[IC] Fate/Crimson Dusk

[Reflection]

[The Ottoman Empire Team] - Akshamsaddin at the Meeting

Five Days Ago...

Let silver and steel be the essence.
Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the foundation.
Let black be the color I pay tribute to.
Let rise a wall against the wind that shall fall.
Let the four cardinal gates close.
Let the three-forked road from the crown reaching unto the Kingdom rotate.

The letter had been received for a grail war. Akshamsaddin had never really expected the chance to enter one, but upon the realization that his presence was so requested, he decided to put aside his sometimes hermit-like habits. The world had requested him to join, and fight for it. That day, after putting down the letter, he had stood up, and prepared the ritual.

Let it be declared now;
your flesh shall serve under me, and my fate shall be with your sword.
Submit to the beckoning of the Holy Grail.
Answer, if you would submit to this will and this truth.

His home was small. It was practically empty of material goods. Instead, of the few items he did possess, they all carried a great value with them. One in particular, was a gift from long ago. A ring, given to him by his student as a thank you for his services. Turning it over in his hand, he placed it down on the center of the circle he had created, stepping back to take in the glow that filled the room.

An oath shall be sworn here.
I shall attain all virtues of all of Heaven;
I shall have dominion over all evils of all of Hell.

From the Seventh Heaven, attended to by three great words of power,
come forth from the ring of restraint, protector of the holy balance!

He wasn't even sure it would work. To be honest, there was a chance he could end up summoning himself. After all, he was indeed himself. But, both of him would know just who needed to be summoned. "Mehmed the second! Student! Conqueror! Hero of the ages! Arrive before me!" The light intensified, and shadows leaped around the room. Until finally, they seemed to solidify. Forming together, squeezing into a human shape. There he stood, a smile on his lips.

"Aren't you being a tad over-dramatic, teacher?" The man standing there was none other than the hero that had been called for. The student and his teacher reunited after almost six hundred years.

_____________________________________________________________________
Present Day

Akshamsaddin remained seated as the others all began to shuffle about. He could hear them beginning the ritual to summon their servants. He could hear each of them speak, some were more secretative than others, something that Akshamsaddin himself found little use for. After all, the war would be determined well before they had to face each other. After all, most of them would be dead, or worse.
"Well, when you are all done. My student and I are already setting up at the chosen location. By the time you arrive, you should all be acquitted with your allies. We shall meet you there. I believe having another version of myself around may confuse matters, so I shall not be joining you on the plane, or car ride over. After all, I have too much research here that I cannot leave. But I'm sure we shall all meet again soon enough."

[vancexentan]

As King looked at the man known as Askha leave, he smirked, and laughed. "Well I'll be it looks like someone didn't get the memo when it came to the summonings should I take his place sir." questioned King as he looked at the Director. He shook his head. "Let him go he had already forced a summon without us. Keep an eye on him. He's shady." Director quietly told him as he watched Anderson step up last, and perform his own summons shortly before the majority of the others did so. He mixed in a few lines about the holy savior instead of some lines. It mattered not all that mattered was the summoning worked, and invoking God usually did some wonders for the church. As he finished a woman in an old fashioned red coat, embroidered by black shoulder cuffs, and a white belt that had a belt tied around her shoulder. She wore a simple black skirt with steel boots, and two large She had pinkish hair, and dark red eyes that shone with a certain coldness despite her rather pretty looks. Director Orson sighed apparently this one would be difficult if who he thought it was had shown up with that class.

===

As Saber stood up, and looked around he took glances at each of the servants before stepping out to the middle of the room, his sword was still out as he sheathed it. "This is the Faction of Black? It lacks as many capable warriors as I'd have liked. It would seem that I am one of the few here that could be called a actual warrior...it would seem much depends on my strength." Saber stated as he judged the group before them. "That's rather rude don't you think Saber? It would be best for us all of us to get off on the right foot...and congrats on the successful summoning guys good work." commented Leon trying to encourage everyone as the woman Anderson had summoned spoke up, "It is true that I am not a soldier in the common sense but it is all the same. Red faction is an infection that has corrupted this world. If I could save them I would but they would hurt others for their goal. As a doctor it is my duty to root out such people, and things. Red Faction must die that is the sad fact of the matter." the woman said as Anderson spoke up, "What's your class servant?" he said as she had failed to introduce herself the woman turned around. "Ah yes my master, and contractor correct? I am berserker. The grail has filled us in on our targets, and our current situation there is no need to tell us what our situation is. It would benefit us the most to get our wish, and that will bring us together to crush red." commented Berserker as Lancelot sighed.

"You say that so confidently...and for one who speaks with madness you sure lack the usual slurring of words. You're not a normal berserker are you? Regardless we need to determine which one of the servants will be acting as leader for the group. Or which master. Unless...one of you already has that idea on who it should be?" Saber stated as he looked at Leon who shook his head. He had gotten over his wanderlust over his servant rather quickly he knew he had to get serious or Leon would never truly be accepted as a good master. "We haven't discussed that yet...by the way...you seem stronger." Leon stated as Saber looked at his glowing blade and frowned. "We're in the British Isles aren't we?" Saber asked as Leon nodded. "Servants get stronger when they're in their homeland. This will pass Saber is merely stronger for being in his homeland. Unfortunate that this won't last but I'm sure a man like Saber won't need his extra strength in the upcoming war. Does anyone wish to step up as leader?" questioned Orson as King laughed, "I can fulfill that role. I got some good management skills." King said smoothly as he crossed his arms. Anderson however spoke up, "A heathen like you would lead us to our own peril. It would be for the best that I take control, or Saber. A knight of the Round table...I don't know who you are but if you knew King Arthur then you surely had some command over soldiers during your life. Leading would be a simple matter for you Saber." Anderson spoke up as Saber frowned deeply as if the prospect disgusted him. "No...not unless you all insist on the matter. I have no intention of leading anyone. I am here to fight for my master, and for my wish." Saber spoke with a steely coldness.

[King Cosmos]

Stepping out of his circle Rider approached Anderson and the others, moving away from his Master. Dieter took a hesitant step forward as if to stop his Servant, only to falter when he saw the purposeful stride the Greek warrior moved with. Stopping in front of the man sent by the church, Rider let his spear rest in the crook of his shoulder and removed his helmet, revealing a stern if youthful face; hard eyes swept over them all, pausing longer on Saber, before stopping on Anderson.

