[IC] Fate/illuminated histoire

[VitaVitaAR]

The Holy Grail War.

A night like tonight was perhaps not when one would expect such a conflict to begin. It was quite peaceful, a pleasant spring's night with a rather bright moon and not a cloud in the sky. The city of Mifune was in a rather sleepy state at the moment, most of its resident had gone home for the night and those who were still out on the streets were likely to be engaging in business that they would not want interrupted. Perhaps the same could be said for those who were soon about to clash.

The figure in the church swept her crimson hair back as she sat down.

She was present for no other reason then to oversee the Holy Grail War. That was the entire reason she had been summoned. Her existence was as a Ruler-class Servant.

She brought her hand to her mouth and yawned.

It had hardly been the most exciting experience, thus far. The Holy Grail War had yet to truly begin, until tonight. Indeed... she had not monitored the situation particularly closely, beyond ensuring that no unsuitable conduct had occurred, but to her awareness... things would truly begin tonight.

While she had not been particularly excited either way, this change would be a welcome one.

Ruler would do what she must.

---

The Holy Grail War.

It wasn't the sort of business she was used to conducting, that was for certain. To be engaged in what would undeniably be a real battle... that was something entirely outside of her experience. And yet, it had been the duty she had been assigned to.

Shinonome Akira was prepared for anything. At least, as far as she was concerned. Had she considered that statement further, it perhaps would have occurred to her that it was difficult to prepare for anything when it came to an event such as the Holy Grail War. This was more than that, even: A clash between seven Servants would already be overwhelming, but a clash between two teams of seven was beyond even that. And yet, all the same, her mind was focused.

There was no point in panicking like some kind of fool. Not only was this a duty assigned to her by the association, but it was a duty that had been assigned to her based on the history of her family. And mage from a self-respecting lineage would wish to do well to uphold their family name. Akira, in this respect, was no different. No simply for her family's name, but for herself.

Besides, what was the point of doing something without putting the effort, the thought, and the confidence into it?

Their opponents were the Ainsworths, and the freelancers and other agents that the family had recruited for their cause, alongside whatever Servants they had summoned.

This first night was already promising to be... eventful, to say the least. Their familiars had reported large-scale movement by the opposing faction, indicating that they were likely going to mount some sort of attack. It was only natural to attempt to cut this off before anything could come of it.

Personally, Akira was wary. However she understood the opportunity was rather difficult to pass up...

The old bamboo forest through which their opponents had been seen moving was quite nearby. But Akira, given the nature of her Servant, would not be part of the initial attack.

Speaking of which...

Rather then a arabic madman who wrote of horrors from beyond the bounds of reality, she had summoned what appeared to be a female child. Who was also a book. To say she had expected this was far from accurate. As for her attitude...

"... Caster," she began, glancing towards her Servant's small, frail-looking form(not that she was particularly large herself), "Tonight will be a test of your abilities. I feel like you've been waiting to show off, haven't you?"

---

This was the reason she had been summoned.

Ultimately, above all else, she was a manslayer. Someone whose skills, whose being, had been honed into killing humans. Regardless of anything else, that was her purpose. A Servants... even those most far removed from humanity were still of human origin. This was why she had been summoned. This was the purpose of the second life she had been given.

... But why did it have to be as Assassin, of all things?!

Saber... Saber was her correct class! She should have been Saber! To think, she was summoned back into her homeland, and yet she was saddled with the wrong class?!

Okita Souji didn't allow these thoughts to distract her from her duty, but it was something that had been bothering her ever since she had been summoned. Saber was much more reflective of her actual skills, after all...

But those skills were still possessed by her regardless of her class.

It was hardly the first time she would fight in a bamboo forest. As part of the Shinsengumi, she had drawn her blade time and time again in such situations. Even if all the players were different, a battlefield was a battlefield.

And on the battlefield, there was no good or evil. Only killing.

Slowly, the pale girl moved through the bamboo. Her Presence Concealment wasn't particularly strong, but she could dull her existence like this. It would be far harder to spot her, no matter how perceptive her opponents were. At least, if they were without particular skills. She would not be able to conceal herself if she made any aggressive movements, let alone attack, but for now... she could rely on not being immediately spotted.

"Master?", the Assassin-class Servant's voice spoke directly into her Master's mind, "Do you have any more information on the enemy's movements?"

It was important to keep focused, to keep updated on the enemy. The movements of her allies were crucial, too, when it came to-

The girl samurai paused.

Ahead of her, there was movement...!

