[IC] Fate/Red Winter

[Rae Zer]

Dante Calogero
Outside the Church on the Hill, Chernyy Ushchel'ye

---

Dante stared up at the Church as Saber spoke to him. He stood a fair distance from Church so that nobody would pick up his answers to her questions. Knowledge of one's enemy was very much the makings of an easy kill. You could never be careful enough once the Grail War begins. So long as he was on Church grounds, he was safe enough but that doesn't mean that his secrets were safe.

"Sure, you can call me Dante if you wish. As for my magecraft, I know the basics of quite a few branches but I focus on healing, pyromancy, transmutation, and I've got knowledge of very basic Holy Sacraments. My Family line, well I''m the son of an upstart family known as the Calogeros in Italy but my mother is from the older family known as the Galleranis. As for my strength, I'm above average in my magical capabilities. As compared to Rin Tohsaka, I'm not that strong but I've got thirty-five magical circuits which can produce five hundred units. I should be able to take down the other Masters physically if I can't do it with magic." Dante said all of this to the cloaked Saber. Dante always liked to boast about his rather nice amount of circuits and their output capabilities. He chided himself for having boasted about his powers like a child especially considering the situation he was in at this moment.

Dante looked back at the Church he was standing in front of. Practical as it was, it made Dante cringe. The years had not worn well on the exterior of the building in a place where there were only two settings on temperature, cold and colder. He felt that his conversation was finished with Saber so he walked back to the doors of the Church and stood still for a moment. Dante was uncomfortable to walk in there to meet the Supervisors but it was necessary. He gently pushed up the doors to the Church and walked in to see the two Supervisors up on the nave and both Executioners and Orthodox Knights on seperate sides of the Church. He didn't say anything to the congregation after entering and simply sat down on a pew closest to the door but slightly in the shadows.

---

Berserker
Abandoned Warehouse, Uptown

---

Information about him. How could one answer such a question? He remembered little about himself and more about his job. Basics, what he needed to remember was basics. Only one word appeared in the massive expanse that was inside Berserker's mind. Thor. It was quite obviously a name, perhaps his but he wasn't sure. He struggled to form the name on his lips to answer and nearly smashed his hammer into the ground in anger due to his failure.

"Th...Thor. Name, Thor." Berserker said to his small Master. His deep voice rumbled throughout the building like thunder itself. It had been a long time since he heard his own voice. His own astonishment was short lived before he noticed the weight of something heavy in his hands, well heavy for a human. He looked down and saw a hammer, one which he knew well even in his current state. Now for another furious attempt to stutter out its name in anger.

"Mj ..Mjölnir. Hammer" was all Berserker could say as he eventually gave into his anger. He tossed the hammer in the air once before throwing it at a steel crate left in the warehouse. The hammer smashed the crate into near nothing and practically shreaded the crate behind it as well. He quickly recalled Mjölnir to himself and looked back at his Master. She likely disagreed with his anger but Berserker cared little about what people cared for anymore.

[Tatsua Aiisen]

Plain
Abandoned Apartment, Downtown

---

Plain gives a satisfied smile after Lancer's well-mannered response, although her smile fades slightly when he comes to ask her for instruction. To be honest, she hardly knew sort of orders she might need to give in order to win this "Holy Grail War", but she knew enough that she would not like it. Regardless, this was her purpose. It was all she knew, besides the simple, emotionless instruction to "Wait" she had received shortly upon waking.

"Well," she starts plainly. "For starters, I suppose we must hurry along to meet with the Supervisors of this little ritual. I would have you escort me there, Servant Lancer~"

She finishes her instructions with a flourish and a smile, and while her tone is plain and unexcited, the look of her smile seems to say that she was looking forward to this. She didn't know what she might encounter at the location in her mind, but she knew it would probably be interesting. More interesting, she hazards to assume, even than what has already happened.

The mere thought of this possibility set her figurative heart aflutter, and the War was only just starting. Certainly, there would be plenty more adventures in store for her yet. And, with Mister Cu at her side, too.

That might be the most exciting part of all.

---

Archer
Church on the Hill, Interior

---

Her Master got straight to the point. Archer liked that. So, the two of them start walking, headed wherever Marie thought to lead the two of them, and they began to discuss basic strategies for the coming battle.

"I understand that you are being sheltered by the Church, but will this place truly serve as our base of operations? Is this land not Neutral territory during the War?"

This was an obvious contradiction. If the Church was neutral territory, then it would hardly be fair to the other combatants for one of the Master-Servant pairings to be sheltered here. Of course, this served as a definite advantage to the two of them, but this inquiry also led to the most important question in all of this.

Continuing, Archer points out what she's been thinking from the start.

