I'm in the comfiest bed ever. It's probably a continuation of that dream, as there is no way I could be sleeping in one after yesterday... but what about yesterday? A sunray hits my closed eyes and makes them squint, though I can't open them. There is one more second of tranquility before the pain awakens.
"Urgh!"
My chest is hurting from multiple spots, and my left arm is burning. This is nothing like the times when we fought Berserker and Caster's shadow. Make it stop. Make it stop. Make it stop!
There is a soft touch on my heart, followed by a panicked, tired voice. "Ben! Please calm down!"
It's her. I must see her, now. I force my eyes to open. I am indeed lying in a bed in a ridiculous room, and Saber is sitting on a chair next to it.
"Sa... Saber..."
I try to find a better position in vain. She grits her teeth and channels some energy through her hand, which feels like a sudden shot of morphine.
"Take your time, Ben. We are safe, but our situation is really precarious."
Her voice is unusually weak, and my eyes eventually focuses on her. She looks completely drained. Her eyes are reddened, her breath is ragged and her whole presence seems weaker than ever.
"Are you... okay?"
"I cannot really use that word, but I am alive, like you."
She is real. Saber is real, and she is here. I raise my right hand and take the one that is on my heart, slowly.
"You are here... You are not a dream, aren't you? Are you with me?"
My fever doesn't help me being coherent, it seems. She answers in a small voice, red as a tomato.
"Ben, if you hold my hand like that..."
"Answer me."
She takes a deep breath. "Yes, I am here and real. I watched over you while you started healing up and I feared that I would lose you before sunrise. You are in a very bad state."
"I... can feel that. What happened?"
She clenches her grip on me and looks away. "Archer shot you."
Those three words bring back everything. We killed Berserker, then the walkie echoed with Rin's voice... I remember something piercing me, but the rest is blurry. I think I saw her fighting desperately while crawling. My priority was to save her, but I couldn't abandon Ilya either, so I loosened my seal and...
I let go of her hand to look at mine. One of the symbols doesn't radiate anymore. I sigh. "I remember everything, now... I gave you a completely crazy command."
She shakes her head vehemently. "Not at all! I was able to carry your order, although it cost us both a lot of energy. Ilyasviel was saved and guided me to her castle."
"Then I'm glad. You are both alive, and I managed to survive, somehow..."
I finally look down to my torso. Her hand is there and... "Wow, where's my shirt?"
I am slow today. She retreats her hand and we both blush heavily.
"I am sorry! I needed to check on your wounds, so I had to take it off."
"My wounds..."
There are three visible marks: one in the middle of my chest, one in the stomach area, and one above my heart. Saber looks completely depressed.
"Without Avalon, you would have died in a matter of minutes."
My ignited left arm calls for me, and I look at the seal. I grabbed the knot in a hurry and loosened it halfway through.
"Damn..."
Saber looks at it uncomfortably. "About this, Ben-"
"Good morning, Benben!"
Ilya bursts into the room with energy, contrasting greatly with our two exhausted figures.
"Uh, hi, Ilya."
She glares at me. "What's with that greeting? Aren't you glad to sleep in a very comfy bed like this one? I gave you the second best room!"
I manage to smile weakly. "Ah, yes, I am. Sorry, just being half dead at the moment, you know?"
She makes a little "hmph" before turning to Saber. "You are surely persistent. I was certain that you wouldn't pass the night."
Wait, what did she just say? My Servant looks at her defiantly. "I have more than enough energy left. Sorry to disappoint you, Ilyasviel."
Ilya seems to doubt that. Is there something Saber is hiding from me? I'm pretty sure she was about to tell me some crucial information before we got interrupted.
"It's fine. I planned on making Benben my Servant, but I can wait a bit more."
She looks at my wounds. "Ah, you were right, they are healing up. I was convinced that you wouldn't survive."
That makes her giggle. Can she just stop with that nickname...? I'll put that aside for now.
"Did anyone run after us?"
Saber answers in her usual serious tone. "Surprisingly, that is not the case. Ilyasviel can feel anyone that enters or leaves the forest boundaries. We teleported to our past base, and I ran to the woods while carrying you both."
"Wow... That's impressive."
She smiles awkwardly in response to my praise. "It is the least that a Servant can do. However, it took me some time to reach the forest. Something must have gotten in their way, or they believe we died. Let us hope for the latter, as it will give us some time to rest."
Ilya nods with enthusiasm. "Oh, this is the best place you can rest in. I'll tolerate Saber since Benben was nice to me!"
Saber's piercing eyes answer my silent questioning: Ilya told her about last week. I'm in big trouble. Pain assaults my body again. The wounds may have healed up on the surface, but my stomach and chest were still pierced, not to mention my arm. Saber extends her hand again but Ilya stops her.
"What are you doing?"
Her tone is serious this time. The knight looks flabbergasted. "I am helping the healing process, obviously!"
"Stop. You may be fooling him, but not me. I know Servants more than anyone."
"It is my duty! Do not stand in my way, Ilyasviel!"
The small girl is unfazed by the intimidating tone. "You should ask him. Oh, I'll do it!"
She turns to me with a smug smile. "Benben, do you want Saber to disappear?"
It's my turn to raise my voice, which pains me even more. "No way!"
She raises a finger, as if she's just proven her point. "See? He wants you to stay."
To my surprise, the Servant looks away.
"Saber? What is it?"
"I... It isn't much, Ben. I consumed a lot energy last night, and I could not really replenish it since then."
Ilya looks at me happily, and I feel a wave of gratitude that almost makes me forget that she tried to kill us all. That's why she stopped her...
"Thank you, Ilya. Do you think you could let us talk for a bit?"
She frowns. "Hmm, I guess. I was planning on bringing you food, so expect me to be back soon!"
She leaves us with that.
"Can you help me getting to a more seated position, Saber?"
It takes us some time but we eventually raise my body slightly. Ah, much better.
"Is there anything else you need?"
The green eyes avoid mine.
"I need to know your current state."
She looks downcast. "I... I am at my limit. I can stay in this world, but I would need a full day of rest to be able to fight properly again. If an enemy finds us now, we will have to escape or fall."
I understand why she called our situation precarious.
"I see... then, we'll cross fingers. If we can rest, you'll be fine, right?"
I can't contain a loud groan as my seal burns me more.
"I could... but you need to heal up too."
She pauses and gulps.
"Saber?"
Her next words are said in a broken voice. "I am sorry, Master. I have failed you. You were hurt again, and this time it was not from your recklessness. You had to almost kill yourself in order to save us all, and now... My energy is only depleted, but you are in a much worse state."
She stares at my seal. "I promised that I would not make you touch that thing again, but you had to do it..."
My heart sinks, and I can't answer for a moment. I never thought of her action as a failure. The rush of emotions is too much for my weakened body, and I feel nauseous.
"Ben? Are you okay?"
I see her hand approaching. "Don't."
"It is my duty!"
"Go rest. There's no point in helping my pain if the result is your disappearance. Find a bed and sleep for a few hours."
That is an obvious shock for her. "I cannot do so when you are in that state!"
As much as I appreciate her concern, I can't stand seeing her in that state. My voice is colder than intended due to the pain and fatigue.
"It's an order. I will manage for now, so go make sure that you don't vanish."
She grits her teeth and stands up. "... I will obey you, for now."
The door is slammed with energy and a pang of guilt hits me. However, it's the only way for her to recover. If Rin chases us down immediately, we will need as much energy as we can gather.
Rin... Thinking about her only seems to make things worse.
---
Ilya came back with a bowl full of rice. She sat on the side on the bed, asked where Saber was and seemed satisfied with my answer. Now she has decided to feed me with a spoon. She reminds me of a child that has found a new toy.
"Open wide!"
"Ilya, is this reallhmphf?"
