Fate/Closure [IC Thread]

[hero]

Aya Alayana
Miyama - Tohsaka Household
Morning Phase


It takes about forty-five minutes to reach the Tohsaka Household and around five minutes more for you to undo all the bounded fields that surround the house. It doesn't need to be said that you are only able to it because you're one of the few who has been entrusted with the 'code' to do so. The presence of numerous barriers is not a fact that discourages you on your search, for once inside, they can be re-activated through a simple voice command. In other words, you still believe that Tohsaka Natsu may have come here after the bridge incident. And, in a sense, you are not mistaken. If Natsu were not to be under the guidance of any adult, he certainly would come here first. After all, this place has a meaning, a history of its own. Rin once said something about it, though at the time you did not pay much attention to her words. Something about it being like a sanctuary, built in line with their own mentality...?

"..."

Caren and you split up to hasten your heart but regardless of the size of the size of the house, it quickly becomes apparent that you are the only ones there. What's more... There are no traces of anyone being here in the past few hours. Everything is in the same order as it was during your last visit. Anxiety begins to overtake your mind as you realize that you're back to square one. There is still the Matou House left to explore but it already feels like a stretch... When you compare one house to the other, the natural response would be to pick this one. In the current day and age, there is little that separates the Matou House from an ordinary abode. Had you made a mistake? Should you have pursued the call of the Mayor? What if they had done exactly that? What if it is a trap, as you believe, and they decided to walk right into it? They are certainly enough to do that...

"Aya."

Caren's call brings you back to your senses. As a result of your absentminded behavior, she has moved closer to you and, given her tone, it's likely not the first time she utters your name in the past minute. Even though you don't want it to show, this situation is clearly getting to your nerves. Little by little, your professionalism is being shredded by the fear that something really bad might have happened to the children. Not once in the past have you felt responsibility press its blade so tightly to your chest. Unable to discard those feelings, you take a deep breath and restrain them once again. They'll do you no good if you set them free.

"Spare me a moment of your time. This may be a good opportunity to gain some insight on what's going on... We may not have another chance to do so in the future."

Meanwhile, Caren is the image of calmness you should aspire to become. Whether she is so far removed that the disappearance of Natsu and Kaori cause nor effect on her, or her mental fortitude is something she nurtured through the years is hard to tell. It does look like she understands the importance of using time wisely and wishes to find the kids as soon as possible as well but... Right now, her mind is focused on the bigger picture. This sort of situation won't fix itself... That responsibility rests on the shoulders of a few, herself included.

"..."

Moving at a slightly faster pace, the Overseer proceeds to thoroughly search the room the two of you are currently in. Needless to say, it's a room you've already inspected and made sure that no one is hiding inside. However, the way Caren is looking around is clearly different from yours. Yes, while you have been looking for a person... The ash haired girl is looking for an object. And though she has rarely seen the inside of this house before, she surprisingly manages to find it...

A switch.

A switch that causes the wall to move and open the path towards a basement that has been sealed a long time ago.

"Sometimes..." Caren speaks, somewhat impressed herself. "It's frightening how accurate the information my father left behind is. Makes me curious... Of the things he must have taken with him to the grave."

-------

There is almost no trace that connects this place with the Workshop it once was.

It makes sense, considering you were not aware of this basement's existence. The workshop must have been moved at some point to its current position near the attic. Now, all that remains is junk, perhaps a portion of gymnastics equipment present can be saved, but that's about it. That first line of thought changes the moment a good number of books concealed under a larger piece of cloth. Some and damaged, all are dusty, but knowing the Tohsaka, they are not there just to take up space. It wouldn't surprise you if those books remained here to prevent those records from being found. Rin has been an avid writer for as long as you know her, and her father must have been the same. The family has a bizarre aversion towards technology, so the house has been built to not rely on it, so books and jewels are their preferred way to store knowledge. That said, you have no idea of what you are looking for here, so it's hard to see how all of this can be of any use.

Fortunately, Caren does also has the solution to that dilemma.

"Say, Aya. Did you spare a glance at all the clocks there are around the house?"

Well, the time was not a pressing issue in your head at the time, you were looking for Natsu, so... Ah, you can see where she is going. The clocks are not powered by electricity, so the hands of those clocks have not stopped as a result of the current environmental situation. That makes them a reliable source of information concerning the time of certain events.

"Well... In that case, let me tell you the current time..."

The sky itself should normally work as a guide for these sort of concerns when a clock isn't available. Out of instinct and the time that has passed since you left the Church, you estimate it should be around six o clock, give or take, seeing as the sun still has to show its face.

"It's a twenty past eleven... A.M."

And there, amongst the dusty books of the basement, there is one that is particularly linked to the topic at hand. As if it's been left there for you to find it. Though it hasn't been long enough to accept this new information as true, that doesn't stop your body from subconsciously moving to reach the tome.

'Delayed Time Phenomenon', it read.

Inside, there are a bunch of notes and scribblings. There are also illustrations. This is a book that has been written by hand...

-------

Wise Up!

Delayed Time Phenomenon
Refers to a location of space where time flows faster or slower than anything past its boundaries. Though it is speculated that certain areas exist outside of the time axis naturally, an area affected by 'DTP' is almost guaranteed to have been the fault of artificial tampering and magecraft. Actual examples of the subject are scarce, considering the manipulation of time in such scale is prohibited by the Mage's Association and any practitioner is bound to receive a Sealing Designation. More importantly, 'DTP' requires a source of power to maintain its effects. An object capable of causing the distortion and an outstanding amount of magical energy are most commonly known culprits, although in some cases a lingering curse could create similar effects. While it is interesting to note that an area affected by 'DTP' may be a requirement to advance on the field of time-travel, it should be known that areas formerly affected by 'DTP' have failed to completely recover in a decade's time. Though small, the damage caused by 'DTP' appears to be irreversible...

[hero]

Alicia Rosenkopf
Miyama- The Sleeping Bishop
Morning Phase

"So, if I understood correctly, Tsurara-san left the inn in a hurry, and at least two of you are planning not to be guests any longer..."

Minutes later, the scheduled meeting takes place. Almost everyone is there, standing in the massive dojo that the Sleeping Bishop keeps hidden in the back. Even taking into account the inn's overall cleanliness, this place in particular seems to stand out. One just needs a glance to tell that the dojo isn't brand new, it has been here for a fairly long amount of time, and yet finding a single trace of wear feels like an impossible mission. Everything is so overwhelmingly in order that one almost can't help but to think oneself as an intruder, a disturbance in what would otherwise be a perfect sequence.

Regarding the current predicament, Taichi was the one to report Tsurara's disappearance. He did not explain the motives in detail, but from what everyone could gather, some co-workers of her were in trouble. From there the conversation found its way to the topic of Taichi and Tomomi's planned escape, turning the whole discussion a lot more tense and awkward. It is clear to you now that what Takagi Akane, the red-haired owner of the Inn, wants to accomplish is the creation of an united front. Its purpose is not exactly clear as of now, as you are still unsure of what dangers exactly you are supposed to be fighting against, but the idea is not one you would stand against. In numbers there is power and that is what Akane proposes. However, with Tsurara's sudden departure and the uncertainty of her coming back or not, and the declaration of the Masaki Siblings of wanting nothing to do with the mess that is brewing in the streets of Fuyuki, her plan is quickly falling short. To Sakaki Yuuna, both her maid and her right hand, this fact is almost too frustrating to bear. You can see her close her eyes shut and leave them that way for several moments whenever Akane raises the tone of her voice past the normal level, as if to dispel the possibility of any heated argument breaking out in the otherwise quiet Dojo.

"Sigh... We all seem to have different goals in mind." The woman says that, contaminating the air around her with a thin layer of smoke, her pipe now held elegantly to the side. "But none of us will get anywhere if do not cooperate. There are several things you are yet to become aware of, simply because you haven't had enough time to explore the city. Things aren't the way they were yesterday. For instance, the two quickest ways out of the city, the Fuyuki Airport and the Fuyuki Port themselves, are on the other side of the bridge, in Shinto, correct...? Well, I regret to tell you that, until a proper solution is found, the Mion River is currently uncrossable."

Takagi moves on to explain the current situation to the best of her ability. Though she has yet to see it with her own eyes, Sakaki Yuuna, the maid, has been able to scout the city to an extent, and thus her testimony is of utmost importance. Apparently, several riots haven taken place overnight, though it is unlikely that all of them were the caused by human hands. The possibility of not just one, but several more shadows like the one you encountered last night is brought up, and it becomes apparent that the city is no longer safe. Though morning seems to be the best time to patrol the streets, there is no guarantee that the group would be in danger only at night time. Regarding the river and why Akane declared so confidently that it could not be crossed... For starters, a good part of the bridge has collapsed, either a tragic accident or a ploy to keep people locked on either side. As for the waters beneath that bridge, they have been engulfed in flame and that fire spreads as far as the eye can see. Moreover, it does not appear to be normal fire, as it cannot be extinguished through normal means. To add, the fire slowly, but surely, is expanding its domain, and eventually, it may reach the land as well.

"As you can see, we have quite a few problems to deal with. And, as of now, we're short-handed. If this a prelude to a Holy Grail War, then we need to hurry... Before this place turns into a literal hell on Earth."

At that point, the woman eyes fixate on Assassin, who arrived sometime after you did.

Those words again.

Holy Grail War.

Assassin, Tomomi, and now Akane herself. Everyone seems to know something about it.

This is slowly starting to look less like a coincidence and more like a cruel scheme of fate.

[RacingeR]

Hiyako Tsurara
Miyama- Streets
Morning Phase

“What… the fuck…”

Hiyako Tsurara blankly stared at the body of her (former) subordinate, her eyes wide open, as she tried to contain the wave of nausea that nearly forced her to start retching right then and there. Her mind was going blank, trying to understand or attach some sort of logic to the situation. But she couldn’t.

“What is this… a zombie apocalypse?” She laughed out loud, her breathing and voice rough. “Is a Dead Apostle running wild out there?” She wondered. Her head hurt like hell. Her stomach was churning painfully. She had just killed one of her subordinates with her own hands.

…

“They must be nearby…” No time to think was allowed. Damn it all.

Not enough time to think. Not enough time to feel. Letting cold logic dictate her actions, Tsurara snapped out of it and nearly instantaneously decided her course of action. Breaking out on that absurd speed of hers, she ran downhill, following the path traced by her former underling. The bloodstains he had left were guide enough for her.

She didn’t have to run too far. One, two blocks away, she witnesses the very moment the faceless monstrosity crushes a car underfoot as it overlooks the siege on her subordinates, executed by a horde of zombified civilians.

For a moment she just… stands there, completely paralyzed and confused as she stares at the battlefield. This has gone so completely off her calculations that she doesn’t know how to begin to react to whatever the fuck is going on over there.

Shit. She’s starting to lose it again. No. She cannot afford to do that.

