ManyThings

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Hero of Patience

Latin District, by the River Seine

---

As the Rider of Six Coins and his Master chatted and made their way eastward along the Seine, they would surely feel a presence approaching rapidly from the north. Something radiant and unapologetic, oozing magical energy, could only have been a Servant.

Well, the speed at which it moved was also a good hint.

Saber dashed through the streets towards the river, his feet leaving marks in the road similar to what a normal man's might leave in a fresh layer of snow. He laid eyes on his targets from across the river. Out of the different presences which he could feel within the city, he had chosen to pursue the man before him. The group Cleo and he had joined was waging war from the east side of the city. The enemy bases already around, he had decided, would require some manner of co-ordinated raid or siege to reliably overcome, but an opponent who was only making their way into the area struck him as something more manageable.

He was heading towards these people with clear intent, so it was up to them how they chose to ready themselves. They would, perhaps, still believe they had a few moments to prepare, as the river Seine lay between them. However-

"This is a challenge!"

The hero did not make for the bridge perhaps a hundred meters westward. Instead he ran to the water's edge, and without slowing down, leapt over the river. The man, in midair, grinned down at the pair.

"Do you accept it?"

A wicked-looking sword materialized in Saber's right hand as he flew over the water. The jump was a forceful thing, but apparently also quite accurate as he hurdled down towards the enemy Servant. Despite the reckless and hot-headed impression he gave off, he seemed to be quite precise and measured in his movements. Without a defensive response, he would land with his blade lodged squarely in this man's skull.

---

^{Battle Bunch (@Indra@The World)}

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Hero of Patience

Rooftop, Latin District

---

As introductions came about and a challenge was given, the paladin remained standing on the roof with his arms crossed. His expression certainly showed some reaction when he learned that he was in the presence of two of King Arthur's knights, and when the red-haired bowman seemed to be gauging the likelihood of fighting both Ywain and himself, Saber shook his head and looked down to where his new allies stood on the street at that moment.

"My comrade. If your desire tonight is to test yourself against a foe you knew in life, I'll let you enjoy yourself and take no part of this combat."

With that clarified, he allowed a battle to rage around him. He smiled as he watch Ywain leap past him towards Tristan, and still did not move a muscle as violent attacks were launched by both sides. He made the smallest sound of reaction as he noted the strange projectiles the enemy was making use of.

"I'm certainly glad that I'm watching Sir Tristan's abilities unfold rather than being subject to them myself. Arrows that can't be seen? Very threatening indeed!"

Saber seemed to be speaking to himself. He dropped down from the roof to the street and strode over to Ywain's Master, closing the distance in a few moments even as the man made great haste to keep up with his Servant.

"Take care now, Sir Noon. I appreciate your confidence and boldness despite being a Master in a war of Servants, but if you happened to be struck it would limit your knight's ability to complete the duel he's engaged himself in. With that said, best of luck to you, my allies!"

He shouted that last part out loudly enough that even the women who had departed might have heard it echoing down the street. As he stepped away from the modern knight, he wore a cheerful expression, clearly content with his friend having found a solid opponent for the night. Still, there was a certain determination in his eyes to find something like that for himself. Fortunately...

"Saber. You're free to engage in combat if you wish."

"Thank you very much, Master. Rest assured, I'll use the permission you've given me to aid our victory, rather than for my own enjoyment."

It was mostly true. In any case, battle and enjoyment went hand in hand for Saber. He focused his mind for a moment, reaching out with his senses to search for Servants within the district. A moment passed, and he nodded to himself. Seemingly, this was a popular area tonight, and he had singled one presence out of many. It would be best, he decided, to move with a little more speed despite the environmental damage that would cause.

Noon might have spied Saber for another moment as he chased after the fight, but as soon as he blinked, he would find the Servant had vanished, leaving nothing but cracked cobblestones behind.

---

^{Shared-perception Superior (@King Cosmos), Clashing Combatants (@SSW@KoL), and At-risk Ally (@Danchou)}

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Hero of Patience

Rooftop, Latin District

---

"Excellent! I look forward to fighting alongside the lot of you."