The spoon invades my opened mouth and I swallow the hot rice with difficulty.
"Did you cook for me?"
She pouts. "I had Sella and Leysritt do it. Sella is against the idea of you two staying here, but Leysritt the failure was fine with preparing this. She said that sick people needed rice!"
I'm pretty sure that applies to people with diarrhea, but who am I to complain?
"Who are they?"
"Familiars. They were sent here with me as servants, so they can't argue against my orders, even if they disagree!"
"Ah, I see. You have my deepest gratitude in any case. If you hadn't brought Saber here, we would have died."
She shrugs. "Rin would have captured me if I hadn't shown Saber the way. Or even worse, that blond unknown heroic spirit!"
Her red eyes flash with anger. She is way too cute.
"Ah, fair enough. Guess we are even, then?"
"Hmm... You did kill Berserker, so I can't like Saber for now. Come on, open wide!"
She feeds me another spoon. The pain is still strong, but for some reason, having her next to me eases things up a bit.
"I'm sure you two will get along. You are both nice people, after all."
She gauges my seriousness before making a wistful face. "You say that, but you saved me because I am the Holy Grail vessel, didn't you?"
Ah, that's a tricky one. I pick my words carefully before answering. "Honestly, Ilya, I would be lying if I said I didn't care about that. However, I wouldn't have left you alone in any case. I had fun in the café last week."
She gives me a sharp stare. "That is... half convincing. I'll let you live for now, Benben."
She scoops some more rice and feeds me again. There is one thing that I want to ask her.
"Why did you kill the Matous?"
That seems to surprise her. "Isn't that obvious? I told Rin before. Only death awaits a Servant-less Master. As they had lost the fight, they were useless. Useless Masters have no place in my war."
"Ah... I get it."
She nods. "Good. The fact that they were from a rival family helped too."
Those reasons are still absurd to me, but I don't feel like arguing with her. What's done is done, and I don't particularly care about those deaths anyway. The bowl empties in silence after that, and Ilya stands up.
"Now sleep. I hope you don't die before dinner!"
"You have such a way of putting it..."
Her expression softens up and she gives me a neck hug that shoots more pain into my body.
"Thanks for not leaving me behind."
Then she waltzes away. I sigh and close my eyes.
---
"I do not approve of their presence, my lady."
"Ilya said they were honored guests, Sella."
"That man looks like a corpse. How good of a guest is that?"
"Shush, Sella! Have you prepared everything?"
"Yes, my lady."
I open one eye. There... Three homonculi are having an argument. At Ilya's sides stand two maids. One looks at me with a severe expression that makes me feel like she disapproves of my entire self. The other one holds a polite, deadpan face and seems calmer. Sella and Leysritt, I presume. The sunlight indicates to me that the day is already well-advanced. I managed to sleep a bit, but it was a messy trip. Without Saber's presence, the pain was unbearable at times, and I still feel terrible now.
"Ilya? What's up?"
I call out to her with a weak voice. She smiles mischievously. "It's bath time."
... I must have misheard that. "Say what?"
Leysritt answers with a robotic voice. "Ilya is lending you her bathroom. It has a positive effect on wounds."
As nice as it sounds, I'm a bit worried about Ilya's grin. I try to raise my head but only end up having a pain spasm.
"Ugh... I appreciate the thought, but I can't move at the moment."
Sella's voice is much more lively and angry than her colleague's. "Now he is being an impolite corpse. May I throw him out of the window? The fall surely will finish him off."
Ilya shakes her head happily. "You can't do that, Sella. And Benben, I am not leaving you a choice. Get him ready."
"Huh? Woah, hold on!"
The two maids walk to me without a word.
They ignored my protests and now Leysritt is carrying me on her back. My whole body is in pain, but Ilya seems to find that funny, as she leads the group with enthusiasm. The corridor is vast and filled with daylight. I catch a glimpse of a familiar figure ahead.
"Saber... help..."
She stares at me with a perfectly flat expression. "I must rest, Master."
... Okay then. She watches us pass in silence while I focus on not screaming. The Ben-napping goes on as the girls take me through several side corridors and finally reach a door. The white-haired instigator looks at me.
"I'll leave you there. Have fun!"
She dances away, and I am carried to a small room. The odd duo argues after laying me on a table
"What do we do first?"
"It is obvious, Leysritt. Remove the rest of his clothes while I pick up a towel. Be careful, he might try to bite you."
"He cannot move."
"No one is removing anything!"
My protest is completely ignored as Sella walks away and her companion proceeds to strip me off without an ounce of embarrassment.
"Ugh, stop it!"
"Sella is rude, but you are not very cooperative either."
Her voice is completely void of any emotion. I want to protest, but pain assaults my arm again, and nothing else matters anymore. Sella comes back with a white towel and they wrap it around my lower half, reviving a little part of the dignity that was entirely lost in the last ten minutes. They carry me to another nearby room. There lies a... giant bathtub, or a small pool. The steam proves how hot it must be. The room itself is magnificent, with a big window covering one of the walls so that people bathing can look outside. I almost forget my embarrassment for a second, amazed.
Leysritt lays me in the water. There is a step where you can sit, and my feet touch the bottom of the basin without trouble. It must be adapted to Ilya's size, but I manage to be entirely immersed up to my neck. The hot water makes me relax immediately. I'm still in a great pain (that trip down the corridors didn't make things better at all), but damn, I'm almost starting to think it was worth it.
I remember that I'm not alone and turn my head back with difficulty. "Ah... Thanks."
Both stare at me blankly before Sella answers in a sharp tone. "I cannot believe our lady allowed a Master in these walls. I do not know what sort of trick you used on her, but consider yourself blessed by luck."
Leysritt bows her head, still as emotionless. "We live to obey Ilya. As long as she says you are a guest, you will be one."
The other one seems to want to protest, but she ends up sighing. "Then I shall warn you, Saber's Master: if you even think about hurting Ilyasviel, we will kill you without hesitating."
They both leave with that, and I sigh in relief. They are quite creepy, honestly. I stay still after finding the most comfortable position and gather my thoughts.
Berserker fell. Now, only three Masters are fighting for the cup: Kirei, Rin, and me. Kirei has an obvious advantage: two Servants, knowledge about the Grail and a good base. He could kill any of us easily with a bit of strategy, but I doubt that Lancer and Gilgamesh will cooperate.
Rin... She must be doing well. Neither her or Archer used a lot of energy yesterday, so she will probably chase down Lancer, Gilgamesh or us as soon as possible.
As for us, things are looking bad. I doubt Saber will be able to fight, even tomorrow, and if someone attacks us this afternoon or during the night, we will all perish. Our only advantages are a perfect base, the fact that people might believe we died, and having the Holy Grail vessel. No... Kirei must know that we are still alive. I'll bet on the fact that he seems to like me for now. The ideal scenario would be for the two Archers to fight each other. Now that I think of it, Rin doesn't know that Caster fell. I intentionally hid that from her, and that could make her waste more time. I feel my arm burning and groan. The next twenty-four hours will decide if we live or die, it's as simple as that. I'm glad that the castle is hours away from Fuyuki.
I close my eyes and let my mind wander in the steam.
---
Some voices echo behind me.
"... certain this is all right?"
"... grab a towel and wrap yourself in it!"
Wait, those belong to... My mind awakens out of panic, and I check that my towel is still covering what needs to be covered, even if it's underwater. I follow the light sound of footsteps and turn my head back to greet Ilyasviel and Saber. Given the face the latter is making, I doubt that she knew I was still in here.
"B-Ben?!"
Ilya giggles. "It's more fun if we all go in! We will just sit on the opposite side if it embarrasses you."
I could understand why. They are both wearing simple towels, the same as mine, but placed from breasts to thighs for obvious reasons. Ilya seems as upbeat as ever. Saber undid her hair, and, well, I can't help but staring at her. She blushes before answering with as much dignity as she can gather.
