Saber, Lancer, and their masters sat in their shared base going over the events of the war.
“Caster,” Andrea, Lancer’s master, started, “has been killed.”
Saber clenched his fist in fear. Despite having two knight classes they had held off on attacking Caster. His defenses had been impenetrable.
“How!” Lancer shouted banging her fist on the table. “The only servant I would have believed could come close to beating him is Rider and we would have sensed it if he went all out.”
“Assassin.” Andrea said. “I had my familiars examine the scene and many there were what looked like bullet holes throughout the area.
Saber’s blood ran even colder. An Assassin that could break through those defenses. What hope did their base have of holding them off.
Andrea continued. “The stalemate has now been broken and we have out first casualty. We have to decide who we want to go after first.”
What? They just found out Assassin is even more dangerous than they had thought and they wanted to go on the offensive.
“We obviously need to go after Assassin right?” Lancer said. “We can’t act how we want as long as he’s out there.”
“But what about Berserker?” Greg, Saber’s master, said speaking up for the first time in the meeting. “We don’t even know anything about them. All we do know is that the master of Berserker went into a hole at the beginning of the war and hasn’t left since summoning his servant.”
Now Saber was reminded of the complete unknown element. He was getting really panicked. Lancer glanced at him and put her hand over his. He immediately felt himself calm down.
“How about,” Lancer said. “we take a moment to clear our heads. Saber and I will patrol our territory and then come back. Then we can figure out our next course of action.
Their masters looked at each other and then nodded.
Saber and Lancer went out and checked on the bounded field that surrounded their forest hideout. “How would we even know?” Saber asked. “I-I mean Caster’s fields were much stronger than ours are and A-Assassin still managed to kill him.”
Lancer put a hand on Saber’s shoulder. “Just breath Saber. No servant is invincible we just have to figure out what his weakness is, besides we aren’t dead yet so that means something.”
Saber took a deep breath and thought about it. She was right of course, if Assassin could kill them any time they wanted then they would already be dead. Saber was about to thank Lancer when they sensed their territory being breached. Lancer immediately shot off to where the intruder was but Saber hesitated for a moment before joining her.
By the time he made it anger had already locked blades with the Servant and seeing who it was caused Saber to freeze in place. “S-Siegfried!”
Lancer glanced back at Saber then had to leap back to avoid a slash from the dragon slayer. “This guy is Siegfried?” Lancer asked.
Saber nodded unable to speak. “Lucky us then. You’ve already managed to beat him then!” She clapped Saber on the back and he blanched. Yes he had beaten him, but he had gotten lucky, and Siegfried hadn’t seemed to be using his full power.
“He has not defeated me though.” And from behind a tree a second servant appeared. She was small and waifs, with strange white tattoos all over her body. “E-Etzel!” The kind who had given him shelter was there as well!
Lancer leveled her spear at Etzel, and then pointed it back at Siegfried. “Any tips on fighting these two Saber?”
Saber looked at the determination in her eyes and knew that running away was not going to be an option. “I-I’ll handle Siegfried. When fighting Etzel look out for her range, that sword can extend into a w-whip and catch you off guard in addition to that her s-strength is h-higher than her frame would s-suggest. Lastly don’t let her summon her N-Noble Phantasm. Even y-your spear will f-fall before it.”
Lancer smiled. “Thanks for the advice.” Then gave him a small peck on the lips before ramming into Etzel spear first knocking them both out of sight.
Saber took out Eckisax and pointed the large blade at his old friend. “H-how’re you even h-here?” Saber asked. “I can tell y-you and E-Etzel were Saber classes but I-I’m the Saber of this war. An i-illusion?”
“Sorry, but I can’t answer that. All I can say is that our master has ordered us to fill the Holy Grail with the should of the servants in this war. Now then Dietrich von Bern, a continuation of our battle all those centuries ago!” Green energy began to swirl around Siegfried as he readied himself for battle.
As much as he disliked the idea Saber had to respond in kind with red energy emitting from his large frame.
Fighting Siegfried was unlike any other opponent Saber had faced prior or had ever faced again. One would assume that a being with indestructible skin would be like a mighty oak, never faltering and overwhelming with his large presence. However he was more akin to a bolt of lightning, faster than the eye could see and hitting with more power than you could possibly expect.
This fight was no different with Saber unable to catch most of Siegfried’s sword strikes as they brought out a multitude of small cuts in the weak points of his armor.
“Y-you’re not doing any significant damage this time. Not anything that would t-trigger my rage.”
Siegfried nodded. “Last time we fought I underestimated your infamous temper, but now I won’t allow you to bring it out.” He rushed forward again dodging or deflecting all of Saber’s blows and only landing small ones.
Saber was terrified. While he knew his attacks could get through the Armor of Fafnir none of them could connect. He tried swinging his blade while activating the sharp edge to create an atomic explosion but the damage was so low Siegfried was able to power through it and nick him on the leg.
All Saber could hope for is that Lancer could defeat Etzel in time and save him.
“Saber!!!!” A voice yelled from behind him. He turned and saw his master Greg standing there. “Stop holding back! If you’ve beaten this guy before then you can do it again. Just get angry!” Seeing that his enemy was distracted Siegfried backed off and allowed Saber and his master to interact.
It wasn’t that simple though. Saber couldn’t just turn on his rage. As if sensing his thoughts Saber’s master sighed. “I guess we’ll have to get our hands a little dirty. Saber! Stab yourself through he chest!”
Siegfried gasped at the command and Saber began to shake. “W-what!”