With an angry growl, she charged ahead, charging into the mob of zombies like a bullet, before anyone could even begin to notice her presence.

She blazed a path like lightning, her sword becoming a blur invisible to the human eye as it minced through trough zombies as if cutting cabbages. Sword strikes fell one after another, launched at a ridiculous speed as their cut through necks and heads, and tore off limbs that tried to reach towards her.

If she had been facing these zombies in a frontal charge, it was unlikely she’d be this successful, as overpowered as she was in comparison: one against many, even if those many were much weaker, never went well in a direct fight. In this case, however, all the zombies had been facing backwards and unaware of her presence until it was too late. By the time they’d have been able to surround her, she had already utterly annihilated everything on her path and had reached the other side.

Another factor that played in her favor was her swordsmanship.

Hiyako Style – Downpour.

The most similar to Taichi’s storm of attacks from yesterday’s night that Tsurara possessed. Giving up strength and precision in favor of sheer speed, it allowed her to launch an endless storm of attacks that would make a gatling gun pale in comparison, allowing for an absurd amount of slashes executed in an extremely short time.

Of the various techniques and forms that compose her family’s style of swordsmanship, this was one she was pretty bad at: she had never been good at containing her own strength and her increased reflexes to allow for this controlled torrent of attacks. However, in this situation it turned out to have an extremely good compatibility against these undead, caught by surprise as they were, with their movements in disarray and easy to predict.

She makes it to the other side without a scratch. In fact, apart from her sword, everything else on her was immaculate: no drop of blood had even touched her clothes. Most of it, of course, had been frozen before it could reach her.

The temperature seemed to plummet as she arrived, standing in-between her men and the faceless monster. Tsurara looked at the survivors with a grim face: around twenty or so men and women of varying strength, with some of the strongest members of her retinue within. A few magi, some minor hybrids… the majority of those who remained had supernatural abilities of some sort. The others… had all died.

Her grimace intensified as she considered the situation. She usually didn’t travel with so many people, but for a negotiation with other yakuza, there was a need to have sufficient force. As very few people within Japan could truly face her in direct combat (and even fewer would dare to), and she hadn’t come here to fight, her whole group this time around had consisted of slightly over fifty subordinates or so.

The biggest group had been, of course, very near where their lady was lodging at. They had probably been able come together the moment things started to go south, and had been able to move towards the inn at a good pace before getting surrounded. The rest of her people… they had been separated in many groups, spread through the city, scouting it. All of them had disappeared, completely.

But… even taking into account this monstrosity, it was impossible that this zombie apocalypse had taken them all out without any of them being able to send word to their comrades. Something else was going on here, but as always, she was not being given to think.

Having unconsciously analyzed all of this in a matter of moments, Tsurara pointed towards the path she had opened with her sword. “Go. Run towards the inn. I’ll take care of this monster.” She ordered in a growl.

Although tired and weakened, with a good portion of the normal… for a given definition of ‘normal’… undead taken out, they should be able to easily deal with the rest and get to the relative safety of the inn.

But… this faceless being she was about to fight was on a whole other level compared to the more human-looking zombies.

Slowly, Tsurara took her stance. She was angry.

No. She was beyond angry.

She was absolutely, completely, utterly, furious. Her veins started popping again, covering her forehead, and then her face, giving her a terrifying look greatly resembling that of an oni mask.

Oh. She was so going to crush this thing. She needed to destroy something right now, or she would go completely berserk with rage. And if she did, this city would have an even bigger monster running around.

“Come.”

She was going to avenger her people right here and now.

[hero]

Yamashita Hiro
Shinto - Church on the Hill
Morning phase


"..."

When you told the members of your group to steady their hearts and prepare for what is to come, the message itself failed to get through. Luna, confused, afraid, yet brave, mustered the courage to face the situation head on and continue the march towards the Church. Theressa, an agent of the church from a very young age, raised exclusively to be a tool of war, was not caught flinching once, despite the sinister events that followed the party's departure from the love hotel. Assassin already confessed to being a coward, but nevertheless, he did not seem affected by the drastic changes in the landscape nor your cryptic warnings. They all successfully heard your words, they all convinced themselves that they had understood them, but none of them truly acknowledged them. Only now do they seem to recognize where you were coming from.

---Only now that it is too late.

Before you stands the Church on the Hill, a symbol of hope for the towns-people and a refuge for those who need it. Or, at least, that should have been the case. Instead, what lies before your eyes is a giant pile of rubble, fragments of an imposing building that has since lost its color, the only source of brightness left being the flames that still gradually eat at its remains. The only thing that image invokes is silence, a painful silence, capable of speaking more than word themselves. After all, the building has been completely destroyed. Anything or anyone caught inside would have certainly met their end then and there.

The moment you turn to look at the group...

You immediately become aware that Assassin is no longer there.

"Theressa...!"

Luna shouts that name out of instinct, partly out of sympathy and partly because she felt the nun would be the first to move. She's not wrong, at this point, the silver haired holy warrior has already taken more than three steps forward. But no more than that. Not out of hesitation, not out of grief or impotence. The reason Theressa Russo's movement was immediately brought to a halt is because every single fiber of her body told her to do so. Because there is danger to be found ahead. Danger that could take the life of an executor in an instant.

---After all, the culprit has yet to leave the scene.

"Well, isn't that intriguing...?" Standing close to the fire, a blonde woman speaks to herself, her back pointed in your direction. "Not a single miscalculation, I am impressed. OK, Issak... You've got my full attention now."

At that moment, the woman turns around, ready to face you. It is only then that you notice that she's just a girl, no older than twenty, wearing a get up akin to that of a school uniform. Her hair is gold and so bright that you wouldn't hesitate to call it a symbol of royalty, while her calm, purple eyes, hide a fragment of a demon within them. In her hand, you catch a glimpse of a modern artifact, a cell-phone, except something stands out about this one. It's hard to tell given the distance between the group and her, but the screen appears to be unnaturally bright, to the point where you wouldn't discard it to display nothing but a pure white light.

"My name is Ariel. Ariel Labelle. Well...? Are we ready to start? The Holy Grail War's... First Waltz, that is."




At the implications, your heart immediately skips a beat.

[RoydGolden]

Alicia Rosenkopf (& Servant Assassin)
Miyama- The Sleeping Bishop
Morning Phase


A few minutes after Alicia's heart-to-heart with Tomomi, the announcement came from Akane that everyone should meet up in the sprawling dojo behind the inn. Alicia hurriedly left the side-room and joined the other guests as they streamed towards the meeting-place. She'd meant to share a few more words with Tomomi but they'd gotten separated in the rush and Alicia only saw her again once all were gathered at the dojo, at which point there were more pressing matters to attend to.

'I hope she's okay,' Alicia thought, sparing a nervous glance at the blue-haired girl. Then, all and sundry listened with rapt attention as Takagi Akane began to speak. Pausing to take intermittent puffs on her pipe, Akane explained how the city was under lockdown after numerous riots had erupted throughout. Based on how the red-haired woman described it, Alicia doubted that these riots were merely mundane in nature. Could they have been the work of shadows like the one that had attacked her?

Alicia's chest tightened in fear as Akane continued her explanation. Looks like the ominous premonition she'd gotten was correct. Until whatever situation here was resolved, none of them were getting out of Fuyuki alive...

"As you can see, we have quite a few problems to deal with. And, as of now, we're short-handed. If this a prelude to a Holy Grail War, then we need to hurry... Before this place turns into a literal hell on Earth."

With those words, Akane's eyes sharpened and focused on someone behind Alicia. Alicia turned around and saw Assassin standing behind her. She must have arrived sometime shortly after Alicia herself, but her presence was so quiet Alicia hadn't sensed her at all until Akane had turned her gaze towards her. For a woman of such striking appearance, she was remarkably good at entering unnoticed. Only fitting for one calling herself an 'Assassin', Alicia supposed...



"Sounds like it's quite a party raging out there," Assassin spoke up in a boisterous voice. Unlike the others, whose postures were tense with worry, Assassin carried herself in a relaxed and confident stance. Her arms were crossed casually behind her head and she was sporting her usual cocky grin. She scarcely seemed affected at all by the dire tension that had taken root in the room. "If this is really a Holy Grail War, then that means the only way to end it is to find the other Servants and kick their asses. And those are the shadowy bastards like the one that attacked us last night."

Assassin narrowed her eyes before continuing, in a more analytic tone that still kept her former casualness. "But first, I say we go and scout out the city. Getting the lay of the hand is key to a successful hunt after all. Who knows how much else has changed since that mist descended, and since it's still morning we might be safer going out now. We should use the time we have to familiarize ourselves with the terrain and then come up with a strategy that maximizes our odds of surviving."

"Assassin..." Alicia murmured, stunned at the composure her Servant was displaying. As unpredictable and scary as this situation was, Alicia couldn't help but feel reassured by Assassin's unwavering grin. The woman's brash words soothed her worries and told her that everything would turn out okay in the end. It was times like these she felt truly grateful to have Assassin as her Servant.

[Tobias]

Yamashita Hiro
Shinto - Church on the Hill
Morning phase

The walking stick in his hand never felt so heavy.

His leg didn’t hurt much, compliments of the care he had received and a good night’s rest. Lost memories or not, Luna knew what she was doing when it came to patching someone up.

So why did it feel like he was about to fall over? Wasn’t he a mage? Who cares about the simple minded, circuitless rubes, doomed to die short, pointless lives devoid of purpose or the drive that came from a thousand year line focused on a singular goal. It was no concern of his that a few passed away without grey in their beards or grandchildren holding their hand.

He didn’t care.

What did it matter if at his side and back were the cries of children yet to have their first kiss, their first heartbreak. What business of his was hearing the broken-hearted sons of parents who hoped to die quickly so they wouldn’t have to see their children die first?

He didn’t care.

He didn’t care.

When they began to take a hill leading up to the church, and the young magus found himself walking faster, almost running, surely that was because answers that he and his had sought for generations seemed at hand. Surely it felt like personal safety, check marks on the mission screen of his life, a round of bonus XP was about to be awarded for a satisfactory completed quest were to be claimed by him.

And what did he find at that place of refuge? The fire demon smelled it first. After all...

Like called to like.

Fire sensed fire.

The burning church was a place where nobody would be saved.

It couldn’t have been that Hiro had held out some kind of hope of a rescue. Certainly unbidden, thoughts of a field hospital being swiftly erected had not crossed his mind.

The fanciful, absurd idea of a group of frenetic but focused survivors, meeting, joining forces to rescue who could be rescued and achieve the good that good be achieved, the promise of a church. The very symbol of spirit and faith, that might have proved itself the places that showed that fuyuki’s body may be burning but the spirit of its people had been bloodied but not broken...

Surely the disappointment that briefly kissed the young man’s features was unrelated to death of such a fancy.

He didn’t care.

He didn’t care.

He didn’t care at all!!

”Why...?” Hiro actually looked around for a moment before realizing the soft, almost inaudible question had come from himself.