@Raineh Daze@Rin@RolePlayerRoxas@PKMNB0Y@KoL@Cu Chulainn@Heavy Snark@Anza@1Charak2@Crusader Lord

[FujiwaraPhoenix]

Astrid Kim

As far as jobs went, this one was a bit odder than most. Astrid had by no means expected to be shipped out to Japan to participate in some sort of magical ritual, but the more that she heard of the matter, the more curious she became. The matter of the Holy Grail War was apparently somewhat common knowledge among most magi, but a proper magus she was not. So being called in to participate on behalf of the Mage's Association, on top of the fact that this was already apparently an irregular conflict to begin with...

Well, if anything, the Enforcer wouldn't be any less out of the loop compared to her peers. If anything, her proper experience on the battlefield might have meant that her role as reconnaissance at the moment was only really applicable to her.

It wasn't like most of the other people that the Association had put onto the job with her had much experience on their own, after all.

"There appear to be a multitude of familiars patrolling the premises. While I doubt that the enemy has set up any sort of base here of all places, they do not seem to be wandering around haphazardly. If possible, try to remain undetected and keep scouting the area; if you can launch a surprise attack on an opponent and obtain the advantage, then you can simply press forward and pressure any of their allies out of hiding."

Given who her Assassin was, Astrid had no doubt that this was the proper course of action here. In a situation like this, there was nothing to be done but make use of every possible advantage she could find and systematically break the opposition down...

@VitaVitaAR

Lancer — Nagao Kagetora

To say that her current situation was slowly wearing away at the Lancer's nerves was a bit of an understatement. It was undeniable that returning to life as a Servant for combat once more was an exciting prospect, especially after the Grail had promptly filled her head with all manner of information necessary for understanding the conflict. To fight peerless warriors and heroes from across time and space...

The smile that never left her face only seemed to grow wider as she mulled over this fact. Really, it was the only thing keeping her from summoning her trusty steed and charging around looking for a fight was the fact that they were nowhere to be found.

Well, that and the fact that she didn't actually know this modern city all that well in the first place. Not knowing the terrain and choosing to battle there would be the epitome of folly, but given how most of the time she had ended up simply charging into the fray and cutting down everyone and everything that stood in her way, it was only a minor inconvenience at worst.

"Mmm... Master, are you certain that we should not simply charge forth and hunt the enemy down ourselves?" she asked, fidgeting anxiously as the two of them walked down the empty streets of the city. "If they are so intent on hiding away, I am sure that their actual combat prowess shouldn't be anything too troublesome... No, rather, it might be a bit bori—Give them time to set up their own defenses! Yes, right, that's it; sieging against such opponents is always such a hassle, after all..."

@KoL

[KoL]

Goldistar

"I think I can understand you," Shelk answered Lancer's questions as she walked around with her face buried in a map, trying to make sense of this city. Things would go much faster if it wasn't printed in Japanese, though. But Shelk wasn't keen on asking a legendary warrior to work as her guide.

"If my memory is correct, you were never that fond of sieges while you were alive, right? You and I are both women who like to get things done fast. I imagine that having to wait until our enemies come to us is hard for you," she continued as they made their way through the nightly streets.

"The problem is finding seven people in a city this big. They could be hiding anywhere. That said, I heard from our allies that the enemy is plotting something on a bamboo forest on the city's outskirts. Maybe if we go to a similar place, like say, this school over here, we can find someone. It's at least worth a try, I think," Shelk finished her explanation before calling a taxi.

"You can drive, right? I guess we won't need to involve any innocents, then," she added after charming the driver, giving him some compensation money and telling him to go back home walking—convinced that he was abducted by aliens or something like this.

Saber of Black

Saber was aware of her role in her Faction's plans. It seemed like they were relying a lot on her capacities, especially today, even though Roland or Charlie would have been more suited for it. Nevertheless, she was glad to be the one chosen, the static nature of the Throne is boring beyond belief and despite not being anywhere near as free-spirited as her friends, even saber felt the itch for adventure every now and then.

"That said, now and then doesn't hold much meaning for a Servant, does it?" she sighed, turning her thoughts back to the matter at hand. "I didn't know that holding a position alone would be so boring," she sighed yet again as she looked at the bamboo forest around her. Saber was told to guard a specific crossroads and, true to her word, she was standing in the middle of them resting her hands on Hauteclaire's hilt while her blade was planted on the earthen path.

None shall pass, indeed.