"You heard me!” Greg held up his hand with his command spells. “Do it yourself or I’ll order you with a command spell!”
Saber’s hands shook, but he knew his master was right. He took his sword and plunged it into his side, causing a great gush of blood.
Saber howled in pain. It was too much for him, the searing hot pain from his side began to expand to the rest of his body, it felt like his blood was being replaced with fire. He howled again, this time in rage.
He saw his enemy in front of him, Siegfried was what the deep recesses of his brain told him. Liquid flame dripped from his mouth burning the forest floor. His enemy looked back at him sword at the ready. Saber unleashed a torrent of fire from his mouth. The flames were burning so hot that the trees weren’t even burning, instead they just became ash, and Siegfried was unable to move out of the way as fast enough as the heat got him melting though his invulnerable skin.
When the flames ended it looked as if Siegfried had wax melting off of him, most of his cloths having been burned off along with his Armor of Fafnir. Saber howled again and charged at Siegfried swinging his sword as if it was a baseball bat. Whether the sharp or blunt edge hit didn’t matter to him, all he cared about was destroying Siegfried. His strikes were turned away with Siegfried’s superb swordsmanship but that didn’t matter, each blow was like a mountain falling on the dragon slayer, and every time Siegfried struck back the wounds were ignored and it just left another opening.
Eventually Saber decided that the sword was slowing him down too much and he just threw it away and began attacking with his fists. They pummeled at the enemy and even struck so hard that Siegfried lost hold of his sword Balmung. Saber just grinned having his enemy underneath him so defenseless. When he felt the meat had been tenderized enough he prepared his finishing blow. He led Siegfried down onto the floor and then gathered up all of his flames in his mouth before letting it out in a torrent of destruction.
Saber woke up laying in the scorched forest floor covered in wounds. “D-did I win?” He looked around for Siegfried and found nothing. Eventually though his master came up to him and put a hand on his shoulder.
“You did it. Siegfried is gone, now let’s go help Lancer.”
“R-right.” Saber tried to stand up but lost his lunch in the process. “M-master, may I g-go to s-spiritual form?”
Greg nodded and Saber dematerialized to heal his wounds. After he experienced his rages he never felt right, like after a long night of hard drinking. He hoped Lancer was okay.
Break
Lancer spun around blocking the sword strikes form all angles. If Saber hadn’t given her that advice she might have been dead by now. As it was the two were currently in a stalemate, with Lancer’s skills preventing Etzel from closing the distance while Etzel’s overwhelming strength preventing Lancer from even thinking about going on the offensive. At this rate it might even become a battle of Noble Phantasms.
She had an extra trick up her sleeve though. “Don’t underestimate a druid in the forest!” She quickly traced a rune with her hand. “Berkana!” Several tree roots shot out from the ground toward Etzel surrounding her with the intent to bind her. They didn’t have a chance however and Photon Ray quickly sliced though them all, only to miss the spear that was hidden in their shadow.
“Ibar!” The spear shot forward with incredible speed aimed right at Etzels chest, and it even managed to sink in slightly before Etzel grabbed the shaft of the spear before it could do any real damage.
“Damn! Athibar!” Lancer shot her hand out to recall the spear but Etzel stood firm as she prevented the spear from returning. “Oh no.” Was all Lancer could say as with her free hand Etzel shot out Photon Ray as a whip and it wrapped around her left arm.
“Gah!!!” The sword burned as it began to tear through her skin, if she didn’t do anything soon her arm would become useless. “Athibar!” SHe held out her right arm to try to bring her spear back to her but Etzel held firm with no emotion in her face. The pain was growing more intense, she had to think. What would a Roman Emperor do?
A Roman Emperor would probably destroy their enemy, even at the loss of a limb. “Ibar!” She reversed her pull on the spear sending it forward into Etzel’s chest blowing a large hole. This also blew Etzel back and her sword along with it, the strength of which completely tore off Lancer’s arm.
Lancer howled at pain that she couldn’t even describe. It hurt more than the javelin Lucius had killed her with. She stood proud though and walked over to the body of Etzel breathing her last. “Athibar.” Her spear returned to her and she used it as a crutch to stay on her feet. “You fought well, King of Combat Etzel.”
“Altera.”
“What?” Lancer was beginning to lose consciousness but she had to listen to her noble opponent’s last words.
“Please call me Altera. Etzel... doesn't sound cute” She sounded so soft, not at all like she had imagined the scourge of god to sound like.
“Very well Altera. May we meet again in some distant place.” And with that Altera faded away. Lancer collapsed onto the ground unable to hold her own weight. The blood had already stopped, and she could sense her master coming to heal her but she was still heavily wounded. How had she even managed to survive that. She felt like she had been lucky too. Altera felt like she was holding back. Something about those two extra servants wasn’t right. She would have to discuss it with Saber. She smiled at the thought of the man she had met in this do over of her life. She had faith in him, he could defeat Siegfried she knew.
She felt the wind pick up around her and felt something land in front of her. She saw the servant Caster; he did not look okay, many parts of his body covered with blackened corruption, but he was alive.
She trued to raise her spear to defend herself but her last remaining arm collapsed. “H-how are you alive? Didn’t Assassin kill you?”
“He killed my master, but I have found a new one, and so shall you.” He picked her up and the wind began to lift them off the ground. Lancer’s eyes began to close against her will, but the last thing she saw was her master running to try and catch her, and the last thing she heard.
“Servant Avenger awaits.”
Originally Posted by Shiki-pon
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