The noble either did not care or did not deign to answer. Likely the former, as she was distracted by some sort of phone call. His compatriots all made ready for battle. Hiro understood. He wasn’t the only one dealing with some complex emotions. A healthy, simple fight would be indescribably cathartic.

...At his core, the jungle spirit purred approvingly at the idea.

Burn. Kill. Rip and tear. I won’t fight you. We can devour her together!

Hiro ignored it. Probably because the idea was so tempting.

”Yamashita Hiro.” The young boy replied instead to the blond girl’s introduction, spinning his walking stick over his body and ending in a formal bow, the staff perpendicular to the ground with the point to the sky.

“You over estimate me. I am just a simple traveler. While I’m aware the holy war has begun, I am only here as an observer. I have heard of the Labelle family. I own part of your summer line. It’s kind of tight in the chest, I might add.”

This certainly must have seemed an odd segue to his traveling companions. Behind him, he could feel them mentally reassessing his sanity. But they didn’t’t know the labelle mystical family story. Hiro however came from a magus like too so was somewhat familiar with the basics.

The line was prestigious and wealthy, what it lacked in true magical genius it made up for with wealth, poise, and political power. They accrued wealth through judicious selling of mystical fabrics as well as the production of a mundane fashion company. They used magic to process cloth though the final result was not magical, if exquisite. Hiro had a few articles from their company in his closet, hence his commentary on such.

”I refuse to jump to conclusions, easy as it would be to do so. Thus, I have two questions.” Chocking down the many emotions surging through him was difficult, but being a mage meant to endure. He would endure these feelings unflinching. That was his pride.

”You act as if you intend to engage in the holy battle. Did you destroy the accorded neutral territory? I’ll admit the only evidence that you did so is circumstantial, but at the least, you don’t seem like an unfortunate observer who unluckily arrived moments before we did and this merely appeared to be the cause. Secondly...”

Hiro shrugged, as if preparing himself for something much more important, and much more dangerous as he asked...

”...Why does a beauty such as you lie about herself? Your listed bust size on the labelle fan page is at least three centimeters to large, your listed hip size is at least a full size to narrow, and I would estimate your total weight to be at least a kilogram to a kilo and a half larger based on denser then average muscle mass as well as a slightly larger then average posterior, as well as a solid bone structure that...”

...As Hiro went on, it probably became clear that he didn’t’t realize he was saying something rather outrageous.

[hero]

Yamashita Hiro
Shinto - Church on the Hill
Morning phase


"And why not...?"

Standing tall, her reputation seemingly unaffected by your rather harsh review, it is not only until you make a pause to catch your breath that Ariel intercedes, her mouth drawing a smile that contains more amusement than anything else. Far less gullible than Luna or Theressa, the heir of the Labelle Family does not appear to be someone that can be influenced with words alone. Her Amethyst eyes offer a glimpse at the level of determination she possesses, her words absolute to the point where it wouldn't be a mistake to compare them to a decree. In that sense, the question she presented earlier has been nothing but a formality, a display of etiquette that a devil like her can do without. Yes, much like the Assassin you got to meet earlier this morning, this person is one that will take your life the moment you make a wrong move.

"Don't we lie about ourselves all the time...?" Ariel muses, unfazed by your arguments, her stance already displaying traits of superiority. "Fashion is all about deceit... It's not just about enhancing one's beauty or hiding one's ugliness, it's about deceiving the mind of the observer. Out of ambition, out of power, out of fear, we lie and bring an illusion into reality. Wouldn't you agree, Yamashita-san?"

Concealed within her relaxed demeanor and the promise of an insightful conversation, is a surge of hostility that does not escape your senses. And nor does it evade Theressa's instincts who, from the very beginning, has been preparing herself for combat. Certainly, she has done well in enduring this far, holding back her anger. Perhaps because of the words you spoke at the hotel when a second skirmish between her and Assassin seemed unavoidable, she thought that it was only reasonable to give this person a chance to explain herself. So when Ariel Labelle cleverly avoided your first question and, what's more, now shows the intention of attacking the group, the nun springs into action, taking at least three steps forward in the blink of an eye.

"You two, get back...!"

Where once stood a mere woman, now stands a Holy Warrior. And, as such, Theressa displays no hesitation or mercy. Before you can even process what is going on, your silver haired companion has already begun her attack. Amongst the various levels of 'monster-like' proficiency within the ranks of Executors, there are those who stand out in the use of Black Keys. There are some who can wield four in one hand and four in the other without suffering any loss in accuracy nor efficiency, an amazing feat capable of defying reason through martial arts alone. But whilst those enforcers hide an unrealistic number of Black Keys underneath their clothes, Theressa Rossi only needs a few.

The reason should be evident: She does not need any more.

Three Black Keys are tossed one at a time in rapid succession, the act so fast that to the naked eye, it would appear as if Theressa has just gone through the motions once instead of thrice.

Even though she does not intend to end Ariel's life instantly, she is still aiming for a kill. And the fact that she is able to preserve someone's life with a miracle like the one she's about to perform serves as a testament of how skilled she truly is.

Proliferation is not an option; it's a command. Now go forth and multiply

---כפל אלוהי---

Three become nine and nine become twenty-seven.

Twenty seven become a storm.

Without slowing down even for an instant, each projectile carries as much force as an arrow. Within the realm of the supernatural, it's a straightforward and simple, yet effective approach to end a battle swiftly. After all, the time it takes to accomplish all this is little less than a second, 0.7 to be precise. In other words, there is really no way for the blonde to defend herself against this sort of attack. No matter how much political power she has amassed over the years, no lie she can tell can stand against an ambush that exceeds mortal's limits-!

"Ah."

---Except.

Faith is not the only thing that powers miracles. Sometimes, certain individuals can weave them naturally without the aid of an outside force. Those who overturn fate through sheer willpower are known as heroes-!









As if to enforce this belief, a surge of red lightning cuts through the air, knocking countless weapons aside with a single motion. What follows is the continuous sound of 'metal' hitting the ground, evidence that ascertains that Theressa Russo's attack failed to hit its mark.

"Wha-"

There, standing between the devil and what should have been certain death, stands a spearman dressed in fancy blue skin-tight jumpsuit, his weapon as crimson as the blood of the warriors whose life it has claimed.

"Hey, young lady, that wasn't half-bad. You are no slouch." The man offers genuine compliment. And yet, the difference between them is already clear as day. One that cannot be overcome. "But... Do that again and I'll have to kill you."

Then, as an afterthought, he adds, his body sinking into a battle stance:

"Actually, knowing my Master, I might have to kill you anyways..."

'What a waste' is what his expression conveys.

[Airen]

Aya Alayana
Miyama - Tohsaka Household
Morning Phase

"...Delayed Time Phenomenon."

---While she was no stranger to tomes on magecraft, the concepts that exist within this particular book are ones that ring a bit more distantly to her thoughts, a bizarre -seemingly mostly theoretical- phenomenon that she could likely never replicate herself, and hadn't expected to encounter within the confines of the Tohsaka Mansion... Of course, as good of a person as Rin could be, it is still in the nature of magi to hoard information for themselves even if it would do them little good, for instance...

Her eyes are already working on picking apart the illustrations and notes, seeking whatever knowledge she could on the 'how' behind a power that she would naturally have little affinity for, or rather...

If her 'power' had an ability to influence 'time,' it wouldn't be something so gentle as an altered flow of it...

No...

In her case, if it was even possible at all...

It'd be something like destruction of the future?

Not that it mattered in this instance...

"Seems like notes on Time Manipulation thaumaturgy," Caren isn't a magus of course, but the church are typically at least passingly familiar with more occult workings, "Manifestation of Bounded Fields that disassociate the time inside of the barrier with that of the time outside of it, decent for traps I suppose, or conducting some grand ritual inside of it before anyone on the outside could realize something has gone wrong and try to stop you. Sort of thing that gets you a Sealing Designation..."

Naturally, there is nothing saying that this phenomena is connected to the current predicament of the city, however...

It would certainly explain some of the more... Bizarre... Things about what was actually going on...

Even if it raised hundreds of more questions as a result...

"It'd be a bit convenient to simply stumble across an answer so easily, after all, it's simply a book in a basement... Not to say I don't think it's valuable, but..." Handing the tome over with a frown -so Caren could read it if she wished- the red-haired babysitter crosses her arms, "You think this workshop is connected to the current situation in the city?"

The Tohsaka had little reason to attack Fuyuki after all, but...

An abandoned workshop... It's a bit unlikely -especially with the barriers on the house- but someone somehow coming across this sort of thing, these books lying around forgotten and unused, or even simply this workshop forgotten and unused...

Might be able to cause some serious havoc...

[hero]

Aya Alayana
Miyama - Tohsaka Household
Morning Phase


"I would be surprised if that's the case." Having known the Tohsaka Family for quite a while, Caren is naturally adamant to believe that they have something to do with this plot. "Look around... Nobody's been here for a long while."

Layers and layers of dust are there to strengthen the Overseer's assumption. Being a mage yourself, it's difficult to take that as hard evidence, since a magecraft user may be able to erase their tracks, leaving everything as it was before they entered the room. But, you have to admit that, if that were to be the case, it would require a lot of unlikely things to have happened, like being able to break through the household's defenses, knowing the exact location of the switch that opens the hidden door, having the supernatural tools necessary to eliminate any clues left behind and, more importantly, having knowledge of the workshop's existence in the first place. When you put all of that together, the odds of something like that happening is just to low and anyone would be tempted to claim it as impossible.

"But I wouldn't say our trip has been entirely pointless. There are still parts of this puzzle that we cannot piece together, true, but with this information and the story of what happened yesterday... I feel like we've made a good amount of progress. Enough for me to have an idea or two of whether we should be heading next. That is, once we locate the Tohsaka and Matou heirs."

At first, whatever conclusion Caren has reached remains a mystery to you, but soon enough you figure it has something to do with the passage you have just read. Enough clues of time distortion has been tossed around for you to pay heed to the contents of this book, and if the words trapped within its pages speak of the truth, then that narrows down the search somewhat. Even if it turns out to be something different, you would need a great power source to achieve something on a grand scale like this. Mage or not, as long as the culprit has human roots, such feat cannot be accomplished without a proper set-up.

Locations where the Leylines converge.

To move closer towards the truth, those should be your priority targets.

However, as of now, the only obligation you feel is the one to find Natsu, Kaori and Mr. Velvet, who are missing since last night. It's probably another dead end, but you should probably explore the Matou Household next.

Under the watchful eye of the Overseer, you decide to put back the book where its owner once left it. But, just as you intend to do exactly that, something slips from its grasp, landing right in front of your feet after a quick, yet graceful motion. Placing the book aside, you collect what appears to be an old photo. It's a picture that is decades old, from a time where people carried actual cameras with them. Nowadays, the majority of the population use other devices, like cellphones, who have a camera incorporated in them.