[Anza]

Archer of Black

A small girl strode barefoot through the bamboo stalks, yawning as she went. A Yōkai of some sort, no doubt, for how else to explain the presence of a brown-skinned woman dressed so strangely, with a horned skull perched slightly askew atop her head? Strange things were known to wander Mifune at night, and one would do well to avoid them where possible. This spirit, whatever she was, did not seem intent on doing harm, so as long as one left her well alone she would return the favor… Probably.

The spirit herself was murmuring calmly under her breath, and a chilling aura seemed to swirl about her like an unseen breeze. Ghosts, no doubt, though nothing so powerful or corporeal as herself. These were just the locals, the souls of dead animals and many other things besides, quietly thriving in the many shadows that lay between slivers of penetrating moonlight.

There were six others, too, foreigners like her, but she didn’t pay them much mind. She knew about the war going on, a big fight between themselves and seven counterparts over a magical golden cup, but Archer didn’t see much point in being granted a whole second life only to waste in all in conflict. When we find the other Heroic Spirits, she decided, I will clock them each on the heads, and then we will all sit down and talk together. That seemed like a far better way to sort out this whole mess.

She turned her gaze upwards and hopped into the air, grabbing onto one of the larger stalks once she was eight feet off the ground and shimmying the rest of the way up. It bent and rustled slightly as she climbed, audible to anyone with sharp ears, but Archer paid it no mind. She had a premonition that things were about to start happening, and it would be better then to have a proper view of what was going on, no?

Clarissa

“Not cute! It’s not cute at all, Rider!”

Clarissa’s rabbit ears twitched as she sent a pulse of magical energy through them, the cloth replicas flicking with a surprisingly lifelike motion. “A bamboo forest by day is fine, that’s even quite romantic. But by night it’s just… ugh! Spooky!” She made a gagging motion, as if to spit out the very idea of it. “I don’t care if the enemy’s there, we should at least wait until dawn.”

For the sake of her greater purpose, this Grail War had to be fought. That didn’t mean Clarissa was happy about it, though. Why couldn’t they have had a Grail Ball, or a Grail Beauty Contest, or a Grail Tea Party? Wars weren’t cute at all, with all that blood and guts and ugly grunting as muscular warriors slammed each other with unsightly pieces of metal.

To make matters worse… She eyed her servant once again, pink eyes flicking judgmentally up and down Rider’s body. Her looks weren’t bad, and her eyes were quite lovely, but why did she have to be so tall? Tall wasn’t cute! She wanted a small and sweet Servant like Caster, not this looming beast of a woman!

Thus her current mood, and reluctance to engage in this petty game of rudimentary conflict. Upon hearing of the enemy’s appearance, she’d wanted to investigate, but now, at the edge of the forest itself, she turned away with a huff.

“There have to be better ways to spend the night than traipsing about a dull wood like that. Come, Rider, carry me home, and I’ll make you some tea once we’re back.”

@RolePlayerRoxas

[RolePlayerRoxas]

Erika

There was never a moment where important, tactical information was not being scrutinised.

With a look of utmost seriousness, the bespectacled British mage extracted a folder from within her jacket. She opened it to reveal what seemed to be a large mass of printed pictures, carefully curated by Erika herself. Given that she had practiced extensively just to capture these images for herself, she was quite proud of her reconnaissance work. Clear-blue eyes flicked upwards to meet the gaze of her Saber-class Servant, a confidant smirk curling her lips.

"Your input will be invaluable, Saber."

Information so vital that she had opted not to send Saber into the forest immediately. Others may see such a decision as folly, but they were not privy to the litany of tactics rolling through the esteemed magus' mind. She raised the top picture of the pile to better show off the contents: A shot of one of their own allies, evidently surprised to be faced with a smartphone pointed at them.

"This Akira girl, as adorable as she would be in the uniform, I wonder if that would just be wasting her innate charm~?"

It was crucial to determine how many of the ladies she was allied with, would be leaving this little grail war as her new maids.

Rider of Red

With the complaints of her cute Master washing over the stone-faced Rider, there was only one thought circulating the Servant's mind; Someone please attack us I really need the distraction.

Rider thought she could manage a decent enough relationship with her Master - if she was going to rely on someone to keep her tethered to the world, then hopefully it would be someone reasonable. With a knack for warfare. Or enjoyed a good scrap. Clarisse was... not exactly that, but that was fine! Sure, she was quirky, but who didn't have their own little oddities? Sometimes Clarisse looked at her Servant as if she were some unappealing side-show... which was strange, that was explicitly not what she looked like, and whoever wrote that stuff about her was damn lucky to be long dead!