“If you think we need a leader and if no one else is willing to step forward then I will. However a self-appointed leader, one who has not earned the respect and loyalty of those who are to follow him, is no leader at all; an arrangement of that kind will only lead to discord and dissention among our faction and I have seen first-hand the kind of damage that can cause. The decision of who should lead us in this war should be left until all parties are gathered together and should be conducted fairly.”

@vancexentan

[vancexentan]

"Excuse me Lord Orson, Reverend Anderson; the good lord has the right idea I suggest that we all wait on assigning leaders it looks like the others are uncomfortable with the matter. We should prepare to head out to Poland. I'm mostly prepared myself to be honest I still need to buy some more materials for some of my bigger spells." commented Monika as said tried to smile hoping she didn't insult the Greek hero who so confidently put himself forward. Anderson looked at the hero as the berserker he had summoned started to wipe off some of the dust around the room diligently. He ignored her for the moment. "Well it looks like we're not goin' to get anywhere soon. Indecision is the worse part of team based combat. We need to be a unit whatever your intention for this 'grail' is then we need to put it on hold, and get our work together. As such I believe I speak for all of us when I dismiss our members from the room. Talk with your servants, or the others. Prepare yourselves for what comes next." Anderson stated as Orson stepped up and gestured towards King. "Mister King has generously decided to fund your needs for magical substances. That which is not kept here can be bought on his tab as long as its not overtly over-priced. You can send us the bill, and we will give it to him afterward. Other than that we will be meeting at the nearby airport to take Mister King's jet from London to Danzig. After that a brief drive will result in all of you reaching your destination. In the local church you will find your HQ. It is already being fortified by Anderson's agents. You're dismissed have a nice day." Orson stated as he nodded at everyone and left the room. Monika stayed just in case anyone had questions unlike King who left just as quick.

Leon wasn't sure what to make of all of this himself he was no leader either but this hero, this knight of the round he had summoned wasn't what he had expected. But from the way he held himself he had a good idea of who he had called into this world. The heroes around him all varied wildly from one another. Not surprising he guessed not likely that everyone here had the same idea of where to get their relics. Though he thought Japan, England, France, and Middle East were the most likely places to get a great hero...maybe China but that ran the risk of running into a weaker hero tied to a greater one. A lot of people were intertwined there. Saber looked at his master, and sighed. "What's our first course of action?" questioned Saber as Leon considered what he should do. In this case he had no real supplies he needed to get most of his magecraft focused on the most common elements around. Some people had fancier magecraft but a good air projection was easy, and straight forward. "Let's hold up Saber I wanna see what the others do first before we get moving." Leon told him wondering if maybe they had an idea he didn't. It may be best to start thinking as a unit rather than a individual.

[The Irish Tree]

As the summonings concluded, Joachim quickly found his servant curiously pacing about the room, gazing at the various summoned servants as well as their masters, while her own summoner was forced to follow after her. Her curiosity was almost childlike as she observed the heroic spirits summoned, before the slightest sigh escaped her lips as she turned around, crossing her arms and walking past Joachim. "It seems he isn't here...Ah well. I was a fool to get my hopes up; Human history is long, and heroes are great in number, after all." she said, ears twitching as the mention of leadership arose. Before Joachim could even assert his opinions on the matter, Caster stepped forward towards Rider and Anderson, throwing her thoughts into the matter by saying: "It certainly makes more sense to vote for a leader upon arriving in Poland; However, we will need a stronger basis for trust rather than simple proclamation of accolades and victories. Verifying our True Names to each other would ensure an understanding on equal grounds...though that can wait."

"Caster, what are you-" Joachim started, before Caster clasped her pale hands around one of his. "Come now, my Master. I've need for components, and I surmise you do as well." she said, before practically dragging him out of the room with an almost childlike glee. Completely caught up in Caster's abundant enthusiasm, Joachim quickly found himself browsing King's wares with her, the young boy clearly irate at her haste. "Caster, why did you suggest revealing true names back there? It could put everyone a at a huge disadvantage if information got out. We don't know where the Red faction has ears and-" he tried to lecture, but was swiftly cut off.

"Tell me, Joachim, what is the most important thing in war." Caster said, closing one eye to look through a gemstone on display to examine its quality. "What is the most desirable thing you could have in an ally, when facing down countless enemies?"

Joachim was caught off guard by the question, and scratched the back of his neck as he pondered an answer. He was a healer, not a fighter, so it was obvious what his inexperienced answer would be: "You'd want your allies to be strong, right? That's the point of this kind of grail war." he said.

Caster smiled, delicately handling a piece of vibrantly colored snake skin. "Incorrect, but not necessarily wrong. Strength is important, yes, but there is another more vital trait one needs." she would say, before suddenly turning to him. "A strong ally can betray you at any time. Strength wins wars, yes, but strength isn't just born of a single powerful ally. It is good to be strong, yes, but Trust is what allows the weak to band together to topple the strongest. Know this, Joachim: Though those in the room are alike in being heroic spirits, a hierarchy is formed simply by our containers. Caster, in terms of singular fighting ability, could never hope to match any of the classes without a trick up their sleeve...or another Servant helping them," her explanation continued, as the small bags of Caster's purchases piled up. "As such, my True Name being revealed bothers me little, but to others it proves a touchy subject. Some bear obvious weaknesses from their lives, or from match ups against certain types of foes, while others simply would rather not have their secrets exposed perhaps to conceal a Noble Phantasm hidden away."

Joachim was taken aback by all of...that, and asked: "W-Wait, hold on...I don't get it. That still doesn't explain why you talked about True Names so early on."

Caster hummed, tapping her dainty index finger against her own chin. "Well, to put it simpler...I'm gambling on the chance that someone will accept, and exert pressure on the others to do the same. I cannot say I trust someone unless I know exactly how they died, after all. Speaking of it then and there put it into people's minds as a possibility, and I assumed that you'd want closer ties to strong Servant and Master pairs, Master." she said, ringing up her purchases as soon as she was capable. It was a sizable sum, for sure, but definitely within what one could expect for a master/servant pair. Luckily, most of Joachim's magecraft required little in terms of physical components, so they were free to leave. Still...Joachim couldn't help but be unnerved by Caster's way of thinking. He had no doubt that, if he wasn't careful, Caster may very well simply slay him and take his command seals. As she was walking away, he pondered using one in order to force future obedience, but...that was too broad. Nervously clutching the command seals hidden by his clothes, Joachim followed Caster.