From his seat on the rooftop, the paladin grinned at his new companions. It sounded as though there were still some terms and small details to be worked out, but those were things he supposed were more concerning Cleo than to himself. If she informed him that the alliance was unworkable at that fighting was necessary, he would be saddened, but that's just how it would be. Saber wasn't one to complain about allies, so it was unlikely that there would be a problem as long as his Master accepted these people.

Not to mention, there was a knight among them! Not as a Servant, but as a Master! It did Ogier's heart some good to know that some amount of tradition and honour had been sustained, given how society as a whole had changed since his death many centuries ago. With that said, this hero was no stranger to the world changing over time, but this difference was ever greater than when he had returned to France from Avalon after 200 years.

"...Hm."

From their reactions, it was clear to Saber that all of his fellows had also taken note of yet another strong presence in the area. However, given his position on top of a building, Saber had the easiest time simply turning around and gazing across the rooftops to lay eyes on the new arrival. It wasn't so unusual, given that three Servants already stood in the open, but this fourth one didn't seem to be approaching to join them. Ogier rose to his feet and turned to face the stranger, arms crossed.

"Hello over there! It's easy to see why such a large gathering might draw yet another warrior here, but why don't you come closer? Declare yourself, and let us know your intent!"

---

^{Mind-Linked Master (@King Cosmos), Glorious Gang (@Danchou@SSW@Sunglass@1Charak2), Advancing Archer (@KoL), and Sneaky Spies (@Crusader Lord@Cu Chulainn)}

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Hero of Patience

Latin District

---

"Very well! I'll stop marvelling at these sights and focus on the task you've given me."

This was the last message Saber sent to Cleo before he began moving quite a bit faster southward and scanning closer to ground level. The man, in spirit form, hopped from rooftop to rooftop, often focusing his mind to scan for large pools of magical energy. Eventually, something brushed against the edge of his senses. He quickly turned and changed direction, heading towards what he had sensed. Two Servants! And their Masters, as well! If they were already clashing, the situation would be perfect to fulfil his mission by observing them.

With just a few more leaps..!

As Noon laid out the terms under which he would accept an alliance, the unmistakable presence of a Servant rocketed into the group's area of perception, landing on a rooftop a half-dozen or so buildings away that gave a fine view down into the meeting. The Servant's form began to materialize from thin air, moving into the physical world like a player emerging from behind a curtain.

"Good evening, all!"

On that rooftop was a man armoured in a mix of padding and polished steel. He wore no helmet at the moment, so the gathering before him could look upon the smiling face of a man that remained handsome and robust despite a few scars. He held no weapons in his hands, instead raising them into the air as a signal of peacefulness. The sudden addition of a third Servant presence was sure turn some heads and cause its share of alarm, after all.

"Have no fear! I'm not here to do battle, and though I thought that you all might have been out here for that reason, it seems I was quite off the mark! If its an alliance you're forming, count me in! Sir Noon, Bold knight of Britain! His companion! And the noble ladies! Let me join your warband for a time, hm?"

@Danchou@SSW@Sunglass@1Charak2@King Cosmos

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Hero of Patience

Latin District, Northern Edge

---

"Have I found anything yet? I've found a glorious city. I've found stout and good-hearted people. I've found buildings reminiscent of my own time, unlike the rectangles of smooth stone and steel which the Grail informed me of."

A robust man materialized for a moment on a rooftop, his eyes scanning the surrounding terrain, and lingering for a spell on the tower that functioned as a beautiful sort of centrepiece for Paris. He conferred with his Master, who had elected to manage operations from her workshop, using their shared mental link.

"But no, I've not found any Servants or Masters yet if that's what you mean."

It irked this man that his orders forbade him from engaging in combat. Were that not the case, he could have simply let loose the full measure of his presence as a Servant and allowed some interesting person to come to him. Of course, Cleo was only being logical and playing her cards carefully. As her Servant, he wouldn't actually move against her wishes.

Still, this man was no Assassin. His presence could be minimized to a point, but not concealed from those in his vicinity. It wouldn't align with his Master's desires, but an excited smile crept for a moment onto the hero's face. If he was attacked by someone too quick to escape from, he would have to defend himself. It wouldn't do for him to get killed without fighting back, or for Cleo to spend a command seal to get him out of trouble.