More than ten students are featured in this photo and they have all been put together to celebrate the occasion. ​You can see, from the look on their faces, that some of them only agreed to do so begrudgingly, so maybe they were not as close to one another as one would initially think. At the entrance of the classroom, and probably caught in the picture by pure coincidence, is an older man, which you assume was the teacher in charge.

There is also something written on the back

Homurahara Academy, Occult Club, 2004.

No survivors

Aya Alayana
Day 1 -Morning Phase- End

[Tobias]

Yamashita Hiro
Shinto - Church on the Hill
Morning phase


When preparing for battle, the first move determined the last move. Or to put that a different way, a skilled warrior is not surprised by his own victory, because the way it came about was the end result of his own tactics and martial skill.

This was the difference between a true warrior and the fighter who was just strong, or even just lucky. People who did not know how to truly fight couldn't foresee the path to victory and so merely fought, and hoped for the best.

Calling Hiro a battle hardened veteran was like calling a glass of water the wide blue ocean, but he did know this. Fighting was all about moving your opponent. Getting him or her to move where you wanted and do as you wish, all the while thinking it was their own idea. Once the time was right, strike. One thing had been abundantly clear from the very beginning of this encounter was that Labelle had a Servant.

The thing about the Holy Grail War was that masters were defined by the Heroic spirits under their command. Hidden in the spirit world, Hiro had not been able to see any details about such. Going into battle without knowing anything about the enemy was just asking to die. Such mages who did so were nothing but fodder, their Servants who had been called, merely sacrifices, magical energy to fuel a grand ritual.


In a Holy Grail War, even the power of a Servant was nothing special.

It was with this thought in mind that Hiro gritted his teeth, stepped forward, and with a loud "whap" sound, popped his cane against the executor's chest, forcing her a few steps back. The look he gave her was anything but friendly. About the kindest thing that could be said about the message contained in his darkly glowing golden eyes was;

"What were you thinking, do you want to die?!"

Still, he had accomplished his primary goal of learning about the enemy Servant. To win in the War, one needed more information about the enemy then they had on you. learning the True Name of the opposing magi's Servant was the pinnacle of such, but learning the class was a decent start. Due to the imperfect ritual, it was impossible to manifest the full glory of a heroic Spirit, save perhaps weaker legends artificially bolstered by Mad Enhancement. Thus the class containers. Knowing the container that a Servant had manifested in gave clues to the type of abilities said Servant could manifest. Hiro well understood how to plot the defeat of even a great Hero.

This was why Assassin had been surprised by Hiro earlier. The young lad may not have been a veteran of war, but it may well be that nobody in the entire city, yes even to the seven magi who would stand as masters, had performed a more in-depth study into what it truly meant to call a Legendary Soul. Goading her into revealing that she had a Lancer had been all to easy.

Heh. Actually Hiro hadn't much cared about her vanity in concealing or enhancing her measurements. Yamashita would be a total hypocrite if he had looked down on someone else for concealing critical information about themselves! But a little tasteful mockery had been sufficient. If the executor had acted surprisingly, well, the results weren't bad.

She may be older than me, but in a Grail War, she is nothing but a child.

"Lancer then. One of the knights. congratulations on summoning a powerful Servant." Hiro said, his walking stick idly pointing out at the blue clad man.

...It must have presented an odd parallel. One a Heroic spirit, empowered by the Holy Grail, imperfect yet flawless, a symbol of unbeatable power and the splendor of humanities dreams. The other, a skinny boy. and yet...?

Something in their stances had to be called similar.

"That makes me your senpai." Hiro said, never taking his flickering eyes off the red spear point aimed at his own heart. "So to my cute kohai, I have two things to say, and one to ask. The first is a simple truth. You have misread a critical part of the situation. I am not a Master of the holy grail war. this cannot be considered the first waltz. Still, I understand that feeling."


Hiro smiled, almost wistfully. "Having all that power. I know what it feels like. It feels...good...doesn't it." No man or woman had ever crooned their lover's name as softly and breathlessly as the way Hiro's voice caressed the word good. " It feels like you can't ever lose, you will never again suffer any impertinence, nor bit of foolishness, like the world itself has acknowledged your greatness. But this is a Holy War. a Servant is no special thing here. Your job, if you seek to prove your supremacy, is to fight when it's right, flee when you must, and cherish your Servant’s health and husband your own magical energy zealously. A Master who beats five servants and loses to the sixth is nothing but a loser. You can no longer afford to get into pointless battles. Nor take unneeded risks if you expect to see the sunrise of this day."


Hiro let his eyes flick once, and only once around the battlefield as he continued.

"The second this you should know is that when I came here today I was accompanied by an Assassin class Servant." Hiro let shock ripple through pretty much everyone present, allowing himself the luxury of a satisfied grin. "I imagine that represents tactical data you didn't know and many on this side of the field," Hiro waved idly behind him at the two terrified girls who likely had no idea why he would reveal a trump card like that. "He isn’t mine. I have no Servant. I claim no right in this War. I am here as an observer. Perhaps he fled. I highly doubt it though. If I had to guess, he, as Servants have the ability to do, sensed Lancer there upon our approach and entered Presence Concealment. I say that because if I were a dishonorable and selfish Assassin, and I felt the presence of a nearby Servant, I would hide to see if I could get a look at him. Information like that is how you win a War. Plus, if I were really lucky, maybe his master would do something foolhardy, like get involved in a pointless fight, distracting her protective Servant and allowing me a chance to kill his master with minimum expenditure of prana."

Hiro paused for a moment to allow that to sink in.

"I tell you that because as an observer to the war, it's actually in my best interest for you to persevere, die in a grand fashion. I wish for you and your Servant to fight many battles so that I may record his efforts. You dying pointlessly from a quick sneak attack hinders my goals here. Of course, so does me dying. Which brings me to my final point. It probably has occurred to you that a Servant against a desultory rabble of a mage and a few human allies isn't even a fight. One that you can feel free to indulge your whimsy and test your battle capability with your Lancer in a manner that would allow you to test and refine your combat efficiency in a controlled setting. Even with a possible Assassin in the area, that might still justify its merit as a strategy because of the relatively low risk presented by the human combatants. Of course, that wouldn't be true if you risked a battle with something that could possibly kill you and at the least would cost you a great deal of magical energy you would need later, to fight Servants of the war. Thus, we have now crossed the two things I said I would tell you, leaving me with just that which I said I would ask you."


It was then something occurred that nobody could have predicted...except perhaps Luna, who despite being the least experienced of all present, might have begun to fathom the secret....

...As she had seen the demon once before!




Waves of magical energy emanated from the young boy. The similarities that seemed to exist between him and Lancer. The stance of one who held the very hopes and dreams of humanity itself on his shoulders. Broadly speaking, it was well known that it was impossible for a human to bear this weight. A Hero was one who made the impossible possible. but...

There was a difference between what was known and what was true. Because once before, in another ritual, there had been a fire greater than even that which was contained in the Fire of Hiro's right hand....a grand Incineration that had burned time and life and reality. To combat this, a certain ritual had been created. One of which the Yamashita clan had been able to replicate.

...The ritual by which a Servant could be contained not by a grail container, not limited to the Holy Grail War. The reason Hiro had sought out this far eastern land to pursue his studies? Why did he not have interest in the grail war, but slavered at the prospect of many Servants congregating, competing, fighting, showing off every aspect of their heroism and prowess in a grand battle for the sake of a wish?

What else would so fascinate a Demi-Servant??



Rings of mana constrained the Power. Coursing through and around him was some kind of curse, a limitation and binding on that which could never be bound. A control on that which could not possibly be controlled...

The only weapon against a Servant was another Servant!

"My question Labelle! It's time for your lesson! Because I just gotta know...You still ready to fight?! I'm game, hahaha! But here is the thing, you might wanna be careful, 'cause I have taken your Servant's heart once before..!"

Wise up!

Demi-Servant

[hero]

Hiyako Tsurara
Miyama- Streets
Morning Phase


More often than not, Yakuza stick to their strict code of behavior and etiquette in public, as not doing so would be considered a sign of weakness and make them look bad both in their own eyes and in the eyes of others. You too have been taught how to restrain your emotions and act in a precise and mechanical way, sorting problems while wearing a face of steel that does not know hesitation. Even when exerting violence or enforcing their own law, this is a tradition that's rarely tarnished. There are those that can willingly remove one of their fingers with a bladed tool of choice and endure the entire process without succumbing to pain. So, one would think that seeing you here, like this, would be an insult to the community you are supposed to represent. Perhaps, that is in a way very much true. However, at this point, that hardly matters. There are only two real monsters here and only one will be able to leave. There will be no more witnesses to this battle, this duel between two demons who have outlived others by forgoing their own humanity.

A dazzling sky-blue cuts through the silence.

The sword in your hand moves, drawing a beautiful arc with its blade, signaling both the start and conclusion of this confrontation. Make no mistake: despite the alluring trail that follows its path, this ruthless weapon's only aim is to sever the enemy in half with a single swing. That's why it is the herald of both the beginning and the end. Unlike last night, where you were pitted against something that completely defied human reason, an existence that far surpassed what mortals of this age can accomplish, today you are against something that you are confident you can kill in the same amount of moves it would take it to kill you. Then, if both fighters are on the same level... The one who lands a hit first wins. It's one of life's cruelest principles. In a situation like this, effort does not matter, reasons do not matter, backgrounds do not matter. The only thing that prevails is the determination to strip the other of all they have.

"...!"

But when Hiyako Tsurara's attack only hits the empty air in front of her, the projected image of victory immediately becomes a premonition of death. It's not that she missed, but rather, she messed the timing behind her attack. Fully aware that a predator like the Faceless One would open with a lunge using all the strength of its back legs, she had anticipated this move in her head and thus responded early to make up for the difference in speed. And yet, she misjudged the enemy course of action, drawing herself closer to her own demise. Still not having recovered from the motion, this is an opportunity that a clever hunter like the faceless one does not intend to forgive. In the blink of an eye, it reduces the distance between them to nearly zero. Taking into account its sheer speed and overall weight, it should not have any problem overpowering the girl and pinning her to the ground, where she'll have no more freedom to act.

Imagine its surprise when it finds that, at the last moment, something has been deliberately placed in its trajectory, an open-palm thrust that not only catches its head without mercy, but also abruptly reverts its momentum, throwing it off-balance and slamming its entire body onto the pavement with enough force to leave a crater underneath. Yet again, the tables turn, or perhaps, it would be more accurate to say that all that happened has been part of the prophesy that your sword announced the moment it was swung for the first time.

Yes, during that moment of clarity which precedes the end, it finally understands that your opening strike was a feint from the get-go, a clever ploy to control the flow of the battle from the moment it began.

... But also a way to ultimately knock it down its high horse and humiliate it in a way that it would not forget.

Evolve or die.