He'd hoped to get an agreeable servant, but...Caster was almost suspiciously agreeable. As if she were already planning on how to get the grail from everyone before the war had even really begun. He didn't know if she planned to form a sub-faction within Black to steal the grail from the others, or if it was all just to secure a cleaner victory, but he did know that the way she smiled was...unnerving.

[Reflection]

[The Ottoman Empire Team] - Akshamsaddin and Archer on the road

"So, you think he doesn't like you?" Archer said, breaking a silence. He was referring almost entirely to the director, but a little towards a certain other figure.
"Both do not seem to like me. I suspect it is because I summoned you in advance. Or that I have taken measures into my own hands." Akshamsaddin said, both hands on the wheel. The duo were on the road, wind flying past them as they made small talk. How either of them had managed to snag a convertible, with the top down for that fresh air, was beyond anybody's idea. They probably conquered it from the previous owner. Or perhaps Aksha had managed to inherit it from one of his 'hosts.' Either way, it was a relatively smooth ride, despite how bumpy the roads could get.
"Might be something else, Master." Archer said, casually waving a finger at the orange tabby he had chosen to bring with himself. "You have been around for a great period of time, correct? I suspect the western mages feel uncomfortable having to ask an eastern magus for help in their personal squabbles. They may seek to betray you, due to the age of your mystery. You are probably one of the most powerful mages in that group, if what you told me is true in your observations."

Silence for a moment.
"I suppose so. They are on edge. And they are worried about any who take action in advance. After all, by doing this I have given you an advantage over other servants. After all, many of them were summoned outside of their culture sphere. You are indeed in the prime of your legend." Aksha turned left, following the map they had procured for the location of their travel. "I will have to keep my eyes on that... Anderson fellow. But what of the servants, what have you guessed from my analysis?"
"You mentioned that Saber spoke about being summoned as a berserker, correct?" Archer hummed softly to himself, all while fingers glided through a feline's fur. "It is possible, judging from the description and how he seemed to be stronger in his summoned location... He is either a Paladin, or a Knight. Both are rather powerful servants. They can be difficult, but I suspect the other team will have something of the same as well.They will kill each other. Since after all, they will attempt a fair duel."
"And thoughts on Rider or Assassin?"
"No concern for Caster?" Archer said, raising an eyebrow to his mentor.
"I have plenty to worry about with Caster. They are all clever, well educated folks. A strong caster is one that builds an impenetrable fortress. But you have much practice with destroying such things, don't you?"

"I admit, the assassin worries me. He looks nothing like the traditional kind you'd suspect. No mask, or scarf hiding his face. He seems like a scholar from your description. Scholars are not assassins. But Rider. I expect he is some kind of leader. Most Riders are."
"Rider is one of your other classes, isn't it? I wonder what noble phantasm you'd possess if I had summoned you in that container instead of the Archer class."
"As a Rider... Well, I'd probably be summoned with a Supergun. One of the weapons for Orban. Probably manifested as some kind of mobile war machine. But, I am part of the Archer class, and my skills as they are can allow me to construct such a thing already."
"Ah yes... We are nearing the location all shall be meeting up. You are to fortify the location. I suspect you already have some... Devices in mind?"
"Yes, I was interested in this device called the... Security Camera. I will be improving upon it."
"In what way?"
"It needs a gun. Don't you think?"

[Reflection]

[The Ottoman Empire Team] - Akshamsaddin and Archer on the road

The church... What kind of war was one expected to run from a war? It didn't matter to Archer and his Master though. Their car was parked outside, and they both stepped inside. The doors swinging open, surprising the few individuals already there.
"We were not expecting the grail war masters and their servants to be here so early." The youngest member of the group said, eyeing the duo.
"We arrived early. We don't believe in being fashionably late. We prefer to be fashionably early." Archer said, adjusting his turban with a frown. The church was a rather dull building. Almost as if it had been set up by fools without a clue. But Archer saw the world in a unique style. And with that, he got to work. "Naturally, you all have supplies already set up, correct?" Archer asked, speaking to whoever seemed to have the highest authority.
"Of course we do. The-"
"That will be enough. I can work with whatever you have." Archer said, already taking control. Despite his rude behavior, he had a natural charisma. One that made everybody there turn their heads, and nod in agreement. This man, was a genuine leader.

In less than an hour, Archer's work was underway. Metal plating in the basement, things that one would use for a workshop, or even weapons had already been gathered. Wood as well, which was made from the pews that Archer had become bored of. The church remained somewhat similar, but the changes varied from small, to radical. Archer worked quickly, and before the eyes of the men of the church, entire machines could be created nearly instantly. In a flash of light it seemed.
The car they had come in on had been scrapped, and instead had become rebuilt. Its functions had been improved, turning it into a luxury device that Archer could finally be proud of. Which, he took to relaxing in, between times where he felt inspired. Sitting up, he would enter the church, restoring the foundation, reinforcing the pillars, or adding a new tower. A whole extra wing had been created on a whim. A massive tower, with a dome that retracted. It was clearly an observatory, though it lacked the kind of things one would expect in an observatory. It was possible Archer just wanted it as a kind of platform where he could shoot from. He didn't feel the need to hide that he was there. It was obvious that they'd be going to war soon enough, and reinforcing the foundations was first and foremost the plan.

[ManyThings]

Two men, Master and Servant, walked side by side towards the church that was to be their base. They had arrived in the area not thirty minutes ago by helicopter. There had been significant delays, as Lancer had demanded to study their transport, in addition to every other thing they came across. Had Decival not been so accommodating, it likely would have been a deal-breaker for their contract. Now, both men gave off a "cold" impression, as the Servant had been outfitted with high-class modern clothing.

"When I heard we were setting up shop in a church, this is not what I pictured, and I have seen pictures of churches before." Decival's gaze passed over the various odd features and extensions of the holy building. Lancer, though, mainly focused on one in particular.

"How odd. You haven't yet told anyone of my identity, have you, Master?" The high dome definitely seemed like it was designed to watch the stars. Ironic, as Lancer no longer had any reason to look that way. Perhaps it would make a good vantage point for scouting, anyway.