"Girl, you do intend on winning the Grail War, do you not? I did not ask you in the presence of your superiors, for various reasons, but now that we are alone, would you tell me your wish? I can hardly swear my sword to a Master who will not communicate their intentions."

Archer's expression was piercing, and without a single trace of hesitation. All that could be seen was a strict, critical process of thought, an analysis of her Master's thoughts and intentions through her facial features and tone of voice.

It was like an interrogation. Definitely not Archer's style, but something like this was necessary to get out of the way at the start, lest it cause problems for the two of them further down the line. It would also serve to help Archer get a better idea of her Master's character, separated from the influence of those men in the Chapel.

Archer intended on winning this War, regardless of her Master's intentions. If she had no desire for the Grail, so be it.

She had her own reasons to seek that bloody, ill-natured chalice.

[Paradox Witch]

Jet Li
Church On the Hill, Nave

---

As per the orders of his master, the strongest existence of this war had ventured towards the Church for meeting-related things.

He had no car. He had no bike. All he had were his legs. Much like a samurai by the name of Jack, he would persevere in the face of adversity. Even if the law of the World were to turn against him, he would struggle against the tide.

He was now a familiar, bound to a mask that was imprinted on this body, but he regretted nothing about his path.

He had no regrets. How could one have regrets when their actions were necessary for the path they walked? All the same, in spite of this path, in spite of the soul he had thrown behind carving it out, he was simply another actor, bellowing about his Kung-Fu until he faded into naught.

-But that was why he could continue forwards now. That was why, with every step he took, he could take the world into himself. Inhalation and Exhalation. Contraction and Expansion. Yin and Yang. World and Self.

Yes, because that could be the only path for one who chased after that ideal, who chased after truly amazing Kung-Fu.

If Bajiquan needs no second strike, then he would surpass even the truly amazing Kung-Fu of that man.

But for now...

All he could do was enter the Church.

Would anyone recognize him?

Maybe.

[GreenGoat]

Day 1 of the war - Near Dusk

The meeting started almost as soon as the last Master entered the nave, be it by proxy through a familiar, or in person. Gabriel made an eloquent rousing speech as always, his voice filling the old interior of the church, bathed in the light of the receding sun through the stained glass windows. Finally, he recited the rules of the war again, emphasizing mainly the secrecy that must be kept from the non magi public, the neutrality of the Church they stood in, and that Masters who had lost their Servants can seek refuge in the Church, where they will be protected until the war was over.

Finally, Aleksei himself gave the closing speech, ending with the promise that any Master compromising the safety of his city and the secrecy of the war will be put down. And just like that the meeting was finished, as he mentioned those with questions may stay behind and ask them now.

With thus, the war had begun.

***

As the city covered with snow started slowing down, the magi started to grow more active, preparing for another night of war.

The man in the hooded cloak however, stayed silent in his room, looking out the window at the city. While it was sizable, it wasn't really huge, on account of being rather out of the way, hemmed in by the forest, the hill to the north and the large snow plain to the south east littered with standing rock pillars. The city was older than most of the inhabitants knew, and he suspected there was a whole other civilization that once made a city on this very site, though he had no idea who they were or if the information was true.

What he knew however, was the existence and the method of attaining the artifact the Mage's Association were tearing each other apart for. He only needed enough prana to attain it...

---

Marie

They walked out the underground room, navigating an old labyrinthine network of rooms underneath the church. It seemed to serve a purpose before being abandoned, but what it was eluded Marie. Perhaps it was a catacomb to house the rich deceased. Soon, they emerged in one of the wing of the church.

"I understand that you are being sheltered by the Church, but will this place truly serve as our base of operations? Is this land not Neutral territory during the War?"

"True, Masters and Servants are required to stay clear of neutral grounds." Marie stopped walking and turned to Archer. "However, I am still an executor, tasked to protect Gabriel and the neutrality of this territory. But if it will ease your concern, we are actually housed in the old unused belltower just off the back of this church."

Thinking that was then end of that, she took a step forwards, before Archer spoke again.

"Girl, you do intend on winning the Grail War, do you not? I did not ask you in the presence of your superiors, for various reasons, but now that we are alone, would you tell me your wish? I can hardly swear my sword to a Master who will not communicate their intentions."

She stopped dead in her tracks, pondering on Archer's question. I do not have a wish, she wanted to say, but it felt like an insult to the one standing before her. "I intend on winning the war, of that you can be sure of. As for my wish..." Marie stopped for a moment. "An end to this war, and preventing the heretics from destabilizing this world."

It was partly true, though it was mostly the wish of the higher ups.

Seeing as there were no more questions, she asked Archer to dematerialize into spirit form, and took her place in the line of executors in the meeting. There were some very odd people in the pews, and was that Jet Li over there? It was kinda hard to mistake that look for anyone else. As soon as the meeting was finished, she took her leave with the rest of the executors. After a few words of encouragement from them, they were both left alone for the moment.