"It cannot embarrass me, Ilyasviel. I am a Servant, thus the sight of my body should not be of importance to anyone."
She still walks to the opposite side and makes a special effort to not show me anything. Ilya makes a smug face before following her and going into the water with a sigh of pleasure. The pool is big enough for us three to sit meters away from each other, and I can't really see them clearly with all that steam. Saber submerges herself slowly and has trouble hiding her relief.
"This is the best place ever... Can we stay in this room for the rest of the war?"
Ilya answers me in a cheerful tone. "I doubt that, Ben. Your skin will get all wrinkled if you stay in too long!"
My Servant sighs in disapproval. "Such carelessness... Shall I remind you both in what situation we are in?"
I nod. "Right, Saber, but we do need rest, and this is a blessing."
Ilya interrupts. "I am happy to share this. I always take my baths alone, so even Saber is good company!"
I can clearly feel Saber's glare without seeing it. "Now, what does that mean?"
"I don't like Servants other than Berserker, but you were nice to me, and you are pretty."
"That's... That's not a thing to say out of the blue!"
I swear, give these girls a few hours and they'll be like sisters. Saber speaks up again soon. "Now that I think of it, Ben, how is it that you met the enemy and never told me?"
Her emerald stare pierces the steam and my brain. A brain that activates panic mode and completely abandons me in the process.
"Uh, I..."
"Benben and I had a secret encounter! We were both sneaking out from our servants, so it's fine!"
That explanation doesn't really improve Saber's mood. "You lied to me again... Going to a café with an enemy Master when she had attacked us two days before was uncalled for, even from you."
"I told him we wouldn't fight during daytime! I have some manners, unlike Rin or you."
The cheerfulness fled from Ilya's voice at high speed. Saber doesn't lose her composure. "I would like to hear Ben's defense on this, Ilyasviel."
Damn, I'm here to relax. "Come on, it's been a week. Are you really going to annoy me with that now? It's not like it matters anymore."
"You are dodging the question, Ben."
She can be as dense as a rock at times. I groan. "Well then, Ilya greeted me on the street at random. What should have I done? Attack her right there, knowing she was more dangerous than I would ever be? Calling you with a Command Spell, knowing that she could have had Berserker with her and all the time in the world to kill me?"
She is apparently surprised by my rational arguments. "I did not say that, but-"
"Then what? She wanted to talk, and I saw an opportunity to know another Master better. Honestly, she was really nice too, and that didn't alter my will to fight her, so I don't really see your problem, Saber. Running away or attacking her would've been very stupid moves."
Ilya laughs. "You've lost this round, Saber. I win Benben as a trophy!"
She swims towards me. I cannot escape, let alone move at all. Before I can react, she stands before me, beaming. She's managed to keep her towel on and her gleaming stare makes me feel dizzy for some reason.
"Now, Ben, be my Servant, please? Forget Saber and we will have fun!"
"Ilyasviel!"
Saber joins her in a panic. "What do you think you are doing?"
Ilya turns to her and huffs. "Maybe he would prefer to stay with me rather than an uptight Servant that lectures him all the time."
"Saber..."
I call out to her, but she answers Ilya. "That is nonsensical! You cannot make a human your Servant in the first place!"
"Saber."
"How naive of you to say that. Let me just ask him if you don't believe me. Ben?"
Ilya stares at me expectantly and I smile. "Sorry, Ilya, but Saber is my partner."
She pouts. "I knew you would say that..."
There is a second when I fear for my life, but she ends up shrugging. "As long as you stay with me too, I can share. It's not like she is going to remain here forever..."
I ignore her scary grin and focus on my Servant. "Saber, as I was trying to say... you dropped your towel."
She looks at her naked body and gasps. I try not to stare, but it's becoming harder and harder. To not stare.
"This is... No!"
She swims back to her original spot and puts the towel back on, blushing. Ilya whispers something happily. "What happened to her body not meaning anything? Hmm, Ben?"
I shrug. Fortunately, the heat of the water must be hiding my red face. "Be nice to her, Ilya."
She gives me a sharp stare before swimming back to the other side.
---
"Why did you trust Rin in the first place?"
Ilya speaks again after a long, kind of awkward silence.
"We became allies to defeat you, actually."
I answer her honestly and her tone switches to the one I don't like. "You killed my Berserker, and then they betrayed you. Do you really think you gained anything from this?"
Saber answers this time. "I get that you dislike us for what we did, but remember that you also tried to kill us."
Ilya answers calmly. "I do not hate you. You risked your lives to save me and Benben is funny. If I really disliked your presences, Sella and Leysritt would have killed you right away."
I feel a chill running down my spine. She can be scary when she talks like that.
"And you didn't answer my question. You were both almost killed by your ally!"
It is obviously a painful subject to Saber, given the contrite face she is making. "They betrayed us... I should have taken precautions before the fight."
I need to address this immediately. "We should definitely have planned an escape route, and shown some suspicion to their will to stay that far away. However, they didn't betray us."
Both girls stare at me in confusion. I sigh, picturing that damn red knight in my head.
"They just took the terms of the pact very literally. 'As soon as Berserker falls, we will be enemies'. Rin and I said that exact thing the day before, and countless other times. You can bet that Archer was eager for that moment to happen, since he hated our team that much."
Though given Rin's last words, I can bet Archer told her that I killed Shirou. Whether they'd have done it or not if they had not known will remain a mystery.
"That... That is true, Master, but does this mean that you hold no grudge at all?"
I snort. "Come on, I was pierced everywhere and I still can't move at all. My arm is on fire, even in a nice bath like this one. Of course I'm angry. I just don't feel betrayed. If anything, this will give me all the will to fight I needed against them. We will defeat them without mercy."
Ilya cheers me up. "Well said, Benben! Remember, only I can kill you!"
Saber glares at her. "Please refrain from saying such things, Ilyasviel. And Ben, I only wish you did not need to almost die in order to actually want to fight someone."
I laugh, which is a very bad idea as it sends pain through my whole body and quickly turns into a yell of pain. Saber stands up (holding her towel tightly) and starts walking to me.
"Are you all right? I am sorry, I was just..."
"I'm okay, but you were so right that I couldn't resist laughing."
She narrows her eyes. After all, she never was a big fan of jokes. I can't detach my stare from her beautiful figure standing in the steam. She sighs and sits next to me.
"S-Saber?"
"You should heal better if I am nearby."
She keeps a straight face and measured voice while my brain starts melting.
"Don't channel energy, Saber! I know that you want Benben cured, but right now you need to keep the link between you two balanced."
Ilya says that with a lecturing tone that reminds me of Rin. To my surprise, Saber smiles sweetly. "Thank you, Ilyasviel."
That takes the small girl off guard. "For... For what?"
"For your care and advice. I shall protect you as well as I can when the time comes."
"Hmph." She is blushing. "You better do so!"
She swims near us and lays down to my right, her small body floating. She adds something ominous in a dreamy voice.
"Let's relax while we still can... It's probably the last time."
INTERLUDE
"How brave of you to walk around like this."
The young woman faces him in an empty street. Her voice shows no emotion, but the silent threat is easy to catch.
"Tohsaka. I did not think I would meet you again."
"Do not make a single move. My Servant is ready to kill you on the spot if you show any nasty intent. Understood?"
He hears a small noise behind him and slowly looks in that direction. Her Servant is indeed standing there. The ready to be fired arrow will certainly pierce him if he tries anything.
The man turns back to her, slowly. "Do you have any questions?"
He sounds like a teacher asking that to his students, for good reason.
"Only one, Kuzuki. Where is Caster?"
That surprises him. "Brilliant as you are, I figured you would have known. Caster died three days ago, and I am no longer willing to fight."