"I did not. Your secret is safe with me until someone on our side asks. I see what you mean, though. That is not a normal church thing. None of it is. I don't even think it's normal for this church." the barest hint of excitement touched Decival's voice. They both understood that this meant the first stage of war, battlefield preparation, was already underway.

"We're coming in." Decival warned those inside before opening the doors of the church. A look at the interior only further cemented the idea that major modifications were being done, as nearly all resemblance to a house of God had been lost in favour of new defences and facilities.

"Impressive. Exceedingly so." Approval shone in Lancer's voice as he surveyed the room. Perhaps he found some rightness in the idea that a holy place had been dismantled in favour of function and utility. "I wonder... This may be the work of a fellow Servant. If a hero of industry is here, we will have much to discuss."

"But if they had to take apart the pews..." Decival frowned, and began moving in search of the workshop where these things had been made. "All the materials will be gone soon. We will have to work something out with whoever has been doing the prep work, and it might involve someone stealing paper clips."

A brief silence fell over the pair.

"That was a joke, Lancer. You see? Because it would be inefficient to-"

"Moving along, Master."

Both of them, with heads full of plans, set to work in the allied complex.

[Reflection]

[The Ottoman Empire Team] - Rulers of the Church

"Actually, I took out the pews because I just don't see a point for them." The voice of a servant came from above the Lancer and his Master. There, on a higher balcony was Archer, clearly a Muslim merely from his outfit. After all, he didn't even seem to really try to hide it. "If you are to worship god, then you shall do it on your knees. You shall humble yourself before Allah. For there is only Allah, and his prophet... Well you know who I refer to." There was a smile on Archer's lips, his hands stroking through a dark furred feline. Notably, very little else was damaged, except the party might notice that all the crosses had been removed. Clearly there was a kind of take over going on. "Besides, it took up a great deal of space, and there are better uses for all that wood. Making it into something like seats is a waste. Personally, I find a greater value of something like a good pillow. You can lay on them, sit upright, etc."

Slowly, Archer began to walk, finding the nearest set of stairs, and descending to Lancer's position. Having by this time adjusted his furry friend to one hand, leaving the hindlegs dangling as he held up his other to shake hands with his fellow servant. "Archer Class servant, pleasure to meet you, Lancer. I can only assume you are Lancer, because you don't fit the description of any of the others. Thus, you must be the one class of servant that hasn't been summoned yet." Satisfied with whether or not Lancer shook his hand, he turned his attention away, slowly pacing down the hallway.

"I didn't use everything though, so don't worry." He said, gesturing for the duo to follow him. "You'll be happy to hear though that there are rooms for each servant and master pairing. I moved mine to the observatory, so you can have my former room for extra room if you wish it. First claim is on you, since you are the first here." It seemed he was interested on taking the duo on a tour, as if proud of his current works. Leading the two out of the hall, they passed by the living quarters, which was nearly an entire second wing of the building. It was partially obvious that he hadn't really touched this area of the church in his sweep of innovations. Simply because he felt little need to adjust it. Though oddly enough some of the curtains had been pulled away. Probably so he could make them into pillows.

"I have plans for tomorrow to start producing the first in a batch of superweapons." He added, stepping outside to look at several large lumps of iron and metals set aside. It was clear he needed more, as a pick-up truck was nearby, clearly having been used to pick up and drop off metal since the archer had arrived. "I realize I am probably getting a bit too ahead of myself, but I have no idea what the others will need, so I'm trying to get a bit of everything going."

It was then that another voice broke Archer's clear domination of the conversation.
"Are you boring these poor men with your talks of strategy?" Another man stepped out of the church, adjusting a mask over his face. "Archer, at least let them explore the changes on their own terms. We have to give people the time to enjoy things, rather than bog them down with details and non-essentials." Finally, the newcomer to this conversation gave a small bow to the lancer and his master.
"Pleasure to meet you. I am Akshamsaddin. But you may call me Aksha. It rolls off the tongue rather easily."

[vancexentan]

Timeskip - 1 Day Later

===

After stalling for supplies the quick flight to Danzig was relatively short, and simple. It only took a few hours, and the heroes with their masters had little to no difficulty getting from one place to another. King's jet was quick, and fast no doubt due to his vast fortune that he had accumulated in Vegas he was able to buy things like this for convenience sake. After the trip the group was herded together for a quick convoy trip to the small city of Sarfok where they found themselves in a bustling small town of relatively sparse industrialization. There were a few blocks of houses on the hilly area, and the main town itself seemed to be a relatively small to medium sized area full of some shopping centers but little else. The city wasn't ancient, or outdated by any means but it wasn't anything you'd find in New York with giant sky scrapers. The trip was quick as very few cars were on the road today, and the journey to the church found the Black Faction in a small corner of town isolated from the rest. A priest with grey hair, and a haggard face greeted those who left the car first. As Anderson got out he went up, and hugged the man greeting him with a smile. Leon, and Saber who had spoken very little to each other the past day found themselves looking up around at the big blue sky. "Flying sure was interesting. It was very different than riding a horse, or being in a wagon. But at the same time it felt nice. Master I have never been so far into Europe this will be an interesting first." Saber said as Leon nodded, and he felt awkward he didn't speak Polish so he hoped the priest here didn't require it.

He wondered what was ahead of them exactly they had failed to find the Forest. Monica had left the main group to go, and search the city she insisted she was fine on her own. As Leon turned to look at Saber he fond the white suit that he donned to be nice. It made him look more like one of those Japanese hosts, or a man going to a wedding. It was pretty cool to think that he now had his own personal body guard...that could bench press a car. He wondered where the main enemies were. The priest walked over to the group, and opened his hands wide. "My name is Father Howard. Welcome to the church young ones, and ancient heroes. I hope that the trip went well for all of you. I have prepared individual rooms in the basement for all of your needs as mages be it for rituals, or just for space. You may explore the main room, and the most of the bottom rooms at your discretion. However please respect that the upper area is for priests, and executors only. We're using it for storage space, and to keep documents safe if you are caught up there you will be held accountable for trespassing. There will be no defiling the alters, or any holy symbols here or I will request that you vacate the church. I'm aware some of you are pagans after all..." the man said as Anderson laughed as Berserker walked around, and then went directly into the church without much of a word. On the way there she had compulsively cleaned, and made sure everything had been sterile. Whoever she was she held a strong belief in everything being in good condition for health related reasons.