At any rate, the constant stream of complaints was a little irksome, but not as annoying as the order to just leave. After coming all the way out here?! She was, like, five minutes away from a good brawl and her rabbit-eared Master wanted to go home?!

"...Far be it from me to defy orders, Master," Trieu began, turning towards the smaller girl with a forced smile, "but is that really a good idea? Taking me out the game would be a crippling blow to our side. 'Sides, I bet I could flatten this whole forest if we need to."

[Raineh Daze]

Saber of Red

As intriguing as her Master's assembly of maids was, Saber had hoped to be able to show her abilities... she might not be expected as a Saber, after all, but that didn't mean she couldn't have beautiful swordsmanship! Though since they were all expecting to go into the forest... the delay didn't matter so much. It wasn't like her Master would be able to see any of it through the trees--and there was quite the risk of things catching fire. If there was one thing that she was quite eager to avoid, it was accidentally burning down a city.

Instead, she was quite happy to go along with her Master's desire to examine cute girls. Perhaps a little monomaniacal on the dress sense but otherwise, quite the admirable goal! And at least, as in this case, she could recognise where it would be less than appropriate.

"You're right, the uniform would be wasted on this one... putting an attractive girl like this in a maid uniform would be completely wrong. Perhaps a butler? It would play to her strengths more whilst retaining the same theme."

---

Charname Avilone

Why was she surrounded by the crazy ones...? Her employer was a big enough headache, even before that blonde had been summoned and--rather than being some noble hero that would reign her in--only encouraged this. That girl from the weird beauty-obsessed family--at least she wasn't the type to be called cute, which was a small mercy--was around, too. Then there was her own Servant... icing on the cake, really: this one was the class known entirely for its madness.

But she couldn't even get lucky there and get an actual berserker. No, it was a nurse.

At least her job was being made easier for the moment--her charge was staying back fro the actual fight, even if for ridiculous reasons, and her Servant was of greatest use kept out of the battle until her talents were needed. Maybe they could get through the entire war this way and she wouldn't need to try and be a bodyguard with these superpowered monsters around...

[Crusader Lord]

Lancer of Black

To be sent to the front was something he'd been long used to when it came to matters of war, and it wasn't as if he didn't have allies this time...

..But last time he'd seen others sent out first and sat idly by it resulted in death by a dragon. Sure this wasn't ancient Greece, but frankly speaking who knew what might be summoned in this war. Scylla? Charybdis? Besides, had had wanted to get out there anyways simply to chase off the regret of sitting idly by last time he was in a dangerous area. Better to avoid the mistakes of the past, after all, than simply sit idly by and wait for something to happen again. In that mindset, though, he had a bit of pity for his group's Saber that had been left back to hold a crossroads.

Even so, if an enemy such as Okita would move closer and come across him, they would find a somewhat strange sight in regards to the enemy that would be before her. Sitting among the stalks of bamboo, the Lancer was busy with examining a few lengths he'd neatly cut (read: pulled) down. Straighter in shape, perhaps sturdier in make, something maybe that would make for a good javelin on the fly or some kind of palisade perhaps. He'd been waiting a while, really, and had begun to take up something to do in the meantime. Japan had some odd plants to be sure, though stranger would be the things mages of his day used in regards to herbs and ilk.

...Besides, as king he'd been lacking in hobbies, and from what he knew Archer wanted to talk to people. So why not indulge his ally and his wife's advice for a moment? Even Harmonia had mentioned that he needed to find other things to do, his sweet wife worrying he was working himself to death and such.

"Hmm?"

A curious hum escaped the king's lips, the light rustle of bamboo drawing his attention. Perhaps it was the wind again, or this time perhaps it was an enemy lurking in the shadows?

[VitaVitaAR]

Assassin of Red - Okita Souji

"Very well, Master."

A surprise attack on an opponent... it only made sense. The advantage of mounting a sneak attack on the enemy couldn't be understated. And indeed, the activity up ahead meant that it was likely she was soon to be upon another enemy. While it was true that fighting an opponent upfront was a better show of one's skills and one's conduct, that did now mean that the Assassin was blind to the value of a sneak attack. It was not as if she had never participated in a night raid.

This was no different.

She couldn't help but appreciate that her Master was aware of this fact. Regardless, her advance slowed somewhat. While her Presence Concealment would prevent her from being noticed immediately, that did not mean it was the best idea to act in any particularly noticeable way until she was certain she had her eyes on her potential opponent.