He had no interest for the war since the beginning. He was a late addition, as he became Caster's Master after she killed her official one. Trained as a killer from birth, he was an emotionless man. She didn't really change that, but these days with her were the only time in his life when he actually felt alive. Now that she is gone, he is back to being a rotting killer.
"Really? How did she die? We know for sure that you both escaped Berserker."
There is no point in lying, as he does not care about the situation anymore. "She decided to make the church her new workshop after putting me in a safe place."
That makes the girl frown. "... The church? Go on."
"She was killed right after. By whom I do not know, but she died soon after leaving me. Given the time of her death, I take that she was killed in the church itself."
The information seems valuable to her. "That would make sense. I was wondering why there weren't incidents anymore, as she's certainly the kind of person to get back on track after a runaway."
"Will this be all? I do not have anything more to tell you."
She smirks. "Actually, no. You said you weren't interested by the war anymore, didn't you?"
"I did say it."
"Good. The thing is, we are in the last phase and the Servant that killed Caster is still alive. To put it bluntly, I would like you to give me your spare Command Spells."
Is she trying to convince him using revenge? That sort of strategy cannot work on him. Besides...
"I do not have any."
She narrows her eyes. "How is that possible?"
"I never had them. Caster killed her original Master and used me as an anchor."
"Show me your arms."
He does so diligently.
"Damn. Well, thanks for your cooperation. Maybe we'll cross paths again after I win, although it might be better if we don't."
He turns away from her disappointed face. "Goodbye."
They part ways. He could feel relieved, unscathed after being threatened by a Master, but that is not the case. He never feels anything. He followed Caster because she asked him to and she gave a purpose to his existence for a small moment. The night falls as he silently walks back to his small house. He unlocks the door and walks through what looks like a place someone just moved to, although he's been living here for years. He does not need any kind of entertainment or luxury.
Someone is sitting on the lone couch.
"There you are... I swear, I'm really the chore boy of this war."
The slender man stands up and dusts himself off before glaring at Kuzuki, his red eyes flashing.
"Lancer."
He knows that Servant, as he fought him once. He felt like the knight was only scouting, but he doubts that he is here for the same purpose tonight.
"Yup. Long story short, I'm here to clean up the last remains of the losing team. Curse your weakness in the afterlife."
He summons his lance as the teacher takes a fighting stance, perfectly aware of the fact that he cannot match a Servant without Caster's buffs.
Lancer keeps on complaining. "You were a good match last time, but I bet this won't happen either, eh? Man, where is my fun in all this?"
He thrusts his spear onwards. Kuzuki mastered a martial art specialized in fighting armed opponents, but lances are harder to deal with, as they are literally a moving single point, unlike swords. Still, he manages to step aside and grab the baton, surprising his opponent. He takes advantage of the momentum gain and reaches for the head with his free hand. His speed wasn't being buffed when he fought with Caster. Lancer thought the opposite and underestimated him, but it stops there. After a quick punch to the temple that would have killed any normal person, the Servant groans and kicks him away, sending him flying to the wall. Before he can react, the lance pierces his heart mercilessly.
"Damn, you really were a troublesome man. Giving info to the enemy too... Ha! What's done is done. That was a nice last move, you can draw your last breath with honor."
He smiles at the agonizing man, who does not react. He has lost and will die in a matter of seconds, feeling as empty as ever. His last thoughts are Caster's worried face. If he had ever had one wish, it would have been to see her win.
INTERLUDE OUT
We eventually got out of the bath. The girls left first and let Sella and Leysritt carry me around again. They dried my body up with diligence and even left me some space to vomit with all my might. I guess eating with a messed up stomach was a bad call. I was given new pants, but kept topless so that my wounds could breathe. Now I am back in the bed. The bath had a positive effect, although having it with Saber and Ilya was... a bit too much. Damn, Ben, this is not the time. The afternoon is getting to an end, and I still can't stand on my own. I've thought about tightening my seal, but I quickly realized why Saber hadn't done it as soon as she could: without the additional energy, we are doomed for now. Thus I have to endure regular prana bursts that send waves of pain through my whole body.
There is a soft knock at my door. Only one person would bother doing that.
"Saber? Come in."
My Servant enters the room. She is back to her usual clothes and did her hair too. She seems less weakened than this morning and I hope it isn't just a facade. Seeing her warms my heart but also makes that towel incident harder to push aside.
"Ben, can we have a talk? There are some topics we need to discuss."
That reminds me of the first time we sat down and talked, back in the dojo. That was forever ago, though. I smile at her from the bottom of my heart.
"Ah, yes. There is actually something I want to talk about. Sit down with me."
I tap the side of the bed. She blushes slightly but obeys, sitting next to my legs.
"Then I shall listen to you first. What is on your mind?"
I've been thinking, and now seems like the perfect time to get back to a particular topic.
"Saber... Arturia, this is probably the last calm moment we will spend together. No matter what happens next, I want to appreciate it while I can."
She looks away. "Do not speak like that... This war is far from over."
I doubt that, but I don't want to argue at the moment. "All this to say... I have a request."
"I shall do what I can to fulfill it."
I ponder about how I could formulate it, but decide to go straight to the point. "I want to know your story."
Her eyes open widely. "My...? I believe you said you knew my legend well!"
"I know King Arthur's legend. I want your own story. Please, Saber. We've been fighting together for more than a week, and I'd really like to know you more. I know that it is a selfish request."
She lowers her head and hesitates. "It is selfish... However, I have no reason to hide things from you. Very well, Ben, I shall tell you what led me here."
I wish I could do the same...
The girl that became a king starts narrating her past life in a calm voice.
Arturia Pendagron was born during the Dark Ages, as the heir of Uther Pendragon. Britain had been abandoned by the Roman empire and was fragmented into smaller countries. As the legitimate heir couldn't be a girl, she was placed under Merlin's protection. Believing in the prophecy about the child that would save the country, he swore to take care of her until the promised day would come. She was raised by a wise knight named Sir Ector. He didn't share Merlin's opinion on the prophecy, but he felt the regal aura she carried and decided to train her as a knight. He did not need to put any effort into that, since the child trained harder and harder every day by herself to be stronger than anyone. She firmly believed that a strong king would save a country in ruins without needing anyone to tell her so.
"Then, the day of the king's selection arrived."
I interrupt her for the first time. "I love that part. It was Caliburn, right?"
Her expression softens as she nods, but it quickly comes back to serious. "Knights from all around the country gathered to the trial location. They all were expecting a traditional joust, but what awaited them was the sword of the rock."
She says the next words in a solemn tone. "'Whosoe'er pulleth out this sword of this stone is rightwise king born of England'. They all tried, but the blade would not budge. After that, they opted for jousting, but as an apprentice, I could not take part in it."
She looks at the window. "As such, I walked to the sword. I could feel it, Ben... I could feel it was calling me. As I laid my hand on the handle, Merlin gave me a warning."
He told her that as soon as she would pull out Caliburn, she would no longer be a human. She knew that already. The king killed people to protect people. The king needed to stand above emotions and concerns. She had understood all that, and she knew that it was her role. I can picture her, standing in front of the lone rock, right before becoming a legend. I naively thought that she was a normal girl before being crowned, but I realize that... Saber was always Saber, at least a part of her.
The sword was pulled out as if it were only natural to do so, and the area was filled with light. She became something not human in that instant.
The king's gender doesn't matter, and no one will care about the king's appearance or even notice it as long as the king acts like one. She took Camelot as a home, and surrounded herself with knights that would become almost as famous as her. Her body stopped aging, and some found it ominous. Most people saw it as a good sign, though. The king was blessed by the fairies and immortal. Only a very few people knew the truth about her gender, including her wife Guinevere.
I grin. "Your wife, eh?"
Saber gives me her trademark glare. "This was out of obligation, Ben."