[Reflection]

[The Ottoman Empire Team] - Bickering with the Church

As the team approached the church, they would notice the strange observatory built there earlier. And from the base, where a doorway stood, bickering echoed out into the courtyard. A man in a turban stepped out, followed by a member of the church. Judging from the man in the turban's gestures, they were clearly bickering over religious nonsense. The group could hear the name of God used multiple times. And then the name of Christ.

"No, I have heard enough of this nonsense about a cross. As the Quran states, he is a servant of god! By the time his enemies arrived to crucify him, he was carried away to heaven! Thus, the meaning of your cross is essentially meaningless! It honors a deed that is not true!" Archer said, as the others were finally in ear shot.
"You may not believe in the Son of God, but at the very least return the cross you took from the temple." The preacher said, letting out a sigh. "It is important, and I realize you wanted the metal, but at the very least understand our perspective."
"Fine! If it will get you and your lot off my back! At the very least you should do some actual research about your own prophet, rather than mindlessly following your own flawed holy book." Archer growled out. "Oh, praise be to Allah so that I will not have to deal with such a narrow minded crowd!" He finally said, and stomped off, leaving the priest to finally walk away.

As Father Howard stepped into the church, another figure arrived, clearly the master for the aggressive servant from before. "Father Howard, I apologize for my servant's nature. He has always seen your... Temples as... Things to conquer and make his own. He has informed me that he will no longer be... Taking any more of your belongings." Aksha said, with a nervous smile visible beneath the dark cloth that covered most of his face. Clearly this kind of behavior had been going on all day, and as no doubt the very reason the Father had asked the others not to defile the church.

"And, I must suppose these are the others." Aksha said, smiling at them. He was at least a good foot taller than the last time they had met. Most likely a result of having multiple representatives. "We have met before, but allow me to reintroduce myself. I am Akshamsaddin. Master of the Archer class servant you no doubt saw storming out of his makeshift observatory. He insisted on making a watch tower higher than the one the church was currently using." There was a good-hearted chuckle, before he reached out, and patted Father Howard on the back.
"Again, I apologize once more for his behavior. We shall return the cross he took soon." With that matter settled, it was clear the masters had a lot to discuss. And the servants would have to spend time getting used to each other.

[King Cosmos]

“To act in such a manner; his behaviour is disgraceful for one summoned from the Throne.” Standing at the rear of the group, Rider looked on disapprovingly at the spectacle of Archer arguing with the preacher. Beside him his Master also looked uneasy, the shorter gentleman shuffling in place from one foot to the other; though in his case his discomfort wasn’t just due to the theological aspect of the disagreement.

Dieter still felt out of place in this group, unprepared for what was to come, something that was only made worse when he turned to speak to his Servant, having the crane his neck just to see his face. “I wouldn’t have expected you to care Rider. This isn’t a temple to the Olympians.”

Frowning, Rider followed Archer with his eyes as the exasperated Servant stormed out of the room. Eyes narrowing in thought, he turned to look down at his Master before responding to his statement. “I have seen first-hand what the gods are capable of when they are angered; when a mortal attempts to fight against them, or if they do not pay the gods the proper respect, or if they arrogantly place themselves above the gods. The gods can bring us low and make fools of us whenever they choose. They are far stronger than any mortal, not matter how great; even if this building represents a faith I do not believe in, to tempt destruction in this way before a war is foolish.”

Rider paused as another person approached their group, both he and Dieter turning to listen as the man introduced himself as Archer’s Master. The other Master’s seemed to accept this easily enough, but Dieter was surprised; he had thought the masked man he had briefly met in the Clocktower had been the Master of the Archer-class, and while this man certainly dressed the same he was clearly not the same person he had met.

Letting out a sigh Dieter made a note to question someone about this later. This must have been something that was discussed prior to his arrival, his tardiness meaning he had missed something important.

“But that is not what troubles me.” When Aksha had finished Rider continued from where he left off, still frowning though in Archer’s absence his target had moved to the Magus who called himself his Master. “To behave in such a way as a guest, to destroy your host’s possessions and to even steal their object of worship; I have never witnessed of such an egregious breaking of hospitality. It may even exceed Paris stealing the wife of Menelaus in its evil. The gods do not take the breaking of xenia lightly. Paris brought about the fall of Troy with his transgression; let’s hope this man does not invite disaster upon us in the same way.”

[vancexentan]

@Reflection@King Cosmos

"Your version of god has no real dominion over this church servant. I am very aware of your power, and your strength but I thought you people honored respect, with respect? Have you no rules about your master eating our bread, and salt then defiling our household? We grant you asylum, and a place to plan your work. We do not grant you the right to disbar our faith, and our place of prayer." Father Howard said with a blunt tone as he stared at Archer without fear, nor malice. He clearly wasn't happy about the matter but he showed little outward disgust, or fear towards the Archer servant. As the master approached Father Howard nodded at him, and simply sighed "To deal with things is to be expected of a priest in my position. I agreed to give you rest, and I respect that you know your boundaries good sir. And you there pagan servant. I know not your real name but I thank you for your words." Howard stated further to the young man in front of him, and then to the servant Rider.

===

Leon stepped forward, and nodded "Well if we're introducing ourselves again...A pleasure my name is Leon, Leon Winchester. I'm not a master mage by any means but I am not a liability either I would hope that we can get along until Red Faction is disbarred, and destroyed for their crimes against the Church, and the Mage's Association." Leon said as he let Saber introduce himself he didn't want to be to forward with his own servant. Saber had proven to be a bit moody on the way to the church, but at the same time he was patient, and calm. He didn't know enough to call him kind but he seemed to be as such. As would be expected of a Knight of the Rounds. "Saber Class Servant. Charge to Leon Winchester. I will serve as needed; Red Faction shall fall be it to my blade, or the weapons preferred by my allies. I see no chance that they will survive." Saber said stoically as he stepped forward himself but he made no attempts to move ahead, or stay behind Leon. For his own part Leon offered a hand to Aksha. "I'm not sure what shall lay after this skirmish with Red but for the moment I hope we can get along well in our own right. I won't say I know much about your culture, and my own nation has had its issues with your religion in particular but I have no grudges against you personally sir. I'm a mage, first, and foremost." Leon said calmly to Aksha.