This faceless beast represents that philosophy accurately, feeding off corpses and mutating in order to constantly overcome it previous self, not just inheriting physical traits from its victims but also actual thoughts and ideas as well. Even now, it still struggles to find a way out of its predicament... Just like any living creature would do. It knows that you have discarded your weapon in order to complete your counter, and it is also aware that it at least two times taller than you are. It's likely that it can still overpower you in spite of the surprisingly high physical strength that you managed to display.

But that's just in theory.

In practice, its body won't even respond.

That's because it already missed its opportunity to act. It lost the freedom to do so moments ago, when both its mind and body were turned to ice.

'Evolve or die, or so the saying goes.

But when one is not granted enough time, evolution is simply not possible. That's just how life is.

Our extinction too is a marked date on the calendar of a whimsmical God, and nothing can be done to postpone it.

If that is the case...'

-------

The encounter over, you allow yourself a sigh of relief. The truth is that the fight was a lot more dangerous than one would initially assume considering your outstanding performance. A single miscalculation would have brought a completely different outcome, and while you are a hybrid of noteworthy pedigree, you can tell that the faceless beast was not against preying on those of your kind. Yes, instead of feeling intimidated by your mere aura, like other animals would, it immediately lunged at you, its intent very clear. And after touching that thing with your bare hand... It appears doing so has left a sense of unpleasantness lingering over its palm. No, more than that, though weakly, your hand is shaking like that of scared, novice agent. This strange, alien creature... Just what on Earth is it supposed to be...?

"..."

For something that has been apparently stripped of several of its main senses, it proved to be quite dangerous. Were you to encounter more like this one, you cannot say for certain that you'll be able to cheat death every time. But, more importantly, the question you realize you should be asking yourself is 'Where', as in 'Where did it come from?'. Can Fuyuki turn into a literal hell overnight, with zombies and creatures like these freely roaming the streets? At the rate this situation is escalating, the city will be beyond salvation in a couple of days, at best.

Indeed, the sound of fighting can still be heard in the distance. Desperate shouts, gunfire, among others. Forget about you, how long will the normal people in this town be able to survive? Will they even make it through the night? Even if you are the face of violence, even if you are an outsider, you can't say that the thought doesn't bother you a little.

"They can be saved. All of them."

Though you are sure you were alone mere moments ago, that appears to no longer be the case. Words fired directly at your blind spot, you are forced to turn around to find the one who has so skillfully managed to sneak through your trained demon-like perception. There, you see him, a rather old man sitting in a nearby pile of rubble, as if he had been there the entire time waiting for you to finish your business before addressing you.

"That is, assuming if we do everything right."

[hero]

Alicia Rosenkopf (& Servant Assassin)
Miyama- The Sleeping Bishop
Morning Phase


"Assassin, is it...?"

The Servant has been the first one to properly respond to Akane's speech, so it was to be expected that would comment on her strategy in turn. While the Heroic Spirit standing in this dojo and the red haired woman are surely different from one another in several aspects, they both seem to be pragmatic enough to understand where the other one is trying to go. And so, it becomes immediately apparent that the owner of the Sleeping Bishop isn't against the idea that Assassin has proposed. There is no time to ponder if this is a Holy Grail War or something else, enough proof has been thrown around to demonstrate that this whole situation should at least be a variation of the ritual. How can such thought be denied when someone who has been made into a legend is standing right there in front of her?

"... You certainly have a point." After a pause, Akane finally voices her thoughts. "Right now we don't have enough clues that would suggest a different course of action, nor enough time to fully investigate how or why we now find ourselves in this situation. If all we can do is fight, then we need to make sure that we aren't pulling our punches. While the overall landscape remains the same, the level of violence displayed overnight might have turned it into a completely different place. As much as it pains me to say... If we have no choice but to participate in this event, we need to think like an actual player or we are not going to last long."

Normally, someone like Takagi would have immediately banished Assassin and you without giving it a second thought. At first glance, it would be simply to conclude that if one wanted to draw danger away from the inn, the only thing that is needed is to get rid of that which attracts the danger. No other guest has been appointed a Master and so, you are the one who would be responsible if another Master decided to attack the place. Akane's objective is clear: She simply wants to outlive this problem alongside the rest of the group. For that purpose, she is more than ready to act objectively and decisively.

However, one can hardly claim that this is an ordinary situation. Even amongst the countless things the golden-eyed woman has seen, this one is beyond bizarre. If Yuuna's report is accurate, which it is -she has no doubt of that-, then it's very likely that the Sleeping Bishop would be in danger with or without Alicia Rosenkopf being there. She cannot say for sure that the Shadow that they had to face the previous day wouldn't come back tonight, nor that the group is ready to tackle an opponent of that caliber a second time and alone.

In that sense, the advantages of Assassin's presence far outweigh the downsides. It might not be the strongest card to keep in one's hand, but it sure beats being empty-handed. With her being there, the overall odds of survival are much higher, even if they are still borderline abysmal. And... There is also her attitude to talk about. While her somewhat cocky yet relaxed attitude could, just as easily, rub others the wrong way, it looks like it has managed to liven the mood somewhat. Even the Masaki siblings, who were the most affected by the news that an immediate escape plan seemed impossible at this point, now quietly listen to the conversation, their eyes set not on the past but on the future.

Taichi still probably does not fully trust Assassin. It might have something to do with her Class name, or it can entirely be because the boy is always wary of others at first. He's an overprotective big brother type, after all... That is just a trait comes with the job.

"Good grief..." Akane let out a sigh of defeat, slight amusement present in her tone of voice. "Very well, I have no objections regarding Assassin going out for a scout. But I'd very much like her to be here before nightfall, in case those shadows decide to attack again."

And with that something changed, something that does not escape your attention. Namely, the fact that the owner of the inn is no longer talking to your Servant. Instead, she is directly addressing her appointed Master, that is, you. And it's not just her. Thought it might just be just subconscious, being put on the spot like this makes you more aware of everyone's gazes fixed on you.

"What do you intend to do, Alicia Rosenkopf...?"

-------

Choice!

[Note: Write your response post in your own way, but use these choices as pointers on what should be addressed in it. Whatever you pick will affect the overall results of your Preparation Phase.]

You are forced to take a stance. In this jungle of problems, what should be your priority?
1. Explore the School area.
2. Explore the Forest in the outskirts.
3. Explore the Residential District.
4. Explore the Temple.

a. Look for potential allies.
b. Look for enemy hide-outs or potential places of interest.
c. Look for ways to stop the fire at the bridge.

>Assassin should go alone.
>Someone should go with Assassin.

(Optional) You don't know. Assassin or someone else should be the one to decide.

[RoydGolden]

Alicia Rosenkopf (& Servant Assassin)
Miyama- The Sleeping Bishop
Morning Phase


Alicia gulped nervously. She felt unbelievably scrutinized under Akane's gaze, as if the redhead's keen eyes were peering through to her very soul. But after a moment she mustered the confidence to speak. "I agree with Assassin. We should figure out what's going on outside before taking any other action. And if there's anyone still alive out there other than those shades," Alicia paused, considering the worst-case scenario. "We owe it to try and save them."

To be sure, Alicia was scared to leave the relative safety of the inn. But she knew that only by moving forward could they find an answer to this situation. Staying put and cowering here only made them easy prey to the ravenous beasts that lurked within the mist.

"Nicely put," Assassin said, making Alicia blush slightly at the unexpected praise. "So, where do ya' wanna' send me first? There's a whole urban jungle out there, and it's likely only safe to stay out until sundown. What's your first order, Master?"

Alicia paused briefly to consider this. "The school district," she answered finally. "We should go there first and check for any survivors. Then we can decide what to do next."

"Got it," Assassin said. "Well, see ya' around. I'll be back before nightfall, so all of you try not to die on me in the meantime okay?" With those cheerful yet brusque words Assassin turned around to leave the dojo.

"Wait!" Alicia called out, reaching to grab her Servant's shoulder.

Assassin glanced back at her Master, eyes narrowing in confusion. "What is it?"

"Take me with you!" Alicia exclaimed. "I've lived in this city my whole life, so I know its nooks and crannies better than you. If we go together we have a higher chance of finding something important."

Assassin frowned skeptically. "Alicia, it's too dangerous. Even in daylight we still don't know how many of those shadow-Servants are out there."

"I know that!" Alicia protested. "But... even so I want to be of help to you. It's painful to think that someone is out there risking their life for me while I'm sitting around doing nothing. I want to be by your side so we can face whatever comes together."

Even she could scarcely believe the words spilling from her mouth. One moment Alicia had been quivering in fear at the barest thought of leaving the inn, the next she was eagerly agreeing to accompany Assassin in what might very well be a monster-infested wasteland. But... Alicia remembered how Tomomi had ventured out into the city all by herself to fight Saber. Alicia would've been dead if it wasn't for her. Even though nobody had asked for her help, even though nobody would praise her for a job well-done... she still decided to risk her life fighting for a girl she'd just met. Having seen that, how could Alicia possibly just agree to stay put while someone else faced all the danger for her?

"Assassin." Alicia met her Servant's gaze resolutely. Her hands trembled but she clenched them tightly at her sides, steeling her will for what lay ahead. "This is my decision. I won't back down on it. If you want to go without me, you'll have to knock me out and leave me behind."

The few moments that followed were dominated by an awkward, crushing silence. Assassin didn't say anything, and not even her expression changed. She just stood there, silent, rooted to the spot like a statue, and gazing at Alicia with an inscrutable look on her face. Even the onlookers were too taken aback by Alicia's reckless declaration to chime in. For a second Alicia was worried her Servant was about to explode in anger at her impertinence. Then...

"Geez..." The silence was punctured when Assassin gave a small sigh of defeat. "You really are a stubborn girl, you know that Master? I can tell I'm not going to convince you otherwise so I guess it can't be helped. 'Sides, since I'm the only Servant the safest place right now is probably by my side anyways." Though exasperated there was a hint of mirth in Assassin's tone, as if she was secretly pleased by Alicia's answer.

"Just be careful alright?" She fixed Alicia with a concerned stare. "Stay close to me and don't do anything crazy. At least, any crazier than tagging along in the first place."

"Aw, you're worried about me," Alicia sang teasingly. "How cute."

"S-shut up!" Assassin protested while blushing. "It's just that you're my Master, so it'd be a pain in my ass if you died. Don't make this something weird..."

Alicia giggled. "You just don't want to admit beneath your big scary wolf act you're actually a big softie on the inside."

"W-whatever..." Assassin stammered, trying to regain her cool. "You ready to come with me or what?"

"As much as I'll ever be," Alicia admitted.

"Good." Assassin's face broke into a broad grin. "Now let's go crash a party."

With those words Assassin offered Alicia her hand. Alicia took it, feeling the older girl's strong yet surprisingly delicate fingers twine around her own. Hand in hand the two of them began walking out of the dojo. Just before leaving Alicia glanced back at Tomomi, who was still standing with the others. She had a worried yet hopeful look on her face. "I'll be back," Alicia promised. She wasn't sure who she was trying to reassure more, herself or her friend.