The king would cover herself in steel all the time, hiding the truth from her knights. Some had suspicions, but dismissed them as they saw how she led her armies. Ten years of reign, twelve victories. Arturia became a god of war, always fighting on the front line and leading her troops with mastery. Many innocents would die under her reign because of the chaotic era the country was thrown into. People needed a strong king, so that's what she became, completely annihilating what was left of humanity in her.
For each step she took on the path to being an ideal ruler, she distanced herself from humanity. She was beyond people's feelings, and one knight uttered that she could not understand her people. She had been balancing the country affairs perfectly, punishing those who needed to be so without a mistake and killed more people than anyone. All this without a regret.
I sigh. "They wanted you to be perfect, but then complained?"
She looks downcast. "I suppressed my emotions and failed to notice the crack opening up. Treason came from the inside, as you probably know. Lancelot and Guinevere loved each other, and I had to execute her in the end. I had forgiven them both, but I still had to punish the crime, as a ruler."
I try to lighten the mood a bit. "Damn, and I lied to you... I feel very brave, suddenly."
She pouts. "This is no laughing matter, Ben! Why am I even telling you all this?"
"Sorry. Go on."
When she was away to lead another battle, Avalon was stolen, and she came back to find her country torn by civil unrest. She had to fight her own army in the last battle of Camlann, and was mortally wounded by the knight Mordred.
"The crack has opened up. As I was dying, Sir Bedivere escorted me to a holy island, and I ordered him to throw Excalibur back to the Lady of the Lake. Then, I made a pact to become a heroic spirit, as I already explained to you."
There is a long pause. I knew all that, but hearing it from her is entirely different. I am currently at a loss of words. The pain pulsating through my brain doesn't help either.
"I... I fought Lancelot during the past war."
Her expression makes my heart sink. I reach out for her hand with my right one and she lets me hold it without a protest.
"What happened, Saber?"
"I thought that he hated me, for valid reasons. However, his last words still haunt me to this day. 'I just wanted to be judged by you'. If I had shown him anger, or any emotion, rather than remaining steeped in self-righteousness... he would not have fallen into madness."
She looks at me with teary eyes, which is a shock. I've never seen her losing her composure so much. "Do you understand, Ben? I could not save my people, nor my country. I looked too far ahead and forgot who was standing behind me. Britain was back to chaos when I fell, and I accomplished nothing but destruction."
She grits her teeth. "I have sinned more than anyone. My wish is to never have picked Caliburn, as a better suited king might have actually saved Britain."
"Saber... but what would everyone that fought at your side become? Do you really want to erase all these accomplishments, only to bet on an unknown alternate future?"
"They would have a chance to know a better fate. My decision is taken, Ben."
"Okay, but what would you become if that happens? Accomplishing your wish, vanishing from history, and becoming a Servant forever? Is that really what you want? Urgh...!"
I hold on to my seal, as a particularly nasty bolt of pain assaults me. Saber flinches. I guess she must feel it through our connection.
"Ben... To answer your question, I have no importance. King Arthur failed and will vanish. No one will miss him as a better ruler will take his place."
"I will."
That stops her. "You..."
"I will miss you! I just... I just can't imagine you disappearing and ending up all alone like this! You are important to me."
She looks at me with intensity for a moment. For once, I hold her stare. Then, she stands up and walks in front of the bed, staring at me with a gentle expression.
"Saber...?"
"I thank you for your care, Ben. You are a person that I definitely enjoyed serving."
Wait... why is she using the past tense? I wish I could stand up and walk to her, but the pain is almost unbearable right now.
"However, it does not change my oath. I will obtain the Holy Grail, one day, and become a full Servant. I could not save anyone, but I can still save you."
She's genuinely scaring me now. "What?! What do you mean? Ugh..."
Goddamnit, body, stop!
Her green eyes shine with determination. "I have taken a decision. You are likely to die if you remain in that state, thus the only solution is to tighten your seal."
She starts walking to me as my mind crashes. No way...
"This will slow down the healing of the wounds due to Archer and you won't emit enough energy to keep me in this world. However, I can use the rest of my own to heal you fully, extract Avalon, and leave. You will have enough energy to escape this dangerous city along with Ilyasviel."
My heart shatters. She's coming closer!
"There's no way I will allow that! Where the hell does that idea come from?"
She narrows her eyes. "I have infinite tries, but you only have one life. If I can save you, it is my duty to not hesitate. Now, Ben, hold still. I shall do my best."
She extends her hand towards me...
"Don't touch it!"
My shout must have echoed in the whole castle. There is an intense red light flashing, and my Servant is pushed back violently against the wall. She looks at me in confusion.
"Saber? I..."
She does not give me any chance to continue, as she leaves the room with an expression I'd rather not have seen. I raise my right hand and look at its back. One less Command Spell. I don't regret using it at all, though. I will end this war at her side. Before I can start thinking about the situation, my body punishes me for using magic.
"Agh!"
I flinch. Tears roll, but they aren't all due to the physical pain.
INTERLUDE - SABER
The knight aimlessly wanders in the castle corridors, greatly shaken by what just happened.
"How could he...?"
A voice echoes behind her, answering her muttering. "Why are you walking around like this, Saber?"
She turns back to face Ilyasviel, ready to hide her mental state. "I just needed some time to think. What are you doing?"
The small girl pouts. "This is my home... Also, I heard Ben shouting, so I was worried."
"There is nothing to worry about, Ilyasviel."
Her voice does not sound convinced at all, and she is surprised by how weak it is. She has been replenishing some energy through the day, but she feels empty, somehow.
Ilyasviel gives her a comprehensive smile. "Come with me. I know somewhere that's good for when you are sad."
Her mature expression takes Saber off guard, and she silently follows her. They soon reach a big balcony that allows them to see a large portion of the forest. The sun is setting.
"I already came here with your mother and Kiritsugu."
Bitter memories come back to her mind. She fought in this forest, and her Master kept disrespecting her.
"Kiritsugu, the traitor... We were both stabbed in the back by his actions from ten years ago. Are you making this face because of the past, Saber?"
Is there a point in hiding the truth? As a knight, lying to an ally would be unacceptable, but it is the fact that the girl seems to genuinely care that pushes Saber to answer honestly.
"I am not. It is because of my Master."
"I heard what he screamed. What didn't he want you to touch?"
She smiles at that but Saber does not understand why. "His seal."
Her eyes widen. "You wanted to loosen it more?"
"O-Of course not! I wanted to tighten it. He is going to die if I do not take any measure."
"Really? His wounds are healing up just fine. His prana overflow is the biggest problem, but tightening the seal would certainly be bad for your Servant-Master link, wouldn't it?"
"You are sharp... However, Benjamin only has one life, while I have as many tries as I want. I planned on tightening the seal and healing him with the rest of my energy."
"That is depressing... Was that scream due to your plan?"
The Servant looks at the sunset. "Yes. He used a Command Spell with such determination that I doubt I will be able to ever touch that thing again. I do not understand him."
That is answered in matter-of-fact tone. "Yet you are happy with that outcome, aren't you?"
She looks back at the narrowed red eyes, confused. "How did you even come to that conclusion?"
Ilyasviel smiles happily. "I haven't known Benben for long, but he seems pretty stubborn. You knew that he would be against it. Since he was unable to move, you could have done what you were planning without announcing it first. If you were sure of your own feelings, that is."
"That's..."
She is speechless. She hadn't thought about this at all, but her companion makes a valid point there.
"I... was unsure?"
Ilyasviel walks to her side. "It's just my opinion, Saber. It is pretty clear from an external point of view. What saddens you in the end?"
That is easier to answer. "He is putting his own life after mine, although I am his Servant."
For some reason, it makes the small girl giggle.
"Ilyasviel?"
"People do absurd things for the ones they love."
That makes her brain stop for a second, as if all the blood keeping it active went to her cheeks instead.