And there they were.

A small, slender girl, with dark skin and a horned skull perched atop her head. She looked like some kind of yokai, moving through the bamboo forest like this. But her presence was unmistakable, she was a Servant.

For a moment, Assassin hesitated. The girl before her was, while not entirely childish, somewhat child-like. The idea of attacking her felt uncomfortable, in that instant. Okita Souji was undeniably a manslayer, but at the same time...

However, this was a Servant. Such considerations were to be addressed, and indeed the girl was not a child.

Assassin drew one foot back, raising her katana parallel to her eyes...

Presence Concealment fell away in an instant as she darted forward with a thrust of her blade!

@Anza@PKMNB0Y

---

???

It seemed that Rider's prayers for an interruption would be answered.

The figures that emerged from the bamboo were not Servants, however.

They were the shapes of the long dead. Warriors, clad in aged armor. Most of them appeared to be the deceased of this land, grey flesh worn away, bodies covered in lacquered armor and carrying a variety of implements, from katana to spears. Others, however, appeared distinctly foreign, wearing broken and rusted steel armor and carrying axes and western swords. Their eyes were sunken pits, filled with a ghastly green light emanating from within the empty sockets.

An exact count of their numbers was difficult, as they emerged from the bamboo. There were at least a couple dozen, however, and in the bank some were nocking arrows as they raised their bows...

It was immediately obvious that these were the unidentified figures that had been reported alongside what were possibly Servants. But this vast number of the Dead, especially ones that looked so old...

It was distinctly unlikely to be the work of a modern magus. Which left one likely possibility...

@RolePlayerRoxas@Anza

[The Red Seelie]

Florence Nightingale

---

Cleanliness. The aspiration for any medical practioner in any field. Cleanliness was key for practicing medicine, and the place the nurse was currently situated? A forest of bamboo. Not clean at all. This would offer nothing but detriment to her ability to provide medical care to her patients. She wasn't looking forward to having to drag people out of the bamboo forest. But if it was to save them she supposed a hacksaw would be necessary treatment.

Nightingale was holding her sidearm firmly in her hand as she would hold back from the other servants entering or already inside of. The Bamboo forest. She would provide all the medical care appropriate to her allies, And her enemies alike. What the generals did with the people she saved after she had given them the care they required mattered not. All that mattered was that lives were saved at the end of the day.

This was nightingales feelings on the matter. However She would not be the one to shoot the first bullet. It went against her conduct to cause injury needlessly. Any injury commited should only be done out of the act of protecting others. Or to save lives. She was the nurse of steel, not a war criminal. She hoped when she returned back to her master she could request a large clean area for her to set up a proper medical practice... Even a proper millitary camp would be better then working on the soil.

[KoL]

Saber of Black

“How was it that the Saracens said? If the mountain doesn’t come to Muhammad…” Saber sighed as she realized that her role had been compromised. Perhaps their faction’s strategy hadn’t gone according to plan, perhaps her allies were locked in combat already. It didn’t change the matter that her instructions were changed from making herself into bait to hunting the enemy on her own. Thankfully, she had the means to make such a task less time-consuming.

“Spread your roots and reveal me what I seek,” Saber said as she struck her scabbard against the ground lightly. In a moment she felt her perception expand like the roots of a great, ancient tree. For generations, the ancient cultures venerated trees as a source of wisdom and their roots as a representation of their wisdom spreading through the land. Saber’s sword was an embodiment of this very concept. Even if she was no mage, it was only natural that she was capable of so much as long she had her beloved blade with her.

It wouldn’t take long before Saber found one suspicious enemy not that far away from her position and moved to intercept them. What she didn’t expect is to find them ready to depart by the time she arrived.

“Excuse me for asking but, what possible reason could you have to turn your back to the enemy camp in the middle of a battlefield?” Saber asked of the bunny-eared Master who remembered her far too much of Asty, down to the hair and build. “If you wish to resign I won’t stop you. Otherwise, call your Servant forth and let us decide this in a way befitting of the Heroic Spirits chosen by the Holy Grail.”

@RolePlayerRoxas@Anza

[FujiwaraPhoenix]

Lancer — Nagao Kagetora

Hearing her own Master's assessment of their personalities caused the Lancer to nod in agreement. It was true that she had never liked dealing with the type of cowards who refused to come out and fight her directly, but if her Master was not one of those types of people...