Anderson smiled, and nodded. "Heh alright I'll play along...Church Executor, and Reverend Anderson is my name though I think you may know that by now given what happened in London. Master of Berserker. Don't bother with her unless you cut yourself you're probably not going to get through to her. She's a bit thick in the head." Anderson said introducing himself as Berserker had already vanished from sight more than likely she had entered the church when no one was looking. Anderson didn't seem to pay her much mind more than likely the two had come to some understanding, or an attempt at one. Berserker was an odd one she spoke with little malice, but was overtly critical regarding medicine, and germs. It was like she only had one singular drive at any moment in time.

[The Irish Tree]

A soft cadence rapt against the stony road as the Caster pair of the Black Faction carried their luggage. Caster, having used a small amount of magecraft to disguise her ears as normal, walked with an almost gleeful stride in her step as she approached the church. It had been so dreadfully dull being ferried about in planes and cars...she had hoped that perhaps she would gain some additional power due to her proximity to the lands of Scandinavian legend, but only the familiar chilled breeze met her waiting hand. Said hand extended outwards as she stood before the church, the lilac and white fabrics of her dress blowing with the wind. "...A shame. Just a bit further North, and the war would already be within our grasp." she said, looking back upon the city of Danzig behind them, somewhat dissapointed by the fact that it wasn't a sprawling metropolis. She'd hoped to taste all the modern world had to offer, but...she supposed that could come in time. If she got her wish, she'd have every vista to herself. She scarcely paid mind to the priest's instructions, nor his insult to her and other's "pagan" beliefs. Nowadays she understood that the nature of what "Divine" meant had changed, and it wasn't like she was pious. She had no need of church documents either.

Joachim meanwhile was carrying himself with a casual air about him, having looked around with curiosity at the area they would be staying in, his attention focused on everything BUT the church. Caster had neatly packed all of her necessities within a wheeled suitcase bound by brown fabric, while Joachim carried his change of clothes and minor medical supplies within a grey duffel bag slung over his shoulder. He was glad that she wasn't making him carry a ton of bags, if nothing else. "Caster, c'mon. Its freezing out here." he would say, drawing his servant to his side and into the building as he carried their luggage.

Once inside, Caster remained by Joachim's side, both the master and the servant visually out of place with the others as they were finally all gathered together. At least, height-wise that is. Caster had to hide a giggle at the outburst the man with the turban had before storming off; Archer it seemed was a hero of Islamic origin, or at least one from a country that worshiped Islam as its religion. Joachim nodded as he finally heard Aksha's name, glad to have avoided any awkwardness due of asking for it after everyone was supposed to be already acquainted. Leon basically gave the go-ahead for everyone to re-introduce themselves, and as such Joachim put a hand to his chest.

"I'm Joachim Heikkinen, but...Kim works fine for short. This is my servant, Caster. Hope we can win this war as fast as possible," He said, bowing his head to his elders and turning to Caster. "Caster, we should start with a barrier. Can you do that?"

"I can indeed, Master. That is, if I have the good Father's permission. I wouldn't want to defile your church grounds with any of my magic, after all. Eventually I'll need space for a Workshop, but I humbly request permission to establish an alarm barrier, Father Howard." Caster would ask, giving a gracious bow to Howard. It would do no good to step on toes with the Church, especially when sharing space with them. Still, her manners were genuine, and her request was sensible.

[Reflection]

[The Ottoman Empire Team] - At the Church

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you again, Leon Winchester, Joachim Heikkinen, and Reverend Anderson." Aksha said, bowing to each in turn. He couldn't help but be amused by the presumptions of the saber class servant, not that he hadn't heard such declerations from his own servant during their trip. "There is another, Decival Tetraleonid, Master of the Lancer servant, who arrived earlier than you all. I am not sure where he and his servant are at the moment. But they are probably busy. It seems we summoned several servants who can be best qualified as heroes of industry and design."

"Caster, if you can forgive my inquiry, when you are done setting up the bounded field to your liking, I would like to discuss with you about your magecraft. After all, you have a great deal to teach any mage of this common era." He continued, turning his attention briefly to Caster. After all, he was a curious man, and a mage from the age of gods was a rare opportunity for any mage of the age of man. He doubted he would learn much, because of how the Age of Gods differed so heavily from the age of man, but for a man who had met a roadblock, he had time to learn.

But finally, he turned to the Rider servant. "Rider. Can you do me a favor? I suspect my servant is running around being himself at the moment. If you can, please pick go with him. I suspect he will be scouting, and an extra pair of eyes is never unwanted."

______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Meanwhile, Archer was indeed doing just that. He had taken a seat upon a ledge, gazing out onto the forest in the distance. With his privileges as an imperial, he was viewing the forest with eyes like an eagle. Every bunny in that forest seemed visible to him, and he was sure that if he held a rifle, he could shoot them each down. His fingers drummed softly against his knees. His breathing heavy, but only because it could be. Taking in long deep breaths, as if it was something he had desired for so long, Archer took that very moment to enjoy his rebirth of sorts.

As a conqueror, he'd have to make it a part of his goals to conquer this land. Such a limiting state he was in. Summoned only in the sense of a conqueror, rather than an emperor. Perhaps there was something to it, in that regard. After all, people are so complex, that servants could not hope to be every aspect of a hero. He doubted a rider who possessed a spear would match up to their own self if summoned as a lancer. A simple truth, but a disappointing one.

Maybe he'd spot an enemy. That could cheer him up.

[vancexentan]

@The Irish Tree @Reflection @King Cosmos"We have already fortified the area however if you had any improvements that can be made to it Miss Caster than by all means do so. We don't expect immediate attacks on ourselves however. The Grey Family never was much of the aggressor in conflicts. When world war two was a thing still their patriarch sat back in their castle, and waited rather than join a side. I was nothing more than a cadet back then but the Lord knows the Grey's have no actual spine." Father Howard stated as he led the group inside the pews were here, and there but it was rather clean as Berserker walked over, "Everything appears to be sterile. I will look around to make sure there is nothing that could put the masters here at risk. Us Heroic spirits have little to fear for our health." Berserker stated as she walked through a random door without so much as another word. As Anderson stepped forward he looked around, and announced he would take care of Berserker, and make sure she didn't make too much of a fuss.