"Do not say such irrelevant things, please."
She dances around her with a childish cheerfulness. "Benben is unlucky to like a person so slow! Even I noticed how he looked at you."
"There is nothing of the..."
She interrupts herself and gives it more thought. He has always acted weird towards her and rarely treated her as a Servant.
"If you fall, I fall too."
That sentence he said still makes no sense to her. Ilya's smug face is starting to be unsettling. "Don't you like him? You were planning on sacrificing yourself in order for him to live, after all."
"That is only my role as a Servant!"
"Hmm..."
She hums happily for a while, as Saber tries to regain her composure.
"Say, Saber, I have an idea..."
"What is it?"
The small girl hugs her right arm in an affectionate manner.
"I-Ilyasviel?"
"I like you now! For a Servant, you are a lovely being. You know what plan could work out?"
The praise embarrasses her, but curiosity takes over. "Please enlighten me."
"Have Ben give up on his rights as a Master, make a pact with me and we will have all the energy we need to heal him up for good and tighten his seal!"
She takes Saber's hand and faces her. "My wish was to avenge my family, but since the Emiyas died, I can win the Holy Grail for you two!"
The more Saber thinks about it, the more appealing this plan sounds on the logical side. She would gain access to a huge prana pool, her Master would be safe and they could win the Holy Grail War more easily. However...
Ilyasviel voices it before her with a bitter smile. "He would never accept, would he?"
Saber shakes her head. "He would not. Stubborn as he is, I bet that he would rather fight to his own death than give up on his rights as a Master. Also..."
She blushes again. "Sorry, Ilyasviel, but I do not wish for another Magus to be my Master for this war."
Instead of taking offense, the girl smiles as if she has just won a prize. "See? I was right. You two cannot be separated."
The knight gasps. "Was the only purpose of that suggestion to gauge my emotions?"
"Hmhm. I'm glad you admitted it. Plus, I couldn't be your Master. As the end of the war approaches, I take in more and more Servant souls."
Her face turns back to serious. "I took a bath with you, but I could not feel the heat of it. I don't feel the taste of the food either. Soon, I won't even be able to walk on my own. That is my fate as a vessel."
Saber knows that too well. Irisviel's body deteriorated badly after Servants started dying in the last war.
"I am... sorry, Ilyasviel. I am bothering you when you have to deal with such a burden."
The girl shakes her head. "Don't apologize. Helping you two makes me feel a bit better. I will fulfill my role without a regret."
"Understood."
Both look back to the fading sunset, and Saber is still lost. Ben is being unreasonable, but is she really as objective as she believes to be?
Ilyasviel looks at her. "Do you know what you will do now?"
"I will... stay with him until the end. We will face any threat, no matter what our condition is. If no one attacks us during the night, I should be able to fight properly tomorrow."
Using her Noble Phantasm will be out of the question, however. She is perfectly aware of that, and all the remaining Servants are almost impossible to kill without using it. Still, as long as she stands, she can fight.
She gives a small hug to Ilyasviel. "Thank you for your help. My mind is clearer now."
The small girl hugs her back and speaks in a dreamy voice. "You think too much, Saber... Be yourself."
They separate soon and the Servant walks back to the stairs, thinking about that last advice.
"Saber?"
She turns back to the balcony. "What is it?"
The white hair flutters around as she fidgets. "You know about other ways of replenishing energy, don't you?"
Her mouth hangs open in shock. "You..."
"Ah, of course you do, sorry. Good night!"
After a pause, she heads back to her Master's room. Of course there is a way of strengthening the bond between a Master and a Servant without consuming magical energy, but it is... She does not know if it would be appropriate. For now, she shall focus on taking care of him in non-embarrassing ways.
She pushes the door open, and finds him lying on his back, exactly like when she left. He seems to be asleep and she can see traces of tears on his cheeks. His left arm is full of dark marks made by his destroyed nerves. Even if they tightened the seal, it would never go back to normal again. It is her fault if he loosened it that much. She curses her own failure and sits on the side of the bed before putting her hand on his chest.
INTERLUDE OUT
I fall into a semi-sleep, filled with bad dreams and pain. Most of them involve Saber disappearing. She tried to leave me... Did I fail that much? As I wake up, I realize that the pain has slightly gone away. My partner is sitting next to me. The night has fallen and I can't decipher her expression clearly.
"Saber..."
My eyes are still wet from crying earlier, and I feel a bit ashamed.
"Rest, Ben. I will watch over you and make sure you get better."
I shake my head. "I need to talk to you."
She stays silent, telling me without a word that she will listen with attention.
"You said you had failed your mission as a Servant yesterday, but that's wrong. You saved me. You also saved me when Berserker attacked us on the first night, when Rider attacked me, when Caster tried to burn me down..."
She hesitates before answering. "Your Command Spell saved us the last time."
"No. Don't you get it? Avalon has saved my life countless times already. As you said, I would have died immediately after Archer's attack without it."
I take a breath, fighting against the latent pain. "The lost sheath is yours, and your energy runs through me to keep me alive. It isn't a feeling that I want to lose. You could have kept it for yourself and become an invincible Servant, but you shared your power with me."
"You are putting too much value on that act..."
"You wanted to sacrifice your wish for me earlier, Saber. I won't allow that. We will fight together until the end, even if I have to crawl. I know that I'm a mess right now, but it's already better than this morning. Tomorrow, I should be able to walk and only have to deal with the prana bursts. I'm sorry about that, they must be painful for you too."
"No! It is nothing compared to what you are enduring. And your arm..."
She looks at it with concern. I smile. "Yeah, pretty ugly eh? Rin would be mad if she..."
I can't finish my sentence. As strong as I may act, I liked being Rin's friend. I must manage to suppress that feeling.
Saber makes an unusually heavy sigh. "You are as stubborn as ever, Master. Lending you Avalon was definitely a good move, since we would have lost early because of your recklessness."
"Heh, that's true. Still... you saved me."
I look straight into her green eyes. "My will hasn't faltered. I want to fight this war with you to the end."
She blushes and looks away. "That makes little sense. Have you ever seen me as a Servant?"
"... Not really. I'm not fond of the system. You are my companion, partner, however you want to call it. I wanted to be a proper Master but... I couldn't do it after meeting you. I see you as a proud king and a strong woman, not as a tool. Is that bad?"
"That's..."
The door opens. Saber interrupts herself and looks at the intruder.
"Ilyasviel?"
The small girl walks to us slowly with a blank expression that really worries me. Did someone break into the forest?
"Ilya, what's happening?"
Her eyes meet mine and her voice shakes. "I'm... not feeling too well..."
As Saber stands up to check on her, the vessel passes out and falls on the ground.
---
Sella and Leysritt came to Ilya's rescue and carried her to her room. I don't know what state we will find her in the morning, and that thought depresses me.
Saber is standing at the window, looking outside. "Let us hope that no enemy attacks the castle during the night."
I nod. "The maids said they would be on watch. The castle is also pretty hard to find, so there's a good chance that we won't be disturbed, I think."
"That is a good point, Ben. We still need to be careful."
She walks to my side and draws a chair near the side of the bed. I raise an eyebrow. "What are you doing now?"
She tilts her head. "The same as always... What is wrong?"
"You need as much rest as possible. Get some sleep."
That makes her frown. "I refuse to go to a separate room when we could be attacked."
"I know that, silly. This bed is large enough for us to fit in. It's not like we haven't slept in the same one before."
I can see her blushing under the moonlight. "That's..."
"Please. I'm convinced that this is our last peaceful night. Let's just rest as well as we can."
"Understood."
I get to the left side of the bed while she undoes her hair. She lifts the blankets and gets into it before lying on her back. For once I am not embarrassed, rather happy to have her nearby. I must enjoy these moments while I still can, even in such a state.