"Archer. This is your first order. Scout out the city and the surrounding area. Fight with the others if you must, but take care not to be caught in prolonged battle." It was simply too early in the war to gauge out strength and priority as of now. It was the same as hunting a vampire, knowledge of even their mundane habits and traits were as important as their statistics and battle abilities.

Gabriel came up beside her, putting a hand on her shoulders. Wordlessly she turned around and followed him, glancing back at Archer, her grey eyes lingering on Archer for a moment.

Lancer

"Well," his Master starts plainly. "For starters, I suppose we must hurry along to meet with the Supervisors of this little ritual. I would have you escort me there, Servant Lancer~"

Escort? Hurry? Well, there was only one thing he could really think of in this situation if she really wanted to hurry, but flying through the city with a girl in his arm doesn't seem like the reasonable thing to do, not at this hour anyways.

Like he guessed, she didn't seem to have much in her possession. Not that he would give any less effort to his Master because of that.

"Hmm..." He scratched behind his head for a moment. "Alright, let us go, Master."

With that he turned into his spirit form as he escorted his Master to the church, becoming invisible to most normal people. "Do not worry, I will stay by your side as we walk to the church."

Unnamed Executor to Dante.@Rae Zer
As the executors moved out of the room, a single letter was slipped into Dante's clothing. It simply gives him a instructions on finding a room in the Church, implying a meeting with one of the Supervisors. There was nothing else, save for an addendum that he can refuse to come if he wishes.

[Tatsua Aiisen]

Plain
Church on the Hill, Interior

---

And so, the two of them went. They walked the streets of the cold, Russian city, hopefully safe from the watchful eyes of their enemies. With Lancer escorting her, Plain felt nothing but safe as she made her way quietly and delicately across down, on her way to the Church on the Hill.

Once she arrived, she faced in turn to each of the other (humans) present, bowing respectfully and giving pleasant greetings to the men and woman of the Church present. She sat, dutifully, and listened carefully to the speech of the man who was to supervise the ritual. He outlined the rules, and laws which they would have to bow to, and she committed to heart each and every one. As was her duty. However, she spoke little more than she had when she first arrived, and when the speech was ended, she said her goodbyes and gracious words to the priests there before taking her leave as was expected.

With the same slight, deliberate pace as before, she makes for the exit to the Church, and for the cold, bloody future that lay behind it.

---

Archer

---

The red-clad girl gives a slight, amused snort at her Master's response, but nonetheless replies with, "Whatever you say." At Marie's instruction, Archer dematerializes and and waits patiently for her Master to conclude her business. As soon as the sound of voices ceased, she made to meet with her Master as her and her companions departed.

While she had intended to ask first, she quickly receives her Master's orders and nods confidently once they conclude. "Affirmative. I will head out immediately."

So, with a parting glance to meet with her Master's eyes, Archer departs. She quickly relocates to the exterior of the Church, leaping to the top of the nearby belfry. She sets her eyes, capable of seeing across vast distances, to the land surrounding the Church. They were on a hill, it seemed, and their vantage point was certainly better than many, although hardly the best in the city.

...

For several moments, Archer simply takes in her surroundings, checking routes away from the Church, hiding places, places from which an ambush could be launched. Then, she leaps, headed further into the surrounding city, searching for a better vantage point, searching for her enemies, and examining the locale that will serve as their battlefield.

Spotting one of the few tall structures in the city, she judges it's as good a place as any to start. So, she heads there.

[Paradox Witch]

Jet Li
Church on the Hill, Interior

---

Jet Li had listened to the meeting accordingly, transmitting all information perceived to Carly-Beth as he did so. The information was of no personal interest to him, on account of its nature, so he had no personal stake to be gleaned.

However, he could not leave immediately after the "meeting".

This was because he was currently being screamed at by his Master, who had looked through his eyes and demanded something of him. Under the thrall of that homunculus, he was helpless to resist, and so he acted in accordance with her orders.

Running over to the doll that had attended this meeting, a being not borne of blood but of something Other, he reached her before she had reached the exit of the Church, and spoke.

"I have been told to inform you that you are cute."

[Tatsua Aiisen]

Plain
Church on the Hill, Interior

---

Plain intended to leave right away, but something had stopped her from doing so.

That something took the form of an attractive, Asian man, approaching her to inform her that she had a secret admirer.

"O-Oh, is that so?", responds Plain confusedly. She didn't really understand why this was happening, but she was not the sort to give others the cold shoulder, not even those who would be her enemies in the coming battle.

"That is very nice of them, whoever instructed you so." She didn't really know how to respond, so she just settled for courtesy. With a smile, she bows her head, sinking into a casual, refined curtsy. "I am called Plain. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Would you have something of me?"