Well, who was she to deny her own freedom to act? Certainly, there were others who were likely more content with lurking in the shadows and only striking when they deemed it safe, but that only meant that if they were to be caught unaware...

"If you have no such qualms about charging into the fray, then I shall gladly bring you into battle as well, then!" she said cheerily, standing by as she watched her Master casually 'obtain' a passing vehicle for their own uses. The method used was, of course, a bit less forward than she was used to (though she would no sooner abandon her prided horse than bring it with her in the first place), but it did seem to be a less conspicuous method of transportation in this day and age.

"Mmm... Well, I certainly have the knowledge to use one, but if I had to be honest, I would prefer we simply ride to our destination on horseback..." she trailed off before shrugging her shoulders. "But, well, since you went through the trouble of obtaining it, I may as well try my hand at controlling this modern carriage myself. Would you prefer we move quickly or...?"

By this point, the white-haired woman had already moved into the driver's seat, her ever-present grin staring at her Master expectantly as she waited for an answer. Really, she could already tell how fast this vehicle could go, but whether or not it would place her Master in possible mortal peril...

Well, with all of the knowledge and rules of driving such a thing embedded into her already, such a thing would likely be a nonfactor.

@KoL

[RolePlayerRoxas]

Erika Maidandora

"I can't even remember the last time I employed a butler," Erika chuckled, surveying the picture once more, "once this little matter is dealt with, perhaps I'll have you build me a suitable group of cute butlers?"
There was no need to be concerned about the state of the battle so far, anyway. Charname and her Servant should be able to deal with any medical emergencies, her own Saber was doubtlessly more than enough to handle any opponent that came to them... really, she may as well have just stayed at home and contested with Saber over who got to cuddle up with Charname tonight.

If Saber wanted to seek out an opponent, there would be no harm in allowing her to go. Given her victory would be assured, it was safe to assume Nero would win any battle she found herself in. But that would mean missing out on very important discussions, and that would just be terrible.

Rider of Red

Trieu couldn't help but be slightly relieved when the enemy came to them. There was truly no way they could just up and leave now! Not with all the undead monsters emerging from the woodwork. The smirking Rider surveyed the encroaching ghouls, casually drawing one of her swords. These things held zero challenge for her, but at least it gave her an excuse to swing her- oh?

An enemy - a real one, had shown up as well. Going by the blade, she was most likely a Saber... though Trieu could hardly discount the idea she was also a Rider. Berserker seemed far too unlikely, and the rest of the classes weren't worth considering. How lucky of her to get a decent match so quickly.
"I'm all for that idea," Rider replied with a smirk, stepping between her Master and the opposing Servant, "as long as your idea of being heroic doesn't mean fighting alongside those losers!"

Trieu gave a theatrical shrug and continued, "not that they make it any harder for me, I guess, but I wouldn't want my adorable little Master to worry about getting bit while I'm kicking your ass, you know?"

[KoL]

Goldistar

“Well, it’s not that I wouldn’t like to dive into the heat of battle riding with you, but we have to avoid attracting unwanted attention,” Shelk answered after Lancer proposed that they drop the cab idea and go for a horseback ride instead. It was a tempting proposition to be true—a gallant one indeed—but it would be just a little too conspicuous to pull that stunt in the position they were now.

Even though Shelk was glad that her Servant didn’t decide to press the issue, what came next wasn’t exactly a smooth ride either. Well, to say it wasn’t smooth wouldn’t be right, but certainly it was like riding a roller coaster with a faulty seatbelt. Every time they made a turn Shelk was prepared for the worst, but at least Lancer seemed to have enjoyed her new toy? Only god could tell what would happen if they picked a motorcycle instead.

“I think we should get going to that bamboo forest after all. Scouting around didn’t yield anything so it seems like the enemy decided to entrench themselves. I guess we weren’t that lucky after all!”

Saber of Black

“I won’t deny those are creations of one of my ‘allies’ for this war. If you want to judge me for that, so be it. However, I have nothing to do with how they are deployed and they know very well—or so do I hope—to not interfere while we Servants do our job,” Saber said as she stepped forward, taking the opportunity to get a good look at her opponent and gauge her.

Saber took a deep breath as she drew her sword, holding it with both hands, blade parallel to the ground at shoulder-height. “If that’s decided, then, allow me to begin,” she said as she charged forward with a resolute step, aiming a thrust at her opponent’s throat, followed by a second step pushing her weight forward, trying to throw the other swordswoman out of balance with a tackle.