"How are your wounds?"
I turn my head to the right and our stares cross. "They've healed up well, thanks to the prana flow. My biggest concern now is the seal's instability. Is it painful for you?"
"It is not, however the random bursts could be a burden in a fight. Now that I cannot tighten it anymore, I will just have to stand them."
She pouts in a cute manner.
"Ah, sorry about that, Saber. I just couldn't stand the idea of you disappearing before our victory."
"You care too much about me, and not enough about yourself."
A shadow crosses her face. "At first I thought you gave the same value to both of our lives, but the more we advance, the more I feel that it is even worse than that."
How can I answer that? Would I value my life more if my death was real? Perhaps it wouldn't change anything. I think I would have led the same war if I had belonged to this world, because of her.
"I cannot devaluate a life. Of course I value yours as much as mine."
"I knew it... You are aware that I do not actually die if I vanish, aren't you?"
I reach out to her, slowly, and touch her shoulder. "What are you talking about? You exist here. If you vanish, you are dead for me. I will not see you again, and I won't be able to spend such moments with you. It isn't much different from death."
She is speechless for a moment. Her expression becomes emotional. "Still, I will be gone when the war ends. You have definitely put too much value in my existence."
I remove my hand and shrug. "I'm compensating for you not caring about it, in some way."
A sigh. "You really are impossible... I talked with Ilyasviel after our argument."
That's what she was doing... "What did she say?"
"She gave me some advice. I had always pictured her as an enemy, but she is a sweet person. She made me understand why you took such strange decisions."
She gives me a serious look. "Following your heart is not necessarily bad, though please do not give it to the wrong person."
Said heart skips a beat without my permission.
"Saber..."
"It makes more sense if I look at your behavior that way."
I gulp. "Ilya is sharp, isn't she? I... Well, it's not exactly wrong."
She comes back to a seated position and stares at me with a disturbing intensity.
"Speak clearly, Ben."
"I... might have fallen for you on the way."
There, I said it. Her eyes widen. "I told you my past, and my oath... This is unfair. You know what awaits me, yet you are telling me something like this?"
I nod. "I am. It's not something I can control."
There is a long silence before she lies down again, rolls to the left and puts a hand on my heart, exactly like two days ago.
"Saber?"
"Shhh."
She relaxes while cuddling with me and speaks up after a moment. "I cannot answer such feelings, as I am your Servant. I am here to win this war at your side, and nothing else. I cannot betray my oath."
I refrain from yelling at her that her wish is stupid with difficulty. Her next words come out in a broken voice.
"I am sorry. Really..."
The hand on my chest tightens its grip, and I feel something wet against my arm. Tears... I move it behind her back in order to pull her closer, and she lets me do so without a protest.
"I... I understand."
I can feel her mouth curling up. "I told you to stop lying..."
It is kind of hard to hear such words when she's that close to me. A long moment passes and I'm starting to think she's fallen asleep, but she speaks up hesitantly.
"Ben?"
"Hmm?"
"Ilyasviel mentioned... something else."
"What was it?"
She hesitates before pulling back from the embrace.
"Uh, Saber?"
"There is another way... I just had trouble accepting it until now."
The only way I know of is using physical energy rather than magical. Which means... She stands up and locks the door before facing the bed. Her cheeks are red, and her green eyes are looking everywhere except me. She starts undoing the buttons of her outfit, slowly. I can't take my eyes off her.
"Do not stare that much, please..."
That request is completely ignored as her clothes fall on the ground, revealing her slender, pale body. It isn't like this afternoon... The atmosphere is completely different. She walks to the side of the bed and gets back under the blankets.
"We can strengthen our bond and get some energy back via this method... We should do everything we can to win."
I turn to my right side with difficulty and look at her. Her shoulders are trembling.
"Saber..."
I motion her to approach, keeping my painful left arm raised. She gives me a small nod and comes near me. I embrace her as softly as I can. Feeling her skin against mine drives my mind insane. Her voice echoes against my chest.
"I know that I am not a pretty woman like Rin. The sight of a warrior's body is unrefined, and I have too much muscle. I..."
I force her to raise her head and look at me. "Stop. You are a beautiful person, no matter what you believe."
"Ben... but even so... I just told you harsh things, and now we are like this... I feel like I am playing with you, and I do not like it."
The situation is certainly weird, but I can't really complain. My reason is drifting away, but I try to keep it afloat a bit more.
"This night is probably the last quiet one we'll have. If we can make it unforgettable, let's do so. I will let you go at the end of the war, but right now, you are mine."
She gasps as I hug her more tightly. "Ben... That's..."
"Are you having second thoughts? We can stop immediately if you want to."
She looks at me, pouting. "I am not. You should know that I abide by my own decisions."
That makes me laugh quietly. "I know that for sure. I just don't want us to do it out of obligation. Do you mind doing such a thing with me?"
There's a pause as she avoids my gaze. "... No, Ben, I do not mind."
INTERLUDE - RIN
"Wasn't the church a better track to follow, given what that Master said?"
"Are you still going on about that, Archer? I want to check out this place, and... the air is really heavy here. Can't you feel it?"
The Servant crosses his arms. She made him materialize so that they could draw attention. Tonight is hunting night.
"You are right, Rin. It is probably linked to the war getting to an end, but this temple won't certainly remain quiet for too long."
"We agree then. Besides, we should avoid the church for now. We're lacking knowledge about what Servant might live there, and if Kirei really is a Master, we shouldn't approach him without a plan."
Archer snickers. "Such caution."
"We will talk about this later. This is not a place to hold a strategy meeting. Do you feel anything?"
"I am not hiding my presence, as you requested. For now, the boundary field is troubling my senses."
The night has just started, and the sky is ominous. Now that she has all her Command Spells and a Servant at full power, she has no reason to remain inactive. If an enemy answers their call, they will strike them down without hesitating. It doesn't take too long for their plan to work out, as someone appears at the gate. Rin narrows her eyes... This is...
Archer steps forward. "Gilgamesh."
The enemy carries an aura as frightening as last time, and Rin backs away with caution.
"I do not believe I ever introduced myself to you, faker. Could it be that... Ah, it must be that Magus' doing."
Is he talking about... The dots start connecting in her head, but now is definitely not the time. Archer remains silent and focused as Gilgamesh advances.
"It is fortunate that you showed yourself like this. I shall not be summoned in such a crude manner unless the offender needs punishment."
He emits a murderous intent that sends shivers down her spine and glares at Archer. "You mocked the king's treasure and claimed my possession, Saber, when you took down the one that thought he owned her. You stepped in my territory."
Archer answers in his usual mocking tone. "I told you before, I have no king. Man, such ego will only consume you."
There is no Master standing next to the king of heroes, but Rin was expecting it. The Archer class' speciality is independent action, and she's still uncertain that he is actually a pure Servant.
"Enough. I sentence you to death, sham."
Numerous weapons appear above him. They are all Noble Phantasms, and Rin can't think of a way to counter them. However, Archer revealed himself to be specialized in projection magic. She recalls a conversation they had earlier that day about this particular opponent, and now she knows how it must go.
If the plan works, they have no reason to lose.
INTERLUDE OUT
INTERLUDE - ARCHER
The red knight's mocking expression turns to pure focus.
"I am the bone of my sword."
He starts his chant and analyzes all the visible weapons in an instant. As Gilgamesh fires them, he fires the exact same amount back at him, like that night. The attacks cancel each other, but it was just a warmup. The golden Servant laughs.
"Ha! You can certainly reproduce what you see, though I doubt you can hold that rhythm for too long. Let us see..."
"Steel is my body and fire is my blood."
Twice as many weapons appear. None of them are particularly powerful, as Gilgamesh seems to be only counting on numbers. Archer uses the same counter but draws his bow right after, firing a barrage of arrows at the king. A shield immediately appears in front of him and blocks them all.