Then Alicia stepped out the door, ready to face the unknown alongside her Servant. What had happened to Fuyuki since last night, how many of those 'shadow-Servants' were still about, the root of this so-called Holy Grail War... all those questions and more swirled tempestuously through Alicia's mind, and she knew the only way she'd find answers is by taking a step forward.

Even if... she didn't know whether the answer that awaited her beyond the inn's walls was one that heralded hope, or despair...

[hero]

Yamashita Hiro
Shinto - Church on the Hill
Morning phase


"Seriously... Running into a cheater during my first encounter... That's the Labelle's luck for you..."

On the outside, Ariel can manage to maintain a composed expression even as her opponent casually reveals his true nature to be that of a Demi-Servant. On the inside, however, she's absolutely terrified by this sudden development. It goes without saying that, until this very moment, she has had no idea that such a fusion was even possible. If it wasn't for her wonder, her curiosity, and her own ambitious nature, her will to fight would have been broken right there, without a need to exchange blows. It's just as you say: This confrontation is no place to behave like a kid and act recklessly. Doing so will help more experienced fighters turn one into a corpse early in the war. The odds now heavily stacked against her, she should play it smart and retreat.

But she cannot.

Or to be more precise, a core part of her personality is preventing her from doing so.

There is something that no Labelle can stand. Being controlled, being a pawn in someone else's game, is definitely the worst position for them to be. And, regrettably, the only way to move away from that scenario is to create enough chaos for the algorithm to change. The only way to become a relevant piece is to move far enough to be promoted. To do so, the information she needs is standing right in front of her, waiting to be claimed. If Ariel has to choose between risking instant death and a long arduous path that is ultimately futile in the end, she'll always pick the first without thinking.

Two Servants against one may be problematic, but troublesome scenarios like this one aren't news to her. Even though her previous experiences none involve the presence of Heroic Souls from the distant past, she can definitely make do. This is just another trial and she'll overcome it, just like she has done countless times before.

Because just like the hero standing in front of her, Ariel Labelle is someone who has never truly been defeated in her lifetime.

"..."

Her Servant gives her a careless, outstandingly cold glance. Make no mistake, should Yamashita Hiro, or whatever his true identity is right now, try to deliver an attack while he's looking elsewhere, the man in blue would claim his heart without fail, all the while preventing his claws from reaching the skin of his Master. That's why, faced with that serious glare, Ariel almost feels more intimidated by the glare than she does by the manifestation of a Demi-Servant. The reason is simple: This is a hundred and eighty degree turn from his usual brotherly, laid back nature. In those eyes hides a flame that could end her life without hesitation...

It's only then that she realizes.

The meaning behind his stare.

Her Servant is merely awaiting orders. Despite being a hundred percent able to act independently, he is waiting for his orders like an obedient hound. That level of loyalty integrated into a murder machine meant to wreak havoc is enough to take her breath away in an instant.

"Very well. If that is the case, then... Go get them..."

At that moment.

Reality itself becomes strained by the sheer hostility washing over the area. It comes not just from the enemy Servant, but also from the spirit contained within yourself. In but a moment, the road that leads to the place where once the Church stood tall, will become a makeshift arena for what can only be called a death-mach. And yet...

And yet, amidst that prelude to a storm of violence that would surely follow...

"BERSERKER-!"

That man somehow manages to showcase a pleasant grin.

Quickness Challenge
... Failure!

"Heh..."

There are several meters between the mad warrior with the demonic spear and the about to be unleashed demon of the flame.

... You immediately wish there were at least three thousand more meters between him and you.

In the blink of an eye, Berserker becomes a blue cannon ball traveling at hypersonic speeds, rendering all distance meaningless. His movement is so fast that even you feel overwhelmed by its sheer speed. The rest of the group probably doesn't even get to register what happened and won't be able to until it's way too late to react.

A rain of spear thrusts fills your vision.

No, it would be wrong to compare those attacks to spear thrusts, even if that is what they really are. Each thrust is like a bullet being fired, one that doesn't exactly travel at straight lines but instead erratically. As bizarre of a thought it is, Berserker's weapon almost feels like a combination between a whip and a shotgun that needs no time to reload.

Against such onslaught, not even with all the power you can muster, you can not keep yourself safe forever...

CQC Challenge
... Failure!

"C'mon! C'mon! I'd hate to get bored this early into the match!"

Yamashita Hiro suffers 4 chip damage.

-------

Tutorial

Gloves Off
Actual Combat from Day 1 onwards is more serious than that seen in the prologue. Certain mechanics that protected players from taking more damage than usual, among other things, have been removed, thus increasing overall difficulty.

Chip Damage
A small, fixed amount of damage that cannot be prevented. It often happens in situations where one's fighter's CQC is higher than the other and both engage at close range. If the difference in CQC is too high, it might turn into True Damage, instead. Chip Damage ignores Toughness.

[Tobias]

Yamashita Hiro
Shinto - Church on the Hill
Morning phase


How many times has it been now...?

How many blows were exchanged in the first pass? Could it be one? Could it be a hundred. Or had the whole world died...?

It seemed absurd to think that any place in the whole wide world could withstand the clash that existed between legendary heroes.

Even if it could.

Even if it were somehow possible, through some impossible fortitude brought forward of Gaia’s reign....why?

What would be the point.

Why would the planet, the solar system, the wide starry sky, why would the universe itself bother to continue along its path when such as this was contained in a single moment, a single place, a single point of history. Hiro might have died right there with the awe of a wondering child captivated by the glittering beauty of the stars...

Had Hiro not died moments before. No. He was killed.

Maybe he had been to arrogant. A mage couldn’t stand against a hero who have overcame myths. If there was any salvation at all from such a thing...surely it had to come from another hero.

When the rush of death fame, when the bloody red spear came for a pair of intertwined hearts, a fury hand had reached out, and swatted everything that was the young mage aside with no more difficulty then an amused cat batting around a scared mouse, to enjoyable to let go but to skinny to eat.



A flash of blows. Walking stick could not match that which was called a Noble phantasm.



First blood soaked the battle field.

Hiro was bleeding.

...But.... he was not bleeding very much.

Hiro blocked a slice aimed for his right eye that would have taken off the top part of his skull, let his off hand leave his spear to bat aside a kick that contained enough force to destroy most of his lungs, and then after redirecting a lethal strike to his liver to a small but painful slice to his hip, the young boy used his smaller size to momentarily intertwine the pair of lances, using the moment to push off. Residual pressure from the strike alongside Hiro's slight frame made pushing himself so as to slide back was fairly simple.

The Spearman was so fast it really didn't matter. 5 feet or 500 yards, the boy new he was already in range.

...No, that wasn't right. The boy wasn't there anymore...

The proof of such could be found floating above the battlefield. A dirty white, blood covered sheet flapped in the wind for a moment before vanishing without a trace. In many cultures, waiving a white flag was a sign of contrition, surrender. Perhaps the same thing could be said of the young boy known as Yamashita Hiro. But unchaining the Spirit...releasing the Dracul's Wrap....it was a surrender of a different sort.

Unleashing the beast within....

Many things became apparent at that moment. The true power of the demi-servant. the split of anima and animus that the Wrap contained...and finally...the swell of that which was not to be found on the body of a skinny, sickly boy.

Yamashita Hiro's breasts, contained no more by his....no, her mystic code.



"Heh...Dont you worry your pretty head berserker..." Hiro growled, her smooth tenor coming out significantly higher pitched as he no longer had need to force himself to sound more masculine. It was no less threatening for the change. "When you wake up, you are a bit sluggish at first....but that's ok, I'm starting to get warmed up...!"



There could be no comparison to the retreat and the attack. and just the same, there could be no relation between the last series of blows and this one. Something became clear about what Hiro was.

Boy...

Girl...

Demi-Servant....

She was at heart a mage. Mages changed the world with the crystallization of mysteries. Even a demi-Servant obeyed this rule. Berserker was a true Servant. Provided at the power of the holy grail, anchored by a master, he fought for supremacy of the holy war. That's not what Hiro was. Fire had been given to her. But calling that fire wasn't a natural ability like the man in blue had.

No, Hiro called forward the power that came naturally to Berserker by means of thatamurgy.

Her first spear strike was batted away far before it could pose a threat to the man in blue. so was her off hand strike by a hand covered in fire. When she used the momentum from the miss to plant that hand on the ground, Berserker moved his head away from the flip kick that aimed to remove his jaw from his face.


She had no need to advance. When her face came back around, Berserker was already there, striking with a natural speed and grace and the awesome powers of a berserker which far exceeded her own.

and yet...

No more blood had spilled. The clash of their lances rent the air. when driven into a corner, the eldest daughter of Yamashita pulled back, whirled off a street lamp in a double three sixty and was already back in the clash before the sound of the first blow reached those observing the fight. That wasn't the only thing they heard.

"Luna don't just stand there captivated by my beauty! I'll meet you where we first met! I need to pick something up! And executor, fight if you wish, flee if you must, but Berserker is mine, ahahaha!"

Mages should fight mages. Servants fought Servants. That's how a battle in the Holy Grail War should manifest.

Even so...the future refused to change. Berserker's power was stronger then the jungle spirit. Even with an arm clad in flame, striking claws of fire through the air, even with the staff, somehow able to handle the blows fired by Hiro and deflect the endlessly lethal barrage of Berserker's cursed weapon, the difference would not change. Even a proper Servant feared the rush of a Berserker. a half formed Demi-Servant would never cut away his heart.

Then why...



Why was the flames getting larger, and the spear getting closer to the man who should have been in every way Hiro's superior...!?

If her spear was batted aside...

she would use her claws.

If her burning claws didn't reach...

she would use her legs.

If her kicks weren't enough.

...She would attack with her teeth!

Biting, clawing, striking, her whole body a weapon, an onslaught that attempted to push back the speed of the gods contained in the spear. It didn't matter if he was faster, she just had to strike more times. That which attacks slower just needs to attack more times...!

When his spear cut low, she jumped a dozen feet in the air, swinging her own in reply. When he ducked and leaped into the air to meet her, the pair's only sources of new momentum were the impacts from the thousand blows they traded with each other...!





Maybe the ultimate difference between the two was their outlook as heroes. Berserker was a man who never admitted defeat. The resolve of a bad loser, perhaps he had good affinity against the fire. He couldn't be burned. Hadn't he once said "if you kill me, burn my body, cut off my head, and run for the hills, because my corpse will chase you to the ends of the earth!" boastful sure, but not wrong. He was a man who wouldn't even be defeated when he died.

Hiro was different. Her grin and red rimmed eyes were the laughing cackle of the worst loser. The type of person who lost a thousand times and never once admitted defeat. Someone who in her own head was unparalleled. And if reality sought to dissuade her of this, she reacted by getting even more fired up. rejecting loss, forcing reality itself to change purely because she said so. If she fell a thousand times, she would rise one thousand times and lie her ass off about it, never once acknowledging anything like the idea she could lose.