Besides, observing the skills of fellow heroes was certainly no sour job or waste of time.

"Don't worry. The night is still young, and I can cover a fair bit of ground. Reconnaissance isn't one of the things I'm renowned for, but have faith in this hero to carry out anything you command, Master."

The man began to dematerialize, leaving a disturbance in the air like the slight pressure on a lake from a twig or insect that hasn't quite broken the surface tension. The last part to vanish was a head with an enthusiastic grin. A war of this size was sure to hold its share of joys and surprises for Ogier the Dane.

@King Cosmos

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Hemlock Reguim

^{Apartment Workshop, Core District}

@Sunglass

---

The artist was relieved to find that he wasn't dealing with an emotional wreck of a Lancer who would need a night to drink his sorrows away before he was willing to fight.

"If saving Troy is your wish, go right ahead. I myself am an artist and a mage, and so I'm aiming to reach the pinnacle of painting by catching a glimpse of the Root."

Hemlock pulled open a drawer of a fine desk, rummaged around for a few seconds, and produced a set of four clean glass vials, handing them over to Hector.

"My magecraft is most effective with samples from the target's body. Blood, hair, bone... anything, really. Whether you find it on the battlefield or rip it from an enemy, I'd like you to collect samples when possible."

He unlatched the window once more, gesturing for his Servant to use it as an exit. A chill rushed in and the last remains of the summoning fog drifted out as the two stood there.

"I don't know that our enemies will think of us so differently if they find you to be a Lancer as opposed to a Saber... But I'd imagine the surprise when you gain a few extra feet of reach might offer you the chance to claim victory in combat. Use your discretion- Attack with the weapon that seems best suited to the enemy at hand, but keep in mind that's the form of Durindana you'll be using for the rest of the war until we're forced to reveal that little trick. In either case, don't call its true name tonight. If the enemy brings out their Noble Phantasm, just retreat with knowledge of their identity while hiding your own."

Closing his eyes, Hemlock looked through one of his familiars for a moment, and his face twisted in annoyance.

"An Assassin... How can I venture out to paint in person with someone like that running around?" His gaze returned to the apartment. "Alright, your orders for tonight are to scout the area and engage with any enemy who's not currently fighting someone. Don't interrupt a battle that's already happening- if they want to kill each other or reveal their trump cards, let them. However, kill that Assassin if she survives."

A night of violence awaited, just beyond the window.

"Now, Lancer, Saber, or whatever you tell the enemy you are. It's easier to skirmish and disengage without me to worry about, right? I'll join you on the streets tomorrow. Go."

. . .

Once Hemlock was alone once more, he would uncover the easel closest to the large window. The barely-started painting on that canvas resembled the breathtaking view of the tower just beyond it. He placed dollops of paint onto his palette.

A darker blue, maybe. The sky had become even more beautiful while he had been focused on pointless tactics.

Perhaps he would include some aspect of the current battle in this piece, if it became flashy enough to be seen from his window.

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Hemlock Reguim

^{Apartment Workshop, Core District}

@Sunglass

---

Hemlock's eyes shone. The warrior prince of Troy was his Servant. Once that name touched his ears, the simple "colours" which had conveyed Lancer's basic parameters to him expanded, blossoming out to paint a much greater picture of a strong martial fighter with excellent tactical abilities and a versatile weapon of great power. This hero was everything he could have hoped for. It had been smart, he thought, to use an open-ended catalyst like a chunk from Troy's gate, leaving room for the Grail to send him an ally based on compatibility. However, the next words Hector spoke troubled the painter slightly...

"Are you saying you don't know? The Grail is supposed to send Servants into the world with an understanding of modern language, technology, and history, but did it leave out the ending to your own story? Hemlock paced around the room for a moment. "In that case, I hate to be the one to tell you, but Troy did fall. The king of Ithaca hid men inside of a large wooden horse presented as a gift to your people. They emerged in the night and opened the way for armies to enter the city. If it's any consolation to you, your brother did slay Achilles some time before that."

He gestured to an armchair silently. If Hector needed time to process that his home had been destroyed, his Master would let him take a seat and bring him something to drink.