"I do not know what spell you are preparing, lowlife, but do not think I will allow it."
Gilgamesh could aim at Rin to take the advantage, but he seems to have made a personal affair of dealing with Archer, which is perfect for them. As he smiles arrogantly, two big halberds appear above his head. Archer copies their basic structure in an instant and they are shot almost simultaneously. However...
"This shall make a quite ironic end for you."
Using the clash of the big weapons as a diversion, Gilgamesh shoots a single sword at Archer's feet. His keen eye saves him and allows him to jump high above the landing impact, as the twisted sword he knows too well explodes. The shockwave still reaches him, but the wound is minor.
"Kaladbolg? Damn, he really is no pushover."
He summons a wave of swords and throws them at Gilgamesh to cover his landing. They are countered easily, and the Servant looks at him with confidence.
"That is what I thought. Your limits are really easy to reach, faker."
"I have created over a thousand blades."
He ignores the remark and continues the chant. He needs to finish it before the opponent starts to take him seriously. His energy rises and the king's smile drops.
"Let me show you the difference in our ranks, mongrel."
He snaps a finger and his attack method changes. The swords are now shot continuously as if the enemy were using the deadliest automatic weapon, and Archer certainly cannot keep up with that rhythm. He extends a hand.
"Rho Aias!"
The flower-shaped shield appears. It will take on any regular weapon without a scratch. The torrent of steel crashes on it, sending pain through his arm. He must hurry.
"Unknown to Death
Nor known to Life."
He hears an exclamation of surprise from the enemy before calling his Master via telepathy.
"Rin, make sure you're within its range as well."
"Yes, Archer."
Their plan involves her being caught in the Reality Marble, as risky as it may be. He feels her approaching from behind.
"Have withstood pain to create many weapons"
The barrage stops, and Gilgamesh raises a hand. "To think I would use my mightiest treasures against a sham..."
A single sword flies at Rho Aias. Archer knows it too well. It is Gram, the sword from which Excalibur and Caliburn originated. There is no way he could project that, so he has to endure it. It hits the shield violently, releasing a wave of energy.
"Ugh-"
Petals are destroyed one after one, and blood starts dripping from his arm. His body is linked to the shield, and he should survive the hit if it resists.
"Yet... those hands will never hold anything..."
Four petals are destroyed before the sword disappears. Archer casts off the shield as Gilgamesh glares at him. There is a heavy silence during which they gauge each other, then the golden hero raise a hand.
"Now die."
"So as I pray, Unlimited Blade Works."
"What?"
INTERLUDE OUT
INTERLUDE - RIN
A ring of fire engulfs them all as the spell is completed. The scenery changes to a wasteland filled with swords, and huge gears can be seen in the sky. Rin stares at it in awe and finds it extremely sad. It is the land of someone that fought alone to the end.
Gilgamesh doesn't show as much interest. "A Reality Marble? Is that what you were hiding? I do not see how this changes anything."
Floating weapons are summoned above him again, but before they can even appear entirely, as many fly from the ground and destroy them.
"... Bastard, what have you done?"
The king is beyond angry now. Rin gulps. If he wasn't being serious until now, he will definitely go all out. Archer stares at him with a cold expression.
"It is simple, king of heroes. As you are an owner, I am a maker. Those concepts seem different, but they are closely linked in a battle like this."
His presence completely changed, and Rin can't help being amazed. Maybe he wasn't bluffing when saying he could beat anyone. That trick is certainly using a lot of her prana, but it's worth it.
"Do not compare your pale imitations to my treasures!"
"Imitations? Ah, surely they are not as mighty as your legendary items. Do you really think that it will matter in this place?"
He closes his eyes and smiles. "I have nothing more to say to you. Drown in your gigantic ego and regret crossing the path of the perfect counter to your powers incarnated."
Gilgamesh's arrogant facade breaks. "Do not think too highly of yourself, peasant!"
The amount of summoned swords is incomparable to the previous waves, but they are all countered again. Archer doesn't leave him the time to breathe and calls forth two giant blades that fly at him. The king steps back for the first time to dodge, but the red knight dashes after him, grabbing a longsword on the way. Gilgamesh summons a black sword in his hand and repels the direct attack with a powerful blow. Archer stares at the blade.
"Dainslief? I see, you compensate your poor swordsmanship with the most powerful weapons you can find."
"Bastard..."
A barrage of swords fly at him, but they are repelled again. Archer calls for his own to surround Gilgamesh, and they fly to him from every direction. He summons a shield in time, but some of them manage to harm him, which finishes off his patience.
"Take this!"
A sphere made of small gates appears around Archer. Using his quick reflexes and accurate vision, he manages to counter them again. It seems to cost him a lot of prana, though, and Rin knows that this fight must not go on for too long. Her Command Spell throbs. They must finish Gilgamesh off as soon as possible.
"You are stronger than me here..."
The golden knight admits the truth before throwing Dainslief along with other swords to Archer. They are countered again, but it is just a diversion. Rin sees it and calls her Servant mentally.
"Archer! He is pulling out something odd!"
"I saw. Now is the time, Rin."
That spinning sword is ominous. Deeply, Rin knows that if it's used, they will both perish in a single strike. It is probably Gilgamesh's ultimate weapon.
"Face the mightiest weapon in existence, lowlife!"
"Anfang!"
Rin puts some energy into her legs, recalling a conversation she had with Archer earlier that day.
"So, your Reality Marble can lock him up?"
"Yes, Rin, in theory. From what I've seen, I will be able to act faster than him, since he has to summon his weapons, and mine will be ready to strike."
She clapped her hands happily. "That means we can totally beat him!"
He was quick to temper her enthusiasm. "I doubt it will be that easy. Such hero has obviously more trump cards than that chain. He probably owns a few weapons that I can't counter. We need to come up with a plan."
They thought about it for a while, until Rin recalled something Ben had said days ago.
"There is... something we can do."
Now, the situation that they feared is happening, but the plan can unfold. She had ten B-rank jewels at the beginning of the war. She used six in the two fights against Berserker, and one against Saber. She takes two wind ones in her hand and dashes at high speed towards the enemy. He spots her too late, focused as he is on Archer.
"What are you-"
She throws them directly at him. He shouldn't have a high resistance to magic, given his class.
"Zwei, drei!"
The two jewels explode against a hastily summoned shield, but their goal wasn't to hurt him. The flash blinds him for the second that they need.
"By my Command Spell, I order you, Archer... teleport behind him."
It happens in an instant. Before the king can recover, the twin blades pierces his chest from behind. Blood comes out of his mouth.
"Command... Spell?"
Archer enlarges the hole without mercy and calls other blades to pierce Gilgamesh's body from every spot. The golden Servant falls on the ground.
"Im... possible... Me, killed by an unknown man and his owner?"
The red knight raises Kanshou. "Killed by your ego. If you had pulled out your sword from the beginning, you would have defeated us easily."
"Curse you... Archer. I hope you drown in the filthy contents of the cup."
The short sword cuts off his head, and his body disappears. After casting off Unlimited Blade Works, the winner sighs.
"That was close... I didn't expect that plan to work out. I guess Saber's Master was useful to us in a way."
She glares at him. "Stop with that. Let's get home before another enemy catches us."
He carries her to make sure they leave as fast as possible.
"By the way, Archer... Good job."
"I told you you would regret praising Saber eventually."
INTERLUDE OUT
"That was... Did you feel it?"
"Yeah... I guess it worked."
She smiles and kisses my cheek tenderly before falling asleep. I follow her soon, exhausted.
To be continued in Day 9 - The Bitter Reunion
"I want to tell you what I am. Who I am."
"It is time to end the play."
"I, Arturia Pendragon, King of Britain, will face and defeat you now."
"Lay... seh... moah... entray..."
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