"Are you watching Labelle...! This is a fight you entered on a whim. This is a Holy Grail War, engrave it on your heart, or I'll rip it from your chest!"

Wise up!

A strange skill which appears to increase the amount of attacks she can use beyond what her speed and CQC would suggest. This does not appear to be reinforcement or some sort of strengthening magecraft. Instead it appears to be rooted in a premise of utilizing ones entire body as a haphazard weapon.

[hero]

Yamashita Hiro
Shinto - Church on the Hill
Morning phase


"..."

The girl nicknamed 'Luna' simply cannot move. She is not the kind of person who would call any act of violence beautiful, yet the scene taking place before her eyes cannot be called anything but captivating. In the span of a few minutes, her body has become a dangerous cocktail of fear, anxiety and sheer adrenaline. She is not directly involved in the battle, nor does she understand the context as well as others present in the area, however, her heart is beating as rapidly as that of any active participant. Yes, it's just as you said: This is a battle between Servants, a legendary spectacle that would leave anyone awe-struck. Turning one's eyes away is simply not allowed.

"...!"

Your direct intervention was needed for her to come back to her senses, although at first there is barely any response. It doesn't take long however for her heart to be filled with a completely different emotion than those displayed thus far. Is it anger? For a moment there, Luna's expression grows more tense, as if trying to oppose the order she has been given. It's only natural to feel offended. After all, how could you ask her, of all people to leave you behind...? Even if she is someone powerless, someone who has no place in a battlefield such as this, she's too prideful to run away alone. Be her a doctor, be her a scientist, be her something else entirely... It makes no difference.

Do not take her for a fool. She may not have a firm grasp of the situation, but she knows that there is a very high risk of death if she stays.

So no.

What she feels is not anger.

It's courage.

The only way to find more about herself is to let her intuition guide her, and every part of her is urging her to remain headstrong and stay where she is. Yes, for the first time since she recovered her consciousness, Luna feels in complete synchronicity with her own self.

"Not a chance!" The blue haired girl yells at the top of her lungs, the realization of having doing so bringing her nothing but pure satisfaction. "You've got a promise to keep, Hiro! I'll stay by your side until I see you keep your part of the bargain-!"

But there is no time to react to your friend's act of loyalty.

Berserker's onslaught is relentless.

If you do as much as sparing another glance at the blue haired girl, the blue haired man in front of you will swiftly claim your life.

Seven times is the spear thrust like machine gun fire.

Yamashita Hiro suffers 2 Chip Damage.

Even fighting defensively, his barrage of attacks feels overwhelming. It's only natural: His body does not follow the laws of physics and neither does his weapon. Every attack becomes a living contraction, striking at unreal angles and doing so at speeds that your enhanced eyes can barely keep track of.

"Hah-! Not bad, kid!"

After repelling a few of your attacks, the man throws a genuine compliment, somewhat amused by your words. He's enjoying this battle. Without a doubt, Berserker is doing his best to go through this with extreme sportsmanship regardless what it is at stake. That is not to say he is underestimating you. When every move in his dangerous dance is meant to take your life, you can't hardly say that he thinks of you as a lesser opponent.

"Well said, I am starting to get warmed up, as well-!"

But, at the same time, you cannot say that this person isn't actually holding back.

You are fighting back using all the means at your disposal and, in doing so, you are slowly, little by little, pushing Berserker back. That's because he isn't used to your wild battle style. He might be faster, but you attack in ways that cannot be easily anticipated, a style befitting a beast like the fire demon. Anyone would be caught off-guard by the sudden shift in pace, granting you some control over the flow of the battle, and the blue spearman is no exception. Your flurry of thrusts, swipes and bites manages to reach the legendary hero in more than one occasion, and he is even forced to disengage in order to catch a break.

However, Yamashita Hiro cannot defeat this man.

Berserker's fighting prowess is on a complete different level to anything you have seen through the eyes of the fire demon before. No, even if this is the first time taking an active role in a fight against a Heroic Spirit, you can tell that this man's instincts are beyond the norm. If you were to compare him to the shadow archer that attacked you at the park, a glance would be enough to measure Berserker's Saint Graph, his core, his 'CPU', to be leagues above that of the mysterious feline, or you, for that matter.

The moment he manages to adapt to your elusive fighting style, he wins.

The moment you run out of time or fuel, he wins.

It's just a matter of time before combat reaches one of these two outcomes. Regardless, the overall result will be the same.

Even so...

Even so, you'll stand your ground and fight until a chance arises. Or until you are able to forge that chance yourself.

You owe that to your family.

You owe that to yourself.

You owe that to Luna, who has chosen to stay, despite how powerless she is.

"Oh, believe me. I am hooked on it already. But let's turn it up a notch, shall we?"

From the sidelines, Ariel Labelle is content with her Servant's performance. A few close-calls on Berserker's part caused her heart to skip a beat one or two times, but since she could also tell that Berserker has the upper hand here, she has gotten over her former anxiety. She may still be greatly outnumbered, but she's well-shielded by the battle itself, so she has little to worry about. If Theressa wants to engage, she'll have to sneak past Berserker to do so, and it has become clear that you cannot reliable hold him at bay.

Naturally, there is also Assassin...

But since the Old Man of the Mountain has yet to make his move, she can maintain a strong position. She only needs to be careful... And be prepared for when the time comes.

"Hah-!"

The battle resumes and you immediately notice the difference.

Each blow is more powerful than the last. Like a monster about to awaken from its slumber, Berserker too is becoming more precise as the seconds go by. Now each clash, each exchange, sends streaks of light in every direction, and every leap and blow causes the earth to tremble.

A battle between servants, indeed.

"...?!"

Even though you manage to stop the next swing of your opponent's spear by blocking with your own weapon, the force behind the impact is such that it immediately shoots a surge of pain through your entire body, before the Berserker uses the same momentum to continue the motion and push you up into the air.

Yamashita Hiro suffers 9 Damage.

Is this the power of Mad Enhancement...? No.

That's what she meant. She is using her own power to fuel Berserker strikes.

It's likely not an efficient trade. Magi who can be proper batteries for Servants are rare, even among the noblesse. So it is unlikely that she can continuously power-up Berserker like that for extended period of times. Instead, she'll use it at the right timing, to tip the odds in her favor even further. To be able to keep up with the battle like that...

"I am sorry, little missy..."

Crap... Up here, there is no foothold that you can use-!

"But I'll be taking your heart instead-!!!"

[RacingeR]

Hiyako Tsurara
Miyama- Streets
Morning Phase

The difference had been made due to her enemy’s lack of knowledge about Tsurara’s abilities. Otherwise, the result could have been very different. No, in the first place, the lack of knowledge of the opponent’s abilities was mirrored between each other. That they were physically at an equal level was just an estimate, but that was just physically.

Neither of them had a way to gauge each other’s supernatural abilities, and furthermore the Faceless One was unable to tell how strong Tsurara’s body was. To put it simply, she had drawn it into an ambush it had no way to predict.

But that in itself had been an extreme risk. She looked at her palm, still tingling with whatever the hell that creature’s power had been. With no way to know its supernatural abilities, the tables could easily have been turned. This checkmate within two moves carried the risk of being checkmated herself with a single misstep.

Her eyes fell upon the immobile form of the monster, frozen within a chunk of ice, dead as a doornail, with complete finality. Were there more of these faceless creatures wandering around the dying city? If so, how many times would she able to execute this gamble before she made the wrong chess move and was killed?

One could say that the moment the Faceless One had stepped within melee range of her, its defeat had been decided. Even if it had managed to somehow pin her down, she had many ways to get out of that and make it regret ever getting near her. When it came to close quarters combat, she was confident that nothing other than these shadows would be able to get the best of her. But what if she met one capable of using ranged abilities?

Too little knowledge, and she needed to start solving that. That’s why she was planning to drag the preserved corpse to the inn with her. There were some in her retinue with medical knowledge, and some with knowledge of the supernatural that was beyond hers. The various abilities of her subordinates would be very useful to analyze the situation.

Logical thinking that calmed down her rampaging emotions. That was good. Her body slowly returned to normal, or as close to ‘normal’ as someone like her could get. Her mind was clearing up, returning to the cold, frozen clarity of always-

… She was getting real tired of surprises.

The moment the old man that had somehow managed to get this close to her without being discovered finished speaking, Tsurara was already near him, with her sword pointing towards his throat, almost touching his neck.

Her eyes were cold as ice, and her face was the steel mask of a yakuza. Controlling her emotions, returning to the cool and collected strategist she was supposed to be, she glared at this man, showing neither enmity nor friendliness, only pragmatism.

“And who the hell are you, if I may know?”

[hero]

Hiyako Tsurara
Miyama- Streets
Morning Phase


"A man once told me that the past couldn't be changed, that our hands can only shape what is to come. I told him that we couldn't know that until we try."

The stranger pays little attention to the sword pointed at his throat as he continues to speak lines that make little sense to you. It only takes a moment for you to realize that he is as dangerous you initially assumed him to be. There is definitely something that makes him stand out from the regular human, but whatever that source of presence is, it does not seem to stem from a supernatural source. Right here, right now, you can easily end this person's life. In doing so, you may spare him of his own misery. You cannot tell what he has gone through, but there exists the possibility that he is not even aware of who he is talking to. He feels absent, his one exposed eye never meeting your gaze.

Even if he somehow managed to blindside you, such a husk of a human being like him would never pose a threat to you. Was he attacked? He doesn't look in the best shape, neither physically nor psychologically.

"I come here when I need to think hard about something." He confesses. "This particular street, as wrecked as it is right now, still remains a very meaningful piece of my memories. Reminds me of my limits... Of what I couldn't do... And what I can still do. Who am I...? Just another broken tool in the shed, I guess..."

Strange...

He seems to be somewhat aware of his surroundings. But he is definitely not talking to you. He's talking alone. His words were never meant to reach you, but the person sitting next to him. Or, rather, the person that once sat next to him, for now there is no one there but yourself.

"If it wouldn't be too much to ask, could you tell me, Ms.稲ͦͮͦ͐̑҉͓̝͉̠̟̭原̗͈... ̷̻ͥDo you have a similar place of your own?"

What did he call you...?

Whatever, at this point you should just leave. There is probably nothing to gain from a conversation with a lunatic in the middle of the apocalypse. But, maybe, if you so wish, you can answer this man's request and keep him some company. Doing so may grant him the strength to continue moving forward.

His turns his face slightly to the side. There is no one there and, just like expected, no answer to his question comes from that direction.

"..."

He's clutching something in his hand.

[Tobias]

Yamashita Hiro
Shinto - Church on the Hill
Morning phase

"Nghhhhhhh!"