"I'm sorry. I'm hoping to make a move in the war sometime tonight. With your abilities, we can suss out what our enemies are capable of without major risk. When you're feeling up to it, there are a few Servants converging on that tower." The mage nodded to the apartment's largest window, which gave a view of the city's most famous landmark against a gorgeous night sky. His gaze lingered there, focused on something.

Aah ... That's quite good. I'll have to paint that before some idiot knocks it over.

Based on what his familiars told him was happening there at the moment ... He captured the image in his mind, just to be safe.

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Hemlock Reguim

^{Apartment Workshop, Core District}

@Sunglass

---

"Knock on..? Aren't you supposed to say that after someone jinxes something?"

Hemlock felt the hero's presence even before he laid eyes on him. The fog, a byproduct of bringing a warrior from hundreds of years in the past to his apartment, began to settle. Thus, the two could see each other. Amidst the scene, something came to the painter's mind. He spoke restlessly, "Hemlock Reguim, magus of the modern day. Now, just a moment..."

He quickly moved to a window and threw it open, noticing as he did the red markings on the back of his hand. "This fog is probably wreaking hell on my canvases." The vapour began to waft out into the night air, and Hemlock turned back to the spirit he had conjured, who became more and more visible as the last wisps of mist dispersed. "I hope you'll forgive me, but I simply couldn't let my works sit in this moisture for too long. I'm not entirely sure if that was actually water vapour, but I hate to take chances where paintings are involved."

After a few moments, Hemlock closed the window again. He was slightly thrown off by the spirit's attitude, but he supposed it was fine for someone to be that easygoing when they were capable of annihilating most opposition with their bare hands. "As you can probably tell, I'm the mage who summoned you, which makes me your Master. If you find the terms 'Servant' and 'Master' demeaning then you're free to come up with something better. He extended a hand, to seal their bond. Hemlock's new status as a Master gave him insight into the man's capabilities. Strong, bright, vibrant colours in all areas, especially swiftness. If his Servant was so quick, perhaps he had struck fortune beyond fortune and summoned the greatest hero of that war? No, he hadn't survived to an age where he might call himself an 'old man'. "Of course, I must arrange a plan for this war. First, please tell me your class and true name so that I understand what you can do. However, my basic goal won't change based on your abilities: to grasp Paris and the Grail within these eight days, we'll have to eliminate each of our opponents, starting tonight."

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Hemlock Reguim

^{Apartment Workshop, Core District}

---

Hemlock flicked the latch on the window, letting a dove fly in from outside and land on his finger.

"...I see. That man is entirely uninteresting."

The familiar left the way in had come, and its creator closed the window once more. The last remnants of the wind that had been let it caused the curtains to sway back and forth, as well as the cloths covering a few easels stationed around the room. Hemlock turned around and looked over his recently-created workshop. It was beautiful, and that was what mattered. Beauty was necessary to create beauty. Aside from candles, the only source of light in the rather high-quality venue he had procured was the moon shining in through a massive window, which also gave a magnificent view of the Eiffel Tower. One of the covered easels was just next to that window, a barely-started project in which he would be pushed to his limits to portray one of the greatest constructions of mankind. The magus moved to a fine wooden desk and took an object wrapped in white cloth from one of the drawers. Unfolding the wrappings revealed a chunk of wood that had once been part of a certain city's gate.

"Which side will my hero hail from? I wonder..."

Hemlock walked to the centre of the room. The many canvases were arranged around this spot, making it simply perfect, and before him was a complex marking made with drops of mercury. He placed the chunk of wood at his feet and extended one arm towards the circle, which began to emit light.

"Fill, fill, fill, fill, and fill..."

As the chant continued, that light grew brighter with each verse, and fog began to waft from the mercury.

"...Raise a wall against the wind that shall fall. Close the four cardinal gates..."

That fog completely obscured the summoning circle, where the body of an ancient hero began to take form.

"...An oath shall be sworn here! I shall attain the beauty of Heaven, and cast aside the unsightly evils of Hell..."

A powerful wave of air threatened to blow Hemlock off his feet, but he stood strong.

"...Come forth from the ring of restraint, Protector of the Balance!"

And with that, the summoning was complete.

...Did it work?

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:^)