As Father Howard led the group through a door in the back of the church he made a sudden turn left into a broom closet, and opened a trap door which was hidden underneath fake flooring. The way down was somewhat cramped but Father Howard informed them that the below was formerly in use by Polish soldiers during the second world war in order to hide from Nazi's who occupied the country. It was expanded upon back in the 80's, and has since been used to train church trainees in certain rituals but now had been cleared out to provide a place for Caster, and the other masters a way to make a small base of sort. Every group had one room which they could hold both master, and servant. "Interesting so we can collaborate in secret, and without risk of prying eyes. A useful place indeed. Thank you for the help Father." Saber stated as he bowed his head. Howard smiled and nodded. "I am simply honoring the deals made between the Mage's Association, and the Church. I am nothing more than a figure head who's purpose is to assist you. If you wish for more you may feel free to ask. We will provide some food as well. It is not glamorous but it will suffice for your needs here. After all we are still just a simple church." Howard continued as he let the masters do as they wished be it go downstairs, or prepare to handle the situation as hand of the Greys' forest. Leon chose to head downstairs and prepare himself. As he went down the cramped staircase he found the damp, and dark entrance to be rather disturbing in a horror movie sense. However the massive hall downstairs was surprising.

Compared to the stairs Leon found the large hallways filled with doors leading to many rooms to be strange. It was like he had walked into a big government building. Some of the doors were labelled as storage, and others were labelled as living spaces for the masters. The halls seem to go infinitely in one direction, or the other branching off into different corners, and other hallways. It would seem they found themselves in a maze of sorts if not the fact that there were plastered maps on the ends of most of the hallways in order to show which rooms were where in accordance to their current position. "I...impressed, and also somewhat scared that priests have giant mazes in the bottom of their freakin' churches."

[King Cosmos]

Rider nodded as Aksha addressed him; this man at least seemed to know a little of etiquette and humility. “If my Master does not require my assistance in settling in, then I will go and find Archer.” The Greek warrior turned to the young man beside him, and it took Dieter a few moments to realise that Rider was asking if his presence was needed.

Shrinking under the gaze of the renowned hero Dieter stumbled over his words. “Ah, oh… of course. I’ll be fine; I can manage by myself.” With another nod Rider left his side, walking purposefully in the same direction that Archer had left moments ago.

Grabbing his suitcase, the only luggage Dieter had brought with him, the young Magus followed the group as the Father led them on a brief tour of the church’s interior. The fact that the Grey’s were unlikely to launch an assault on them was a relief to hear, if a little curious; he supposed it made sense when they already had the Grail in their possession. From a certain viewpoint they had already won; there was no need for them to take any unnecessary risks when their only goal was to guard what was already theirs.

As they passed through the main area of the church and walked between the rows of pews Berserker spoke up about making sure there was nothing to put them in danger inside the church before leaving. That Servant, more than any other on their side, worried Dieter; a single minded obsession with cleanliness was not the kind of madness he had expected of a Berserker and a part of them was awaiting the moment she deemed them all unclean and tried to ‘cleanse’ them.

Father Howard showed them to the trapdoor leading down into the underground area of the church, explaining its purpose and history. Dieter stared at the portal and the staircase that led down to the tunnels, feeling a strange sense of foreboding as he did so. “I’m not claustrophobic, but somehow I don’t like the idea of living underground. It feels like we’re trapping ourselves.”

****

Stepping out into the fresh air Rider found Archer exactly as Aksha had said he would, scouting the surrounding area by staring out into the forest. He walked up to the edge of the ledge and stood next to the other Servant, crossing his arms over his chest as he too peered into the distance; though without the same privileges he couldn’t see nearly as far.

“You have the advantage over the rest of us Archer. We’ve only just arrived but you’ve been here for some time now, planning and making your preparations. What is your opinion on this war?”

@Reflection

[The Irish Tree]

A smile tore at Caster's lips as she recieved the approval of the good Father, bowing politely before turning to answer to the Archer Master's request. That same warm smile remained, as she said: "I would be happy to see what a Modern Mage thinks of such archaic magic; I can't promise that you'll come away from it with some epiphany, but I'd love to speak when I return. Master, I'll be off," her last sentence directed to Joachim before Caster picked up the crinolette that composed the inside of her skirt to keep the skirt from trailing as she ran out, heading off to the outskirts of the Church's vicinity. Joachim looked at his command seals as she left, knowing that if anything came up somehow, he could simply order her to return.

For now, Joachim was left alone to mingle amongst the other masters as his servant did her thing. He had at least some faith in the moral compasses of his fellow Red faction members. Berserker seemed...odd, but well-meaning, given that she seemed to be disinfecting things to keep them from being sick. The underground labyrinth was something to consider; Perhaps Caster could make use of it for something. He didn't really know all that much about her magecraft, save for the name and general description available from his studies. For now, he would deposit his and Caster's luggage, flopping down on his bed for a moment to look up at the ceiling. This was all so...fast. It was weird. Yet...undeniably kind of exciting in its own way. A war for a wish...even if there was risk of death, anybody would be willing to risk anything for that, right? Taking a moment to sort out his things, he left Caster's stuff on the bed for her to decide what to do with, before heading out of the room. He had some people to get to know.

Aksha would be busy with Caster once she returned, and as such he figured that he would try and speak to Rider's master while his servant was away with Archer. Approaching the rather plain looking Deiter from behind, Joachim made sure his footsteps could be heard. "Say, what do you think about the Greys? Like...why do you think they stole the grail?" he asked, trying to keep the conversation casual. "Just doesn't make sense for them to go through so much trouble to anger both the Church and the Association for one wish, even if it is the Root."

@King Cosmos

---

Caster hastily made her way around the perimeter of the church, her mage craft being channeled through glyphs laid beneath the snow and dirt, carved out with the use of bones etching from below. Yes; Bones. Rather than take the time to establish a barrier against a faction prone to being on the defensive, Caster was instead laying a rudimentary alarm alongside a relatively normal bounded field with the intent to hide the presence of the servants and masters held within. The bones of the long since fallen stirred beneath her as the ritual successfully concluded, establishing her promised defense as well as the guard dogs of the Black faction. Should any trespass upon the barrier, Caster could have her undead begin to dig beneath the perpetrators before ambushing them, thankfully having no short supply of corpses beneath the soil. Poland was the site of over a million deaths in World War II alone, after all.