The wind suddenly went silent, oddly cold after the heat of battle. Where moments ago there had been the clash of weapon on weapon and crackling fire, the early morning air suddenly seemed as silent and full of expectation as the night sky, breathless and awaiting the promise of a new dawn. In a timeless moment, imperceptible perhaps only to the two warriors to whom gravity was less a law and more of a suggestion, an eternity past in that instant. Berserker, arm at full extension, wielding death. And the blood dripping in the area at Hiro's chest.

...But not from it.

"Frikken........ouch!"

An exclamation that didn't seem fitting in a clash of heroes. But when both her hands were covered in blood and still tearing flesh, it was pretty clear Hiro didn't much care.

Which made sense, considering her current position. Gyrating in the air along with Berserker, her body had no where to channel the momentum of her most recent action and so the pair had whipsawed haphazardly. That action was becoming more obvious now, though few if any could have seen it occurring in real time.

"Sorry...good attack but....I have always been...pretty lucky...!"

Hiro said....as she continued to hold back the cursed red weapon, shivering spitefully an inch from her chest, both her hands slicing themselves bloody, wrapped around the very blade of death. There was no way such an action didn't have a cost. The blood red spear, decorated with her spiritual energy in the form of a red splatter was a curse to touch. Wounds from its blades were said to be marks of evil intent, an Authority of death itself.

And yet...!

"All right..." Hiro said, as her strength rippled, taking everything she had to equal the blue knights. "Couldn't hang onto that....and can't dematerialize it so....catch!" Yamashita finished breathlessly, as a certain nurse who refused to run clumsily had to snag the falling spear previously wielded by the jungle spirit fell from the sky into her arms. It took everything she had to defend herself from the airborne blow, she needed that hand free to do so, so must have thrown it at Luna in the moment before collision.

"Servant lesson one!" Hiro growled, wrenching the spear to the side and pulling forward to bring Berserker into melee range. Her clawed strike at his eyes was neatly evaded by he himself applying pressure on the spear to push her back, Even the spray of blood from the open wound he didn't allow to obscure his view of the fight. For a moment, they exchanged strikes, the red spear of death between them and there respective grips, the blue knights on the handle and Hiro's fire-clad hand stubbornly refusing...or perhaps incapable of relinquishing its own grip, emanating fire sizzling away her own blood second by second. "Use your advantages ruthlessly....you pass berserker, You have...my praise!"


"Lesson two," she followed up..."As fire began to lick out around the cursed spear, coursing around the hound's fang until the pair of them were briefly engulfed together in a vortex of flame. At this time, the young demi-servant kicked her legs out, briefly swinging the pair wide and parallel to the ground at opposite ends of the weapon, before they two began to spin faster and faster until all that could be seen was a giant giant double sided scythe of fire within which the two heroes rapidly increased momentum.

https://youtu.be/C7ckV1yf6dY?t=28

"Using...your skills effectively....! That attack...was well done, with a little more luck, you might even have aced this course.....you pass...!" The air cracked and burned as fire and mana swelled, signs of extreme effort and trial for the dark haired girl. Yet it was pretty clear that something was about to happen. Something with the power and majesty of a legendary hero. Noble Phantasm?!

No...that wasn't quite right. But....there were more things in heaven and earth then dreamed of by novices to the grail war. Traditionally when one thought of the heroic skills of a Servant, one considered characteristics. Traits of cunning and battle technique. But there was another class of such. A type of skill rare enough that an entire grail war could pass without its sighting.

The kind of skill that embodied the power of Gods in a single technique.

"Lesson three... understanding the role of...master and Servant..." Hiro's voice blasted out from the firey disc, still increasing in speed. "A demi Servant cant match a Servant grounded by the Grail and supported by his master....but a Demi-Servant doesn't have to worry about his master either, you fail! Did you think yourself invincible because your Servant has an authority over death?! Lady, I am the Goddess who judges death itself!"

With that, the rapidly spinning disc shot from the air towards the ground. This should not have been possible. Hiro and Berserker could change their momentum to a certain extent by controlling their body and the wind around them and pushing off each other, but the entire pair should still have been subject to the laws of motion.

But...it was by violating such laws that one became a Hero in the first place!

When the pair flew at an arc that took them near Labelle but noticeably not immediately overhead, for a split second, through the fire, Hiro could be seen on the lower arc of the flight, both hands again on the cursed lance, as She hurled berseker, the spear, and she herself right into the waiting earth...!



That and itself would have been enough, however, at the very moment of their impact, another, perhaps even greater surge of prana occurred. For a split second, the fire that had been up until this point contained in Hiro's arm surged, dispelling a charge of insanely powerful but unfocused prana wrapped in fire in all directions. All onlookers could only see...



...It wasn't even fire anymore. It was pure unfiltered mana, gathered from the air and expelled through the mystic circuit. It was said that when mages were in a hurry they just channeled unfiltered magical energy and hurled it at their target. This was an uncultured attack, not even a spell, a simple blast intended to kill everything in the area that transformed the instant kill anti-unit technique to an anti-army ability, one which killed not just the general but his entourage with him.

Probably Berserker himself could survive. He was clearly a Servant who, despite his class, was very defensive in nature. A single blow, no matter how powerful was unlikely to end his heroic resolve.

But his master....well, something would need to be done about her.

That however wasn't Hiro's problem. However that didn't mean she didn't have things to worry about. She had the advantage of knowing what was coming so had a critical extra millisecond of reaction time. And the two she wished to protect were farther away from the blast. But after all, there were two of them.

When she leaped towards Luna, carrying her should have been somewhat simple, but she hadn't accounted for the fact that Luna was actually a bit taller then her. She had to undertake a quick flurry of hands to get the girl situated in a fireman's carry with one hand securing Luna's wrists sloped over Hiro's modest chest. The executor. Hiro didn't have time to make the trip comfortable. She just scooped the girl up with one hand under her legs and her top half actually held in place by the firm grip Hiro had of the back of the neck of her top held in the demi-Servants teeth as she fled the area as quick as her powerful legs would take her.

"It goes without saying....but after we escape you two better be prepared for some time sitting in seiza position...." Hiro said through a mouthful of cloth, ignoring an annoying click of her own spear against her left leg, still awkwardly held in Luna's grip.

wise up!

Servant skill, Rank A:

The exact specifics are unknown, but appears to be an ability which wraps the body in prana then crashes to ground, attacking a single target, then expelling all the prana for a follow up AoE attack. Its true name is unknown, but appears to be related to some sort of Authority of judgement over death.

Divinity: (?)

[hero]

Interlude - The Child of Light and the Devil's Advocate (I)

"..."

As the cloud of smoke and dust brought by the explosion begins to disperse, so does the runic barrier who shielded the two silhouettes found inside reach its breaking point and disappears. The taller figure grits his teeth in both disappointment and disgust, realizing that the battle has ended way too swiftly for his own liking, but even that lasts only a moment. Before drawing back his attention towards his master -who must be quite flustered-annoyed right now- the Heroic Spirit in the blue jumpsuit absent-mindedly makes his spear go through several spinning motions before digging it into the ground. For anyone able to witness such short yet amazing spectacle, they would surely become convinced that Berserker handled that polearm like just another part of his body.

"Tch..." He grunts. "Just when I was starting to get the feel of the battle again."

Berserker himself cannot explain how he so easily allowed himself to play into the opponent's hand, but sees no use in dwelling on that for too long. The only thought he allows for himself is that, for a moment there, the young lady he fought somehow managed to remind him of something he thought he had forgotten. Of course, claiming it was the work of Yamashita Hiro would not be entirely correct, Berserker is sure that this was the work of the spirit that resided inside her frail-looking body. He, who walked to the ends of the Earth, in search for a teacher, can pretty much smell that the one he just fought, must have been, in a way, to someone else, an excellent teacher.

"Sorry about that Master. I let them get away." Berserker's beast-like eyes scan the road ahead, which goes downhill. However, rather than measuring speed and distance, it's almost as if he's gauging his own interest in chasing after his prey. "Should I pursue...? That little miss is pretty fast, so I won't catch up to them unless I start immediately."

"..."

When the response that Berserker gets is nothing more than silence, it would be a lie if he said that his heart did not skip a beat. After all, while he can sense that his Master is still there with him, he can also tell that something is not exactly right. Her Master is the sort of spoiled crybaby who would be bawling about his poor performance right about now. And, you see, while he himself is a warrior who doesn't know defeat, he is no stranger to tragic ends. If you add his terrible luck with women to that equation, it's only natural that he would rapidly turn in search for answers.

"... Hah..."

And there he finds his Master, Ariel Labelle, standing still like a statue, in a position that feels hard to maintain. And the reason why the blonde haired girl has been 'petrified' in such awkward position becomes clear the moment the dust fully clears.

Coming straight from the ground below her feet, a long, thin and sharp spike has been pointed at her, stopping a few millimeters short from reaching her neck. It is the end result of an attack, that while seemingly interrupted, managed to completely bypass the protection that Berserker had conjured, by attacking from an angle it could not guard against it. Theressa Rossi knew that her powers, the miracles she is able to wield, were not suited for surprise attacks like these. It is much easier to make the entire earth rumble than to attack in such a precise, controlled way. That's why she took her time and used the battle itself as a shadow in which to hide the clues that would give away her intent. One breath too early, one moment too late, and Ariel Labelle would have seen it coming. And yet, her attack was flawlessly timed.

"Y-You are pretty reliable... For a Berseker." The girl comments, a few drops of cold sweat still rolling down her face, and moves back a few steps, putting herself out of danger. "Runes...?"

"..." The man sighs, unsure if out of relief or out of frustration. "Comes with being a candidate for quite a good number of classes. I think the Lancer class would have been the most optimal to be summoned into. Being a Caster is just not my thing. Anyways, I take it we're letting them go?"

"Yeah... That's enough." The woman replies, reflecting on everything that has transpired thus far. "Each and every one of Isaak's predictions has come true. If that's the case, we need to start focusing on what's truly important."

At that, the hero raises an eyebrow, still not believing the whole story.

"Does that mean the future cannot be changed then?"

Ariel Labelle is not the kind of person who believes in determinism. She's the type of girl who would defy the idea of fate just because, simply due to her nature. She likes to play by her own rules, not by someone else's, be them made by a man or by God himself.

Even if they have met not long ago, Berserker can tell that Ariel would not surrender herself to the idea that everything has already been carved in stone.

"I hardly care."

That's the reason why the first part of her answer comes as a surprise.

Then again, a puzzle cannot be completed until all the pieces are assembled into one big image.

"I only want to get my hands on whatever Isaak is using to reliably foretell the future. Whether it's 100% accurate or not, it won't affect my future plans. Hmmmm..."

His Master is a truly greedy person.

That may never change.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

She inquires, as the two walk away from the scene.

"Nothin'... Just thought you looked cute with that lost-in-thought look on your face."

He answers, already drawing a smirk of anticipation.

"D-Don't go saying stuff like that!"

"H-Hey, stop hitting me! Hey! watch it, there is a trap over there!"

Interlude Out