holding back? Why shouldn't she solve this whole stupid problem according to her original plan?

...Because it would break a promise she'd made. That's why. Five whole entire wasted minutes of longing stares at the most powerful arsenal of weapons she'd ever laid eyes on just to remember this simple little fact about herself. And once she did remember, everything shifted all at once. Promises were important to her no matter the age she lived in but just now they were literally all that was holding her manifestation together. If she broke the spirit of a single one, not only would she not be able to bring her full power to bear when it mattered, she'd probably just vanish into golden sparkles on the spot. And the plan couldn't afford another-- right, right. That meant it couldn't afford Lancer's death either.

She hated relying on Kat. She grimaced and glowered and wished on the dozen superweapons she'd already broken or discarded that the situation were reversed, and it was the little fox depending on her and her own way of doing things to make it all happen. But in the end, she'd lost her fight against this world already, hadn't she? With a shrug, she lets all of it go. When she reaches forward, her hand closes around the hilt of a single sword.

And what a beauty of a blade it was! A simple handle wrapped in textured rubber composite material that was warm and durable and stuck perfectly in her grip no matter how she held it. The massive sword a match for her stature and forged from unbreakable diamond-like metals set long and straight and perfect as you like it, arranged with a honeycomb sort of hexagon pattern along the blade, possibly for effect but possibly also marking where pieces of it had been arranged to form a stronger, lighter whole. In the exact center of the blade there was a small four point diamond shape carved out of the material, a perfect spot for capturing and shattering an arrow or a spear tip, if the sword's wielder was skilled and brave enough to try that sort of maneuver. 

"Oh wow, that's a nice one!"

I am not ready for the speed or the viciousness of the charge. They just don't make this kind of killing intent where I'm from! I can't sidestep in time, or gracefully tumble out of the way. Only thing that stops me from turning into kabob  is that I tripped and fell onto my butt with a squeak as soon as she made a motion for me. We can call it battle instinct, if you'd like to me a favor. From down here the height disparity is such that she can only swing straight down if she wants to hit me, and from there I can at least get my bow in the way.

"Gyuh?! Woah woah woah woah woahwoahwoahwoah w-wait! Truce, truce! Uh, surrender? Whatever, I'm on your side just stop stop stop!!"

Saber glares at me. But the pressure eases up enough that I can sit straight, and lower my weapon a touch. Dang it, she did a number on this thing. I'm gonna have to lacquer the whole thing, probably restring it too before it'll shoot again. Bummer.

"You have ten seconds to explain yourself, little girl. After that I shall kill you." she snaps at me.

"What, even if I explain myself?"

She gives me A Look, and for a second I feel like I've disappointed my mom. But she does take a step back, and lowers that terrifying weapon of hers. I take a deep breath and dust myself off as I get back to my feet. Next to her I kind of can't help stretching as tall as I can, just to close the gap a little. It's pointless; even hunched over in the tunnel like this she dwarfs me to the point where it doesn't even look like I'm standing straight. I guess that's why she's always calling everybody 'Little This' and 'Little That'. Yeah, makes sense now.

"R-right. Uh, thanks. So! My name's Yue, and..."

"You?" Saber snorts, "Are Princess Yue?"

Pfffffft ahahahahahahaha oh my goshies! Have you ever heard anything so funny in your entire life? Me, a Princess! As if I could, ahaha!

"No no, just Yue." I smile my brightest and push my floofy mess of brown hair back behind my shoulders.

Saber raises an eyebrow in my direction.

"I mean, uh, if it makes you feel any better you could. Erm. Call me the, ehehe," and then I mutter the rest into my shoulder.

"Speak up, child."

"The... Demon Swordswoman."

Now her eyebrow's arching so aggressively I'm pretty sure it's about to leave her face. Aish. This isn't going any kind've way I pictured in my head when I decided to step out of the shadows.

"Listen, just! Never mind all that I'm just trying to help here! Like, yeesh."

"What help do you profess to offer, little sword maiden? Do you intend to join the fight as well?"

"Well uh," I turn my eyes toward the ground for a moment, "Matter of fact I don't. Not that I don't wanna! But this isn't my story, see? I don't want Kat knowing I got involved."

Saber clenches her fist and makes some kind of frustrated growl. I think her love of the world is at war with her understanding of it. I don't blame her honestly, it stinks to not feel like you belong.

"Then what?" she snarls, "Perhaps you come bearing some warning instead. Allow me a guess: this sword is cursed, and if I bring it to the surface I will become corrupted by evil spirits."

"Eh? Nah nothing like that. I said as much at the start, didn't I? It's a super duper nice weapon, you couldn't have picked a better one down here if you'd tried. Plus it really does want to help, y'know? I think you should let it. I just [i]also[/i] think you're gonna want something to... balance it out?"

But she's already got her back turned to me. Those long, rock hard muscles and the turn of steel colored hair (oh [i]goshies[/i] she's pretty up close) are dancing as they recede down the tunnel.

"I have no more time for games, girl. There is work to be done and risks that must be taken if this final alliance is to triumph. If I am truly underequipped I shall simply have to give up my body to make up the difference."

Ok that's really the problem with these hero types, isn't it? Rose was just the same way for the longest time, before her heart finally uncoiled. That urge to sacrifice is part of what makes 'em beautiful, but isn't the whole point from here that nobody's allowed to die? Not every problem can be solved by throwing your body in front of it. Sometimes, you need to trust in a helping hand. Or a sword, in this case.

I still remember when I thought I'd never get this technique worked out. All the practice and all the messing up, and if Chen hadn't finally drawn a diagram in a way that clicked for me I'd probably still be bobbling it. But now my hands slip fluidly through the positions and when I breathe out I feel my body lifting off the ground, lighter than a feather. I push away on the air and fly my way in front of Saber to look her directly at eye level.

"Look, Miss Ivar the Boneless. If that is your real name. You've gotta get out of this tunnel before you can do anything, right? The place I want to show you is barely a kilometer from where you came in, it'll take no time at all to get there, fast as you are. I'll explain more on the way, yeah? And if I can't convince you by then, I'll... just have to risk it, I guess."

Saber doesn't break stride, but she does give me her full attention again. There's one, maybe two horrible moments where I think she's going to start yelling at me, but seeing me gliding backwards through the air is a joke and a half too far or something, because out of nowhere she starts just howling with laughter. Really sharp, edgelordy sort of laughter, the kind that makes her need to clutch her hand over her eye and push her bangs back out of her face.

"What is this? What is [i]this?![/i] You people never cease to surprise me. Demon Swordswoman indeed! Very well then, little bird. You may show me the path. But if you cost me my window to act, your punishment will be swift and brutal."