The twitching of an animal caught Caster's eye as she concluded her ritual; A rat that had died out in the cold, starved and alone twitched to life once more, without a thought in its mind save for obedience to her. A caring smile crossed her lips as she crouched down, scooping the rat up between cupped hands. "Poor little one...your life was so soon snatched away from you. But you were devoid of purpose to begin with; Prey foolish enough to die in the open, rather in the confines of a warm hole. But, here...worry not. All things have a purpose when my work begins." she whispered into its unhearing ears, the being receiving its orders and scampering through the snow to carry it out;

Run deep into the woods, and attempt to escape. Whether it made it out or not mattered little to caster, she simply needed a way to gauge the enemy's defenses, and figured a small rodent would serve better than a familiar here. With her work concluded however, Caster wiped her hands clean in the snow, before heading back in spirit form.

It would take her little time to meet with Aksha, wherever he might be. Materializing in whatever room he was finding himself in, she would make herself at home in a seat, smiling at him. "So, what would you like to know, Master of Archer?"

@Reflection

[Reflection]

[The Ottoman Empire Team] - At the Church

By the time the group had disbanded, all going to their own rooms, Aksha had retreated to the observation room. The strange little area, out of place amongst the older trappings of the church. He found that large groups didn't interest him. Rather, he found a certain enlightenment in a kind of open area, where others would visit of their own accord. The observatory, built by the quick hands of a servant, was rather spacious, and empty. A few projects lay around, clearly hinting at what the Archer servant was plotting for the war to come. The base designs for a large cannon like system were visible to Caster, if she could decipher them or cared to look at them in any length.

The rest of the room was lightly furnished. Most of it was pillows, or the odd trinket that may be hundreds of years old. Most of it was clearly personal, or carried from the owner's homeland. But the real treasure seemed to be a collection of texts. The wear on them seemed to make them as nearly a decade old, but it was clear they were much older. Much older. Clearly to be even that degraded was a miracle in itself. There, Aksha took a seat on a pile of pillows, almost like an old man would.

He didn't even blink when Caster appeared in the room. But then again, it was impossible to tell behind that mask. He could have been shocked and it would be completely hidden.
"Greetings, Caster. I thank you for coming." Aksha said, leaning forward, and pulling a book from the shelf he had placed himself besides. "My name, is Akshamsaddin, and I suspect you may know that name." He was aware, that while not much of a hero, the true Akshamsaddin had passed away centuries ago, and had found himself on the throne of heroes. Instead, the man who claimed to be Akshamsaddin was more or less a robot. A program carried through bacteria and viruses that took over the bodies of others. Acting as a pseudo immortality, of a sort. It would only take a moment for Caster to peer into the throne to know exactly who he was.
"I have lived many years, seeking knowledge and hoping to gain a greater understanding of the world. I am curious about the land you are from. Not in an attempt to use your identity against you, but rather... To ask for your help." He placed the book down, and it was a journal entry, the text facing Caster. The text was dated to nearly two hundred years ago, when he had come to a conclusion. "You see, I have reached a stone in my path of understanding. I have expanded my knowledge in no way that aids me. If you are a hero of the age of gods, then you know magic and spellcraft that I have never seen, or imagined. As such, I request, no, I plead, that you take me under your wing. As a student."
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Archer gazed over the distance, eyeing the little rodent that Caster sent into the woods. Nothing could escape his vision. And he had a suspicion that only time would tell the true meaning of this war. He felt Rider's presence rather easily, but didn't bother turning. They were clearly on the same side.

"My opinion on the war?" He mused, scratching his chin. Fingers brushed through his goatee. "You won't like it. But I suspect betrayal. The church seems controlling, wouldn't you say? A full ban on the third floor. If it was personal, they had more than enough time to ship it to a different location. After all, if the war comes to the church, it would risk destruction if it was something of historical necessity, or divine artifact." Slowly, he stood. "Rider, you are a leader in war, are you not? Most Riders are. You see, I suspect the church wasn't just chosen because of a convenience. There is more to this war. I can tell. Be ready for it."

[vancexentan]

@King Cosmos@The Irish Tree@Reflection

"Ya really think that a former shelter for Polish Soldiers doesn't have a more few secret outings? Look around some more, and you'll probably see a few trap doors with some sealing magic on them for good measure. Come now the upper part of the church is guarded by our servants, and executors. The lower half is guarded by US, and our servants. It prevents the enemy from spying on us through familiars though like the old man said the Greys don't do familiars for the most part they likely hold the knowledge too. Besides they know SOMETHING is coming for them anyway. The more we wait the more time they have to sit on their bums, and put down more traps for us." Anderson stated as he looked down the hall, and opened up one of the dorm rooms. "I'll take this one I need too set up some stuff, and Berserker proof my room. I'll recommend you do the latter too. Otherwise you may wake up to something strange. Chances are she won't hurt you. Better make sure to avoid gettin' sick though. On the way here had a talk with her...if you can call it that. Let's just say she's a bit extreme with her methods. Chances are you might live though...might." As Anderson went into his room he closed the door promptly. Saber grumbled, and stared at the door. "That man may seem kind but he sure lacks any actual care for us. I recommend masters that you hold yourself on guard around him. I'd say he resembles Agaravain on his nice days more than the kindly old court chaplains." Saber said to the group aloud he looked through the halls, and looked to Leon. "Go ahead, and check'em out Saber. I won't need to worry about you being gone too long. The more you know about this place, the better off we are. Just be careful." Leon said to Saber who nodded, and turned into a cloud of prana vanishing from sight.

As Leon turned to his fellow masters, and any servants who followed them he raised a hand to his chin, and rubbed it. "Can't say I know much about them other than what we've been told so I can't given an opinion. They scare me as opponents though. They're not going to be fighting clean which means they're opportunists. They also are probably using powerful magics to protect their place of origin. We should be prepared to fight with all we have. If anyone of you can get more 'grunt' type things on our side like golemns, or skeletons it would be of a lot of help." Leon said as he leaned against the wall. He wondered just what he would need to prepare before the fight. He had already considered making some louder magic items like snappers to knock him out of sleep spells, and or perhaps some defensive armor...but Saber would be the main front line he'd have to trust him.